A True RELATION Of a great and wonderful VICTORY OBTAINED By Captain ASHTON and the Parliaments Forces, Against the Earl of DERBY at whaley in Lancashire. As it was certified in a Letter from a Gentleman there, to a Member of the House of COMMONS. For which great mercy they have appointed a day of Thanksgiving.  
London, Printed for Edw. Husbands, and are to be sold at his shop in the middle Temple. May 8. 1643.   

A TRUE RELATION Of a great and wonderful VICTORY, etc.  
SIR,  
THough I be from Manchester, yet having this convenient Bearer thither, I thought good to give you a Relation (in which I desire not to exceed) of God's great preservation of us, which was greater than I mentioned in my last 〈◊〉 That the Earl of Derby, the Lord Mollineux, Sir Gilbert Hoghton, Colonel Tildesley, with all the other great Papists in this County, issued out of Preston, and on Wednesday noon came to Ribchester with eleven Troops of horse, 700 foot, and infinite of clubmen, in all conceived to be 5000. We lying at Dunkenhalgh-hall with out two Troops hearing of his great force retreated to Padiham, having before sent to Colonel Shuttleworth, to raise the country which he did, all the fire-men came in the next morning (though they have had no pay this 5 weeks) and some few clubmen: I did compute us to be 60 horse, and some 400 foot, not above five hundred I am sure at the first: we marched with our horse towards whaley, where we took a man and 2. geldings of Mr. latham's the great Papist, and retreated to Read-bank, here we discovered above 150 horse to follow us, and when our foot was come thither to us, our horse retreated more, our foot advanced close under a wall, only myself stood and faced the enemy: I made as though I fled, they pursued me, when I knew they were in the command of our men, I advanced again and shot off my pistol (being the sign for our foot) whereupon our men discharged with a great shout, the enemy's horse fled in great disorder, we wounded many, took forty prisoners, some horse and 60 Muskets, our fire men pursued them to whaley, where the Earl of Derby and the rest were in the Abbey, much a do we had to keep our Soldiers back, the enemy (who were ten for one to us) discharged his Cannon 5. times, but hurt not a man of us, (blessed be our good God) he drew into a body, we being out of order ran under hedges, played upon them with our Muskets, and routed their foot, which fled over the Water, their horse still facing us, our men still pursued them to Lango-green, where Captain Ashton and myself with much a do caused our first men to stay till more came up, than our men shot; their horse fled; then all our horse came up and pursued them through Salisbury Park, and to Ribchester, & most of their great ones had some touch, or some narrow escape, as themselves report. And having thus driven them out of the Hundred, we retreated to Padiham, where having a good Minister, some hours were spent in thanksgiving for this great deliverance, and be assured it is to be taken (next the first great bout at Manchester) the greatest deliverance we have had. We had one day last week, and on Friday next we are to observe a Thanksgiving both in Salford Hundred & this, with praises to our God. The intent of the enemy was to overrun this Hundred, and so to Bolton and Manchester, (as upon examination appears by the prisoners) and be assured if the Lord had suffered this part to fail, we had in all probability been utterly undone. The enemy stole all horses & beasts as far as they went; I hope our Gentlemen in this county will consider to join and clear the county; This part which before was dejected, is now through God's mercy united and raised, and the common people never more forward, and the soldiers more courageous, but the Lord is our preserver; So desiring still to hear from you, I rest  
Your loving Friend, E. F. Padiham, 24. April. 1643.  
FINIS.