TIs well knowne that my Lord of Essex his undertaking so pious an imployment doth not a lit­tle joy the heart of every good affected Subject Christian, yea the whole Kingdome (bearing share of the benefit) may in like manner, or at least wife ought to be assistants in the same; Northamton­shire men not being ignorant of so great a benefit, having intelligence of my Lords comming thither with about the number of three hundred to meet his Excellencie besides the Trained Bands, and divers of the Neighbouring people, many for very haste riding without Saddles, others for joy to be revenged on the Cavaleers (who [Page 4] had robd and pillaged them of all their goods) brought presents for his Excellen­cie, but my Lord refused them, saying, That what he intended was for the pub­like good of the King, Kingdome, and Par­liament, and the maintaining of Gods true Religion, and not for any private benefit and gaine of his owne, or any that he expected, alledging that he was sorry that such occasion should be given by the Cavaleers, or any other ill-affected persons, as must force him either to draw the Sword, or leave three whole King­domes to perish in a mutuall blood; his Lordship being brought to the Towne, gathered together his Forces, to see his owne strength, which he found to amount (both Horse and Foot Volunteeres, and those that accompanied him from London) to the number of fortie thousand and up­ward, to all whom he gave strict charge and command, not to be any way offen­sive in their carriage and behaviour to­wards [Page 5] any of the Neighbouring people; My Lord is allowed by the Honourable Houses of Parliament towards the main­taining of this his Army fiftie hundred pound a day.

On the Twelfth of September both the Honourable Houses of Parliament having intelligence how that His Maje­stie with all his Cavaleers were billited at Chester, and had there endeavoured to for­tifie the Citie in a readinesse to be against both the Honourable Houses of Parlia­ment, and for the resistance of my Lord of Essex and all his Forces, the Cavaleers doing much hurt and spoile, to the ter­rour and losse of that Countrey, there­fore the Honourable Houses of Parlia­ment sent unto his Excellencie for to send some of his Forces thither to still the Cavaleers for the safety of the Countrey, which thing my Lord having intelligence of, went himselfe personally with most of his Armey, onely leaving some [Page 6] for guard in such places as necessity did require it; Foure Holland Shippes are come over with great store of Ammunition and money for the service of the King and Parliament, the men that were in them did amount to five hundred, with five pieces of Ordnance and Armour for two thousand men, three hundred Muskets besides Pistolls, Caleevers, Carbines, and Dragoones, with sixteene Barrels of Powder, who being landed, and having intelli­gence of my Lord of Essex his Intentions, mar­ched unto him, yeelding their Ammunition and money to his Lordships disposing, and themselves unto his Lordships protection, which being done, my Lord humbly thankt them, and tooke them to his tuition. There were certaine intentions of the Cavaleers discovered by Captaine Leg, who being taken in my Lord Brookes Regiment, upon condi­tion of pardon did divulge all their Intentions, of which the chiefe were these particulars:

First, that some of the Cavalers that were in Le­cestershire dib intend to joyne with certaine of Som­mersershire Cavaleers (for there were private Let­ters sent to that purpose betweene them) for to goe to certaine neighbouring Villages, and to fire and burne the houses, which things he no sooner divulged but tha [...] my Lord Brooks sent some from his owne forces to remain and lye in watch in such p [...]ce [...] as were w [...]ke of themselves, and such as he thought they might best attempt upon, and other of their exploi [...]s was to und [...]rmine certaine places [Page 7] in Southern field, where they thought my Lord Brooks would have come with his forces, which be­ing known by this Captains relation, was avoyded, for my Lord sent thither imediatly to see the truth of the matter, and found all things as he had said; and in the said undermining; was found great store of powder layd under faggots and billets, and great wedges of Iron, all which my Lord caused to be carried away. Also Captaine Leg, related how the Cavaleers kept certaine balls in their pockets to fire houses and towns withall, and how that many of them went under the Command of Captaine Calliford, (being a sea Commander) towards the Isle of Wight and the Isle of Man, thinking to lye inwaite to seize upon the money that the honour­able house of Parliament pretended for the reliefe of the Irish Protestants, but notice thereof was presently sent to the Lord of Warwicke for the pre­vention of the fame, who sent two or three of his smallest Vessells to scowre those places, Another of their pretended projects for their obtaining of money, was to seaze upon certaine Cloathiers that did deale in those parts, bu [...] the said Clothirs being once before robed by those Cavaleers, came so well Armed against them, that at their first mee­ting, that the Caveleers were glad to fly, leaving 1. or 2. of their fellowes to be slaine in the encoun­ter; newes was brought from my Lord of Holland of the taking amongst the Caveleers a Jesuiticall Priest.