tour through the eastern counties of england-第4章

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Royalists　at　Maidstone；　and　retaken　Rochester；　had　passed　the

Thames　at　Gravesend；　though　with　great　difficulty；　and　with　some

loss；　and　was　come　to　Horndon…on…the…Hill；　in　order　to　gain

Colchester　before　the　Royalists；　but　that　hearing　Sir　Charles　Lucas

had　prevented　him；　had　ordered　his　rendezvous　at　Billerecay；　and

intended　to　possess　the　pass　at　Malden　on　the　11th；　where　Sir

Thomas　Honnywood；　with　the　county…trained　bands；　was　to　be　the　same

day。



The　same　evening　the　Lord　Goring；　with　all　his　forces；　making　about

five　thousand　six　hundred　men；　horse　and　foot；　came　to　Colchester；

and　encamping　without　the　suburbs；　under　command　of　the　cannon　of

St。　Mary's　fort；　made　disposition　to　fight　the　Parliament　forces　if

they　came　up。



The　12th；　the　Lord　Goring　came　into　Colchester；　viewed　the　fort　in

St。　Mary's　churchyard；　ordered　more　cannon　to　be　planted　upon　it；

posted　two　regiments　in　the　suburbs　without　the　head　gate；　let　the

town　know　he　would　take　them　into　his　Majesty's　protection；　and

that　he　would　fight　the　enemy　in　that　situation。　　The　same　evening

the　Lord　Fairfax；　with　a　strong　party　of　one　thousand　horse；　came

to　Lexden；　at　two　small　miles'　distance；　expecting　the　rest　of　his

army　there　the　same　night。



The　Lord　Goring　brought　in　prisoners　the　same　day；　Sir　William

Masham；　and　several　other　gentlemen　of　the　county；　who　were　secured

under　a　strong　guard；　which　the　Parliament　hearing；　ordered　twenty

prisoners　of　the　royal　party　to　be　singled　out；　declaring；　that

they　should　be　used　in　the　same　manner　as　the　Lord　Goring　used　Sir

William　Masham；　and　the　gentlemen　prisoners　with　him。



On　the　13th；　early　in　the　morning；　our　spies　brought　intelligence

that　the　Lord　Fairfax；　all　his　forces　being　come　up　to　him；　was

making　dispositions　for　a　march；　resolving　to　attack　the　Royalists

in　their　camp；　upon　which；　the　Lord　Goring　drew　all　his　forces

together；　resolving　to　fight。　　The　engineers　had　offered　the　night

before　to　entrench　his　camp；　and　to　draw　a　line　round　it　in　one

night's　time；　but　his　lordship　declined　it；　and　now　there　was　no

time　for　it；　whereupon　the　general；　Lord　Goring；　drew　up　his　army

in　order　of　battle　on　both　sides　the　road；　the　horse　in　the　open

fields　on　the　wings；　the　foot　were　drawn　up；　one　regiment　in　the

road；　one　regiment　on　each　side；　and　two　regiments　for　reserve　in

the　suburb；　just　at　the　entrance　of　the　town；　with　a　regiment　of

volunteers　advanced　as　a　forlorn　hope；　and　a　regiment　of　horse　at

the　head…gate；　ready　to　support　the　reserve；　as　occasion　should

require。



About　nine　in　the　morning　we　heard　the　enemy's　drums　beat　a　march；

and　in　half　an　hour　more　their　first　troops　appeared　on　the　higher

grounds　towards　Lexden。　　Immediately　the　cannon　from　St。　Mary's

fired　upon　them；　and　put　some　troops　of　horse　into　confusion；　doing

great　execution；　which；　they　not　being　able　to　shun　it；　made　them

quicken　their　pace；　fall　on；　when　our　cannon　were　obliged　to　cease

firing；　lest　we　should　hurt　our　own　troops　as　well　as　the　enemy。

Soon　after；　their　foot　appeared；　and　our　cannon　saluted　them　in

like　manner；　and　killed　them　a　great　many　men。



Their　first　line　of　foot　was　led　up　by　Colonel　Barkstead；　and

consisted　of　three　regiments　of　foot；　making　about　1；700　men；　and

these　charged　our　regiment　in　the　lane；　commanded　by　Sir　George

Lisle　and　Sir　William　Campion。　　They　fell　on　with　great　fury；　and

were　received　with　as　much　gallantry；　and　three　times　repulsed；　nor

could　they　break　in　here；　though　the　Lord　Fairfax　sent　fresh　men　to

support　them；　till　the　Royalists'　horse；　oppressed　with　numbers　on

the　left；　were　obliged　to　retire；　and　at　last　to　come　full　gallop

into　the　street；　and　so　on　into　the　town。　　Nay；　still　the　foot

stood　firm；　and　the　volunteers；　being　all　gentlemen；　kept　their

ground　with　the　greatest　resolution；　but　the　left　wing　being

routed；　as　above；　Sir　William　Campion　was　obliged　to　make　a　front

to　the　left；　and　lining　the　hedge　with　his　musketeers；　made　a　stand

with　a　body　of　pikes　against　the　enemy's　horse；　and　prevented　them

entering　the　lane。　　Here　that　gallant　gentleman　was　killed　with　a

carabine　shot；　and　after　a　very　gallant　resistance；　the　horse　on

the　right　being　also　overpowered；　the　word　was　given　to　retreat；

which；　however；　was　done　in　such　good　order；　the　regiments　of

reserve　standing　drawn　up　at　the　end　of　the　street；　ready　to

receive　the　enemy's　horse　upon　the　points　of　their　pikes；　that　the

royal　troops　came　on　in　the　openings　between　the　regiments；　and

entered　the　town　with　very　little　loss；　and　in　very　good　order。



By　this；　however；　those　regiments　of　reserve　were　brought　at　last

to　sustain　the　efforts　of　the　enemy's　whole　army；　till　being

overpowered　by　numbers　they　were　put　into　disorder；　and　forced　to

get　into　the　town　in　the　best　manner　they　could；　by　which　means

near　two　hundred　men　were　killed　or　made　prisoners。



Encouraged　by　this　success　the　enemy　pushed　on；　supposing　they

should　enter　the　town　pell…mell　with　the　rest；　nor　did　the

Royalists　hinder　them；　but　let　good　part　of　Barkstead's　own

regiment　enter　the　head…gate；　but　then　sallying　from　St。　Mary's

with　a　choice　body　of　foot　on　their　left；　and　the　horse　rallying　in

the　High　Street；　and　charging　them　again　in　the　front；　they　were

driven　back　quite　into　the　street　of　the　suburb；　and　most　of　those

that　had　so　rashly　entered　were　cut　in　pieces。



Thus　they　were　repulsed　at　the　south　entrance　into　the　town；　and

though　they　attempted　to　storm　three　times　after　that　with　great

resolution；　yet　they　were　as　often　beaten　back；　and　that　with　great

havoc　of　their　men；　and　the　cannon　from　the　fort　all　the　while　did

execution　upon　those　who　stood　drawn　up　to　support　them；　so　that　at

last；　seeing　no　good　to　be　done；　they　retreated；　having　small　joy

of　their　pretended　victory。



They　lost　in　this　action　Colonel　Needham；　who　commanded　a　regiment

called　the　Tower　Guards；　and　who　fought　very　desperately；　Captain

Cox；　an　old　experienced　horse　officer；　and　several　other　officers

of　note；　with　a　great　many　private　men；　though；　as　they　had　the

field；　they　concealed　their　number；　giving　out　that　they　lost　but　a

hundred；　when　we　were　assured　they　lost　near　a　thousand　men　besides

the　wounded。



They　took　some　of　our　men　prisoners；　occasioned　by　the　regiment　of

Colonel　Farr；　and　two　more　sustaining　the　shock　of　their　whole

army；　to　secure　the　retreat　of　the　main　body；　as　above。



The　14th；　the　Lord　Fairfax　finding　he　was　not　able　to　carry　the

town　by　storm；　without　the　formality　of　a　siege；　took　his

headquarters　at　Lexden；　and　sent　to　London　and　to　Suffolk　for　more

forces；　also　he　ordered　the　trained　bands　to　be　raised　and　posted

on　the　roads　to　prevent　succours。　　Notwithstanding　which；　divers

gentlemen；　with　some　assistance　of　men　and　arms；　found　means　to　get

into　the　town。



The　very　same　night　they　began　to　break　ground；　and　particularly　to

raise　a　fort　between　Colchester　and　Lexden；　to　cover　the　general's

quarter　from　the　sallies　from　the　town；　for　the　Royalists　having　a

good　body　of　horse；　gave　them　no　rest；　but　scoured　the　fields　every

day；　and　falling　all　that　were　found　straggling　from　their　posts；

and　by　this　means　killed　a　great　many。



The　17th；　Sir　Charles　Lucas　having　been　out　with　1；200　horse；　and

detaching　parties　toward　the　seaside；　and　towards　Harwich；　they

brought　in　a　very　great　quantity　of　provisions；　and　abundance　of

sheep　and　black　cattle　sufficient　for　the　supply　of　the　town　for　a

considerable　time；　and　had　not　the　Suffolk　forces　advanced　over

Cataway　Bridge　to　prevent　it；　a　larger　supply　had　been　brought　in

that　way；　for　now　it　appeared　plainly　that　the　Lord　Fairfax　finding

the　garrison　strong　and　resolute；　and　that　he　was　not　in　a

condition　to　reduce　them　by　force；　at　least　without　the　loss　of

much　blood；　had　resolved　to　turn　his　siege　into　a　blockade；　and

reduce　them　by　hunger；　their　troops　being　also　wanted　to　oppose

several　other　parties；　who　had；　in　several　parts　of　the　kingdom；

taken　arms　for　the　king's　cause。



This　same　day　General　Fairfax　sent　in　a　trumpet　to　propose

exchanging　prisoners；　which　the　Lord　Goring　rejected；　expecting　a

reinforcement　of　troops；　which　were　actually　coming　to　him；　and

were　to　be　at　Linton　in　Cambridgeshire　as　the　next　day。



The　same　day　two　ships　brought　in　a　quantity　of　corn　and　provisions

and　fifty…six　men　from　the　shore　of　Kent　with　several　gentlemen；

who　all　landed　and　came　up　to　the　town；　and　the　greatest　part　of

the　corn　was　with　the　utmost　application　unloaded　the　same　night

into　some　hoys；　which　brought　it　up　to　the　Hythe；　being

apprehensive　of　the　Parliament's　ships　which　lay　at　Harwich；　who

having　intelligence　of　the　said　ships；　came　the　next　day　into　the

mouth　of　the　river；　and　took　the　said　two　ships　and　what　corn　was

left　in　them。　　The　besieged　sent　out　a　party　to　help　the　ships；　but

having　no　boats　they　could　not　assist　them。



18th。　　Sir　Charles　Lucas　sent　an　answer　about　exchange　of

prisoners；　accepting　the　conditions　offered；　but　the　Parliament's

general　returned　that　he　would　not　treat　with　Sir　Charles；　for　that

he　（Sir　Charles）　being　his　prisoner　upon　his　parole　of　honour；　and

having　appeared　in　arms　contrary　to　the　rules　of　war；　had　forfeited

his　honour　and　faith；　and　was　not　capable　of　command　or　trust　in

martial　affairs。　　To　this　Sir　Charles　sent　back　an　answer；　and　his

excuse　for　his　breach　of　his　parole；　but　it　was　not　accepted；　nor

would　the　Lord　Fairfax　enter　upon　any　treaty　with　him。



Upon　this　second　message　Sir　William　Masham　and　the　Parliament

Committee　and　other　gentlemen；　who　were　prisoners　in　the　town；　sent

a　message　in　writing　under　their　hands　to　the　Lord　Fairfax；

entreating　him　to　enter　into　a　treaty　for　peace；　but　the　Lord

Fairfax　returned；　he　could　take　no　notice　of　their　request；　as

supposing　it　forced　from　them　under　restraint；　but　that　if　the　Lord

Goring　desired　peace；　he　might　write　to　the　Parliament；　and　he

would　cause　his　messenger　to　have　a　safe　conduct　to　carry　his

letter。　　There　was　a　paper　sent　enclosed　in　this　paper；　signed

Capel；　Norwich；　Charles　Lucas；　but　to　that　the　general　would　return

no　answer；　because　it　was　signed　by　Sir　Charles　for　the　reasons

above。



All　this　while　the　Lord　Goring；　finding　the　enemy　strengthening

themselves；　gave　order　for　fortifying　the　town；　and　drawing　lines

in　several　places　to　secure　the　entrance；　as　particularly　without

the　east　bridge；　and　without　the　north　gate　and　bridge；　and　to

plant　more　cannon　upon　the　works；　to　which　end　some　great　guns　were

brought　in　from　some　ships　at　Wivenhoe。



The　same　day；　our　men　sallied　out　in　three　places；　and　attacked　the

besiegers；　first　at　their　port；　called　Essex；　then　at　their　new

works；　on　the　south　of　the　town；　a　third　party　sallying　at　the　east

bridge；　brought　in　some　booty　from　the　Suffolk　troops；　having

killed　several