I I have acquainted his Majesty of our dis­astrous fortune at Minieard, and Dun­star, occasioned by the multitude of your Countrimens evill dispositions; & cowardly behaviour in them, upon which I remembred a reve­rent speech of that worthy Souldier Swin [...]n who was Generall of Ostend in the time of the Infanta, Arch-Dutchesse of Flanders, (who said that our English nation stood too much upon their owne conceipt, and va­lour, and that he would with a considerable Army runne through our whole Kingdome, knowing the vulgar sort of our Nation to be faint he [...]rted and unexperienced in Mar­tiall discipline, this relation of the Gene­ralls happened to be true, for in our best ac­tions, [Page] and in the middest of our hopefull successe, Captaine Digbies, Sir Iohn Sto [...]ls, and your owne Souldiers ran cowardly a­way from us, insomuch that had it not been for that small number of my owne Horse & Foot, we had lost our Ordnances, hazarded our persons, and lo [...]t the honour of that dayes worke, I have heard that you have ma­ny stout and couragious Gentlemen at this present on your side, to wit, the Lord Mo­hone, Mr. Arrundell, Sir Bevill Greenvill, and others, whom I hope will not wag with every blast of wind, but with wisdome stand firme, constant, and faithfull to God, their Prince and Country, I desire you to let me understand the number of your Forces in those parts, that I may assure his Majesty therewith, and if any occasion you shall have of my furtherance, you shall not need thereof, in the Interim be stedfast in your resolution, and mannage those places under your Command, with valiant men, and no doubt but God will prosper you herein, and perpetually favour you and yours, Vale.

May it please your Lordship with humble pardon, according to my weake ability I have considered your worthy advertisements and to vindicate my selfe and Country of your Lord­ships mistake, I shall make it appeare, that my actions and those under my Command have bin concurrant to your Lordships Com­mand and I have in briefe devoted my selfe to an­swere to every particuler of your Lordships Letter.

First, whereas your Lordship condemned our endevours and cowardly behaviour at Miniard and Dunstar, your Lordship may well remem­ber and saw three to one of the Earle of Bedfords forces forsaken him, then those of our County under your Lordship might see that his Majesties forces under your Lordships command had good successe considering the great odds (five to one.)

Secondly, that whereas your Lordship remem­bred me of the Generall his speech of Ostend, that our Nation stood too much upon our owne strength and valour and that he would with a few experienced soldiers run through our Kingdom. My Lord, the question herein is not disputable, for nature at home bindeth filiall affection, and one Brother or one Nation to fight against ano­ther is not warrantable by Gods lawes, and in that respect there might be faint-heartednes in our Nation, but my Lordlet the Generall of Ostead or any other forraine Princes invade this our land. [Page] I know that your Lordship beleeves that our Nation will not runne, or give one foot of ground to such an Enemy, for we are all sencible with whom we quarrell, the father against the Sonne, and the Sonne against the Father, and if Alex­ander the great, or the Emperour of Persia were now alive, whose Armies dranke Rivers of wa­ter, yet my Lord it would daunt the hearts of these gallants to destroy their owne bloud.

3. Whereas your Lordship hath desire to know the number of our Forces in these parts, my Lord since the Earle of Bath his apprehending, our souldiers have revolted, yet wee have a considerable strength at Peasants, Foy, Lances­ton, and other places, about the number of 5000. and upwards, and upon all occasions we can betake our selves to Sea, and so to land where we please, therefore your Lordship may stand upon firme ground in these parts, if you please to hazard your noble person among us.

My Lord, Nature and Nature, Fortune and For­tune, Action and Action, State and State, Time past, and Time present, your Lordship now see­eth, I will here breake off, for I find that I have exceeded the convenient length of a Letter, and come short of such discourse at this Subject doth deserve, your Lordship may perhaps find many things in this Letter superfluous, and most of it lame, J will as well as I can supply that defect upon your Lordships second writing, if your Lordship call me to an accompt, what confusion soever your Lordship finds in my or­der [Page] and method, is not onely my fault, whose wits are confounded with too much businesse, but the fault of the season▪ which confusion and disorder hath not onely bin wincked at, but warranted, if there be but any one thing which your Lordship may make use of, J thinke my paines well bestowed in all, and howsoever my Councell may be weake, yet my wishes shall be as strong as any mans for your Lordships happinesse.

COzen Gorge, since the last Post, his Majesty on Thursday night came to Banbury, with 4000. souldiers, and immediately sent Sir Charles Lucas to demand entrance into the Towne, Mr. Mountague a kinsman of the Lord Privie-Seales, as is reported, had the totall trust and charge thereof by command from the Lord Generall, made little or no opposition, but be­trayed the trust and the Towne he had in charge, into his Majesties hands, though the Earle of Essex commanded him to use his endeavour to resist the Cavaliers but one 4 houres and he would relieve him, neverthelesse his Majesty had free entrance without any opposition, and his Majesty seized on 3000. mens Armour, and [Page] have left the inhabitants therein quite na­ked to defend, or offend, and the Cavaliers have so strengthened it, that it is invinicble for the art of man to take it, the Foure tho­rough-fares or passages therto are made so little that it is impossible for two men to march on a breast, and this hath bin done in two dayes, and for the Towne it selfe, it is wholly paved and strewed with Hey-forkes, blocks of wood, pick­axes, spades, and all manner of rusty implements that the wit of man cannot invent the like.

The Bayliffe and others of the better sort are imprisoned, his Majesty is at this present at VVoodflocke, and the Lord Generall his Army at Warrington, I have nothing for the present more to write, onely I will entreate you write the businesse of Sir Iohn Conyers, and who is in his roome, so I leave you to Gods protection, and rest,