I Have received your Letter, with the Printed Papers of the Newes amongst you therein inclosed, for which I return you many thanks, and in requitall thereof have sent you, by this Post, the Passages and Accidents which this last weeke hath befallen us in Lancashire. The Countie, as you know, is grie­vously distracted and divided into two factions; The Papists and Malignants (whereof there are ma­ny in our Countie) act one part, and the well-affe­cted Protestants another. The Lord Strange (now Earle of Derbie) is the great Ring-leader of the Po­pish faction and Malignant partie, and keepes his Randevouz at Warrington, whither great multitudes of ill-affected people, both out of Lancashire and Cheshire doe daily resort, it lying upon the fronters of both. They make daily great spoyle in the Coun­trey, which hath now awakned them of the Coun­trey, and so incensed them, that they are tide death tide life resolved to indure it no longer, as may ap­peare [Page 4] by the last Skirmish that this last week fell out at Leigh and Loaton Common, between the Earle of Derbies Troopes and the Countrey people, where­of I my selfe being one, can relate you the truth: for the last Sabbath as wee were going towards the Church, a Post rode through the Countrey, infor­ming us that the Earles Troopes were comming to­wards Chow-bent; whereupon the Countrey pre­sently rose, and before one of the Clocke on that day we were gathered together about 3000. Horse and Foote, Incountring them at Chow-bent aforesaid, and beate them backe to Leigh, killing some and wounding many. Where you would wonder to have scene the forwardnesse of the young youths, Farmers sonnes, who indeed were two forward, ha­ving had little experience of the like times before this. And so We over-road our Foote, being carried with a fervent desire to overtake them, and to doe some notable Service upon them, so that we drove them to Loaton-Common, where they knowing our foote to be far behinde, turned faces about and be­gan to make head against us. Whereupon began a sharpe although a short Incounter, but when they perceived our full and setled resolution, they made away as fast as their Horses could carry them, and we after them, killing, wounding, and taking priso­ners [Page 5] about 200 of them; and we lost never a man, onely we had three of our men wounded, but not mortally, so that I thinke they will trouble us no more out of that part of the Countrey, but if they doe we shall be better provided for them then be­fore, for we are all upon our Guard, and the Naylers of Chow-bent, instead of making nayles, have busied themselves in making of Bills and Battle-Axes; and also this weeek the other part of the Countrey meet and intend not onely to stand upon their Guard, but to disarme all the Papists and Malignants within their Precincts, which wee are resolved upon in our Precincts, and also by Gods assistance to take the greatest Papists and most dangerous Malignants prisoners, and carry them to Manchester to keepe house with Sir Cecill Traffard, that Arch-Papist, who is there a prisoner; for now the men of Black­burne, Paduam, Burnely, Clitherc, and Colme, with those sturdy Churles in the two forrests of Pendle and Ros­sendale, have raised their Spirits, and are resolved to fight it out, rather then their Beefe and fatt Bacon shall be taken from them. For the last weeke Sir Gilbert Houghton set his Beacon on fire, which stood upon the top of Houghton Tower, and was the sig­nall to the Countrey for the Papists and Malignants to arise in the field, and in Lealand hundreth; where­upon [Page 6] upon great multitudes accordingly resorted to him to Preston in Andernesse, and ran to Blackburne, and so through the Countrey, disarming all, and pilla­ging some, which Master Shuttlewath, a Parliament man, and Master Starkie hearing of, presently had gotten together out of the places formerly mentio­ned about 8000. men, met with Sir Gilbert and his Catholique Malignants at Hinfield-moore, put them to flight, tooke away many of their Armes, and pur­sued Sir Gilbert so hotly, that he quit his horse, leapt into a field, and by the comming on of the night escaped through fur-bushes and by-wayes to Pre­ston, and there makes great defence by chaining up Ribble-bridge, and getting what force he can into the Towne for his securitie: out of which the Coun­trey sweares they will have him by Gods helpe, with all his adherents, either quicke or dead; so that by the next Post, I hope, I shall certifie of some good posture that the Countrey will be in. O that the Parliament had but sent downe their 1000. of Dra­gooneers into the Countrey, wee would not have left a Masse monger, nor Malignant of note, but we would have provided a lodging for him.

It is reported by some about the Earle of Derbie, that he is very melancholy, and much perplexed a­bout that unadvised course that he hath run, for the [Page 7] last Thursday at Warrington at dinner, he said he was borne under an unfortunate Planet, and that he thought some evill Constellation reigned at the houre of his birth, with many such other words of passion and discontent, so that we all thinke he would purchase his peace with the Parliament at a very deare rate, for now he is fled from his holds as yesterday, and to morrow goes towards Congerton, as is reported.

This day came Newes from Yorke, that it is in great distresse for victuals, so that the Citizens, espe­cially the women, sweare if my Lord of Cumberland will not be gone, they will try their skill to set him packing. He daily offers conditions of peace to the Lord Fayrefaxe, and desires he would suffer him to march through the Countrey, and he will offer no wrong; but his Treaties are refused. The last week Sir Thomas Gleman, with three hundreth men, assaul­ted Wether be in the night, where Sir Thomas Fayre­fax, the good Lord Fayrefax sonne lay in Garrison, but the Noble Knight, with six of his Souldiers, beat back Sir Thomas whole company, having them in a narrow passage, and Sir Thomas Fayrefax him­selfe valiantly incountred Sir Thomas Glemans Serje­ant Major, slew him, and so had dealt with Sir Tho­mas Gleman himselfe, had he not been arayed in a [Page 6] [...] [Page 7] [...] [Page 8] Coat of Male, to maintaine his Aray Commission, with all, if that Countie had but Commanders, the very Fowles being so shrewdly bitten by the Cava­liers, and the Citie also, would all rise to assist my Lord Fayrefax, whom we heare is made Generall of this Countie, which we are not a little glad of, for he hath done very good Service; and this day Captaine Hotham and my Lords Regiment went to meet my Lord of Newcastle coming towards Yorke, and give them a sharpe Incounter, beat them backe againe to Durham, and I hope they will come no more. So untill meeting, am