A true copy OF COLONEL Sr GAMALIEL Dudley's Letter to His highness' PRINCE Rupert, From NEWARK, 4. March. 1644.  
BEING AN EXACT RELATION OF Sir MARM. Langdale's March Northward; As also the great Victory obtained by Him, over the Lord Fairfax near Pontefract, 1. Martii, 1644.  
OXFORD, Printed by LEONARD LICHFIELD, Printer to the university. 1644.   

May it please your highness,  
THe zeal of our duties at once unto His majesty's Service, and the relief of our distressed Friends in Pontefract, being, by the blessing of God, seconded with successes of happiness beyond our greatest hopes, I was commanded by Sir Marmaduke Langdale, to give unto your highness at present a particular account of each occurring circumstance in this our Expedition.  
On Sunday the 23d of February, we began our march from Banbury towards Daventry, where we had Intelligence of an uncertain number of Horse and Foot that attended thereabouts with design to affront us in our march, but Sir William Compton marching before us with his Horse, was only looked on by them at a good distance, and after the encounter of a little skitmishing, they perceiving the rest of our Horse advancing towards them, wheeled off in great disorder, and Sir William Compton had the execution of them in their flight very near Northampton town. Their particular loss in this defeat, I presume your highness has already received account of at full from Banbury.  
On Monday the 24th we continued our March to Harborough without any opposition or sight of Enemy, but here we were certainly advertized of a conjunction made that night of all the Horse of Leicester, Darby, Nottingham, Grantham, Stanford, Burleigh, and Rockingbam, associated under the conduct of colonel Rossiter, (and then in present motion) drawn out, but upon what design, severally reported▪ until the next day being Tuesday the 25. marching from Harborough towards Melton-Mowbray, we were at full assured; for approaching near the town, we discovered some Horse and Dragooners in it, and upon another pass of the same water in a fair Meade, about half a mile from the town, their main strength (as we judged them) being near 2000 in all, were drawn up to oppose us (as Sir Marm. Langdale did conceive) at the passage, being a place of very great advantage, for which purpose he was instantly putting himself into a posture to endeavour to force the pass, but their eagerness to fight saved us that labour; for by that time that we were well in order drawn up, and had gained the brow of the Hill on the South side of Melton, the Enemy was advanced through the town to meet us, and in a gallant fury gave us a bold charge upon the very ground chosen by ourselves to fight upon; the encounter continued hot and sharp a good while, with several various appearances of success on both sides; but at length they were wholly routed, many of their Commanders slain, many hurt, and all the body scattered unto their several Garrisons, the fatigue of our long March, and the night intervening, prevented our very far pursuit of them in a strange Country, but we slew upon the place near 100, and took almost so many Prisoners and four Colours of Horse. The loss we sustained was small, only Sir John Girlington and Captain Gascoign, two gallant Gentlemen, both slain in the first charge, and some few wounded. One Captain Hacker held a Garrison for the Rebels at Sir Erasmus de la Fountains house in Kirby, within a mile of the place we fought upon, who being with his Horse and Drogooners totally routed in this battle, went back in despair to his Garrison and burned it, and then fled with such as would follow him, being but two in all, in the night to Leicester, a common Parliament practice, to set a House on fire, and then to run away by the light of it. The pursuit of the Enemy being done, and the pillage of the field gathered by our men, wherein was good store both of horseman's arms and Muskets.  
Sir Marm. Langdale rallying all his Troops together again in order, continued his March that night beyond Belvoir Castle, and the next day, being Wednesday the 26, we advanced four miles beyond Newark, at which time the Enemy with some Foot from Lincoln, Welbeck, and some other adjacent Garrisons, and with eight Regiments of Horse, and one of Dragooners had besieged Norwell House, a Garrison holden by Newark Forces some miles from the Town. But having gained intelligence of our advance and success had against Rossiter, (their admired Champion) they instantly deserted the attempt, and retreated in great disorder unto Retford, from whence the night following they fled in as much fear and distraction unto Doncaster.  
On Thursday the 27th, the governor of Newark assisted us with 400 Foot and about 400 Horse under the Conduct of his lieutenant-governor, which joined to us, we marched that night beyond Tuxford, not disturbed either in march or Quarters by any Enemy, and the next day being Friday the 28th, we advanced towards Doncaster; about Rossinton-Bridge some three miles from the town, our forlorn Parties discovered some appearance of an Enemy, but still as we approached with our body they retreated, this night we expected they would have disputed our passage over the River Dun, but they only made a bon-mine there, and left us the town of Doncaster to Quarter in that night.  
The next morning, being Saturday the first of March, we drew early into the field, where immediately Sir Marmaduke Langdale put the Army into the posture of battle he did intend to fight in, and prepared the soldier with a knowledge of such difficulties as they should expect this day to encounter with, and therefore to go armed with the constancy of undaunted resolutions, it being a business that was at first no less dangerous to undertake, than it was now desperate to decline; The news was entertained by a welcome from the soldiers that echoed out aloud their joyful acclamations. This prophetic Omen presaging clearly the happy consequence of their ensuing Victory.  
We marched without sight of Enemy, till we came near Wentbrigge, above three miles short of Pontefract, where about 1000 Horse, and 500 Dragooners of the Enemies, attended that place, as much as possibly they could, to impede the speed of our course that way, but without much danger in the dispute, we forced the pass, but yet they so retarded our march, as the besiegers had gained time to be all drawn together both Horse and Foot in order, being in number about 2500 Foot, and near 4000 Horse and dragoons, all the strength of English that possibly the Lord Fairfax could draw together in the North, excepting the Forces that Meldrum lay withal before Scarborough, and Sir John Savile before Sandal, which he himself in Person came this morning unto them, with two Regiments of Horse, and 500 Commanded Musqueteers.  
Betwixt four and five in the afternoon, we gained the Top of the Hill over against the Castle, their Army standing all drawn up in the bottom, and now me thought we viewed them with the fancy of that great captain when he first encountered Elephants, Tandem par animis periculum video, a good advantage was it to us, that our forlorn Parties, seconded with several Divisions of our Horse, had beaten in that great Body of their Van-currier● in such disorder into their Main battle, as taking that opportunity with a continued charge, this had not time to recover themselves into any settled order, and though the suddenness of the Action gave not leave for each Division of our Horse to observe its proper time and place of their several orders to Charge in, yet in the whole it was so fully done, a● that there was not one Body of them all, but did four or five several times that day act their parts with very gallant Execution.  
The Fight continued without a clear Victory, at the least three hours, until there was not left on our Party standing in order to Charge withal, more than three small Bodies, consisting of above 120 in each Body, which with some Officers and Gentlemen together rallied, gave a seasonable Charge to the last of the enemy's strength, the Castle at the same instant making a gallant Sally of 200 Musqueteers, who fell in the rear of the enemy's Foot, our own Foot firing upon them at the same time in their flank, and this totally cleared the Field. We followed the Execution six or seven miles three several ways, as the Enemy fled; A short time (with a Reserve of Foot, and Morgan's Dragooners, and one piece of Cannon) they endeavoured to defend the pass at Ferrybrigge, but were soon beaten off, lost their Cannon, and in the pursuit their Carriages, with 34 double barrels of Powder, and a proportionable quantity of Match and Bullet, and much other spoil. There were slain about 300 upon the place, and many drowned in the River, which water they took as nimbly as if it had been their natural Element, as yet we have not had time to fish for them: betwixt 7 and 800 Prisoners, of which 44 Officers of quality, 22 Colours of Foot, being all they had there, and not one escaped with their arms, and 26 Standarts of Horse, many of their chief Officers both of Horse and Foot slain, as Colonel Armyn, Colonel Thornton, Colonel Malevary, and many more, whose names I have not, all the Foot arms we took, to the number of 2500 at the least, and many Horse arms. Te Deum Laudamus. Non nobis, Domine, non nobis, &c.  
One remarkable circumstance I cannot omit to acquaint your highness with; They had some few days before given out, that they would take the Castle with a Stratagem, which should be thus: They would make as if relief were coming to it, and so they would seem to draw all off, as to fight the relief, (leaving only an Ambuscada in the town) and then they would skirmish together, and seem defeated by the Releevers, and so retreat disorderly as beaten, in expectation the Castle should make a Sally, and then their Ambuscada should surprise it; But I hope they were now taught the danger of jesting with edged tools, and will hereafter leave such mocking. At our first advance into the Country, it was generally reported, that your highness was come in Person, which struck a great terror into the Enemy and Courage into our soldiers, as had your highness transmitted some of your royal Spirit into their hearts, and your active strength into their arms, scorning to be guilty of any Act that they should have had cause to have blushed, had your highness looked on.  
About two of the clock in the morning, all parties that had been in pursuit of the Enemy being returned, we drew into Quarters to refresh, and about eight of the clock in the morning, on Sunday the second of March, Sir Marm. Langdale sent parties out into the Country, which brought in plenty of all sorts of provisions for the Castle, and then appointed a Rendezvous the next morning. In the interim he was advertised that Rossiter with all his broken Troops rallied, and others joined to them, and 300 Dragooners, was come to Doncaster with intention to join with Fairfax, whereupon we immediately Marched towards them, but they having secured the Bridge, Sir Marm. Langdale diverted his course over a ford at Oldwark near Rotheram, and thence we continued out March (only halting some few hours by the way to refresh) without any loss at all, to Newark whereabouts we are at present quartered. I can assure Your highness that the present effects of this Expedition are these.  
Besides that our coming was highly seasonable, it being almost the very critical minute of the castle's necessity, Scarborough Bolton, and Skipton were all besieged, and they were forced to draw off upon this occasion, and are now so shaken, as that they cannot suddenly be in any probable condition to begin new sieges hastily, besides the Country is so discouraged from their party, that whereas the Lord Fairfax had undertaken to have raised an Army of 20000 Horse and Foot for his son to move into the South withal▪ and had prepared his business in great forwardness, he will by this business doubtless receive a good diversion, the countries generally declining him, and whensoever your highness shall be pleased to take this country into your particular care, he hath▪ chalked out unto Your highness a ready tract for to raise the same levy in their own way, which that Your highness may have a speedy opportunity to undertake, next the continuance of your highness' happiness and honour, shall be the daily prayer of  
May it please your highness, Your most humbly and most faithfully devoted of all that serve your highness GAM. Dudley. Newark that 4. of March, 1644.  
We lost not one Officer (God be thanked) and but very few common soldiers.  
FINIS.