I Received yours of the fourth of Octo­ber, and thank you for your relation of the proceedings of the Parlia­ment, which are welcome to all Loyall and true-hearted Snbjects; There is daily here spred amongst us many lying and scandalous reports against that high and Ho­nourable Court, to make it odious; but certain­ly that cause must needs be bad, which makes use of lyes to support it. I shall give you the best In­telligence I can of the strength of his Majesties Army: It is related amongst us, that it doth in­crease daily, and as I am an eye-witnesse my self, and have it likewise from others; It doth consist of six thousand Foote, three thousand Horse, and fifteene hundred Dragooneers, which, if supplies come not speedily in, must in few dayes muteny: The Countrey hath been in particular dealt with for lending monies, and Commissioners appoint­ed for receiving thereof, and every man of any [Page 4] ability hath payed somewhat, who so refused, or gave not so much as was expected, was threaten­ed to be plundered: This money is all spent, and what else his Majesties Plate could coyne, which I can assure you was not much: Now the Gen­try and Usurers are againe sent to, to know what they will lend the King upon security, and great summes are demanded, but whether upon the former conditions we know not; They have a saying amongst the Souldiers, that all rich men are Round-heads, and therefore they may bee bold with them, and certainly they make good their words, by their practise, for they have plun­dered many Gentlemens houses in these parts, and those too which were not so well affected to the Parliament, whereby men see now what is to be expected from them: We feare when his Ma­jesty goes, which they say he will upon Munday or Tuesday next, we shall be ill dealt with by the common Souldiers, both in Town and Country; We have had Warrants to send in Horses and Carts for his removall, which are come towards Salop, but whither his Majesty intends, is not cer­tainly knowne, it is given out he intends for Lon­don. I pray God blesse him, and send him well thither in peace, but it is conceived by others, that he will march towards Yorke, and take Manche­ster in the way, where the new Earle of Darby hath had but ill successe, he hath lost above two [Page 5] hundred men. Last Tuesday he was faine to leave it, and it is given out for the reparation of his Honour, that his Mejesty sent twice for him. Had there not been some faint-heartednesse in some of the prime Gentry in Cheshire, who would stand as Neutrals, there had been as great an op­position there, as in any other County, and those Gentlemen have found but little favour, for they stand committed at Court, and their Houses have been plundered, the County is disarmed, and likewise at Wrexam his Majesty sent for the In­habitants of Denbighshire, and Flintshire, and hath disarmed them: Most of our Gentry hereabouts are made Captaines, and resolve to goe with the Army, some that you know very well, that came to Salop this last night for that purpose, and in hope of plunder, for his Majesty we heare is in great want of money, and he is fallen into a bar­ren part of the Kingdome for that, or any other provision fit for an Army, so that if the Mint at Salop do want supply, we feare it will goe hard with us, a Garrison of 2000. are sent to Bridge-North to relieve and keep that from the Earle of Essex his Forces, the like, or more, with some pieces of Ordnance are to be left at Salop for the same purpose: there are all sorts of Nations (I thinke) about the Court, and I admire the Papists doe so resort thither, since his Majesties Procla­mation to the contrary: many of his Majesties [Page 6] Officers and meniall servants pray for peace, and it is verily beleeved his Majesty is graciously in­clined to it, but the Cavaliers will not endure to heare of it, but rather will adventure upon most desperate things. I conceive it great pitty his Majesty should be brought into any streights▪ God reward them that have been the occasion of it; but this I am sure of, he is much abused by his plundering Cavaliers, who daily plunder and un­doe men, and say they have Commission for it: They have plundered Master Nichols House, who is Sheriffe of Montgomery, and burned his wri­tings, spoiled his house, sold his furnace, and the Iron of his Carts, it is much doubted these passa­ges, and other the like, will withdraw the affe­ctions of his Majesties Subjects from him, this is the substance of all: Prince Robert and the Duke are yet in Salop, they lie at Master Jones house the Lawyer, it is reported here the Terme is ad­journed, I pray let us heare if it be so. They tell us likewise that the Parliament Forces have had a great overthrow at Hereford, and that they are weake and dare not fight, but are returned backe towards London, and that one halfe thereof are against them utterly. I beleeve his Majesties Ar­my, Horse and Foote, is above ten thousand, but its feared the Voluntiers, not one of ten can give fire, many young boyes come in daily, to what number they may increase we know not; the [Page 7] Horse of our County are gone to Bridge-North in his Majesties service, the Armes of severall Welch Counties are brought to Salop: Your last Letter came safe; I desire to heare from you, which way my Lord of Essex intends. I suppose you heare more at London. My service.