Noble Sir
september the 13th was my last unto you this even wee had tidings that Killingworth Castle in warwick shire 6 miles from Coventry was taken with store of ammunition and money and some prisoners ther number uncertaine the rest fled and the Cuntrey persued them and wanted but the assistance of Coventry to destroy them all
wensday september the 14th our forces bothe foote and horse marched into the feild and the Lord generall veiwed us both front reare and Flancks where the Drumms beatinge and the Trumpets sounding made a harmony delectable to our frends but terrible to our enemies this even contrary to expectation our regiment marched 5 ... miles north east unto Spratton where wee and as many as could bilited in the towne the rest quartered the cuntrey
Thursday our regiment met againe where those famous lawes for our army were read and expounded this day wee received and accepted sargeant major Neale
Fryday our regiment were commaunded to meete here againe to be mustered ...where we exercised in the feild the whole day and the muster master came not wherat we were all much displeased this night our company by lot watched the towne
saturday our regiment met againe and weere mustered. this even Captaine Francis returninge from London informed mee of the corragiousnesse and constancy of the City of london and also of ther constant supplyes of money and plate and also told me that the whole City were now either reall or constrained roundheads
Sabbath day wee peacably injoyed with Master Obbediah Sedgwick who gave us two heavenly sermons
Munday morninge our regiment began to march towards warwick Shire and passed through west haddon Creeke and hill Morton where wee had a suply of drinke which upon a march is very rare and extreordinary welcome and at the end of ten miles wee came to Rugby in warwick shire where we had good quarter at this towne Master Norton formerly preached this towne also was lately disarmed by the Cavallers on the sabbath day the inhabitants beinge at Church
Tuesday morninge our Regiment marched 2 miles unto Dunsmore heath where the Lord Generall and his Regiment met us as also the Lord of Stanford Colonell Cholmley and Colonell Hampden with many troopes of horse and 18 feild peeces where we kept our randevoes untill even where wee had tidings that all the malignants in worsester Shire with the Cavalleers were got into worsester and fortified themselves wherupon wee marched 6 miles unto baggington within two miles of Coventry this night the rest of our regiments quartered about the cuntrey
Wensday morninge wee marched towards warwick leavinge Killingworth Castle upon the right and after wee had marched 6 miles our forces met againe and quarted before warwick untill 40 peeces of Ordinance with other carriadges passed by in which time I veiwed the antiquities about one mile on this side warwick as Sir Guyes cave his Chappell and his picture in it his stables all hewed out of the maine Rock as also his garden and 2 springinge wels wherat he drank as is reported from hence our regiment marched through warwick in such hast that I could not veiw the towne but had only a sight of the Castle which is very stronge built upon a mighty rock wherof ther are store in this Cuntrey this night we marched 2 miles further unto Burford where our quarter was as constantly since his exelencyes comminge it is very poore for many of our soilders can get nether beads bread nor water which makes them grow very stronge for backbiters have bin seene to march upon some of them sixe on brest and eight deepe at their open order and I feare I shall be in the same condition eare longe for wee can get no carriadge for officers so that my trunck and all nessessaries therin are left at Coventry and indeede our regiment is more slighted then any other which is occasioned as I conceive partly by the false informations of leiftenant Colonell Briddeman and our late Sargeant major Generall Ballard prophane wretches but cheifly for want of our Colonell who should be one of the counsell of Warre at which counsell we have none to pleade for us or remove false aspersions cast upon us in so much that I have heard some of our captaines repent their comminge forth and all for want of a Colonell
Thursday morninge we marched in the front 4 miles towards worcester where wee met one ridinge post from worceter informinge us that our troopes and the Cavallers were ther in fight but it was false only to hast the captaines from Warwick upon this report our whole regiment ran shoutinge for 2 miles together and cryinge to worcester to worcester and desired to march all night but after we had marched 2 miles further we were commaunded to stand untill our forces passed by and then marched 2 miles further unto Assincantlo where wee could get no quarter neither bread nor drinke by reason of the Lord Comptons late beinge there
Fryday we marched 4 miles unto Oster where our forces met and from thence 8 miles and incamped 4 miles on this side worsester but our soildiers cryed out for one hower together to goe forward to set upon the enemy but could get no commission this day we had such fowle wether that before I had marched one mile I was weet to the skinne this day our horse forces namely Sir william belfore Colonell Sands Colonell vines Colonell Clarke Major Duglas kept all the passages over Severne and by that meanes kept in the Cavalleres who often assayed to fly but were repelled these Commaunders sent to his Exelency for 3 feild peeces and offered with them to keepe them in on that side untill wee had surrounded them but they were denied this day towards even prince Robert entered the City at a bye passage with eighteene troopes of horse most of the City cryinge welcome welcome but principaley the Maior who desired to entertaine him but hee answered god damne him he would not stay but would goe wash his hands in the blod of the roundheads and immediately set some to lye in ambush and with the rest sallyed out upon our forces and immediatly Colonell Sands came on bravely evene unto the brest of their cheife commaunder and discharged the rest undauntedly followed but ther forces immediatly fled and ours followed them and by the ambushment were beset before and behind so that the battle was very hot and many fell on both sides some of our cheife commaunders as Colonell ... Sands and Duglas was wounded and are since both dead the cheife amongst the Cavalleeres were Prince Robert who I heare was wounded the Lord Craven and the Lord of Northhampton our wounded men they brought into the City and stripped stabbed and slassed ther dead bodies in a most barbarous manner and imbrued their hands in their blode they also at ther returne met a yonge gentlemen a parlaiment man as I am informed his name I cannot learne and stabbed him on horse back with many wounds and trampled upon him and also most maliciously shot his horse this even our Generalls trope of gentlemen goinge to quarter themselves about the cuntrey were betrayed and beset by the enemy and overmuch timerous immediately fled so confusedly that some brake their horses necks others their owne some were taken others slaine and scarce halfe of them essaped which is such a blot upon them as nothinge but some desperate exploit will wipe of hearinge this newes wee immediately cryed out to march unto them and forwith drew out a forlorne hope some out of every company and sent them before intendinge to march after them but about eleven of the clock the enemies fled and our hope returned here we aboade all night where we had small comfort for it rained hard our foode was fruite for those that could get it our drinke water and beds the earth our canopy the clouds but we pulled up the hedges pales and gates and made good fiers his exelency promisinge us that if the cuntrey releived us not the day followinge he would fier ther townes thus we continued singinge of psalmes untill the morninge
Saturday morninge we marched unto worsester our regiment in the reare of the waggons the raine continuinge the whole day and the way so base that we went up to the ancles in thick clay and about 4 of the clock after noone entred the city where we found 28 dead men which we buried some of them Cavallers and these were all that we can find slaine on our side this even by lot our company watched one of the gates and also the day folloinge untill even this even his exelencyes guard entred the maiors house and toke him prisoner who is now more guarded then regarded
Sabbath day morninge our soildiers entered a vault of the collidge where his exelency was to heare a sermon and found eleven barrels of gunpowder and a pot of bullets this day Master marshall Sedgwich et cetera preached about the City but I beinge upon the court of guard could not heare them this even his exelency proclaimed that no soildier shuld plunder either church or private howse upon paine of death
wee shortly expect a pitcht battell which if the Cavallers will but stand will be very hot for we are all much inraged against them for their barbarismes and shall shew them little mercy but I want time to in large my selfe to conclude I humbly intreate you to present my humble service to my Mistress as also Master Edgertons our quartermaster and mine to Master Molloyne and his wife my service also to Master Hunt Master Priaux Master Simpson and his wife Master Hawkins Master ... Starkey and I humbly in treate let me heare from you of your welfare My Mistris and your family Sir it is extreame hast that makes me compose so confusedly and therfore with my service To Mistress Elizabeth Anna John and little Sammuell and my love to all my fellow servants I rest yours in all good services untill death
Nehemiah Wharton
My Captaine presents you with his best respects and drinkes to you every day we sit at table together I have received your feather for which I give you humble thankes
Worcester Sept the 26 1642
To the worthy and his much Honored Frend Master George Willingham Marchant at the golden Anchor in Saint Swethins Lane These present