House yet when they came into that House they were very eagerly opposed and the House continued sitting untill nine at night in hope such men as durst declare themselves to be well-affected would be wearied with their long debates and they of the malignant faction might there carry matters upon that advantage as they had done formerly But finding that they sate it out and carried it for the Propositions by the major part they had no other way to effect the businesse then to returne againe to their former practices and bring downe their City Club-men to awe the Members of both Houses and repeale those Votes And so accordingly they did For the next day being Sunday last they had so fashioned and prepared their partie in the City of London that printed Bills were set up on the Church dores and somewhat you must think was done in the Pulpits too a copie whereof wee here offer you All such as desire there may be a generall raising of the people against those Irish Rebels and blood thirsty Papists now in Armes fully purposing to destroy us our Religion Lawes and Liberties are desired to meet at Westminster Hall to morrow morning by nine of the clocke being the seventh day of this instant August to move the Parliament that this may be put in speedy execution Twenty thousand Irish Rebels are appointed to come over against us According to which intimation the Rabble came in such multitudes and with so great clamour that such of the Lords and Commons who had favoured the Propositions were forced to take boate and make hast towards Kingston where the Earle of Essex then lay with that part of his Forces which Gods hand and the Kings sword had left alive conceiving that the declaring of themselves in favour of him of which you heard at full before had beene sufficient to oblige him fast unto their partie But contrary to their hopes and expectation they found him so resolved for the other side as they were faine to dispose otherwise of themselves And it is said that notwithstanding those indignities which have beene offered to him by the City faction he is so much inclined that way that upon notice sent unto him that the women had made an uproare in demand of peace he sent some Troops of Horse amongst them and killed three of them for which and some other former courtesies that sex will ever honour him and his posterity On Wednesday last a partee of Horse about fifty were sent out from Banbury towards Towceter commanded by Captaine James Chamberlaine twenty of this number divided and went towards Northampton the other thirty within lesse then a mile of Towceter met with the Rebels Forces in number about one hundred and twenty commanded by Captaine Lawson which though they had so great advantage in number yet Captaine Chamberlaine very valiantly charged through them with part of his men his Rere falling off from him and with that small strength maintained a sharpe fight with them above halfe an hower wherein he received many wounds and at last was shot dead through the head and one of his men also Of the Rebels there are at least 20 sore wounded as by intelligence from Northampton where they are is certified and five were carried away behind them dead from the place one left on the ground and Captain Lawson himselfe wounded This gentleman was the youngest brother to Sir Thomas Chamberlaine now high Shriffe of this County and was in most of the principall Fights at Worcester Keynion Brainsford c. where his valour was eminently manifested and by this last action wherein he lost his life hath added further to the honour of that worthy and loyall Family FRIDAY August 11. This day wee were certified by Letters from Yorke that about foure hundred of the Rebels of Lancashire came stealing into Yorkshire hoping to have surprized some of His Majesties horse quarters about Halifax which being timely perceived by Sir Francis Mackworth he fell upon them and routed them killed above forty in the place and tooke fifty the rest as they were taught ran away and escaped by the advantage of the place At Coventry they pull downe many houses of the Suburbs and tell the people that the Kings Army is marching towards them with twenty pieces of Ordnance and they had some reason for this day we received an expresse that his Majesty yesterday sate downe before Gloucester and sent in a most Gracious Summons to the City in these very words Out of our tender Compassion to Our City of Glocester and that it may not receive Prejudice by Our Army which We cannot prevent if We be compelled to assault it We are personally come before it to require the same and are graciously pleased to let all the Inhabitants of and all other Persons within that City as well Souldiers as others know That if they shall immediatly submit themselves and deliver this our City to Vs we are contented freely and absolutely to pardon every one of them without exception And doe assure them in the word of a KING that they nor any of them shall receive the least Dammage or Prejudice by our Army in their Persons or Estates But that we will appoint such a Governour and a moderate Garrison to reside there as shall be both for the ease and security of that City and that whole County But if they shall neglect this Profer of Grace and Favour and compell Vs by the Power of Our Army to reduce that place which by the helpe of God We doubt not We shall be easily and shortly able to do they must thank themselves for all the Calamities and Miseries must befall them To this Message We expect a cleere and positive Answere within two houres after the publishing hereof And by these presents doe give leave to any Persons safely to repaire to and returne from Vs whom that City shall desire to imploy unto Vs in that businesse And doe require all the Officers and Souldiers of Our Army quietly to suffer them to passe accordingly But this Rebellious City answered that they would obey His Majesties commands as they were signified by the two Houses of Parliament And now let the world judge if His Majestie could have sent a more Gracious Message to His most Loyall Subjects and whether these desperate Rebels deserve any mercy who after so many offers do still refuse a pardon But since their returning this Rebellious Answer they have set their owne Suburbs on fire which surely is not to keepe the City either for the KING or Parliament Yet His Majesties Forces quenched the fire and in spight of the Rebells entred the Suburbs where still they are and have already raised Mounts and digged trenches so neare the City wall that I dare promise you God willing a very speedy account of the siege of Gloucester SATURDAY August 12. This day newes was brought to Town of Sir William Waller's extraordinary progresse in raising the great Army intended
August 19. 1643. Ordered by the Commons in Parliament assembled That this Ordinance bee forthwith printed and published H. Elsynge Cler. Parl. D. Com. COLONELL FIENNES LETTER TO MY LORD GENERAL CONCERNING BRISTOL This is licenced and entred according to Order LONDON Printed by T. P. and M. S. for Thomas Vnderhill 1643. COLONELL FYNES Letter to my Lord Generall concerning BRISTOLL May it please your Excellencie SInce the surrender of Bristoll of which I desire to give an account before a Councell of War I could not get any means to send to your Excellencie and I would not have written at this time but have my selfe waited upon your Excellencie but that I finde it necessary for me to stay here a day or two to cleare my selfe of such aspersions as are most unworthily laid upon me in this Citie when I kept the Town so farre beyond the enemies expectation that they began to beleeve we had gotten some fresh forces into the Citie and held a solemne counsell of warre the results whereof I have being found in Colonell Burkes pocket whom we slew amongst divers other Colonels and Officers of qualitie whether they should proceed to fall upon the town by way of assault or by way of approach My Lord I held that large Town with a handful of men against a greater Armie then ever yet the King had together foure dayes being continually almost assaulted both by day and by night and stormed by them in eight or nine places together in so furious manner as the like was never yet done in England and the losse that they have received doth testifie as much For there are neere a thousand of them slain and maimed besides a great many of their chiefe Officers amongst the rest Coll-Lunsford Coll. Buck Coll. Trevanian Sir Nicholas Slaning and divers others and yet we lost not above eight men in service and none of quality The enemy was provided with all sorts of Fire-works as Granadoes Fire-pikes and the like and with Waines full of Faggots and broad Scaling Ladders whereon foure or six might climb up on a breast and they made use of all those in a most desperate way driving their wains of faggots into the ditches and climbing up with their Fire pikes and granadoes in their hands to the very portalls of our great Ordnance yet they were beaten back in 8 or 9 places together and entred only in one place where the works were not perfected there being no ditch as yet made nor any foot-bank within side the breastworks notwithstanding all this and that they had entred the suburbs and drawn the whole body of their foot to that place yet our Souldiers sallied out both Horse and Foot upon them as they lay in the suburbs and beat them back from street to street an hour and halfe together but being overlaid with fresh companies one seconding another wherein we were not able to answer them though they beat the enemy back most courageously at the first insomuch that many of them ran away threw down their Arms and cried for quarter yet being long overborn with fresh men which the enemy still drew down upon them they were forced to retreat into the town and then and not till then the Souldiers began to be disheartned and whether out of wearinesse or being discouraged having been 5 dayes nights together constantly upon duty and in fight without any reliefe for we could make no reserves they began to slink away from their Colours and Guards and get into houses do what their Officers could so that of 14. Companies I could not make 120 men although I proclaimed that all those that were upon the Guards should repaire to their Guards and those that were not should repaire to the Marsh and that there they should receive both money and victuals but I could not get them to their Colours or Guards although the enemy lay ready on the other side of the Key which at low water which then it began to be may be waded over to fall over into the Town and no doubt in that condition that our guards were then in both upon the Key and in the Marsh they might in lesse then halfe an houre have fallen into the Town by force and used their pleasures both upon the Souldiers and upon the Citizens Finding our selves in this condition I called a councell of warre at which also Sir John Horner Mr. Stevens and other Gentlemen of the Countrey were present I proposed to them our condition and besides laid open to them what store we had of Ammunition that we had not of powder above 25 French barrels and of match for above a dayes space that the Castle it selfe the works not being finished was not tenable above a day or two for that the maine wall would be battered in two severall places and that we had no expectation of reliefe against such a potent Army wherewith we were besieged in one two or three workes At the same instant Mr. Major and the Sheriffes did earnestly intreat us that seeing we could not keep the place we would not ruine so famous a Citie to no purpose nor expose so many mens persons and estates to violence and plundering Vpon all these considerations it was unanimously resolved that we should entertain a treaty with the enemy and that if we could have reasonable conditions that it were far better to save so many Commanders and Souldiers both of Horse and Foot and so many honest mens persons and estates as well of our friends in the Citie as of Gentlemen and others that came out of the countries adjacent then to expose them all to destruction by attempting in a furious and mad way to defend the towne or Castle for two or three dayes if we could have held it so long without any hope of holding them any longer for I will put it upon that issue and without any hope or expectation of any reliefe within that time or a longer time after Vpon the treaty all things almost which we demanded we obtained excepting the Arms of the common Souldiers and our Colours which being poynts of honour I was resolved to have insisted upon and so we brake off for a while But upon the earnest suit of the Major and Citizens and others called together my Officers and fell into a serious debate concerning it And when I was very resolute not to quit the point very many of my Captains came in and told us that they could not get six of their Companies together and that they ran away apace to the enemy over the Key it being now low water whereby they not only shewed to the enemy that our men were disheartned and that they should have found but slender opposition but also they shewed them the way how they might readily fall over into the Towne so soon as the treaty should break off which undoubtedly they had done and given us little leave to retreat into the Castle or anywhere else I must confesse this
in question which had beene given them by the House and used all cunning Artifices and underhand devices not to have it passe yet it was carried in the end the Lords concurring also in it and nominating a Committee of their House to the same intent Which hath begot such true fears jealousies raised such a distrust of one another that it is thought the Houses will be too hot for some potent Members who heretofore did governe the affaires of both and were as uncontroulable amongst them there as ever were the Tribunes in the State of Rome Last of all for the Armies it was thus advertised that the Earle of Essex finding himselfe abused in Pictures censured in Pulpits dishonoured in the table-talke of the common people and a designe on foot of raising a new Army under the conduct of Sir William Waller which would soone put an end unto his authority made complaint of it to the Lords by them to be communicated to the other House requiring that his Army be forthwith paid and furnished with cloathes and all other necessaries his broken and diseased Forces presently recruited reparation to be given him in point of honour for all the calumnies and scandals which falsely as he saith have been laid upon him that Waller be called to an accompt for the losse of his Forces in the West and finally that no Commission may be issued out to any one to have the charge and conduct of any Forces but by his authority Which bold demands though very unwelcome to the Citie-faction in the Lower House who had resolved otherwise amongst themselves yet the Lords ordered for their parts referring the payment and clothing of the Souldiers to the care of the Commons that his Army should be first recruited before any other Forces raised that he and his Army should have reparation by a Declaration of both Houses for all the scandals vented against them that the miscarriage of the businesse in the West should be examined and the blame laid on those whom it did belong to and finally that whosoever was appointed to any charge or command should take his Commission from his Excellencie onely and depend on him and that he should have power to call backe such Commissions as hee saw occasion And it is further certified that though these Votes may give content unto the Generall which was the matter most intended yet doe they yet much displease the faction in the House of Commons and infinitely distast the Citizens who are resolved to raise neither men nor money if Waller may not have ordering and disposing of them and this they sticking not to say openly as they walke the Streetes And on the other side Waller and those who have before served under him are so inraged by these Votes that an implacable and deadly feud is very like to grow amongst them so as there is some hope when these plundering theeves once fall out true men will come the sooner to their goods MONDAY Aug. 7. We have beene long in the intelligence of the former day but shall be breifer in the next the most of which comes from London also For it was certified from thence that they were more disanimated at the losse of Bristol when first the newes was suffered to be knowne amongst them then at all their former losses in the North and West and that assoone as the newes came unto the Houses the prevalent faction there gave Exeter for as good as lost especially since the Earle of Warwicke was come thence with his fleete and had done nothing towards the releife of it but added much unto their desperate condition by being so shamefully repulsed And it was also certified that they had other feares which did more afflict them upon the sight of certaine letters from the Major of Plimmouth to the Earle of Warwicke in which was signified that Sir Alexander Carew and Master Thomas Arundell their Governours of the Fort Island of Plimmouth were suspected to incline unto the King which did so startle them that presently they caused letters to be sent unto them commanding them as Members of the House of Commons to returne to Westminster to doe their service to the House But it was thought the Gentlemen had heard too much of Hotham to put themselves into their hands who shew so little favour unto those that deserved best of them in their present Rebellion It was also certified from Bristol that for a speedier ending of the siege of Exeter and the totall reducing of the West under His Majesties command that so his Armies might unite for some other service Prince Maurice with the Cornish forces and some troopes of horse with many gallant Gentlemen who would needes attend him in the Action was gone towards Devonshire whose going thither as it was generally conceived would quickely put an end to that businesse As also that for the setling of the affaires of Bristol His Majesty had made that noble and deserving Gentleman Sir Ralph Hopton Governour of the towne and Castle and under him that valiant Colon VVashington Lieutenant Governour of the Castle to the generall content of all men It was also signified from London that this last weeke hath beene a terrible weeke of newes to that falling faction For besides the deadly newes from Bristol the losse whereof doth more astonish them then all the rest of their misfortunes in the North and West and that they have given Exeter for as good as lost they have beene miserably vexed with Letters from Gloucester Coventry and Warwicke complaining of their severall wants but specially of the backwardnesse of the people to make good those places or contribute to the worke as formerly since this change of things and plainly signifying that unlesse speedy supplies be sent of Men Armes and Money neither of which the pretended Houses can afford them at the present time they are not able to hold out against His Majesties Forces but of necessity must give up those Townes on the first assault TUESDAY August 8. It was advertised this day that the prevailing party in the House of Commons had refused to concurre to many of the Votes which had beene passed by the Lords in favour of the Earle of Essex which breedes ill bloud not onely betwixt them and the Lords but betwixt the Soldierie and them and that considering that no Commission must be granted but by and from the Earle of Essex the Independent Army which was so much talked of is come to nothing insomuch that Sir William Waller hath not yet listed above 600 of the 20000 which the City promised him And it is further certified that the towne is very much divided about the businesse of Bristol some imputing the losse of it to Fines and some to Waller according as they stand affected to either party and that the disputation grew to so great an height betweene Sir William and my Lord Say who you must thinke would not allow his sonne to be a
for him You heard before how the good women flocked to Westminster on Tuesday last to cry out for peace three of the which were killed directly in the place and thirteene or fourteene more most shrewdly wounded And the next day to shew the men were better studied in the point then so came downe some 5 or 6000 of the usuall hacksters which had beene alwayes ready for such purposes at a minutes warning and they cryed No peace And being told by some who were appointed to returne the Answer that they who were for the continuance of the Warre as every one of them seemed to be should goe to Haberdashers Hall and there list themselves under the conduct and command of Sir William Waller it wrought so much upon the courage of those gallant spirits Reader thou canst not choose but wonder at such monstrous forwardnesse that of 5000 men which would have no peace no fewer then fifteene sturdy fellowes in words at length and not in figures listed their names upon the Roll to pursue the Warre And some of those perhaps may see Gloucester one day It was advertised this day also that 200 of the Rebels by the appointment of Sir William Brereton have laid siege to Eccleshall Castle in Staffordshire an house belonging to the Lord Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield the greatest part of those who are shut up in it being Ladies and Gentlewomen of that County who purposely came thither to secure themselves in these times of danger And that they are so gallantly resolved upon it that though their victuals doe begin to faile already they meane to stand upon their guard and defend the place in hope His Majestie will relieve them e're it come to that as long as they have horse flesh water and old leather left to preserve nature Which as it shewes the bravery and courage of those noble Ladies so is it an infallible argument of the incivility and rudenesse of those barbarous Rebels who regard neither sex nor quality of persons from whom the best that can be looked for is more unsufferable then the miseries of warre and famine This day there came to Towne from London the Earle of Lindsey Lord Great Chamberlaine of England and Sir George Radcliffe the first tooke Prisoner at Edge-hill the second made a Prisoner by appointment of the House of Commons at the beginning of this Parliament but by what meanes and accident they are at liberty is not yet made knowne to mee But because the Rebels are now so farre vanquished that they dispaire of their designes they resolve like bloudy cowards to make use of all base advantages for which end they are now beginning to ship away beyond sea such of His Majesties good Subjects as are in their custody and wee were this day informed that Mudford alias Murford that infamous Brownisticall Governour of Southampton hath this weeke taken a learned ingenuous Gentleman one Mr Jones of Lincolnes Inne and others out of Prison and sent them by sea to New-England or some such other place as the Devill and they think fittest for their punishment making the said Master Jones to passe through the streets by his owne doore but would not suffer him to take leave or speake with his Wife or any other friend or Kinsman to furnish him with linnen and other necessaries for this unexpected voyage and that yesterday their brother Rebels at London conveyed Colonell Goring Sir George Sands Sir John Goodrick and other gentlemen three or foure Coaches full to the water side on ship-board there to lye under hatches like slaves of Argiers exspecting every hower how this barbarous bloudy faction will dispose of them Nor is this strange if you consider their devotion for this aforesaid Mudford sent up his Levite into the pulpit at Southampton to move the people to take the New Covenant who like a Priest of their Religion fell on cursing praying they call it in these very words Blesse the King O Lord mollifie his hard heart which delighteth in bloud open his eyes that he may see that the bloud of thy Saints is deare in thy sight He is fallen from faith in thee and become an enemy to thy Church Is it not He that hath sinned and done evill indeed but as for these sheep what have they done Let thine hand we pray thee O Lord our God be on Him and on His Fathers house but not on thy people that they should be plagued And to let you see both Priest and people are of the same profession Saint-barbe himselfe after he had taken the Covenant said aloud before many witnesses that he had rather see the Kingdome in a flame then that the King should prevaile against this cause they have undertaken This is pure Protestant Religion such as their brother Judas scarce findes among the damned And it was also signified by Letters from Winchester that this aforesaid Murford in pursuance of his former threats to the Prentises of South-hampton whereof you heard last weeke for refusing to take the rebellious new Covenant sent one Thornborough Riggs and divers others to Portsmouth where they are lodged in such a dungeon as they are not able to stand upright but are forced to doe their necessary acts of nature in the same place where the poore men must make their lodging And yet the Newes-men at London have the impudence to tell us in print that no body hath beene punished for refusing their Covenant And in the same Letters it is advertised that the Maior of Southampton a very ancient man is so over awed by this Murford that being lately come from the two Houses whose prisoner he hath beene these eleven weekes for his loyalty to his Soveraigne hee must not now be suffered to goe out of the Towne gates but every common Souldier by Murfords command forceth him backe again in such contempt is the Kings Lieutenant amongst this faction and all this out of Whitehead of Portsmouth his malice to the Maior because he would not deliver the keyes of the Towne to him when hee demanded them for the two Houses the good old Maior being a Jerâ—y man answering him Me no hang for you Master Whitehead you hang for your selfe This day also we received a copy of Isaack Pennington's Petition against peace though moulded and penned by John Pym himselfe desiring the House of Commons or rather commanding them to persist in this warre though they perish in the worke and tendring a forme of an Ordinance to presse and force every man rich and poore excepting some few to take Armes for this cause or pay ten pounds a peece which accordingly was voted and the Petitioners had thankes returned them from the House This day wee saw a printed Ordinance from the two pretended Houses for the speedy raysing and levying of a weekly contribution towards the maintenance of their Army to be paid by the severall Counties and Cities of this Kingdome for two moneths together as for example the Citie of Chester is to pay weekly unto the two Houses 62l The County of Cornwall 625l The Citie of Yorke 62l The County of Salop 375l The Citie of Lichfield 5l Bristol 55l Worcester 16l The County of Worcester 500l Oxford 400l If the worthy Members will come to these places the money lyes ready for them The Earle of Northampton this weeke intercepted divers Letters from London wherein we see such pretty devices as the Brethren use to cheat one another One writes That 3000 Cavaleirs were slaine at the taking of Bristol Another That Waller will be 30000 Horse and 20000 Foot Another Thâ—â— Waller is 8000 strong already Another That 20000 Scotâ— are come as far as Barwicke Another That the Scots will not come because the Citizens have no money Another That all is lost except spirituall comfort Another That the Earle of Essex would have all their Souldiers leave their Garrisons and come away with their Armes lest they be all taken by the King Another That Gloucester cannot be relieved Another That the rotten Lords a pretty-pretty epithete would now have Peace Another That now they must no longer trust in the Parliament Another That the losse of Bristol hath discovered many false hearts who onely had creature-confidence Another That to vote for peace now was like the plot of the Trojan horse and like Saul to fly in distresse to the Witch of Endor with a world more of such excellent expressions as doe trouble me to want paper for them And the Printed Newes-men are this weeke turn'd Preachers urging Scripture in place of Newes against fainting in tribulation yet ever and anon sprinkling a lye as 1. That the Lord Digby hath one Troope of Spanish Papists My Lord thankes you for raising a new Troope for him but hee thinkes you meane the Walloones at Fulham allowed to have Masse by the Close Committee 2. That the Lord Willoughby of Parham's Souldiers marched out of Gainsborough with all their Armes You were cudgelled for this the last weeke and yet you are at it againe 3. That the King commands to kill men for fearing God for labouring to murther him in the feare of God feare God obey the Parliament 4. That Sir William Waller hath many thousands of men yes at Round-way Downe 5. That those men are most of them good lusty Butchers to knocke downe the Oxe at Kingston 6. That Sir William went in triumph to Butchers Hall neare Newgate he went himselfe now but next time he shall be brought to Newgate Lastly That the Close Committee had newes that Dorchester Weymouth and Lincolne were delivered up to the Kings Forces and yet were not disheartned at it I thinke it would please them to see one another hang'd which God for his mercies sake c. FINIS