We passed their sentinels
and guards at Leeds unobserved, and put up our horses at several
houses in the town, from whence we went up and down to make our
remarks. My cripple was the fittest to go among the soldiers, because
there was less danger of being pressed. There he informed himself of
the matters of war, particularly that the enemy sat down again to the
siege of York; that flying parties were in pursuit of the Cavaliers;
and there he heard that 500 horse of the Lord Manchester's men had
followed a party of Cavaliers over Bramham Moor, and that entering a
lane, the Cavaliers, who were 1000 strong, fell upon them, and killed
them all but about fifty. This, though it was a lie, was very pleasant
to us to hear, knowing it was our party, because of the other part of
the story, which was thus: That the Cavaliers had taken possession of
such a wood, where they rallied all the troops of their flying army;
that they had plundered the country as they came, taking all the
horses they could get; that they had plundered Goodman Thomson's
house, which was the farmer I mentioned, and killed man, woman, and
child; and that they were about 2000 strong.
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