The King's speech!

And so as the days draw longer and all manner of creatures begin to emerge from their deep winter fast we should be looking toward long days spent under the summer sun that brings ease to our tired frames longing to purge the ague of a long damp winter. But this year as last and the one before I fear we cannot allow ourselves to dream of such simple joys. The dark clouds of war remain leaden and cast over my Kingdom as if tethered by an unseen shroud that neither man nor a great multitude of beasts can shift. Of late news has spread the length and breath of the Kingdom telling of a great battle fought at Bramham between the combined forces of my Nephew Prince Rupert, and my most loyal Lord’s Byron and Newcastle. Our forces won a great victory leaving the rebel forces under the Earl of Manchester and Fairfax cowering under a bush licking their wounds and so, I’m told asking Parliament to send furniture. What manner of soldiers are they to fight with a chair leg and a carpet beater? But in less mirth I hope with all my heart that we can bring a close to the unnecessary bloodshed of this war that only Parliament seems to want to wage. Were we could sit down with good counsel and resolve matter than that the future of the Kingdom be decided by brains beaten from a brow lying spilt in the furrows of some muddy field. My Lord Hopton has certainly had the better of his old friend Sir William Waller, and their struggle to which they are undeniably chained can only emphasise the struggle we all face, not only is our Kingdom wrenched apart by the fowl smell of saltpetre but friends and worse still families now live in fear of each other. But my greatest worry of all is that this war amongst friends will not bring peace to either fraction or our Kingdom to a greater place than that from which it left and no let there be no mistaking the real beneficiaries of this ungodly struggle will be the Scots. Every hour we fight as pugilists their hodden clad mass takes its toll, have they not raped and plundered their way through our northern most lands enough already? They say they know not whom they fight for, lest they be doing the bidding of this Parliament but if the truth be out we all know who they fight for. Themselves and that alone. Great Britons, rise up, let us not fall out amongst ourselves but unite and forget such squabbles as we have had over these last years, return to merry England with the sweet smell of roses and the cross o’ St George flying high. Unite us against this heathen mass that will not stop even once it has ripped our hearts from the bosom of our lands. Be assured of this, they mean to rape and pillage until there is none left on this island but their own. Together we stand strong, let us unite and stamp upon this troublesome thistle until it is broken. Parliament on your heads and in your hands alone be the wanton destruction of this Kingdom. The Oxford army and those that march with us are of greatest resolve more so than the tapsters and tradesmen free to drink their fill in the taverns of London reading of this war if it were a play and on whom you rely to be called soldiers. No sirs god is with us and should you choose to deny the rights of the Lord God then gentlemen on your hands alone be the destruction of this great nation. Our armies have weathered the storms of winter well. Or supporters grow in number as each longer day passes and we have enjoyed our merry walks across the fields of England keeping a watchful eye on those who would do Parliament’s bidding. But soone as that strengthening sun rises higher each day drying the mud and bakes it hard to rutted waggon ways then the guns will roll once more. Be afraid Parliament of god for in his infinite wisdom there is no doubt that cometh the hour, cometh the hour when the King shall enjoy his own again. But gentlemen we are friends, there is no need for such fighting talk let us lay down our arms bore against one and other and let us together throw back the hissing, spiting, vengeful Scottish manticore. For should you not bid this, my forces rise ever stronger in the west, in the north, in the far north where a thorn grows ever sharper and yet even closer to Parliament and I shall not bid my soldiers to stop until we knock on the very doors of the house itself and then gentlemen those that are most well shod having grown fat and rich through the needs of supplies to and the spoils of this war, then those gentlemen be best running the fastest away but I fear there are not enough fields in England for them to cross and yet make distance between those themselves and those that god favours." Charles I England, March 1644

parliament's report 28 March 1644

Quarterly Report of the Committee of Both Houses This year of 1644 shows great promise for the true and glorious cause of Parliament against the King's advisors. Our allies the Scots have started thier march to the south to assist us in liberating ourselves from the yoke of the advisors oppression. Our commanders in the north, namely Manchester and Fairfax have met the enemy in battle and roundly beaten them. The junction of these combined forces will give us overwhelming superiority to the forces of our enemies and the whole of the north will flock to our banners. It will then only be a matter of time before these forces advance on the heartlands of the enemies to deliver the final blows of this war. In the south of the country we have actively harried our opponents and delivered them some mighty blows. We are still strong and have the capacity to advance upon their so called capital at Oxford when the time is right. Meanwhile our fleet is active and has swept the sea clear of royalist privateers. We control the Channel and continue to supply our forces in coastal garrisons which in turn hold down far larger forces of our enemies. In this way we weaken our foes while building up our forces under Waller and Essex to take part in what we are sure will be the final acts of this tragic war.

Published in the broadsheet " ARGUS PANOPTES

"A brief but balanced account concerning the Branham fight (3/3/1644)" " Following an overheard conversation by a French merchant (Monsr.Junot) and further discussion with the aforesaid individual it appears that Lord Newcastle's reported speech to his troops glosses over certain facts that when known give a very different slant on what actually happened at Branham on 3rd. March. While sheltering in the Golden Lion tavern at Branham, Monsr. Junot (aged 38 from Calais) had a good view of the action on the Parliamentarian left flank and left centre.He reports that he personally saw 4 Royalist regiments of Horse and 5 regiments of foot routed with heavy losses and in the process taking at least 3 other foot regiments with them. Monsr. Junot also reports seeing a high ranking officer (Newcastle?) being carried from the field on a litter. Monsr. Junot is of the firm opinion that it was only advent of nightfall that prevented the total destruction of the remaining Royalist troops by the Parliamentary troops (who had only suffered light losses). Monsr. Junot made one final point about the outcome of the fight which was that it was the Royalist army that withdrew, under the cover of night, to Weatherby and subsequently to the safety of York's wall, while Parliament remained at Branham at least until it became obvious that the Royalists would not be coming back for more. Good reader we here at the "Argus" strive to provide the truth about this calamitous civil war and hope this account from a "neutral" source has helped you all to make your own mind up who "won" the Battle of Branham.

The Kirk's rallying cry

Scottish people, in the past few days, very bad news has come for You. The treacherous Marquis of Montrose has raised their arms against the true protestant faith and against his land itself. Allying with our ancestral enemy, the King of England, and with his eyes blinded by his ambition, he raised an army and marched against his fatherland. He take, thanks to surprise and brutal strenght, the city of Glasgow, where the few defenders are forced to leave to save our population from a blood bath and from destruction. Now, scottish people, the true faith and your lives are in great perilous. We call you, Scottish People, to flow to the flags of the Kirk to defend what your ancestors Robert The Bruce and Wallace has gained for you with their lives !! We call you, Scottish people, to raise your weapons against the traitors and the invaders, to claim the indipendence of scotland !! We are sure that you, the people of Scotland, you will know how to punish the traitors, and with God on your side, reaffirm the glory and independence of Scotland. The elders of the kirk.

20 March 1644

News is filtering through of momentous events across the land. The Scots have seized Newcastle after the captain defending the city accepted terms allowing his men to march out bearing arms- and so avoid unnecessary bloodshed. About the same time further north, Montrose was accepting the surrender of Glasgow as the merchants in the lightly defended city prevailed on him and his mainly English army to avoid spilling Scots blood. In Shrewsbury the undefended Royalist town was seized in a daring raid by Brereton. His next move in the largely quiet areas of the west midlands and cheshire or gloucestershire are awaited with interest

9 March in Scotland

The Royal Standard was raised at Dumfries by Montrose. His army of 5000 men marches on Glasgow... or so they say The Declaration: Scots, I am now in arms for his Majesty on the same principle as I have been in arms for the Covenant: for the defence and maintenance of the true Protestant religion, his Majesty's just and sacred authority, the fundamental laws and privileges of Parliament, the peace and freedom of the oppressed and enthralled subject. Knew I not perfectly his Majesty's intentions to be such, and so real as is already expressed, I should never have embarked myself at all in his service. Nor, did I but see the least appearance of his Majesty's change from these resolutions or any of them, I should never continue longer my faithful endeavour in it. James Graham, Marquess of Montrose, Earl of Kincairn, Lord Græme, Baron of Montdeu, Lieutenant-Governor and Captain-General for His Majesty of the kingdom of Scotland Montrose