he should surrender himself and all his officers and soldiers prisoners of war, with all his arms and ammunition and horses, to me; I giving quarter for life, and promising civil usage. Which accordingly is done: and the Commissioners deputed by me have received, and are receiving, all the arms and ammunition; which will be, as they tell me, about Four-thousand complete arms; and as many prisoners: and thus you have their Infantry totally ruined. What Colonels and Officers are with General Baillie, I have not yet received the list.
The Duke is marching with his remaining Horse, which are about three-thousand, towards Nantwich; where the Gentlemen of the County have taken about five-hundred of them; of which they sent me word this day. The country will scarce suffer any of my men to pass, except they have my hand-“writing”; telling them, They are Scots. They bring in and kill divers of them, as they light upon them. Most of the Nobility of Scotland are with the Duke. If I had a thousand horse that could but trot thirty miles, I should not doubt but to give a very good account of them: but truly we are so harassed and haggled-out in this business, that we are not able to do more than walk “at” an easy pace after them.—I have sent post to my Lord Grey, to Sir Henry Cholmely and Sir Edward Rhodes, to gather all together with speed, for their prosecution; as likewise to acquaint the Governor of Stafford therewith.
I hear Monro is about Cumberland with the horse that ran away,[1] and his “own” Irish horse and foot, which are a considerable body. I have left Colonel Ashton’s three regiments of foot, with seven troops of horse (six of Lancashire and one of Cumberland), at Preston; and ordered Colonel Scroop with five troops of horse and two troops of dragoons, “and” with two regiments of foot (Colonel Lascelles’s and Colonel Wastell’s), to embody with them; and have ordered them to put their prisoners to the sword if the Scots shall presume
- ↑ Northward from Preston on the evening of the 17th, the Battle-day.
