HIS MAJESTIES LETTER To the Earl of WARWICK
HIs Majeſties preſent Conceſſions with the Commiſſioners, doth plainly manifeſt his candid intentions, and reall reſolutions for peace; and therefore deſires, that the Ear of Loyalty, and the heart of Obedience, may be ready to receive his gracious promiſes and Condeſcentions, for a generall peace2 throughout his Realms and Dominions, promiſing upon his Royall Word to leave no meanes unattempted for the peace and liberty of his people; and for the better faciliating of the preſent work in hand, his Majeſty deſires that (during the time of the Treaty) there may be ceſſation of Arms, and all acts of Hoſtility whatſoeuer, both by Sea and Land, and that no Mariners or Sea-men, either upon the Coaſt of England, or elſe where, might plead ignorance thereof, his Majeſty ſent a Letter to the Earl of Warwick, purporting,
That his Majeſty earnestly deſires to put a ſpeedy period to the unhappy differences of his bleeding Kingdomes; requiring all true ſubjects to lay their hands upon their hearts, and to endeavour the propagating of this bleſsed Treaty, deſiring his Lordſhip to be inſtrumentall therein, and to ſheath the ſword at Sea, during the ſaid term of time, by giving Expreſse Orders to the reſpective Captains aboard the Fleet, to forbear any further Acts of Hostility againſt the Princes Navy, till they have further Orders from his Lordſhip.
His Majeſty in the ſaid Letter) likewiſe intimated that he had given the ſame directions to his Sonne the Prince of Wales, having ſent a Letter unto him, whereby he may underſtand the will and pleaſure of his Majeſty.
This morning here arrived a meſſenger from the Iſle of Silley, who purports very ſad newes from thence, viz.
That the Souldiery in that Iſland have declared for the King, ſecured the Caſtle and Fort, and ſeized upon all the Ordnance, Armes and Ammunition, but not3 without loſſe; for upon notice of their combination and confederacy, about 200 of the well-affected Iſlanders gathered to a head in the night time, and ſent a meſſenger to col. Butler (the Governour) the next morning, to advertize him thereof, and to ſend ſome more aid unto them; but the meſſenger being intercepted, their deſign were diſcovered, and a party of Horſe and Foot were forthwith ſent out to ſuppreſſe them, which cauſed ſome action, both parties bodying, who diſputed the place with great reſoluteneſſe and gallantry, for the ſpace of half an hour; but the Iſlanders being overpowred were forced to retreat, the Soldiery purſued them to the very clifs of the Sea, killed ten of them, and took above 50 priſoers, the reſt eſcaped away in long Boats.
During which conflict, another party of the Revolters haſtned to the Governours quarters, but miſſing of him, made towards the Church, where they fell upon Col. Butler, and his party, and after many deſperate & combatant blows, diſarmed the Colonell, one Major, two Captains and ſome other inferiour Officers, and drag'd them by the hair of the head to the chiefe Fort, vowing to cut their throats.
They have alſo broken open their lodging roomes, and plundered them of all their monies, cloaths, and armes, and ſaith, That they ſhall lie and rot in the darke Dungeons, if they wil not declare for the King: this ſtrikes terrour to the well affected, much lamenting the loſſe of ſo conſiderable a place, the enemy having poſſeſſed themſelves of 20 piece of Ordnance, 400. arms, 15 Tun of Match, 20 Barrels of powder, and a Troop of Horſe.
Newport21 Octob. 1648.
New propoſitions from the undanted Independents.
Letters from the Army ſay, that their hearts are of known integrity and faithfulneſſe, both towards King, City, and Country, and are reſolved to ſee the King inveſted, the Kingdom ſetled, and the Liberties & Franchiſes of the City of London firmly preſerved and maintained, without any violation whatſoever; and as a teſtimony of their fidelity, have declared that they will uſe their utmoſt endeavours for the compoſing of all differences, and inthroning of the King in his Royal Throne at Westminster, and unite Him with His great Councell of England, which God grant may ſpeedily be effected. This is the ſenſe of many in the Army, although divers objects againſt the ſame; eſpecially the Northern party, and their Adherents, who have preſented their Remonſtrance and Deſires to both Houſes, as followeth.
Humbly deſiring, That Juſtice may be impartially and ſpeedily executed upon the grand Delinquents o the Kingdomes, eſpecially ſuch as have been the onely promoters of this laſt Rebellion, who are traytors by the Law of the Land, and ought to be made exemplary without partiality, there being no exception therein to excuſe any particular perſon (though the higheſt and greateſt Incendiary and Delinquent) from Juſtice, who have confeſſed themſelves guilty of all the bloud, rapine, murther, & almoſt utter ruine of theſe three poor dying, and laſt gaſping Kingdoms, with whom a Treaty muſt be had when they are twice conquered, and when God hath delivered them up into the hands of his people, to the end Juſtice may be executed on them, and5 their lives ſacrificed as traytors to all future Generation. Further remonſtrating and declaring, that with unexpreſſible grief of heart, they find the affections of Parliament alienated from them, in ſlighting their juſt and lawfull addreſſes, thinking them not worthy of an anſwer thereunto, whereby they conceive themſelves in the capacity of enemies, or not free men, which will juſtly challenge the ſame from them, as being their Deputies and Truſtees, or elſe petitioning for things unjuſt, though they know they are according to their ſolemn League and Covenant, and their own proceedings and printed Declarations, upon which they ingaged with them, and for them; and without which, we ſhould never have drawn a ſword the ſecond time in their quarrel. And declare, that if their intentions further appear (as they have too much of late) to ſide with, and act for their enemies, and againſt the intereſt of them, and all the free Commons of England, in making their enemies and conquered ſlaves to be their maſters and commanders, they muſt look to and depend upon the law of nature for their preſervation againſt thoſe divelliſh and malignant principle, to which they declare themſelves open enemies, and reſolve to he utmoſt of their abilities to oppoſe, with the loſſe of lives and fortunes. Proteſting, ſtill to keep their firſt integrity without ſpot or blemiſh, and not bow their knee to Baal at the Kings Command, neither at the Pariaments, and that if they act againſt the truth repoſed in them by the people, the people are bound in conſcience and duty to act againſt them, Salus populi being Suprema Lex.
A bloudy Fight at Scarbrough Castle,
ON Munday laſt the Beſieged in Scarbrough Caſtle ſallied out upon our Forces, who by the negligence of three Centinels, ſurprized one of our guards unawares, killed 5 of our men, took about 30 priſoners, and wounded may; this ſudden Onſet allarums the horſe guards, wherupon Col. Bethel advances, charging the enemy with one troop of horſe, fell in amongſt them, reſcued the priſoners, killed nine of the enemy, the reſt retreated, Col. Bethel purſues, and chaſed them to the very Gates, took, 14 priſoners, and made good his retreat with the loſſe of one man.
Beverley 18. Octob. 1648.
And it is further advertized from the Kingdome of Scotland, that the Earl of Lanerick is gone to the Prince to adviſe with his Highneſſe, touching the diſpoſall of the Fleet, and to invite them into the North Road, if poſſible to eſcape the Earl of Warwicks Navy. And it is ſaid, that divers Agents are ſent from France, and other places, to treat with the States of Holland, for a conjunction between Vantrump (Admiral of the Dutch Fleet) and the Prince of Wales. But the States diſapprove thereof, and have declared againſt the ſame.