AN EXACT DIARY. Or a brief RELATION Of the progress of Sir WILLIAM waller's Army since the joining of the LONDON AUXILLIARIES with his Forces: which was the twelfth of May 1644. until their return homeward on thursday the 11 of july following. Relating the particulars of every Skirmish Battle and March dureing the said time.  
By Richard Coe under Cap. Gore of the Tower Hamlets who was present in the whole expedition.  
LONDON Printed according to order for Humphrey Tuckey at the black spread Eagle in fleetstreet july 19 1644.   

A true Relation of the Progress of the LONDON auxilaries since their joining with Sir William Waller until their return homewards.  
BEing marched from London to Farnham which was our general rendezvous there we joined with Sir William waller's forces, he being our General and Sir james Harrington Maior General over the City Brigade.  
On Monday the 13 of May 1644. Sir William Waller gave order for all the Regiments both horse and foot belonging to him to meet next morning in the Park behind the Castle which was done accordingly there we lay 3 nights (our Army consisted of 8 Regiments of horse, and as many foot, being in all about 9 or 10 thousand, 24 pieces of Ordnance great and small, many leather guns and about 60 wagons for provant and Ammunition, on friday the 17 we were commanded to march but knew not then whether, that day and all night we marched, next day being Saturday we came to Bagshotte where our City Brigade and the Kentish Regiment were quartered in the Park, where was plenty of mutton veal and lamb some venison and good water but neither bread nor beer for money, but what we brought with us which was very little, there we lay Saturday night and Sunday and on monday had order to march toward Basin house, but came not thither that night for we quartered at a place called Bramly house belonging to Mr Henly sometime of the: Temple there we wanted neither meat nor firing but nothing else to be gotten for love or money, on tewsday the 21 we marched to Basin house where we came about 3 or 4 of the clock in the afternoon they welcomed us with 2 or 3 pieces of Ordnance, and hung out 3 or 4 several Colours, the Ordnance did no hurt only scared our under marshal the blast blowing off his hate our horse went round, faced the house, the enemy charged upon them, slew 2 horse and one man of ours, we saw 2 of their men fall on the breast works but no more to our view, there we lay until evening and it not being thought convenient to lay siege to the house we marched round the park to Basin stoke, the Enemy thinking we had an intent to beleauger the house, burned all the houses and 2 mills near adjacent because we should have no shelter there, we lay at Basin stoake 3 nights and had indifferent good quarter for our money, but the inhabitants were fearful they should be ill dealt withal after our departure for entertaining us, they pay 40. l. per week towards the maintenance of the house, and that morning before we came in, they had paid that week's money: one thursday the 24 we marched towards Abington and making a halt 2 miles onward in our way, there were brought unto us 20 prisoners or there about'ts horse and foot; that night we lay at Aldermarson in the field and one friday likewise, one saturday we marched to Compton in the hole; this morning a soldier of my Captain's Company whose name is Gore) was shot by accident and sent for London, in the after noon an other of our Regiment had the like mischance, we descried this day some of my Lord General's Colours to march wide of us towards Abington, that night we lay at Compton a dirty town, but we had good respect for our moneys; one sunday the 27 we marched towards Abington and in our march Sir john Merricke came to us who saluted our Commanders nobly and was welcomed of us with much joy and shoutings, he told us my Lord General's forces were that night to quarter in Abington, (they consisted of 14 or 15 thousand horse and foot▪ great store of Ammunition and provant: our forces could not march to Abington that night, there being no quarter to entertain a such Armies; therefore sunday night, and monday night we lay wide of Abington, and one tewsday hearing my Lord's Army to be marched away, we followed in the rear and went through Abington after my Lord's army, (by the way we saw 2 of my Lords men hanged for violence and plundering) it was written so on their breasts, and that night we lay at Newnam wo●d where we burned (it being rainy weather) I believe 50 pounds worth of wood if not more, next morning we marched forward in sight of Oxford, and my Lord's army marched within a mile of our army or thereabouts we heard how kindly the City and my Lords Guns entertained each other, my Lord took divers prisoners, and many came to him out of the town, we were on thu●sday commanded to retreat to regain a bridge called Newbridge, held b● the King's forces which we did, and that night and friday lay at Abington, and one saturday (the cross being first plucked down by whose means I know not) we marched for Newbridge, and being come within a mile or there abouts 2 files of each company were drawn out for a forlorn hope Captain Gore of the hamlets, and a Captain of the Kentish Regiment leading them on which they did with such willingness and courage, as deserves to be remembered and admired, for notwithstanding the enemy had cut of part of the bridge, and made it unpassable, yet our Commanders with a boat or a called Punts and some Planks fell on so bravely that they made them forsake the bridge, took 30 prisoners upon quarter and 40 more among which were divers Irish, and a woman who was whipped and turned away, by Newbridge we lay 3 nights to make the bridge passable for our carriages, and on teusday the 4. of june (hearing his Majesty with some forces were marched suddenly from Oxford westward) we marched after all day and night, and came a little before day near Witney where we were quartered under a hedge 3 or 4 hours, it reigned extremely as it had done for the most part since our advance from Farnham till then, on wednesday morning we marched towards Stow on the old being informed the King's Majesty with his forces were marched for Burford and that way, which we found true, for coming to our rendezvous by Burford, we were certified the King supped there that night▪ but rod away immediately: we stayed not at all not so much as to get beer bread or water but were commanded b● mayor General Potlid under Sir William's command to march round the Town, with all speed affirming the King's forces and our horse to be in fight which was nothing so, that morning divers of the King's Soldiers were taken, we marched that wednesday to Stow on on the old in Glocestershire, where we lay Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, and on Saturday morning we marched toward Winchcomb, but before we marched, a Gunner of ours was hanged for violence and plundering, we came that Saturday the eighth of june near the Town, faced Shudly Castle, drew out of every Company certain Files for a Forlorn hope, marched to the Castle about nine or ten of the clock, lay just under the Walls, expecting order to fall on, they had set fire of a stately Barn adjoining to the house, because we should have no harbour, that evening one of our great pieces playing on the Castle, shot the Gunner of the Castle in pieces, which so daunted them, that in the morning without a shot it was yielded up, there being taken in the Castle these Commanders following; Sir William Morton, Governor; Lieutenant Colonel Sawyer, Major Ouldham Major Floyd, Captains, Colt, Merrilla, Banks of Cheapside, Pitwell, and Andrew's Lieutenants, Dogerfield, Thornbury, Floyd Quillet Munford Duncombe, Cornet Burt. 6. Ensigns, 2 Mass-priests Dun and Prat, 250. common soldiers 3 pieces of Ordnance, 32 pieces of Cloth, many Featherbeds with furniture, Ammunition and provant for soldiers, 100 quarters of grain, or more, some cattles and horses, some Plate and money, there we stayed until Monday, and marched towards Easum, where we lay Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, before we came thither a soldier was hanged which was taken at Newbridge, and entertained by us, having taken the Covenant, and then taken running away. On Thursday we came to Bramsgrave, where we quartered that night, and on Friday the 14, of june to Strubridge, and so to Wordsly, where we quartered near Du●ly Castle, there we lay 3. nights having some ●utton, bread, cheese, and beer, sent to us out of the Country; On monday we marched toward Saltwich and in our match at Harvington we light on a Papist widows house (but she not at home) the soldiers took all in the house, as Pewter, Brass, Bedding, great store of Books, etc. her name was Mistress Packington then at Worcester; we lay that night at Saltwich and lying in the salt Cellars, grew so dry, that we drunk the Town dry, and so marched toward Partial, where we lay on Tuesday night (near the Town n●t being suffered to come in; this Town hath been always opponent to the Parliament, which God hath punished in this wise, for on the eleventh of june, hearing our forces to be advancing that way, there being two great Monsieur Dammee commanders, appointed overseers of the Works, whom all the Townsmen were willing to obey, and according to their command resolved to cut off the Bridge fell eagerly at work, and had cut down three Arches, but God suffered them not to go forward, for part of the rest fell on these great Commanders, who with 60 of the Townsmen were drowned and slain, leaving many Widows and Fatherless children behind them.  
Thence we marched towards Tewxbury where the city Brigade were quartered wednesday and Thursday in the church some in the town and some without, on Friday the 21. of June we marched towards Gloucester and lay wide of Gloucester that night & on Saturday intending to march back towards Stow, lost our way, and went backward and forward within a mile where we lay before, at a place called Willingcot, from thence to Chelthenham▪ and so back that Saturday night; the rest of our men were marched towards Stow, whom we overtook, and that night quartered in the fields, the next day being Monday the 24 of june we marched by Stow, and quartered beyond the Town two miles, and the next day to Shipson upon Stower, near which some were quartered, and some in the Town, there we lay two nights, and on Wednesday we lay in the fields; on Thursday we marched toward Banburie, and lay at Hanwel that night; next day being Friday, we were commanded to be in Battalions, and marched out of the pasture ground into the Corn fields, where we discovered the King's Forces beyond Banbury under Preston Mills, and they us: our Horse and they faced one the other, the water being between them and us, we not willing to venture between them and the Castle, they not daring to come over to us, there we lay all night, but knew not their minds, as they it seems did ours. For early on Saturday the 29. of june they marched with their whole body, but whether we could not discover, the water being between us and them, we likewise marched away, and by some Scouts found which way they were gone, Colonel Wem Commander in chief for Sir Williams own Brigade led the Van, had some certain Horse and Dragoons, and spying a wing of the Enemies in sight imagining the rest of the body to be gone before, marched over venterously, and charged the Enemy, who retreated, to their main body, our Forces following them were overmatcht and so lost some men and some Drakes, with 3. Colours the rest were forced to retreat, and came over a Bridge called Crapridden, crying the fields lost, the fields lost: but by God's providence and the courage of the Kentish Regiment and the City Hamlets, we got down two Drakes to the Bridge and stayed them off so bravely, and gave them so good play all day, that ere night they could not brag of their win, there we lay all night, looking one upon the other (when sleep would give leave.) Next morning those that had wearied themselves, Saturday, and that night marched up to our body, where we lay all Sunday facing one the other, but did little; at 10 or 11. a clock at night a foolish fellow of our Regiment, shot off his Musket, (the Watch being set) which made an Alarm in the Enemy's quarters, they shot at our Forlorn hope, which lay down by their Works, and we shot at them, but we were there overcunning for them, for our Firelocks were placed under a hedge, and light match hung alone on pallisadoes a Musket shot off; before day they discharged a piece of Ordnance, and gave us an Alarm likewise, we made ourselves ready to entertain it, but heard no more of them, for assoon as day approached we miss them, and they were marched away, we marched down to the Bridge, and as we marched, spied that side of Banbury next to us on fire, which the Castle had done for giving some small entertainment to our soldiers, than we marched over the Bridge wherein our march up the lane to Moriton, a mile off the Bridge (which lane the enemy enjoyed before) we found many dead corpse lying naked and unburied, 40 graves in the highway, and many stately horses, and in the Church and Churchyard at Moriton, were many Commanders buried who had been flame in the fight, one Lord (as the Country men say) 2. Colonels, and other Officers. We marched thence on Monday the first of july, and that night we lay at a poor Village called Preston, which had been formerly burnt; on Tuesday toward Torciter, where we met Major Browne and his forces, who marched with us (we lying Tuesday and Wednesday near Torciter) On Thursday we marched toward Northampton, where he left our Forces and went for Greenland House, which he hath since taken, being then 7000. Horse and Foot; We have since our advance from Farnham, marched 500 miles and upwards, and lost very few of our City Brigade, no Commanders except Colonel Hoblin, and Captain Grove of the white auxiliaries, both good Commanders, who falling sick after we came from Banbury, and dying in Northampton, are both brought up to be buried here in London, their whole Regiment being likewise come up with the Colours; The Hamlets with Colonel Prince of the Yellow Regiment being daily expected (according to Sir james harrington's promise, who is Major General of the City Brigade.  
FINIS.