A NARRATION OF THE Siege and taking of THE TOWN OF LEICESTER The last of May, 1645. by the KING'S Forces: TOGETHER With other proceed of the Committee, and answers to some Aspersions cast upon that Committee.  
LONDON, Printed by G. Miller, dwelling in Blackfriars, 1645.   

A Narration of the Siege and taking of the Town of Leicester, the last of May, 1645. by the King's Forces, etc.  
ABout the 13th of May last, the Committee at Leicester hearing that there was one Henry Purefoy at Belgrave, that had spoken some words, about a design upon the Town of Leicester, and that he was upon his journey to London, sent out a party of horse to fetch him in; and upon examination before the Committee, he confessed, that he had been a Lieutenant in the King's Army, and that he came from the King's Quarters; The Intelligence which he gave us was, that being at Bristol, and coming early in the morning in to the Governor, the Lord Hawleys chamber, the chamber being matted, and the Governor himself in bed, and the curtains drawn, he heard the said Lord tell Oneale his bedfellow, that he was upon a gallant design the last night for the taking of Leicester, which would be a business of very great consequence, and that the Gentry and Townsmen invited them thither, or words to that effect, which we marvelled at, the most of the Gentry being either gone to London, or in the King's Garrisons. The Committee examined him upon particulars, but he could not give any further information; yet upon this intelligence, the Committee desired the Major to call a Hall, which accordingly he did, and there making known the information, every one of the Committee, did first take a voluntary and sacred Oath, to this effect, that they had not held any Intelligence with the Enemy, nor knew any that had, nor yet paid them any contribution, nor assisted with horse, arms, or any ammunition, neither would they hold any correspondence with them, nor contribute any thing, nor conceal any that did: which course the Committee did propound (not as enabled to tender an oath in the case, but to let them know how needful it was, to assure their faithfulness one to another in this time of common danger, and clear themselves of that imputation laid upon them:) which Oath upon the Major's request (being conceived into writing) was then taken both by the 24. and 48. being the representative body of the Corporation voluntarily, not one either scrupling or refusing; we then also Writ up Letters to the Committee of both Kingdoms of the intelligence, wherein (amongst other requests made) one sure was, that we might have an Order to press 1000 men. Another humble request was, to finish an association of divers Counties, which both the Committee of Nottingham had long solicited by Captain White, and we by Mr Stavely one of our Committee, and also for Cannon, which we obtained, but they came not before the Town was lost. We also directed letters to Lieutenant General Cromwell of our intelligence and condition, who writ us word, that he was called off by Command from prosecuting the King's Army, to Oxford, but had left a considerable body of horse, to wait upon the motions of the enemy, with whom he advised us, to hold good intelligence in any thing that might concern the public: which accordingly we did, and writ to Colonel Vermuyden Commander of that party (the King's Army then approaching) craving his assistance: we also writ to all the Committees round about us for aid, whom we never failed upon any call to contribute our assistance unto, (viz.) Northampton, Coventry, Nottingham, Derby, together with Colonel Rossiter, hoping amongst them to have procured 500 men at the least, and we engaged to pay them, but could not prevail for a man. We then also began to cut off some superfluous works at the horse-fair-leys and the Friars, wherein we saved the guard of 150 men, and set on labourers to amend the other works, where they were any ways defective, causing the Townsmen to shut up their shops, and calling in the Country, so that by the continual pains of the Townsmen, women and Countrymen, they were very well made up in all places. We then debated the strength of the Town, and caused the Major to give us in a list of all that were able to bear arms, from the age of 16. to 60. whereof the List contained about 900 Townsmen, besides those that were listed under our own Captains. We also sent up our Commissary to bring down the Cannon, Sr Arthur Hesilrig having sent us word, that three pieces were granted, and commanded him to buy us 200. new muskets, and Sr Arthur Hesilrig sent us 70 Carbines. We then dispersed our Magazeen into trusty and sure hands, in divers parts of the Town, where was about 100 barrels of powder at the least, and match proportionable, both which we made ourselves, besides that we furnished all our Garrisons and divers Towns in the Country, to defend themselves, in their Churches. In the midst of these proceed, intelligence comes unto us, that the King's Army marched from Stone in Stafford shire to Ashby, upon Monday the 26th of May, by which sudden coming of the King, we were prevented of the assistance of our Forces at Cole-Overton, which were about 350 Horse and Foot, they being not able to bring off their Cannon could not come to us the Garrison standing within Cannon shot of Ashbydelazouch, for they had shot from Cole-overton into Ashby Town.  
The enemy then summoned Cole-overton Garrison, and General Hastings received a peremptory denial to his demand of it, and our Horse issuing out upon the rear of the King's Army, took and slew 40 of their Horse; then we drew off 100 of our Horse from Kirby Garrison, and left (contrary to some of our votes) the remaining strength there, which were in number about 160 Foot and Horse; our forces in the Town were 240 Horse of our own, besides Officers, above 480 Foot, beside the Townsmen, which were about 900 in all, about 400 whereof were listed men, and we found not upon our entrance but about 400 Foot: We had also sent out our Warrants into the Country, to call them in, who came but slowly, being very malignant in most parts of it; many came, that meant not to fight there was not of them above 150 that were willing to take up arms. Sir Robert Pie then being upon his passage towards Colonel Vermuyden, was by the scattering parties of the King's Army forelaid, that he could not pass; We hearing of him, entreated his company, and he came unto us, and freely offered himself to do service, which the Committee took so well, that they sent him 20 Pieces; we also appointed that he should be an assistant to Colonel Grey, and Lieu. Col. Whitbroke, who was a valiant and well-experienced soldier, and worthily commended out of the Low countries by the Parliaments Agent Mr Strickland to the Earl of Pembroke; Major Enis also with 200 Horse quartering in the Country, we entreated into the Town, just upon the enemy's approach, to many of whose men, we delivered Carbines and Muskets, they so desiring.  
Upon Tuesday the enemy quartered about Loughborrow and all the Towns about it, we not yet knowing, whether they intended for Leicester or Newark, for those Towns where they quartered were just in the line of their march to either place: But upon Wednesday they put us out of all doubt, by surrounding us with their Horse, and firing three Windmills, and one Water-mill; Our Horse went out and skirmished with them, took divers prisoners and killed others; and our Cannon on all hands played roundly, wherever they could find a mark within distance, & did good execution in our sight, & this continued till night, the night being very light, about 10 or 11 a clock, we easily discovered the enemy's Foot to draw down, and to begin to plant a battery against the Newark wall; we played upon them all night abundantly from our works with our Musketeers, and Cannon shot from the south Sentry, in the morning care was taken for the disposing all our Horse and Foot; we divided the line into two parts, it being near three miles about, and made by the Right Honourable the Lord Grey about two years past, one part whereof was committed to the care of Sir Robert Pie, which was the Newark on that side, and the other side, where St Margaret's Church stands and Belgrave gate, to Colonel Grace and Lieutenant Col. Whitbroke. We had also another old Soldier, that had been above 30 years in foreign service, who desired of us leave to go to London, about a week before we heard any thing of the King's Army approaching, upon urgent occasions of his own, and was upon his return down as far as Northampton, but could not come thorough.  
On Thursday at noon a Summons was sent by Prince Rupert to the Souldiary, to the Townsmen and to the Countrymen, wherein Quarter was offered to the whole Town, and liberty to Major Enis to march away with his whole Treops; whereupon the Committee called together all the Commanders, and read the Summons unto them, and one of the Committee spoke these words: We are a part of those who have undertaken the Parliaments Cause, a Cause so high (said he) as I desire to die in no other: And this was seconded by Capt. Hacker, Capt. Babington and the rest of the Officers; only Sir Robert Pie and Major Enis seemed to question, whether our numbers were sufficient to make resistance to such an Army, but soon desisted. And in regard the Summons was directed to the Townsmen and others, we sent to the Major, who came, and the Letter was read to him; and he was desired to call a Hall, and went presently about it; in the mean time it was resolved upon debate to take the next morning to give an answer, in case it could be obtained, and the reasons were; First, That all to whom the Summons was directed, might unanimously give their resolution, the better to unite and engage them: Another reason, in regard that the Newarke was the place they purposed to enter at, and we had begun a substantial brestwork within it, and it was in a good forwardness, but not finished; the women of the Town wrought at it, although the Cannon bullets and some splinters of stones fell amongst them and hurt some of them, yet to their exceeding commendation, they went on and made it up, to the enemy's admiration. The next thing that fell into consideration was, to whom to write, whether to the King being in the Summons intimated to be present, or to Prince Rupert: some were of opinion, that Prince Rupert being a foreigner that had done so much mischief, no notice should be taken of him, but the answer directed to the King himself: others seemed to refute that, in regard the King had made him General, which opinion prevailed, and accordingly it was directed: Upon the Trumpeters arriving at the King's Army, a Drum was presently dispatched to demand a resolution of the former Summons, which must be returned within a quarter of an hour; which hasty proceeding with us, was occasioned by some shortness in Style or Title given to Prince Rupert, as was pretended; the stile to him was, Sir, and the Title, To the Commander in chief of his Majesty's Army; But now the Major and Corporation coming, the Summons was again read in the audience of all, the Major referred himself to the major votes; one of the Committee moving them to stand to their own defence, two only of the Townsmen gave in their votes, and both for fight it out; and before any other could express themselves, the King's Cannon from the battery played, but struck no terror into us; then all debates ceased, and all were commanded to repair to the works, which was done with much courage and resolution, the Committee disposing themselves to several parts of the Town, to supply what was wanting in Ammunition or otherwise, distributing Money unto the soldiers that stood at the line, for their better encouragement; and some sat at the Town hall to attend what might be further said or done for the advance of the service, if any should make addresses to them; and now we plied each other both with Cannon and Musket shot, as fast as we could charge and discharge; our Cannoneers with one shot broke the Carriage of one of the battering Pieces, and slew the Cannonier, and thus we continued all the day long, and all the night, at which time the enemy prepared to storm us at 6, or 7, places, and to that purpose had cut down many bushes and faggeted them, wherewith he meant to fill up our ditches: at the Newarke breach was the fiercest assault, the enemy there coming to push of Pike, four times they attempted, and were as often repulsed, our men taking two of their Colours from them, and plucked many of their Pikes out of their hands, and Captain Hacker, and Cap. Babington with their horse, and the Cannon from a corner of the wall made a miserable slaughter of them: amongst the rest Colonel St George, in a bravery, came up to out Cannon, and was by it shottered into small parcels, and with him many more, for after the manner of the Turks the horse forced on the foot to fight, they being beaten upon by our Musketeers, great slaughter was made of them; on the other side of the town Colonel Sr Henry Bard, at Belgrave gate, endeavouring to scale, was beaten down with the buttend of a Musket, the bruise whereof was seen by some of us, and his Major likewise stricken down by his side, sixteen of his men slain upon the place, and 60 more mortally wounded out of 250. as himself reported: but setting upon it again upon a second attempt with hand-granadoes thrown in amongst our men, entered within the works; Bard then broke down the drawbridge, and made way for the horse to enter; so again at Galtry-gate the enemy threw in hand-granadoes abundantly, terribly burnt our men, seconding them with squadrons of Musquetteers, our men were killed and beaten off, and there they also entered, the horse being come in, they rid with a full career in a body of about 600 up the streets, clearing them, as they went, and so to the Newark, and coming upon the backs of our Forces there, they fight gallantly and defending the breach, there was no way left but to submit upon quarter, which they did. About three of the clock upon Saturday morning was the town entered and taken, the enemy slew divers at their first entrance, and Colonel Grace was sore wounded, and led off the place: a full confutation of some slanders laid upon him, of whose valour we had former experience; they dealt also extreme cruelly with the Town, plundering all they had, and putting many to great ransoms, when they had taken away all their moneys & goods, and compelling many to march along with the, in case they were not able to give the their demand; insomuch that it is to be feared, unless some course can be taken for their relief, Leicester cannot provide victual for themselves, much less to accommodate a Garrison, and divers in the Country are in the same estate, for some that we know of 40. 50. 80. and 100 l. a year revenue are turned into rags, plundered house and field, and almost all the well affected thrust out of the Town, whole families, wives and children, without any compassion. And now having declared the sad story of the town, we desire to make some reticall of our former proceed. In March we signed an Order under the hands of all the Committee, as well townsmen as others, for the fortifying of the Newark, and began to fortify it very strongly, and resolved to go thorough with it with all speed: but Colonel Booth coming to Leicester about the 12. of April last, in his passage to Cheshire, writ a Letter to the Right Honourable the Lord Grace at London, most earnestly dissuading the fortifying of that place: which Letter the Lord Grace carried to the Committee of both Kingdoms, a true copy whereof is hereunto annexed: whereupon the Committee of both Kingdoms writ a Letter to the Committee at Leicester, and a true copy of our answer to that Letter is also herewth printed, but now 'tis visible to all, that what we would have done, the enemy now doth, and St Henry Bard told some of us, that he heard we began to fortify the Newark, which if we had finished, the King's Army would never have come to Leicester. Many aspersions are laid upon the Committee of Leicester, both by the Earl of Stamford at the House of Commons door and other places, and also by one Lily in a printed book much to our disparagement; we desire that any one of them may be made good; Lily chargeth us with taxing that County with more than it is worth, wherein this brief answer will clear the truth, our Ordinance grants power only for raising 600. l. a week, our warrants issued out but for 500 l. weekly, and of that one week with another, we believe there is not come in above 300. l. a week, one whole hundred of the county being almost totally cut off from us by the enemy. Another aspersion is, that we made ourselves rich with the counties moneys, but we had assigned the County to our Garrisons, and all the six hundreds were thus disposed of, two to Cole-overton and Bagworth, two to the Garrison at Kerby, and two to Leicester, and the moneys were all received by Collectors and Treasurers appointed for every Garrison, and not by any of the Committee. We have had four Garrisons wherein we have quartered 420. horse, and above 600. foot, which were in constant pay, we bought all our arms, except those we found in the soldier's hands at our entrance, and all our ammunition also, and many horses: we have never been chargeable to the State for any thing, we have not had our power a twelvemonth, we found the County infested with four Garrisons, Ashby, Belvoir, Newark and Weverton: against Ashby we planted a Garrison within Cannon shot, and at all times beat the enemy into his works: we had above 100 prisoners of theirs when the Town was lost, and they not one of ours, but Captain Prat; against Belvoir and the rest we planted another at Kerby, to preserve that side of the Country, and to recover the lost hundred; which lay towards Newarke, Belvoir, and Weverton; another at Bagworth to be a horse-quarter, and to scout abroad into the Country; we have served the Parliament in the Committee from the first Ordinance, and we who were not officers never received a penny of money, nor a meals meat at the States charge, some of us however inconsiderable to others have contributed large sums upon the Propositions, and have spent hundreds of pounds in the Parliaments service, our Estates are plundered, our persons imprisoned, and we rewarded with being called Rascals, Pedlars, base fellows, at the door of the house of Commons, and by Master Lilly, betrayers of the town, and knaves in print, we know no reason: We appeal for justice, if traitors or knaves, we beg no favour; and if we are Rascals and base follows, we are unfit for the Parliaments service: it was the cause of God and the Kingdoms that made us undertake the work at the beginning, and when others of greater estates deserted it, some of us strongly importuning some of the best of our county, who have expressed themselves for the Parliament, to assist and appear at the very beginning, when the Gentry of the association were to meet at Owndell, and spoke to some Parliament men who were there met, to move the House to order those at London to come down and appear in the Parliaments cause, and before our last Ordinance again with much importunity solicited some of the most eminent in Town to go down and sit at the Committee, which if they would do, some of us would resign up and desist, in regard we found a dislike in some against us, but could not prevail. And if Sir Edw. Hartopp Baronett, Sir Tho. Hartopp, Sir Roger Smith, John St John, and Tho. Brudenell, Esquires, that have been in the first Ordinance and are in this, were but commanded down to sit as Committees, they would give more satisfaction to the Country, and do the Parliament better service than those that are of lesser estates and esteem can possibly do; the troubles we have found in managing the Parliaments Cause, and the abuses put upon us for being faithful in the service, have made the burden insupportable,; all the Committee at one time (before we had the late Ordinance) went away one after another in displeasure, except one Gentleman and a Captain, whose employment abroad upon parties put him off from that service, and the Major of the Town, being only for the Town, enforced to sit upon the Country's affairs, until an Order was obtained to enable him to act for the Country as well as for the Town, which the Knights of the Shire speedily supplied by an Order for that purpose, otherwise the Garrison had broken up, and the whole Country fallen under the power of the enemy; and this was continued for a quarter of a year. And whereas Mr Lilly seems to charge schisine and faction upon the Committee and Townsmen, there was no Town in England of that bigness where there was less faction or division in matters of Religion, nor the worship of God more duly and frequently enjoyed in the power of it, to the great comfort of many of God's people both Ministers and others that fled in thither for refuge; and we are confident that the godly Ministers and people both in Town and Country, will give us a good report, and this is some support against all Lillyes slanders and other abuses; if we gain no other satisfaction; and some of us have found more comfort in our imprisonment under the hands of cruel enemies then in Westminster Hall, and at the Parliament door, being extremely disgraced for doing faithful service to the Parliament. We know no fault in this Committee for losing Leicester, nothing omitted in our power to execute, we delivered it not upon base terms, but fought it out, to the hazard of all our lives, and loss of our estates, we know no other reason, only God pleased to humble us, Town and Country, that the whole Kingdom might be exalted, blessed for ever be his Name: But this advantage we have by it, that falsehearted men are now discovered. We conclude with this, we desire all or any of those that have given any evil reports of us, to prove but one particular, or in the mean time to be silent.  
Col. Grace was by the L. Grace made Governor, but we never put the power out of our own hands. There was buried in Leicester 709. as hath been collected by the burials there; besides those that died of hurts since: there was not 109 of ours slain. These were killed at their posts, Lieutenant Colonel Whitbrooke, Captain Farmer, a Low-countrieses Soldier, Captain Hurst, all Captains of Foot, and Colonel Grey at his line mortally wounded in several places and led off the place, besides many other Officers and soldiers; and one Mr Browne an honest and painful Minister slain, together with Mr Palmer of the same profession, mortally wounded, if not slain, but few after their entrance.   

A Copy of a Letter sent from Leicester to my Lord Grace.  
My Lord,  
BEing arrived at this place, which by reason of your public and private interest in it, lays claim to your utmost endeavours for the preservation of it; I shall make bold to present your Lordship with the weak condition 'tis in, most obvious to the unobserving eye, by all men's account there are not above 200. Soldiers in the Town, and those as peremptory against Discipline, as their Governors are ignorant of it. I am most confident, nay durst hazard my life and fortune upon it, that 500 resolute well managed Soldiers at any time, night or day, would make themselves master of this Town, which if lost will take away all commerce from all the Northwest of England: and I can assure you, 'tis God's providence alone in keeping it from the enemy's knowledge, and suppressing their courage, that is this Towns defence; but when we neglect to serve God in his providence by the adhibition of second means, 'tis just with God to leave us to our own strength, which is nothing but weakness. The grand masters most sensible of danger, and careful of their own security, have all of them, got houses in a place of this Town called the Newark, where they are fortifying themselves, as strong as may be, which will prove, as I fear of most dangerous consequence, for I perceive the Townsmen much discontented, conceiving themselves destined by the Committee for the enemy's mercy; I assure you, my Lord, I espy discontent dispersing itself very fast abroad in this Town, and if your Lordship's care prevent not, I expect very shortly to hear ill news from this place. Pardon my boldness, excuse my haste, and accept of my profession of being,  
My Lord, Your Lordship's most humble Servant G. Booth. Leicester, Apr. 12. 1645.   

A Copy of a Letter from the Committee of Leicester to the Committee of both Kingdoms.  
Right Honourable,  
WE received your Lordship's letter of the 25. of April last, about our Fortifications, wherein we shall submit to your Lordship's directions. We never had the least thought to desert the Town, or any part of it, but have fortified and still proceed to fortify all our outworks, and have of late much amended them, and never had further thoughts in fortifying the Newark, then for a reserve in time of absolute necessity, and a more safety for our Magazeen, it being a place easily made a very strong piece. Our greatest want is of Ordnance and Arms; and therefore we humbly desire your Lordships they may be speedily sent to us by this bearer Commissary Blunt, and that he may have your Lordship's warrants to charge Carts, Wagons and Horses for bringing the same hither, giving reasonable pay for it; we take leave, and are,  
My Lords, Your Lordship's most humble Servants. 

Thomas Hesilrig.  
john Browne.  
Francis Smalley  
Will. Stanley.  
Edward Cradock.  
Val. Goodman.  
john Swyns●n.   Leicester, May 1. 1645.  
FINIS.