William Waller 1597-1668

John Byron's Account of the Battle of Roundway Down. Sir John Byrons [aged 44] Relation to the Secretary of the last Westerne Action [Battle of Roundway Down]. Between the Lord Willmott [aged 30] and Sir William Waller [aged 46]. On Thursday, July 13. 1643. With a List of both their Forces, and of their Losses. Printed at York by Stephen Bulkley, 1643. By speciall Command.

Sir

Upon the occasion of Lieutenant Colonell Butlers [aged 32] comming to Oxford, whom I shall desire your Honour to present to His Majesty, as one that carryed himselfe very bravely in this Action, and tooke three Corners of the Rebells, which we sent with the rest of the Colours to Oxford, I shall make bold summarily to relate to you the carriage of this Businesse, which deserves to be acknowledged with as much thankeful­nesse to God as any thing that ever was done in this Kingdome. According to His Majesties Command, we appeared before the Devices on Thursday about three a Clocke in the Afternoone, with all our Horse, which were not above 17. or 1800. at the most, being much lessened in the long March, and many of them so tyred, that they were not able to come up; we shot off out Ordinance from an high Hill that overlookes the Town, to let them know, that we were there for their assistance; at the same time waller appeared with his whole Army upon an opposite Hill within lesse then two Miles of U; he made a very great show, divers of the Country People being called thither to that purpose. But really I beleeve his Horse were farre more then ours in num­ber, and his Foot, beside the Country People 2500. all of them as compleatly armed as ever Troopes were. It was resolved that we should immediately march to­wards them, and my Lord Willmott very discreetly or­dered it, That only his Brigade and mine should charge, (which both together made not above 1200. Horse,) and that the other Troopes (because they had lately taken an affright, and had been put to the worse by Wallers Men) should only stand as a Reserve, and not be imployed till it should please God to renue their Courage with our Successe: as we marcht towards the Rebells, they sent down some Troopes towards Us, which were gallantly encountered by Serjeant Major Paul Smith (who led our Forlorne Hope, consisting of 300. commanded Men) and forced them to turne their Backs. Sir Ar­thur Hasterigge seconded these with his Formidable Regiment of Lolsters, I meane his Curaffiers whom the Lieutenant Generall intermyned with his Bri­gade, and forced them to retreat, not so, but that they rallied themselves again and charged the second time, but with worse successe; for then my Brigade being drawn up to second my Lord Willmott, they all ran away that could, and from that time Sir Arthur Hasterigge ap­peared no more in the Battle; upon this Waller drew his whole Army down the Hill, and advanced with his own Brigade of Horse, with two Peeces of Cannon be­fore it, and two great Bodyes of Foot on the left Flank of it, these it fell to my share to charge with my Bri­gade, my Lord Willmott in the meane time rallying his men together to second me if occasion should be. A d I marched towards them up the Hill, their Cannon pl [...]l'd upon me at a very neere distance, but with very small losse, killing but two in Colonell Sanayes Regiment; The Musketeers all this while playd upon our Flanke, and hurt and killed some; and another Regyment of their Horse was watching an opportunity to charge us ei­ther in the Reare or in the Flanke, but were hindered by Lord Craford. By this time we were come very near to Wallers Brigade, and the command I gave my men was, that not a Man should discharge a Pistoll till the Enemy had spent all his shot, which was pun­ctually observed, so that first they gave us a Volly of their Carbins, then of their Pistolls, and then we fell in with them, and gave them ours in their teeth, yet they would not quit their ground but stood pushing for it a pretty space, till it pleased God, (I thinke) to put new Spirit into our tyr'd Horse as well as into our men, so that though it were up the Hill, and that a steepe one, we overbore them, and with that violence, that we forced them to fall fowle upon other Reserves of Horse that stood behind to second them, and so swept their whole Body of Horse out of the Field, and left their Foot naked, and pursued them neare three Miles over the Downes in Bristoll way till they came to a precipice, where their Feare made them so valiant that they gallop't downe as if it had been plain ground, and many of them brake both their own and their Horses necks. In my return from the chase, I tooke two peeces of their Cannon, and divers Waggons laden with Am­munition, and then rallied together our scattered Troopes, which were as much broken as the Enemy, by reason of their hot pursuit, in the meane time my Lord Willmott charg'd their Foot with the Horse he had with him, but could not breake them, and in the charge Dudley Smith was staine, and Lieutenant Colonell We­ston [aged 33], hurt and many others, but when they saw my Horse rallyed together again before them, and the Lieutenant Generall continuing still in the Reare of them, and that the Cornish Foot began to sally out of the Town, they thought it not fit to stay any longer, they began first gently to march off, their Officers marching before them, amongst which (as I have been told since) Sir William Waller himselfe was, and Popham [aged 38]; With that I advanc'd toward them with those Troopes I had rallyed, and shot at them with the Cannon I had formerly ta­ken, their Officers thought it not fit to stay any longer, but such as had Horses rid away as fast as they could, and too fast for Us to overtake them, and the rest blew up their Powder, and threw down their Arms and be­tooke themselves to their heeles, Our Horse fell in a­mongst them, and kill'd 600. of them, and hurt many more, and tooke 800. Prisoners, and all their Colours, and this was the successe of their great Conquererer.

The Victory on our side as intire as possiblely can be imagined, their Horse and Foot being totally routed, and all their Cannon being 7 Brasse Peeces taken, and all their Ammunition. Sir, I beseech you excuse this scribling from one that is,

July 14. 1643.

Sir,

Your Honours most humble Servant John Byron