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Leaguer befor York, 6 Jully 1644, a letter from the e[arl] of Lindsay to the committie of estates at Edinburgh
For the right honorable the committee of estats of Scotland at Edinburgh,†
Right honorable,
Since our last to your lords the condition of our affaires heer ar not a litle changed, for, on Monday last, upon notice of P[rince] Rupert's march from Knarsburgh towards ws, wee resolved and accordingly drew out the armyes to have met him; and for that end did march the same night to Longmarstoun Moore, about four myles on the west side of York. Bot, he haveing notice thereof, did passe with his army at Borrowbridge, and so put the river of Ouse betwixt him and ws; whereby wee were disabled to oppose his passage into York, the bridge wee built on the west side of the toun being so weak that wee durst not adventure to transport our armyes upon it. This made ws resolve the nixt morneing to marche unto Todcaster for the stopping of his passage southward, and the armyes being so far on their way as the vann wes within a myle of it, notice wes sent [to] ws by our horsmen who were upon our reare that the prince, his army, horse and foot, were advanced the length of Longmarstoun Moore and wes ready to fall upon them; wherupon wee recalled the whole armyes and drew them up on a corne hill upon the south west side of the moore in the best wayes wee could, so far as the straitnes of that feild and other disadvantages of the place could permit. Before both armyes were in readines it wes neer seven a clock at night, about which tyme both armyes advanced each toward other, wherupon followed a very hote encounter for the space of two houres, wherof, by the great blessing and good providence of God, the issue wes the totall routing of the enemyes army, and their losse of all their ordinance to the number of 20, amunition, baggage and 100 colours and ten thousand armes. There were killed upon the place about thrie thousand of them and above 1,500 prisoners, wherof many cheeff officers, among whom there are above ane hundreth officers: in which number is Sir Charles Lucas, lieutenent generall to the marquise of Newcastle's horse, [...] Porter, generall major, and Generall Major Tillier, with diverse other colonells, lieutenant colonells and majors. The prince, in great distraction, with a few horse and almost no foot, marched the nixt morneing from York northward. Our losse, God be praised, is not very great, being only of one lieutenent colonell, some few captanes and about two or three hundreth common sojors. We have now lyne doun againe in our old leaguer before York, which wee are confident within a few dayes by God's help to gaine, and have sent a great part of our cavalry after P[rince] Rupert. The glory of all this belongs unto God alone, and the benefite therof wee hope shall redound to both kingdomes; for which cause wee have appointed this nixt sabbath for a day of solemne thanksgiveing throughout thir armyes, and we hope your lords will appoint a day for the same to be kept throughout the kingdome and notice sent to ws thereof, that wee altogether may joyne in it. Wee are informed that the generall of artilleries traine in Ireland hes ressaved no part of that money sent thither, wherof wee mervaill; and theirfore wee desire they may have proportionall pay since they have done service as the rest. Wee hear lykwyse that some of that victuall which wes ordained to be sent hither for our army is disposed upon for the use of the e[arl] of Calander's army, and theirfore wee desire that als much may be sent hither in place therof and tymeous provision made of als much more as possiblie can be had, sieing wee have ressaved none from thence since our outcomeing more then wes provided befor. Wee rest.
Your lords assured friends and servants, Lindesay, I.P.D., from the leaguer before York, 6th Julii 1644
Wee hope your lords will not forget the great paines and travell of this beerar, so oft runing up and doun in the publict affaires.
12 Julii 1644
Produced be the lord chancellor and red in audience of the haill parliament.†