178 After this, the weather being pretty faire, and the moone shining at that time, the governor sent out a foote companie, to beate up their quarters, and gave them a fierce alarum throughout, and tooke twelve horses out of one of their stables, which they sent home. In their returne, meeting a greate body of horse, they all at once discharg'd upon them, and kill'd some eight of them, as we were told in the morning. After this charge the horse immediately retreated and would not stand another, and the next day remoov'd their quarters further from the garrison. Then the governor and committee sent for the Nottingham horse back' from l!.eicester, and appoynted them to bring five hundred musketts which were come to Leicester for the governor. They came, but left the aniis behind them, Besides this the collonell and all his regiment fell into disputes, that the governors of the parliament garrisons had no command of the horse that were quarter'd in their townes; and hereupon the governor was often prevented of many oppcrtunities advantag~able to the publick service, and much discourag'd to find such obstructions from the envious pride and humour of those who should have bene his assistants; but he bore with it as long as only himselfe suffer' cl by it, and was willing for quietnesse sake to passe by many iniuries offer'd _himselfe, till the publick service came to be infinitely preiudic'd by it. In the meane time he went on, as well as he could, through all difficulties, in the faithful! and active d ischarge of his trust. He call'd a committee and councell of warre, where it was put to the question and voted that the towne should be fortified: then he applied himselfe to the thing, and call'd a full hall of all the towne, who cleclar'd sufficiently their disaffection to the parliament, but in such a subtile way as would have entrapt a !esse prudent person: but the u which doubtless they must regret." That very discerning gentleman is here informed that the Editor ·of this work, who is the only representative of Colonel Hutchinson in these kingdoms, is much more proud of counting amongst his ancestors so firm and faithful a patriot than the most ilJustl'ious of traitors.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=