Here
the king sent for Prince Rupert to meet him, who with 3000 horse made
long marches to join him; but the Parliament having joined their three
armies together, Manchester from the north, Waller and Essex (the
men being clothed and armed) from the west, had attacked the king and
obliged him to fight the day before the prince came up.
The king had so posted himself, as that he could not be obliged to
fight but with advantage, the Parliament's forces being superior in
number, and therefore, when they attacked him, he galled them with
his cannon, and declining to come to a general battle, stood upon the
defensive, expecting Prince Rupert with the horse.
The Parliament's forces had some advantage over our foot, and took the
Earl of Cleveland prisoner. But the king, whose foot were not above
one to two, drew his men under the cannon of Donnington Castle, and
having secured his artillery and baggage, made a retreat with his foot
in very good order, having not lost in all the fight above 300 men,
and the Parliament as many. We lost five pieces of cannon and took
two, having repulsed the Earl of Manchester's men on the north side of
the town, with considerable loss.
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