A Famous VICTORY Obtained before the City of Exeter, on Sunday Ianuary 1. by Captaine PYM, Againſt Sir Ralph Hopton, and the Corniſh CAVALIERS Where after foure houres fight, he obtained a glorious Victory, and ſlew above a thouſand of the Cavaliers, and tooke 38. Priſoners, and 7. pieces of Ordnance, with the loſſe of a hundred men at the moſt.
Being the Copie of a Letter, ſent from Lievetenant HYWORD, To his worthy Friend, inhabiting in the Citie of London.
Bearing date January 2. 1643.
January 6. Printed for I. H. and T. Finch, 1643.
MY Love to you, having ſo fit an opportunity (by reaſon my Captaine had occaſion to ſend a Poſt to London, J did eſteeme it a tye of Friendſhip, to ſalute you with this ſhort Scedule, wherein is contained a generall of our Proceedings ſince my laſt Letter.
On Chriſtmas day we had a falce allarum, by reaſon that ſome three Hundred of Sir Ralph Hoptons Troopers had ſcouted out, and were pillaging the Country Vilages thereabouts, by which meanes the Country roſe, and we were commanded to leave the Church, and Arme our ſelves, the Citie being all in an uprore, but before we could quit the City, and arrive at the place where the Cavaliers were, (notwithſtanding though the inhabitants had made ſome oppoſition, to the loſſe of ſix men,) yet they were eſcaped, and got into Kings-bridge, where Sir Ralph Hopton himſelfe is quartered, ſo that for that time we retreated to the City, which at our returne we found pretty well appeaſed.
All the weeke after we did little, onely we ſent out parties to diſcover whether the Cavaliers made any attempt upon any part of the County, but they lay very cloſe not making the leaſt attempt, onely we were informed that Sir Ralph Hopton called a generall Muſter, but how many he muſtered we can by no meanes get certaine knowledge of, but the report is that he is about five thouſand ſtrong.
Thus we continued till Sunday morning (being Newyeares-day) about three of the clocke in the morning, J being riding the Round, to diſcover whether my Centries did their duty carefully, on a ſudden J diſcovered neere forty Horſemen ſtealing upon my Centries, and one of their Piſtols immediately went off by an accident, (as was confeſt by one that was afterward taken priſoner) which the Centries hearing, diſcharged their Carbines, and retreated to the Court of Guard, and in a quarter of an Houre the City was in a poſture of defence, onely the cryes of women and Chilldren did ſo trouble us, that J profeſſe J had rather oppoſe an Enemy in the field, though with ſome diſadvantage. then to endure that torment in a City moſt ſtrongly fortefied.
During this hurly-burly the day aproched and then we might diſcover a mighty ſtrength which had begirt the City on each ſide, and planted Ordnance againſt our Bulworkes, at which they fired nere thirty times endeavouring to diſmount our Ordnance, but did us litle hurt, onely kild five of our metroſes, and one Caunonier.
During this time our Cannons played at them, doing indifferent good execution, for they lay open to us upon the ſide of a hill which lies on the ſouth ſide of the City.
Thus they held us play on every ſide for the ſpace of three houers, inſomuch that we were almoſt ſpent and tyred out. eſpecially on that part of the City which lyes North-eaſt, for by the violence of the Enemy our men was beaten from the workes, and they began to draw ſo nigh the wall that they began to caſt Granadoes over the wall into the City.
And one remarkeable token of Gods mercy to us J cannot omit, one Thomas Smith with a bull-hide fell upon ſix Granadoes, at ſeverall times and put them out before they broke, and came off unhurt, which other wiſe would have done great miſcheife.
The enemy finding that that part of the City began to give way to them drew up their maine forces, to that place leaving their Ordnance playing againſt us, guarded with ſome ſmall number of men, which my Captaine eſpying, drew up part of his men to the number of eight hundred and ſallied out upon them, and with the loſſe of five and twenty men he ceized their Ordnance, and took ſeventeene Cannoniers Priſoners.
By this time the Contry came in and fell upon Sir Ralph Hoptons Reare, and Cap taine Pym upon his flancke with his owne Ordnance ſo mauled him that preſently he retreated, and having got clere of our forces betooke himſelfe to flight, in this battell we ſlew above a thouſand of his men, and loſt not above foureſcore, or a hundred at the moſt, beſides we took•ſeven pieces of Artillery. and eigth and thirty priſoners, but none of any Note, and now we are in greater hope then ever, that we ſhall put Sir Ralph Hopton to a Non-plus, fot my Captaine is reſolved to purſue him, and uſe all meanes to prevent his making Head againe.
This is all that for this time J have to write, onely as occaſion ſhall offer it ſelfe I ſhall give you information of our ſuture proceedings.
(EEBO-TCP ; phase 2, no. A86955)
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