THere is scarce any man of noble and generous quality, (if they would strive to be compleat in the highest degree) but may be perfected by travell, which is the true salt and season of a Gentleman. Now there is none so qualified, and hath seenthe wonders of the deep, that can thinke this story impossible, for there are not so many strange creatures by land, but there are farre stranger by water; nor any resemblance of a­ny beast upon earth, but the sea produces the like for shape and lineaments, which cannot admit of the least contradiction, but to the ignorant, and those that will beleeve no further then their weake sight can discerne.

[Page] This story was written by a Gentleman from the mouthes of those men, which certainly could not be deluded by any shadow or phantasme, being har­dy and spiritfull persons, tho [...] of a coorse and rough conversation; the sense and truth of the re­lation is not altered: as they did deliver it, it is here set downe, onely drest in better language for the de­light of the Reader: which was thus.

The third day after the guarding of the worthy Members to Westminster, being the 14. of this in­stant month, after the City by land, and the Sailors by water had expressed their deare affection to the noblest of Assemblies, the Saylors comming off with good approbation, and having satisfaction in the businesse they expected, departed to their seve­rall employments. Now six of them being in a ship­boat some league and a half within the mouth of the river of Thames, this Monster appeared. At the first sight they were much dismayd, but afterward they taking heart (some of them having beene at sea­sights) made them the more adventurous: for the approach of this Monster was very terrible; having broad fiery eyes, haire blacke and curled, his brest armed with shining skales, so that by the reflection of the Sunne they became so blinde and dazled, that hee might have taken or slaine every man of them, he having a musket in one hand, and a large paper in the otherhand, which seemed to them a Petition.

By which posture they did imagine that what he could not get by intreaty, he would by force or fear attaine, but after they had passed some words with [Page] this man-fish, he seemed rather an Angel sent to guard this Kingdome, then an enemy to hurt us, for he shewed himselfe so debonarie and full of cur­tesie as if he had beene tutored in the absolutest Court in Christendome; telling them he came in­spired by providence for the good and flourishing estate of this Kingdome, and the armed hand he ad­vanced, was to put us in minde of our security, which hath beene the overthrow of the famous Monarchies, and in the other hand was the intelli­gence of all the dangers and plots of forraine Prin­ces against us; they being illiterate men could not understand many other high expressions that hee pleased to deliver himselfe in, which here is lost be­cause they understood not bracagraphy, yet they humbly confessed their ignorance, and withall their occupation, and told him they were sailors, but they humbly intreated him to keepe on his course towards London, with his Embassy to the Wor­thies of the land, for they did not thinke themselves worthy to give him audience; he with a serene and cheerfull humility answered, we are all Courtiers to N [...]ptune, and as the cavalleers to land Princes do ride great horses to shew the generosity of their spi­rit, and activity of body, so doe we mount the e­quatick beast of our elements, as the whale, sword­lish and thrasher, which last are kept on purpose to ride our sea stages; at which word (by the motion of his lower parts) he sprang from them with that vio­lence, that no artificiall motion could bee so swift, for by some strange fish he was carried under water which they could not perceive, he went from them [Page] about a league, and returned in lesse then two mi­nutes, telling them that our barbarey Roebuck and Hart were but meer Dromedaries to that hee rode on, and that within halfe an houre he could be in the remotest parts of the Ocean for the discovery of the most intricate designes that were in agitation: they being all of them in a deep silence, did not know what to say or thinke of him, whether he were a deity or a mortall creature, he perceived them asto­nished, gently lifted up himselfe, and with a smiling countenance, said he would deliver us something for our instruction, then he read to them out of his pa­per this newes.

That within six minutes he came from the narrow seas from the French fleet which was intended for Catalonia in the Spanish dominions, but they had ra­ther come for little England if once these botches of distractions would run and burst into confusion.

He told them also of a letter he had to shew from the French Generall, to the King of France, of his hopes of the enterprise, with the doubts & encorage­ments, but because it was in the originall, and they no linguists, he spared his further relation till his comming to London.

That a mighty fleet of Turkes had lately met with a Spanish fleet that came for Ireland, which had beaten the Spaniard, and hindred them in that expedition; so that if a timely aid be sent, the king­dome may be easily recovered from those bloudy rebells.

Having ended this newes, he sprang from us as be­fore, steering his course directly towards London.

ON our Epiphany last, being 6. Ian. 1641. Sir Si­mon Heartley with his company chasing a parcel of Rebells neare Monno, his spies giving him intel­ligence no aid could suddenly assist them, set upon the Rebells, where for foure houres there was a hot skirmish, and on both sides many men fell; but Sir Simon so bravely behaved himselfe that day, that his men plaid so hot on the Rebells having the ad­vantage of the winde, that in the end they forced the Rebells to leave their workes, and at that time there was 500. of the Rebells slaine and taken, and about the number of 1500. utterly routed, also 4. of the Rebells Colours taken in this fight; this by the pro­vidence of God was performed to the damage of the Rebells, and the encouragement of the Prote­stants.