illiam Brereton finding himself a little disappointed,
advances, and falls upon the fifty men just as the colonel came up to
them; they fought him with a great deal of bravery, but the colonel
being unfortunately killed in the first charge, the men gave way, and
came flying all in confusion, with the enemy at their heels. As soon
as I saw this, I advanced, according to my orders, and the enemy,
as soon as I appeared, gave over the pursuit. This gentleman, as I
remember, was Colonel Marrow; we fetched off his body, and retreated
into Chester.

The next morning the prince drew out of the city with about 1200 horse
and 2000 foot, and attacked Sir William Brereton in his quarters. The
fight was very sharp for the time, and near 700 men, on both sides,
were killed; but Sir William would not put it to a general engagement,
so the prince drew off, contenting himself to have insulted him in his
quarters.

We now had received orders from the king to join him; but I
representing to the prince the condition of my regiment, which was
now 100 men, and that, being within twenty-five miles of my father's
house, I might soon recruit it, my father having got some men together
already, I desired leave to lie at Shrewsbury for a month, to make up
my men. Accordingly, having obtained his leave, I marched to Wrexham,
where in two days' time I got twenty men, and so on to Shrewsbury. I
had not been here above ten days, but I received an express to come
away with what recruits I had got together, Prince Rupert having
positive orders to meet the king by a certain day. I had not mounted
100 men, though I had listed above 200, when these orders came; but
leaving my father to complete them for me, I marched with those I had
and came to Oxford.

The king, after the rout of the Parliament forces in the west, was
marched back, took Barnstaple, Plympton, Launceston, Tiverton, and
several other places, and left Plymouth besieged by Sir Richard
Grenvile, met with Sir William Waller at Shaftesbury, and again at
Andover, and boxed him at both places, and marched for Newbury. 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