Yet the king gained ground everywhere, and his forces
in the north increased under the Earl of Newcastle; also my Lord
Goring, then only called Colonel Goring, arrived from Holland,
bringing three ships laden with arms and ammunition, and notice that
the queen was following with more. Goring brought 4000 barrels of
gunpowder, and 20,000 small arms; all which came very seasonably, for
the king was in great want of them, especially the powder. Upon this
recruit the Earl of Newcastle draws down to York, and being above
16,000 strong, made Sir Thomas Fairfax give ground, and retreat to
Hull.
Whoever lay still, Prince Rupert was always abroad, and I chose to go
out with his Highness as often as I had opportunity, for hitherto he
was always successful. About this time the prince being at Oxford, I
gave him intelligence of a party of the enemy who lived a little at
large, too much for good soldiers, about Cirencester. The prince, glad
of the news, resolved to attack them, and though it was a wet season,
and the ways exceeding bad, being in February, yet we marched all
night in the dark, which occasioned the loss of some horses and
men too, in sloughs and holes, which the darkness of the night had
suffered them to fall into.
Pages:
268
269
270
271
272
273
274
275
276
277
278
279
280
281
282
283
284
285
286
287
288
289
290
291
292