gave our men great resolution; and colonel Hammond especially, and other officers engaged with him, behaved themselves with much resolution, courage and diligence, recovering the ground after their men were twice repulsed; of prisoners taken in this service about 200 were blown up, 200 have taken up arms with us, and about 200 more common soldiers remain prisoners: besides many officers, gentlemen, and servants, not many slain, but their foot so dispersed as that of about 3,000, which the most credible persons do affirm they had there, and we find, by a list taken among the lord Hopton’s papers, themselves did account them more, we cannot hear of above 400 that they carried off with them into Cornwall, whither their horse also are gone, being much broken and dispersed as well as their foot. By the considerations and circumstances in this business which I have here touched upon, you will perceive whose hand it was that led us to it, and gave such success in it, and truly there were many more evident appearances of the good hand of God therein than I can set forth: let all the honour be to Him alone for ever. A letter of John Rushworth, the Secretary to Fairfax, written at Torrington on the 22nd of February, 1645–6, states that:— The other day, being the market day, Master Peters preacht unto the country people and souldiers in Torrington (the Church being blown up) he was forced to preach out of a belcony, where the audience was great: he made a great impression upon the hearts of the people. This was the celebrated Hugh Peters, the Puritan preacher, who attended the army in its journeyings. The following curious certificate is given in the preface to a work by the Rev. John Heydon, dedicated to Sir Thomas Fairfax, the title page of which reads:— The Discovery of the wonderfull preservation of his Excellencie Sir Thomas Fairfax, The Army, the Records of the Town, the Library, and blessed Bible, under the hands of the Maior, Aldermen, Capt. and Schoolmaster of Torrington in Devon. In an Epistle to his Excellency (and also in the end of a Book, entituled, _Man’s Badnesse and God’s Goodnesse_: or, some Gospel Truths laid down, vindicated and explained), by his Excellencies speciall Command. Never Printed heretofore by any. By John Heydon, Minister of the Gospel. London, Printed by M. Simmons, 1647. The certificate runs:—