horse and foote fled towards Carmarthin 20. miles distant from the place of the battle The Major Generall having thus by Gods great blessing obtained so miraculous a Victory ascribed the glory to him that gave it and therupon tooke up his quarters at Haverford where treating with his Prisoners and understanding in what distresse the Towne of Youghall then stood he found most of them very willing to go for Ireland and to renounce the retaking of Armes against the Parliament whereupon having shipping ready in the Haven he gave present order for the embarking of 400. of them to bee Landed with all expedition at the Towne of Youghall whether it was their good happe timely to arive to the releife of the place and where they behaved themselves very manfully in sallying on the Rebells and beating them out of their Workes In the meane time the Major Generall following this Victory summoned the Enemies Garrisons of Picton Carew and Mannerbyer then the only remainder of Gerrards great and plundring Army which by degrees and within a very short time were all surrendred unto him and the whole County againe totally cleared of the Enemy The Major Generall then exceedingly tyred yet with as convenient speed as possibly he could drew up againe towards Carmarthin his owne County being then utterly unable to feed an Army and on the same of his approach and the Enemy there of greater strength then his and within a strong and well fortified Towne yet in Civility were well pleased to dislodge and to give way to the Major Generall to enter at one end of the Towne whilst the Enemy marcht out at the other The Towne and the whole County of Carmarthin then weary of the Warre and resenting their former forwardnes but especially the insolency of Gerrard his rapatios followers when at first they might have beene securely quiet submitted themselves to the Major Generalls command who notwithstanding he had before taken the place by storme never plundered it nor any part of the County but onely the hundred of * Durtlesse a skirt of that County destinated as it seemes on both sides to utter ruine as a peece lying between two dissenting Counties I am bound by the obligation of truth which I have assumed without all partiality to lay down all passages in their naked verity so neer as my own knowledge and other informations may warrant me and amongst many others here to leave this annimadversion of speciall marke Viz That Generall Gerrard was the most insolent and barbarous Commander that ever was employed in his Majesties service and in both his expeditions into those parts was accompanied with more dissolute and plundring Captaines then were in any of the Kings Armyes and with as desperate a crew of base and blaspemous Souldiers and theevs then any throughout the Kingdom The E of Carbery his kindred allyes and followers which at their first taking up of Armes were so sedulously forward against the Parliament have all of them very good cause to verifie this assertion Gerrard sparing not to put on his Lordship and his kindred all the skornes and insolent language that could have beene imagined to proceed from a Gentleman professing the way of honour telling Middleton the High-Sherriffe to his face and on no just occasion and one that was as forward in his Majesties service as any God-dam-me thou art a Turd and I will hang thee and such fellowes as thou art at your owne doores In short the welch Nation have had enough and more then their bellies full of their unnaturall rising against their consernatory yet thus much we must acknowledge as an advertisment in the eye of all men which were acquainted with the passages of those parts that my L. of Carbery in his owne nature howsoever sufficiently active himselfe as at first set on by the * Lords and annimated by others aforementioned was notstithstanding a moderate Commander and though timerous to be reputed a Traytor to the King should he not have complyed in the way as he did as that was and is the vulgar understanding of the times and of men which dived not into the nature of the controversie was doubtlesse a private well-wisher to the cause and if all be true as that unworthy fellow * and the first plunderer in the principality openly averd and at Oxford accused his Lordship to have plaid fast and loose with the King though there he cleered himselfe of that imputation yet in my own perticular I have very good reason to believe that in his heart hee wisht well to the State and was well content that the kingdoms forces might prevaile We have a little digrest but we shall now goe on in our relations and shew that so soone as the Major Gene had quietted and setled the County of Carmarthin with that of Cardican where only Colo. Iames Lews Captaine Thomas Evans Mr. James Philips with some of the Lloyds of any considerable qualty and active in the cause were most cordiall the rest of the Gentlmen generally retrograde The Gentlemen of the Countyof Brecknocke then much desired to associate with him to which purpose a meeting was appointed at Lanumdovery where in manifestation of their hartinesse they invited the Major Generall to quarter part of his Forces within their Countie where Colo. Harbert Price Gefferies and diverse others were inveterate enemies to the Parliament and were constant associates both with his Lordship of Carbery and the Generall Gerrard whereunto the Major Generall Laherne condiscended and shortly after came accompanied with 400. Horse and Foot and quartered at Brecknocke where having intelligence that that Irish Rebell and Traytor Col. Grady a Commander that never gave quarter to any of the Parliament party then quartered at Pembridge in the County of Hereford and neer upon 30. myles distance from Brecknocke he gave present and private Order that 100. horse and Dragoones should in the evening begin to march and so to compute the designe with the time as by the break of the next morning to fall upon Gradyes quarters which was so well performed as that the Majors men killed diverse of them in the place tooke 60. of the Enemies horse and dissipated the remainder of Gradyes Regiment upon their returne to Brecknocke the Major then presently resolved to march and unexpectedly lay down on the uttermost parts of the Countyof Cardican before Aberrustwith whither before he had given order that some Guns of Battery should be sent about unto him by Sea out of Milford-haven which being opportunly arrived he battered the Castle for certaine dayes but with little effect the place being strong and well fortified the enemy at his first arrivall leaving the town retreated al into the Castle then under the command of Maj. Whitly one of Gerâ—â—ds prime plunderers and having receaved intelligence from Glamor ganshire of the rising of Mr. Carne lately designed high Sheriffe of that County by the Parliament and that he held intelligence with the Enemy
together the worke in the Arch so fild up as is truly discribed for a passage over of the Major Generals souldiers to the Governors reliefe stood immoveable till the very time that it was finished notwithstanding the fresh flouds by reason of extreame fowle weather were then very strong and forcible and the tyde there runing with great violence insomuch as the Major Gen. at first stood in much doubt that all his labour would prove fruitles howsoever it pleased the great providence so to Order it that it only stood to passe over his men but the next tyde carried all the work away to the admiration of the beholders Gerrards Army thus routed and lessened in the losse of 500 of his best foote slaine and taken in the place and five hundred more running from him as weary of the service eight hundred Armes fifteen of his horse with some of his best Commanders either slaine or taken in great displeasure wrote an emperious and threatning Letter from Carmarthin to the Major General which he slighted with silence and after many and toylesom marches and watches in the dead time of a tempestuous Winter having for twenty dayes together little better quarter then hedges and ditches to repose himselfe and his wearied Souldiers yet loath to loose time or to give breath to a revengfull and furious Enemy after some short time of rest first revictualled the Castle and replaced therein Colo. Powell as Governour of the place lay downe before Emblin a little but a very strong place belonging to the Earle of Carbâ—ry which for 20. dayes together he closly besieged the house being very well both fortified and defended yet at length came to capitulation when Generall Gerrard having for two moneths together traversed his ground through many of the Kings Garisons and studying revenge had recruited himselfe both with good numbers of Horse and in his return inforcing all South-Wales Generally to rise with him his new Army amounting to 1200. Horse and three thousand foot at the least came by great and nightly marches within seaven myles of Emblin before the little Army then before it had any certaine intelligence of their approach The Major Generall being somwhat before gone to Haverford for the recruit of his Ammunition when in the interim on falls Gerrard on the besiegers only seconded with some foure troopes of wearied horse which understanding of the Enemyes neere advance yet they resolutely charged them in the very head of their Army and upon the first and second charge put them to the shocke but being so unequally matcht and over-powred with numbers and the maine body of the Enemies foot in sight and marching up to the Reare of their Horse Those few Troops of the Major Generalls horse thought it a vaine indeavour any longer to stand them but shifted for themselves leaving their foote to the mercy of the insulting Enemy which notwithstanding stood it out long untill overborn with multitudes of the assaylants they were for the greater part either slaine or taken those resolute and expeirt Souldiers of Ireland being of that routed number Vpon this most unfortunate defeate some of the Committee of the County of Pembrooke envious of the Major Generalls atchievements and such as never did or durst draw sword in the Cause have not forborne most unworthily tobrand his reputation malitiously laying the blame of this disaster on him and only for that he was not present in person when the defeat was given it being well knewne that the necessity of a speedy recrewting his Ammunition inforced his absence and that â—ll the forces he could then make could not countervaile the afifth part of the Enemies forces but to proceed on the news of this unfortunate losse let the most malitious of his enemies look upon his former after dilligence and what he did on the instant of this losse when hapily some of them would have bin to seek what to have don otherwise then as they did take their heeles and leave the burthen on his shoulders which never budg'd nor forsook his charge and the defence of his Country let them remember when most of the Committees shifted for themselves whether at the instant he dispatcht not shipping such as were most fitting for Cardican River with advice to Colonell Powell with all the expedition he could to embarke himselfe and his Souldiers with all his Ammunition and to slight the Castle which with celerity great circumspection was timely performed and a Commander of worth with his full company and armes all preserved beyond expectation and before Generall Gerrard could imagine what might become of him safely arrived at Milford and came to the Major Generall at Pembrooke they may remember if they pleas'd what a dead liâ—t was then left on their shouldiers when most of the Gentlemen either fled their Country or stood off at Sea in a safe ship they alone with a handfull of men both stood to the work and preserved what possibly could be secured the one be taking himsefe to the Government oâ—Tinby the other of Pembrook wherewith great and insupportable care and dilligence they so ordered the Townes that a royall Army on six Monthes siege might very well have spent their paines and lost their labour in attempting on either as Gerrard himselfe before Pembrooke during his six weeks siege found that to be most true The Major Generall had then in the Towne neere upon 500. good foot and some 3-Troopes of wearied horse the place well fortified but not Victualled for any long siege though Gerrard conceived that he had then neere finished the worke but there was another accompt to be made with God and a second rekconning may be expected that he must make with men for his horrid and most abhominable cruelties Gerrards indeavour first was then to block up the River that runs up to the Towne out of Milford-Haven To which purpose he attempted to raise a Fort on the entrance of the River which being made knowne to the Admirall Swanley he refused to hazard his shipping to come up in the River when Captaine Iohn Bwen accompanied with the Vice-Admirall Captaine Iohn Smith adventured to thrust in to the point of Pennermouth where with their Ordinance beating the Pioners from their Workes they utterly dissapointed the Generalls design whether upon made his appreaches neere and round about most of the Towne and after many and divers assaults had alwayes the worst of the bargaine he having then forcibly drawne to his assistance two new Regiments of very good foot all raised in the County of Pembrooke where amongst other accidents this is an infallible testimoney of the Major Generalls both vallor and Vigillancy The Enemy one night having a designe to burne the Mills standing on the North bridge and a little without the Walls of the Towne skanted then of men to supply the largen esse of the Workes and the Major Gen. unwilling to lessen unman the Guards the Enemy stormingsometimes in 3.4 or 5.
and finding that he could do little good either by storme or battery on the place and having then received a second intelligence from some well affected Gentlmen of Glamon ganshire of the proceedings of Carne which had then raised 3000. good horse and foot and apprehending the consequence that he meant to joyn with Ragland forces and all the Papists of the County of Monmouth as also with Sir Jacob Ashley this plot of all others being of a most dangerous Consequence if not in speedily nipt in the badde and that It manifestly appeared that this Army would in a short time be the most powerfull and formidable of any his Majesty hath had on foot if considered with all circumstances both in respect of the Commander in chiefe and the men then to bee under his conduct and on a second consideration that within a few dayes they would or might have bin in the very heart of the County of Pembrooke and there ready to shake hands with the Irish Army so long expected and noysed then to be in readinesse for transport but taken at the best and as that Army then was and might have bin augmented without the Irish assistance it could not have failed to have reduced the whoâ— County of Pembrook taken the Haven and all the Townes then slenderly man'd together with the reducing of all the principallity to the irreparable losse of the State The Welch Nation being in the Generall a people skarce patient in peace but impatient to be left out of action in times of Warre whensoever prosperity and the name of the King and his anthority shall offer opportunity and incouragement to their unconstant spirits to turne with the wheele upon these considerations the Major Generall thought it not then fit to protract time having first secured his Cannon and re-sent them to Sea and leaving his old Camerado Colonell Powell to block up Aberastwith with such Companies as might suffice to Master and keepe the Enemy from excursions he undertooke the most difficult march that could have beene chosen throughout the Kingdome leading his little Army over as in accessible mountaines as Hamball did when hee past the Alps into Italy and through the whole length of the County of Cardican part of Carmarthin to Brecknock where recruting his forces he marcht through the rest of that county then into Glamorgan and unto Cardiffe in the very center of that shire 60. welâ—h miles all within 5. or 6. dayes at the most where with his wearied forces for three dayes together he fought with the enemy kept them from uniting routed and beat them in all places and killed of them neare upon 1000. stout and resolute Souldiers tooke many of their horse 2000. Armes reduced the whole County and retooke the strong Towne of Cardiffe man'd with 800. foot not without the losse of most of his owne Troope with 130. of his old foot yet to the utter overthrough and disapointing of the Enemies designe this County some few private men expected being totally falce to the Parliament and as we may justly say accomplished much to the admiration of the times Though now it is this Gentlemans ill fate as it hath ever bin of all notable Commanders to be the subject of detraction to be envied and basely traduced no rationall man knowes for what cause neither on what grounds more then this that by the hand of the Almighty he hath beene made the happy instrument of doing of that with little or no considerable assistance and with a poore handfull of men and through his patience Industry vigillancy indefatigable labour of body and continuall travell of minde for foure yeares together hath accomplished that which his shamelesse Enemies skarse ever durst to think on buâ— never to undergoe the tenths of the burthen care and toyle which by the Blessing of God to the shame of his enemies with all his traducers hee hath nobly and faithfully performed both in saving that little County of Pembrook from utter distruction and to the no small advance of all the Kingdomes affaires The premises considered it is in all humble manner offered to this most honourable Court that some of the Committees have borne to high as conceiving that the whole power of the Parliament rested in their hands I speake not of all for some of them have moderately carried themselves others so empeperious as expecting that not only the Souldier but the Generall himselfe should and ought to be wholly ordered by them esteeming the expence of some small proportion of their Provisions and eating a little of their Grasse and Graine an affront done to their Authority as well as to their persons not considering that where Armies are on foot liberty and the sword will beare the sway private Souldiers may happily obey their superior Officers But to bee over-awed with more masterly Committees then their owne Commanders seemed to them which knew what did belong to the Disciplin of Warre somewhat of a strange nature The difference extending to another kind of consequerce when the Souldier pressing for means were payd in the Coyn of bigge lookes and with acerbity of language doe you know where you are and to whom you speake doe you understand whom a Committee represents A soft answer appeaseth wrath good words would have done wonders and have freed some of them from unhorsing on the way and to be told to their faces that if they fought in their defence during their stay in the County they expected pay or free quarter untill they came where they might have both on cheaper tearmes We are bound impartially to deliver the truth of the most materiall passages and are not ignorant that discipline is the life of an Army but ill pay and fowle language the death of discipline and that souldiers will live wheresoever they are not provided for It is most true that the Committees being many and of the chiefe Gentrie of the Countrie for the greater part held themselves free from quarter had the faculty to help themselves to the prejudice of their poore neighbours which commonly were charged with more troopers then came to their shares on equall quarter whereas out of meere parcimony they preserved much of their own store of Corne and other provisions for the mercylesse Enemyes which had it bin timely disposed of either to their Garisons on the publike Faith or given freely to the souldier who then was to fight and defend them as they might have done Gerrards Army had bin to seek of subsistance and oâ— much which he took or fired when most of the Committees fled to Sea and left all to the futy of the Enemy wee which were strangers and eye-witnesses of these and many other carriages before wee left the Country very well saw that they might have bin otherwise mannaged then they were had not a kind of high and lofty bearing of some of the Committees together with the private spleene â—eâ—eds and factions amongst themselves bin the originall causes of
myles of the Towne with his Forces where they treated with his honour on these conditions that after his Lordships admittance with a convenient traine hee should re-deliver the place to the Majors Government But no sooner had his honour the possession of the towne but hee drew in the said Captaine Butiers company some companies of Colonell David Guins Regiment with some other Commanders and made one Major Guin Governour of the place the poore Major being thus and after this manner dispossest of all and having with much suite obtained leave to repaire to Bristoll where the best part of his debts and bills then lay indispaire of loosing continued their and at the Bath a very weake and disconsolate man untill on the first reduction of the whole County of Pembrooke some of the old complying Gentlemen made Committees on the reason aforesaid and most of them indebted unto him began to question his absence and to make his former yeelding up of the Towne to their ground work of voting him a Malignant which was attempted long after his descease when as living he could not be won by all his Lordships faire inducements neither overcome by threats and the subtlties of treaties nor corrupted with a bribe of 700. l. neither yeelded he the Towne at all untill as foresaid he was both wrought upon by the Gentlemen complyers threatned to be hanged at his owne doore and a mutiney as aforesaid raised against him by a party in the Towne adheering to his Lordship I have the longer insisted on this particular of the Major of Tinby in respect of the honour dew to the dead that he was never in other esteeme then that of a Religious honest man one whose Purse was continually and gratis open to all the Gentlemen of his County on all their occasions as also to shew that there are some of the Committees of this County which are as others have bin in other parts of the Kingdome high prohd Emperious and hauty which necessarily requires a present refinement for my owne particular I consesse that I have seene the man but never changed word with him and that we strangers sometimes made our aboad in the Town sometime at Pembrook Haverford and at Carmarthin as wee thought most convenient for our safeties being loath to returne into our owne Country where we understood that the heat and seat of the Warre was then most violent but lead on by I know not what destiny to remaine in those parts we came at length to be eye witnesses and sensible objects of the most babarous and wastfull Warre that was in the Kingdome or could possibly befall a Country so indigent in money and destitute of men and meanes whereby an Army might long subsist Generall Gerrard and his ravenous Army the first Summer of their comming into the Country dividing the spoyle of the whole County betweene them and to the great in dammaging of no small number of the Inhabitants of the Counties of Cardican and Cormarthin the Commanders having learned the way how to make any one in the repute of a rich man a Round-head at their pleasures I am bold to avoueh it for truth that Gerrard and his Commanders the first yeare of their Incursion took not so few as 20000. head of ruther Gattle nor lesse then 60000. sheepe besides Swine Plate Money Household stuffe and other plunder out of that one little County It being all Fish that came to their Nets the Gerrarrds Russell sonne to Sir VVilliam Ruffell late of the Navy Egerton VVhitly Price Sonne to Sir Iohn Price a late Member of the house Slawter Rudde younger Sonne to Sir Rice Rudde and Lacy the Player with divers more all excellent Commanders in the dissipline of plunder weare noted to be the principall purveyors and Actors in the destraction of the County of Pembrook Gehrard himselfe allwayes reserving the Creame and prime Cattle and plunder to his owne use But leaving this digression the right course of our Relation calls us back to the latter end and period of my Lord of Carberryes Command wee shall now proceed and shew that Major-Generall Laughorne on the surrender of the Towne of Tinby with his small retinue seeing the distresse and danger they were in Mr. Roger Lort having then fortified his house at Stackepoole whether for his owne defence or for the King we cannot determine Captaine Smith then ariving in the Haven furnished him with a small proportion of pouder and Ammunition and presently departed for the Coast of Ireland when shortly after came in the Admirall Swanly with two or three lusty Parliament Ships * his Majesty as aforesaid some what before having sent in two Ships for the assistance of his Lordship which perceiving what manner of Vessells were then arived the Kings Ships instantly ran under the Fort whithâ—r Swanlys greater Vessells could not come neare them Stackpoole house as aforesaid being fortified on the backe of Pembrooke Trefloyne and Tinby before it and the Castle of Carew Garisond on the North side and the Towne wholly surrounded with enemies and strong Garisons In this perplexity the Major Generall on consultation with the Admirall Swanly thought it his first and safest worke to take in Stackpoole to which purpose and that he might not leave any Garison behind him having a supply of Sea men from Swanly to the number of 80. or there abouts fell on the house which within a few Dayes hee tooke in and thereupon to inlarge his quarters fell presently on Trefloyne the Mansion of Master * Thomas Bowen and within a myle of Tinby whither his Lordship was then arived and having beleagured the place and planted one peece of Artillery below the house to impeade the reskewes which he expected his Lordship might and would send out of Tinby to the reliefe of the besieged he battered the place with another Gun and continued the assault from morning to night Captaine Martin a vaine obscene and talking fellow commanding the place seeing no reliefe to bee sent him from his Lordship within the night grew to capitulation which was presently agreed on and that himselfe and some few more should have leave to retreat to Tinby with their horses and Armes the rest of their foot armes and horse to remaine to the discretion of the Major Generall which were 47. very good horse and about eighty Souldiers his Lordship all the day being on the Workes and looking on never came up to the reskew though within a mile of the place and the tyde spent at Holloway river between the house and Tinby and having more in numbers in the Towne by much then the assaylants The Major Generall having thus widned his quarter on both sides of Pembrooke he then undertooke as desperate an enterprize as ever Commander could have attempted The Fort and Pill towne as aforesaid being sufficiently mand and well fortified and on the other side of the Haven * stored with exceeding good Ordnance and a
places at once put on a resolution to hazard his owne person and to passe through the Ports and over the Bridge accompanied with Captain Smith Cap. Bowen and some other Gentlemen then in the towne where in the darke they fell on the party that were making their approaches towards the mills being together by the eares the Major Gen was laid hold of and disarmed by one of the enemies Commanders the on tuging the other each of them striving to make the one or the other their prisoner when as the party not seconded with fresh men the Major Generall fortunately got cleare and recovered over the bridge Captaine Smith being there most unfortunatly slaine in the place Captaine Bowen Master Griffeth Lort with the rest some of them recovering the ports over the bridge others adventuring to goe through the River with great difficulty secured themselves within the gate In the meane time and during six weekes siedge with the slaughter of many of the assaylants the newes of the losse of the Field at Naseby came to the knowledge of Gerrard with command from the King to come up speedily to his Majesties assistance who then loath so to quit his hold and to raise his siedge before the Town instantly marcht away with about 2000. of his Horse and foot to Rugland having still the whole County at their devotion with divers Garisons in the Country as the Castles of Picton Carew Manner-byer and Lamphy but on a second and more strict command to march away with the rest of their Army and to fire the Country having left behind him some 1800. horse and foot under the command of Colonell Stradling as a sufficient power as he supposed to master the Feeld who raising the siedge before Pemb. retreated and quartered at Haverford intending before his departure utterly to lay wast the whole Country From whence this new Commander Col. Stradling sent out his peremptory mandates on paine of death to all Constables of the severall hundreds to bring in all sorts of labourers mowers and hookmen throughout the County to cut down and destroy all such corne as was not then come to maturity and to fire the rest then grown ripe and combustible It being then much about the beginning of August 1645. when diverse of those sad warrants came to the Major Generalls hands by such as fled to the Towne of Pembrooke and some poore men loath to be the instruments of their own destruction were calld out and in most barbarous manner harg'd by Stradlings command The Major Generall thereupon called a Councell of Warre where it was presently determined that withall the Horse and Dragoones he had then at Pembrooke he should instantly poast to Tinby the way thither lying between the Enemies two Garisons of Carew and Manner-byer and there to consult with the Governour Colo Powell what was to bee done in the case and being come together the Major Generall imparted unto him the tenor of the said warrants which were no news to him who the night before receaved diverse of them by such as were fled to Tinby but there it was soone resolved that both Garisons shouâ—d joyne all their Forces and instantly to take the field and with what other Forces they could possibly make to give the Enemy battell wheresoever they could incounter him To this purpose the randezvous was appointed at Saint Florence much about the middle way between Tinby and Carew This resolution as I am informed for we strangers were then all gone out of the Country was taken about the latter end of July 1645. on a Saterday and the Munday following both the Major Generall and the Governour Powell happily met at the place appointed where they were informed that a brigade of the Enemies horse were then quartered at Martell-Twy about eight myles distant from Saint Florence hee so contrived it that sending a party of horse and Dragoones in the close of the evening recovered the place before day and took most of the Enemies horse with many prisoners before they could imagine that he had taken the field and loosing no time upon Intelligence that Captaine Edward Loyd that mouthy-Malignant rayler against the Parliament then quartered at Burton on the other side of the River of Milford he carried the businesse with such celerity and secrecy that with great difficulty he transported a party of Musketteers over in the night which surprized the Captaine with all his company and Officers in their beds they not dreaming that the Major Generall could come over or was able to take the field and immediately thereupon marched away to seeke out the Enemy whereupon those allarme and the beating up of his quarters in severall places they drew out with all their strength into the field doubting as it seemes of their safety in Haverford then sufficiently fortified or that the Major Generall might have some further designe whereof they could not then make any certaine Iudgement the River lying between both their Armies The Enemies on Colby Moore distant 4. miles from Haverford and the Major Generalls on the other side unknowne to the Enemy where he would and could quarter otherwhere then eight or ten miles distant 〈◊〉 from Stradlings quarter in such perplexity of his aboad did the Major Generall keepe the doubtfull Enemy when on the Wednesday following the Major being come over with al his little Army appeared in view of the Enemy neere unto stebadge where that gallant old Gentleman Mr. Iohn Laherne the Major Generalls Father was in the evening most unfortunatly shot and slaine in the place as mistaken for an Enemy by one of the Generalls owne Scouts which was a great dishartning to the Army disappoyntment of that nights designe howsoever the Friday following their Rendezvouse at St. Florence the Major Generall viewing and facing the Enemy all the morning and observing their numbers of Horse and foot so much to exceed his owne thought it not fit then to hazard his handfull of men not above 300. horse at the most and eight hundred foot the Enemies horse being full five hundred and neere upon double to his of their foote But drawing away hee found his Men so willing to fight and to put it to the hazard and that the Enemy stood at the Gaze and moved not at all he presently gave order that 160. of his Troopers should charge home on Stradlings whole body of horse which they did with such courage that on the second charge they tottaly routed aâ—l the enemies cavelry and following their good fortune continued to chase them six or eight miles together and untill the close of the evening having slaine and taken neere upon 100. they retreated to their Major Generall whilst in his owne person with his owne reserve of horse and foot he fell on the enemies Body where he killed of them on the place 120. and took of the remainder 500. more of them Prisoners with all their Armes cariages and Ammunition the residue both of their