Map of key places mentioned in the text.“In the first charge Col. Rossiter lost his head-piece, received a shot through the right thigh, and some other painful! wounds with a musket Bullet, notwithstanding which he kept the field fighting, till he saw the battaill wholly wonne, not discovering his wounding to any person, for feare it might prove a discourage to the Souldiers: after which ready to fall through losse of blood, he rode to Nottingham where he lieth capable of recovery, through the blessing of God upon the meanes used to that end. In this service Col. Hacker (commander of the Leicester horse) who is wounded and Col. White (commander of the Nottingham horse, having only his nose cut) merrited much honour for their expressed valour And no lesse is deserved by all the Captaines, Officers & Souldiers, who being all newly raised men and mounted upon new bought horses (saving Capt. Taylor’s Troope and 40 of Belvoier horse, commanded by Lievt Deane, who likewise is slightly wounded) yet not one of them, nor the country men, who were strangers to such hard service, was observed to turne his backe, during the whole brunt. And as it is confessed by the prisoners taken, That the advantage they apprehended they had against Rossiters men by reason of their new listing, gave them as great encouragement to encounter them (had they been double the number) as confidence to have beaten and ruined them, so the victory is solely to be ascribed to the power and goodnesse of God: who therein hath fulfilled in part, that which is foretold by the prophet concerning the great things which his people shall performe in the destruction of his and their enemies That the feeble shall become as David, and the stronge shall become as an Angel of God in Heroick Actions.
“Not above 30 of Rossiters men slaine upon the place the Cornet to his own Troop being the highest Officer, at whose fall his colours were lost and for a while in the enemies hands, until Cornet Ridgeley, a reformado in the Same Troop recovered them; Captain Greenwood who commanded (the) Derby Troop dangerously wounded and so are many other common soldiers.
“About an houre after the fight there came in two gallant troopes of horse from Northampton who bad been in sooner but the crosse marching of the enemy, impeaded their finding us sooner, who presently advanced in pursuit of them.
“Sir Henry Cholmely also with 600 Yorke-shire horse came then up to us over Nottingham Bridge by whose lying on the North side Trent, and preventing the enemies Retreat that way, was this opportunity gained of fighting them; those Yorke-shire horse, the next day advanced to assist other Yorke-shire forces already there, to block up Pomfret Castle: the enemy having in the Castle and Towne about 60 horse and 600 foot.
“By severall Letters taken in their Generall Officers Pockets, it appears that men of high and low degree in Severall Countyes (before unsuspected) are deeply engaged in the promoting and contributing toward a general rising in many parts, some of the Prisoners affirme That their Army resolved to have marched Southward through Leicester-shire and Northampton-shire, in whose march they doubted not but to have encreased to many thousands, and to have joyned with others, rising about London, and to have raised Colchester Siege.
“A List of Names of the Officers and gentlemen taken Prisoners.
Sir Philip Mounkton, Generall
Col. Robert Portington, Lievt Generall1
Gilbert Byron (who attempted to betray Nottingham Castle) Major Generall, wounded
Col. Edward Pocklington2
Col. Chomley2
Lievt Col Ralph Ashton
Lievt Col Stamp (Stanhope), slaine3
Majors. | ||
Walter Sulterstone | Thomas Scot | |
Thomas Scot | George Roberts | |
Pitch Randol | ||
Sir Roger Coopers two Sons4 of Nottinghamshire the one a Lievt Col, the other a Captaine |
Captaines | ||
John Elvidge | Capt Dayle | |
Jo Rich | Thomas Bird, who released the prisoners in Lincoln Castle | |
Tho Money | Edmund Muncton | |
Will Bates | Arthur Lee | |
Rich. Bradshaw | Cap. Downes | |
Clifton Roades | Will. Saltmarsh | |
Anthony Wright | ||
Capt Pinckett |
Lievtenants | ||
Robert White | Henry Hessells | |
Joh. Gridditch | Lievt Bradwell | |
Edward Blundivill | Marmaduke Dilman5 |
Foure Comets
Two Ensignes besides several other Officers amongst the Common Soldiers, who will not yet discover their qualities
44 Gentlemen of quality whose names are inserted afterwards, severail of whom have been Officers formerly
500 Common Souldiers taken, many of them wounded
10 Colours of horse and foot where of the greatest part in Cloke bagges not delivered out
1 Waggon and 7 other Carriages with Armes Ammunition and other Baggage
About 400 horse taken, 100 slaine upon the place
“The names of several Gentlemen taken Prisoners, whose habitations are in severall Counties.
Gentlemen. | ||
George Metam Esqr. | Brookes | |
Peter Constable | John Harfull | |
Joseph Constable | Wood | |
Robert Riddall | Peter Jackson | |
Will. Skellin | Siffill Leek | |
Simon Morfen | Fitchrandall | |
John Hickman | James Barlow | |
Gervase Hewett | James Hopkinson | |
William Furdey | John Gamble | |
John Roads | Rob French | |
Henry Hopkins | Rob Garrison | |
Thomas Dunkin | Francis Waters | |
Marke Johnson | Edmund Cratborn | |
Julian Wombwell | Will. Lassalls | |
Rob. Stevens | Edward Booth | |
Edw. Downing | Gabriel Armstrong6 | |
Robert Lanckton | Thomas Thornton | |
Anthony Savell | Richard Shellin | |
Will. Marston | Thomas Brigan | |
Christopher Cole | John Miller | |
Thomas Mourley | Two Loves of Derby-shire, bretheren, one taken the other slane | |
Ralph Roston |
“Their Generals order to release the prisoners in Lincoln Castle.
“To Mrs. Smith Keeper of the Castle at Lincoln and tothe prisoners there or her deputy or Deputies
“These are to will and require you and Every of you that forthwith upon sight here of you release the bodies of Such and every of Such as you have in your custody who are there committed upon malice, and for their loyalty to his Majesty, rather than any other Sufficient ground. And at the request of the bearer hereof Tho Bird, Captain, who hath been these two yeers here unjustly imprisoned for his Majesties cause, who will intimate to you such persones as he upon oath knows worthy of their liberty, you are to deliver such men to him for their inlargement of the which faile not as you will answer the contrary at your peril!. Given under my hand this first day of July 1648.
Philip Monkton.
“Col. Portington and Cap Thomas Bird see this warrant executed.
“According to this Warrant, I Thomas Bird do set at liberty (contrary to law) all the men within the castle and Goale of Lincolne and also the bodies of Hellen Cooke, Mary Saule, Anne Penneston, Anne Readmell and Avis Ostler.7
Witnesse my hand this first of July 1648
Tho Bird.“It is required that Thomas Goodwin, Gent, be released according to the command of
Philip Monkton.Finis.”
(1) Some account of this brave officer is to be found in Hunter’s “South
Yorkshire,” i., 213. He lies buried at Arksey Church. The inscription
on his tombstone is: “Hic sepultus fuit Robertus Portington, Strategus:
miles insignis, principique fidelis: Obiit 23° die Decembris 1660.”
(2) Both killed. Rushworth’s Historical Collection, Part IV., vol. ii.,
1701.
(3) He is buried in Willoughby Church. He was in 24th year of his age.
Baptised at Shelford, 27 January, 1624.
(4) Thoroton’s History, p. 305.
(5) A misprint for Marmaduke Dolman. He lived at Bottesford near Brigg,
Lincolnshire, and was buried there, 20 December, 1654. His estate was
confiscated by Act of Parliament in 1652. See Mabel Peacock’s “Index of
Royalists whose estates were confiscated during the Commonwealth,” p.
45.
(6) One of the Armstrongs of Thorpe-in-the-Glebe, who married a daughter
of a Mr. Min. Thoroton’s History, p. 39.
(7) Some of the women were committed for killing their bastard children.