There is to be found in the Lincolnshire Archivies a small group of interesting letters relating to the English Civil War. One of the letters, written a month or so before the great northern battle of Marston Moor ( July 2nd 1644 ) details the movements of troops belonging to the Earl of Manchesters Eastern Association Army. Manchester's army had stormed Lincoln on the 6th May 1644 and thereafter began to reinforce the Parliamentary forces besieging York. 3,000 Horse and Dragoons from Manchester's army, under the command of Oliver Cromwell, had been ordered to York shortly after the fall of Lincoln. Manchester himself joining the Leaguer before York on the 2nd June 1644. [1]
A second epistle concerns the third siege of Royalist Newark. The siege can be said to have commenced on 26th November 1645, when the Earl of Leven and the Scots army arrived north of Newark, being reinforced by English Parliamentary forces soon after. The town was at first blockaded but by March 1646, the place was being closely invested by some 7,000 Scots and 9,000 English troops. John Belasyse, the governor of Newark, eventually surrendered the town on 8th May 1646, being cleared of any implications for doing so by Charles 1; "Such is the condition of affaires att this present that I can give you no hope att all of reliefe nor off better condisions than what I sent you last night, wherefore the best for my service will be that you conclude uppon them with all expedision ... I am heartily sorry that my business stands so as that I must impose such conditions upponyou " ( Wood p. 119).
These two original letters are reproduced below, with the kind permission of the Lincolnshire Archivies,
The Marston Moor Campaign
My Lord I take this boldness. as the moste propper waye to give an accounte to the Parlament off my condition in thefe parts I am still att Lyncolne with 4 Regiments off ffootc. I have quartered 4 more att Caynsburgh, Torksey bridge and Saxylbye beeinge in readines to marche towards the Scoch Army upon ccrtaine notice off Prince Ruperts marchinge thatt waye moste off my horse are ioyned with the Scoche horse allreadye and lye quartered on the other side off Trente the Derby and Nottingham horse indende to ioyne with them those on the other side Trent will make neere 6000 horse and Dragoones I keepe on this side with my foote, 1200 horfe, I lye onely in expectation off an enemye and havinge my cheefe refpecte to the securitye off the Scoche Armye before Yorke Wee are nott willinge to drawe neerer each other untill some appearance off Prince Ruperte leaste wee should praeiudice one another in the provifions ffor our Armies Collonell Ponyte: I know will give a full accounte: off the condition off the Scoch Armye the greate Raynes in these parts have soe rayfsed the Trent as itt hinders my marchinge as yett My Lord I have nothinge more than to assure your Lord'p Thatt I am your Lord'ps humble servant
Letter One
Letter Two
The Third Seige of Newark
My Lords
The affaires before Newarke ( through Gods blefsing goe on well. Colonell Ledgerds Regim't. is come from Yorke to us The officers and sauldiers are all as one man, to performe the service they are appointed; full of courage and healthfull. Half the lyne, wee hope wilbe finished on Wednesdaie next. and the other wth all possible speed. [2]
One of the bridges over Trent against Winsthorpe was readie three daies since. The Trent there divides; the other bridge wilbe finished in a day or two. [3]
Wee have brought a pinnace musket proofe wthin halfe a mile of Newarke wherein arc twoe Gunns, and wch will hould 40 Musketeers. [4] The whole Cannon from Yorke is come to Winsthorpe.
One strong fort is made to secure the bridge. Another is prepared. 8 neerer the enemies great Scone. The whole Culverings and Morter peece are come to Balderton and Ffarnton. The great Morter pecce is to be runn on Wednesday at Nottingham.
Wee hope in god to loose noc time. nor omitt any opportunity in reduccing Newarke, and to give your Lo'pps a good 6 speedie accompt thereof.
[Marginal note] The Earl of Cumfermlyn's Regimt of foote is come to Lt. Grall Leslie
Rutland
Edw, Mountagu
Lincolne 14'0 March 1645 (1646) (To) Lords house
Notes
[1] A.C. Wood,'Nottinghamshire in the Civil War', page 83; The Earl of Manchester sat down with about 6,000 men before Lincoln on the morning of the 6th the town was stormed and taken with 800 prisoners.. .Hastening through Gainsborough, Manchester then entered Yorkshire and joined the seige of York "
Peter Young,'Marston Moor 1644', page 68;
" The arrrival of the Earl of Manchester's army with its vastly superior cavalry, made a great difference to the allies. Immediately after the capture of Lincoln (6 May) Cromwell with nearly 3,000 horse and dragoons had been sent to join the cavalry of Fairfax and the Scots, but on 22nd May Manchester still had 1,200 horse with him (quotes C.H.Firth), thus in mid-may his cavalry was fully 4,000 strong " P. Newman,'The Battle of Marston Moor 1644', page 35; " The bulk of the allied cavalry belonged to the Earl of Manchester, 4,000 in all"
[2] Newark on Trent,'The Civil War Seigeworks', 1964. Page 23; "The headquarters of the English forces in the villages round Newark were established by 2nd March, and their main seigeworks were completed by 21st (quotes Moderate Intelligencer 19 - 26 March ).
[3] At the beginning of March, a large salley by the Newark Garrison took the Scots army by surprise. Any reinforcements to the Scots had to be ferried over the River Rent by boat, six at a time. This was because the bridge at Muskharn had earlier been broken by ice. The Royalists were eventually driven back into Newark, but the action made the Allied Commanders apprise the situation. TWo bridges of boats were built over the Trent; one at Muskham and the other at the Winthorpe side to Crankley point. The Winthorpe bridge was ready by 11th March, and the other a few days later. See Wood, 'Nottinghamshire in the Civil War', page 110; and, Newark on Rent, 'The Civil War Seige Works' quotes Journal of House of Lords VIII, 220 also Perfect Occurrences 13 - 20 March
[4] Newark On Trent,'The Civil War Seige Works' 1964. page 23, " Command of the Rent was important to the beseigers, and it is recorded that
they brought a pinnance, mounting two guns, and manned with 40 musketeers, up the river to within half a mile of Newark ( quotes Journal of House of Lords VIII, 220 ),
See also Wood,'Nottinghamshire in the Civil War', page 110,
[5] Ledgerds Regiment possible acted as escort to the cannons acquired from York.
[6] There is a third original letter to be found with the above two. This letter is a petition from, "His Majesties Loyal subjects in the county of Lincoln ", asking for concilation between the King and Parliament, Complimenting the petition is a reply from the Royal Court dated York, 28th March 1642. Many parts of the Country compiled such petitions prior to the Civil Wars commencement, in what turned out to be vain attempts at pacifying the divided factions.
[7] The original letters can be found in the Lincolnshire Archives, reference numbers; Hill 39/1, 39/2, & 39/3. Other references are mentioned in the text.
Many thanks to Les Prince for helping to transcribe the letters.
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