The Copy of a Letter from one of of the Parliaments Commiſſioners at LINCOLNE.

THis incloſed will ſhew you what the Newarkers lately attempted with a great deale of reſolution, com­ming up to the Workes even un­to puſh of Pike; and if the Scots had not been ſtout and reſolute Foot (they who knew them ſay, They are the beſt men in the Army, and the oldeſt Souldiers, being the Lord Sinclares Regiment) if it had fortuned any other Regiment to have been there in their ſtead, it is feared that they would ſcarce have done ſo well. They were extreamly overpow­red with numbers.

Now all men may ſee (that which ſome have not heretofore beleeved) that Newarke is a conſiderable Gariſon to the King, ſeeing that they can ſpare ſuch a2 number for a ſalley, and be able to keep the Towne, and Workes beſide.

The truth is, it happened very fortunately, that the ſucceſſe proved ſo well, having no greater ſtrength, we had not halfe ſo many men as they had, and yet moſt of the Scots Commanders; alſo Poyntz and with him divers of his chiefe Officers, and Colo­nell Roſſiter, and many of his chiefeſt Officers were at the ſame time in the Iſle, into which none could goe in to them, nor they paſſe out from thence, but by Boates, and that way there could not paſſe above ten or twelve at a time; ſo that if thoſe Forces the Newarkers would have ſurpriſed had been routed, our men (amongſt whom were ſo many great Offi­cers) would have been in a Pinfold; yet the Enemy had not ſo much courage as to take or try their op­portunity to the uttermoſt, but through a pannick fear apprehended our men to be in number greater then really they were; their terrour being the grea­ter in ſeeing our men come over, and ſtill increaſe ſo faſt as they could by that weake meanes, ſo that they conceived that the whole body of the Scots Ar­my was comming upon them.

Colonell Grey was there with Colonell Roſſiter, who ſaith, That he did never ſee them doe better ſervice; their High-land Foot charged with the Scots Horſe, and gave fire, and wheeled amongſt our Horſe very nimbly and actively, and ſo gaulled the Enemy exceedingly; the 274. l. we have received, and de­ſire it may be repaid.

The Line is now begun, and all our materials are3 now in readineſſe for a ſiege, and the next week we ſhall lay it. The aſſociated Forces are ſo ill paid, both their Horſe and Foot, that unleſſe ſome ſpeedy courſe be taken to ſend them moneys, we ſhall not be able to keep them together, for where the Army lyeth thoſe parts cannot furniſh them without ready Mo­neys, and if they pay for what they take, all Proviſi­ons will be brought unto their Quarters, both from Boſton, and this Towne, but if they ſhould grow un­ruly, and take them away by force, they will be ſtar­ved, or forced to riſe, which we have indeavoured all that we can poſſibly to prevent; but now the two thouſand pound we brought downe with us, being disburſed, if preſent pay come not, I may feare what the event may prove: one two moneths pay would I doubt not, free both them and all theſe parts from that oppreſſing tyrannicall Gariſon.

There hath lately been in Newarke a great con­teſtation betwixt Bellaſſis the Governour, and the Kings Commiſſioners there, and the Officers and Soul­diers, for Pay and Proviſions. The Governour told the Commiſſioners, that his Souldiers wanted Mo­neys, but they profeſſed there was none for them to be had, but they told him, that for Proviſions, he might diſpoſe unto them what quantities he pleaſed. Bellaſſis replied, that Souldiers muſt and ſhould have moneys, whilſt any of them had a farthing, and that for the Proviſions in the Magazine, he told the Com­miſſioners, that the greateſt part thereof was ſuch as no dogge would eate, and therefore charged them to bring forth better, or elſe he and his Souldiers4 would rifle their Houſes, and take their Proviſions they had ſtored up for themſelves, and leave them the rotten ſtuffe in the Magazine to feed upon: And he further told them, that they were not to expect, that he and his Souldiers would fight to preſerve them and their Town, without thoſe things ſhould preſent­ly be remedied: And that for his part, he ſaid, that he did know well how to make honourable and good Conditions, for himſelf, his Officers and Souldiers, and would leave them and the Townſmen to ſhift for themſelves, if they took not care for them. And ſo they brake up in a great heat and diſcontent, which I preſume will be of no ill conſequence unto us, but of this and the reſt, you ſhall heare more hereafter.

Colonell Roſſiter is choſen Burgeſſe for Grimſly; Therere was three votes for Colonell King. Sir I am

A Copie of Colonell Roſſiters Letter to the Lords and Commons, Commiſsioners at Lincolne.

IN obedience to your Lordſhips commands, I went this morning to the Generals quarters, and from thence to Liev­tenant-Gen. Leſleyes, to wait upon them in viewing Newarke on this ſide, which they intended, but whilſt we were at Liev­tenant-Gen. Leſlyes quarters, the enemy ſallied forth of New­ark with all their horſe and foot they could poſſibly make, be­ing about 1000. foot and 400. horſe, and fell upon the Scots guard in the Iſland with an intention to take from them a work which the Scots were making to keep them from grazing any cattell in the Iland, Muſcomb bridge being down the Scots could not get any reliefe over to their men, but veile ſlowly in boats, ſo that the enemy over-powred their horſe, being but four ſmall Troops, and made them retreat towards Muſcomb bridge with ſome loſſe, though not much; then the enemy at­tempted the work, but were beat off with ſome loſſe. Aſſoone as the Lievtenant-Generall received the Alarme, he and the reſt of the Company with him, haſted with all ſpeed over the river, where he commanded the horſe to Rally, and led them himſelfe to the work, and took out ſome foot thence, and ſome other foot which came over the river, and marched up to the enemy, who retreated after ſome ſmall skirmiſhing into the towne, what loſſe we had, I cannot certainly learne, but as near as I can judge we had one Captain, and two Lievtenants, and about eight ſouldiers ſlaine, and fifteen or twenty ſouldi­ers wounded; the enemy left ſome dead on the place, and we hear they had one Captain, and divers others ſlain and woun­ded; I do verily believe the enemy were full double in number to the Scots both horſe and foot. This advantage is got by it, that it is reſolved forthwith to make a bridge from Winthrop ſide, at the very point of the Iland to Muſcomb, which will not onely ſerve for a correſpondency betwixt the Scots and the Col. Grey, but alſo to ſerve for an inlet to both ſides into the Iſland. Lievt. Gen. Leſly will guard one end of the Bridge, and Col. Grey the other; the Lievtenant-Generall and the reſt are verie deſirous that all poſſible meanes may be uſed•or the reducing the enemy and expreſſe their forwardneſſe by ap­proaches or other wayes to do their parts, if your Lordſhips pleaſe to haſten downe the Pinnace it may be of good uſe, for whilſt the bridge is making, I ſhall upon all occaſions deſire to expreſſe my ſelfe, Right honourable,

WE are now in the City of Lichfield, Sir William Brereton entred this night, with the loſſe of three men ſlaine and ſome wounded; killed ſix of the enemies, and beat the reſt into the Cloſe, whither Col. Baggot the Governour fled with 1000. horſe and foot, we have ſecured our quarters with the foot in the Towne, and the horſe as neare as with conveniency we may, the Enemy have made many ſhot againſt us with their great Guns, and alſo ſmall ſhee two ſeverall bullets fell neare Sir William, but God be thanked did no hurt, we have now ſet up blinds before them, ſo that we can walk the more ſecurely in the ſtreet, part of our foot are not yet come up, but we hope if the Oxford horſe or ſome other with them diſturb us not, to give a good accompt of this place in a convenient time; and in the mean time to keep them in ſo cloſe that there may be a free paſ­ſage in the Countrey from being diſturbed by them. Chirk Caſtle is for certain quit, and ſome other holds in North-Wales are falling, but being in haſt I reſt, the next opportunity you ſhall heare from me at large.

Lichfield,March 5. 1645.