AN ACT FOR Setting apart Friday the Four and twentieth Day of October, One thousand six hundred fifty one, For a Day of Public Thanksgiving: Together with a NARRATIVE DECLARING The Grounds and Reasons thereof.   Anglo-Irish blazon or coat of arms 
Friday the 26th of September, 1651.  
ORdered by the Parliament, That this Act and Narrative be forthwith printed and published.  
Hen: Scobell, Cleric. Parliamenti.  
London, Printed by John Field, Printer to the Parliament of England, 1651.   

AN ACT For setting apart Friday the Four and twentieth Day of October, 1651.  
FOR A Day of Public Thanksgiving: Together with a NARRATIVE DECLARING The Grounds and Reasons thereof.  
THe Works of Providence, by which the Lord hath pleaded the Cause of this Parliament and Commonwealth in the sight of the Nations round about, are Glorious, and will be sought out by all those that have pleasure in them; and therefore must not pass under the common Title of Events and Chances of War: The Lord having so done this marvellous Work for Time and Place, with a Concurrence of all other remarkable Circumstances, That it ought to be had in Everlasting Remembrance, both by our Selves, and by the Generations which shall be born; as will eminently and convincingly appear by this brief ensuing Narrative.  
AFter the Lord (the Great and Righteous Judge of Heaven and Earth) was pleased so Signally to bear Witness to the Justice and Necessity of our Armies marching into Scotland, by giving Sentence (when Solemn Appeals were made unto him by both Parties) on our side, in that glorious Victory vouchsafed unto our Army the Third day of September, One thousand six hundred and fifty, against the Scots near Dunbar: The same Divine Providence led on our Forces there to the gaining of many Towns and Garrisons; and in particular, Leith, Edinburgh, and not long after, the Castle there, though in the Esteem of the Enemy impregnable. But the Enemy not resting in that decision, did reinforce themselves, and relying on the advantage of the Town and Pass at Sterling, and other Intrenchments, would by no Provocation or Endeavours on our part used, be drawn forth to an Engagement, though our Forces faced them up to their Works, when the Scots (as some of themselves have since confessed) were Twenty seven thousand, and ours nothing near that number, suffering a strong Garrison of theirs to be stormed and taken within the view of their Camp, without once offering to relieve it. The Consideration hereof, and of the Charge and Difficulties of a Winter's War (which the Enemy seemed chief to Design, and might the better effect whiles they had Sterling, and thereby the Command of the rich Country of Fife at hand to Quarter their Forces in, and by means of St. johnston's (a second Pass) the whole North of Scotland to furnish them with Recruits of Men and Supplies of all Provisions; and likewise many Sea Ports to let in Foreign Assistance) produced a Resolution to put over a Force into Fife (notwithstanding all Hazards) to straiten their Quarters and hinder their Supplies; Which Attempt the Lord was pleased to Crown, not only by giving us speedy and happy Footing, but a notable Victory to that part of our Army commanded by the Major General, over the Forces of the Enemy, whereof the greatest number were a commanded Party of their choice Men out of their whole Army: In which Defeat near One thousand five hundred were taken Prisoners, together with Sir John Brown their Commander in Chief, and the greatest part of the residue slain, Forty two Colours taken, and all this (which made the Mercy the more remarkable) with the loss only of Four of our Men slain on the place, and some wounded. About this very time the General marched up near Sterling to engage the Enemy, who having quitted their Camp at Torwood, were marched through Sterling, Sixteen Miles toward our Forces in Fife; And finding the Enemy would not Engage (having disposed on this side the River such Force as could well be spared to hinder the Enemy's Levies and Provisions; or if they should Advance for England, to be upon our Borders, and to join with other Parties there in Readiness to retard their March) The General Remarched to the South-Ferry, and Landed the Residue of his Army in Fife; upon which, the strong Castle of Enisgarvy, in the Middle of the River, with Sixteen Pieces of Canon, and Brunt-Island, were Surrendered, and the Army marched forthwith towards St. Johnstons'. The Enemy being thereby awakened, sent a Party of about One thousand Foot, with a Governor, into St. Johnstons', who arrived there Two hours before the General sat down with the Army: And finding by this Interposition his Northern Supplies cut off, marched directly for England with an Army of Sixteen thousand Horse and Foot, and a Light Train of Artillery; being come near Carlisle, their King caused himself to be Proclaimed King of England, and sending out his Declarations full of fair Promises to all that should come in to him or not oppose him, marched forward, being attended in his Motions by some of our Horse. The General (St. Johnstons' being Surrendered, leaving a Garrison there, and about Seven thousand Horse and Foot under the Command of the Lieutenant General of the Ordinance, for reducing the Castle of Sterling and other Garrisons, and preventing any Levies by the Enemy) with the rest of the Army came back for Lieth, and the same day sent away Five Regiments of Horse and Dragoons to fall into the Rear of the Enemy, whiles himself with the rest of his Horse, his Body of Foot, and Train of Artillery, Advanced after with all possible speed towards England. The Enemy being come to Warrington, and attempting the Pass there, our Forces (who a day or two before were joined and got into his Van) thought not fit long to Dispute it, in respect the River was in many places Fordable, the Lands and Enclosures inconvenient for the Horse; and the Foot, whom they found at the Bridge, though full of Courage, and desirous to Engage, no way proportionable to the Enemies great numbers, the General also being at that time about Four days March off them, but marched off to Knotsford Heath; where in the way the Enemy twice Charging our Rear-gard, was beaten back with the loss of about Thirty of theirs (slain and taken Prisoners) we not losing above Three or four in the March, and at the Pass: On that Heath our Forces drew up in a Posture to receive and fight the Enemy, but he declined it, and marched to Nantwich.  
In their passage through Lancashire, the Enemy had left the Earl of Derby with Three hundred Foot and a Troop of Horse, which he brought from the Isle of Man, together with Sir William Widderington, Sir William Throckmorton, Sir Timothy Fetherstonhaugh, Major General Sir Thomas Tildsey, Colonel Boynton, with many Commanders and other Gentlemen of quality, to raise Six thousand Foot and One thousand five hundred Horse in that County, as an Additional Strength to their Army; Major General Massey being also left with him to assist that Work, whiles the Enemy himself marched on in a direct course to Worcester, in his way summoning Shrewsbury, and attempting by Letters and Declarations to gain more assistance, but without success.  
The Two and twentieth of August, with five hundred Horse and Dragoons, about Noon, he entered Worcester, than which no Place seemed more to answer all his Ends, it being a City seated on the Severn, within twelve Miles of five Counties, near unto Gloucester, the Forest of Dean and Southwales, where Massey (who was a little before called off from the Earl of Derby to serve this Design) pretended his greatest Interest to be; and by gaining that Place, the Enemy well knew he should be Master of all the Passes upon Severn, from Shrewsbury to Gloucester, and (there not being One hundred of the Parliaments Forces within twenty Miles of him) he might lie the more secure for refreshing his wearied men, employ his Interest to get what Additional Strength he could from those Parts, or at least make it a winter War; and thereby gain time for Foreign Assistance, and better opportunity for his Agents to stir up Tumults in England, and for the Raising a new Army in Scotland under the Earl of Leven (whom he had left General there for that purpose) to come also into England: Our Forces in Worcester being few, and finding the Place untenable (though threescore only of them beat the Enemy twice out of the Town, and killed and wounded some of them) withdrew in safety to Gloucester.  
The General with his Forces (which on the Third of August were at St. Johnstons' in Scotland) upon the Twenty eighth of the same month with a continued March, except one days Rest, took up his Headquarters within two Miles on the East side of Worcester, being from St. Johnstons' about three hundred Miles, the rest of the Forces which had hitherto attended the Enemy being joined with him; the Lieutenant General, with the Forces under him, quartered the same day about seven Miles from Worcester near Upton Bridge, of which Pass the Enemy was possessed, and in Upton Town on the other side the River, was Major General Massey with Sixty Dragoons and Two hundred Horse to secure it. Whiles a small Party of ours went to view the Bridge, without Design or expectation at that time to gain the Pass, and finding the Bridge broken down by the Enemy (one piece of Timber only left, which reached from one Arch to another) twenty Dragoons and dismounted Troopers with Carbines being commanded over to possess the Church near the Bridge, crept over the piece of Timber, and got to the Church, whereupon the Enemy took the Alarm, and advanced towards them and offered them quarter, and were attempting to fire the door; mean while a hundred Dragoons more came up, and in like manner got over and beat off the Enemy, whose whole Party was now come down upon them; in which Action Major General Massey had his horse killed under him, himself received several Shots and was wounded, and forced to retreat with his Party in disorder towards Worcester. The Lord having been pleased thus unexpectedly and happily to give us this Pass, the Lieutenant General marched over, and lodged part of his Forces that night in Upton.  
Whiles the General was on his March from Scotland, he sent off Colonel Lilborn with his Regiment of Horse to wait upon the Enemy's Rear; who finding the Earl of Derby raising Forces in Lancashire, in his endeavouring to prevent him was forced to engage, where the Lord was graciously pleased by that Regiment of Horse (though harrazed by a tedious March from Scotland) and three Companies of Foot, to defeat the Earl of Derby's whole Forces, being One thousand five hundred Horse and Foot near Wiggon in Lancashire, where were slain Sir William Widderington Major General, Sir Thomas Tildsey, Colonel Boynton (sometimes Governor of Scarborough for the Parliament, which Place he betrayed to the Enemy) and Colonel Trollop, and taken, Four hundred Prisoners, together with Sir William Throckmorton, Sir Timothy Fetherstonhaugh, and several Colonels and Commanders of quality: The Earl of Derby with about thirty Horse escaping, carried the News of his own Defeat to Worcester. In which Mercy the Lord was graciously pleased to appear for our small Forces (who were engaged upon great Disadvantages of place and number beyond their intentions) and that most seasonably, in destroying that growing Army, and giving in the same as a Pledge of what he would yet do for his People.  
These glad Tidings were followed by the News from Scotland of the Surrender of Sterling Castle, in which were many thousand Arms, Forty Pieces of Ordnance, Six and twenty Barrels of Powder, the Public Records of Scotland, the Sword, Cloth and Chair of State. Not long after this followed the Routing of the New Levies of the Enemy in the West of Scotland, taking the Lord Osbarston and others prisoners; The gaining Anstruther by Storm with Fifteen Ships in the Harbour, the Surprising the Earl of Leven General of their Forces in Scotland, the Earl Craford-Lindsey Lieutenant General, the Earl Marshal, with four Lords more, and divers Knights, Ministers and Gentlemen of quality; with the scattering and dispersing of Four thousand, which at that time were Rendezvouzed at Ellit in Perth, to relieve Dundee then besieged by our Forces; the taking many Prisoners at Dumfreeze and Dissipating them, attempting again new Levies there, and the gaining Dundee itself by Storm, in which were Forty Pieces of Ordnance, Six hundred of the Enemy slain, with Major General Lumsden the Governor, Colonel Coningham late Governor of Sterling, and many others of quality, four hundred taken Prisoners, great store of Ships and other Vessels found in the Harbour; to which was since added, the giving up of St. Andrews, Montross and Aberdeen.  
On Saturday the Three and twentieth of August, the Scotch King with his whole Army marched into Worcester, and applied himself to the Fortifying thereof, and had soon made up some Works, and repaired the Royal Fort on the East side of the City, and planted Canon upon it, the General being encamped before the Town: On the Third of September (being the self same Day of the month upon which a year before we obtained that Memorable Victory at Dunbar) our Forces at Upton, under the Command of the Lieutenant General, in pursuance of former Counsels (the Execution whereof Providence had delayed till this day, without any such Predetermination on our part) advanced towards the Enemy at Worcester, but by reason of some hindrances reached not to Team River (which lying on the West side of Severn, empties itself thereinto about a Mile beneath Worcester) till between two and three of the Clock in the Afternoon, Boats also being brought up at the same time, two Bridges were made over the Rivers. The Enemy taking no Alarm till the Van of our Forces were marched within the sight of the Town, did now draw down his Horse & Foot from his Leaguer at St. Jones', lining all the Hedges from their Pass at Poyick to the River Severn with Musqueteers to oppose our Advance: The General commanded some Forces over Severn towards the Enemy, whiles others were sent over Team to the same ground; the Enemy's Foot with some difficulty were beaten from the Hedges, which they for some time disputed, and were at length driven back to the Body of their Horse and Foot, which was then drawn up in Wickfield near Poyick Bridge, being the same Field where the late king first engaged the Forces of the Parliament, in the same month of September, One thousand six hundred forty two: Our horse and Foot marched up with great resolution to the Enemy's Body, and came to push of Pike with them, and through the Goodness of God drove back and wholly routed them, killing many upon the place, and pursuing the rest to the Draw-bridge and Gate of the City. Whiles this was in action, some Horse and Dragoons sent to a Pass over Team about two Miles above Poyck Bridge (which the Enemy had broken down) gained that Ford, where our Horse passed over, and pursued such of the Enemy's Horse as could not get into the Town, and secured that Bridge at the West-gate, that none might escape that way.  
The greatest part of our Army was now drawn over to the west of Severn, where it was conceived the Stress of the Battle would be, which the Enemy perceiving, and supposing them too far engaged to get back over the Bridge of Boats that night, he poured forth at the several Gates of the City all his Horse and Foot upon that part of our Forces left on the East side of the River, which being seasonably discovered, our General himself hastened back to that part of the Army, which the Enemy presently charged with good Resolution; yet through the good hand of our God upon that part of the Army, after about two hours sharp Dispute, they were beaten back into the Town, and our men passing by their great Fort and Canon, entered the Town with the Enemy, whiles others of our Forces ran up and stormed the Royal Fort itself, possessed themselves of it, turning the Canon upon the Enemy.  
The Scotch King (having in vain used all Endeavours to make the Horse and Foot in the Town face about for Defence thereof) fled away, and about Three thousand Horse and some High-land Foot, leaving the rest in the Town, fled towards Bewdley, whether the General sent the day before One thousand Horse and Dragoons to secure that Pass, who took more Prisoners than themselves were in number, and many of those who escaped them and the Horse sent in their Pursuit, were met with by other of the Army and Country Forces (Expresses being the same night the Battle was fought sent into all the Northern Counties and Scotland, giving notice of the Successes) so as they were gathered up by Hundreds and Fifties, that very few of those who fled from Worcester escaped.  
Thus was our gracious God pleased to appear as The Lord of Hosts. (which was our Word in this and the Battle at Dunbar) with and for his People, in destroying this desperate and insolent Enemy, and working a glorious salvation for us.  
Of the Enemy, which were about Sixteen thousand Horse and Foot, there were slain in and about Worcester and in the Pursuit, about Three thousand; The Prisoners taken in the Town and in their Flight, about Twelve thousand; amongst whom were Duke Hamilton, the Earls of Derby, Cleveland, Rothes, Lauderdale, Kinmore; the Lords, Montgomery, Peasly, Cranston, Grandison, with many other persons of quality; as also David Lesley Lieutenant General of their Army, Lieutenant General Middleton, Major General Massey, and divers other General Officers, besides Seven hundred other Officers, above an hundred Colours, with all their Arms, Artillery, Bag and Baggage; and all this with the loss of about Two hundred of our men, whereof but Three Commission Officers, and about Three hundred of our Soldiers wounded.   

THe Parliament taking the Premises into their serious consideration, and being exceedingly affected with the glorious Appearances of God for them, and for all the good People throughout England, Ireland and Scotland, in vouchsafing these wonderful and unparalled Successes and Victories to their Armies and Forces (wherein the forwardness of the Counties to send out their respective Militia's, and the Courage and Resolution of their Soldiers expressed in this Service, by owning this Cause and present Government against the Common Enemy, is a Mercy greatly to be acknowledged by us, and receive a lasting Memorial) Have thought fit to Enact and Ordain, and be it Enacted and Ordained, That Friday the Four and twentieth day of October, One thousand six hundred fifty one, be observed and kept as a day of Public and Holy Rejoicing and Thanksgiving unto the Lord, in all the Churches and Chapels, and Places of Divine Worship within England, and also in Ireland and Scotland: And that the Ministers of the respective Parishes and Places within this Commonwealth, be and are hereby required and enjoined to give notice on the Lordsday next preceding the said Four and twentieth day of October, of the day so to be observed, to the end the People may more Generally and Diligently attend the Public Exercises of God's Worship to be Dispensed upon that occasion; at which time, that the People may be the more particularly and fully informed of this great Mercy, The said Ministers are hereby required and enjoined to publish and read this present Act and Declaration; and for the better Observation of the day, The Parliament doth hereby inhibit and forbid the holding and use of all Fairs, Markets, and servile works of men's ordinary Callings upon that day; and all Majors, Sheriffs, justices of the Peace, Constables and other Officers, be and are hereby enjoined to take special care of the due Observation of the said day of Thanksgiving accordingly.   

Friday the 26th of September, 1651.  
ORdered by the Parliament, That this Act and Narrative be forthwith printed and published.  
Hen: Scobell, Cleric. Parliamenti.