they might fear him and love him and be acquainted with his Son who is theirs and our life The County is all cleerly reduced except Pendennis Helford and the Mount which the very Countrey I hope will bee willing to reduce themselves Feymouth Harbour is free to us we have taken St. Mawes Castle with Twelve peices of Ordnance in it and one called the Roaring-Meg a choice peice of brasse the Generall is sending Eastward some of his forces towards Barnstable and Exeter and intends having blockt up Pendennis to return himself There came two out of Exeter to us who caried in Propositions with them and of Barnstable we hope to give a good account shortly At Foy upon Munday last we took a ship called the Greene Knight having 16 peices of Ordnance and richly laden they being ignorant that the Harbour was ours Your Affaires have a good complexion upon them at present and doubtlesse whilest you imploy good men they will be good for you I have observed in the whole Tract of this Western Work divers promises fulfilled As that the Lord would send an Hornet amongst them that is a Spirit of fear and that they shall fly when none pursues them wee could seldome make them stand anywhere they never offered to beat up a Guard of ours at any time though they had Four Thousand â—ighting Horse I had been tould in their quarters where I lay as 3. times my lot was to lie in Hoptons own quarters in bed where they tould me upon everie Alarme the shâ—â—kings of Belshazer was up on them one passage aboue the rest was this 40. of them lieing in an house at Saint Austeâ— two Coults that were feeding upon a Common in a could night came for shelter to the side of the house â—hey tookâ— an Alarme within charged the Coults to stand but they not understand the Language kept on their way put them to such a fight that they tumbled one upon the back of another to get away Sometimes I thought of that promise in the first Psalme that they shall be scattered as Chaffe before the winde they are gone into severall Countries Sometimes the Lord saith he will bring his wheele upon them and break them we saw their power broken their Councells broken their intrests broken their expectations broken who would have broke the verie Axeltree of the State Sometimes I thought of the Prophesy when the Lord saith he would powre contempt upon Princes especiallie when I read writings from tâ—e Prince thus dated at our Court at Sillie And though he be unwilling to play with words yeâ— I could wish that that place and name might ever be the portion of those that councell Princes to their own Ruin Jncedit inscilam cupiens vitare quietem Manie of such like punishes have been fulfilled in our fight And now I must be thankfull to those Gentlemen of this House that have beene carefull for Moneyes Cloathes and Ammunition for the Army being the Sinewes of Our Worke and yet must complaine that after many Letters written from place to place we have not had one ship from the Parliament upon the Coast to joine with us in any Designe or to meet the Enemie vvhen they vvent avvay vvith their Welsh onely Captain Plunkets Ship lying at Plimmouth was willing to do their utmost and Sir George Aâ—scugh that commands the expedition brought us the last money to Foy and is earnestlie seeking out vvhich way to serve us to the uttermost I would say something for my selfe and yet so prove an Atâ—mbe as not worth a minute of your time though you have been pleased to bear with my rudenesse Since my last being in the City I have beene by some represented as one scandalizing of others which as it hath no truth in it so I blesse God that there is a Parliament to appeale unto and I know not the cause hereof but from my forwardnesse and faithfulnesse to the Work in hand This I am bold to say Though it should be accompted a Crime to serve the Parliament and I might be sory for the Despiers wâ—ich it shall never make me weary of my Duty nor my Masters If in my death the State might be a gainer I have sometimes thought I might be willing to come to that trial if my life may serve you you may command it for I must make the same profession that he did to Caesar that your former favours have done me that injurie that I must live and die ungratefull These are my last Requests and the very sithings of my soule that First since the Spirit of God hath done all your Workes for you that Spirit may never be sadded by you that glads yours It hath been an old Jesuiticall practise to beat Religion with Religions I say no more Secondly that you may live to see that Top stone laid to which you may all cry grace grace Thirdly And lastly That when your soules shall sit upon your trembling lips and take care of your bodies your accompts may be as comfortable as your pains have beene in defatigable and more So prayes HUGH PETERS We hear for certain that Greenvill Culpepper Sir Nicholas Crisp and divers others are in France Hopton and Wentworth and divers others were going from Penthancts thither on Tuesday last the French and others have leave to take shipping at Plymouth 20 or 30 are allowed to go tâ— the King divers Irish and Welsh are gone into Pendennis where there are many distractions and Sir Henry Killegrew most vilde and violent who upon Sunday last burnt the ancient house of that name called Arwennock now belonging to Sir Peter Killegrew The Prince remains still in Scillie expecting what end his Father will make with the Parliament The same day a Letter was sent to Mr. Peters as followeth Mr. Peters THE House of Commons have commanded me to give you notice that they have appointed a Day of Thansgiving for these blessings upon our Armies upon Thursday come Sennight and that they have desired your selfe and Mr. Carel to Preach upon that Day at Christ-Church Your affectionate Friend OL. St. JOHN Satterday the 21. of March 1645. Mr. Peters being to preach at Brides Sunday the 22. of March a paper was delivered to him of News which Major Temple who was in the fight brought of the routing of Sir Jacob Ashley of which here followeth a Copie This morning March 21. Col. Morgan his Forces with the Forces of Sir William Brereton who were joined the night before fell upon Sir Jacob Ashley and all his Forces intended for Oxford to joine with the King and at Stow in the Oulds in Gloucester-shire after a sore conflict on both sides Sir Jacob was totally routed himfelf and 1500. taken prisoners and their Cariages out word was God be our guide the word of the Enemies was Patrick and George Stow March 21. 1645. FJNJS
Master Peters MESSUAGE FROM Sir Thomas Fairfax Delivered in both Houses of the Lords and Commons in Parliament Assembled With the whole state of the West and all the particulars about the disbanding of the Princes and Sir Ralph Hoptons Army Also the totall routing of Sir Jacob Ashley himselfe and 1500. taken Prisoners their Carriages and Ammunition also taken by Colonell Morgan and Sir William Brereton Commanded to be printed at the desire of divers Members of Parliament and published according to Order LONDON Printed for Matthew Walbancke 22 March 1645. Master Peters Messuage from Sir Thomas Fairfax Master Speaker AFter the Lord had appeared for our Army at Torrington and had written his name in such visible characters before the faces of many counsell was taken to pursue the Enemy into Cornwall and the rather because the scattering of that body of Horse would after an especiall manner promote our future designes not onely in order to Exceter but also to our Easterne imployment I shall therefore give you an accompt first of the steps we made into Cornwall secondly of the state of the Country thirdly the condition of the Enemy fourthly of our owne Army Upon our advance the Generall gave me a Commission to apply my self to all means and expedients I could think of for the stopping of the East parts of Cornwall from rising and joyning with the Enemies Horse Foot being that which the Enemy onely wanted and those they brought to Torrington blown into severall parts and scattered with a purpose not to appeare againe Accordingly I rid to Plymouth though not without much difficulty riding forty miles very neer the Enemies Guards I dealt at Plymouth with the Governour and the Committee there who offered me all their furtherances had Passes of them for any I should imploy into Cornwall and was much engaged to Mr. Raw of that place a discreete able man and industrious who undertooke to agitate my desiâ—nes with the Enemy and deserves exceeding well for his faithfulnesse and wisdome therein When I was thus thoughtfull how to ingage the Cornish Foot from rising in the East whose example would have had a present influence on all the County it pleased the Lord to send in one out of Cornwall of very good quality and much interessed who came disguized into Plymouth having the same designe with my self for strong affections to the Parliament and their Cause assuring me that 3000. men stood ready to joine with the Enemies Horse yet that there were good hopes that the leaders being rightly informed might not onely prevent it but conditionally close with us Their chiefes were old Master Colliton Colonell Edgcomb of Mount Edgcomb Master Thomas Lowre and Lieutenant Colonell Scawen To these I applyed my self by writing and declared what I had in Commission from the Generall and sent it by the party by me imployed who returned again and gave me hopes and yet professed much jealousie on their part for the true performance on what I promised and therefore to shorten my worke I offered my selfe an Hostage to them till the Generall should make good what I promised By the next return they invited me into Cornwall where foure of them should be ready in the behalfe of themselves and others to treate with me and as they saw cause to accompany me to the Generall I adventured over to them and there found Master Corriton M. Thomas Lowre M. Glanvill the eldest Son of Serjeant Glanvill and Major Trevise who being perswaded of the truth of what I had engaged my self for were perswaded to go to the Generall with me and truly I found them very ingenuous who had long before distasted the Court way and abhorred the practises of many of the Kings party By this time the Generall had entred Cornwall and at Stratton our men beate up a Guard of the Enemies and took 300. Horse these Cornish Gentlemen finding my words made good unto them were much convinced and affected receiving from the Generall Protections for themselves and that side of the Country against the violence of our Souldiers as also Letters of recommendation to the Parliament for this their service which tooke such effect that not onely these 3000. men ready for their march retired to their houses but also the whole County where we came either came in to us or sate still and truly these Easterne Gentlemen are very considerable and I am perswaded the old Master Coriton who suffered for Magna Charta with Sir John Elliot will returne to his interest againe with many more of them Upon our advance the Enemy retreated the Generall lay at Bodman to refresh our men and to undeceive the County if by any means we might which the Lord himself was pleased to help us in even to wonder by an Irish Frigot coming into Padstow and bringing Letters to Hopton and others from the Earl of Glamorgan that â—esuited Papist assuring them of ten thousand Irish ready for England These Letters the Generall commanded me to read at a great meeting of the Country men in a field neere Bodman which had such successe that the arguments I used unto them and what I read was received with divers acclamations Upon this day fortnight a strong Party of ours was sent out to fall upon their maine Guard under the command of that honest and worthy Gentleman Col. Rich who accordingly met with one thousand of the Enemies Horse routed them and put them to flight and tooke two hundred Horses and one hundred Prisoners amongst whom Master Generall Perts who is since dead of his wounds in whose pocket a copy of a Letter to the Princes Counsell about him was found to this purpose That the Kings condition is so low is not our fault we are not able to breake through the Enemy nor strong enough to fight them therefore are resolved to compound for our selves and leave you to doe what you please Sir it came from the Military part Divers small skirmishes we had with them Lieutenant Generall Cromwell himselfe with some of his horses are setting out Parties and Guards and attending their motions adventured himselfe according to his wonted manner and now the Enemies head Quarter being at Truro and their chiefe strength not above five or sixe miles from us the Generall resolving to fight them or drive them to the Sea sent them such Propositions with a Summons as he did conceive would take off much of their Forces and bring them all to a sudden agreement and upon the sending of these advanced still forward and in our advance they met us with a desire of a Treaty which accordingly was yeelded unto and held sixe daies there being matters not a few to be considered of as appears by the Articles Upon the last Lords Day upon a Downe a mile from Truro after I had Preached to our men and divers of the Enemies they began to deliver up their Armes and Horses The first Regiment was a French Regiment under the command of Mounsier
Laplane on Sunday last yet I must much commend the civility of our Souldiers herein that they let them passe without mocking or jeering or offering any affronts to them On Munday there were three Brigades more disbanded and on Tuesday the rest according to the Articles If it shall be objected That the Generall dealt too gently with the County or the Souldiery part there I answer 1 That the constitution of both the one and the other required it the Souldiers being a strong Party and in the Enemies Country 2 The people needed it and the same weapon proved their cure that made their wound Hoptons moderation civility that first deceived them and the Generals now joyned with faithfulnesse tooke the scales from their eyes 3 That we have all this year found it our advantage 4 Meeknesse sweetnesse and courage have been alwaies stirring in our Generall for digniority we know that Caesar dando sublenando ignoscendo gloriam adeptus est but of the Generall we may say by the like meanes Patriam bene adeptus est 5 We beleeve that the Conduct of this Army delight not to drinke blood 6 The Parliaments aimes are not destructive but reductive 7 We look upon it as the Spirit of Christ in these latter times and of the New Testament to save and not to ruine and the Heathen could say Magnanimo satis est praedam prostrasse leoni Pugna suum finem cum jacet hostis habet And this I am bold to adde That such is the Providence of God that if we had fought and beaten them we should not have scattered them as now they are God hath restrained from the Enemies themselves this acknowledgement that their Gods is not like ours their men not like ours their Actions not like ours the very words of one of their chiefe Commanders were these That their men counselled with drinke in their heads ours with wit in their heads our men silently prosecuted and effected their worke their men vapoured and did nothing we had a Conduct and Counsell they acted without both yea that this Army was not to be fought against And all the Enemy are engaged never to take up Armes against the Parliament except some very few onely For the Country the Gentry came almost all in unto us the Cornish Souldiers brought us and laid downe their Armes at the Generalls foot many of them professing they would but goe home and attend him Some of the Arguments I used in speaking and preaching to them in their publike Assemblies were First for the Parliament they did as a Iustice of Peace sent out a Counstable to apprehended such as had broake the civill Peace The Cunstable beaten back from his office hath more helpe sent him Towne and Cuntry who are re-resolved to pursue his disturbers our taking up of Armes was not against Cornish men nor any perticular men nor any perticular County but against such as disturbed both them and us which if they deliver them to us we had the end of our travells Secondly I used an Argument of utily wishing them to consider how they could subject without trade which are from the City of London and other parts of the Kingdome Thirdly What havock the Irish and French might make upon them if they landed of which Gorings desperadoes have given them a taste Fourthly How comfortably and safe they might live under the Parliament who are loath to loose such a Tribe as they were Fifthly I answered a common murmuring amongst them that their Country was never conquered They were tould that our Army was never conquered neither and yet we were willing to wrestle with them in their one way by embracing and huging of them they should conquer us and we would conquer them we would win the day and they should gaine the field or their fields If they lost a service Bâ—â—ke they shâ—uld have a better worship Sixthly was from experience the were wished to tract all the Parliaments proceedings and the Armies in other Counties whether they had had better Ministers and better Magistrates placed then before Seventhly was taken from the practise of the enemie and this quaerie was put to them what good the enemy had done for them whether their Examples and Practises Councels and indeavours had led â—hem to more holinesse justnesse and exactnesse Many of them confessed they were received by ill reports brought of the Parliament and the crueltyes of this Army by Hoptons flateries and the Courtiers and by the Kings and Princes Personall apperance amongst them and by their promises to them honouring of them as more perticular appears by this Dâ—claration of the Kings hanged up in every Church in the Country CHARLES R. WEE are so highly sensible of the extraordinary merit of Our County of Cornwall of the zeale for the Defence of Our Person and the just Rights of Our Crown in a time when We could contribute so little to Our owne Defence or to their Assistance in a time when not onely no Reward appeared but great and probable dangers were threatned to Obedience and Loyalty of their great and eminent Courage and Patience in their indefatigable Prosecution of their great Work against so potent an Enemy block't with so strong rich and populous Cities and so plentifully furnished and supplyed with Men Arms Money Ammunition and Provision of all kinds And of the wonderfull successe with which it hath pleased Almighty God though with the losse of some most eminent Persons who shall never be forgotten by Vs to reward their Loyalty and Patience by many strange Victories over their and Our Enemies in despight of all humane Probability and all imaginable disadvantages That as Wee cannot be forgetfull of so great deserts so We cannot but desire to publish to all the World and perpetuate to all Time the Memory of these their merits and of Our acceptance of the same And to that end Wee doe hereby render Our Royall thankes to that Our County in the most publike and most lasting manner We can devise commanding Copies hereof to be Printed and published and one of them to be read in every Church and Chappell therein and to be kept for ever as a Record in the same That as long as the History of these Times and of this Nation shall continue the memory of how much that County hath merited from Vs and Our Crowne may be derived with it to Posterity Given at Our Campe at Sudeley Castle the Tenth of September 1643. And lastly their lude and ungodly Ministers had councelled them and exampled them to the greatest part of their misery I make no doubt they may prove a People of Gods praise may they but enjoy a faithfull Magistracie and Ministry for which my most earnest and humble request is to this Honourable House me thinkes they cry at every Gate bread bread for the Lords sake I wish there were some Evangelicall Ministers in each County of the Kingdom that poor People might know there is a God that