COncerning the surprising of the Kings Commissioners at Shaftsbury, it was brief­ly thus:

The Generall being marched from the Leaguer Westward, upon some in­tended designes that way; left Sherburne still suffici­ently besiedged. And the Enemy seeing their friends straitned in the Castle? Used meanes for some addresses to bee made to the King, for some course to be taken for their reliefe, and procured a Letter from the King to that purpose, which was sent to his Agents of the Club-men to ga­ther strength, for the raising of the siedge, upon Sir Thomas Fairefaxes advance.

The leaders of the Clubmen, receiving these Let­ters from the King, met at Shaftsbury on Saturday the 2 of August, 1645, to consult what course to take, [Page 4] for the effecting thereof; and having their instructi­ons ready, some observations were made, that they were not full enough for the carrying of of this de­signe, and that therefore three more might be deba­ted on to be added.

But the meane while Sir Thomas Fairefax hearing of the proceedings of the Club-men; doubted that if they should goe on, it might impede the proceedings of those he had left before Sherburne, for the taking thereof; where were in the Leaguer, Colonell Picke­ring with a Brigade of 2000 foot, and Colonell Wal­leyes Regiment of Horse; to whom the Generall re­turned the same day (being Saturday) to Sherburne, where he himselfe come, and tooke up his head quar­ters; and from whence hee immediatly sent Colo­nel Fleetwood with his owne, and Colonels Walleyes Regiments of Horse, to goe to Shaftsbury to oppose the Kings Commissioners Iesuiticall designe.

With those two Regiments Collonel Fleetwood marched to Shaftsbury, and so devided his Forces, that when he came before the Towne, he set one part to surround the Towne, whilest the rest marched into Sherburne, where the Commis­sioners were then sitting and surprised them all, not one of them escaping him; And they were all brought in Prisoners this day to the Generall to Sherburne, where they were all examined one by one; I have sent you the List of all their names many of them are malignant Priests, and all of them notable sticklers for the enemy in these parts.

The Generall con [...]uted them all one by one: the Clergy by Scripture and their Adv [...]cate Yorg by Law; shewing them plainly how themselves acted contrary to their owne Princi­ples and pretences,

Dated at the Leaguer before She [...]burne, August 3, 1645.

FOR my last, it was but in part of what (God be thanked) is since perfected; For since the bring­ing in of the Commissioners I then gave you an ac­count of, which were the Malignant heads of the Club-men; we have now broken and routed the bo­dy also, the manner thus;

The Club-men sent (on the Lords day at night) to have their Leaders delivered to them, and caused their Bells to be rung in all places, and Alarms to be given in their usuall way of rising, and this morning about 2500. instantly met at Hambleton-Hill with their Colours which were all White, (for they had got white silken Colours) and their Drums, and seve­rall Weapons, Muskets, Pikes, Pisto's, Birding­peeces, Bills, Halberts, and many severall Weapons and had drawn themselves into a body.

Leiutenant Generall Cromwell with 500. Dra­goones, and 500. more in a reserve to march after them, marched out from the Leaguer towards the Club-men, and facing them, they drew into Batalia and stood in a great and ancient Roman worke which is upon those hills, and admitted a Parley.

Lieutenant Generall Crumwell demanded of them the reason of their rising, they answered to redeeme [Page 5] their heads, requiring the Commissioners to be deli­vered to them, and then they said, they would return, home, but without their Leaders they would not dis­band.

Lieut: Gen: Cromwell returned answer, that they had them Prisoners: and that they were to answer for what they had done; and that they were at Sherburne with the Generall, and made a very full and worthy speech to them, to perswade them to be wise and re­turne home in peace; shewing them how they have been misled by a company of Malignants: and decla­ring what care the Generall had taken to secure their estates, and settle peace amongst them and what com­fort they found, that submitted thereunto.

But the Club-men were very unruly; vapouring, and protesting, pounctually to rescue, and redeeme their Leaders, (& indeed, they are the very notorious ringleaders of the Malignants of these parts) but the moderate party (especially about Sommersetshire) doe much deride their folly.

Lievttenant Generall Cromwell took great paines to appease them without shedding of blood, but no­thing would satisfie them, but to have (their Lea­ders) their Heads, delivered to them.

Whereupon, the Club-men being in Battalia, Leivtenant General Cromwel drew up his Forces and charged them with the 500. Dragoons, and slew some 12 of them, wounded ma­ny, tooke some 2 or 300 Prisoners, of the most notorious of them, and routed and dispersed the rest, who fled all home, leauing their Colours, and their Armes behinde them. And we hope that now they will no more trouble us so againe.

Sherburne, August 4 ^th, 1645.