WE doe by these presents, out of the speciall Trust and confidence Wee re­pose in you, nominate, constitute, and appoint you to bee Governour for His Majesty, of the Towne and Castle of Pembroke, and of the Garrison Souldiers, Forces, and [Page 2] Inhabitants thereof (whom we hereby command to obey you in all things, as their Governour. Giving you full power and authority to command as well the present Garrison of the said Town and Castle, as a­ny other or greater Garrison that shall hereafter bee setled there, for his Majesties service, and to appoint and authorize by Commission, all such Officers under you, as shall be from time to time necessary, for the Government of the said Towne and Castle, and for the command of the Garrison and Inhabitants there, authorizing and requiring you likewise, to keepe and defend, with the assistance of the said Garrison, or of any other Forces you can get, the said Town and Ca­stle for His Majesties use, and service, against all in­vasions and attempts whatsoever. And for the better defence of the same, to adde such New Works, as you in your judgement and discretion shall think meet, to the Fortification already made, as also, to doe and ex­ecute all such other things and duties as belong to the Office and authority of Governour of the said Town and Castle, and as you in your judgement shall think fit, for the necessary defence therof, and in as large and ample manner as you now hold and exercise the same. In the execution whereof, and of this our Commission, you are to obey and pursue such Orders as you shall from time to time receive from his Majesty, from Us, or from such person as we shall appoint, to be Gene­rall of South Wales, or Commander in chiefe of the Army there, for the time being.

Given under our Hand and Seale the 13 of Aprill, in the 24 year of the Reign of our Royall Father the King.

TRusty and wel-beloved, we greet you well: We have seen your Declaration, and received your Letter, and are extreamly satisfied with the many Ex­pressions we finde in them, of your great zeale, and af­fection to the King, our Royall Father, and to us: We have much reason to be assured of the Loyalty & inte­grity of your intentions, when we consider the present conjunctures, & seasonablenesse of your appearing in Armes, and declaring your Selves for his Majesty, at this time, when the concurrence of others with you, in the same good designe, may give us more then an or­dinary hope of good Successe, and that you and they may be a mutuall support and assistance to each other: The Answers we have herewith sent to your Proposi­tions, will we hope, let you see how ready we are to imbrace all things, that may give you Encouragement to proceed chearfully & constantly in this cause, and the modesty you have used therein, shall invite us to lay hold of all occasions, to obliege persons that En­gage themselves in so great an undertaking, with such reasonable demands for themselves. And we assure you, that we shall be carefull, to supply and assist you in all things, to the uttermost of our power: And if it please God to blesse us with successe, wee shall ende­vour by all real effects of kindnesse, to let you see how truely sensible we are of your merit, and of the ob­ligation we acknowledge to have to you.

Given at St. Germain Laye the 23 of April. 1648.

I Have at length gotten an opportunity to write un­to you, and to give you a true account of the issue of our work, being left at Pembroke, and Tinby, for the setling some things there. Briefly, both these Towns were very strong, Tinby being like a Promontany in­to the Sea, the part without the walls stormed by O­vertons Regiament, and the Town commanded by Col. Powel yeelded to mercy, as you have heard.

Pembroke the strongest place that ever we sate down before, and the Castle even impregnable, which after six weeks siege, constant rain, and much hardship in­dured by us and them, reduced as we desired, Viz.

5 to mercy being Leaders, 16 to 2 years banishment, the rest sent home, The Enemy consisting of men of all parts, resolute enough, keeping it even to the last. Many were the providences in that work; for which, admire Gods goodnesse. In taking Chepstow Castle and Town, and these other two, in all our long march we have lost about 50 or 60 men, and only one Major and one Captain, The enemies losse hath been great, but none of more concernment then Col. Botlems death, who was kild at a window, by a shot ours, at ran­dome. Their Interest was wholly changed, and from the Parliament fell to the King, having the Princes Commission. I being commanded in at a hostage, and to wait upon Major Generall Laughorn, and Poyer, I lay in Poyers house, and in a Vault there, found his Commission, and the Princes Letter to him and Powel, [Page 5] with a Letter under the Princes owne hand and seale; which shews they fought not for Arrears, besides all the transactions betwixt the Prince and them, toge­ther with many other Letters of theirs, manifesting the whole designe of this years trouble, and the laying e­very peece of them in all parts of Scotland, England, and Wales. That I can truely say, the beating their Ar­my at St. Fagons, and taking in this Country, hath bin the greatest services we have been in. The people are a people meerly deluded by the Name of King and Service-book, for their Religion.

This I call the third testimony God hath given to the world of the integrity of this Army, and his pre­sence with it.

First, in the year 1645. where all the Kings power was subdued by it. Secondly, when the tumults at London caused us to march through the city. And, Thirdly, this yeares commotions: which hath been queld by the Army thus exceedingly dispersed. Oh that men would yet confesse with us, his goodnesse, & leave off jealousies, and wranglings, and minde their common interest! We are marched back to England, leaving a sufficient Force here, to maintain what we have gotten: And are yet resolved to beare our fur­ther witnes as the Lord shall direct us: We have con­tested with so many difficulties in this journey, that we may not distrust God in hardships: we have wan­ted bread, lain in cold fields, constant rain, our Guns sunke in the Sea and recovered, we had a desperate E­nemy, and few friends, but a mighty God; Wee had most of us no pay since we came from London, many bare-footed Souldiers, yet valiant and unchangeable: [Page 6] Wee are amazed at Gods bounty, and now are safe at Hereford, Glocester, &c. The honest true-hearted Lieu­tenant Generall living yet above all reproaches, of whom, I feare the poore Nation is not worthy.

Alas Sir, we now know where even all the secret E­nemies of the Kingdome dwell, yea, such as we could not have thought to have been Enemies. The use I have made of our long being in these parts, hath been the discovery of men behinde us in other parts. Good is the Lord.

Sir, it was no ridiculous work I was about, when I would have joyned Parliament, London, and the Ar­my together; but that City did not know its day, nor the Associated counties theirs. I wish some Govern­ment were designed, whether by King or otherwise, I desire a blessing upon it, that so good a God may bee no further grieved by us. Farewell good Friend, and remember him who is,