My much honored Master I humbly greete you
my last unto you was September the 26th in which there were some errors occasioned partly by my overhastinesse in wrightinge for the bearer promised mee to deliver it on wensday september the 28th partly by the various relations dispersed but cheifly by reason I was upon the guard and upon paine of death durst not stir from it to see or heare any occurrences but I had as good intelligence as the Citty then afforded for the trewth of thinges was not then knowne the errors are these First I wrote that the Earle of North hampton and the Lord Craven ... were with the Prince but they were not but upon suffitient information they were these Prince Robert Duke Mawrice the Lord Digby Commissary Wilmot Sir Lewes Dives Sir William Russell and Esquire Hastings a second was that most of the Curoseers his Exelencies trope were cut of but they are since returned and but few lost but doe still beare The aspersion of cowards the third was that Colonell sands was dead but both he and captaine Sands though both wounded yet are still livinge but that I may not trouble you with common relations which commonly are fictions I have conferred with commaunders the best intelligencers and have also veiwed the place where the battaile was fought but breifly Worcestershire is a pleasant fruitfull and rich Cuntrey aboundinge in corne woods pastures hils and valleyes every hedge and heigh way beset with fruite but especally with peares wherof they make that pleasant drinke called Perry which they sell for a penny a quart though better then ever you tasted at London Touchinge the City it is more Large then any I have seene since I left London and Like London it abounds in outwarde thinges of all kinds but for want of the word the people perrish it is pleasantly seated exceedinge populous and doubtlese very rich it is scituate on the east banke of that famous River Severine the wals in the forme of a triangle the gates seaven the Bulwarkes five but much decayed no Castle, only a mount of earth in this Citty there is a very stately Cathedrall called Saint Maries in which there are many stately monuments but amongst the rest in the middle of the quire is the monument of Kinge John all of white marble with his picture theron to the life on the South side Kinge Arthurs Tombe of Jette but no picture theron this Citty hath also a stronge stone Bridge over severne consistinge of sixe arches with a gate on the middle of the bridge as stronge as that on London Bridge with a porcullis five miles upon the Left of this is Malvern hills which for height and length and breadth doe many degres exceede all that ever I see I nominate them because they are famous for on the top of them there is a very brave chase for many miles together a large ditch and springs also all on the very top betweene these hils and the river was the late skermish about one mile from the City which was on this manner
Our troopes on that side were devided to keepe the severall passages and Colonell Sands Colonell vines and sargeant Major Duglas with their Troopes were set to keepe this passage which was at the end of a narrow lane which the treacherous inhabitants neare them discovered to the Prince and he forwith set some troopes to lye in ambush who brake downe a hedge and lay in a feild on the right of them the treacherous citizens attendinge them in multituds with muskets who lay on each side the hedge this done the prince with other forces went to meete them but first sent a false alaram informinge them that the Cavaleers weere all fled and had left the City and also that his exelency was come even to the gates and immediately these 3 troopes poasted away to meete his Exelency for Sir william Belfore Colonell Clarke and Our other commaunders heard not of it But hastinge downe A narrow lane the prince met them Colonell Sands beinge in the front the Prince asked him whom he was for, he answared for Kinge and Parlaiment he replyed not for the kinge alone he answared no then said the Prince for the Kinge have at you the Colonell answared for the Parlaiment have at you and so they discharged each at other the rest followed them and presently those in ambush fired upon them as also the musqetteers behind the hedges the horsemen charged not the second time but immediatly fell to their swords so that for the space of almost an hower the skermish was excedinge hot this relation I had from an gentleman that was in the front of the battell and was wounded with the sword and bullets in seven severall places was stripped naked and yet liveth he affirmeth that though there were ten for one yet there were more slaine and wounded of them then of us and I spake with one that heard the Prince at his returne say that our men fought more like Lions then men our wounded commaunders he brought into the City and gave commaund that they should be carefully looked unto and with all speed gathered his forces together and fled leavinge all their reconings to pay in some places 20 pounds in others ten in some more some lesse pretendinge and also promisinge to returne since their departure we heare that the Prince is wounded but it is certaine Duke Mawrice is mortally wounded they report unto the Kinge that they have slaine eight hundred of our men when there were but 28 slaine in all and some of them were Cavalleeres of this I am certaine for I told all their graves and searched the register of Saint Jones parrish where they were all buried they boast wonderfully and sweare most hellishly that the next time they meete us they will make but a mouthfull of us but I am perswaded the Lord hath given them this small victory that they may in the day of battell come on more presumptuously to ther owne destruction in which battell though I and many thousands more may bee cut of yet I am confident the Lord of hoasts will in the end triumph gloriously over these horses and all their Cursed riders They left at their flight in the City some horses Truncks and other thinges all which his exelency hath seazed on
Colonell Essex is made governor of this City and his regiment shall be garisons here Sir Our army did little thinke ever to have seene Worcester but the providence of god hath brought us heither and had it not the City is so vile and the cuntrey so base so papisticall and Atheisticall and Abominable that it resembles sodom and is the very Embleme of Gomorah and doubtlesse it would have bin worse then either Algiers or Malta a very den of theeves and a receptacle and refuge for all the helhounds in the Cuntrey I should have said in the land but wee have handsomley handled some of them and doe cull out the rest as fast as wee can who verbally cry pecavi but cordeally itterum faciam and indeed they doe as they are taught by Doctor Prediux late madde Byshop and other popish preists who are all run away.
to conclude Munday September 26th one of Prince Roberts Trumpeters came to our gates and sounded a point of warre who was presently taken and led blind fold through the City unto his Exelency This night Sargeant Major Duglas was nobly buried
Tuesday our soildiers by commission from his exelency marched 7 miles unto Sir William Russels house and pillaged it unto the bare walls
Wensday wee fasted and Master Obbediah Sedgwich preached unto us whom the lord extreordineryly assisted so that his doctrine wrought wonderfully upon many of us and doubtlesse hath fitted many of us for death which wee all shortly expect
Thursday his Exelency proclaimed that whosoever had any goods of the Cavalleres in custody should forthwith surrender them this day I mett with your servant Davy who is in good health with his horse he was on the west of Severne neare the battell but untill it was ended heard not of it wee joyntly present you and my Mistress with our humble service as also Master Willingham your Brother with his family Master Chappels man and I doe present our service to Master Chappell and his wife Master Felton and his wife and desire to heare of their welfare
Fryday morninge our drumms beate for our Regiment to march away but wheither I know not wee should bee very glad to see our Colonell Sir I humbly intreate to excuse my late errors and to accept these my pore indeavors beinge the last I suppose that ever I shall present unto you thus with my dearest love to all your children and my fellow servants wheither with you or from you beinge to march away in hast I must conclude
your everlovinge humble thankfull and auntient servant
Nehemiah Wharton
Worcester September the 30th 1642
To the worthy and his much Honored Frend Master George Willingham at the Golden Anchor in Sweethins Lane London