suffered them to fall into. We were a very strong party, being about
3000 horse and dragoons, and coming to Cirencester very early in the
morning, to our great satisfaction the enemy were perfectly surprised,
not having the least notice of our march, which answered our end more
ways than one. However, the Earl of Stamford's regiment made some
resistance; but the town having no works to defend it, saving a slight
breastwork at the entrance of the road, with a turnpike, our dragoons
alighted, and forcing their way over the bellies of Stamford's foot,
they beat them from their defence, and followed them at their heels
into the town. Stamford's regiment was entirely cut in pieces, and
several others, to the number of about 800 men, and the town entered
without any other resistance. We took 1200 prisoners, 3000 arms, and
the county magazine, which at that time was considerable; for there
was about 120 barrels of powder, and all things in proportion.

I received the first hurt I got in this war at this action, for having
followed the dragoons and brought my regiment within the barricado
which they had gained, a musket bullet struck my horse just in the
head, and that so effectually that he fell down as dead as a stone all
at once. The fall plunged me into a puddle of water and daubed me; and
my man having brought me another horse and cleaned me a little, I was
just getting up, when another bullet struck me on my left hand, which
I had just clapped on the horse's main to lift myself into the saddle.
The blow broke one of my fingers, and bruised my hand very much; and
it proved a very painful hurt to me. For the present I did not
much concern myself about it, but made my man tie it up close in my
handkerchief, and led up my men to the market-place, where we had
a very smart brush with some musketeers who were posted in the
churchyard; but our dragoons soon beat them out there, and the whole
town was then our own. We made no stay here, but marched back with
all our booty to Oxford, for we knew the enemy were very strong at
Gloucester, and that way.

Much about the same time, the Earl of Northampton, with a strong
party, set upon Lichfield, and took the town, but could not take the
Close; but they beat a body of 4000 men coming to the relief of the
town, under Sir John Gell, of Derbyshire, and Sir William Brereton, of
Cheshire, and killing 600 of them, dispersed the rest.

Our second campaign now began to open; the king march