I Doubt not but you have heard of our Siedge at Arun­dell Castle, but in regard I am not ignorant how un­certain reports of this nature are at London, I am bold to present you with a brief (yet true Relation) both of the whole Siedge, and the yeilding up of the said Castle to Sir William Waller on Twelfe-day last in the morning.

At our first sitting down before the Town and Castle of Arundell, the Cavaliers shewed themselves very bold and insolent, & seemed to be so confident of their own strength that they took the offer of quarter in defiance, & hung out their red flag, but within halfe an houres fight the enemy was forced from their Out-workes, and above eighty of them taken prisoners, the rest we pursued into the Town, who without any further opposition fled into the Castle for shelter, and the streets were quickly scoured by our Forlorn Hope, and one Captain and a Lieutenant with ma­ny other prisoners taken.

The Town being thus cleered of the Enemy and wonne by our men, the Cavaliers played out of the Castle with [Page]musket shot, but could command but very little of the Town; for the greatest annoyance they did us by shoot­ing from thence, was on the Bridge, where one of our men was shot in the thigh, and Captain Butler scapt ve­ry narrowly, for he was shot thorow the Holster as he rode over.

It pleased God that we lost not above three or foure men (to my best knowledge) in entering the Town, be­sides some few that were wounded, of which number I must with sorrow remember that valiant Gentleman Lieutenant Collonell Ramsey, who was killled, and Lieu­tenant Collonell Burcher, who received a wound in the belly, but is pretty well recovered of it againe, and our chiefe Engineer was taken prisoner.

In the taking of this Towne (which is by nature scitu­ate in a place of great advantage, and was fortified by the Enemy) I may not forget the undanted courage of our men, and especially the blew coats, who run up the Ene­mies workes, and beat them off with the but ends of their muskets: and indeed, to speak the truth, those men which we took at Alton that ioyned with us, did very good ser­vice.

Yet in this place I cannot omit to acquaint you of a perfidious rascall, that for hire or some other wicked end, would have killed our Noble Generall, and not certainly knowing his person, gave fire at the Sergeant Maior Ge­nerall; but it pleased God that his Musket went not off, so that his wicked designe was prevented, and himselfe de­servedly hanged.

The greatest part of our foot were quartered in the town and a Regiment of Horse kept a guard, that not onely all manner of reliefe might be kept from the Castle, but [Page]also to prevent their sallying forth, which within three dayes they attempted to do, but were quickly driven in a­gain with losse.

And after that they turned forth of the Castle about a hundred horse into a Medow, part of which was within Musket shot of the Castle, and yet most of them were quickly gotten out by our men.

Some of their men being hunger-bitten, got over the Walles and slid downe with Ropes and were taken prisoners.

One Richard Smith escaped about foure miles out of Towne, that came out of the Castle, and was taken at one of our Courts of Guard, where being by the Cap­taine of the Guard very strictly examined, he confessed, that he was sent with a Letter to Sir Ralph Hopton for ayde, but would not produce the Letter, but said that he had lost it: So that it appearing that he had beene an arch Spie in our Army, and was now going to be­tray it into the hands of the Enemy, he was condem­ned to be hanged upon the Bridge in the view of the Castle.

But we were much troubled, and did greatly feare lest that some of the chiefe of their Commanders had esca­ped out of the Castle, for the last Week was found (by some of our soldiers) upon the River which run­neth near to the East side of the Castle, a Boate made of Horse Hides, which was brought from the Castle, and it is a great presumption, that some use was made thereof; but it is rather thought that it conveyed some Messenger away to Sir Ralph Hopton, then that any Com­manders escaped.

Much talke we had of Hoptons comming, for divers dayes together, and some of our Scouts did affirme that they saw some of his Scouts and were near his body, but we heard no more of him untill VVednesday last, at which time news was brought that he had besieged VVaberton House about sixe miles from Chichester, in which is a Garrison of about eighty men under the Command of Collonel Norton.

Vpon Friday last a Drummer came forth of the Castle for a parley, but seeing great store of Provision in our Army, and having been hunger-bitten in the Castle, he yeilded himself prisoner rather then to carry an answer back into the Castle, so that they were constrained to send another, and a Parley was granted, but in regard they would not accept of Sir Williams free proffer of quarter at his first comming, he now utterly refused to give them any, but would have them submit to his mercy. The Lady Bi­shop and many other Gentle women of quality came out of the Castle: And the next morning being on Twelfe day last, the Castle was surrendred upon quarter, but all of them were to become prisoners; of which there was about eight hundred Common soldiers, and about a hun­dred and fifty Commanders, of which the chiefest were Sir Edward Bishop, Sir Edward Ford, Collonell Banfield, Lieutenant Collonell Rolles, Major Massey, and Major Mullins, who are all very suddainly to be sent up to the City of London.

It was my chance to be at Arundell at the very instant when the Castle was yeilded, and saw the Prisoners march out, but I never saw so many weake and feeble creatures together in my life, for almost all the Common souldiers [Page]were halfe starved, and many of them hardly able to set one foot before another. Yet had they Beefe very plenti­full, but they certified us, that they had no bread since Christmas day. There were great store of Horse, armes, and much treasure found in the Castle: So that it is not a little weakening to the Enemy, and strengthening to our Partie.

The taking of this place hath wonderfully encouraged our men, who are all so forward in their service that they deserve great commendations, and the Lord I hope will prosper all their undertakings.

VVithin a day or two after the taking of the said Ca­stle, there fell out a fortunate adventure, no lesse remar­kable then all the rest. A man of VVarre of Holland had chased a Dunkirk Ship laden with good store of Merchan­dize and linnen Cloth, which is now very welcome to our Army.

She had in her twenty four pieces of Brasse Ordnance, about a hundred Barrels of Powder, good store of Armes, which (according to the Ordinary custome of Imagina­tion in this kinde) was conceived and believed to be sent to the relief of the English-Irish, that make havocke now in Cheshire.

Sir William Boarded the Ship, which came up the Channell not farre from Arundell Castle, on Tuesday last, and is now Master of it.

He hath also sent two thousand horse and foot, with two Drakes, to besiedge the Lord Lumleys house in Sus­sex, the taking of which will be of great advantage to us, and it is thought, by the most juditious Commanders, that it cannot long hold out.

This being done our Noble Generall, as we heare, intends to lose no time, but having received the additions of the London Trained Bands into his Army, he intend­eth to march VVestwards, from whence we understand there are considerable supplyes comming to the relief of Sir Ralph Hoptan: And it is hoped that Redding, VVal­lingford, and some other Townes thereabouts will soon be brought to subjection.

VVhich I pray to the Lord they may in his due time, to his glory; and that he would be pleased to send a period to these troubles. VVhich is the continuall prayer of him who is