SInce my last to you, It hath pleased the Almighty God, out of his great mercy to us here, and the Kingdome, to preserve us from an eminent dan­ger, and ruine plotted against us here, which I thought fit to acquaint you with. I writ a word of it to the Committee at Yorke, but since have made a more ample dis­covery. I have within my Company a Lieutenant, his name is Foolks, sonne in law to one Master Thomas Beckwith a Re­cusant at Beverly, a good Souldier but poore. This man, his father in law, thought a fit Instrument to worke upon, and to that end, sent for him to come over to him. The Gentle­man presently acquaints me with it, and asked my leave and advice therein; Protesting, that both in regard of the ho­nour of a Souldier, and a Gentleman, nothing should passe but I should know. He had formerly beene obliged to me, and therefore I gave him leave to go, with directions to yeeld to such propositions as should be made him; for otherwise being in their power, I knew not how they might have used him. At his returne he told me, that at his first comming, after an unusuall kinde welcome, that Master Beckwith broke the matter to him, That if hee would doe service, &c. hee should be rewarded in a great measure, intimating to him how unable I was to preferre him in any way of subsistance: To be short, He made a plaine contract with him, That if he could betray a Port, he should have five hundred pound in [Page 3] hand, and two hundred and fifty pound per annum for his life, this he willingly accepted: Then Beckwith discoursed with him of the meanes how he could doe this; he told him, that upon Thursday night, the six and twenty day of May, he had the guard at the North gate, and if Alarum were given at another gate, called Hessell Gate, he could then let them in. This thus overnight concluded upon, next morning he was brought into the presence of one Trist, he was a Papist, and commanded Master Percies Troop of Horse at the defeat at Newbourne, and one Captaine Courtney, and six others; some of which his father-in-law told him were Lords dis­guised: These promised him to make good his reward, but they doubted, unlesse some Captaine might likewise be aid­ing, it might misse of performance; and therefore propoun­ded to him to draw his Captain into the businesse. Lowanger a Dutch-man (a man truely of that faith, courage, and abili­ty, that were I to manage an enterprise of the greatest mo­ment that might be, I would not wish a better second) they propounded to him that hee should have in reward 1000 pounds, 500 pounds for his life, and be made a Knight. You see, Sir, whatever the performance would have beene, they were not spare in promises. Trist told him he had a man of his, whom under colour of carrying Armes as a Voluntiere, he might imploy as he saw cause. Beckwith, it appears, some time before, had an eye to have corrupted Lowanger, for he had invited Lowanger to his house, and sent him word hee would bestow a Gelding upon him, which he presently then acquainted me with, and told me he thought there was some ill meant in it, and so would not goe: He hath exceedingly laboured in the discovery of this, being in a great measure sensible of his honour herein. Upon Tuesday we caused the Lieutenant to write back to his father-in-law, that Lowanger liked well of the businesse, but desired some better assurance [Page 4] of his reward then Trist and Courtneyes words, and sent a boy with the Letter; and that it might appeare to M^r Beckwith [...] be carried with more secrecy, the boy was caused to put the Letter in his Shooe: the return was this Letter inclosed; the originall (being well known to be his hand) I keep (to be sent when the Parliament shall command) least it might miscar­ry, as some other Letters of his, whereby his hand may be knowne. I have Trists man in hold, who confesseth he was sent hither by Trist (under colour to carry Armes) to give intelligence: and I finde he had endeavoured to send to York divers of my Souldiers. This morning I received a Letter from Master Maior of Beverley, the Copy of which I send you, of divers assembled at Master Beckwiths house: Wee had another, as I thinke, to surprise the Block-house, being the strong Fort of the Towne; but how that is, I have not yet made a full discovery.

I have sent to the Maior of Beverley to search Master Beck­withs house, being a Recusant, and to tender them the Oath of Allegiance and Supremacy, and to know their names. If there had beene open warre, I could soone have told what to have done in this businesse: And truely, if I should have let the Plot gone on, and given them what they deserved, I thinke, being they came that way to have taken the Towne, I might have justified it before God and man: But being loath to be the first letter of bloud, I resolved of another course; which was, To advertise His Majestie of the Plot discove­red, least some should advise Him upon a designe, might prove dishonourable and dangerous to Him. This dispatch I sent away last night. I shall trouble you no farther, but rest,

SOnne, the Iron is hot, I guesse at the sense of your Letter, that all is right as was intended, for more se­curity, in the morning, I expect strong here. My Sonne went yesternight to Yorke, comes with great ones this night Lor: I send what I have from you this night thither: if it may breed suspition, let your friend beleeve well, and not come to morrow; If I could send safe, I would, but the trust holds on our part, as I shal be advised by your Fathers Master to morrow, I must worke; yet this Boy is a fine way to come and returne: Your Letters are so wasted in his shooe, as I guesse at the sense; yet send it broken with my exposition, for I dare not bogle with promises, no doubt is to be made of any thing promised; I write more confidently, because I know your hand, I name none but your selfe, hee cannot come to morrow I feare, without suspition; But I referre all to your selves, wishing to see him, I meane (in the mor­ning) it will be better satisfaction to him, to all here.