Good News FROM SOMERSET-SHIRE: Of the taking of Captaine Digby son to the Earle of Bristow, who had raised a troupe of horse to come against the Parliament. WITH The manner of his apprehending, and the staying of his horse by the town of Sherburne, and himself staid, to be sent up to the House of Parliament for his Censure. ALSO An Instruction from both Houses of Parliament to all Iustices of the Peace. Joh. Brown Cler. Parl.
Printed for Richard Thomson. 1642. August 12.
GOOD NEVVES FROM SOMERSET-SHIRE. ALSO AN INSTRUCTION from both Houses of Parliament to all Iustices of the Peace.
SO hath it pleased the omnipotent & wise providence of God, that hitherto the evill-affected disturbers of this our Sion have been way-layed and taken in their owne devices, yet hath the devill so far prevailed with his deare children the Popes Brats, that they have sought [Page 2] the utter ruining of three flourishing Kingdomes, and have left no plot unattempted for the dissolution and very essence of Parliaments, and have wrought both beyond sea and in England, to set His Majesty against this highest Court of Iudicature, the Court of Parliament, as may appeare by the Lord Digbies and the rest of the Fugitives escape, and desiring His Maiesty to retire to some place of strength, where he might attend His Maiesty with His service, and now in defiance of iustice made His Maiesties Court a Sanctuary for all his designes and practises formerly by him practised, in his appearance in a warlike manner at Kingston upon Thames, to the afrightment of the whole towne, and preparing sadles and other engines of warre, which now his brother Captain Digby thought to have imployed: and having prepared a troup of horse ready to have gone for Yorke, promising great rewards to all that would attend him in his iourney to York. But having raised his troupe ready to set forward, he was taken in Sherburne, the whole town having intelligence of his coming that way, where himselfe and his followers are in hold, till the censure of the high Court of Parliament.
A TRUE RELATION OF THE Plot intended against HVLL.
THe Cavaliers now about Hull make their approaches near the wals in the night, but in the day time dare not come neare for feare of pellets, not within two miles of the town: they burnt two of the mills near the town, and in attempting to burn the rest, were violently opposed by the shot of the Canon from the town; insomuch as they returned swiftly. It is not certainly knowne how many of the Cavaliers were kild; and the Earle of Newport was by the force of a Canon shot dismounted and throwne into a ditch of water of a great depth, where (after he had once sunk) he was catcht hold on by the haire of his head, and his life saved, which caused the Archbishop of York to give him his blessing, saying, If he had been a Roundhead he he had been drowned, for there was no hold on his head, and that the long-hair'd Cavaliers were the onely saints. But after their retreat the high wayes were much besprinkled with blood. On tuesday night last the plot was laid, and persons appointed to doe the worke, for firing of the Towne in foure severall places, [Page 4] the designe for the doing it was when they did discern a fire on Beverley Minster, it should be an assurance unto them, that at the same time two thousand men should assault the wals whilest the souldiers were a quenching the fire. But this plot was discovered a few houres before, the plotters being of the alliance of Beck, with the Papist who should formerly have betrayed the towne, and is now the onely favourite at Court. It is certainly informed, that the King adhereth to the advice of the Cavaliers, and totally deserts the counsell of his Lords, which makes them ready to returne to London, seeing themselves in a manner not worthy to be hearkened unto, but rather the advice of such as seek and thirst after nothing but blood, and the utter destruction of the three Kingdomes: which if it please not God to prevent, we are like by their evill suggestions to undergo the miseries of Germany and other neighbouring countreyes, who have their hands died in the scarlet blood of the saints, and nothing more sought after then the destruction one of another. Therefore let us remember that a kingdome divided against it selfe cannot stand, and seek, as farre as in us lies, with tears and supplications to the Almighty for the prevention thereof.
Die Mercurii.
VVHereas severall Commissions of Array have lately issued out under the Great Seal of England, into the severall Counties of Leicester, Worcester, and other Counties of this Realme, tending to the great danger of His Majesty, and the disturbance of the peace of the Kingdome: For the preventing thereof, and of the execution and issuing out such Commissions for the time to come, It is Ordered by the Lords and commons assembled in Parliament, That the Iudges and Iustices of Assize, of the severall Counties of England and Wales, be required in their several Circuits, at the Assizes and great Sessions to be next held for each County, within this Realme, and the Dominion of Wales respectively, in open Court, and in their severall Charges to be delivered to the Grand-Iuries at the said Assizes, and great Sessions, openly to declare and publish, That the said Lords & Commons assembled in Parliament have, upon mature deliberation, Resolved upon the Question, That the said Commissions of Array are against Law, and against the Liberty and Property of the Subiect: And that all [Page 6] those that are Actors in putting the same in execution, shalbe esteemed disturbers of the Peace of the Kingdome, and Betrayers of the Liberty of the Subject.
Ordered by the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament, That this shalbe forthwith printed and published.