193 ing to no purpose against it, lost his opertunity of taking; yet God, by a providence, gave it up with 200 men that kept it to the. parliament's forces, who had they then persued their successe, they might have carried the towne too, but it was not God's time then to deliver the country of that pernitious enemie. The horse that were escaped out of Newark, went into all their garrisons in the Vale and Derbieshire, and gather'd up all the force they could make, to about the number of two thousand, and with these they came and qual'tdd neere Nottingham; themselves and the country giving out that they were about four thousand. There was a fast kept at Nottingham, to seeke God for his presence with our armies, and before the first sermon was ended, the enemies horse came to the towne-side and gave a strong alarum, and continued facing the towne till night, at which time they return'cl to their quarters, and those horse that were in the garrison fol-' ]owing their reare, glean'd up two lieftenants and two or three other officers: the next clay the body mareb'd iust by the town-side, and so past over the river at Wilden Ferry. After they were gone from about Nottingham, the governor went downe to the Leager, at Newark, where Sr. John Meldrum had made all things ready for a general! assault of the tO\yne; but at a councell of warre that was call'd in the field, it was detcrmin'cl that it should not then be, whereupon the governor of Nottingham return'd to his garrison.; who comming to take his leave of Sr. John Melclrum, Sr. John entreated him that he would returnc againe and be among them as i:nuch as he could, making a sad complaint of the envyings, heartburnings, and dissentious that were among the severall commanders, so that be had much adoe to hold them together, and had; greate need of men of moderation and prudence, to assist him, and to helpe to mediate among them. The forces that Sr. John Meldrum commanded before this towne, were gather'cl out of severall associ-
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=