House of Lords Journal Volume 5: 21 November 1642

DIE Lunæ, videlicet, 21 die Novembris.

Prayers.

The Lord Grey, Speaker this Day.

The Messengers that were sent with the Papers to the House of Commons report, "That they have delivered them as they were commanded."

A Letter directed to the Right Honourable the Lord Speaker of the House of Peers, written from the Earl of Stamford, dated at Hereford, the of November, 1642, was read, as followeth. (Here enter it.)

E. of Stamford's Letter, about a Skirmish between his Troops and the E. of Worcester.

"My Lord,

"By my last Letter, I did certify your Lordship, that I had that Night sent out a Party, to cut off some Forces under the Command of the Earl of Wor'ster, and his Son the Lord Herbert, which had this Success: The Design was, to have gone to a Village some Five Miles Distance from this Place, from whence we had Intelligence that the Enemy had taken up Quarter for about Three Hundred and Fifty Men, but it proved not so; and our Men, being very impatient to fall on upon the Enemy, desired that they might advance to the Place where they were, some Three Miles beyond, which they did; but the Country being very false, and full of Papists, Intelligence was brought to them, that our Forces were very near them: The Place was Herles-Lewes, a long ragged Village belonging to the Lord Abergavenny, and Sir Ralph Hopton; so, our Men being near, (fn. 1) they drew up, and Captain Kirle, my Captain, Lieutenant, and Three Men, advanced Twelve Score before the rest, where they found at the Town's End Six who made stand; so they cried, Who are you for? They answered, For the King, and the Plague take the Parliament. So no more Replies, but they all fired together; and it pleased God that our Five Men killed those Six, without the Loss of any Blood, or Hurt of our Side; so then the whole Party advanced, and fell on and killed upon the Place Fifteen Men, and One of them that the People of that Town desired might be hanged, for that he had robbed and spoiled them of all their Goods; so, in Heat of Blood, they hanged him upon a Tree, for he was a most desperate Rogue; so they pursued the rest, which in Number was double to ours, and they running away to the Mountains escaped; yet our Men, both Horse and Foot, would have pursued, in Despite of their Commanders, had they not kept them back by Force. Then our Troops, (fn. 2) perceiving them to draw together, drew up into Battalia, and sounded a Challenge to them, and stood so for a good Space; but they durst not come down to fight with them. I hope we shall have some Five Hundred Dragoons by the next Week; and then, by God's Grace, I shall drive them a little further up the Mountains. I beseech the Lord of Heaven to guide and direct your Counsels; and so I remain,

"My Lord,

Hereford, the 16th of November, 1642.

"Your Lordship's
most humble Servant,

"Stamford."

Petition of Herefordshire to the E. of Stamford, complaining of the Outrages of the Cavaliers.

"To the Right Honourable Henry Earl of Stamford, Governor of the City of Hereford.

"The woeful Complaint and humble Petition of divers well affected to the King and Parliament in that evil (fn. 3) affected Country;

"Humbly shewing,

"That, since the Beginning of this present Month of November, we whose Names are subscribed, and some others, have been constrained to flee, with our Wives and Children, for our Lives and Safety, from our Habitations and Estates, and have had our Houses rifled of all our Goods and Stuff, our Cattle driven away, and our Corn and Grain threshed and carried from us, by the barbarous Cavaliers of the Welsh Parts, who are under the Command of a dangerous Papist, the Lord Herbert, Son and Heir to the Right Honourable Henry Earl of Worcester; so that many of us are wholly deprived of all present Maintenance; wherefore we commend our miserable Condition to your Honour's pious Consideration, and rest,

"Your Honour's in all Observance,

Ordered, That the Speaker shall write to the Earl of Stamford, and give him Thanks from this House, for his great Care for the Public Good.

Earls of Bath and Westmorland prejudiced by the late Order about The Tower.

The Lieutenant to attend.

It was moved, in Behalf of the (fn. 4) Earl of Bathton, and Earl of Westm. "That, in regard of the Order of both Houses of Parliament lately made, they are much prejudiced, because they are not permitted to send any of their Servants to Market, to bring them in necessary Provisions:" Hereupon this House Ordered, That the Lieutenant of The Tower shall attend here To-morrow, and then this House will see how this Business may be accommodated.

Lesquire and Francis.

Ordered, That the Cause depending in this House between Scipio Lesquire and Serjeant Francis is hereby referred to the Justice of the Common Law.

Adjourn.

Adjourn till 3^a post meridiem.

Post meridiem.

Prayers.

Lord Grey de Warke, Speaker.

Adjourn.

House adjourned till 10 ^a cras.