The Taking of the Town of Preston
The source for this document is https://quod.lib.umich.edu/e/eebo/A94367.0001.001
Project Note
This is licensed under Creative Commons CC BY-NC-ND. This license allows reusers to copy and distribute the material in any medium or format in unadapted form only, for noncommercial purposes only, and only so long as attribution is given to the creator.
The source of this document is the Early English Books Online (EEBO-TCP) website. Those books were transcribed in a character for character manner and can be very cumbersome to read since there was no standard spelling during that time. Many spelling variations such as "unlesse", "vnlesse", and "vnles" regularly appear.
This project was conceived to clean up those books as much as possible and make them more accessible to the interested reader, leading to the creation of a massive list of variant spellings and their corrections. This was used to clean up the text, but is of course only as complete as the list itself. Because of the nature of the original transcription, some words have missing characters or places where the original language (e.g., Greek) was not transcribed. This effort does not change that. Be aware that the original transcription can also be faulty and in some cases entire sentences may be missing.
Although this is no substitute for a properly compared, proofed, and scholarly edition, I believe that the result is a document which is far more accessible, particularly for searching for terms using standard spelling. The document has been cleaned and presented in what I hope is a pleasing and useful format for the vast majority of Christian brothers and sisters who just want access to read these spiritually nourishing works.
However, a word of warning: The Puritans were a very diverse group of people and their age was characterized with godliness, but also much upheaval, disputation and strife. They disagreed on many doctrines and some of these works contain less orthodox or Scriptural views than others. The reader is strongly advised to read with discernment, particularly if it is unknown whether author is trustworthy.
This project took a huge amount of time and skill to bring to fruition. I would particularly like to thank David Jonescue for the initial list of Puritans he found on EEBO and the concept behind this project as well as the continuous, unceasing efforts toward seeing this complete. Without his labor, this would not be available. Alex Sarrouf was invaluable in providing the initial list of over 7,000 spelling variations he had identified and corrected, as well as continuing to review more than 16,000 additions to that list for any typos.
Logan West
(with David Jonescue and Alex Sarrouf)
www.puritansearch.org
The true Relation of the taking of the Town of Preston, by Colonel Seatons Forces from Manchester, Sent in a Letter from a worthy Minister, (an eye witness thereof) to an emminent Divine in London.
Worthy Sir,
B E pleased to accept this poor rude paper, it is a Messenger sent to tell you good Tydings: We have assaulted and taken Preston, a Town very considerable, and which much tends to the advancement of the Public work in this County, and so not altogether impertinent to the Kingdom. We were about 900, or 1000 Firemen, horse and foot, and about 600 Bill-men, Halberdiers and Clubmen; our march in the night was tedious, especially to many who had marched the night before, and to accommodate us in that, God gave us a fair night, such as had not been of a space before, yea, and indeed the day forerunning threatened us a very foul night; this was of God: Our men assaulted it a little before Sun-rising, in an hours time they were Masters of it: It was well fortified with Brick-Walls, outer and inner: Our men (but especially 3 Companies that came from Manchester) fell on with notable resolution: Captain John Booth scaled their walls, bidding his Soldiers either follow him, or give him up; but they forgetting their own safety followed him. The garrison fought it out stoutly, they kept their inner works with push of Pike, and also the Breach they kept with their swords, which aggravates the matter: We have not lost above 3 or 4 men (very strange) falling upon them in their Works; of theirs I saw lying dead in one street end at least 5 or 6, besides other parts of the Town several, and many in the houses not calling for quarter; And as if men must have been singled out for slaughter, we could scarcely have picked out better, the Major (that was resolute to desperateness in the Cause, that had often times been heard swear, He would fire the Town ere he gave it up, and begin with his own house) was slain, and that very day he had appointed to constrain the well-affected, or to have seized on their estates, Sir Gilbert Houghtons brother a Captain, and a desperate Papist; Mr. Westby a Physician and a desperate Papist; a Serjeant to the Freehold, that came lately out of Ireland, a most wicked wretch, were of the number of the slain: Several of our men are shot, but none mortally, (its notable) many are shot in two or three or four several places, and neither to death, nor dangerously: We have taken some prisoners of note, Captain Farrington, Sir John Talbots son, one Fleetwood, and they say, Anderton of Clayton, if so, I assure you, he is one of the most considerable men for estate, and activity in the County, and many others, with many Arms, and a large part of things justly, and by plunder (alas, that that is so much lamented, but most hard to be prevented,) seized on: more prisoners of note, we had been possessed of, but that honest flight rescued them: The fruit of this design is not yet perceived, but will shine forth more and more, I am confident: It blocks up the way, that all the North vast part of Lancashire, where were the chief Malignants, and the Cream of the Earls Forces; yea, and indeed, they will come in (I am persuaded, and partly perceive already) and subscribe to the Propositions. So soon as matters were settled, we sung praises to God in the streets (Sir it was wonderful to see it) the Sun brake forth and shined brightly and hot, in the time of the exercise, as if it had been Midsummer. Truly Sir, we owe (subordinate to God) a great deal to Sir John Seaton: Things are artificially and methodically done, past what they were before; he is a man of wonderful care, and unwearied industry; only rather too harsh for our Northern knotty rigged dispositions; had he the meek spirit, and smooth tongue of S. M. Sparrow, he were Peerlesse, and without parallel, doubtless. Sir I am in hast, just come from Preston, and the Poste about to take horse, pardon my rudeness, and brevity; only, I beseech you assist us in praises, that we may not loose God for want of praises, and pray for us, that plunder cry not louder for justice then prayer for mercy: Remember my love and service to your wife, Farewell is the wish of
Preston, Feb. 11. 1642.
Your humble servant and respective friend,John Tilsley.
Postscript.ANderton of Clayton is out of question taken, Captain Preston taken also, he, with Captain Farrington came this night to Preston, The Serjeant mentioned before was an Irish Rebell, And Fleetwood before named, was he that killed the man in Manchester, at that time the Earl came thither a little before the late Siege.
London, Printed by J. R. for Luke Fawn. Feb, 14. 1642.