THe troubles and distractions in this Coun­ty, hath taken up all our time in seeking to prevent danger, and suppresse the Ma­lignant party that endeavoureth onely, the destruction of us and our Posteritie, that I have no opportunity to recomend my self, and loving affections unto you, which hath been my desire; but I crave your excuse for my negligen [...]e therein, r [...]doubt not but you have had Relations from time to time, of the proceedings of this County from good hands, and likewise have received many reports that are onely fictious; my onely desire is as a mite of my love to you and smale token of recompence for that loving affection which I have alwayes found in [Page 4]you towards me and mine, to informe you of ou [...] present Affaires and Condition, in which we now stand.

On Friday last, being the fourth day of this pre­sent Month of November, some of our Forces by Command from the Lord Fairfax and Captain Ho­tham, apprehended a messenger sent from Master Se­cretary Nicholas with a packet of Letters, directed to the Earl of Cumberland, which I presume hath been received by the Honourable House of COMMONS; declaring His Majesties Resolution, that the said Earl with his Forces consisting of about Ten thousand of the Malignants under his command, should advance from our parts towards London to joyne with his Ma­jesties Army; upon which the Knights and Gentry of our County, assembled in Councell, unanimous­ly resolved to hinder the said Earls march, and to the uttermost of our endeavours to prevent his designs, whereupon we gathered our Forces into an entire Bo­dy, Captain Hotham being our Commander in chief, our Army consisting of about Five thousand horse and foot, with which we marched towards the said Earl, who incamped neer unto Pontefract, where about three of the clock in the afternoon, wee arrived and disco­vered our adversaries, and coming within shot of their Arear, without any parlance or treaty desired on either side; our Souldiers with good courage discharged var­liently, both our forces joyning hot in Battaill and very warmely stood to it with variable fortune on ei­ther side, for the space of two or three hours, the Malignants having the advantage of ground; the right [Page 5]Wing of their Army obtaining a little Hill a­gainst us, which Captain Hotham perceiving, commanded the left Wing of our Forces go­verned by my self and Sir William Savile, to wheele about and face that part of the Enemy that had the Hill, between whome began a most fierce Skirmish, the rest of the Forces playing very hotly beneath the Hill in the Valey. In this manner we continued untill darke night, not perceiving which side had the bet­ter, a retreat being sounded on both sides till the next morning.

On Saturday morning a Parley was desired by the Earl, which being granted, His Lord­ship demanded free passage with his Forces to His Majesty, promising that his Souldiers should do no dammage in their march to their Coun­tryes, but onely for subsistance of Victualls, which demande being utterly denyed on our part, we fell to Skirmish a fresh: about a thou­sand of the Inhabitants of the Country in com­pleat Arms freely coming in to our assistance, by which meanes our Enemies being fearfull of the coming in of more aide, began to re­treat and finally to fly; in this Skirmish of our side, were slain about forty, of the other side a­bout two hundred, and about thirty taken pri­soners, the residue in their flight being sepera­ted, escaped into severall parts of our Coun­ty [Page 6]in a confused manner, wee being in hope by pursuing our good luck with the Countries as­sistance, utterly to suppresse them; for it is con­ceived, they cannot again gather a head, ma­ny of them which came out of the Counties of Cumberland, Northumberland, and other places, being returned home again.

After which our Forces returned to Pontefract to refresh our Souldiers with intention (God­willing) on Munday next to pursue the said Earl, and either apprehend him, or drive him out of our Countries: And this is all (Sir) that this present opportunity will afford mee to write unto you; which if it may bee profitable, or commodious, to bee made known to the Ho­norable House of Commons, or otherwise serve onely for your private reading, you may do which seemeth good to your self with it.

And thus, till further opportunity, and better matter cometh to my hands, to inform you of, I commit you, and the rest of that Honorable Assembly to the blessing and protection of the Almighty, whose servants they professe to bee, and vvhose cause they have undertaken; and heartily take my leave.