File Clenennau letters and papers 845 [RESTRICTED ACCESS] - Hum(phrey) Humphreys to Sir Robert Owen at Clenennau,

His Lordship of St Asaph being very busy has commanded the writer to send Owen the news. He has to add to that which is written on the other side that Bridgewater is taken by the King's forces, and most of the rebels in it. Monmouth himself fled with not more than forty horse towards Wells where he deserves but slender entertainment. He hopes to leave the place from where he writes tomorrow and will wait on Owen at Glyn or Clenennau shortly. PS Service to his good neighbour Mrs Jones. Dorse: To be left with Mr John Rowlands at Caernarvon. On another page: A flying packet came from Scotland on Saturday with the news that Argyle had been beheaded in Edinburgh on the Tuesday before. He wrote a full confession of all he knew of the conspiracy. But he denied knowledge of what was chiefly inquired into, saying that he did not know the person who brought him money. He died pleasantly for he had his head cut off in an engine they have for that purpose called a 'mayden' which takes off a head at one stroke. On the scaffold he made a canting speech in scripture language exhorting all men to have a care of the Protestant religion ... but nothing of the course he had taken to ruin that religion. Rumbold was hanged on the previous Saturday ... confessing without repentance that he would have killed the King if he could have got him in his power. Both he and Argyle inveighed against M(onmouth) for taking the crown, whereas when they parted from him he swore the contrary. Ayliff repents of his wickedness and it is hoped that he will both recover and discover. Sir John Cockram and his son are taken and there is now no news of rebels together in Scotland, and the writer hopes that soon there will be no news of them in England. For that morning an express came from the army by Sir Christopher Oglethorpe - he who gave the rebels the blow at Canesham Bridge - acquainting the King that he was sent out to scout on Sunday night from Sedgemoor where the army lay encamped as far as Bridgewater without hearing or seeing the enemy. Meanwhile M(onmouth) and Gray marched out with the rebel army except some 500 whom they left to keep the town. M(onmouth) had ordered them to march in perfect silence on pain of death, so that Oglethorpe did not perceive when he passed by him. At 2 am they were within pistol shot of the sentinel of the King's army before they were heard or seen. The sentinel having received no reply to his challenge, fired and gave the alarm to the guard who stood to arms. The rebels immediately gave a volley of shot, and the alarm was thus given to the army ... who put a stop to the enemy by the help of a very good ditch that defended the camp on that side ... A company of grenadiers received the rebel horse so briskly and put them in such confusion that Gray who commanded them ... gave over the service and fled. M(onmouth) saw him and called out 'Cowardly rascal!', but that would not fetch him back. The foot headed by M(onmouth) stood to it stoutly for three hours - being more in number than the King's - but at last they ran after the horse. About 400 rebels were killed on the place, and in flight as many more as made up 2,000. Monmouth's three field pieces, twenty-two colours, his secretary and all his papers are taken, as well as his steward with all his money which was but little. His valet also who attended him with his cloak and star was taken; this fellow is 'our countryman', one Williams, son of the widow who keeps the inn at Buarth beyond Talycafn. After the battle Ferguson was found dying of wounds in a ditch. On the King's side about 200 were killed and 100 more disabled. No officers were lost, but Mons. Chevalier who was a lieutenant in the guards, and Captain Ferdinando Hogbin, and Captain Scarsfield of Ireland are dangerously wounded. Lord Dunblane, the Earl of Danby's son, who was a volunteer there, was wounded in the shoulder but not dangerously. M(onmouth), it is thought, escaped back to Bridgewater. But the Earl of Feversham presently sent Lord Churchill with 500 horse and 500 foot to summon the town: what answer he had they expect to hear by another express. The King had 1800 foot and 700 horse in the action, until the Earl of Pembroke came in with the Wiltshire men in the middle of the fight and did very good service.