s, which were taken at the same time,
to be shown him; he immediately chose the right; so I gave him the
horse, and we pretended a great deal of sorrow for the man's hurt, and
that we had not knocked the fellow on the head as well as took away
the horse. The man was so overjoyed at the revenge he thought was
taken on the fellow, that we heard him groan no more.

We ventured to stay all day at this town and the next night, and got
guides to lead us to Blackstone Edge, a ridge of mountains which
part this side of Yorkshire from Lancashire. Early in the morning we
marched, and kept our scouts very carefully out every way, who brought
us no news for this day. We kept on all night, and made our horses do
penance for that little rest they had, and the next morning we passed
the hills and got into Lancashire, to a town called Littlebrough,
and from thence to Rochdale, a little market town. And now we thought
ourselves safe as to the pursuit of enemies from the side of York. Our
design was to get to Bolton, but all the county was full of the enemy
in flying parties, and how to get to Bolton we knew not. At last we
resolved to send a messenger to Bolton; but he came back and told
us he had with lurking and hiding tried all the ways that he thought
possible, but to no purpose, for he could not get into the town. We
sent another, and he never returned, and some time after we understood
he was taken by the enemy. At last one got into the town, but brought
us word they were tired out with constant alarms, had been strictly
blocked up, and every day expected a siege, and therefore advised us
either to go northward where Prince Rupert and the Lord Goring ranged
at liberty, or to get over Warrington Bridge, and so secure our
retreat to Chester.

This double direction divided our opinions. I was for getting into
Chester, both to recruit myself with horses and with money, both which
I wanted, and to get refreshment, which we all wanted; but the major
part of our men were for the north. First they said there was their
general, and 'twas their duty to the cause, and the king's interest
obliged us to go where we could do best service; and there was their
friends, and every man might hear some news of his own regiment, for
we belonged to several regiments. 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