AFter tender, of my best respects, I know you have a longing desire to hear how this g [...] go in these parts, as wee much desire to heare [...] you, [...] wee cannot enjoy you as formerly. For newes in these parts, viz. The 15. of this present November, wee fell upon Axminster with our Horse and Foote, and, through Gods mercie, beat them off their Works, insomuch that we were possessed of the Towne, and they betooke them to the Church which they had forrified, on which we were loath to cast our men, being we had a Garrison to look on, My Brother and my selfe were both there, we fired part of the Town, what successe we had, you may reade by the particulars here inclo­sed, we lost onely one man in the taking the Towne, and had five wounded. The Monday following we marched to Axmister againe, [Page 3]Major Sydenbam having joyned with us that Lords day at night before, thinking to have seized on the Church, and those forces that were in it, but finding them so strong, as that is might indanger the losse of many of our men, wee thought is not fit to fall upon the Church, but rather to set the Houses on fire, that were not burnt in the first firing, which accordingly we did, and burne downe the whole Towne, unlesse it were some few houses, but yet they would not come forth of the Church. The next day being Tuesday, we mar­ched to Chedeock, thinking to have carried that House, and summo­ned them, but they refused to yeild, whereupon our Souldiers were all willing to storme it, which we did, but we were forced to leave it, and lost in the storming, nine killed, and seven wounded, and in the night marched to our Garrison againe. Had we but 500. Horse, we should, through Gods mercy, cleare all the Countrey. The Enemy hath since quitted Axmister Church, and Mourt-House, so that wee are at present onely molested with those at Chedeock-House, which we should easily suppresse, had we but five hundred Horse to cleare the Countrey of the Enemy, from falling in our Reare, for the Enemy lyeth at Chard with five hundred Horse and Foot, besides those that beleaguer Taunton Castie, which is much admired at, that they being so long besieged, which is now eight weekes, and no assistance: God stirre up the heares of those that have the power in their hands to help them.

We have intelligence from Plimouth, that on Friday last, they were like to be betrayed by blowing up their Magazine, which tho­rough Gods mercie was prevented, and four of the Actors were hanged, but there is a Scottish Maior that had a hand in it, (as it sup­posed) who is either sent up, or to be sent. Grenvill was ready with five thousand horse and foot to fall in at the very instant, when it was to be done, yet we may see how good our God is to us notwithstan­ding our unworthynesse. I am perswaded the West may easily be re­gained if forces were sent, and that those Gentlemen thereunto be­longing would but deny themselves and set to the worke. The Sick­nesse is ceased in this place, I know not of one hath died this fort­night of the Feaver, it did raigne very hot a while.

Our men are in miserable condition for want of pay, and they must have something to buy them cloathes. It is pitty that Lyme should be [Page 4]quitted, and greater pitty so many men should be lost for want of subsistance. If you know of any that may be a meanes of sending re­liefe to the Garrison, I beseech you that you would stirre in it, for if it be not speedily relieved, we must of necessity quit the Garrison.

The very day we tooke Axmister, it pleased God through di­stresse of weather to send us in a ship bound from Morlais in France to Tapsham neere Excester, laden with Linnen cloath which belongs to the Malignants of Excester, for the most part I beleeve the goods, as neere as I can guesse by the severall letters and bills of lading that belong to the Enemy, will amount to three thousand pound cleare of all charges

A Letter from CORKE in Ireland speaketh thus.

A Sodaime and altogether unexpected opportunity of writing unto you offering it selfe, with much gladnesse I embrace the same, and according to this very little scantling of Time, shall en­deavour to give you an account of my present condition, and of the proceedings in these parts. The last I wrote was by a Minister to Captaine Moulton, who set saile out of Milford Haven in Wales, and was bound for England about the tenth of August last; I doubt not but those lines inclosed, to a Gentlewoman came to your hands, since that time our designe is changed, the Lord hath beene plea­sed to dispose other wayes of us, our Ship is hired by Captaine Richard Swanley Admirall of the Irish Seas, for the Service of the State, we were by him imployed the 20. of September, and presently sent to Duncanon Castle neere Waterford in Ireland, there we conti­nued about thirty dayes, passing through many dangers, our Ene­mies lying on every side of us, ready to sinke us by day, and fire us by night, if the Lord had not bin on our side we had bin destroyed: He who hath promised to be with his People when they passe tho­rough the waters, and walke through the fire, hath gratiously prefer­ved us out of the mouthes of Lyons, for such indeed are our impla­cable Enemies, who have left no stone unturned to worke our over­throw. They are Jrish and Dunkerkers, who often have set sayle in [Page 6]darke nights, come up by us, and fired many Gunnes upon us, but blessed be God we lost little on our parts, we have shot them tho­rough and through, but sunke none of them as we know of yet; we had onely the Fort of Duncanon our freind, where I found the old Lord Esmund, who maintains the Fort with two hundred men, a­gainst the whole Province of Linster, my Lord of Esmund and his Chaplaine refuse to take the Covenant, but the Captaine of the Castle and all the Souldiers have freely taken it, I doubt not of their reali­ty. They wanted victualls, bread, and pease, and my Captaine hath supplied them sufficiently, untill more expected provissions come to them from our Admirall in Milford-Haven.

From the River of Waterford, we came to the Harbour of Corke, Octob. 23. and the last Sabbath, by the desire of my Captaine, I went in our Pinnace to the City of Corke, where through the importunity of my Lord Inchequin, I preached in the afternoone, on Monday morning my Lord furnished me with one of his Horses, and we rode together with the Governour of the City, to our Ship, riding then about twelve miles from Gorke, my Captaine entertayned my Lord very generously, and all his attendants, with variety of cheare and triumph, of firing Ordnance.

My Lord Inchequin hath given good testimonies of his reality to the Parliament in England, he hath about twelve hundred Souldi­ Souldiers, above sixe hundred of them have taken the Covenant, the rest must, or else soone be cashiered the Army, all Papists, and almost all the Irish, are excluded the City; the Governour thereof, Captaine Banister, is a very honest godly man, who is a very great and good assistant to my Lord: I doubt not, but they will prove in­struments of much good, in carrying on that noble and pious worke begun by them, in this poore, distressed, and bleeding Kingdome of Ireland.

The Hollanders have sent three Ships laden with Provisions to Corke, otherwise they might have famished long since, they have re­ceived nothing as yet from the Parliament, I hope they will soone send a supply.

This Bearer, Captaine Walker, is imployed in this Expedition, by my Lord Inchequin, for this very purpose. My Captaine hath furni­shed Corke with seven Barrells of Powder, many Muskets, and o­ther necessaries, out of his owne Ship-store.

One thing is very remarkable in Corke: I found two honest Deanes, and an old Bishop, somwhat well-affected to the Parliament in England; the Deanes are well contented to loose their Titles, and the Bishop to be onely Master Bishop, this is no small wonder as I suppose.

We are at the first opportunity of winde, to set Saile for Dunca­non, and there to continue, as it is thought, for two or three Moneths.

This afternoone, there came a Ship into this Harbour from Eng­land, hath brought uewes, that the Earle of Essex had routed the Ene­my, and pursued them. I hope you will soone have a full end of the Wars in England, and that the Irish Rebells will be forced to feele the weight of our English Swords.

I have no further newes to acquaint you withall, there is a Ship, that within these ten dayes (if God permit) will see Saile for Ports­mouth, then I intend to trouble you with a few lines. And for the pre­sent I rest,

The News from Monmouth is this.

Noble Captaine I know you expect newes, I allwayes told you, good or bad, you should heare of it, as long as God sends life and being.

Now as you have heard good, accept of what pleased God, wee have lost Monmouth, a considerable place, and men of quality taken Prisoners there, but no question of redemption.

Our losse was 13. Peeces of Ordnance great and small, pow­der and match, with bullets and great shot, but few men lost, nor a­bove six on either side, in all I meane to that number, all resting on the bed of security, and carelesnesse, God mend it, we are apt to [Page 8]presume: to conclude it was a great losse, and a great griefe to the Governour, he being absent, and left a better Charge.

God blessed me well being but four dayes before in the Towne, where I was most forward in action and a man made choyce of for the overseeing of the workes, which I did to my best endeavour.

I praise God I lost nothing but Oates for my horses, but I got by the hay, for I was two hundred strong in Lice at the least.

I was never in so base a place in my dayes, I made a shire serve eight weekes, and durst not change, for Lice are mad at cleane Lin­nen.

Come, we are not daunted as yet, but by Gods good blessing hope to recover all againe, but the waters are up there, and here to, so that there is no marching to doe good.

We must waite Gods time, or the best man may faile of his skill, I feare presumption is and was our fauit, and I beleeve no lesse.