A relation of the great victorie obtained (by Gods aſsi­ſtance) by the Parliaments Forces, over thoſe great Forces under the Command of P••••e RUPERT.

THoſe many and very great courteſies I have for­merly received from you, (eſpecially your bounty in promoting my endeavour for Scholarſhip) commands me to watch all opportunities to do you ſer­vice. But the ſubstance of this enſuing Letter is ſuch, that I know with you〈…〉will claim a fair acceptance, though I preſent you〈◊〉with the plauſible ſhew of a Preamble. Briefly the……us:

SIR, By Gods bleſ•ing I can tell you I am alive, and ſo are you, and by Go•••victorious arme, the Church of God: Laſt night he ſhe••d us what the fury of its e­nemies could do, which w•••o powerfull and performed with ſo much reſolution and audacity, noyſe and terrour, that you could not but have thought they now at laſt had moved even Hell gates. But to proceed orderly, (for now I am recollected, having bruſhd off the duſt and fury of warre, and fallen into a calm of gratitude to my Prote­ctour, and deſiring you and all like your ſelfe, to ſhewe your ſelves alſo ſuch to him that hath ſaved you and the Commonwealth) After many aſſaults upon the citie of York performed with great courage, and alſo the often receiving the reſolute ſallies of a ſtrong enemy, we heard by our Scouts on Friday laſt, being the 28. of June, that behinde us their Goliath had made his neare approach, with men not to be numbred; a vaſt body indeed it was: this being conſidered by a Counſel of Warre, it was de­termined to raiſe the Siege with all convenient ſpeed, which beginning the next morning, it was fully com­pleated before Munday at noon, the Enemy making ſmall skirmiſhes all the while with us, and we with our forlorn hope of Horſe drawn up for that purpoſe ſtill repulſing them.

On Tueſday the ſecond of July we pitcht in Heſham. Moore, where no ſooner looking about us, but the enemy with diſplayed colours entered the ſame place, bending to­wards the left hand, by reaſon of ſome advantage they perceived there; which we ſtriving to prevent, made for it, before they ſhould poſſeſse themſelves of it; in the meane time the main body of their pitched in that very place and neare unto it which we left.

Our Army conſiſting of three Generalls, had a Generall for every part to conduct it: The main body was the Scots led on by General Leſley, the right wing by the Lord Fair­fax, and the left wing by the Earl of Mancheſter. They drew up their battalie likewiſe with much gallantry, ſome­thing larger then ours in appearance, commanded by the Prince, the Marqueſſe of Newcaſtle, Sir Charles Lu­cas. Thus the Moore commonly called Heſham Moore being ſix miles long, and generally a mile broad, was be­ſpread and covered with the two battailions. We began a­bout two of the clock in the afternoon with our great guns, which continued till between 7 and 8 with equall ſuc­ceſſe, then the main bodies joyning, made ſuch a noiſe with ſhot and clamour of ſhouts that we loſt our eares, and the ſmoke of powder was ſo thick that we ſaw no light but what proceeded from the mouth of gunnes. For the firſt; their brave Chivalry in the left wing gave ſuch a Cavalier-like aſſault that preſently they routed our right, conſiſting of my Lord Fairfaxes men, made up with ſome regiments of commanded Scots, who by the help of good horſes ran ſo farre before they lookt about, that this morning I paſsing towards Hull-ward for releife of my weariſomeneſſe I found all places poſſeſt with the noiſe of the totall overthrow of the Parliament forces. But nothing ſo, God be thanked, for the right wing being fled & eagerly perſued, in the mean time we under the command of my Lord of Mancheſter and Collonel Crumwell then leading up our Brigade of horſe, gave them ſo brave an onſet, that God ſeconding it with his bleſsing, in leſſe then an houre we had totally routed their foot on the right wing. In the mean time it was hotly diſputed between the two main bodies, ours conſiſting of the Scots led up by Generall Leſley, theirs by Prince Ru­pert: but theirs at laſt perceiving their friends thus flying, began likewiſe for their own ſafety to betake themſelves to their heeles. Thus the field was totally cleared, their right wing and main body beaten out by fine ſtrength, their left wing leaving it in perſuit of their victory. We followed the chaſe of them almoſt as farre as York (which is foure miles diſtant from the Moore) whether the moſt part of their forces fled for ſhelter, and had not night prevented us our execution on them had been farre g•eater. Thus re­turning and totall maſters of the field, we poſſeſt our ſelves of all their Cannon, match, Powder, Carriages, being very many and well furniſht. As for the number of the ſlain I cannot give you a juſt account, but upon our firſt veiw on both ſides they ſeemed to be foure thouſand, of which I verily beleive nigh〈…〉were theirs. The Arms of the fields being gathered made in ſhow 5000. Beſides we heare the ſouldiers have ſince gathered up many at divers places caſt away by them in their flight. As for priſoners taken they are many, but the juſt number or any man of notice in particular as yet I cannot inform you.

If you ſhould expect the commendation or valour of any particuler man your friendor mine, by diſplaying of that I ſhould ſeem to take off from others, who all did ſo gallantly this day, that the commendations of one may juſtly ſeem the wrong of another. And as for the enemy the truth is they behaved themſelves with more valour and reſolu­tion then ever man ſaw coincident with ſo bad a cauſe. Whoſe eyes I pray God to open, and our victories ſhalbe of as great a value with leſſe blood: In a word we were hard­ly put to it, partly by the power of our enemies, but moſt by our own wants, all proviſions being at that time very ſcarce amongſt us: and our ſouldiers hungry and tired with a lingring ſiege. But you ſee Gods power is above mans want.

NOw as I am writing we heare the Prince is rallying his ſhatte­red forces ſome twelve miles off to­wards Scarbrough, where he expects the conjunction of ſome help from thoſe parts to make up a body again, which we hope to prevent.