Sr William Vaughan and Coll. Ellis gave a greate over- A.D. 1644. throwe to the parl: of Wemm at Longford neare Newport,

25 March. Vide Mercurium Aulien in 29 Martii.

5o Aprilis, Prince Rupert retourns to Salop from Newark. Brompton Bryan Castle taken.

Tonnge Castle taken.

May 3: 100 new pressed soldiers from Denbighshire weare taken neare Mounfford brige as they were going to Shirewsbury.

Maii 8: Prince Rupert retourned to Shrewsbury from Oxford.

Maii 16. Prince Rupert advanced out of Shrewsbury towards the North, with all the forces that lay in those partes, to the number of ( ) and likewise the L: Byron advanced the same day out of Chester, with the forces that quartered upon the borders of Denbyghshire and fflintshire, to the number of about (

).

The whole army mett at Whitchurch and marched towards lancashire, beeing (14000) stronge.

Prince Rupert tooke in Lancashire, Boulton, Bery, Wigin, and Leverpoole and Releeved Lathum.

The Parl: takinge the advantage of the Prince his absence, made with all speede preparations to invade the Marches of North Wales, and for which design the Earle of Denbigh and S Tho: Midleton brought greate forces from London to Shropshire, and joyned themselves with Coll. Mitton.

22 of June. The Earle of Denbigh and Coll. Mitton wonne first the Church: then the Towne of Oswestry, and those that fled to the Castle yealded it up the next day after.

About the 24 of July, Prince Rupert cam to Chester from the North.

5th of August, the Parlmt. tooke Poole in Montgomeryshire.

Collonell Marrawe slaine.

23a of August prince Rupert went through Meirionythshire towards Oxford.

The battell of Marston-Moore nere York was fought the 3 day of July, 1644.

5th of September, the Castle of Montgomery was yealded to S Tho: Midlton, who the third day after was routed there by Colonell Vaughan; and those of his forces that fled into ye Castle weare straightly beeseiged till they weare releeved

A.D. 1644. by S Wm. Brereton, who, giving battle to the Lord Byron, discomfited him and all his forces, on Wednesday the 18th of September, 1644.

A.D. 1645.

friday before this battel the Lord Byron, with an army of 3000 out of Denbighshire, marched through Llansilin and Llanfyllin towards Montgomery.

12° Novembris. The Parlat layed siege to Biston Castle, and there continued neare a fortnight, at which time they weare removed by the Lord Byron.

20° Novemb: Šr Tho. Midleton and Coll. Mitton attempted suddenly in the night to surprize Chirke Castle, but were disappointed.

29th of the same month, the parlat burnt Mathavarn in Montgomeryshire, and made that part of the county conformable to the rest.

2o Octobris: Sir Tho: Midleton wonne Read Castle1 in Montgomeryshire, and tooke therein L: Powys, and carried him away prisoner to Oswestry.

Shortly after Sir Tho: Midleton and Coll. Mitton, with all their forces from Montgomeryshire and Shropshire, mett at Llangollen: And the 20th of October began violently to assault the Castle of Ruthyn, and soe continuinge for two dayes, and conceaving not hopes of forcing it, retreated out of the Country without perfforming any other atchievements.

Shortly after the 29th of November, the parlat tooke and burned the Abby of Nant-cwm-hir in Radnorshire.

4th of December, the Kinge's Soldiers burnt Bangor upon Dee and other great houses that if fortified might annoy the garrisons of Salop and Chester.

1645. 17° Januarii: S Willm. Brereton layd seige to Chester, and the 29th of the same month Sir Thomas Midleton invaded the lower parts of Denbighshire.

5th of ffebruary: Prince Maurice came to Shrewsbury, and having stayed there 9 dayes in ordering his forces, advanced towards Chester; the first night he lay at Chirk Castle, from thence went to Ruthyn, where S John Owens, with the forces of North Wales, expected his coming: And as soone as they had cleared Denbighshire, and releeved Chester, Coll. Mitton fell upon Shrewsbury and surprized the towne, 22° febr. about 4 a clock in the morning.

1 Red Castle, or Castell Coch, is the Welsh name of Powis Castle.

After the taking of Shrewsbury, the prince, with all his A.D. 1645. forces, lay for three weeks between Chester and Maylor, plundering and impoverishing the country extremely. All which time the parliament forces kept themselves in readiness in Cheshire and the other side of the river Dee, expecting the Prince's advance. And then prince Rupert came as far as Elsmere in Shropshire, where joyning both their forces, they went and releaved Byston Castle: and then (havinge wonne the commande of Holtbridge) they retourned towards Oxfford.

[The new modelled army under S Tho. Fairfax.]

The same time allso Generall Giaret came frome South Wales into Montgomeryshire, and lay a few days at Newtowne, with intention to make a garrison of that place.

As soon as the princes departed out of Wales, the parlat layed a stronge seige against Hiercole howse in Shropshire: And there continued a fortnight: at the end of which time, (conceaving the resolution of the Defendants to bee invincible,) they departed with greate losse of men.

5° Aprilis on Eester eeve, Sr Wm Brereton, with the Northerne forces, and Sr Tho. Midleton, beeleagered Chester againe.

In time of which seige many of the parlat both commander and souldiers, weare taken in fflintshire and Denbighshire by Coll. Trevor.

17 Maii. The parlm forces (hearinge of the kings approach to releeve Chester) rose their seige and departed, after they had layed there just six weekes.

14 Junii. Nasby battell was fought neare Leicester, between K: and parl.

23 Junii: Ĉaurs Castle was yealded up to the parl. upon composition the defendants should depart with bagge and baggage.

29 Junii: Sharaden Castle was surrendered upon the like composition.

These 2 castles weare taken in a fortnight's space.

After this the Shrewsbury forces sate before Hiercol, and the next morning after their cominge thither, they weare routed by Coll. Vaughan. And in their retreate the Parl. forces burnt Routon and Shraden Castells.

2° Augusti: The Montgomeryshire forces invaded Meirionythshire, and lay for a time at Dolgelle. The same time

A.D. 1645. the king's forces burnt Ynysymaengwyn lest the Parlm should find any Harbour there. Capt. Kinaston.

The same time E: V: fortified a new Garison at Abermarchnad.

21 Augusti: The Mountg. forces invaded againe Meirionythshire, and lay for a week at Bala; until they weare driven out of the Country by Sir John Owens and the Northwales men.

In this voyage the party burnt Caer Gai.

Chester beseiged by the Parlm.

21 Septembris: The King passed through Montgomeryshire, and lay that night at Llanfyllin. The next day, viz: 22o 7bris The K: marched from Llanfyllin by Brithdir (where he dined and gave Proclamation among his souldiers that they should not plunder anything in Denbighshire,) and thence passed through Mochnant and Cefnhirfynydd, and so along the topp of the mountains to Chirk Castle, where he lay that night.

The rest of his army marched by Llansilin.

The next day after, being Tuesday, the K: advanced towards Chester.

24° 7bris being Wednesday, the Kinge's forces weare routed by the Parliament Army in a place called Rowton Moore.

From Chester the K: retreated to Denbigh-castle, and having layed there two or three nights, returned to Chirk Castle. The next morning, viz. 29 7bris he advanced from thence with his army through Llansilin, and quartered that night in Halchdyn,' and so passed through Montgomeryshire towards Ludlow, &c.

After this overthrow Sir Wm Vachan, with an army of two or three thousand out of Ludlow and other garrisons in the marches of Wales, marched through Montgomeryshire towards Denbigh, intending with the addition of the forces of Northwales to releeve Chester againe. But Coll. Mytton, hearing of his approach, drew up his forces towards him, and neare Denbigh Castle gave him battel, wherein Sir Wm Vaughan was overthrown with all his army: whereof many weare slain in the pursuit, which continued six miles, even to Llangerniw.

Towards the later end of this ycare Holt Castle began to bee beseiged by the Parliament.

Halchdyn, or Haughton, is a township in the parish of Llandysilio, Montgomeryshire.

Anno 1646. 24 Januarii. The Parlmt began to beeleager A.D. 1646. Ruthyn Castle.

January 169. Holt Costle surrendered to Coll. Mytton.

The Cytty of Chester having now valiantly endured five months' siege, and beinge brought to greate extremity, after many desperate assaults and bloudy skirmiges, was surrendered by L. Byron to Sr Wm Brereton, to the use of the parliament, the 23d day of February, 1646.

Chester being yealded, the Parl forces intended all their service for the reduction of North Wales: and to that end beseiged many of the garrisons in those parts at the same time, which weare rendered up one after another, to Maior Generall Mytton, as shall bee hereafter declared.

23 Februarii: The Montgomeryshire forces began to fortifie Llansilin' churche for the straightninge and keeping inn of Chirk Castle men, where Sir John Watts was governor who shortly after deserting the Castle, and marching towards the Kinge's army with all his garrison souldiers, was taken by the men of Montgomery castle, after a hotte bickering in Churchstoke Church, the first day of March, 1646. Chirk Castle was deserted ultimo die Februarii.

13 Martii: The Castle of Flintshire was delivered up to the use of the Parliament.

About the 16th of March, the stronge garrison of Arcol, (which, ever since the surprizing of Shrewsbury, held out and much damnified the Parlm in those partes,) was surrendered upon composition, to the state's use.

Harlech surrendered March 13. 1646-7.

12 April: Ruthyn Castle was surrendered to the Parlm, and a stronge siege layed to Denbigh Castle.

Towards the later end of Aprill, Jo: Williams, Archbyshope of Yorke, yealded Penrhyn house to Generall Mytton, and assisted the Parl in beseiging of Carnarvon, where yo L. Byron had retreated for safety, after the rendition of West Chester.

1 An anecdote connected with the presence of the Parliamentary forces in Llansilin, is still preserved among the inhabitants. A party of military attacked the strongly built farm-house of Tymawr, where they anticipated no opposition, but the doors were shut against them, and to their astonishment, they failed in making good their entrance. After the assault had continued for some time, the brave inmates, by availing themselves of unexpected auxiliaries, gained the victory, for they threw out some hives of bees, which completely routed the enemy.