COlonell Goring have­ing had a designe to ceize upon the Town of Portsmouth, and having admitted the number of 40. Horse­men with Carbines and Pistols into the Town, the better to accomplish and bring to passe his inten­ded purpose, and having furnished him­self with all kinde of necessary Ammuni­tion, which he Ordered to be brought into the Town, which being effected, he charged that all that bore Arms, which were about the number of three hundred, should appear in the afternoon, at whose appearance he made this Speech unto them.

[Page] Gentlemen, and fellow Soldiers,

THe occasion of calling you together, is to let you understand and know His Majesties pleasure, and your dutie concerning this Town and Fort, which His Majestie doth expect to finde a place of singular trust and fidelitie; and there­fore hath commanded me to put you in­to such a posture, that we may be able and ready, not onely to maintain his Majesties right in this place against any that shall dare to attempt the contrary, but also that this place may be fit for the guard and safetie of His Majesties per­son; and I hope that I shall not need to urge many reasons to perswade or win you to a cheerfull and willing obedience herein, if we do but call to minde His Majesties goodnesse and bounty to us, and also in how great and how many ob­ligations we stand bound unto his High­nesse; [Page] For we are not onely tied to obe­dience to His Majesties commands, as we are Subjects, but in a more particular re­lation as we are servants, and do receive a certain recompence or reward, for our Service from His Majestie.

So that all those benefits and privi­ledges that we or any one of us enjoy, is from His Majesties bounty and good­nesse; For our bread and drink and all that we have, is derived, and commeth from him, and in his happinesse and welfare, our lives, liberties, and fortunes do consist.

And for you that are behinde of your pay, although the Parliament hath made some promise to see you satisfied, yet such is the ease and goodnesse of His Majestie towards you, that He hath provided you money, which I have in my custody to distribute amongst you, so soon as you have subscribed to some few words and conditions in writing which I shall tender unto you, testi­fying your religious, honest, faithfull, [Page] and ready intention to serve His Majesty in this businesse. Neither will I constrain or force any to stay in the Town against their wils, or free pleasure, but every man of what condition soever, shall have free liberty to go and come, with his Wife and Children, servants and goods in safety and peace. And let every man assure himself, that for his faithfull ser­vice herein, his Majestie will not see him unrewarded. Having thus ended, some of the souldiers gave a great shout, the rest were discontented, and a great di­straction was suddainly in the Town.

Upon the 11. of August, a Hackney-Coachman came to the House of Parlia­ment, and acquainted them that on the 9. of this Moneth, some Gentlemen came to him, and hired his Coach and sixe Horses, agreeing with him by the day, not telling of him whether he should go; And likewise three Hackny Coaches more with sixe Horses a piece, were hired at the same time; and he also informed the House, that two of the Coaches went to­gether, [Page] and the third went another way by it self, and that there were in every Coach two Gentlemen a peece carried. He also told the House, that he carried two of them to Portsmouth, and that the one them was Mr. Weston, brother to the Earl of Portland. Also he further said, that when he came to Portsmouth, he understood that these Gentlemen carried down along with them nine thousand pounds in sil­ver, but before he came thither, he knew nothing thereof; but he said that one Welch another of those Coachmen, told him after he came to Portsmouth, that he knew of it, and did help to tell the mo­ney in London; He declared further, that he heard there were great store of Papists thereabouts, to the number of five or sixe hundred; and that the Earl of Portland, and Sir Kenelm Digby were expected to come to Portsmouth every hour, and that many of the Townsmen got forth of the Town as fast as possibly they could, and that all Officers and Soldiers that were there, who refused to take an Oath that [Page] was tendered to them, were turned out of the Town as fast as possibly they could; and that they are very busie in making of Workes three miles out of the Town. And he also enformed them, that himself and the rest of the Coachmen, did very hardly get away from the Ca­valeers, being very desirous to detain both them and their Horses, and that they proffered to make them Officers in their present Service and expedition, and to allow them what pay they would de­sire, but they durst not stand to their cur­tesie, but made shift and got away.