I Should have gone into Newcaſtle at the time when the Packet went from hence, on Thurſday, but was put off till Friday by theſe obſtinat miſchreants, eſpe­cially the Maior of that Town. Sir David Hume, John Ratherford of Jedburgh, and I, went in on Friday at nine in the morning; we had Commiſ­ſion from the Generall and Committee (if we found reall dealing) to yeeld to all honourable Conditions, for preventing the effuſion of blood, notwithſtanding all the Provocations we had from them. The Maior, Sir Nicholas Cole, and Sir George Baker were treating with us: they gave us big words: do what we could, they would not ſo much as come to ſpeak of Conditions of rendring up the Town: And, after three or four hours Debate, all they would condeſcend unto, was, To think upon their Propoſitions, and ſend them to the Generall within three days; one of which Propoſitions to be as they affirmed, and Mordicus adhered unto: That when all Conditions were agreed upon, they ſhould give Hoſtages for delivery up of the Town2 after twenty days, if Relief came not to them. And becauſe we who were commiſſionated from the Army, were limited to Friday at night, to conclude or give over Treatie, we deſired them to write to the Generall, to know his minde concerning thoſe delays, and we ſhould either ſtay till his Excellen­cies Anſwer did come, or would carry it, and re­turn, if we had further Commiſſion. They would not grant this favour to us; but told us, They would let us go, and they ſhould write to the Ge­nerall to morrow. I went thus far on with them, which was more then in Policie I ſhould have done: yet ſo fain would I have effuſion of bloud ſhunnd, that I told them in plain terms, That if they did write any thing, it ſhould be that night. They ſent out a Letter that night, about eight of the clock, wherein they averred many untruths, and told, They would ſend their Propoſitions on Mun­day next. It was late before many of us could be got together, to give Anſwer: Thoſe who met, thought it fitteſt to return an Anſwer, and to ſend ſuch Conditions as we would grant; and to certifie them, That if they did not accept them, and ſend out Hoſtages for performance, the Generall would no more treat. The ſubſtance of the Conditions were:

• 1 That all Officers and Souldiers who are deſirous to go out of Town, ſhould have liberty to go with Arms, Bag and Baggage, to any Garriſon not beleaguered, within ſixty3 miles; and ſhould have a Convoy, Waggons, and meat on the way.
• 2 That all Strangers, Sojourners, or Inha­bitants, who deſired to go with the Souldiers, ſhould have the like Liberty and Accommo­dation.
• 3 The Town ſhall enjoy their Priviledges and Juriſdiction, conform to their ancient Charters.
• 4 The Perſons, Houſes, Families and Goods of the Citizens and Inhabitants ſhould be free and protected from violence.
• 5 They ſhould have their free Trade and Commerce, as other Towns reduced to the Obe­dience of the King and Parliament.
• 6 That any of them who deſired to go into the Countrey, and live in their Countrey-hou­ſes, ſhould have ſafeguard for their Perſons, Families, Goods and Houſes.
• 7 That no free Billetting ſhall be impoſed on them, without their own conſent.
• 8 The Army ſhould not enter the Town, but onely a Competent Gariſon.

I have not the perfect copie of the other Inſtru­ctions ſent to them, which was ſigned by the Ge­nerall, with that caveat, That they ſhould ſend out Hoſtages this day, at eight in the morning, for the ſurrender of the Town upon theſe Conditions, betwixt this and Munday the one and twentieth, before two in the afternoon, otherwiſe the Condi­tions to be void. In ſtead of ſending out Hoſta­ges, or deſiring a new Treaty, this morning they ſent a bitter Invective-Letter, ſtanding to their former Reſolutions. We had been ſo long ex­pecting that theſe men within the Town ſhould have pitied themſelves, all our Batteries were rea­dy; ſo many of our Mynes as they had not found out or drowned, were in danger of their hourly finding out; the Winter was drawing on, and our Souldiers were earneſt to have ſome end of the bu­ſineſſe; which made the Generall (after ſo many ſlightings) to begin this morning to make Brea­ches: (whereof we had three, and four Mynes) the Breaches were made reaſonable low before three of the clock at night. All our Mynes played very well: They within the Town continued ſtill obſti­nate: My Lord Chancellors Regiment, and Back­leughs, entred at a Breach at Cloſe-gate: The Gene­rall of the Artillery his Regiment, and that of E­dinburgh, entered at a Myne at the White-Tower Colonel Stewart and Gasks Regiment, entered at a Myne, after not diſpute, beſide Weſt-Gate: this was one Quarter: Lieutenant-Generall Baylie had another Quarter at New-Gate, with five Regiments,5 viz. his own (which was formerly Dudhops) Waugh­tons, Cowpers, Dumferlings, and〈1 span left blank〉who en­tred by a Breach: Great diſpute was made here, and ſome of our Officers killed, whereof one Ma­jor Robert Hepburn cannot be enough lamented. Caſ­ſilis, Kelhead, Wedderburne, Marſhall, and the Maſter of Yeſters, had a third Quarter, who entred by a Breach, not without diſpute. Lord Sinclare, Aytoun, Niddery, the Maſter of Cranſtoun, and the Lord Le­vingſton, had the fourth Quarter, who entred at two Mynes. They would have had more hot work, but the Reſolutions of the Officers and Souldiers made a quick diſpatch. They within the Town made all the Oppoſition they could, on the Walls, and in the Streets. Some houſes are burnt. The Maior and ſome others fled to the Caſtle, and did preſent­ly beat a Parley, which the Generall would not hear, at that time, in reſpect they had been the in­ſtruments of ſo much bloodſhed. The Lord Rae, and ſome others of our countrey-men, are priſoners with us. You ſhall hear more particularly, within a day or two, by an Expreſſe.