MY Love to you, having so fit an opportunity (by reason my Captaine had occasion to send a Post to London, J did esteeme it a tye of Friendship, to salute you with this short Scedule, wherein is [Page] contained a generall of our Proceedings since my last Letter.

On Christmas day we had a falce alla­rum, by reason that some three Hundred of Sir Ralph Hoptons Troopers had scouted out, and were pillaging the Country Vil­ages thereabouts, by which meanes the Country rose, and we were commanded to leave the Church, and Arme our selves, the Citie being all in an uprore, but be­fore we could quit the City, and arrive at the place where the Cavaliers were, (not­withstanding though the inhabitants had made some opposition, to the losse of six men,) yet they were escaped, and got in­to Kings-bridge, where Sir Ralph Hopton himselfe is quartered, so that for that time we retreated to the City, which at our re­turne we found pretty well appeased.

All the weeke after we did little, one­ly we sent out parties to discover whe­ther the Cavaliers made any attempt upon any part of the County, but they lay very close not making the least attempt, one­ly [Page] we were informed that Sir Ralph Hop­ton called a generall Muster, but how ma­ny he mustered we can by no meanes get certaine knowledge of, but the report is that he is about five thousand strong.

Thus we continued till Sunday mor­ning (being Newyeares-day) about three of the clocke in the morning, J being ri­ding the Round, to discover whether my Centries did their duty carefully, on a sud­den J discovered neere forty Horsemen stealing upon my Centries, and one of their Pistols immediately went off by an accident, (as was confest by one that was afterward taken prisoner) which the Cen­tries hearing, discharged their Carbines, and retreated to the Court of Guard, and in a quarter of an Houre the City was in a posture of defence, onely the cryes of women and Chilldren did so trouble us, that J professe J had rather oppose an E­nemy in the field, though with some dis­advantage. then to endure that torment in a City most strongly fortefied.

[Page] During this hurly-burly the day aproch­ed and then we might discover a mighty strength which had begirt the City on each side, and planted Ordnance against our Bulworkes, at which they fired nere thirty times endeavouring to dismount our Ordnance, but did us litle hurt, onely kild five of our metroses, and one Caunonier.

During this time our Cannons played at them, doing indifferent good executi­on, for they lay open to us upon the side of a hill which lies on the south side of the City.

Thus they held us play on every side for the space of three houers, insomuch that we were almost spent and tyred out. especially on that part of the City which lyes North-east, for by the violence of the Enemy our men was beaten from the workes, and they began to draw so nigh the wall that they began to cast Grana­does over the wall into the City.

And one remarkeable token of Gods [Page] mercy to us J cannot omit, one Thomas Smith with a bull-hide fell upon six Gra­nadoes, at severall times and put them out before they broke, and came off unhurt, which other wise would have done great mischeife.

The enemy finding that that part of the City began to give way to them drew up their maine forces, to that place lea­ving their Ordnance playing against us, guarded with some small number of men, which my Captaine espying, drew up part of his men to the number of eight hundred and sallied out upon them, and with the losse of five and twenty men he ceized their Ordnance, and took seventeene Cannoniers Prisoners.

By this time the Contry came in and fell upon Sir Ralph Hoptons Reare, and Cap taine Pym upon his flancke with his owne Ordnance so mauled him that pre­sently he retreated, and having got clere of our forces betooke himselfe to flight, in this battell we slew above a thousand [Page] of his men, and lost not above fourescore, or a hundred at the most, besides we took [...] seven pieces of Artillery. and eigth and thirty prisoners, but none of any Note, and now we are in greater hope then e­ver, that we shall put Sir Ralph Hopton to a Non-plus, fot my Captaine is resolved to pursue him, and use all meanes to pre­vent his making Head againe.

This is all that for this time J have to write, onely as occasion shall offer it selfe I shall give you information of our suture proceedings.