Besides, all the towns to the
left of us were possessed by Sir William Brereton, Warrington, and
Northwich, garrisoned by the enemy, and a strong party at Manchester,
so that 'twas very likely we should be beaten and dispersed before
we could get to Chester. These reasons, and especially the last,
determined us for the north, and we had resolved to march the
next morning, when other intelligence brought us to more speedy
resolutions. We kept our scouts continually abroad to bring us
intelligence of the enemy, whom we expected on our backs, and also to
keep an eye upon the country; for, as we lived upon them something
at large, they were ready enough to do us any ill turn, as it lay in
their power.
The first messenger that came to us was from our friends at Bolton, to
inform us that they were preparing at Manchester to attack us. One of
our parties had been as far as Stockport, on the edge of Cheshire, and
was pursued by a party of the enemy, but got off by the help of the
night. Thus, all things looked black to the south, we had resolved to
march northward in the morning, when one of our scouts from the side
of Manchester, assured us Sir Thomas Middleton, with some of the
Parliament forces and the country troops, making above 1200 men, were
on the march to attack us, and would certainly beat up our quarters
that night.
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