A LETTER SENT To the honourable William Lenthal Esq Speaker of the honourable House of COMMONS, OF The Fight between His Excellency's The Lord Fairfax Forces AT MAIDSTONE, And the KENTISH Forces, JUNE 1. 1648.  
PRinted by the Command of William Lenthal Esq Speaker of the honourable House of Commons.  
London, Printed for Edward Husband, Printer to the honourable House of Commons. June 3. 1648.   

TO The honourable William Lenthal Esq Speaker of the honourable House of COMMONS.  
SIR,  
THe particulars are too many to be related at this time concerning this last night's engagement with the Enemy at Maidstone, which in brief was such as never was since these wars began; This Army struggled with so much difficulty to overcome a stubborn and resolute Enemy: The Fight begun about Seven of the clock at night, about a mile from Maidstone, and before we could beat them from hedge to hedge, and get in at the barricadoes, it was past Nine; and after we had entered the Town, we disputed every street and turning; they having Eight pieces of Canon, which they discharged above Twenty times upon our men in the streets, and by God's mighty help and assistance we overcame them between twelve and one of the clock at night, being every minute in all that time firing upon their horse and foot, and they upon us, it being extreme wet weather during all this time of engagement; we took about Four hundred prisoners, and near as many Horse, our Forlorn-hope of horse gave the red Standard of horse as gallant a charge as ever was seen, which is said to be General Hales his Troop. The reason why the engagement began so soon, the Train and the Rear of the Army being three miles off (and not come up) was, that the Forlorn of horse and foot being engaged in viewing the Town before it was dark, came off safe: The Enemy being with their whole body of horse and foot within two miles on the top of the Hill towards Rochester all day long in view of our Army, about Eight thousand men, who, as they perceived that we did not dispute the pass at Alsford, which was very difficult for us to have done; they sent in a supply of Twelve hundred horse and foot to those before in the town of Maidstone, who came in just as we engaged, being Seamen, Apprentices, and most part Commanders and Cavaliers that have formerly been in arms against the Parliament. There were in all, as we guess, Two hundred then slain in and about the town, and Captain Price a very honest and stout Gentleman, Col: Hewsons' Captain Lieutenant, was also slain, and about thirty more of our men, most falling at the mouth of the Canon with Ca●e shot; we took Eight pieces, six Iron, and two Brass, abundance of Arms, having been up all night, and want of time cannot send more particulars at present: only I desire God to let you see how the old quarrel is revived by the same party, with greater violence then at first. You will shortly understand what Earls, Lords, and other persons of quality appeared in this business. His Excellency from the first minute of engagement to the last, could not be drawn off from a personal and hazardous attendance on the service, and is much impaired in his health.  
John Rushworth. Maidstone, June 2. 1648. 6 in the morning.  
FINIS.