The Firſt Victory. Of the taking of a convoy of ſixty horſe, and three thouſand pound in mony, beſides Iewels and Plate.

THat this relation may not appeare to the Reader like a Nutſhell without a kirnell, I ſhall briefly ſatisfy you in each particular: and for the me­thod ſake begin with Prince Ruperts marching towards2 Wales, and whether his ayme in his paſſage through Worceſterſhire to Ludlow in Shropſhire, were not more to raiſe mony then men I leave to your conſtruction; but this is certaine, there was going from him to Weymouth, (with a purpoſe that it ſhould be conveyed from thence over ſea) three thouſand pounds in mony, with Plate, Iewels, and other rich treaſure, which was ſent the laſt week with a Convoy of about ſixty horſe, choſen men (moſt of them being Gentlemen.) But Captaine Syden­ham the Governour of the town of Pool for the King and Parliament, having notice of their comming through Dorſetſhire towards VVeymouth, went out with a party of horſe, and meeting with the ſaid Convoy charged them, and after a ſhort fight took them priſoners and carried them to Poole, with the Mony Plate and Iewels, for the ſervice of the State. And whether this Mony and Plate were gotten by plunder, or ſome other of Prince Ruperts Revenue (leſſe viſible) I leave to any indifferent man to judge; and although there may bee ſome pretence that it was going to ſome of his friends beyond ſea, yet is there farre greater probability, that Prince Rupert foreſeeing what condition he is like to be in very ſhortly, begins to wax provident, and make a ſtock againſt his flight into Holland; or elſe, to buy Armes to be imployed againſt the Parliament.

The other matters of greater importance which I have yet to relate in this ſmall peece of paper, will not permit of any longer diſcourſe on this buſineſſe, there­fore I will paſſe from that, and come to the next thing of great conſideration.

The Second Victory. Of Collonel Mittons taking of one Collonel, many Captaines and other Officers, and ſixty common Soldiers priſoners, with the routing of two Regiments of Iriſh Rebels.

IT hath been received for a certaine truth, that of late thouſands of the Iriſh Rebels have come over to Briſtoll, Cheſter and other places, and it is as true, that two Regiments more landed ſince neare Cheſter, and intended to joyne themſelves with the reſt of that blood-ſucking and Rebellious crew, which were in actuall warre againſt the Parliament; thinking them­ſelves ſure to drive back Sir VVilliam Breretons forces, which ſince the victory obtained at Namptwich, were drawne neare Cheſter. And the Rebels being now up­on their march into the country, Colonel Mitton (a valourous and deſerving Gentleman) having notice thereof, admitted of no delay in preparing not onely to defend himſelfe, but to offend the enemy, and pre­ſervation of the country; but preſently drew forth with about ſix hundred men, and having certain intelli­gence how the Rebels advanced, it was not long be­fore he met with them: and drawing his forces into a body not farre from Sir Richard VVilbrams houſe, they fel ſo bravely upon the Rebels, that within one houres ſpace, he had killed and taken above threeſcore of them, and utterly routed the reſt, putting them to flight.

In which Skirmiſh there was taken one Colonell, three or foure Captaines, be ſides many other inferiour Officers, and all their bagge and baggage, wherein we have great cauſe to acknowledge Gods infinite mercy and goodneſſe to this land, that notwithſtanding the great multitude of the Rebels which have lately come over into England, to joyne with the Papiſts here to deſtroy the Proteſtants, and for the utter extirpation of the Proteſtant Religion; yet it hath pleaſed God ſo wonderfully to manifeſt his love to his cauſe, that nei­ther they nor any of the Kings forces have had any ſuc­ceſſe ſince their comming over, but notwithſtanding all their acting and plotting, they have been diſappointed; and their conſultations have like the Counſell of Achi­tophell, turned to their deſtruction, and their wicked devices brought to light; as lately we have an example in the deliverance of the towne of Nottingham, againſt which, the Newarke forces had laid a plot for betraying of the ſaid towne into the hands of the enemy, and was very neare to be put in execution; and as we are credibly informed was after this manner, viz.

The third Victorie. Of a defeat given to the Newarke Forces, with the drowning many of them, and taking others Priſoners.

THere being a party in the Towne which had con­ſpired with the Cavaliers for the betraying there­of (moſt of them being Malignants which were diſar­med) they had deviſed a way to convay Armes to them,5 under the colour of bringing corn and proviſion to the Town, and all things being agreed upon, both touching the manner of the execution of the Plot, and the time when their bloudy deſigns ſhould be acted; divers loads of corn (to the outward appearance) were by perſons in the habit of Conntry men brought thither, and being examined what was in the ſacks, they ſaid that there was nothing but wheat and other grain, but (upon ſome cauſe of ſuſpition) they were not ſuffered to paſſe without further ſearch, and were commanded to ſhoot the ſacks, and amongſt the corn in the ſacks, there were ſwords, Piſtols, and other Amunition. But I ſhould have told you in the firſt place, of certain perſons that were taken upon ſuſpition before in the Town, and after examina­tion and nothing confeſſed, there was other means (leſſe pleaſing) uſed to make them utter the truth, and after­wards one of them confeſſed that they were Spies, but would confeſſe no more; whereupon they were tyed neck and heels together, which made them within few houres confeſſe the truth of the Plot, for otherwiſe in all probability, the ſacks had not bin ſo ſtrictly ſearched. And ſo being returned againe to the place where I left off, I ſhall go on in declaring, that after the Swords, Pi­ſtols and Ammunition were found as aforeſaid, the par­ties which brought the ſame, were taken and carried in­to the Towne and kept in ſafe cuſtody, and no perſons ſuffered to go out of the Town for fear of giving intel­ligence that their Plot was diſcovered, which was ſud­dainly to be put in execution; and at the hour appointed, at a place where the Enemy were to come over the Ri­ver6 of Trent, they were ſo bravely aſſaulted by the Not­tingham Forces, that many of them were killed, and about thirty of them drowned in the River, divers Pri­ſoners taken, and the reſt put to flight.

The fourth Victory. Of the taking of twelve Ships from Captain Browne Buſhell.

HAving certified you of the happy ſucceſſe of our Land Forces, it will not be much unſeaſonable to give you an accompt of our Navies proceedings, under the command of the Right honorable the Earl of War­wick, whoſe vigilant care for the preſervation and ſafe­ty of this Kingdome, deſerves much commendation.

Certain of the Earl of VVarwicks ſhips coaſting up and down to ſcour the Seas, and free a paſſage for our Merehant men, met with twelve Ships, under the com­mand of that Arch-enemy to the State, Captain Brown Buſhell, who hath robbed at Sea, under pretence of a Commiſsion from Oxford; where after ſome few hours fighting, they yeelded themſelves; which Ships will now be employed for the defence and ſafeguard of the Kingdome, they being very ſerviceable Ships and fur­niſhed with Ordnance and ammunition, and in one of the Ships is thought to be ſome ſtore of treaſure; eſpe­cially in a great Cypreſſe Cheſt, for the opening where­of the Parliament hath given ſpeciall Order.