By this time Cromwell was got to an advantageous post at _Perry wood_ within a mile of the city, swelling with pride and confident in the numbers of his men; but Duke Hamilton (formerly Lord Lanerick,) with his own troop and some Highlanders, Sir Alexander Forbus with his regiment of foot, and divers English lords and gentlemen voluntiers, by his Majesties command and encouragement, engaged him, and did great execution upon his best men, forced the great _sultan_ (as the _Rhodians_ in like case did the _Turk_) to retreat with his _Janizaries_, and were once masters of his great guns. Here his Majesty gave an incomparable example of valor to the rest, by charging in person, which the Highlanders, especially imitated in a great measure, fighting with the but-ends of their muskets, when their ammunition was spent; but new supplies of rebels being continually poured upon them, and the Scotch horse not coming up in due time from the town to his Majesties relief, his army was forced to retreat in at Sudbury gate in much disorder. In this action Duke Hamilton (who fought valiantly) was mortally wounded, of which he dyed within few days; Sir John Douglas also received his deaths wound, and Sir Alexander Forbus was shot through both the calves of his legs, lay in the wood all night, and was brought a prisoner to Worcester the next day. The rebels in this encounter had great advantage as well in their numbers, as by fighting both with horse and foot, against his Majesties foot only, the greatest part of his horse being wedg'd up in the town; and when the foot were defeated, a part of his Majesties horse afterwards fought against both the enemies horse and foot, upon great disadvantage. At Sudbury gate a cart loaden with ammunition was overthrown, and lay cross the passage of the gate, so that his Majesty could not ride into the town, but was forc'd to dismount and come in on foot. In the Friers street, his Majesty put off his armor, (which was heavy and troublesome to him,) and took a fresh horse, and then perceiving many of his foot-soldiers begin to throw down their arms and decline fighting; his Majesty rode up and down among them, sometimes with his hat in his hand, entreating them to stand to their arm's and fight like men, other whiles encouraging them; but seeing himself not able to prevail, said, _I had rather you would shoot me, then keep me alive to see the sad consequences of this fatal day_: Such was the magnaminity of this prophetique King. During this hot engagement at Perry-wood and Red-hil, the rebels on the other side the water possess'd themselves of S. Johns, and those of his Majesties army that were there, without any great resistance laid down their arms and submitted to mercy.