Awake up our glorie awake Psalterie and Harp and let us all awake right early thus to blesse and magnifie the Lord. For through our God wee shall doe valiantly and it is he that shall tread down our enemies under our feet But now to goe on About the beginning of this November our most prudent Parliamentarie Statists wisely considering and most circumspectly advising on the inveterate malice and mischievous designes of the Oxonian Atheists against the Parliament and Cities of London and Westminster as hath been foreshewn they therefore past an Ordinance of Parliament wherein they declared that they held it most fit and necessary for the better setling and securing of the state of this distracted and much dilacerated Kingdome that all such Committees as were then nominated in the said Ordinance all Colonells Captaines and other Officers and well-affected persons inhabitants of the Counties of Hampshire the Town and Countie of Southampton Surrey Sussex and Kent shall and may associate themselves and mutually ayd succour support and assist one another in the mutuall defence and preservation of themselves from the inroades and outrages of the Kings Cormâ—rants and have power thereby given them to raise forces of horse and foot to suppress and expell all such forces as are or shall be raised in the said severall Counties to levie war against the Parliament or that shall make any insurrections or shall plunder or destroy any of his Majesties good subjects in those Counties And the Lord Generall the Earl of Eâ—â—ex was thereby desired to grant a Commission to that most valiant and renowned Commander Sir William Waller to command in chief as Serjeant Major Generall of all such forces raised in the said Counties the happie and successfull issues of which said association you shall now shortly have in their succeeding proper places And that the world might see and all Malignants mouthes be stopt if it were possible to doe it the godly and Christian care of this most renowned and pious Parliament not onely at home but abroad also providing for the welfare of forein English Plantations our most prudent and provident Parliamentarie Senators set forth an Ordinance of Parliament whereby that most noble renowned loyall and pious patriot Robert Earl of Warwick was made Governour in chief and Lord high Admirall of all those Islands and Plantations inhabited planted or belonging to any of his Majesties the King of Englands Subjects within the bounds and upon the coasts of America which said Ordinance for the Readers better satisfaction and full content therein I have thought fit heer to insert and interlace An Ordinance of the Lords and Commons assembled in PARLIAMENT Die Jovis Novemb. 2. 1643. VVHereas many thousands of the natives and good Subjects of this Kingdome of England through the oppression of the Prelates and other ill affected Ministers and Officers of State have of late yeeres to their great griefe and miserable hardship been inforced to transplant themselves and their families into severall Islands and other remote and desolate parts of the West-Indies and having there through exceeding great labour and industry with the blessing of God obtained for themselves and their families some competent and convenient meanes of maintenance and subsistance so that they are now in a reasonable well setled and peaceable condition But fearing lest the outragious malice of Papists and other ill-affected persons should reach unto them in their poor and low but as yet peaceable condition and having been informed that there hath been lately procured from His Majesty severall grants under the great Seale for erecting some new Governours and Commanders amongst the said Planters in their aforementioned Plantations Whereupon the said Planters Adventurers Owners of Land in the said forein Plantations have preferred their Petition unto this present Parliament that for the better securing of them and their present Estates there obtained through so much extreame labour and difficulty they might have some such Governours and government as should be approved of and confirmed by the authoritie of both Houses of Parliament Which Petition of theirs the Lords and Commons having taken into consideration and finding it of great importance both to the safety and preservation of the aforesaid Natives and Subjects of this Kingdome as well from all forain invasions and oppressions as from their own intestine distractions and disturbances as also much tending to the honour and advantage of His Majesties Dominions have though fit and doe heerby constitute and ordaine Robert Earle of Warwick Governour in chiefe and Lord high Admirall of all those Islands and other Plantations inhabited planted or belonging to any His Majesties the King of Englands Subjects or which hereafter may be inhabited planted or belonging to them within the bounds and upon the coasts of America And for the more effectuall speedier and easier transaction of this so weighty and important a businesse which concernes the well-being and preservation of so many of the distressed Natives of this and other His Majesties Dominions The Lords and Commons have thought fit that Philip Earle of Pembrook Edward Earl of Manchester William Viscount Say and Seale Philip Lord Wharton John Lord Roberts Members of the House of Peeres Sir Gilbert Gerard Knight and Baronet Sir Arthur Haselrigg Baronet Sir Henry Vane junior Knight Sir Benjamin Rudyer Knight John Pym Oliver Cromwell Dennis Bond Myles Corbet Cornelius Holland Samuel Vassall John Rolls and William Spurstow Esquires Members of the House of Commons shall be Commissioners to joyn in ayd and assistance with the said Earl of Warwick chief Governour and Admirall of the said Plantations which chief Governour together with the said Commissioners or any four of them shall heerby â—avâ— power and authority to provide for order and dispose all things which they shall from time to time finde most fit and advantageous to the well-governing securing strengthning and preserving of the said Plantations and chiefly to the preservation and advancement of the true Protestant Religion amongst the said planters inhabitants and the further enlargement and spreading of the Gospel of Christ amongst those that yet remain there in great and miserable blindnesse and ignorance And for the better advancement of this so great a work It is heerby further ordained by the said Lords and Commons That the aforesaid Governour and Commissioners shall heerby have power and authority upon all weighty important occasions which may concern the good and safety of the aforesaid Planters to call unto their advice and assistance therein any other of the aforesaid Planters Owners of Land or Inhabitants of the said Islands and Plantations which shall then be within twenty miles of the place where the said Commissioners shall then be and shall have power and authority to send for view and make use of all such Records Books and Papers which doe or may concern any of the said Plantations And because the well-setling and establishing of such Officers and Governours as
made some great shot against the House which caused a parley while the parley was some shot was made from the House which hurt or killed two of Coventrymen Whereupon they left parling and instantly fell to battering the House whereby they kill'd divers of them within and forcibly made their way into the House took about 80 prisoners some horse and all the plunder of the House so returned safely to Coventry Shortly after they issued out again under the command of Colonell Boswell and marched to Bewley-House which was one Mr Sheldens being a very strong hold on the edge of Warwickshire but in the County of Worcester which the enemy had strongly fortified But in brief Coventry forces forced their passage and surprized it and the whole garrison and much wealth and rich pillage therein and all the Irish-Rogues whom they found there they put to the sword and victoriously returned safely home again Much also about the same time namely the beginning of this instant Ianuarie 1643. it pleased the Lord the great and glorious searcher of hearts and discoverer of the most secret and deepest designes of the most politick and pernicious enemies of his Church and children to bless our Kingdome and Parliament in the timely revelation of a very dangerous plot and conspiracie under a pretence of Propositions for peace forâ—ooth to which end there was a new Cross-Petition contrived under a colour of accommodating the differences between the King and the Parliament but thereby in very deed to destroy the Parliament by dividing the City of London from it and by such a combustion to prevent the coming in of the Scots to the ayd and assistance of the Kingdome and Parliament Now the parties who were prime promoters and machinators of this plot were Colonell Read a Jesuiticall Papist and a great Commander in the Rebellion in Ireland and a prisoner to the Parliament but released and then residing at Oxford Sir Basill Brook a notorious Papist also and personally acting also in that Irish-rebellion and a prisoner to the Parliament and who to make his aboad at London the firmer and more immoveable contrived as I was credibly enformed to have an Execution for debt layd upon him that thus without suspect or molestation he might actuate at London in the plot One Mr Violet or rather stinking Varlet a most malignant Goldsmith or rather a Projector in that trade And one Mr Riley a Citizen of London Scout-Master Generall for the Citie of London who had the name and reputation of an honest religious man but in the issue of this discourse will be found to appear either a very simple fool or a notorious hypocrite and down-right deep dissembler The place of meeting was at the three-Cranes in the Vintrie and at The Man in the Moon The way and manner of contrivance thereof was first that Mr Riley being in much credit in the Citie must be a means to get this Irish-Rebell Read out of prison by whose meanes for the better effecting of their plot he being at liberty an address was easily made to my Lord Generall that one Captain Read a poor old man taken by the Earl of Manchesters forces tonight be exchanged for one that was a Quarter-Master for the Parliaments armie and then in prison at Oxford and was a Scout of Mr Rileys Now my Lord Generall relyed so much on the supposed integrity of Mr Riley that he forthwith granted his Exchange and the Rebell-Read was thereby presently released But before this Read departed out of the City He Mr Riley and Sir Basill Brook had conference together about this designe and it was agreed that Colonell Read should direct his letters to Mr Riley by the name of The Man in the Moon and that one Mr Wood should be the Messenger between London and Oxford This Wood being an apprentice of London living then in the Stocks Read being come to Oxford propounds the designe to his Majestie who instantly called to advise with him the Queen the Lord Digbie a proclaimed traytor and the Dutchess of Buckingham the Arch-Prelate of Canterburies convert forsooth wife to the great Irish-Rebell the Earl of Antrim then at Oxford His Majestie with these rebells and traytors contrived what they should propound to the City to beget Propositions for Peace just such an intended peace as Bynions should have been and thereupon they concluded to write to the City that his Majesty was resolved to maintain the Protestant Religion and that in as ample manner as the Irish-rebells and atheisticall traytors thus admitted to be of his Majesties Cabinet Councell would or could require his Majestie to settle it for the good and content of the whole Kingdome the clean contrary-way Now at the first time of their generall meeting they concluded of the draught of a Letter to the Lord Major and Court of Aldermen from his Majestie full of expressions of love to encompasse the designe to his loyall Subjects the Citizens of London though traytors rebells a little before and this was dispatched by Wood with a Letter from Colonell Read to Mr Riley by the name of the man in the Moon to passe over his Majesties Letter with Sir Basill Brook to put it into such words as they should think fit but Read writ in his Letter to Riley that what he did he should do it quickly for it must be done and concluded before the Scots come in or not at all and withall writ to have Violet set at liberty to come to Oxford to seek an exchange that he might passe to and fro on this occasion They met accordingly and concluded of the Letter for his Majesty to signe of some Propositions Violet was the Clerk that writ them Sir Basill Brook and Mr Riley as was enformed contrived them Mr Riley loses no time but applies himself to Sir Arthur Hasâ—erig and propounds Mr Violet in exchange for a brother of his Mr Hasterig prisoner to the pretended Lord Loughborough commonly called Master Hastings and to have leave to goe to Oxford Sir Arthur thinking Mr Riley to be the man he was reputed to be gave way and his libertie was obtained to goe to Oxford to solicite this exchange Violet goes accordingly carries with him the Letter for the King to subscribe and other Instructions and as by his Examination he confesseth he imparted the same onely to the King Queen Dutchess of Buckingham Colonell Read and the Lord Digby who all met together and that he stayed not seven houres in Oxford but returned with the Letter directed to the Lord Major and Aldermen signed by his Majestie under his signet Violet returned and the Letters being imparted to Mr Riley and Sir Basill Brook means was used how to engage others in the plot whereupon Violet attempted to sound Sir David Watkins and soon came to the bottom of honest Sir Davids judgement who told him he did like well of
any Aid or Assistance to the maintenance of that unnaturall War raised against the Parliament And all pardons granted to any such person or persons And all other Acts or things whatsoever contrary to or in derogation of the Proceedings of both or either of the Houses of Parliament which have passed under the said Great Seal since the removall thereof from the Parliament shall be and are heerby declared to be utterly Invalid void and of none effect to all intents and purposes And that all and every act or thing which after the publication of this Ordinance shall passe by or under the said Great Seal or under any Great Seal of England other than what is heerby appointed and established shall be utterly voyd frustrate and of no effect and every person or persons which shall put the same in use or shall claime any thing thereby shall be held and adjudged a publique Enemy of this State And be it further Ordained by the said Lords and Commons that a great Seal of England already by them made and provided shall be forthwith put in use and shall be and is hereby authorized and established to be of like force power and validity to all intents and purposes as any Great Seal of England hath been or ought to be And that it shall be put into the hands and custody of the persons hereafter named who are heerby Ordained Commissioners for that purpose that is to say John Earl of Rutland and Oliver Earl of Bullingbrooke Members of the House of Peers and Oliver St Johns Esquire His Majesties Solicitor Generall John Wilde Sergeant at Law Samuel Brown and Edmund Prideaux Esquires Members of the House of Commons which said persons or any three or more of them whereof one Member or more of the Lords House also one Member or more of the House of Commons shall be present shall have and are heerby Authorized to have the Keeping Ordering and disposing thereof as also all such and the like Power and Authoritie as any Lord Chancellour or Lord Keeper or Commissioner of the Great Seal for the time being hath had used or ought to have Ordered by the Commons in Parliament that this Declaration Touching the Great Seal be forthwith printed and published H Elsynge Cler. Parl. D. Com. And for the more legall and authentick proceeding heerin the Parliament swore a new Clerk of the Crown Mr Willis the late Clerk of the Crown and Mr Augar his deputy having absented themselves who as soon as he was sworn according to the Act for a trienniall Parliament did swear those Commissioners of the Great Seal as that act doth direct every Lord Keeper or Commissioners of the Great Seal to swear when they enter upon the custody of the Seal Thus prudently and providently was this business of so great weight and consequence carried And now to proceed Although it pleased the Lord that that most noble and renowned Commander Sir William Waller had not that success at Basing-House in Hampshire by reason of the most impregnable strength of the baracadoes and fortifications in and about it which was expected and bravely endeavoured Yet about the midle of this November wee had credible information by Letters from thence that before Sir William had drawn his foot forces from before the said Basing-House and voluntarily raised that Siege Sir William having certain intelligence of the arrivall of the Lord Saulton a Scotish Popish Lord on Sussex coasts who had been in France to promove the Popish designes in England and was now landed and making for Oxford but was happily met with about Newbery by the troopes of horse sent out by Sir William to way-lay him where they apprehended him and about ten or twelve horse with him together with a summe of about 4000 li in money as was most credibly enformed with whom also were found Letters of great importance and concernment who with his Letters was forthwith safely sent up to London to the Parliament to be secured in safe custody by them About the 20th of November 1643. a Letter was sent to the honourable House of Commons in Parliament and directed to the honourable William Lenthall Esquire Speaker of the said House concerning a great fight at Mount Stamford neer Plimouth at which fight though the said Fort was lost to the enemie yet in regard of the brave defence of it and the singular good event which notwithstanding the loss thereof it produced I have heer most justly thought fit to insert the relation of it as a rare Parliamentarie-Mercie as it was sent in a Letter I say to the Speaker of the House of Commons in Parliament together with the Copie of a Vow and Covenant which the Deputie Lievtenants Commanders Townsmen and Souldiers took to live and die in the defence of the Town of Plimouth which were as followeth The Copie of a Letter sent from the Commander in chief of the Town and Port of Plimouth to the Honourable William Lenthall Esquire Speaker of the House of Commons concerning the great fight at Mount Stamford SIR SInce my last unto you of the 28th of October 1643. the enemie hath pressed hard upon us against Mount Stamford workes with their great Ordnance and began to play against the same on the Sabbath day last being the 5th of November hoping by that means to perform what the hellish plot of the Popish-Gunpowder-Treason should have done They played so hard against it all that day with batteries and it being not any way made to endure the same that some of our Guns they dismounted and some clogged with earth which fell upon them so as wee could not make use of any of them in so much that on the morrow they surrounded the Worke fell on with all their strength of Horse and Foot upon all quarters yet the chiefe Commander of the Fort behaved himselfe so bravely that three times he forced them to retreat and could wee have got any indifferent reliefe over the Water in any reasonable time wee had kept the Fort. Yet neverthelesse the Enemy sent a Parley three times before the Captain would accept of it Then conditions were made That all Souldiers should march away with their Armes flying Colours and Bullet in their mouths and that the Captain should have any one piece of Ordnance away that he would make choice of The Enemy lost foure or five Captaines before the Fort besides divers other Officers and many Souldiers Wee lost at that time no Officer of note onely one Lievtenant killed with a great shot and divers Souldiers taken prisoners which were all exchanged the next day for some of their own men that we had formerly taken I beleeve they will not brag much of their victory by getting that Worke for wee are now better and in more safety in the Towne than before For wee were forced to keepe a Leager there and continually to relieve them so that our men were forced to very hard duty to keepe all the
Lastly The taking of Hilsden-House which a week before the garrison of Ailesbury attempted but could not take after which time and before wee endeavoured it the enemie had sent in two or three loads of ammunition Where were taken above 200 prisoners about 12 barrels of powder and proportionable Match all their armes and about 50 horse Which service was much to the ease and comfort of the poor Inhabitants of the almost wasted Countie of Buckingham which was oppressed by them and by the countenance of which House great summes of money and contributions were raised both for themselves and Oxford and a regiment of foot and the completing Colo. Smiths regiment of horse was speedily intended Where also were taken men of qualitie Sir Alexander Deinton and the said Colonell Smith besides two field Officers and divers Captains Now these things have been thus particularly heer recited not for vain ostentation nor that any honour should be given to any person or to our forces but that by thus commemorating particulars the hearts of Gods people might be enlarged and quickned in sinceritie to give God onely the glory due to him alone and to encourage other Counties also to the like activitie and performances Januarie the 26th 1643. there was a conference of both Houses where severall Letters and Warrants were read by the Earl of Manchester the Lord Wharton discovering a desperate designe agitated between the Earl of Bristoll and Serjeant Major Ogle sometime a prisoner in Winchester-House during which time he sent Letters and held correspondence with the Earl of Bristoll at Oxford who proposed unto him that the onely way to disturb the Parliament and Citie would be to make a division between the Presbyterians and the Independents this latter indeed proving an unhappie Remera in the otherwise most hopefull progress of the business of setling a holy Apostolicall Discipline Church-government Anabaptists Brownists Separatists for which purpose he advised him to deal with some Divines to declare unto them that they should perswade the people that the Presbyterian Government would be worse than the English high Commission or Spanish Inquisition Upon which Serjeant Major Ogle sent for Mr Nye Mr John Goodwin to whom he discovered all the matter and withall shewed how they might prevent the coming in of the Scots by infusing into the peoples heads and hearts if possible especially the trained Bands of the Citie whom they desired most of all to divide such instigations as these That they came to alter our Religion to possess themselves of our estates and tye the weak consciences of their Presbyterie which would be worse than Episcopacy But Mr Nye and Mr Goodwin declared the designe to some Members of the Parliament who advised them to hold correspondency with them and to sift out the intentions of the Courtat Oxford how far forth the King would condescend to libertie of Conscience if they would side and comply with him Whereupon they proceeded so far that severall Propositions were drawn up it was agreed the King should grant a toleration of their Independencie or any thing they would desire in that way upon condition they would adhere to him and resist the Presbyteriall and Scotch government Ogle during the agitation of these things was much encouraged by the Earl of Bristoll and order was taken by his advice with one Mr Crispe a Citizen of London to pay unto Ogle an 100 li for his good service At last a Letter was procured under his Majesties hand to Mr Devonish Keeper of Winchester-House to release the said Ogle out of prison Which he first informing the Parliament and being advised that to do accordingly performed it Whereupon Ogle being released got to Oxford Whence he and the Earl of Bristoll sent divers Letters to the said Ministers others to encourage them to the work promising that Mr Nye should be his Majesties Chaplain and severall other Independents should be highly preferred rewarded In fine Letters were procured under the Kings hand for a safe conduct to four men to treat of these affaires but by Gods good providence this plot perished and came to nought even in the very Embryo of it About a short time after there was another designe agitated between Bristoll and Ogle to betray Windsor-Castle into the Kings hands which in brief was thus They had dealt with Mr Devonish again the Keeper of Winchester-House as aforesaid conceiving at the enlargement of Ogle that he was at their disposall that he should labour to prevail with the Parliament that a partie of horse should be raised which should be entertained in Windsor-Castle for the safeguard of it and so making a partie in it should surrender it to the enemie who should be ready on notice given to second it and take strong possession of it And for the better effecting of this there were Letters read signed with the Kings own hand on the top and subscribed at the bottome Ogle as if he had been his Majesties Secretarie thus to encourage Devonish to that attempt But he honestly and faithfully revealing all this intercourse also to the Parliament their designe proved frustrate and perished God be praised ere it came to its wickedly intended maturitie About the foresaid 26th also of Jan. 1643. came certain intelligence from Aylesbury by a Post to our most noble and renowned Lord Generall signifying by letters then sent that an armie from Oxford of about four or five thousand horse and foot were within seven miles of Aylesbury marching toward the Town but the next day came other Letters certifying the certainty and substance of the business which was this There having lately been some difference and flight discontent between Lievtenant Colonell Mosley and some other Commanders of Aylesbury and the Lievtenant coming to London upon some occasions of his own was closed withall by some of Oxford factors for treachery then resident in secret at London and in particular the foresaid Serjeant Major Ogle who was now it seemes grown an apt Scholler and deep proficient in the School of treachery who having intelligence of Colonell Moselyes foresaid discontent took the boldness to deal with this honest and wise Lievtenant Colonell about the delivery up of Aylesbury to the Kings forces the discreet and loyall Lievtenant Colonell at the very first carrying the business very smoothly cunningly Ogle and his complices at last finding him as they hop'd pliant and coming on strake in with him to purpose and after divers meetings the bargain came to be confirmed and a 1000li. must be the reward to deliver up Aylesbury whereof he had an 100li. in hand paid unto him and a brave horse and sword together with safe conduct under the Kings own hand for himself and all that he should bring with him who should all be preferred to places of command in the Kings seruice The business was to be put in execution on the
to fall upon them and ease the Towne of them left the Siege totally and made hast away for feare of being taken as in a trap betweene the Town and the Generals Army as anone you shall hear most exactly and fully related About the beginning also of this instant Iune came certaine Information by Letters from that most pious Patriot Sir Wil. Armine Dated at Sunderland May 22th That the noble and religiously affected Earle of Callender having about a Moneth since entred the Kingdome out of Scotland as a second or reserve to the greater Armie of our Brethren of Scotland was about this time entred into Northumberland and had got possession of Morpeth-castle in the said County his Army then consisting of about 8 or 10000 men That by treachery between the Governour of the Southshields and the Mayor of Newcastle the Southshields was surrendred to the enemy without stricking one blow And that there was a Plot for the betraying of Sunderland also to the Enemy which being by Gods mercy timely discovered by the Seamen that lay upon the River with much difficulty they planted two Pieces of Ordnance commodiously and betaking themselves to their Armes they made good the passage repulsed the Enemy with strong hand and so secured the place against them For which excellent piece of service the Parliament Ordered that 200 l. should be given among them as a gratuity and the Captaine that had the command of the Shields was laid in hould till he also might have a just reward by a Councill of War for his said treachery Much also about the same time Letters were read in the House of Commons in Parliament from the Gentrie of Wales therein supplycating the House that Captaine Swanley that brave Sea-Commander an eminent person and famous for his good service in those parts as hath been already fully related might speedily returne unto them and continue Commander in Chiefe among them Whereupon it was speedily Ordered that the Leopard the Swallow and the Providence which he brought to the Downes with him should be forthwith re-victualed and that he should bee instantly recommended unto Wales as was desired and being in person called to the Barr in the Commons House of Parliament he had thanks returned for his good Service done and as a token of their good affection toward him and for his better encouragement it was Ordered That a Chaine of Gold of 200 l. value should be given to him and another of an 100 l. to Captaine Smith his valiant Vice Admirall A brave way to spur the Spirits of valiant Souldiers thus to engrave Characters of honour on their former famous and well-deserving Services The King as we all too well know made an agreement with his abominable Irish Canibals at Oxford to grant them a Parliament in Ireland of their own packing of Popish Natives and other such like most impious immunities and they having received their dispatch at Oxford went away for Ireland with great devillish joy and impious content to their hellish hearts But yet his Majesty and his accursed Councill would not permit the honest and well-affected Agents for the miserable and oppressed Protestants in Ireland to have favourable admittance to the King nor so much as to know what he had condescended unto it being so much against them But it pleased the Lord very shortly after to manifest to the world that he thrived and prospered accordingly For his Excellencie the Parliaments Lord Generall came thither with such a potent Army against Oxford and gave them there such a sudden alarme that Oxford proved too hot an habitation for his Majestie to reside in so that he was glad to fly after his beloved Irish-Rebels and to leave Oxford in a very distracted condition For upon Munday Iune the 3d 1644. about 12 of the Clocke at night he was glad to horse and away some 30 Coaches with Luggages and Court-baggages accompanying him and some of those Shee-Creatures crying out that they left their Iewels behinde them for haste and thus the next day they got to Burford where the King refreshed himselfe his Ladies and Souldiers but for a matter of two houres space for noble Sir William Waller comming at the same time to Whitney five miles distant gave them a sodaine and sound alarm whereat they all most frightfully cryed out to horse to horse away away and his Majestie with his naked Sword in his hand rode all about the Town to hasten his men away many of whom as 't was well known being more willing to stay behind and run to the Parliaments L. Generall the noble Earle of Essex than to serve his Majestie any longer Ah sad effects but most just reward of following such wicked Counsell and wretched Counsellours and oh the admirable justice of our most righteous God! in thus prosecuting the wilfull workers of iniquity with terrours and disgrace And here observe besides to this purpose what admirable operation this forlorne condition of the Enemies of Truth had upon the Councells of the Parliament and City of London For an Ordinance of Parliament was presently hereupon passed for the enabling of valiant and renowned Colonell Brown that noble Citizen who had done much most excellent service both in suppressing the Kentish Rebellion and at the battell neer Alsford where Hopton received such a fatall defeat as he could never recover nor recruit himself to this day to Command in chiefe as Major Generall of all the forces raised and to be raised for the reducing of Oxford Wallingford Greenland house and Banbury and of all other forces raised for the setling in peace of the Counties of Oxford Berks and Buckingham with power to use and exercise Martiall-Law according to the rules put forth by his Excellency the Earl of Essex the Parliaments Lord Generall About the 4th of this instant we had certain intelligence that noble Sir William Waller being in pursuite of those whom his Excellency the Lord Generalls horse had moved and pricked faster forward in their flight than they were willing and it comming speedily also to the knowledge of that most valiant and active Commander Col. Massey he presently also fell into martiall action and with a considerable party marched valiantly to Tewkesbury and after a slender dispute about it became master of it and with very little losse on his side slew Colonell Godfrey and a Quarter-master Gen. to that Runagado Wilmot a rancke Papist tooke Lieutenant Colonell Mynne prisoner and other Officers and Souldiers together with 300 new Pikes severall other Armes 18 Barrels of powder and other good purchase left in the Town and placed a garrison therein to prevent the Kings Army from reliefe there in case they should move that way About the 6th of this instant we were credibly informed that at a place called Parrishaw a Town about 7 miles from Worcester in the mid way between Evesham and Worcester the Kings forces passing or