A CATALOGUE of remarkable mercies conferred upon the seven Associated Counties, viz. Cambridge, Essex, Hartford, Huntingdon, Norfolk, Suffolk, and Lincoln.  
Printed by the command of the Right Honourable EDWARD, Earl of Manchester, the Major General thereof, and the Committee now residing in CAMBRIDGE: And appointed to be published in the several Parish-Churches of the aforenamed Counties, upon the fourteenth of April, that Almighty God may by solemn Thanksgiving, have the glory due unto his Name.  
Hereunto is annexed an Order for the more solemn keeping of the Public Fast.  
ANNO DOM. 1644.   

¶ A Catalogue of remarkable mercies conferred upon the seven Associated Counties.  
A Midst the several miseries and distractions under which this Kingdom hath groaned since this unnatural war began by the enemies of our Religion and Liberties, God hath been pleased in his mere grace to raise unto us many means of preservation: otherwise undoubtedly we had been, long before this time, under the power of those enemies. Among which means this is not the least, that God put it into the heart of the Parliament, to associate these Counties for the mutual defence one of another, and the good of the Kingdom in general. Neither are the successes which God hath been pleased to give the forces raised by these Associated Counties to be forgotten, but to be had in thankful remembrance of all that love and fear God. Therefore our desire is, that God (who is only to be acknowledged in all these deliverances and happy victories) may have the glory due unto his name: And to that end, a day of public Thanksgiving be solemnly kept & observed upon the Lord's day, being the seventh of April instant, in all the Congregations within this Association; and that the people be stirred up by their Ministers to acknowledge the goodness of God, for inclining the Parliament to cause these Counties thus to be knit together for the ends aforesaid, and for his blessing given to their forces, which have been employed in several parts of this Kingdom, and in particular to call to mind these things following.  

1. THe quenching that fire kindled at Laystaff, which would undoubtedly have hazarded all the East parts of this Kingdom, if God had not by a seasonable providence timely prevented the same, breaking it in that very conjuncture of time in which there was a confederacy of the disaffected of those parts to gather to a head.  
2 The reducing Croyland, which was a place strong by situation, and which had a professed Papist for the Governor, which how dangerous it was to some parts of this Association, and to the neighbouring parts of Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire, and Huntingdonshire, is well known to those that were subject to their daily plunderings and pillagings.  
3 The defeat given to the enemies at Grantham, where eleven of the Parliament Troops facing one or two and twenty of the enemies, five of the Associated Troops charging the right wing of the enemy's body, utterly routed them, and had the execution and chase of them almost two miles, and got five or six of their colours.  
4 The taking Burlygh house, where was also taken the Lord Camden's regiment of horse, with their colours, three or four companies of Foot and Dragooneers, with all their ammunition, with about 400. prisoners.  
5 The defeat given to the enemy's horse at Gainsborough, to the breaking of near thirty troops of the enemy; where was slain the Lieutenant General Charles Cavendish: Colonel Heron, the High Sheriff of Lincolnsh. forced into Trent, with many other Officers and Soldiers, and there drowned, whereby Gainsborough was at that time relieved with ammunition, which then it exceedingly wanted; and this battle fought, and victory gotten, as without any considerable loss to us, so within a mile of the marquis of Newcastles Army.  
6 The saving near twenty Troops of horse belonging to the Lord Fairfax, and under that renowned Gentleman Sir Thomas Fairfax, his son, with which horse he hath since performed such notable good service in Cheshire, and other parts; which said horse were almost starved by the strait siege of Hull, and could not in probability have been thence delivered but by the horse of this Association, which was done by fourteen Troops of horse and three of Dragoons belonging to this Association, there being nothing in assistance of them, but six Troops belonging to the Lord Willoughby, and near forty Troops of the enemy under the command of Sir John Hinderson, who had opportunity to have fought with our horse before we could come to join with Sir Thomas Fairfax his horse, if he had pleased, but did not take it.  
7 The taking of Lin, a strong town and of great importance, by raw and undisciplined new raised soldiers; which was a place as likely to have undone this whole Association as any, which rebelled at such a time as the marquis of Newcastle was at the strongest, and so absolute in Lincolnshire, that if he would have engaged his Army to have come to the rescue thereof, the forces of this Association then raised, had not been considerable to have made resistance.  
8 The fight at Winsby, where ours being about fifty colours of horse and dragoons, did encounter near ninety colours of the enemy: both parties being by estimate between eight and nine thousand horse and dragoons, the enemy being in all probability about five thousand of that number, where we gave him such a defeat, that we took and killed about 1100. of them, and took near thirty of their colours.  
● The taking of Lincoln, where the force of the defendants were in computation many more than of the assailants, which the enemy surrendered up to us upon hard terms to themselves, where we got about 3000. Arms, the enemy's colours, with good proportion of ammunition, and five or six pieces of Ordnance.  
10 The taking of Gainsborough by storm, the greatest part of the foot being our men, who repulsed the enemy, got over their works without any loss, and possessed the town, whereby Lincolnshire (formerly almost totally under the enemy's power) became wholly cleared of them.  
11 And lastly, the taking of Hilsden house, which a week before the garrison of Ailsbury attempted but could not take, after which time and before we endeavoured it, the enemy sent in two or three loads of ammunition; where were taken above 200. prisoners, about twelve barrels of powder and proportionable match, all their arms, and about fifty horse, which service was much to the ease and comfort of the poor inhabitants of the almost wasted County of Buckingham, which was oppressed by them, and by the countenance of which house great sums of money and contributions were raised both for themselves and Oxford; and a regiment of foot, and the completing Colonel smith's regiment of horse was speedily intended. Where also were taken men of quality, Sir A. Denton, and Colonel Smith, besides two field Officers and divers Captains.   
These things are thus particularly recited (not for vain ostentation, nor that any honour should be given to any person, no nor to your forces, but) that by commemorating particulars, your hearts may be enlarged and quickened in sincerity to give God the glory due alone to him. Let your confidence be ever more placed in God, and when we again go out, we desire your prayers to the Lord, professing our trust to be in his Name, and our rejoicing in hope we shall have his presence to go along with us: in this we rest: And therefore let the Name of God alone be glorified by all, through Christ for evermore.   

A Postscript.  
THis Commemoration of mercies conferred upon these Associated Counties, being printed and ready to be published, according to the purpose expressed in the Preface; the defeat given to the Forces before Newark did disfwade the dispersing of the copies upon these considerations: First, because the hearts of people being oppressed by this sad providence, were judged unfit to undertake the joyful exercise of Thanksgiving. Secondly, lest Malignants should have any seeming occasion administered to blaspheme the ways of Christ, upon our performance of a duty so unseasonable and unsuitable to our present condition; giving it out also that this course of ours is but a colourable cover of our great loss lately sustained by their prevailing power.  
But now through some happy change of providence, the Lord of Hosts having cheered up again the hearts of them who love Zion, by the good success graciously given to the forces commanded by Sir William Waller, and Sir William Belfore, the high employment of praising his Blessed Majesty will be seasonable. And therefore, though we desire to be sensibly humbled under the remembrance of our sufferings before Newark, (wishing that such especially may Christianly reflect upon themselves, who have most to answer for in the miscarrying of that business) yet we account not Gods former favours to be lessened by our late loss, nor our selves discharged from the debt of Thankfulness, because now under some cloud of affliction.  
And if our enemies (whose custom it is to judge others according to their own actions) imagine that we have any low unworthy design in this our practice, we would have them know, that our hearts abhor the abusing, the abasing of any holy ordinance to serve sinful ends; and withal we profess to the world, that we do hopefully design the future speeding of our undertake, for the good both of Church and Commonwealth, by giving unto the God of our salvations, the God of our victories, the honour due unto his Blessed Name.  
Manchester.   

An Order for the more solemn keeping of the Public Fast.  
WHereas the Lords and Commons in Parliament, have made an Ordinance for the more strict and solemn keeping of the days of public Fast, which are not by all persons duly observed, even in these times of public calamity, to the great dishonour of God, and the contempt of the Authority of both Houses of Parliament.  
Now that more particular notice may be given unto all such as shall offend herein, before any exemplary punishment be inflicted upon them, it is Ordered by the Commons now assembled in Parliament, that all Constables, or their deputies, shall the day before every public Fast, repair unto every house within their several and respective liberties, and charge all persons that they strictly observe the Fast, according to the directions in the said Ordinance.  
And they shall upon the said days of public Fast, walk through their said liberties, diligently searching for, and taking notice of all persons, who either by following the works of their callings, or sitting in Taverns, Victualling and Alehouses, or any other ways shall not duly observe the same; and they are hereby required to return the names of all such persons as they shall find so offending, as also such informations as they shall receive against any other persons within their liberties guilty of the least offence, unto the Committee for Examinations, that so they may be proceeded against for the contempt of the said Ordinance. And all Constables are to observe these directions from time to time, so long as the public Fast shall be kept, without expecting any further Order.  
Hen. Elsinge, Cler. Parl. D. Com.  
FINIS.   

Constables.  
I Do hereby charge and command all and every one of you, to use your best endeavour that the monthly fast may be solemnly observed, according to the Order of Parliament hereto adjoined, and also that the profanation of the Lords day may be prevented according to another Order of Parliament for that end heretofore published. And if any person, or persons, shall wilfully transgress either of the aforesaid orders by Gaming, tippling in alehouses, or following their servile employments, either on the Sabbath or Fast day, you shall forthwith return their names unto me or the Committee, now sitting in your County, that they may receive such punishment as their several offences shall deserve.  
And you shall inquire out all unlicensed alehouse-keepers within your parish, and give speedy notice of them unto the next Justices of peace, that they may be suppressed.  
You shall also, return to the said Justices the names of all them who being licenced, do yet suffer any disorders in their houses, that they may be punished. Hereof fail you not, as you will answer the contrary at your utmost peril.  
Given under my hand at Cambridge this first of April, 1644. Manchester.