HEere I haue ſent you all the remarkable Newes that I haue vpon the laſt of Iuly. There was taken by a Perdue of ours, in the night (a Frenchman) that was ſent by Monſieur de Thorax, the Gouernour of the Citadell, with a full intent to kill my Lord Duke; and for the ſpeedy effecting of the ſame, he had prepared a ſtrange and dangerous Poynado, which although it was taken about him, hee confidently denied that he came not with any intent to kill the Duke, vntill hee came to the Tortures, which being preſented before him, he promiſed to diſcouer all to my Lord if he would promiſe him life, the which he did, and doth ſo performe with him, like a noble and mercifull Generall.

The ſame man that was apprehended did affirme, that hee was enioyned to act this ſame treachery, within 15. dayes, or a month at the fartheſt: So by that wee coniecture and hope that they are victualled for no longer time.

The like Treachery wee heare from England was plotted there by the Agent of the King of France, but God be thanked he is yet well; and ſo I hope ſhall be to the terror of his Enemies.

Vpon the 5. of Auguſt being Sunday in the night, we made approach into their Trenches, and beat them out moſt ſhamefully to their great loſſe: The Reaſon why wee gaue them this Allarume, was to the intent wee might get to a principall Well they haue in their cuſtody, that we might poyſon it, the which we effected to our very little hurt, and their much preiudice, by reaſon they haue ſo little water, the beſt of them is ſtinted to a Pint a day, the common Souldiers haue leſſe, and haue but a Biskett a day to eate with a pound of Butter between eight of them.

The greateſt part of their Horſes they were faine to kill for want of water, and to caſt them into the Sea: So they haue not aboue 40 Horſes left in all; the which were encountered by ours the night following as they were going for reliefe to another little Fort they haue, in which are ſome two hundred men, or there about: There they haue good water enough, but very little Victuals; our Horſe men beate them in againe with ſome loſſe to them, and they tooke a Priſoner, whilſt wee were entring their Trenches, our Sea watch had taken two Barkes, the one laden with Prouiſions, and the other had 27. Barons and great Commanders which were comming to the Fort to aſſiſt the Gouernour Monſieur Thorax; after them were to follow, if they ſafely arriued, ſeuen thouſand men, and 3000. horſes, who were fearefull to goe before their Commanders, and as I thinke now, will ſcarſe euer follow; for that they were all drowned, onely three were ſaued: the one of them is the Gouernour of Breſt his Sonne; the other, Gouernour of the Kings Fort by Rechell; the third, Lieutenant Colonell of the three Thouſand Horſe, a braue Commander.

The principall that were drowned of note that theſe men will diſcouer to vs, was the baſe brother of the King of France, a great Prince: the other was Colonell of the Horſes; the reſt they will not name vnto vs, their loſſe is ſo great that they are aſhamed to ſpeake of.

The Rochellers are fearefull that the King will lay ſiedge to the Towne, ſince hee cannot ſend them to vs: So as thoſe French that came to aſſiſt vs, being in number two hundred and fifty, they are now gone backe to Rochell for their owne defence.

The King hath made Proclamation in Languedocke, that thoſe Proteſtants that will not go to Maſſe by the ſixteenth day of Auguſt, they ſhall prepare for the Sword; vpon which cauſe the Duke de Rohan, for their defence, and his owne hath fifteene thouſand men in Armes, and the Proteſtants flocke daily to him, and to Rochell for their Defence.

The Duke of Sauoy for that the King hath not performed with him concerning the marriage of his Siſter, is ioyned with the Count de So ſons, a great man of France, who for ſome priuate diſcontent was of the late Conſpiracie againſt the King, who fledd ſome to one part, and ſome to another.

One of them is in England which was vſed to come ſo much to my Lords.

All of them now that are able to raiſe any force are comming with theſe two, againſt the King with a very great force and power.

The Prince of Conde hath all his Forces ready to defend himſelfe againſt the King, but as yet hee ſtirres not, ſo that if pleaſe GOD wee had this Fort, wee ſhould haue hope of further good ſucceſſe to follow this Enterpriſe, to the French Kings great trouble, conſidering how much he hath to doe, and with whom.

Captaine Pennington hath taken two Shipps of the French which were bound for Spaine.

Our men hath alſo taken a Galley from vnder the Fort which was for the Gouernours ſafety, when hee could hold out no longer; there was no men in her, by reaſon it lay neere the Shore, they ranne away other Boates and Barques in abundance.

Wee haue taken thoſe that venture to paſſe by vs, and many wee haue ſuncke with men in them, ſome we haue fired vnder the Fort, ſo that now our Sea men haue nothing to doe, becauſe the French dare not venter to come thither.

The ninth of Auguſt 7. Souldiers ranne from them to vs, and doe proteſt that they haue killed many of their Horſes for food, ſo that now there is not aboue twelue in all, which are ſtollen out into the little Fort, who were afterwards encountered by Sir William Connigham Captaine of the Horſe, with as many on foote, who were going out for forrage for their Horſes, but as they comming home, Sir William mett with them, and ſlew and drowned thirteene of them, and fiue he tooke Priſoners, the reſt eſcaped very hardly.

Such is the Cowardiſe of theſe that are left, that they haue ſuffered themſelues to be round Entrenched, and not once to make any Sally vpon vs.

The reaſon is, becauſe (I thinke) my Lord will keepe no quarter with them, becauſe of their trecherous plott againſt his Perſon, and they being fearefull, will rather ſtarue then fight, now the beſt of them is gone, the French Nobility haue had ſuch ill ſucceſſe this many yeares.

They are forſt to ſet vp Sheets in many places of the Fort to catch Raine water to drinke, wee haue had much raine which hath beene a great helpe to them.

The ninth of Auguſt here was a man hanged againſt the Fort, who had attempted with many others (women and children) to carry Victualls to their husbands, and fathers, and friends into the Port, contrary to a Proclamation there to tending.

For which attempt on the cleuenth day following, all the Wiues, Children, and Families of thoſe men which were in the Fort, were turned out of the Towne into the Fort, to helpe to eat that little Prouiſion that they haue left; but had you heard the cry that was made amongſt them it would haue greened the hardeſt heart liuing: for their Husbands were forced to ſhoot againſt their Wiues, and Fathers againſt their Children, and not to ſuffer them to come in: but the night being very wett, at laſt they tooke them in with an ill will.

The ſame Proclamation likewiſe ſhall bee put in execution through the whole Iſle, the ſooner it is done, the ſooner wee ſhall haue done with them.

Wee are ſending twenty S • yle for more Victualls, leſt we want, it muſt keepe the Souldiers all this Winter.

We haue expected euer ſince wee came fiue thouſand men out of Ireland, and three out of England, but wee heare no newes of them at all.

HIS Maieſtie vpon the report made, expreſſed great contentment that it gaue him; not valewing the Money giuen, comparable to the hearts ſhewed in the way of the Guift: For although his great occaſions of State did require more Money then at this time was giuen; yet now he made account he could not lacke ſince he had their loues; and that this day, he thought that he had gayned more Reputation in Chriſtendome, then if he had wonne many Battailes; Saying further, (according to his Speech the firſt day of the Parliament,) That they might eaſily make him in loue with Parliaments, (now he profeſſed he was ſo:) And that we ſhould finde the fruits of it by calling vs often together, and to ſecure further feares, and create future confidence, he aſſured vs that we ſhould enioy as great imunitie and freedom in his time, as euer we poſſeſſed or had vnder the Reigne of any the beſt Kings of this Realme.