A True Relation of the Taking of Yorke by Sir John Hotham.
THe 12. day of September wee marched with our Armie towards Yorke, where wee being no ſooner approached with in ſight, but the Inhabitants of the City with great and unſpeakable joy, flocked towards us, that we beleeved that (afarre off) they came to withſtand us; whereupon Sir John Hotham ſent 50. horſe4 and 100. Foot, to know what was their intent, where being n•ſooner met, but they cryed out, God bleſſe the King and Parliament, God bleſſe the King and Parliament; ſo after ſome time ſpent, they all went to Sir John Hotham, and informed him how that they are diſturbed both night and day, and their Gates of the City kept ſhut, that ſcarce any could paſſe with ſecurity of his life, and how the Cavaleers had put the City into defence againſt any that ſhal come to moleſt them; whereupon Sir John Hotham gave command that wee, as ſoone as wee came againſt the Towne, ſhould every man ſtand to their Colours, and not ſtirre, ſo when we came to the Gates we found them ſhut and Ordnance planted be•ore the Gates; whereupon Sir John Hotham demanded enrrance, but they refuſed, and ſaid they kept it fo•the King, and for the peace of the County, Sir Jo. Hotham ſeeing the Gates thus ſhut againſt him, and hearing the anſwer5 made him, he preſently commanded the Drums to beat, and prepared his ſouldiers for Battaile againſt thoſe Cavaleers in the Towne, and made a vow to his ſouldiers to the great encouragement of them all, that hee would have the City before the Sun went down, or elſe he would loſe his life; upon which words the ſouldiers all gave ſuch a ſhout, that they thought long to ſpeake with the Cavaleers; all this while the Gentry of Yorkeſhire ſate in conſultation in the Deanery with the Earle of Cumberland, and other of his Majeſties Commiſſioners for Array, who hearing that ſir John Hotham was come to take poſſeſſion of York, for the Parliament, becauſe he is made Lieutenant of Yorkeſhire by the Parliament, and the Earle of Cumberland had it in poſſeſsion for the King, and made Lieutenant thereof alſo, whereupon the Earle of Cumberland was very hot, and bid them ſhoot and cut them off, what came they there for.
6Al this while, Sir Iohn Hotham and his Somldiers were making all poſſible means for the takeing of it. For afterwards he had word ſent him from ſome in the City, that he ſhould have it; and that without any blood-ſhed at all; and that they would keepe the Earle of Cumberland in the City? and he ſhoulg come in for all that the peeces was before the Gates. Therefore Sir Iohn Hotham with the reſt of his Company, began to eutrench themſelves againſt the City, as if that they would beſiege it; becauſe the Cavaleeres ſhould not miſtruſt the Citizens.
The Earle of Cumberland with his forces ſalied out of the Towne, towards Sir Iohn Hotham, and came into the feild with about a Hundred Horſe, and five Hundred foote which was raiſed by ſome of the County, and kept in Garriſon there.
So leaving the CITY with ſmale gaurd, beſides the Inhabitants thereof; So in a Warlike manner came marching7 towards us, but we ſeeing him comming, prepared our ſ•lves, and withſtoode him and his Mal•gnant Caveleers, for all they were more in number.
The Caveleers were v•ry unmannerly, for they fell upon us and would not as much as ſpeake to us; but we were ſo mannerly as to beate them, and take away their Armes; for indeed we fought an houer and a halfe by the Cl•cke, before we could obtaine the Victory, for the weather was ſo hot, that we could not well tell how to diſpoſe of our ſelves.
At laſt, the Caveleers retreated backe, and fled away as faſt as they could to YORKE, and ſhut the Gates after them, but we purſued them ſo cloſe that we tooke away their peeces of Ordnances that lay before the Gates, and we brought them from the Gates, and planted them againſt the Towne.
And, in the meane time, the Caveleers fled away out of the City, at the other8 Gates; at the ſame time Sir Iohn Hotham entred the City the Caveleers fled away, The Earle of Cumberland and the reſt of the Commiſsioners, being in the Towne, the Inhabitants would have ſtopped them, but they ſwore (Dam them) if they had not free leave, they would take leave, and make way too; The Earle of Cumberland could not tell how to paſſe or get from them, made an excuſe to goe to the houſe of Office, And there liveing a poore Sheepherd at the next backe doore, ſo the Earle of Cumberland went in thither, (and by the Sheepherdrs leave) put on his Cloathes and Coate, and his Sheep hooke with the Tarr-box hanging at the end thereof, ſo (it is reported) he paſſed through the Towne, and no body knew him, and ſo is fled to His Majeſty, but the poore Sheepherd loſt nothing by it, and now Sir Iohn Hotham keeps Yorke for the King and Parliament, and ſo for the preſent I reſt,