AS our sorrow hath encreased of late dayes, by reason of the unfaithfulnesse of Co­lonell Goring, so our joy doth much more abound by reason of the comfortable tydings here arrived from the Towne of Portsmouth, which after some small time treating upon the proceedings of the adjoyning County thereabouts. I will relate in a most true and exact manner of the taking of the said Towne of Portsmouth againe by the aide and assistance of the well affected people neere the Isle of Wight, which said Towne I hope will bee restored into the Parliaments power and autho­rity, [Page 2]so that they may place such Commanders and well affected Subjects as sh [...]ll venture their precious blood for the keeping and maintaining of the same against all those that shall presume or offer to make any attempt against it, and that they may be such persons as the Parliament may confide in, which we make no question but that the Parliament so soone as the said Towne is resigned up to them, that they will place such worthy Members of the Protestant Religion, that they shall not betray the truth and trust that is reposed in them by these our worthy and Honourable Senators; but because I will not trespasse too farre upon the Readers patience, I will proceed and relate the resolution and pro­ceedings of the adjoyning Counties neere Ports­mouth, which was to this effect, That when the Inhabitants thereof saw that Colonell Goring had proved false contrary to the Parliaments suspition, they immediately began to raise For­ces, and daily beat up their Drums for Volun­teers, and the Lieutenants of the adjoyning Counties, when they had raised about the number of 3000. men, they marched towards Portsmouth, and Colonell Goring having made great Fortifi­cations and Bulwarks neere the Bridge, which is distant from the Towne three miles, but our men being endewed with much courage assalted the same, and after some ten shots made against [Page 3]it, they beat downe the Workes that were made by Colonell Goring, who having otained the same, they marched about the Towne about the space of 7. miles, but being not satisfied, and in great rage against the said Colonell, they unani­mously resolved to assemble together at a place called Deskets Greene, five miles from Ports­mouth, who having consulted a great while upon many matters of high consequence, they resol­ved to march against the Castle at Portsmouth, but first they resolved to joyne with the Towne, and then to plant Ordnance on the Walls: And the Inhabitants of Wiltshire propounded these following Propositions to the Gentry of the Towne.

• 1. That they would be pleased to joyne with them.
• 2. That they would be pleased to the utter­most of their power to suppresse all those that they they thought ill-affected within the Town, and that they would give them such command that they should depart the Towne in two dayes. space.

And lastly, that they would bee pleased to make a generall Speech in the Towne for Armes and Ammunition, that so by that meanes they might be the abler to defend themselves against the Castle.

which propositions were well agreeing to the minds of the Gentry of the Towne, and gave them much content, and after some time spent in perusing of them, they returned this Answer, That for their love and affection, which they plainely manifested to the fore-going propositi­ons, they gave them much thanks with a concur­rence therein: And upon the 22. of this month the Inhabitants of the Towne, having planted their Ordnance according as they thought fitting discharged against the Castle, and at the first shot they shot downe one of the Forts, which Colonell Goring seeing, plaid against them with much furious courage, insomuch that there was a great and bloudy battell fought betwixt them, and for the space of nine houres they discharged very thicke one against the other, and it is sup­posed that Colonell Goring hath lost a great number of men, but none of ours being spent in this Fight, the said Colonell sounded a parley and desired that their might be a cessation for some certaine time, but the Inhabitants would not agree thereto, but still continued their con­tinued and constant resolution towards the Parliament, and vowed either to win the Castle or to lose their lives, but when that Colonell Goring saw they would not agree that there should be a cessation for some certaine time and knowing no other way but to fight or dye, en­couraged [Page 5]his men as much as possibly he could, and spoke these following words unto them. Gentlemen, you now see that Fortune doth a little frowne upon us, but yet if wee doe our endeavours and fight with courage, no question but we shall ob­taine the victory and escape the edge of the sword, now shew your selves like men and sight with mee, for as long as this hand is able to hold a sword, and these legges to beare my body, I will never yeeld, neither will I cease from using the best skill I have to preserve you all, for now you must either gaine Honour or Defame. His Souldiers having heard these words of their Lord and Master, resolved to fight it out to the last man, and thereupon be­gan to play with extraordinary courage against the Towne walls, but all was in vaine, for the Gentlemen that stood for the Parliament stood for the Parliament couragiously, and plyed shot very hard against them, but both sides being ve­ry weary by reason of the long continuance of the Fight, they left for some certaine time there being neere upon a hundred men slaine of Co­lonell Gorings, and not above twenty at the most of the Parliaments; and it is thought they doe intend to make another onset against the Castle within these few dayes, for it is credibly repor­ted to both Houses of Parliament, that there is now great possibility of taking the Towne which God send those tydings to this City.

The Parliament being informed of Marquesse Hertfords intention to come and assist Goring, sent away Sir Iohn Merricks Regiment, and one Troop of Horse, which upon Tuesday last joyn­ed with the rest of the Forces before Portsmouth as also did a Trained Band of Hampshire joyntly with the other Forces, to oppose Marquesse Hertford and his strength, in case they should come: And its writ, that the Saylors very sud­denly intend to scale the Walls in one part, Sir Iohn Merricks Regiment in another, and the Hampshire men in a third place, all at once, and the Horse to second the execution and successe of the service.