"Passage of the Army" 197 



troops of horse from thence, and having one from Belvoir to join 

 with them, they marched away all night, and coming to Melton 

 about break of day, they presently fell into the town, and without 

 the loss of one man they took the committee (one Haslerig, Stanley 

 and Hatcher), three troops of horse (every troop consisting of 

 seventy), two troops of dragoons, and one company of foot, with 

 all their commanders both horse and foot (except one Cornet), 

 which are now prisoners at Belvoir Castle. 



There comes news again from Colonel Dudley, who in the morning 

 about three of the clock on the seven and twentieth day of this 

 instant November marched out with all the horse and foot he had 

 (excepting four companies of foot and two troops of horse, which 

 he left to secure and attend the Commissioners of Array then sitting 

 at Bakewell), and went towards the enemy's quarters about Hart- 

 ington towards Staffordshire, with an intention to beat up those 

 quarters ; but not coming so soon as to perform that intention, the 

 rebels drew out a body of two thousand horse and foot (such as 

 they were), and with a hideous noise, proclaimed the expectation 

 they had of a sudden victory. But it pleased God otherwise to 

 dispose of them ; for Colonel Dudley (leaving only a good reserve 

 of foot and one troop of horse) charged the rebels with all the rest 

 of his horse and foot in a full body at once, which was so home, 

 that with his horse he beat quite through their rear of foot into 

 the midst of their horse, and forced them to a disorderly retreat ; 

 and not willing to give them time to recollect, he pursued and slew 

 above one hundred of them upon the place, following the chase 

 into Staffordshire near five miles together (almost to Leek), and 

 doing sharp execution all the way. Then he drew up his horse in 

 order, and made a stand, and sent back a messenger to know the 

 success of the foot, who had by that time routed all the rebels' 

 foot, only three hundred or thereabouts retreated into the church 

 which they had prepared with strong baragadoes, but before this 

 messenger came thither, the foot had forced one of the church 

 doors, and taken and slain every man of them. They took ten 

 officers, three colours of foot, and one of horse, and among others 

 the brother of Colonel Ashenhurst. 



About this time, upon the left hand, a body of three hundred 

 horse appeared from Derby to join with the rebels, but they found 

 that they came too late, and our horse, marching towards them, 

 they fled away into Staffordshire. 



And Colonel Dudley having then secured the prisoners, and 

 given the soldiers the pillage of the field, marched again that night 

 to Bakewell to his quarters there. In this whole action he knows 

 not any one man slain on our part, and but five hurt, whereof not 

 one officer but Lieutenant-Colonel Preston, and he not dangerously. 



