A Copie of Colonell Rossiters Letter, who took the KINGS Packet.

SIR,

I Have sent (with these two Letters to the Speaker of the House of Com­mons, and to the Committee of both Kingdomes) two intercepted Letters, going from Newarke to Belvoyr, which I send inclosed: The last night a party of the Kings horse broke into Linsey, but I hope that our party there are strong enough for them; being Major GIBS Regiment, and Cap­taine PEARTS Troup. The sicknesse is certain­ly in Newarke, and the increase of company there is like to increase it.

Your Servant, EDW. ROSSITER.
Grantham Octob. 7. 1645. at five a clock at night.

The Copies of the Letters that were intercepted by Co­lonell Rossiter coming from the King from Newark towards Belvoir.

To Sir Gervase Lucas the Governour of Belvoir Castle: These haste.
[ This Letter Hatton ( an Officer) sent by Gerhards order, after the Kings Letter was come to Gerhards hands, and with it was sent the Kings Letter.]

Deare Sir:

I Am commanded by the Lord Gerhard, to send you this order from the King, and withall to let you know he [ Ger­hard] intends to be with you himself to morrow (he saith) in the morning: You will have a great many troublesome ghests, and amongst them, a most faithfull servant, called

Robert H [...].

A Copie of a Letter from the King.
[ By His Majesties owne command, and subscribed Edward Waller.] To Sir Gervase Lucas Governour of Belvoir.

CHARLES R.

TRustie and well beloved, Wee greet you well: Whereas We have for the present thought fit to dispose our Horse in this [ Newark,] and all other Garrisons in these parts, whereby they may be ready for any service, [ whether to lye still, to march into York-shire, to breake into the Association, or releeve Chester, if the Irish come in time.] Our pleasure and command to you therefore is, that you immediately provide in that your Garrison [ Belvoir] fit accommodation for Ge­nerall Gerhards Horse, being about three hundred, besides your owne; and that you assist them in levying, and bring­ing in provisions for the supply, both of horse and men, out of the severall Towneships allotted for their provisions, du­ring their stay with you. Herein Wee expect you shall em­ploy [Page 3]your best care and diligence. And so Wee bid you farewell.

From our Court at Newark, Octob. 6. 1645.

Here we see (by the Kings owne Letters) that he, and all the Councell about him, are so put to it, that they know not what to doe. It seemes the Kings designe is not then absolutely resolved on, and therefore the chiefest care they take, is to quarter them where the may be ready for any service.

We may see what a sad condition the King hath brought himself to, and that especially in these five respects.

1 That he hath but one Army left in the field, and dare not himselfe quarter within two hundred miles of them, and yet they retreat before further West.

2 That all the associate Counties are utterly against his co­ming amongst them, and will allow him no releefe.

3 That the King should blocke himself up in a place where the Plague is, and so many people there, (for Colonell Rossi­ters Letter saith) the sicknesse is certainly in Newarke.

4 That the Forces, Moneyes, and Helps, which the King most builds upon, should be from forraign Popish Kingdoms.

5 That yet he should be so hardned, that he will not com­ply with the Parliament, to end the Warres.

You see here what the King commands in this Letter, fit ac­commodation for three hundred Horse, besides their owne, who are of themselves such a burden, that the Countrey is undone by them, Assessements must be made for horse, and man, when as they have not only assessed, but plundered and robbed the Countrey most barbarously for their owne maintenance. And now Ger­hards men (who are many of them Irish Rebells) must be fur­ther provided for also by them, the most absolute theevish plunde­rers in the Kingdome, as it is well knowne in Wales, where they have had the wofull experience of them, and yet Lucas is com­manded by the King to assist them.

A Copie of a Letter sent from the Lord Byron to the King, intercepted by the Cheshire Forces.
For the Right Honourable the Lord Digby, Principall Secretarie of State.

My Lord:

I Received (together with your Lordships Letter) a double comfort, both the assurance of your Lordships recoverie from a dangerous sicknesse, and that I shall continue that place in your good opinion, wherewith I have ever thought my selfe so much honoured. To those I may add another, which is the The Character de­ciphered is thus, Hope I have shortly to enjoy your Lordships (much longed for) conversa­tion, where you may ease my oppressed thoughts of a burthen, which is almost grown too wiel­dy for them, any lon­ger to beare. 68 17 53 30 6 9 33 50 52 26 37 25 53 4 3 54 7 3 63 40 6 9 63 7 58 4 5 9 53 4 27 37 33 9 38 62 31 52 42 33 59 53 6 82 66 27 19 63 4 35 63 6 52 66 4 62 43 3 40 53 6 1 33 6 4 5 7 9 31 43 7 66 43 62 26 31 7 53 30 38 14 26 37 60 27 3 17 63 28 82 33 21 57 63 19 50 80 50 14 3 33 26 6 40 35 33 9 37 50 54 31 53 37 82 14 58 36 15 26 29 63 20 26 59 34 7 10 5 3 4 21 33 60 31 43 23 2 59 53 15 49 66 22 21 53 65 26 43 60. For the present, I shall only informe your Lord­ship, and humbly desire you to acquaint his Majestie with the condition of this place, and the strong necessitie there is of a speedy and powerfull releefe: I know it is usuall for men to recommend the safety of those places where their owne com­mands lye, as of highest concernment to his Majesties service, but truly I have wholly drawne my thoughts from any such partiality, and only consider this place now as really it stands to His Majesties affaires, both in this Kingdome and Ireland, [Page 5]to this place, wherein it is inferiour to (none other that I know, drawing with it all Wales, Lanca-shire, with the North of England; and what supplies His Majestie can ex­pect, either out of Ireland or Scotland. The two Princes when they had united their Forces and relieved Beeston ca­stle and Chester, were earnestly intreated by me to cleare this Countrey, before they departed out of those petty Garrisons that infected Chester, but other considerations (at that time) hindered the effecting of it, and therefore with a promise that the Army should continue in distance till Chester were furnished with Victualls, and Ammunition, I was con­tented to returne and undertake the government of that Gar­rison, but the businesse of Hereford intervening, P. Rupert was suddenly called away before either Ammunition or Vi­ctualls could be brought into Chester, and (together with his Highnesse) marched away the remainder of the old Irish Regiments, with some other Horse and Foot, the number of at least a 200. so that I was left in the Towne onely with a Garrison of the Citizens, and mine owne, and Colonell Nastons Regiment, which both together made not up above six hundred men, whereof the one halfe being Mastons men, I was forced soone after to send out of Towne, finding them by reason of their Officers (who were but ignorant Welch Gentlemen, and unwilling to undergo any strict only) farre more prejudiciall then usefull. The Rebels finding the Prince retreated with his army, and the County emptied of all soul­diers, but such as was necessary for keeping the Garrisons, returned with all their Portes to blocke up Chester on all sides, which ever since they have continued. The Welch (though they have men for member and Armes sufficient to beat the Rebells out of Wales, yet) either they will not or durt not stirre, notwithstanding the many orders I have sent them: The [...]th is, so long as that cursed Commission of [Page 6]Array, or (at least) such Commissioners as are put into it, have any power there, the King must expect no good out of North Wales, and I am confident were it not for the Castles which are well provided both with men, victualls, and ammunition, that countrey had long since taken part with Brereton & Mid­dleton. Thus your Lord sees I am left in a condition neither to offend others, nor to defend my selfe, pressed by a considera­ble Army of the Enemy, to joyne with the Lanca shire For­ces and Cheshire, This character de­ciphered is thus: All is, if speedy releefe come not: the want of powder will be suffi­cient to blow mee up, there being not full eighteen barrels in the store, nor any publike Magazine of victuall, nor any money for pub­like service. 50 54 59 9 6 7 8 37 30 66 27 2 4 66 54 60 9 10 26 35 63 31 26 6 58 21 3 33 66 20 43 63 53 19 46 53 36 27 26 22 1 9 64 65 60 26 57 28 10 18 40 29 9 66 6 3 21 53 80 54 53 11 31 26 66 36 36 3 17 66 24 26 80 26 66 9 6 18 15 53 3 18 36 54 64 26 9 10 17 3 66 26 6 60 80 50 14 14 26 54 59 37 9 6 43 33 60 37 3 53 4 60 6 53 4 81 43 6 12 30 51 65 54 9 35 32 26 31 51 82 50 44 9 6 26 54 19 52 40 3 21 52 51 54 59 19 53 22 43 6 2 18 53 4 30 52 65 54 9 32 26 37 26 4 52 9 35 2. I have the more fully related my condition to your Lordship, to the end that if any misfortune should befall me before re­leefe come, it may appeare how little accessarie I have been to it; and for those poore meanes I have left to maintaine this place, your Lordship may be assured I shall improve them to the uttermost for his Majesties service; and how unfortu­nate soever I may be, I shall leave an account of my charge befitting an honest man, and one whom (I hope) your Lord­ship shall not blush for to own for your Lordships most hum­ble and faithfull Servant,

John Byran.
C. A. 1645.

Here you may see who beares the sway? popish Digby and his smiles are the best comfort at Court; and that they may stand in his good opinion, a great honour, Digby being (by the Queenes means) the Kings right hand and you see how his thoughts burthen him, in which condition he has no comfort but what his hopes are in Digby, a sad condition for England to have a companie of Papists that sway all with the King, and are not those exceeding blind buzzards that will follow them up and down, like so many tantany piggs, to be fed like the ould London Apes: but mark the designe: for that is the meanest thing to be looked after.

1. Chester hath been kept against the Parliament for the conveying of supplyes to his Majesty out of Ireland and Scot­land. From Oneale and from Montrosse and you so that he gave an accompt of some Irish that Rupert when he was at Chester tooke out of that Garison and saith that which his highnesse marched away to the remainder of the ould Irish Regiments? the I­rish rebels have come over thither severall times.

2. The Parliaments forces he calls Rebells; because they come against those Irish; If they should prevaile, all Protestants should be used by them no better.

3. The protestants that are of the Kings Commission in Wales he would faine have removed: that they may be all pa­pists, and such as will comply with the Irish rebells, and obey his orders in Ioyning with them against the Parliament.

A COPY OF A LETTER Sent from Daniel Oneal from Dmblin in Jreland. This Da­niel Oneal was once a a prisoner in the Tower, a Irish rebell Who brake out and ran to the King.
For the Honourable the Lord DIGBY, principall Secretary to his MAjESTY.

My Lord,

THere lately landed here Mr. O Bryan though a native Irish, yet being o Protestant, & seeing how the King complyed with the Popish rebels, diserted the King since, and is now pri­soner in Dublin by the Kings anthority. O Bryan, sent with a dispatch from the Those Irish agents were at Oxford then with the King. agents to their Councell, with the manner how he lost some letters which came to my Lord Marquesse his view, I send you: the man (Mr. Martin, and Mr. Plunket bid their councell beware of, I am told by a false brother) is I: by their finding out what my Lord Marquesse wrot to you cencerning their pardons, I imagine they found out what you writ to me concerning it, and the severall dispatches I made from hence, have a care hereafter whom you trust, for I need not tell you how prejudiciall such Trai­tors are to presse you to be industrious to find them our.

By my Lord Marquesse former dispatch as well as this, you

[Page 9] By my Lord Marquesse former dispath as well as this, you will find you are to expect no more from the The meanes that at the King could not parvaile with Generall Les­ley and the King in England which was laboured for, so neither could Or­mond prevail with any of the Scots in Ireland, so come o­ver, and joyns with the King. new and old Scots here, then from those with Lesly in England. By my The great Oneale is his Vn­cle. Vncles meanes I have got the most refractory part of the supreame Councell that were against the Marquesse (which is the Clergy) to consent to 6000 foot and 1000 horse, besides my Vncles Army in Vl­ster, defigned by the Irish for the suppressi­on of the Scots; be put under the Marquesses command. His Lordship I must confesse finds some difficulties which I doe not, as that it would be prejudidiciall to his Majesty, un­safe for himselfe, before there were a peace, or a command to joyne with the Irish, this nicity is too well knowne unto them, for they force the Covenant upon all the English. These few townes the English possesse, threatned to be plundered. That of Arthur Chichester married Digbies sister. your brother Chiche­ster, if your valiant sister had not prevented it, had been gone last week. If there none wiser then I his Maje­sty should send another Sir P. Com­manding him to accept that Army, and root out those Rebeles, whose be­ing here, distracts all our designes.

I have recommended another thing to you very often, which was a po­sture command for my Lord Mar­quesse to commit the Those foure are Sir William Parsons, Sir Adam Loftus, Sir Iohn Temple, Sir Robert Me­ridith, who are all pre­sent in Dublin castle; and them kept very strictly upon the instigation of the Irish Rebels, and so commanded to bee by antherity from the King. 4 impea­ched members. As yet, his Lord­ships heares nothing matteriall from you, I will only adde this [Page 10]to what I have said before, if your Lordship knew the hurt their lible doth to his Majesty, you would not neglect these things as you doe. It is here said publikely, and by some of their own friends, that the Duke of Richmond hath had great summes of mony from them, and Master Web hath undertaken their potection. But I beseech, let not his Majesty be sold to preserve any but The Du­tchos of Rich­mond is caled Pap. by a Nick­name. Pap. and not her neither, if she be not better disposed.

The men with their provisions and Armes, for 105. will God willing be at 42. 20. 186. 79. 14. 16. 60. 205. 202. 26. 32. 36. 38. 53 17. 4. 5. 11. 12. 62 72. 80. 92. 86. 76 44. 206. 27. 28, this is by advice rom 30. 81. 14. 300. 174. 160. 70. 10. 1. 2. 13. 24. 12. 82. 81 41. 73 90. 19. 16. 87. 66. 22. 33. 54. 203. 39. 102 34. 84. 52. 58. 10. 6. 6. 164. 172, you told me should waite on the journey, dispatch them away, we want them extreamly, this letter of An honest man for the Par­liament, some letters of her were intercep­ted. Major Royden, will informe you much of the state of that part of the Kingdome, this other of Shells who is a merchant imployed about Arms, I have sent you, that if you like of the meanes, you may send the Lord Marquesse word, to what part of the Kingdome you would have them transpor­ted.

In case his Majesty agrees with the Irish Rebels Agents, let this especiall care be to condition that the choosing of the ten thousand men, they profer to aide his Majesty withall, be left to my Lord Marquesse. So the 6000 now levied for the suppression of the Scots shall not be any part of the 10000, as the Councell now imagine they shall. Besides, it will draine them of their Armes; so as it will disinable them to at­tempt soon any other mischief, let it be conditioned likewise that they furnish them with Armes, Artillery, Carriage­cloathes, I must confesse I would have them 14 dayes pay af­ter landing;

[Page 11] Her Majesty hath recommended some one that she names, for the Vice-Treasurers place to my Lord Marquesse, which makes me think she is not ingaged to Master Spencer as I belei­ved she was, I gather some hopes now, that your Lordships in­tercession for Sir Adam Loftus his place, one of them whom they have impri­soned, who is the true Vice Treasu­rer of Ireland. me, will not be as fruitlesse as I imagined. The Marquesse shewed me a letter from Arthur Trever, which saith, P. Rupert hath his old distructive designe for Norfolke on foot again, I feare his necessi­tous Counsell studies more fresh countries, then to play a sure game for his Majestie. If you doe not cleare the Coasts of Lancashire and Cheshire, before any thing else be done; never credit me if you doe not render this Country wholly, unserviceable to that. And his Highnesse sent to desire that his instructions might hereafter issue by my Lord Iarmin, in which hee hath done you a speciall curtesie. I am my dearest Lord, Your most affectionate friend.

October 9. 1645.
DANIEL ONEALE.

This letter is from Collonel Daniel Oneale a Popish priest, and an Irish rebell, who was protected in the Kings Army when he broke out of the tower, and hath since beene a great agent for the King in Jreland, this Generall Oneale is neer alied in blood to Philome-Oneale, to the great Okconeale. and most of the cheefe of the plot­ters that first raised the rebellion in Ireland, and he is the only man made choyse of the act for the King with the Marques of Ormond, in Jreland: and there is very secre tintercourse betwene Digby and this Daniel Oneale, as you may see by their private carrestors, nay you may see that he is a man highly esteemed on, for he tels Dig­by of miscarriages, and bids him have a care hereafter whom he doth trust.

[Page 12] But we may here see how their wheles have been going: and what they have secretly plotted for the ruine of the protestants, and the Parliament, and the Kingdome.

1. Generall Leshly and the Scots with him were largely of­fered if they would come in to the King, but that would not prevale here. The like was here to entise the Scots that were in Ireland, to perswade them to come over into England, to joyn with the King against the protestants here, but that would not prevaile there neither, and when more Scots came over into Ireland they were tryed too, but still in vain.

2. Then the Marques of Ormond he does what he can do, with the Irish Rebells, to perswade them to send over some ayd to the King, and he could not prevaile of himselfe, and therefore this Daniell Oneale he must help in the businesse, and you see what accompt he gives of his prevailing. The words are thus. J have got the most refractory part of the su­preame councell that were against the Marques, (that is those who hindred the going on of the treaty) and who are they? they are the Clergy (he saith) that is the priests, and Iesuits and Fryers, of Ireland for a party to conquer us here, whilst Oneale him­self subdues them that the protestants in Vister, with his Army there.

3. The Marques, and the Irish Rebels had so plotted the businesse, that in the first place a peace must be had with the I­rish Rebels else it will be prejuditiall to his Majesty.

4. In the next place the most eminent protestants in all I­reland they must be strictly looked to, and secured for feare of acting any thing against the Papists, Sir William Parsons Sir A­dam Loftus, Sir John Temple, and Sir Robert Meridith, although they had been persecuted before, and each of them bound in ten thousand pound bonds a peece, not to depart the King­domes: [Page 13]and to be ready when they shall be called for at ten dayes warning, yet that would not serve their tu [...]ne [...] they must be kept close prisoners, because (being true hearted ho­nest protestants,) their liberty doth his Maiesty much hurt; and he chargeth the Duke of Richmond and Web his secretary to be the cause of it, though very unlikely and he beseecheth Digby that he will not let his Maiesty be sould to preserve any but the dutches of Richmond, & shee must be palpably disposed to, now you must un­derstand that if it be for such as are disposed for the good of the Catholique Religion, they care not how the King is bought, and sould for such.

5. There is a great unity in the Church but we have not the key to unlock it, but it is about hasting the Irish Rebels to the King, and trading with forraigne papists for Armes, and Ammunition,

6. All this while there is a correspondency betweene the Marques of Ormond, and the Queene; and shee must strike the stroke in placeing the cheefe officers in Ireland, as well as in England; and perticulerly the vize treasurers place of Ireland, which is Sir Adam Loftus his right, though the Queen be re­solved to have him out because he is a protestant, and to put some Irish Papists in, in his roome, it seemes Spencer looked for it, but Oncale here you see hopes to get [...] from him, and therefore knowing well, that Digby will do his utmost in the behalfe of such an active Papist he tels him thus, I have some hopes now (saith he) that your Lordships intersession for me will not be as fruitlesse as I immagined. And thus the papists are one for another all they can to have the greatest places of trust and power in their hands, and have prevailed much in it.

7. In the last place he tells Digby that if the King durst cleer Cheshire, and Lancashire before any thing else be done, then the I­rish will be wholly unservisable to him for England: And (the truth [Page 14]is) if we take Chester, as is hoped the Irish wil hardly land in Ingland for the future.

Now if we way these things well, we may see how blind malignants are, who will not see what a snare the Papists have layd for us, and how much it concernes us to rise all as one man to Ioyne with the Parliament, and with our persons lives estates, goods, and all we have, adde and affect them till this popish party be totally subdued.

There are other letters which the Lord Digby sent to the Lord Byron from the King taken by Sir Iohn Gell, which letters are to encourage him to hold out Chester, that be shall be made field mar­tiall, Governour of Conway and Commander in cheefe of all the forces in Wales, with directions what to do in case that he be put to straites, much is written in Ciphers, and divers perticulars of great consequence are discovered therein.

Subscribed. DIGBY.
FINIS.

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