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A74245
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The fourth intelligence from Reading. Dated from his Excellency his quarters in Reading, April the last, at 5 a clock at night. Wherein is the certain relation of the taking of Hereford by Sir William Waller.
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1643
(1643)
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Thomason E100_7; ESTC P1069
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2,780
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8
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Mercurius Bellicus The fourth INTELLIGENCE FROM READING Dated from His Excellency His Quarters in Reading April the last at 5 a clock at night Wherein is the certain Relation of the taking of HEREFORD by Sir William Waller London Printed for Samuel Gellibrand May 1. 1643. Mercurius Bellicus April 30. Sir I Think you have now been sufficiently abused by variety of reports I shall spend some time in your relief Our friends doubtlesse some through kindnes some through curiosity desire to know how we do It s true our present Vacation affords not much but something you will finde observable since my last of April 26. On Thursday toward noon we entred the Town of Reading out of which we saw and some upon account justifie above 4000 men march well armed and for ought we know resolved if men can be well resolved in such a cause I occasioned some wonder that being so strong they sallied not and that they yeelded the Towne when doubtlesse they might have kept it the best reason of the surrender I can finde upon enquirie is this That the Governour who was equallie covetous and cruell together with some of the chief Commanders who had made very great gain of Plunders and Taxes were afraid to put it to the hazard Which opinion I am confirmed in by the certain relation we had of an endeavour to convey it away two dayes before the Parley I believe your Oxford Mercury will tell you a sad storie of our breach of the agreement and the incivility of our Souldiers It s confest some things were not well but worse was feared and upon a just enquiry themselves will be found the first breakers of the Articles in carrying away unlawfull Baggage besides women of which that great though not good store as Arms and Ammunition to spare some of the Pike-men carried Powder and Match and their Waggons unlawfullie loaden The worst was done was the changing hats taking away some Arms and some unruly fellows took clothes which I know no man will excuse I am sure the Officers and all those from whom reason might be expected did their utmost to prevent it Upon the entrance of the Town we finde the people had been used with more then Turkish severity being frequently bastinadoed imprisoned assessed 2000 pounds a Month according to the known Laws of the Land which the Governour was well skill'd in in regard oâ— his familiarity with a Lawyers wife where he quartâ—red They seem very glad of our coming but not willing to entertain any Propositions of Money according to the Ordinances of Parliament which yet must not be neglected in some proportion though we came but to the latter fair On Friday we had experience of a mutinous disposition in our Souldiers who began to plunder some notorious malignants but His Excellency who rode out three times that day once from dinner to appease and prevent them and the Major Generall and other Officers did their best to hinder it and there was little hurt done onely in the Shop of one Duell a man of ill fame as to this businesse The winde is now down and the waves still the 12s reward promised being performed on Saturday the new pay-masters entred their Office by Commission which I hope will be digested though it lie upon the stomack a while Your next expectation is when we advance that is mine too some of our Commanders are at London I need not tell you their Errand only suggest better any thing on this side ruine done or suffered then we lie still at this present This day was appointed for a thanksgiving for the preservation prosperous state of the Army which was much quickned by intelligence received from Devon Hereford From Devonshire we had news of my Lord Stamfords forces routing Hoptons but there was such a rout and confusion in the letter so that I can make no perfect relation onely give grounds of good hopes of our affairs in those parts But from Hereford where Sir William Waller is we had a happy and exact Relation which to my best remembrance is this That upon Sunday last he marched from Gloucester toward Hereford with his forces to quiet that Country before he came this way He shot three Peeces at the City on Munday morning and then summon'd it by a Trumpet to which Cunningsby their Governour returned this answer That if he could shew a Commission from the King they would surrender it to him otherwise they would keep it for him Thereupon he assaulted the Town in three severall places and some sallies and contestations there were but before three of the clock their Sallie was turned to a Parley and two were sent out of the Town to Sir William Waller who sent likewise two to them offering them Quarter and no more Herbert Price a Commander there came out and brought other Articles with some high language but Sir William stuck strictly to his first Proposition which after some injurious detention of his Hostages they yeelded to only their Courtship would have some complementall formes added to his rough demand That Gentlemen should have Quarter and civill usage Ladies be treated honorably the Citizens Bishop Dean and Chapter preserved from Plunder and not imprisoned for any thing past That Arms Ensigns Ammunition and the Government of the Town should be surrendred to him which was done on Tuseday morning Hee tooke some persons of quality as Conningsby Price Sir William Crofts Sir Richard Cave and others the Lord Scudamore who was not sent to Gloucester with the rest but his honorable word taken to appear at the Close Committee upon summons and all this through mercy with the losse of one man hurt of 3 or 4 souldiers so wonderfully doth God go along with the endeavors of this valiant vigilant CoÌ„mander But let us now take heed of giving way to the fraud of our enemies who strive to draw out of every advantage a disadvantage to us and to set up a part of an Army in opposition to that Army whereof it is a part As I hope we shall be free from envy so be you from jealousie That the terms of Reading were not the like with Hereford Reading was better Fortified and manned had an Army of the enemy neere for reliefe and which is very considerable We upon whose welfare the being of this Cause doth much depend to speak of humane means must not be so adventurous as others may who upon a misfortune may addresse to us for supplies we to none else Let us blesse God for each other and you for us both if you help on our march I hope we shall meet ere long upon good terms I can adde little concerning the enemy The King is gone from Wallingford to Oxford He calls in the people from sixteen to sixty and all kind of Arms They have at this present more than a pannicke feare upon them one man gave them an Alarm at Wallingford on Satturday that confounded the consultations of the Councell of Warre then sitting and dispersed them We have some intimations of the KINGS advancing for Wiltshire The Earle of Stamford sent us a letter intercepted to Hopton commanding to March to horse his Muskets Pikes too according to the example of the Rebels who swept the Commoâ—â— where they came an unjust slander the letter was writ in Tiffany with another letter signed Charles R. Wherein it is likewise promised That upon his approach a considerable party of horse shall be sent to strengthen his passage through Somersetshire but I hope this is prevented We intercepted some Letters which extreamly mis-report our affairs but that is no more than we expected though I hope more than will be believed They were going into Wiltshire with a protection for some persons there against the time that the Kings Forces should march that way I know no more of consequence for the present with things impertinent triviall or of suspected truth I will not trouble you but rest till the next opportunitie FINIS