KIngs Lyn is seated upon an arme of the sea which washes one side of its, it hath surrounding the other side, one small part excepted, a large wa­ter fed from the aforesaid arme; its of an indifferent height, the parts about being commanded by it, being rich Marshes, through which passeth at the tides the salt water: It had been for a good while cunningly Fortifying it selfe under pretence of Neutrality, and when at any time the Parliament upon their miscariages questioned them, or required any thing to be done by them, they still refused, and by degrees appeared more and more for the other party against the Parliament: The Earle of Manchester being made Major Generall of the Associated Counties, thought it most necessary to secure that back-doore, which being so convenient an inlet to the enemy, might divert him when he should advance with his powers towards the North, for the freeing of Lincolneshire and other parts from the miseries they suffer by the enemy: it was much disputed whether it were not better to pro­ceed by blocking up, rather then to take it by force; the Towne being of that strength that no ordinary power could take it, had they that which was fit for defence, but it was at last resolved to attempt it by force, and for that purpose it was thought good to seize the Towne of old Lyn, which is in Marshland, which by a party of my Lords Forces was accordingly done, and Ordnance planted, which kept the Towne in continuall Alarmes, and did so terrifie the people with their shot and Granadoes, that they durst hardly abide in any of their houses that were towards that side, the shot flying daily into the houses [Page 2]in the Tuesday market place, and other places, the Towne was approched in severall other places, two of which were on the side next to the mote, the one by the Causey that leades to the South, the other to the East gate: The enemy at the first sallied out with much courage, especially from the East gate and at once fired two houses in Gauwood, intending to have done so to the whole Towne, that our forces might not Quarter in there, but the party that sallied out was well beaten, and the rest of the towne preserved, though the inhabitants were not worthy of such a favour, who fled all away up on the ap­proach of our Forces; all things being put in order we called in pioneers from all parts round, and fell to breaking ground, and by degrees bad brought our approaches within halfe Musket shot, yet were we little the neerer the gaining the towne thereby, onely the better inabled to batter their walls, gates and Forts; a little before the towne was yeilded we discovered a hill of firme ground that was neer to that end of the towne next the sea, which we had be­gun to forme into a battery, which would have so annoyed them, that they would not have knowne where to have been secure, and by which a breach might have been made; but this also gave us no great hopes of entrance, they making up as fast, as we should have beaten downe, therefore we re­called in many Boats, with which we intended to attache it by water, and many cart loads of Ladders, which we intended for the land side: during this hot service we lost about four men, one a Canoneer, who was shot through the side with a drake bullet, he was not dead when the Towne was taken, but it was no likelyhood but he would, he was a good Canoneer, and a man right to his party, we had one shot with a buller through the shoulder, neer the necke: and one Lieutenant had his arme shot off, on which he died suddenly after, it was with a Cannon shot through a Port-hole, so skilfull were they, that they would shoot three times together into one Port-hole: In this violent playing with Cannon and small shot we beleeve above eighty lost their lives on both sides, which is the rather added, because people en­quire usually how many were killed, as if they loved to heare of killing of men; and also to rectifie the Judgements of men, who will be apt to credit a story of three, four or five thousand men slaine at such a Siege, and such a Siege; its true, storming and entring breaches usually wast men, but we were not come to this; when it was resolved and declared on Saturday morning to storme, we hapily received a letter the Friday morning, importing a vil­lingnesse in the Towne to capitulate, which they said, and its like truly, they did not send as fearing the taking the Town, but to avoid the effusion of [Page 3]bloud: My Lord having before advised them to send their women and chil­dren out of the Towne; which he did for the same reason: This Treaty was accepted, and eight persons for the Towne, and eight for my Lord appoin­ed to Treat at Ganwood at the Quarter of that valiant and pious Scot Serjeant Major Hoames, and to begin at five of the clocke on Friday night, which be­ing done, order was given upon paine of death, that none should shoot a shot, or worke upon their Works during the time of the Treaty; which was in­violably kept on my Lords part.

The Commissioners for my Lord Manchester, were Sir John Pagrave, Colonell Russell, Colonell Walton, Master Philip Calthrop, Master John Pic­kering, Master Gregory Gosset, Master John Spilman, and Master William Good.

Those for the Towne, were Sir Hammon le Strange, Sir Richard Hovill, Master Clinch, Master Dearham, Master Pallet Recorder, Master Hudson, he Mayor elect, Master Leeke, and Master kerbie; when they were come they had no power to treat, nor to determine, which being demanded the reason of, they answered, that they intended onely to draw things to a head, and to have them ratified by the Mayor at a Common-Hall; as for a Commission from his Majestie, inabling any to be Governour, or to fortifie the Towne, there was none produced, it was beleeved one of the Commissioners had one, but he did not shew it; there was therefore a dispatch made to the Mayor, who gave it them.

The Demands of these Gentlemen was to this effect; That in regard the Towne of Kings Lyn had a government by Charter, from the Kings of Eng­land, and was not an offender in any thing, they therefore desired to be left in their former state, onely fortifications demolished, and to have free egresse and regresse as formerly: They desired also, that all houses, lands and estates, be left to pay taxes by distresse, onely where it was to be had, and persons of men to be free, that the ships, goods, and personal lestates taken to be resto­red, or satisfaction that all strangers come into the towne, be set at liberty, that the aspersion of Delinquencie or Malignancie be abolished, and that the Earle of Manchester grant Protections to them that desire them. My Lord Manchesters Commissioners replied, That they had offended, for they had not paid in the second part of the 400000. pounds, they have made no as­sessement of the fifth, and twentieth part, not sent in horse; and on the con­trary, refused to send up Delinquents sent for by the Parliament, pretended to hold the towne for King and Parliament, and yet refuse to deliver the towne, or give enterance to the Earle, who demands it for King and Parlia­ment; [Page 4]and have received the dis-affected into the towne, and dis-armed the well affected; imprisoned Members of the House of Commons, and some of the Committee, they have imployed armes incrusted with them for the Association, against them; money gathered for these vice of the Parliament, they have made use of to defend the towne against the Parliament and Asso­ciation, and many of the goods of the well-affected they have taken and im­ployed for the defence of the towne; therefore they appeared to be great of­fenders: Yet to prevent effusion of bloud, if they will deliver the towne by Saturday nine in the morning, they shall have priviledge and freedome; as for freedome from Ordinances of Parliament, they must expect no such thing; as for satisfaction, their defection hath beene the cause of allo their suf­ferings, and so cannot be satisfied, but the contrary is expected & required, not onely for the former, but also for the time spent in reducing to obedience the town, & a moneths pay to the souldiers; for their persons & estates they shall not be molested for any thing done since the Earls coming; but for Horse and Arms that were in the town they must be delivered to the Earl at his entrance.

After much debate upon the Particulars, which held from seven at night untill eight the next night, a dinner time onely excepted, it was agreed in substance as followes:

First, That Kings Lyn, with the Ordnance, Armes and Ammunition in the Towne, be delivered to the Earle, and the Earle to enter the Town.

Secondly, That the Gentlemen strangers in the Towne should have liberty to depart with every man a Horse, Sword, and Pistols.

Thirdly, That the Townesmen shull enioy all undoubted Rites and Priviledges appertaining to them, with free trading to their advantage, so far as may consist with Law.

Fourthly, That all Prisoners on both sides be restored and sot at liberty.

Fiftly, That the Earles Commissioners shall signifie to the Parliament, and to the Earle of Warwick, the desire of the towne of Lyn, concerning the ships taken by the Parliaments ships, and to that they can give no other answer.

Sixtly, That neither the person nor estates of any Inhabitants, Gentry, or Strangers, now residing in Lyn, shall be hereafter noblested for any thing past, or done by them, since the Earle of Manchesters comming into these parts.

Seventhly, That for preventing of plundering, ten stillings a man heraised for all foot souldiers under the Earles Command, and a fort night pay for all Officers under the degree of a Captaine, and this is to be levied upon the Towne.

Eightly, That Sir Hammon le Strange, Sir Richard Hovill, Captaine Clinch, Master Recorder, Master Dearing, and Master William Leeke, be left as Hostages untill Condiitons be performed agreed upon.

That which is observable duting this Treaty, is, that the Towne, or rather the unrulie souldiers shot at our men, contrary to accord, and fell to work upon their workes, and as it is conceived, with intent to cut ditches at the spring-tides, to drowne our workes, which we discovering, made use of, to hold them up to our termes, otherwayes they were all prisoners, if we stood upon it. This agreement being carryed to the Mayor and Aldermen, &c. there were some explainary exceptions, as that it was not exprest in the pre­amble, that the Towne be delivered for King and Parliament; that some­what was not exprest infavour or vindication of the Mayor, that any should be exempt from bearing part of that raised to content the souldiers, or to that effect, which my Lord by a Letter, or short Declaration satisfied them in, and then one of their Commissioners returned with the last and full reso­lution, that the Gates should be opened, and we enter: During this latter businesse, we mist usting they would faulter, we drew all our horse and foote into meadowes, which we put into such a posture as might be most terrible to the enemy, making a large front, when God knowes what deptha they stood, then beating the Drums, and founding the Trumpets, as if we had been pre­fently to march into the Towne: Col. Russell, that noble and valiant Gen­tleman had the Van, and Col. Walton the Reete: Colonell Russell marched on foot towards the East-gate, when he came within Musquet shot, the Com­missioner that was imployed to make way came backe, and told the Colo­nell, that the season of the night would not permit to open the great Gate, they must therefore be content to march one by one at the Wicket, if any shall question our discretion in entring in at a Wicket, and at twelve a clock at night, let them know, that we did not know what alterations might be by morning, nor how the ruder part might take courage and deny us entrance; we thought it best the refore to take the present time, besides out men were the next morning to have stormed it, otherway the spring ride would have spoiled us; but when the Wicket was open, and we going to enter, the Commissioner againe returned, and told us there was a rude multitude of a­bout forty or fifty, that swore none should enter there, and if any did, they would be the death of them, which they might have made good to five hun­dred, if we had stood to it: they had there a parley of neere two houres, some saying Articles must be performed: others, that they would not condescend nor obey, nor should the Mayor and Commissioners acts binde them, Cry­ing shoote, shoote, and one Canoneere they turned out, because he would not give fire upon us, as himselfe said: at last one of them cryed, give fire, which being in the dead of the night, made some of the forward Countrey [Page 6]men and others on horse backe, who rid by the side of the foote that march­ed, to fall off their horses, and some into the ditch, so terrible was the word, Give fire: but at last this multitude was pacified and departed, which to speake truth was from heaven, for had they continued obstinate, wee could not have gained the towne: they disperst, the Colonell entred, and his soul­diers, who marched to their quarters at the South-gate according to order; in our assage through the towne, not one man appeared, only the women, who for the generall cryed, God blesse us, whether for feare or love, you may guesse. Thus being possest of the Towne, and having drawne a party into the Tuesday market place both of horse and foote, and set strong watches at every place, the Mayor came to the Colonell, of whom we demanded why the Armes of the Towne, according to the agreement was not brought into the market place, he replyed, that the season of the night would not per­mit, but in the morning it should be done, which satisfied the Colonell, for we saw they vvere perfectly subdued; and their spirits as to opposition quite gone. If it shall be further enquired, why, or vvhat should be the reason this towne of so great strength should yeeld to so small a power; it is answred, first the inhabitants vvere such as had not been asccustomed to vvar, and were much frighted by the Granadoes, though to speake truth, there vvas some defect in them, so that they did little, only falling among a timerous people. Secondly, they had no souldiers, but inhabitants, and of them not many fighters; but chiefely for this reason, they knew my Lord was noble, made up of love and meeknesse, that conditions vvould be performed, their trade and markets open, a garrison vvould spend money among them, and if they held out, they should it was like lose many of their lives, and be blockt up by sea and land, if not taken, and their estates at last become a prey to the con­querour: there is one other question, or rather an exception to be answered, vvhich as vve understood in the Army, vvas that the Londoners tooke ex­ceptions that my Lord sate downe before the Towne; For answer to this, though it be a sad thing that accounts must be given to those that understand not the affaires of War, nor vvhom it so much concerned as the associated Counties, yet thus much may be said, my Lord thought action vvould have pleased them, because they complaine so for want of action, and besides to reduce a towne to obedience that they traded vvith, and the holding out of it so much prejudice to them, should rather have put them upon his encourage­ment, then finding fault: Besides, he hopes shortly to be in Lincolnshire, and to drive the enemy out thence, vvhich he could not have done, that towne not secured, and if God prosper his honour as vvell there, as in this late acti­on, [Page 7]he shall cleare the Countries, make way for the Londoners increase of trade and accommodation vvith provisions for the City, Lincolnshire being one of their best magazines for the belly.

We thus possest of the Towne the next morning about nine of the clock his Lordship marched from his head quarter, with his life guard, a brave Troope commanded by that valiant Gentleman Captaine Rich, and divers Knights and Gentlemen being come into the Towne, be repaired to the Sermon, where one of his Chaplaines preached, to give God thankes for his happy and peaceable entry, the Ministers both in fore and afternoone bond­ing their discourses that way, and indeed God was seen exceedingly in the businesse, and so much the more as the arme of flesh was weak, they laboured also to possesse the people of a blessing to them, and to that purpose gave ma­ny cleer instances, too large to be here inserted, whether the people thought so or not did not appear, but they will suddenly finde it so; my Lord hath his Quarter at Alderman Tolls a Member of the House of Commons, who was so roughly dealt with, in the time of the Siege, that he was constrained to make an escape out at a window into the arme of the sea, his house being guarded in all parts else by Musketiers; many others returned that had fled out of the Towne, who were hapily again possest of their dwellings, though with great diminution of their estates, which to repaire, it were good some course were taken, for there is nothing more reasonable, then that those that forsake all for the Cause, should be satisfied in point of dammage; Colonell Waltor hath for the present the Government of the towne; thus we see how providence orders, he that was lately lockt up for three daies and three nights at Oxford in a poore chamber without food, is now Govern our of as great and strong a towne as Oxford; in which service he will doubtlesse behave him­selfe so well that the towne shall not have cause to complaine, and will be able to say that at the delivery of his charge, which was said by Master Ash at the evening Sermon after the entring the towne, that he was confident notwith­standing the entrance was in the dead of the night, yet a halfe penny worth of wrong had not been done to any in the towne. The first resolution taken for the better and more orderly government of the Souldiers, and content of the people was to have every morning at eight a clocke a Sermon, which was to be performed by the Ministers of the Towne, and my Lords Chaplaines, which will undoubtedly keepe a good Harmony betweene them: And thus briefely you have the most materiall passages past in the Service; the next thing to be done is the dismissing the Gentlemen Strangers, seizing of Armes, and what by Articles was to be delivered, setling the Gar­rison, that so the place being secured his Lordship may advance,

Take one observation more, the Towne of Lyn may be made as strong a place as any in the world with a little charge, and so there is a retiring place, for the fearfull that have thoughts of departing the Kingdome; it were not amisse to call all that are gone thither; and let them pay excise there towards our war ra­ther then the wars of others.

Let all who apprehend the gaining this Towne a good piece of service to the State, give the noble Earle of Manchester his due praise, and God the glory.