The officers about the king advised his Majesty rather to draw off;
for, since our foot were lost, it would be too much odds to expose the
horse to the fury of their whole army, and would but be sacrificing
his best troops without any hopes of success. The king, though with
great regret at the loss of his foot, yet seeing there was no other
hope, took this advice, and retreated in good order to Harborough, and
from thence to Leicester.
This was the occasion of the enemy having so great a number of
prisoners; for the horse being thus gone off, the foot had no means
to make their retreat, and were obliged to yield themselves.
Commissary-General Ireton being taken by a captain of foot, makes the
captain his prisoner, to save his life, and gives him his liberty for
his courtesy before.
Cromwell and Rossiter, with all the enemy's horse, followed us as far
as Leicester, and killed all that they could lay hold on straggling
from the body, but durst not attempt to charge us in a body. The
king, expecting the enemy would come to Leicester, removes to
Ashby-de-la-Zouch, where we had some time to recollect ourselves.
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