I Think you have now been suffi­ciently abused by variety of re­ports, I shall spend some time in your relief: Our friends, doubt­lesse, some through kindnes, some through curiosity, desire to know how we do. Its true our present Vacation affords not much, but something you will finde observable since my last of April 26. On Thursday toward noon we entred the Town of Rea­ding, out of which we saw, and some upon account justifie, above 4000 men march, well armed, and for ought we know, resolved, if men can be well resolv­ed in such a cause: I occasioned some wonder, that being so strong, they sallied not, and that they yeeld­ed the Towne, when doubtlesse they might have kept it: the best reason of the surrender I can finde upon enquirie, is this; That the Governour, who was equallie covetous and cruell, together with some of the chief Commanders, who had made very great gain of Plunders and Taxes, were afraid to put it to [Page 4] the hazard: Which opinion I am confirmed in by the certain relation we had of an endeavour to convey it away two dayes before the Parley. I believe your Oxford Mercury will tell you a sad storie of our breach of the agreement, and the incivility of our Souldi­ers: Its confest some things were not well, but worse was feared; and upon a just enquiry themselves will be found the first breakers of the Articles, in carry­ing away unlawfull Baggage, besides women, of which that great, though not good store, as Arms and Ammunition to spare: some of the Pike-men carried Powder and Match, and their Waggons un­lawfullie loaden. The worst was done was the chan­ging hats, taking away some Arms; and some unruly fellows took clothes which I know no man will ex­cuse. I am sure the Officers, and all those from whom reason might be expected, did their utmost to prevent it. Upon the entrance of the Town, we finde the people had been used with more then Turk­ish severity, being frequently bastinadoed, imprison­ed, assessed 2000 pounds a Month, according to the known Laws of the Land, which the Governour was well skill'd in, in regard o [...] his familiarity with a Lawyers wife where he quart [...]red. They seem very glad of our coming, but not willing to entertain any Propositions of Money according to the Ordinances of Parliament; which yet must not be neglected in some proportion, though we came but to the latter fair. On Friday we had experience of a mutinous disposition in our Souldiers, who began to plunder some notorious malignants; but His Excellency; who [Page 5] rode out three times that day, once from dinner, to ap­pease and prevent them, and the Major Generall, and other Officers, did their best to hinder it; and there was little hurt done, onely in the Shop of one Duell, a man of ill fame as to this businesse. The winde is now down, and the waves still, the 12s. reward pro­mised, being performed, on Saturday the new pay­masters entred their Office by Commission, which I hope will be digested, though it lie upon the stomack a while. Your next expectation is when we advance, that is mine too: some of our Commanders are at London, I need not tell you their Errand; only suggest better any thing on this side ruine done or suffered, then we lie still at this present: This day was ap­pointed for a thanksgiving for the preservation & pro­sperous state of the Army, which was much quickned by intelligence received from Devon, & Hereford. From Devonshire we had news of my Lord Stamfords for­ces routing Hoptons, but there was such a rout and confusion in the letter, so that I can make no perfect relation, onely give grounds of good hopes of our affairs in those parts. But from Hereford where Sir William Waller is we had a happy and exact Relation, which to my best remembrance is this; That upon Sunday last he marched from Gloucester toward He­reford with his forces to quiet that Country before he came this way, He shot three Peeces at the City on Munday morning, and then summon'd it by a Trum­pet, to which Cunningsby their Governour returned this answer; That if he could shew a Commission from the King, they would surrender it to him, other­wise [Page 6] they would keep it for him. Thereupon he as­saulted the Town in three severall places, and some sallies and contestations there were; but before three of the clock, their Sallie was turned to a Parley, and two were sent out of the Town to Sir William Waller, who sent likewise two to them, offering them Quarter and no more. Herbert Price a Commander there came out and brought other Articles with some high language, but Sir William stuck strictly to his first Proposition, which after some injurious detention of his Hostages, they yeelded to, only their Court­ship would have some complementall formes added to his rough demand; That Gentlemen should have Quarter and civill usage, Ladies be treated honora­bly, the Citizens, Bishop, Dean and Chapter preser­ved from Plunder, and not imprisoned for any thing past; That Arms, Ensigns, Ammunition and the Government of the Town should be surrendred to him, which was done on Tuseday morning: Hee tooke some persons of quality, as Conningsby, Price, Sir William Crofts, Sir Richard Cave, and others, the Lord Scudamore: who was not sent to Gloucester with the rest, but his honorable word taken to appear at the Close Committee upon summons, and all this (through mercy) with the losse of one man, & hurt of 3 or 4 souldiers; so wonderfully doth God go along with the endeavors of this valiant & vigilant Cōmander. But let us now take heed of giving way to the fraud of our enemies, who strive to draw out of every advantage, a disadvantage to us, and to set up a part of an Army in opposition to that Army whereof it is a [Page 7] part: As I hope we shall be free from envy, so be you from jealousie. That the terms of Reading were not the like with Hereford; Reading was better For­tified and manned, had an Army of the enemy neere for reliefe; and which is very considerable, We up­on whose welfare the being of this Cause doth much depend (to speak of humane means) must not be so adventurous as others may, who upon a misfortune may addresse to us for supplies, we to none else. Let us blesse God for each other, and you for us both; if you help on our march, I hope we shall meet ere long upon good terms. I can adde little concerning the enemy; The King is gone from Wallingford to Oxford, He calls in the people from sixteen to sixty, and all kind of Arms; They have at this present more than a pannicke feare upon them, one man gave them an Alarm at Wallingford on Satturday, that confounded the consultations of the Councell of Warre then sitting, and dispersed them. We have some in­timations of the KINGS advancing for Wilt­shire. The Earle of Stamford sent us a letter intercepted to Hopton, commanding to March, to horse his Muskets & Pikes too according to the ex­ample of the Rebels, who swept the Commo [...] where they came (an unjust slander) the letter was writ in Tiffany, with another letter signed Charles R. Wherein it is likewise promised, That upon his ap­proach, a considerable party of horse shall be sent to strengthen his passage through Somersetshire, but I hope this is prevented: We intercepted some Letters which extreamly mis-report our affairs, but that is [Page 8] no more than we expected, though I hope more than will be believed; They were going into Wiltshire with a protection for some persons there, against the time that the Kings Forces should march that way. I know no more of consequence for the present, with things impertinent, triviall, or of suspected truth I will not trouble you, but rest till the next oppor­tunitie.