THE King's LETTER Intercepted coming from OXFORD. WITH A joyful and true Relation of the Great victory obtained by Sir THOMAS FAIREAX, Sir William Brereton, and Sir William Fairfax, against the Irish, at the raising of the siege at Nantwich On Friday last January 26. 1643.  
Delivered in a message to the Parliament. wherein, Was slain  
2 Lieutenant Col: 4 Captains. 200 soldiers in the right wing, & many in the left surprised.  
6 pieces of Ordnance.  
20 Carriages, wherein was great store of good plunder. 1700 Foot.  
Taken prisoner:  
1 Sergeant Maior general.  
8 colonels.  
14 Captains.  
19 Lieutenants.  
20 ensigns.  
264 Gentlemen & other officers.  
120 hoorse  
4 cannoneers.  
40 popish Priests.  
With another victory obtained by colonel Massey at Gloster who hath surprised 1 Lieutenant colonel and 8 Captains, besides other Officers and Common soldiers and a bark brought in to him laden with arms and Ammunition.  
LONDON   

Carolus Rex.  
RIght trusty and right well beloved cousin, We greet you well by Our Proclamation, which herewith we send you, you see our resolution, and the grounds of that Our resolution, to advise with the members of both our houses of Parliament, for the restoring of this kingdom to its former peace and happiness: At least We doubt not it will appear to all the world, and to posterity, that there hath not been such a concurrence in the bringing these miseries upon it, or in completing that, by the invitation of this foreign invasion, as is imagined: we shall therefore desire you that you will by no means fail of giving your attendance at the time and place accordingly which in respect of the high concernment of our service and the good of the whole kingdom, We shall not doubt of: And so we bid you heartily farewell.   

A FULL RELATION Of the defeat given to the cavaliers, in the siege before Gloucester.  
THE Enemy with great forces marched again towards Gloucester, and surrounded the town, to stop provision from coming in, but colonel Massey issuing out of the town, fell upon their quarters; and slew many of them, and took prisoners.  
One Lieutenant colonel, eight Captains, and other officers and soldiers, with their bag and baggage, and put the rest to flight: colonel Massey hath also surprised a bark laden with Arms and Ammunition, intended for the cavaliers, which will do him good service, especially, because his own Ammunition is not yet come to him.   

A joyful RELATION OF THE HAPPY success of the PARLIAMENTS Forces at the raising of the Siege from Nantwich, Jan. 26. 1643.  
SIr Thomas Fairfax and Sir William Fairfax, being at Nottingham, marched from thence unto Hinkley and there quartered; and from thence the next day they marched to Bosworth, and so to Tamworth, where they quartered one night: from whence they marched the next day to Stafford, and there joined with Sir William Brewerton, with whom they marched to relieve Nantwitch, which was besieged by the Irish Forces from Westchester, and Shrousbury, and raised the siege. The Enemies being fled to their quarters, Sir Thomas Fairfax, and Sir William marched from Nantwich to Manchester, and there gathered a body of foot out of Manchester and other parts in Lancashire, and caused a Fast to be kept for two days, for the Enemy were of great strength, and the resiege was feared; The enemy's cruelty did much grieve the country, and accordingly as it was feared the Enemy returned again to Nantwich, and laid close siege before it; and did attempt to scale the works three several times, and shot almost 100 fiery hot bullets, with a kind of fire balls to burn the town. But blessed be God, there was none of them that did any considerable hurt: the greatest harm the town sustained by those balls, was by one which light upon a stack of wood, and fired part of it; which was quenched without doing any further mischief.  
Captain Booth the governor of Nantwich, a young man of about 21 years of age, but of a valiant spirit, behaved himself bravely; his soldiers consisting of about 1200 in number, who withstood the Enemy bravely, and did good execution upon them, and slew Lieutenant colonel Boughton, and 4 captains more: amongst which, Captain Stamford is one, and kept the town in despite of them Cap. Booth still encouraging the soldiers, and promising unto them that he would lose his life in their defence before he would yield up the town to such traitorous Irish Rebels.  
Yet Sir William Brewerton was in great fear of losing the Town; and indeed had not God wrought wonderfully for us it had been lost.  
Sir Thomas Fairfax returning again from Manchester marched to Stafford again, and joined with Sir William Brewerton; who joining their forces together marched from thence again to relieve Nantwich, on Friday January the 26. with about 6000 horse and foot, the enemy consisting of about 8000.  
When our forces came near the enemy's quarters, they discovering our Forces, came out of their trenches into the plain, and gave us battle; wherein our Forces charged so hot on their right wing, that they caused the Lord Byron with all their horse to run away, leaving only the foot to stand to it: By this time there were slain of the right wing about 200, besides those that were in the left wing, and the Foot were left to the mercy of our Forces: And their horse hasted so fast away, that they threw away their Pistols, and fled for their lives. The Lord Byron himself being one of the first that fled.  
There were also a fort of Irish women, that were in the enemy's camp: whose office was to rob, and plunder, our men that fell: and with long knives which they had hanging by their sides, to cut the throats of those that they found not quite dead.  
C. Booth with eight hundred issued out of Namptwich, and fell upon the back of them, and so our forces surprised them all, with all their bag, and baggage: of which here followeth an exact list according to the copy, by the Scout brought to the Parliament.   

〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Prisoners taken at the raising 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 e siege from Namptwich, Ian. 26. 1644.  

Sergeant-major-general Gibson.  
Sir Michael Earnly, colonel.  
Sir Richard Fleetwood, colonel.  
Colonel Monks.  
Sir Ralph Dewes colonel.  
Colonel Warren.  
Sir Francis Butler, lieutenant-colonel.  
Lieutenant-colonel Gibs.  
Major Hamond.   

14. Captains.  
ATkins.  
Lidington.  
Tinch.  
Disney.  
Fisher.  
Cook.  
Ward.  
Dean.  
Incas.  
Ledcote.  
Deetes.  
Shotterwood.  
Bawbridge.  
Willis.   

19 Lieutenants.  
LOng.  
Norton.  
Rowe.  
Pawlet.  
Goodwin.  
Kinerstone.  
Dulaton.  
Pate.  
Mo●gell.  
Strange.  
Shipworth.  
Ancars.  
Billingley.  
Cuftelion.  
Milliner.  
Bradshaw.  
Lionnes.  
Golden.  
Smith.   

26. Ensigns.  
BRowne.  
Brereton.  
Batch.  
Ihnes.  
Wright.  
Dampell.  
Southwood.  
Addise.  
Smith.  
Vahan.  
Reise.  
Doreworth.  
Musgrave.  
Pennicocks.  
Danstermile.  
Elliard.  
Itlack.  
Philip's.  
Hewed.  
Thomas.  
Mo●gan.  
jews.  
Goodfellow.  
Busbey.  
Terringham.  
Withers.   
Ordnance 6 pieces, Wom●n with long Common soldiers 1700, Gentlemen of C 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 20. Sergeants 41. Drums 40. Corporals 63. 〈◊〉 40. Horse 120. Coroners 2. Quartermasters ●● Canoniers 4. Carriages 20. Wherein was good s●●● of rich plunder.  

A List of those that were slain.  
Lieutenant colonel vain, Lieut colonel Boughton, Captain Stamford, and 3 Captains more, 200 on the right Wing and many more on the left.  
This Relation is justified to be true by the bearer hereof,  Richard Hunt.  

To all postmasters whom it may concern.  
These are to require you forthwith upon the sight hereof to furnish the bearer hereof, Richard Hunt, with two good sufficient Post-horses for the present service of the Parliament. Hereof fail not. Given under my hand this 31 of January 1643.  SAM. Luke.  

This is Published according to Order.  
FINIS.