NEVVES From the NORTH

WEE are here in continuall feares of the Scots Army, not onely from the preſent ſufferings of our Neighbour Counties who have moſt grievouſly taſted of their cruelties, but becauſe we hear they have many friends in parts more remote, and unto them we ſhall only ſay this (for a charitable cōſtruction is beſt) that had we not by the relation of our fathers and our preſent and paſtime ſufferings palpably felt that which is like to ring in the eares more and more every day of the whole Kingdome we might have been deluded in the like manner, as others ſpetious pretences & colou­rable excuſes oftentimes avail much with thoſe which are not acquainted with the manners of the people which may be rendred as one reaſon why thoſe that in­habit2 in the South of England have generally been ob­ſerved to hold a better opinion, of that nation, then thoſe which live in the North (this in the time of peace) now we are come to diſpute it with the ſword. It is not neceſſary for us to remember the ſervice they did heretofore in reducing Newcaſtle or mentioning their Ioſſe at the ſiege at Hereford; for their Army was ſince new modeled and but few that were in thoſe ſervices, are now in England, or under the ſame con­duct; we thought we underſtood the cauſe of their comming in then, and conceived they would never have broken amity, with the Parliament of England, neither would they if the advice of the Kirk had been taken (and in that the Clergy of that Kingdome de­ſerve double praiſe for whereas it hath been the Ge­nerall ſpeech abroad of late yeares, that the Clergy wereas forward if not more, then others in abetting of a War) the Clergie of Scotland are of a contrary judgement, and for that the comming of that Army in­to this Kingdome was againſt their conſents they have excommunicated moſt of the chief Officers and others that were the occaſion of their comming in by which if they perſiſt, it ſeemes that cenſure is much ſlighted; for in ancient times men were of opinion, if hiſtory may be credited, that if they lay under the cenſure of excommunication they thought their corn would not grow, or if it did, it would not be well inned, and if it come into the barn, ſome cauſualty would fall upon it before it came to be made uſe of, but I ſhall leave this diſcourſe and proceed to that which is more pertinent by way of the intelligence concerning our preſent af­fairs3 the conjuncture of Major Generall Cromwell and Lieutenant Generall Cromwell was not without great exclamation, Scarborough is well blockt up and no ſhipping ſuffered to come thither by Sea, and no comming in of any ſupplies that way, which is the more care taken of, for that we hear that the Prince hath a fleet at Sea, and hath attempted to have men at ſome other places of this Kingdome, and this place is the better ſecured againſt that danger, for that the harbour but little above 30 miles from York, and is an inroad into the heart of that County, it was hardly believed that Lieutenant Generall Cromwell would have appeared ſo ſoon in theſe parts, the expediting of his work in Wales was very ſeaſonable, ſome of the Scots confeſſe that their march into this Kingdom was haſtned by intelligence was brought them of the riſing of a party under the Earle of Holland in England, the diſcipating of which hath been very ſmall diſcourage­ment to them, but now they are here, they play ſwoop ſtake, and what will not make mony, or be for preſent uſe, if valuable, they ſeize for redemption as they have done the ſons and young daughters of divers Country Gentlemen and Yeomen, if men ſay they are for the King hoping to fare the better, they call them Cava­liers and took all under that notion, if they ſay they have taken the Covenant; they ſay they are againſt the King and muſt take what follows if they ſay they have not taken the Covenant they are uſed a like, which the Countryes adjacent, through which they have not yet marcht are ſo ſenſible of, that they come in a pace to4 the Major Generall, and Lieutenant Generall Crom­well and were but monies procured for buying neceſ­ſaries and food, for bread-corn, is very dear, we hope to prevent the further march of the Scots Southwards, the taking of the Town of Pomfract was a very corſi­derable ſervice performed by Lieut. Generall Crom­wels, about forty men were killed and the Enemy dri­ven into the Caſtle and cloſe begirt there where wee hope a ſmall number of the new raiſed men will keep them, and the old Souldiers keep in a body in the field, the Lieut. Gen. was with Maj. Gen. Lambert at Leeds the 12 inſtant, and ſome of their forces had a Randez­vouze about three miles off, when the two Brigards met the Major Generall with the Lieut. Gen ſhewed themſelves at the head of each Regiment and the Maj. Gen. as well by way of entertainment as favourable reception made a ſpeech Declaratory to the ſame ef­fect as alſo by way of incouragement to the ſouldiers which was recented with great applauſe ecchoing a forwardneſſe in the ſervice.

The Scots advance not, as if they intended to relieve Colcheſter, neither can they, for the Maj. Gen. hath made good the paſſes about which there hath beene ſome diſpute, when the forces for the Parliament in theſe parts and others expected are drawn into intire body which is hoped to be done in few dayes you are like to heare of further actions til, when I reſt,

Letters from the Leaguer before Colcheſter ſay, that the Earle of Norwich, Lord Capel. Sir Charles Lucas, and the reſt of the Officers in the Towne, ſent a letter to the Lord Fai•fax wherein they deſire 20 dayes leave to addreſſe themſelves to the Prince, and if things goe not ſuitable to their deſires, then &c. This Letter was received by the Generall, and anſwer was returned by a Trumpetter, though not according to the expectation of the beſieged. Hunger bites thoſe in the towne, and their deſires not being granted, if the old proverbe be true, that hunger breaks ſtone walls, ſome are of opinion, that men of that deſparate condi­tion will endeavour to break the line once againe, be­fore they ſubmit, but more danger is in attempting a quick line (to hold out the proverb) then a dead wall; for the Generall hath fitted al things for a ſtorm if occaſion be, and is every minute ſo well pro­vided to receive the Enemy if they ſally forth that if the diſtreſſed cōdition of the beſieged ſhould put them upon any deſperate deſign is more probable they will be acceſſary to haſten their utter deſtruction then that that any of them ſhould deliver themſelves by an eſ­cape.

Letters out of Hereford-ſhire, ſay, that there was a late fight between a party of horſe for the Parliament commanded by Maj. Harley and a party for the King commanded by Sir Henry Linging, in which its ſaid Sir Henry Linging had the better at the firſt but Maj. Harley having a reſerve charged with great gallantry, reſcued ſome priſoners, tooke many other of the ad­verſe party, and divers Officers; amongſt whom it is6 ſaid Sir Henry Lingen himſelf is one, but receiving this only upon report I ſhal leave the certainty to fur­ther relations, Col: Stepkins which have betrayed a Garriſon againſt the Parliament in Staffordſhire be­took himſelf to a houſe of defence and having g•tten men to his aſſiſtance the Governour of Stafford came againſt them brought a deny Culverin with him began a battery took the houſe by ſtorm, Stepkins finding an entrance made, betook himſelf with ſome few men in­to a Tower belonging to the ſaid houſe, fought it out to the laſt, and himſelf died in the aſſault.