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15 
the cooper’s sonne, preached unto us, and this was the first 
sermon we heard since we came from Alisbury; but before 
he had ended his first prayer Newes was brought into the 
Church unto our commanders that Nuneaton, some six miles 
from us, was fired by the enemy, and forthwith our Generall 
and several captaines issued forth, but I and many others 
stayed until sermon was ended, after which we were com- 
manded to march forth with all speed, namely my captain 
with Captain Beacon and Captain Francis of our regiment, 
and of other regiments, in all to the number of one thousand 
foote, and one troope of horse, but before we came at them 
they all ran away, not having done much harm, whereupon 
we returned to Coventry again.” This news seems to advert 
to the attack by Prince Rupert on Caldecott Hall, which 
mansion was but a short distance from Nuneaton, on the 
25th of August. Nicholas Wharton’s next letter is dated 
Northampton, September the 8rd, 1642. In this letter he 
says: “Wensday (that was the 3lst of August) wee kept 
the fast and heard two sermons, but before the third was 
ended we had an alarm to march presently. By ten of the 
clock we got our regiments together and kept our rendevow 
in the City until midnight, and about two in the morning 
marched out of this City towards Northampton. This City 
hath four steeples, three churches, two parishes, and not long 
since but one priest; but now the world is well amended 
with them. This day our souldiers brought with them 
three asses which they had taken out of the Lord Duns- 
more’s Park, which they loaded with their knapsacks and 
dignified them with the name of the Lord Dunsmore. 
This day being Thursday (September the first) we marched 
over Dunsmore Heath, near twelve miles without any sus- 
tenance, until we came to Barby, in Northamptonshire, 
where the country, according to their ability, reiieved as 
many of us as they could. Our soldiers pillaged the 
parson of this town, and brought him away prisoner with 
his surplice and other relics.” He then described his 
further march and the pillage of ‘‘malignants,” as the 
Royalists were termed. In a letter from Worcester, dated 
September 26th, he says: ‘‘ This even we had tidings that 
Killingworth Castle in Warwickshire, six miles from 
Coventry, was taken with store of ammunition and 
money, and some prisoners, their number uncertain; the 
rest fled, and the country pursued them, and wanted but 
the assistance of Coventry to have destroyed them all.” 
This incident is alluded to by Anthony Wood in the life 
