I Am so full of businesse, that I cannot write to your Lord­ship but very briefly. It hath pleased God to give us an ex­traordinary deliverance from a cruell conspiracie and mas­sacre, from malignants within the City, and from a powerful invasion from without by Prince Rupert and all his forces. God discove­red unto us the conspiracie some two houres before it was to be acted; we tooke the chief actors with their Armes and preparations in severall houses by threescores and forties in a house, we have layed them safe in the Castle, and the Enemy, after two or three Cannon shot, perceiving that the plot within the Towne (whereon they depended) was discovered, wheeled about and left us in some [Page 2]haste, fearing we should fall upon their reare; and indeed foure of my Troopers chased seven of theirs, tooke foure of their Horses, their Armes and Cloakes, and forced them into a River to save their lives. Whosoever shall consider the condition this Town was in, in respect of the townsmen, and in respect of the Garrison (one Regiment, viz. Col. Essex'es something disteinpered by their Collonels removall, especially the Of­ficers, although they did very good service, with great diligence; and the other Regi­ments being raw Souldiers, and hardly ha­ving one old souldier for an Officer amongst them all, and how I was without money, without counsell, and without experience in my owne particular for matters of this na­ture) must upon these and many other con­siderations conclude, that though, as I writ in my last to your Lordship, that it is not to be expected that I should do miracles; yet God hath been pleased to preserve me almost by a miracle, the praise and glory of this good successe being only due to him. And it is very probable that Prince Rupert will make ano­ther attempt upon this City, which is of in­finite [Page 3]consequence to them, and without a good proportion of men, it cannot be defen­ded: it will require 1500 or 2000 men to be upon the guard constantly, to make a suffici­ent guard: there is no better way then to have here a body of an Army of four or five thousand men at the least, which when the Enemy approaches may have recourse to the City, and at other times may disperce it self to the defence of the adjacent Counties. My Lord, never did man make such shifts for money as I doe, my Regiment of Horse, Col. Essex his Regiment of Foot, Col. Hun­gerfords Regiment, and part of Col. Pophams lieth upon me, besides many great incident charges which in this case must needs be borne by him that commands in chiefe. I beseech your Lordship to consider me, and let us have money at least, if we cannot have both money and men, both which we want. I shall shortly send your Lordship and my Lord Generall (to whom I humblie beseech your Lordship to excuse me that I do not write at this time, for I am not willing to make an imperfect Relation, and I have hardly time to eate, drinke, or sleepe, or scarce [Page 4]to turne my selfe) and I will also send the examinations of the prisoners in the Castle, which are wellneere 60, with all the passa­ges of this great deliverance, from a most bloody massacre, for which the Major and Aldermen and Councell of this City are very desirous to joyn with me in a day of publike thanksgiving in this City.

I Cannot omit to give you a hint of our condition, and what hath passed among us this wéeke: on Sunday night last we had an Alarum, Prince Rupert with a force was come against the City, with some two thousand Horse, as is reported, accompained with his Brother Prince Maurice, and Lord George Digby, and other Noblemen; they came with considence of an easy entrance, and therefore brought no great Guns, they expected sup­ply from our Malignants, which it séemes was pro­mised on Monday, they faced our workes, where Colo­nell Fines sounded a Trumpet, having with him onely a Troope of Horse; at night they retreated, and next day being Tuesday they appeared againe, waiting the issue of a Treasonable Plot which some of our wretched Citi­zens had assured to performe. This, and Sir William Wallers not comming, together with the aduantage of a good part of our Forces gon to Sherborne and our works not finished; of all which they had a dayly account made them, build upon an easy conquest: On Tuesday night, whilst the City was in a continued Alarum, it pleased God so to blesse the painfull watchfull diligence of Co­lonell Fines that the Treason was discovered, and the chiefe Actors taken, with al their preparation, which is one Robert Yeomons, one of the Sheriffe [...] the last yeere, and George Butcher, both Merchants, who are now imprisoned in the Castle, with many more; others are fled, and since séene in the Kings Army, and some are [Page 6]hid, and every day new ones discovered and secuted, I cannot write you now at large, they being this day in examination, but in briefe it was thus, they had concea­led many Armed-men in Houses, and fitted them with all things necessary to the worke, there is found with one of them a Coppy of the Actors Names, which was sent the Army and such others as must bee protected; All others were to be left unto the spoile, the first two sorts were to have a white Inde in their Bosomes, and upon their Armes; The Plot it selfe was to set up­on the Sentinells, and the Court of Guard at Frome-Cats and the Pitty-Gate and to doe it quietly, they had the convelance of the backside of a House to bring on their men, who must come together at the to wling of a Bell in three Churches, St Nicholas Bell for the Butchers, Saint Johns Bell for the Saylors, and Saint Michaels Bell to bring downe the Cavaliers; My House must be the first to beforced for the Reyes, which at that time I was without upon speciall occasion, which when it came to the hearing of the Kings Army they were not a little angry, and are now withdrawne from us, how farre, we yet know not, but the snare is bra­ken, and we are escaped, blessed be the Lord. This doth require a day set apart for Thanksgiving, and we have now resolved upon it, I am sorry my Son remaines so weake, yet I hope wee shall enjoy him longer amongst us, I must conclude and take my leave resting.

YOurs by the Post I have received with my Bill of exchange, for which I give you many thanks for your paines therein: as for your businesse with the Alderman, I must intreat your patience till the next conveiance, it is so that my Captaine, my selfe, and all our Company, have bin here to keepe this Fort this three dayes and two nights without reliefe, it is som­what hard duty for fresh water Souldiers, but wee are all willing to doe it, because the time doth neces­sarily require it.

Upon Tuesday the seventh of this moneth, Prince Robert, Prince Maurice, and my Lord George Digbie, with 4000. Horse and 2000. Foot, came and presented themselves with their Forces upon Durdam downe, within Cannot shot of this Fort, and now I shall give you a Relation of a Treason as horrible, as detestable, (and setting aside but the greatnesse of Persons) as bloody as the Gunpowder Treason, and ought especially by us of this place to be taken notice of, and yearely to be celebrated with praise and thanks­giving to the Great Protector unto eternity, the Plot was thus: Our grand Malignants to God and their Country, had combined with the Forces aforesaid, to draw neere the City, and had promised them to assist [Page 8]them with 16. peeces of Ordnance, or more, as oc­casion should serve, these Guns were to be brought unto them by 500. Seamen from our Pill where the Ships ly, and these men were to joyne with them for our confusion. Now within the City Master Robert Yeomans that night had gotten into his house private­ly betweene 50. or 60. men, some Merchants like him­selfe, others Seamen, and all Rogues, their number I beleeve was to be greater, but God did discover the Plot ere it came to the height; these men in the night were, upon the towle of a Bell at Saint Nicholas, to come out of his house and joyne with a Regiment of butchers and mecanicks, that would come up to the high Crosse, and they to kill the Centinell, and goe pos­sesse themselves of the main guard, and so to hinder al that side of the City over the Bridge, from comming to their succor, then at Froome gate Master George Bou­cher he had another crew of like Vermine, that upon the towle of Saint Johns Bell (which was to be at the same instant of time) they were to joyne with a Com­pany of Seamen, and set upon the guard at Froome gate, and all to be put to the Sword that came with­in their reach, they having possession of these two Guards, a Bell was to towle at Milehill, to give no­tice that the Cavaliers should draw downe to Froome gate, and ere they should come, some from the Guard should goe and breake open the Maiors doore and kill him and his, take away the Citie keyes, and let in these destroyers, so that now by this Post you might have heard of the Tragicall end of all your acquain­taince, for we found in some of the actors possession white inckle strings about of an ell long, and every one that was to live, should wear one in his hat before, [Page 9]and another in his bosome, those that wanted it were to be massacred by Pistols or Swords without mer­cy. The discovery of this was miraculous, some poore body or other came to our Company which guarded the Bridge that night, and acquainted us that they saw some men goe into Master Yeomans house at ten or neer eleven a clock at night. Whereupon halfe our Company with a Troope of Horse, went to the house and found the men as I have formerly related, with many Pistols and Muskets ready charged, these men were presently sent away to the Castle, and that night the Company at Buchers house were taken, which hin­dered the towling of our Knell, and the next day wee fell to work roundly, and have clapt up all the Malig­nants we know.

On Wednesday the Enemy had notice of the Plots Discovery, which made them retreat, and as I am unformed, Prince Robert went away weeping for cer­tain he was so incensed against the parties that promi­sed assistance and failed him, that he would speedily return with Ordnance and be revenged on altogether: he is retreated towards Cicester, I pray God convert him (but not turne him.)

Vpon Thursday last in the afternoone, Prince Ro­berts Trumpetter came to Towne, and wee all thought it was to Summon the City, but proved o­therwise. I was present with Colonell Fynes when he came in, and his message was from the Prince to the Colonell to enquire after two Gentlemen, which he said a partie of Horsemen had set upon, and either taken or killed, the ones name was Weston, the other Wheton, both Gentlemen of qualitie, the Colonells [Page 10]answer was, he had no such prisoners of that name, but told him that on Tuesday night 3. of his Troope set upon seven of their Company, and tooke foure of their Horses, two Cloakes and some Pistols, and that the men swimmed for their lives, no man ever seeing them after they entred the river, so that its probable they are drowned. I have beene tedious in this Relation, and all because I would truly possesse you withall the passages, and now what remaines but to crave your thankefulnesse to the Almighty for this our great deliverance, and the Lord grant wee may never be unmindfull to render unto him praise and thankefulnesse for it; All your Friends are in good health heere, your Father I heare not of, so for the present I take leave, and rest

Pray acquaint my Brother with what I write to you.

I Could doe no lesse then impact to you the won­derfull and miraculous goodnesse of our graci­ous God, in preserving this Citie of Bristol from a most bloudy Plot to be put in execution upon the souldiers and well-affected in the City, which was on this manner: Your Brother, the Cap­taine, being appointed to watch with his whole Band of souldiers at a Gate in Bristol, called Froome Gate, on Munday, Tuesday, and Wed­nesday, Nights and Dayes, and being diligent to see all his men in readinesse, walkes up and downe within his Guard, as well to prevent the Enemies without, approaching neerer and neerer the Citie. even to a place called Durdome Downe, within two Miles of the Citie (as the Malig­nants within the Citie, from effecting their Plots, which wee did alwayes feare, but now were perswaded were neerer to be put in execu­tion, by reason of the Enemies so neere approach towards the Walls of the Citie) and bending toward that very Gate, it happened through [Page 12]the mightie Providence of Almightie God, that when the Captaine commanded all the Inhabi­tants of that Street to hang out their Lights, by reason of the Darknesse of the Night, and his souldiers were beating at their Doores to that purpose, that one Buchers House, a Mer­chant of great Wealth was without Light: at whose Doore when they knocked, they would make no answer, as if there were no person at all in the House: Vpon which, it pleased God to put it into the Captaines minde, (finding by inquirie, that there had beene some that entred in the day before) to suspect those persons that were in the House to be Malignants, because they would not hang out their Lights. Where­upon the Captaine commanded his Men to breake up their Doores; and when hee and his Men were entred into the House, they found about threescore men readie with their Armes: of whom, they apprehended twentie three, and the rest ran out at a Water-Gate, on the back­side of the House, and went away through the Water, it being a low Tyde, and made an E­scape: and searching afterwards, they found great store of Armes, Muskets readie charged, with some seven, and some ten Bullets apeece, their Pannes prim'd with Brimstone and Pow­der [Page 13]mingled together, that they might not misse Fire, their Linkes readie by them, their Powder papered out, and all things readie for the De­ligne, which should have beene put in execution within an houre after this time of their appre­hension, and the Method of their Plot was this: They having many dayes before kept in Pay great numbers of Armed men in severall parts of the Citie, which men consisted for the most part of Saylers, Butchers, Halliers, and such like, that upon the Touling of the Bril of Saint Iohns, and other certaine Bells appointed by the Conspirators, the Malignants of Bristol at a certaine houre appointed that very Mor­ning should issue forth at Froome Gate in spe­ciall, and at divers other Gates of the Citie, upon all the souldiers, at their severall Centu­ri [...]s, to murther them, and then seize upon the Ordnance, and make good Froome Gate for the entrance of the Enemie into the Citie (at the Ringing of a Bell) who lay within a mile and an halfe of the Citie, expecting every Minute when they should have been let in, and as soone as they had entred the Citie, they were to cut the Throats of all persons in the Citie, which had not the Marke and Word secretly dispersed through the Citie, to save some that the Ene­mie [Page 14]favoured: the Marke was a white Ribon [...] or wh [...]te Incle on their Brest, and the Word wa [...] King Charles. The Captaine the next Morning tooke Bucher himselfe, and tooke Herbert a Mer­chant, a Malignant, and divers other chiefe Merchants of the Citie: Herberts Boy and Butchers Maid being taken at Buchers House, have fully confessed the Plot, and about an hundred of the Complotters are taken, and in close Prison▪ Now, when the Enemie found that the Plot was discovered and prevented, though they had drawne their Forces so neere the Citie, immedi­ately they withdrew, and retyred toward Ciceter: And now we hope we shall settle the Citie in a very safe way. Thus much I thought good to impart to you, that you may know the certaintie of the Businesse, and thus in haste desiring your prayers, I remaine your loving friend.