“By ye wayes we took through ye almost inaccessible mountains of
Wales, y^t we heard no more of Poyntz, nor did he trouble us much
till we got to Chester; and though he troubled us not, yet found we
both loss and trouble in our passage: loss in our horses, many of y^m
tireing so, y^t ye Troopers were fain to forsake y^m. In our Quarters
we had little accommodation, but of all ye places we came to ye best
at Old Radnor, where ye King lay in a poor low chamber, and my Lord
of Linsey and others by ye Kitching fire on hay: no better were we
accommodated for victuals: which makes me remember this passage; while
ye King was at his supper eating a pullet and a piece of cheese, ye
room without was full but ye men’s stomachs empty for want of meat.
Ye good wife troubled w^{th} continual calling upon her for victuals,
and having it seems but ye one cheese, comes into ye room where ye
King was, and very soberly asks if ye King had done with ye cheese for
ye gentlemen w^{th}out desired it. But ye best was we never tarried
long in any place, & therefore might we more willingly endure one
night’s hardship in hopes that ye next might be better. And thus we
continued our march until we came to Chester, when we found my Lord
Byron in command in ye town & ye enemy in ye suburbs, and so close
y^t it was some hazard to ye King to pass ye bridge. Now, our horse
quartered about 3 miles off, except only ye King’s life-guard and my
Lord Garrard’s (Charles Gerard, created L^d Gerard Nov. 8 this year)
horse, both w^h were drawn into ye town, & preparations made ye next
day to have a sally, but while they were busy to carry out ye dung
that barricaded up ye gate y^t led to ye suburbs a messenger came y^t
brought ye King’s word y^t Poyntz had engaged Sir Marmaduke Langdale
to fight, & a little after we heard y^t we had taken some colours of
ye enemy’s, but y^t ye King must send supplys, by reason y^t ye enemy
increased by that assistance they had from neighbouring garrisons
which flocked to them. Whereupon ye King sent forth both Lord
Lichfield and Lord Gerard with those that were in ye town, but before
they could joyne our horse were beaten, and in ye view of ye town & of
ye King, who at ye very same time was in one of ye towers of ye Walls,
looking over to see our men & theirs in ye suburbs exchanging some
bullets one with another. We took it first for ye enemy till some came
wounded & brought in ye sad news y^t our horse was routed, many taken,
and my Lord Lichfield slain.
“Here I do wonder at ye admirable temper of ye King, whose constancy
was such y^t no perils never so unavoidable could move him to
astonishment, but y^t still he set ye same face & settled countenance
upon what adverse fortune soever befell him, & neither was exalted
in prosperity nor dejected in adversity; w^h was ye more admirable
in him, seeing he had no other to have recourse unto for counsel &
assistance, but must bear ye whole burden upon his shoulder. By this
accident I never found him moved at all, though the loss was so much
& greater by my Lord of Lichfield’s death, his kinsman, & whom he
loved so dearly. But this makes him look nearer for his own safety,
& therefore gives order for his march ye next day with those horse
y^t came safe to ye town; which he left without all hopes of relief
to make conditions for themselves for the town if they durst attempt
no more. We marched over ye bridge in ye day, having set up some
blinds if they might not take notice so easily when ye King passed
over, & except one horse that was killed, I think no others took any
harm. From hence we marched on to Denbigh Castle, and after that to
Ruthin, till at last by unknown ways and passages, with many dark &
late marches, we arrived at ye garrison of Newark about ye 14^{th} of
October.”
The above contemporary accounts will enable us to realise both the
gravity of the situation in the city, and the difficulties which beset
the Royalist troops in their journeys through the country.