16 
of Sir Wiliam Dugdale, as follows, a somewhat different 
version from that given by Wharton :—‘ During the 
King’s stay at Stonely, the citty of Coventrie continuing 
thus rebellious, Warwick Castle also being manned by 
L¢ Rrooke, as hath been observed his Mati¢ upon his 
return to Notingham placed two companies of foot and 
one of Dragoons in his castle of Kenilworth (the strongest 
fort in all the Midland parts) lying in the midway betwixt 
Coventry and Warwick. But w'"in a few days after having 
intelligence that the power of the rebells in that countie 
did dailie increase, and fearing that those souldiers thus 
put into Kenilworth Castle might be distressed by a siege, 
he sent two troopes of Horse and one of Dragoons to 
fetch off those men with their armes and ammunition. 
And because he knew the said Mr. Dugdale to be well 
acquainted with the roades and wayes in that county, 
appointed him to accompany Sir Richard Willys who 
commanded that party, as his guide, purporting to bring 
them off as privately as might be. To which end they 
marching from Mount Sorrell in Leicestershire on Sunday 
morning, they came about ten of the clock at night to Kenil- 
worth, and though they made such haste in getting carriages 
for their ammunition, as that they marcht out of that 
castle by seven of the clock the next morning: Neverthe- 
less by intelligence given to the rebells in Coventrie, such 
numbers of those with Horse and Foot pursued them, as 
that they were constrayn’d to make a stop in Cudworth 
Field (two miles northward of Coleshill) to encounter 
them, when they chardged these rebells (though five to 
one in number) so stoutly that they put them to the rout 
and tooke some of them prisoners, whom they brought 
that night to Tamworth, and the next morning to Tutbury 
Castle; the sayd Mr. Dugdale hasting immediately to 
Notingham to acquaint the King therew*.” Northampton 
was the rendezvous of the Parliamentary army under the 
Earl of Essex, and Wharton goes on to say in the same 
letter, written by him from Worcester—‘‘ Wednesday, 
Sept. 14th, our forces, both foote and horse, marched into 
the field, and the Lord General viewed us both front, rear, 
and flank. This evening, contrary to expectations, our 
regiment marched five miles north-east unto Stratton 
(Spratton), where we, and as many as could, billited in 
the town; the rest quartered thro the country.” As the 
King had set out from Nottingham on his march to 
Shrewsbury, the Earl of Essex determined to march on a 
