A DECLARATION BY Major General Laughorn, AND The rest of the Forces joined with him IN WALES, Of the grounds of their Engagement, and Demands in relation to the King, Parliament and Kingdom. Likewise the Copy of an Oath given to all that enter into the said Engagement with them. Also the true Copies of several Letters and Transactions betwixt the Parliaments Commissioners, Colonel Horton, and Major General Laughorn, since his last coming into Wales. And two Letters to his Excellency the Lord Fairfax from Col: Horton, more fully relating the particulars of the late Fight near Cardiff, May 8. 1648. With a perfect List of the Names of the Prisoners, Officers, private Gentlemen and Soldiers taken in the said Fight and Pursuit. London, Printed for Laurence Chapman, May 15. 1648. A DECLARATION of Major Gen: Laughorn and his Forces, with the rest of their Associates. WE whose Names are subscribed do Declare, That we will use our best Endeavours to bring the King to a Personal Treaty with His Parliament, with Freedom, Honour and Safety; To the end the just Prerogative of the King, Privileges of Parliament, Laws of the Land, and Liberties of the people may be all maintained and preserved in their proper bounds; and the Protestant Religion, as it stands established by the Law of the Land, restored throughout the Kingdom, with such regard to be had of Tender Consciences, as shall be allowed by Act of Parliament. The copy of an OATH imposed upon the Gentry and others in Wales, upon the former Engagement and Declaration. YOu that will either give consent to this Declaration, & join with us in effecting it; or if you shall not think fit so to do, than not to reveal or prejudice our Oath: and if you do consent to it, then to join with us in Council, & not to reveal our Secrets to any, so long as they are Secrets, but to those whom you think fit to reveal them to for the furthering of the business, and those to be such as you do believe to be well affected to us, and will not betray or reveal our Secrets. A Letter from Major Gen: Laughorn to Colonel Tho: Horton. SIR: I Desire you would let me know, by what Power you first came, and still remain in these counties of my Association, I being Commissioned Commander in chief of these parts by an Ordinance of Parliament; and upon what grounds the Injury of seizing on some of my Troop was offered, and the taking of the whole attempted, without satisfaction rendered them in point of Pay, according to the Instructions of Parliament to the Commissioners for Disbanding such Supernumeraries: I should gladly be satisfied in these supernumeraries: I should gladly be satisfied in these particulars, otherwise your perseverance in these Affronts to myself, and the Soldiery, and the country, will not be without some difficulty. Sir, If you please to withdraw your forces out of this county, it may be a special means to prevent several Inconveniences; besides the necessary Resolutions which otherwise must be forced upon, Sir, St. Nicholas, 4 May, 1648. Your Servant, Row: Laughorn. For Major General Laughorn. SIR, I Thought that it had not been unknown to you, that His Excellency the Lord Fairfax is General (by Ordinance of Parliament) of all the Forces both in England and Wales, and is impowered to dispose of them into such places, and in such manner as he shall see cause, for the preservation of the Peace of this Kingdom; In order to which, he commanded me into these Counties, with the Forces now under my command, occasioned hither by Colonel Poyers refusing to Disband according to Ordinance of Parliament, and His Excellency's Orders to that end, and Col: Powels adhering to him; notwithstanding whosoever should so do, were adjudged and declared Traitors by the Parliament: As also Col: Poyer's and Col: Powels (with others their Confederates) issuing out Warrants (without the least colour of Authority) for the tumultuous raising of the Counties of Southwales; Their entertaining Captain Arrams Company of Foot, after they had received Three month's pay, and were by the Commissioners of this County declared Disbanded; Their inviting and gathering together most of the Officers and Soldiers which were Disbanded in this county; and the joining all these with the most active Cavaliers, both in these and other parts, into a Body, to the great Disturbonce of the Peace, and much impoverishing of these Counties; As also the apparent laying the Foundations of a New War; Besides the Affronts put upon two Companies of Foot (sent by his Excellency to assist the reducing of Pembroke Castle) by some of your Forces, which was owned by Col: Powel, before any thing was attempted upon Capt. Agborows Troop, called yours; who notwithstanding the mutual Engagement betwixt the Commissioners of this county, myself, and the Captain, That his Troop should not departed this County, where they should lie secure until Disbanded; yet Captain Agborow, having received Four hundred pounds in order to Disbanding, gave private Orders (as I can clearly prove) to his Lieutenant, to march (upon my advance) to join with Col: Powel; which Orders the Lieutenant did observe, refusing to return into this County, to receive the rest of his Disbanding money, though thereunto desired by the Commissioners. Whereas I now understand that you are come down into the Country (considering the former Trust the Parliament hath reposed in you, and your late Obligations to them) I would have rather believed, that you came with an intention to join with us, for the suppressing of that Tumultuous Assembly with you, then to appear amongst, and own those who have so manifestly violated the Authority of Parliament, which you seem to maintain, and infist uponin your Letter to me, Sir, May 5. 1648. Your Servant, Tho: Horton. A Letter from Col: Horton to His Excellency, The Lord General. May it please your Excellency, IN my last I made mention of sundry Gentlemen of the counties of Brecknock and Radnor met at Bealt, to consult about the raising of those counties to join with Col: Powel; and my sending a party to apprehend them, the success whereof was the taking of one Mr. Hugh Lloyd (one of the excepted persons) Lewis Lloyd late Sheriff of Brecon, and one of his sons Marmaduke Lloyd, and some others. After the Ammunition was come up to us at Brecknock, we being upon a serious debate of our next motion, which was proposed for Pembrokeshire; We were ascertained by some special Friends in Glamorganshire, That the body of the Enemy was fallen down into that county, having a Design upon Cardiff, both by force and feigned friendship tempting the cordial and constant minded Governor, with Mr. Bushy-Mansel, to come in unto them, so that we were necessitated, for the preservation of that place, and prevention of the Enemy's Design, of entirely raising the counties of Glamorgan and Monmouth (which in the judgement of wise and faithful men, was thought to be no less probable than dangerous) to march with all possible speed towards Cardiff, which was done with much difficulty, by reason of all ways over the Mountains, very unseasonable weather, and want of Accommodations both for Horse and Man; and at last we passed the River Taff at Landaff, about a mile above Cardiff, and came to St. Fagons upon the River Ely, whether the Enemy intended to have advanced the same night, which occasioned their stop at St. Nicholas, two miles from us on the other side of the River Ely, being a place much for their advantage, where we could make no use of our Horse, and because for want of food we could not rationally attempt any thing upon them. This morning the Enemy is drawn off from S. Nicholas towards Penmark and Fulnum castle. Major Gen, Laughorn came to them on the 4. of May, and on the fift sent two Letters, one to the Commissioners of this county, and another to myself, the copies of both which, with our Answers, I have herewith sent unto your Excellency: It hath been formerly represented to your Excellency by our most knowing and faithful Friends in these parts, how improbable it was, that one party, though more considerable than ours is, should of itself be able to subdue the Enemy in the Field, reduce Pembroke, and keep all Southwales from rising, being generally inclined to it, by reason of the malignity of the most of the Gentry, which lead the common sort of people which way they please, which we fin' e by every days experience; and without doubt, Tumults will grow greater, and their numbers increase, if such a strength be not assigned to these parts as may attend both the motion of the Enemy, and to awe those places which are most apt to rise. Captain Creed, with three Troops of Col: Thornhaughs Regiment doth very good service in this kind, being now quartered about Glasebery bridge, which is a great pass near the conjunction of the counties of Hereford, Radnor and Brecon, Col: Philip Jones, with his Company from Swanzy, hath (for our assistance) been with us in all our march, and himself many ways helpful to us: I had frequently acquainted your Excellency with our condition, the temper of these parts, and the state of the Enemy, had I not been hindered both from intelligence from my friends, and likewise from sending to your Excellency, the country people searching all passengers, and abusing of them: I am much afflicted that I can give your Excellency no better Account of the state of Southwales, but in one word I must say again, That it is generally against the Parliament, so that what our condition hath been, and is like to be, before any supply can probably be sent hither, your Excellency may easrly perceive; yet by God's assistance I shall use my best endeavour (with my life) to prove myself still faithful to the Kingdom's interest, and Your Excellencies most humble Servant, Tho: Horton. St. Fagons, May 6. 1648. Major General Laughorns Letter to the Parliaments Commissioners. Gentlemen, I Cannot be ignorant how the sole command of these Associated counties was conferred upon me by Ordinance of Parliament, nor of the Injuries and Affronts put upon my men, in stead of receiving their Pay allowed them by the Parliament, and agreed upon by some of yourselves. Truly, I was very confident my past Service for your country, had merited much better of you, then that such Miscarriages should happen in my absence, and to your knowledge unrighted: However, if you please to appear with your country, and to continue your Endeavours in prevention of the Slavery threatened it, you shall not fail of the most effectual assistance shall lie in the power of, Gentlemen, St. Nicholas, 4 May, 1648. Your humble Servant, Rowland Laughorn. The Commissioners Answer. AS we are not ignorant that you were Commander in chief of the Forces of this County, by virtue of an Ordinance of Parliament, so we well know that by the like Ordinances, Thomas Lord Fairfax is appointed General of all the Forces of England and Dominion of Wales, and that the Forces under your Commaud, were by an Ordinance of Parliament to be Disbanded; upon his Excessencies Orders in prosecution whereof, such of them as lay in this county received their money, and some of them thereupon disbanded, and all departed this county, whereinto they nor any other of your Forces were not again to return, without the Lord General his Orders, but aught to have remained in the respective counties wherein they then lay, to yield their obedience to the Ordinance of Parliament for disbanding: We therefore much wonder, that not only your Forces lying in the other counties, but likewise those who had received their money and debenters, and had been departed, disbanded; yea, and a great part of the Inhabitants of Carmarthen, Pembroke and Cardigan, should be drawn into this county, we know not any colour of the Authority of Parliament for such proceed: If you please to appear with us, to ease our country of this intolerable burden, and to prevent the slavery that thereby is endeavoured to be brought upon us, and the whole county, we shall be glad of your assistance: As for injuries and affronts put upon your men in your absence, we are so far from being privy to any, that we believe we have showed to them all possible respects and civility, and have not been in the least measure behind in the pay allotted them by the Parliament, whatsoever we have exceeded; wherein might have appeared our willingness, to express to yourself and Forces, all the affection that became real wellwishers to the public good: Sir, your humble Servants 5. May, 1648. Another Letter from the Major General to the Commissioners. Gentlemen, NOr can I be ignorant how much you have forgotten your Service I and my Soldiers have done you in your greatest Necessities; nor could they nor myself expect much favour in our Disbanding, knowing some of you have constantly designed our Ruin from the beginning, and rather have been affected to your own Ends, in promoting a Faction, than any way reflecting upon the Public good: But 'tis my comfort, the country hath a better sense of me and my abused Soldiers, than you have had, who neglected the General's Order in that point of Satisfaction to me allowed by him: And for my Soldiers, I refer it to the World, how instrumental some of you have been, by your ill usage to distemper them, for the enslaving your country. I promise you, myself and all with me are far from the thoughts of it; and if you will but free yourselves and country from those with you now, more likely to enslave you, you shall find me very ready to comply with your desires, in drawing of the burden off your Neighbouring countries, and appear, in what lies in my power, gentlemans, May 6. 1648. Your Servant, Rowland Laughorn. Another Letter from Col: Horton, to his Excellency the Lord Fairfax. May it please your Excellency, I Have already given you an Account of our late tedious Marches and condition, which seemed, (through the great increase of the Enemy's numbers, by reason of the general defection of these counties) to be very hazardous, we having for some time lain at St. Fagons', near unto the Enemy's Body, about two miles from us, at St. Nicholas. The Enemy on Friday last drew back to Lancarven, Penmark and Fulmun Castle, where they lay until the Lord's day at night; at which time they advanced to Peterstown: Upon Monday morning the vl of this instant, the Enemy advanced with their Body towards us, and we having some notice of it, drew forth, and took the best ground the place could afford: The Enemy tell us they were Eight thousand Horse and Foot. We had a sharp dispute with them for about two hours: In our Disadvantages, the Lord of Hosts wonderfully encouraged both our Officers and Soldiers, that unanimously (as the Hedges and Bogs would permit) they charged the Enemy, who were wholly Routed, and pursued about Seven miles: Many of the Enemy were slain upon the place, and in the pursuit we have taken, as I guess, about Three thousand Prisoners; as also Major General straddling, with many Officers and Gentlemen: We have taken all their Ammunition, great store of Arms, and most, if not all their Colours. We have lost not many Soldiers, and not one Officer that I can yet hear of: We had a great loss in Horses, our Horse being forced to stand the Enemy's shot, to second our Foot. Major General Laughorn, I hear, commanded the Field: About Sixty Horse of the Enemy charged once, but was beat back, and after not any of them appeared. Ere long I shall give your Excellency a more particular Account of what the Lord hath done this day: And though both Officers and Soldiers kept their order, and discharged their Duties very cheerfully and courageously, yet they earnestly desire that God may have all the honour, and so doth Your Excellency's most humble and faithful Servant, Tho: Horton. For his Excellency Tho: Lord Fairfax, General of all the Parliaments Forces in England and Wales. Dated in the Field, May 8. 1648. A List of the Commanders Names in custody in Wales taken Prisoners at the Fight near Cardiff, May 8. 1648. Mayor General straddling, Major Hopkins. Captain Matthews. Captain Rowland Matthews. Capt. James Matthews. Capt. Evan Price. Capt. Craduck. Capt. William Button. Capt. Lewis. Capt. Floyd. Capt. Williams. Captains, Hugh Floyd. Charles Aberey. Hopkins. Rob. Matthews. Owen's. Jones. Pewery. Tho: Bowing. John Thomas. John Rice. Lucy jones. edmond's. Griffith Bowing. 25. Capt. Lieut. Bartlet. Capt. Lieut. Hewit. Lieutenants, Thomas jones. Button. Small. Wese. Richard's. Prichard. Prother. Thomas. Talbot. Pew. Jenkins. Mockames. Floyd. Griffith. Williams. Powel. William Griffith, Lucas. Suttleworth. Loyd. Grimar. Griffith. Walter jones. Taylor. Newsam. Lewis jones. Tho: Morgan. Peregrine. Tho: Jenkins. 32 Ensigns, Hairs. Tho: Hopkins. Walter. Rowland Petrow. John Williams. More Prichard. John Carey. Nat: Gee. Tho: Patchard. Auberey Haward. William Fluin Griffith. Oriana Morfew. Walter Williams. John Barrison. Griffeth Thomas. Bartholomew Rutter. Rice John. Owen Bowin. Morgan Relarth. Rice Hewel. James Annis. Tho: Williams. James Harman. Matt: Stakey. Evan Richard. John Barksted. Ed: Thomas. 27. Private Gentlemen, Samuel Howel. Hump. Matthews. Parson Owen. Dame Pewry. Rich: Floyd. Robert Davy. Roger Williams. Richard Mawning. Geo: Davis. Robert Nichol Chirurgeon. 10 The whole number Ninety four. Private Soldiers in custody, above 2000 Imprimatur Gilbert Mabbot. FINIS