A Copy of A LETTER SENT From Sir Tho. Middleton, to the Honourable, William Lenthall Esq Speaker of the House of COMMONS. Concerning the raising of the Siege at OSWESTREE, july 3. 1644. By the Forces Commanded by the Earl of Denbigh. Sir Tho. Middleton, and Sir Will. Brereton. Wherein was divers of our Enemies, men of Quality, taken Prisoners; 7. Carriages, 200. Common Soldiers, 2 Pieces of Artillery, 100 Horse. Also several other Letters to persons of Quality in Confirmation of the said Victory. Together with a List of all the Prisoners and Carriages that were taken. Printed according to Order. London, Printed for Edward Husbands. july 10. 1644. To the Honourable, William Lenthall Esquire; Speaker of the House of COMMONS. HONOURED SIR, NOt to trouble you with vain Relations, whereby to hinder the other serious employment for the Kingdoms good; May it please you to be advertised, That the Town of Ossestree, late taken by the Forces of the Parliament, under my Brother Colonel Mittens command was upon Saturday last begun to be begirt, and since strictly besieged by the King's forces, consisting of about Fifteen hundred Horse, and Three thousand five hundred Foot, under the command of Colonel Marrow; And that thereupon, in pursuance of a Council of War's determination, occasioned by an earnest and importunate Letter from my Brother Col. Mitton, directed to me, for speedy relief and raising of the siege of the said Town; I did upon the Lord's day last passed, with such Forces of Horse and Foot as I then had with me, and the Foot Forces of Cheshire, all of us then at Knotsford, upon a determinate resolution to have marched for Manchester, and then for the service in the North: According to enjoinment of the Committee of both Kingdoms, returned and readvanced with all my said Forces, unto a place called Spurstow heath, where that night we quartered, and thence advanced upon Monday morning towards Whitchurch; we quartered that night likewise in the open Fields, at a place called the Fens in Flintshire, where yesterday we marched towards Elsmore, and so to the said town of Oswestree, where the Enemy endeavoured by battering and storming of the same, violently to have carried it; about Two of the clock in the afternoon we came in sight of the Town, and within Three miles of it, where the Enemy having got Intelligence of our Approach, were prepared to receive us, the chief Forces of our Enemy consisting of the most valiant Commanders and Soldiers, drawn out of the garrisons of Chester, Cheshire, Shrewsbury, Shropshire, Ludlow, Denbyshire, Flintshire, and other places. The Enemy had taken the passage of water near to Whittington, and very furiously assaulted and charged us, but were repulsed and forced to retire, through the courage of our Horse, who most courageously entertained the Enemy, three several times the skirmish was doubtful, either side being forced so often to retreat, but in the end our Foot Forces coming up, relieved the Horse, beat back the Enemy, and pursued them with such force, that the Horse thereby encouraged, which indeed was formerly weary, joining with the Foot; they put the Enemy to an absolute flight, in which we pursued them Five miles towards Shrewsbury, to a place called Felton heath, and where likewise we remained after their flight again thence Masters of the Field: In the skirmish with the Enemy, and in the pursuit, we lost several of our Horse, some of our Troopers, but never a Footman which I am yet informed of, many of the Troopers are hurt, but I hope they will recover; I lost one Captain Williams, and one captain Lieutenant Fclether, a very courageous man, being Captain Lieutenants to Colonel Barton, in my Brigade was dangerously shot, but I hope not mortally. As for the Enemy, they lost many stout men, had many of them taken prisoners, the number whereof the enclosed will manifest, some of them being of great quality; As, the Lord Newports eldest Son: And besides, in their flight such was their haste, that we found in the way of our pursuit of them, the high way, as it were, strewed with store of Bread, Cheese, Bacon, and other good provisions, clothes, and else, such necessary appurtenance to an Army, besides some whole Veals and Muttons new killed. The Enemy before the relief came, had taken the Church, being the strongest hold about the Town, upon the approach of the relief they suddenly deserted it, and sent their two battering pieces unto Shrewsbury. In the way also were taken by our Forces, seven Carts and Wagons loaden with provisions, as Beer, Bread and other necessaries, whereof one was loaden with Powder and other Ammunition, the Town of Oswestree I find to be a very strong Town, and if once fortified, of great concernment, and the Key that lets us into Wales. SIR, I had to my aid three Regiments of Foot, viz. Col. George Booths Regiment, a gallant Regiment led by himself on foot, to the face of the Enemy; Another by Col. Manwaring, and the third by Col. Croxon, all of them stout and gallant Commanders, and the rest of the Officers and Soldiers full of courage and resolution. Major Louthien, Adjutant General, that brave and faithful Commander, to whom I cannot ascribe too much honour, brought up the Rear that day. SIR, I rest Yours, THO: MIDDLETON. Prisoners taken at Oswestree; july 3. 1644. Captains of a Troop of Horse. Francis Newport, heir to the Lord Newport. Captain Swynerton. 20. Welsh and Shropshire Gentlemen. 1. Coronet of Horse, which had no command. Lieutenant Norrell. 1. Quartermaster. 2. Corporals. 32. Troopers. 2. Pieces of Artillery, to come up to the walls to save the Musquetiers. 7. Carriages, whereof one of Powder. 200. Common Soldiers, most of them Welsh. 100 Horse. Great store of Arms found in the corn and ditches. There is since taken Major Mauley, and Major Whirney, under the walls of Shrewsbury; we doubt not but to give a very good account of our service there, and that speedily. For the much honoured, the Lady Middleton. Madam, I Shall trouble you with the sight of this paper, wherein you may please to observe God's Providence to us; on the Lord's day last we marched from Knotsford to Bundbury, fourteen miles from Bunbury in Cheshire, to Fens Hall in Flintshire, eleven miles on Monday, on Tuesday we marched to Osestry: in the narrow lanes they laid their Ambuscadoes, three miles short of the Town, kept all passages and lined all hedges to the Town, hedges thick, and lanes straight, from which our men beat them, though their horse charged our men very furiously, followed them up to the Town, to their main body, fight all the way for three miles, in the mean time their Carriages were drawn away, and their Foot Marched away in a Body, our men pursuing taken these prisoners, but they being strong in horse hindered, that Execution that might have been done upon them: I can assure you, the Town of Oswestrey will be of great concernment to this Kingdom, and I hope this Enemy is well quelled by raising of this Siege, though they were one thousand five hundred Horse, three thousand five hundred Foot; but I hope your Countrymen are gone for the mountains, and will not easily be drawn back for the same service, so with Remembrance of my service, Your Ladyship's faithful servant, W. D. Oswestrey, july 3. 1644. Sir, I Shall give you a short account of our present condition: by God's Providence, We have won Munsford Bridge, beat the Enemy's musketeers therefrom, have brought all our carriages over; are now within three miles from Shrewesbury, our forlorn hope, and the Enemies are at the present engaged, we are all now marching up with the whole Body. My Lord Denbigh, my Major Gell, Sir Tho. Mid. and the forenamed Cheshire Gentlemen, are all at the present Advancing up; this was the design mentioned in my former letter, dated at Oswestry, but not signified: In brief the Drums and Trumpets command me away, and cease for the present, So I rest Muntesford Bridge, 3. in the afternoon, of 4 july 1644. Yours T. B. Noble Sir, THese enclosed will show you the State of Yorkshire, thanks be to God, much altered with us in a day, for yesterday, a Commander and Kinsman of mine of Lichfield, our Enemy, sent me a jeering letter, to advertise me that the Prince had taken old Lesly Sir Tho. Fairfax, 48. pieces of Cannon, thirty thousand Arms, and had routed, slain, and taken all the rest of our friends. This was with great triumph blazed, with Bonfires, Bells, and Ordnance; in this Letter the Lo: Fairfax himself was taken. The Earl of Denbigh at Manchester was by a Counsel of War to retreat to Oswestrey, to raise the siege there laid by Col. Marrow; & 4000 at least, but before my Lord could all out reach it, marching with incredible speed, Sir Tho. Middleton with less than two thousand was in fight, and with exceeding hot service Marrow was raised, his foot routed, his carriages taken; he had but one piece, and that he sent away before, hearing of my Lords approach, my Lord thereupon, without stay Marched toward Shrewsbury, which he hath begirt as we hear, with about five thousand men. Sir John Meldrum, and Sir Will. Brereton are by this time about York, and the fresh supply of Scotch, which I hope will yield us daily increase of good news, of which God-willing, I shall not fail to acquaint you, as I possibly may. I thought to have written to the Lord General, my right worthy good Lord, the Earl of Essex, but I presume you will impart these unto his Excellency. Noble Sir, I beseech you esteem me as I really am, Staff. july 6. about 8. Evening. Your faithful Servant, Lew. Chadwick. FINIS.