At Hammilton, we could not bot with much regret and displeasure consider that Sir Marmaduke, and his Lieutenant Generall Sir Philip Mushgrave, both gentlemen of untainted loyaltie and gallantrie, had not onlie unseasonablie, and contrare to the advices given them, raisd above 3000 foot and horse, bot had marchd with them into Lancashire, and therby had given a just pretext to the Parliament to send Lambert with a more considerable power, to give a stop to their further proceedings: which he did so vigorouslie, that Langdale was glad to shelter himselfe under the walls of Carlile. This exposd him to a certaine and present ruine, unles he were succourd. To marche to his reliefe, were to leave the halfe of our forces in Scotland unleavied, and ane enemie behind our hand, ourselvs in very bad condition, without money, meale, artillerie, or amunition; to suffer him to perish was against honor, conscience, and the reason both of state and warre. It wold have given our enemies occasion to insult; wold have brought the Dukes honor (rudlie enough dealt with [by] some before) to an everlasting losse, and wold have given such just apprehensions of jealousies to the royalists in England, that never one of them wold have joynd with us, or ound us. The further debate of this busienes is delayd till the Duke, Calander and Middletone went to Edenburgh to advise with the Committee of Estates, for the Parliament was then dissolvd. Bot in the meanetime, Colonell Lockheart is sent to command some brigads of horse at Anan, and I orderd to goe presentlie to Drumfreis, to take the command of sixe or seven regiments of foot, which were to be shortlie there. Our neernes to Carlile was thought might give Lambert some ombrages of both a stronger and a neerer approach. Neither were we mistaken in our conjecture; for so soone as we began to rally there, he drew his troops neeer together, and so Sir Marmaduk got aire, and with it some meale for himselfe, and grasse for his horses.
In this posture did Lockheart and I stay about a fortnight, tuelve miles distant one from ane other, till (Sir Marmaduks reliefe being concluded on at Edenburgh as purely necessare,) my L. Duke, E. Calander, and Lieutenant Generall Middletone and Baillie, with many bot weake regiments of horse and foot, randevoused at Anan. There I met them with my little infantrie, amunition, and a great deale of meale, which had beene sent to me from Edenburgh and other places. Nixt day we advanced into England, order being given for all the regiments of the whole kingdome to haste after us, except such as were orderd to stay for defence of the countrey against our hidden enemies; and these were to be commanded by E. Lainrick, as commander in chiefe at home. Our advance obligd Lambert to retire. Some skirmishes we had with him for a day or tuo, bot to litle purpose. At length be got to Steinmure, where he beganne to fortifie himselfe. The Duke is necessitated to stay ten or twelve days at Kirbie-thure, to ressave those regiments were marching from Scotland, which did not exceed the halfe of their numbers they sould have beene, all neulie levied, raw and undisciplind; and that summer was so excessivelie rainie and wet, that I may say it was not possible for us to keepe one musket often fixd, all the time we were in a bodie in England. Adde to this that we had no canon, nay not one field peece, very litle amunition, and not one officer to direct it. Deare Sandie being groune old and doated, had given no fitting orders for these things. Whill the Duke lyes at Kirbie-thure, Sir Marmaduke beseegeth the castle of Applebie, in which Lambert had left a guarreson. I am sent with tuo brigads to ly neere him, for feare Lambert sould face about upon him. Within a few days the castle yeelded.
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My Lord Duke marcheth on with this ill equipd and ill orderd armie of his, in which I being Colonell of a regiment, I officiated also as Adjutant Generall, or rather indeed doeing the duetie of Major Generall of the infantrie, since there was none named for it. To relieve Langdale at Carlile brought us out of the roade, and truelie we never came in the right way againe; so true is the old saying, once wrong and ay wrong. At Hornbie, a days march beyond Kendall, it was advisd whether we sould march be Lancashire, Cheshire and the western counties, or if we sould goe into Yorkshire, and so put ourselvs in the straight roade to London, with a resolution to fight all wold oppose us. Calander was indifferent; Middleton was for Yorkshire, Baillie for Lancashire. When my opinion was askd, I was for Yorkshire, and for this reason onlie, that I understood Lancashire was a close countrey, full of ditches and hedges, which was a great advantage the English would have over raw and undisciplind musketeers; the Parliaments armie consisting of experienced and well traind sojors, and excellent firemen; on the other hand, Yorkshire being a more open countrey, and full of heaths, where we both might make use of our horse, and come sooner to push of pike. My Lord Duke was for Lancashire way, and it seemd he had hopes that some forces would joyne with him in his march that way. I have indeed heard him say, that he thought Manchester his oune, if he came neere it. Whatever the matter was, I never saw him tenacieous in any thing during the time of his command bot in that. We choosd to goe that way, which led us to our ruine. Our march was much retarded by most rainie and tempestuous weather, wherof I spoke before, the elements fighting against us; and by staying for countrey horses to carry our little amunition. The vanguard is constantlie given to Sir Marmaduke, upon condition he sould constantlie furnish guides, pioneers for clearing the ways, and which was more than both these, to have good and certaine intelligence of all the enemies’ motions. Bot whither it was by our falt or his neglect, want of intelligence helpd to ruine us; for Sir Marmaduke was well neere totallie routed before we knew that it was Cromwell that attacked us: Quos vult perdere, hos dementat Jupiter.
Beside Preston in Lancashere, Cromwell falls on Sir Marmadukes flanke. The English imagine it was one Colonell Ashton, a powerfull presbiterian, who had got together about 3000 men to oppose us, because we came out of Scotland without the Generall Assemblies permission. Marke the quarrell. While Sir Marmaduke disputs the matter, Baillie, by the Dukes order, marcheth to Ribble Bridge, and passeth it with all the foot, except tuo brigads. This was tuo miles from Preston. By my Lord Dukes command, I had sent some amunition and commanded men to Sir Marmaduks assistance; bot to no purpose; for Cromwell prevaild, so that our English first retird and then fled. It must be remembered that the night before this sad rencounter, E. Calander and Middleton were gone to Wigham, eight miles from thence, with a considerable part of the cavalrie. Calander was comd backe, and was with the Duke, and so was I; bot upon the rout of Sir Marmaducks people, Calander got away to Ribble, where he arrivd safelie by a miracle, as I thinke; for the enemie was betueene the bridge and us, and had killd or taken most part of our tuo brigads of foot. The Duke with his guard of horse, Sir Marmaduke with many officers, among others myselfe, got into Preston toune, with intention to passe a foorde below it, thogh at that time not rideable. At the entrie of the toune the enemie pursued us hard. The Duke facd about, and put tuo troops of them to a retreate; bot so soone as we turnd from them, they turnd upon us. The Duke facing the second time, charged them, which succeded well. Being pursued the third time, my Lord Duke cryd to charge ance more for King Charles. One trooper refuseing, he beate him with his suord. At that charge we put the enemie so farre behind us, that he could not overtake us so soone. Then Sir Marmaduke and I entreated the Duke to hast him to his armie; and truelie he shew heere as much personall valour as any man could be capable of. We suimd the river, and so got to the place where Lieutenant Generall Baillie had advantageouslie lodgd the foot on the top of a hill, among very fencible inclosures.
After Calander came to the infantrie, he very inadvisedlie sent sixe hundreth musketeers to defend Ribble bridge; for the way Cromwell had to it was a descent from a hill that commanded all the champaigne, which was about ane English quarter of mile in length betueene the bridge and that hill where our foot were lodged; so that our musketeers haveing no shelter, were forced to ressave all the musketades of Cromwells infantrie, which was secure within thlcke hedges; and after the loss of many men, were forced to runne backe to our foot. Here Claud Hammilton, the Dukes Lieutenant Colonell, had his arme broke with a musket bullet. The bridge being lost, the Duke calld all the Colonells together on horsebacke, to advise what was nixt to be done. We had no choyce bot one of tuo—either stay and maintaine our ground till Middletone (who was sent for), came backe with his cavalrie; or els march away that night, and find him out. Calander wold needs speake first; wheras by the custome of warre, he sould have told his opinion last, and it was to march away that night so soone as it was darke. This was seconded by all the rest except by Lieutenant Generall Ballie and myselfe. Bot all the arguments we used, as the impossibilitie of a safe retreat from ane enemie so powerfull of horse, in so very foule weather, and extremelie deepe way, our sojors exceeding wet, wearie, and hungrie, the inevitable losse of all our amunition, could not move my Lord Duke by his authoritie to contradict the shamefull resolution taken by the major part of his officers. After that the drumles march is resolvd on, and bot few horse appointed to stay in the reare of the foot, I inquird what sould become of our unfortunate amunition, since forward with us we could not get it. It was not thought fitt to blow it up that night, least thereby the enemie sould know of our retreate or rather flight. I was of that opinion too, bot for ane other reason; for we could not have bloune it then, without a visible mischiefe to ourselves, being so neare it. It was ordaind it sould be done three hours after our departure, by a traine; bot that being neglected, Cromwell got it all. Nixt morning we appeard at Wiggam Moore, half our number lesse than we were; most of the faint and wearie sojors haveing lagd behind, whom we never saw againe. Leutenant Generall Middletone had misd us, for he came by ane other way to Ribble bridge. It was to be wishd he had still stayd with us. He, not finding us there, followd our tracke, bot hotlie pursued by Cromwells horse, with whom he skirmishd the whole way, till he came within a mile of us. He lost some men, and severall were hurt; among others Colonell Urrey got a dangerous shot on the left side of his heade, wherof, tho’ he was afterward taken prisoner, he recovered. In this retreate of Middletons, which he managed well, Cromwell losd one of the gallantest officers he had, Colonell Thornton, who was runne in the breaste with a lance, wherof he dyed. After Lieutenant Generall Middletons comeing, we beganne to think of fighting in that moore; bot that was found impossible, in regard it was nothing large, and invirond with enclosurs which commanded it; and these we could not maintaine long, for want of that amunition we had left behind us; and therfore we marchd forward with intention to gaine Warinton, ten miles from the moore we were in; and there we conceavd we might face about, haveing the command of a toune, a river, and a bridge. Yet, I conceave there was bot few of us thought we might be beaten, before we were masters of any of them. It was towards evening, and in the latter end of August, when our horse beganne to march. Some regiments of them were left with the reare of the foot; Middleton stayd with them; my Lord Duke and Calander were before. As I marchd with the last brigad of foot through the toune of Wiggam, I was alarmd that our horse behind me were beaten, and runne severall ways, and that the enemie was in my reare. I facd about with that brigad, and in the market place serrd the pikes together, shoulder to shoulder, to keepe up any sould charge, and sent orders to the rest of the brigads before to continue their march, and follow Lieutenant Generall Baillie, who was before them. It was then night, bot the moone shone bright. A regiment of horse of our oune appeared first, riding very disorderlie. I got them to stop, till I commanded my pikes to open, and give way for them to ride or runne away, since they wold not stay. Bot my pikemen being demented, (as I thinke we were all,) wold not heare me, and tuo of them runne full tilt at me. One of their pikes, which was intended for my bellie, I gripd with my left hand; the other run me neere two inches in the innerside of my right thigh; all of them crying, that all of us were Cromwells men. This was an unseasonable wound, for it made me after that night unservicable. This made me forget all rules of modestie, prudence, and discretion. I rode to our horse, and desird them to charge through these foot. They, fearing the hazard of the pikes, stood. I then made a cry come from behind them, that the enemie was upon them. This incouragd them to charge my foot so fiercelie, that the pikemen threw doune their pikes and got into houses. All the horse gallopd away; and, as I was told afterwards, rode not thorough bot over our whole foot, treading them doune; and in this confusion Colonell Lockheart was trode doune from his horse, with great danger of his life. Thogh the enemie was neere, yet I beate drums to gather my men together. Shortlie after came Middletone, with some horse. I told him what a disaster I had met with, and what a greater I expected. He told me, he wold ride before and make the horse halt. I marchd, however all that night, till it was faire day; and then Baillie, who had rested a litle, intreated me to goe into some house and repose on a chaire; for I had sleepd none in tuo nights, and eate as litle. I alighted, bot the constant alarums of the enemies approch made me resolve to ride forward to Warinton, which was bot a mile; and indeed I may say I sleepd all that way, notwithstanding my wound. I thought to have found either the Duke or Calander, or both heere, bot I did not; and indeed I was often told that Calander carried away the Duke with him, much against his mind. Heere did the Leutenant Generall of the foot meet with ane order, wherby he is required to make as good conditions for himselfe and those under him as he could; for the horse wold not come backe to him, being resolvd to preserve themselvs for a better time. Baillie was surprisd with this, and lookeing upon that action which he was orderd to doe as full of dishonor, he losd much of that patience of which naturallie he was master, and beseechd any that wold to shoot him thorough the head. At length, haveing somthing composd himselfe, and much solicited by the officers who were by him, he wrote to Cromwell. I then told him, that so long as ther was a resolution to fight, I wold not goe a foot from him; bot now that they were to deliver themselvs prisoners, I wold preserve my libertie as long as I could, and so tooke my leave of him, carrying my wounded thigh away with me. I met immediatlie with Middletone, who sadlie condold the irrecoverable losses of the tuo last days. Within tuo hours after, Baillie and all the officers and sojors that were left of the foot, were Cromwells prisoners. I got my wound dressd that morning by my oune surgeon, and tooke from him these things I thought necessare for me, not knowing when I might see him againe; as indeed I never saw him after.
That unhappie day we met with Cromwell at Preston, some regiments of horse, and our Irish auxiliaries under the command of Sir George Monro, (who were fifteene hundreth good foot and three hundreth horse, and were appointed, against all reason of warre, to be constantlie a days marche behind us) all of them, I say, finding the enemie had got betweene us and them, marchd straight backe to Scotland, and joynd with E. Lainricks forces. Bot so soone as the news of our defeate came to Scotland, Argile and the Kirks partie rose in armes everie mothers sonne—and this was calld the Whiggamer rode. Da. Leslie was on their heade, and old Leven in the Castle of Edinburgh, cannonading the royall troopes when they came in view of him. Yet might they have been all very soone conjurd to be quiet, if the royalists had not suffered themselves to be cheated by a treatie, by which they were obligd to lay down armes, and quite their power in civill and militarie affaires. But the principall men of them, particularlie the Earles of Lauderdaile and Lainrick, Sir George Monro, Dalyell and Drummond, and others, found it not saife to trust the Saincts too much, and, therfor, crosd the seas, to take sanctuarie in Holland. Cromwell at Warinton sends Lambert with a sufficient cavalrie after us, and follows Monro with the strength of his armie to the Border, and there is invited by the Presbyterians to enter Scotland. He gets Berwick and Carlile baselie yeelded to him; and in one of them a number of English gentlemen who had servd the King; ane infamous act! He is feasted by old Leven, (peeres of ane tree) in the Castle of Edenburgh; which within tuo yeares after he made his oune. These men, who courted him, were so faithfull to the Covenant, that if fame wrong not some of them, they agreed with him in my Lady Homes house in the Canongate, that there was a necessitie to take away the King’s life. Now, for the good intertainment the Presbiterians had given this Arch Independent, at his returne to England, he left Lambert, (who had dispatched us before) with foure regiments of horse, to defend them against the Malignants (for so were honnest men called), till forces of their oune were raised, which was soone done. And then Acts of State and Kirke are made, to incapacitate all who had beene in England with the Duke, all who had abetted that engagdment, or had consented to it, from any office, charge or employment in State. Church, or Militia; and numbers of honnest Ministers upon that same account, turned out of their benefices and livelihoods.
To turn to the Duke in England. At night, after I left Warinton, when I came to him, all the resolution I found taken was, to march forward a day or tuo, and then by a turne to endeavour to get into Scotland; for there was then no visible partie for the King in England to joyne with; Cromwell haveing, before he came to us, routed and broken all these who rose in Wales, and hangd many of the principal gentlemen of them. And Fairfaxe had broke all these who rose for the King in other counties, first under the Earle of Holland, and them under the Earle of Norwich, chaceing him and the remainder of them into Colchester, which, after a siege, was surrendered to him on discretion, as I thinke. Heere Sir Charles Lucas and Sir George Lile were cruellie dealt with, having bot tuo houres given them to prepare for death; and after that short time, by the instigation of wicked Ireton, Cromwells sonne in law, mercileslie shot dead.
The first day, then, of the Dukes march from that place where I found him, was to Whitechurch, (in what countie I do not remember.) There a great number of the countrey traind bands appeard against us, bot were quicklie put to flight by Middleton, without bloodshed. That day we marchd many miles, and at night most of all the horse lodgd in the field, where their horses fed well. Some officers went to houses; bot I lodgd at a hedge, and sleepd there so sound, that at break of day the trumpets could not waken me; that being the fourth night in which I had sleepd none, except on horsebacke. Nixt day we made a long halt at a countrey toune, I thinke in Staffordshire, called Stone. Heere, because we had not enemies enough to take our lives, a trooper killd his oune Ritmaster, one Patrick Grey, who had beene a captaine under me in my Lord Sinclar’s regiment. The trooper was in the place shot dead, by my Lord Dukes command; who, to speake truelie, was too spareing in taking lives, his clemencie occasioning the keeping very bad discipline the whole time of our march in England. A litle after we had removd from that place, Leutenant General Middletone making good the reare against some of the countrey militia troopes, was taken; his horse having fallen under him. He was carried to Stafford; and indeed after that, we might trulie have said, we were all prisoners; for I am sure enough, if he, or rather we, had escapd that misfortune, such unhappie accidents had beene prevented by him, which shortlie ruind us. And I know not bot he keeping us united, might not at a long runne have brought himselfe and most of us to Scotland. We came at night to Uxeter, in most tempestuous, windie, and rainie weather. Nixt morning, when we were on our march, a great unwillingness in the horsemen, and some of their officers to march further; the wearines of both man and horse, ane irresolution whether to goe, and most of all, a fatalitie which pursud us, made the Duke turne backe and take up his quarters in the same toune. Neither that day nor nixt night was any thing resolvd on, bot to rest and refresh man and horse, and then either treate with these forces that had surrounded us, or fight them and march away. Sir Marmaduk Langdale, and these few English who were with him, had left us at Uxeter. He was taken afterward, bot savd his life by escapeing out of prison. The Duke and Calander fell out, and were at very hie words at supper, where I was; each blameing the other for the misfortune and miscarriage of our affaires; in which contest I thought the Duke had the better of it. And heere, indeed, I will say, that my Lord Dukes great fault was in giveing E. Callander too much of his pouer all along; for I have often heard him bid him doe what he pleased, promiseing to be therwith well contented. And therfor Calander was doublie to be blamd, first for his bad conduct, (for that was inexcusable,) and nixt for reproaching the Duke with that whereof himselfe was guiltie. To fill up the measure of our misfortunes, our troopers mutine against the Duke, Calander, and all their officers. Whether this proceeded of their oune wickednes, or by the instigation of some of their oune commanders, which I then shrewdlie suspected,) is uncertaine. The Duke and Calander are keepd prisoners, with strong guards of the mutineers, all nixt night in the Dukes lodgeing, with many other officers, and among others myselfe. Nixt morning, so soone as I could see, I cald over the window of the Dukes bedchamber to them, and askd them, if they were not yet ashamd of the base usage they had given their Generall, and of that contempt they had shown of all discipline, and of the ignominie of this action; and requird them, if for no other reason, yet for their oune safetie from the common enemie, to returne to their duetie, and goe home to their lodgings. Immediatlie they removd their guards, and went to their severall quarters, cursing in generall words these who had prompted them to the mutinie; which augmented my former suspition, but it was no time to make a strict inquirie in the busieness. Shortlie after, Calander went away, with as many as would follow him; which indeed were more than the halfe of these were in toune. No intreatie of the Duke or mediation of the officers could prevaile with him. I dealt particularlie with him, bot in vaine. He usd many arguments to move me to goe along with him, bot I told him, if I keepd my life, I wold be one of the last men sould stay with the Generall. I heard that not long after he was deserted by all that went with him, as he had deserted my Lord Duke. Yet he had the good fortune (which I believe no other officer of our armie had,) to get safe to London in disguise, and from thence to Holland.
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