A Relation of the good success of the Parliaments forces under the Command of General Lesly, the Earl of Manchester, and the Lord Fairfax, Against the forces commanded by Prince Rupert and the Earl of Newcastle, on Hesham-Moore, on Tuesday July 2. 1644.  
Sent by way of Letter from a Captain there present, to a friend in LONDON.  
July 10th Cambridge  
Printed by W.F. 1644.   

A relation of the great victory obtained (by God's assistance) by the Parliaments Forces, over those great Forces under the Command of P●●●●e RUPERT.  
SIR,  
THose many and very great courtesies I have formerly received from you, (especially your bounty in promoting my endeavour for Scholarship) commands me to watch all opportunities to do you service. But the substance of this ensuing Letter is such, that I know with you 〈…〉 will claim a fair acceptance, though I present you 〈◊〉 with the plausible show of a Preamble. Briefly the … … us:  
SIR, By God's blessing I can tell you I am alive, and so are you, and by Go●●● victorious arm, the Church of God: Last night he she●●d us what the fury of its enemies could do, which w●●●o powerful and performed with so much resolution and audacity, noise and terror, that you could not but have thought they now at last had moved even Hell gates. But to proceed orderly, (for now I am recollected, having brushd off the dust and fury of war, and fallen into a calm of gratitude to my Protector, and desiring you and all like yourself, to show yourselves also such to him that hath saved you and the Commonwealth) After many assaults upon the city of York performed with great courage, and also the often receiving the resolute sallies of a strong enemy, we heard by our Scouts on Friday last, being the 28. of June, that behind us their Goliath had made his near approach, with men not to be numbered; a vast body indeed it was: this being considered by a Counsel of War, it was determined to raise the Siege with all convenient speed, which beginning the next morning, it was fully completed before Monday at noon, the Enemy making small skirmishes all the while with us, and we with our forlorn hope of Horse drawn up for that purpose still repulsing them.  
On Tuesday the second of July we pitched in Hesham. Moor, where no sooner looking about us, but the enemy with displayed colours entered the same place, bending towards the left hand, by reason of some advantage they perceived there; which we striving to prevent, made for it, before they should possess themselves of it; in the mean time the main body of their pitched in that very place and near unto it which we left.  
Our Army consisting of three Generals, had a General for every part to conduct it: The main body was the Scots led on by General Lesley, the right wing by the Lord Fairfax, and the left wing by the Earl of Manchester. They drew up their battalie likewise with much gallantry, something larger than ours in appearance, commanded by the Prince, the marquis of Newcastle, Sir Charles Lucas. Thus the Moor commonly called Hesham Moor being six miles long, and generally a mile broad, was bespread and covered with the two battailions. We began about two of the clock in the afternoon with our great guns, which continued till between 7 and 8 with equal success, than the main bodies joining, made such a noise with shot and clamour of shouts that we lost our ears, and the smoke of powder was so thick that we saw no light but what proceeded from the mouth of guns. For the first; their brave Chivalry in the left wing gave such a Cavalier-like assault that presently they routed our right, consisting of my Lord Fairfaxes men, made up with some regiments of commanded Scots, who by the help of good horses ran so fare before they looked about, that this morning I passing towards Hull-ward for relief of my wearisomeness I found all places possessed with the noise of the total overthrow of the Parliament forces. But nothing so, God be thanked, for the right wing being fled & eagerly pursued, in the mean time we under the command of my Lord of Manchester and Colonel Crumwell then leading up our Brigade of horse, gave them so brave an onset, that God seconding it with his blessing, in less than an hour we had totally routed their foot on the right wing. In the mean time it was hotly disputed between the two main bodies, ours consisting of the Scots led up by General Lesley, theirs by Prince Rupert: but theirs at last perceiving their friends thus flying, began likewise for their own safety to betake themselves to their heels. Thus the field was totally cleared, their right wing and main body beaten out by fine strength, their left wing leaving it in pursuit of their victory. We followed the chase of them almost as fare as York (which is four miles distant from the Moor) whether the most part of their forces fled for shelter, and had not night prevented us our execution on them had been fare greater. Thus returning and total masters of the field, we possessed ourselves of all their Cannon, match, Powder, Carriages, being very many and well furnished. As for the number of the slain I cannot give you a just account, but upon our first view on both sides they seemed to be four thousand, of which I verily believe nigh 〈…〉 were theirs. The Arms of the fields being gathered made in show 5000. Besides we hear the soldiers have since gathered up many at divers places cast away by them in their flight. As for prisoners taken they are many, but the just number or any man of notice in particular as yet I cannot inform you.  
If you should expect the commendation or valour of any particular man your friendor mine, by displaying of that I should seem to take off from others, who all did so gallantly this day, that the commendations of one may justly seem the wrong of another. And as for the enemy the truth is they behaved themselves with more valour and resolution then ever man saw coincident with so bad a cause. Whose eyes I pray God to open, and our victories shallbe of as great a value with less blood: In a word we were hardly put to it, partly by the power of our enemies, but most by our own wants, all provisions being at that time very scarce amongst us: and our soldiers hungry and tired with a lingering siege. But you see God's power is above man's want.  
Your friend at all times ready to serve you W. H.  
NOw as I am writing we hear the Prince is rallying his shattered forces some twelve miles off towards Scarbrough, where he expects the conjunction of some help from those parts to make up a body again, which we hope to prevent.