WEE are here in continuall feares of the Scots Army, not onely from the present sufferings of our Neighbour Counties who have most grievously tasted of their cruelties, but because we hear they have many friends in parts more remote, and unto them we shall only say this (for a charitable cōstruction is best) that had we not by the relation of our fathers and our present and pastime sufferings palpably felt that which is like to ring in the eares more and more every day of the whole Kingdome we might have been deluded in the like manner, as others spetious pretences & colou­rable excuses oftentimes avail much with those which are not acquainted with the manners of the people which may be rendred as one reason why those that in­habit [Page 2] in the South of England have generally been ob­served to hold a better opinion, of that nation, then those which live in the North (this in the time of peace) now we are come to dispute it with the sword. It is not necessary for us to remember the service they did heretofore in reducing Newcastle or mentioning their Iosse at the siege at Hereford; for their Army was since new modeled and but few that were in those services, are now in England, or under the same con­duct; we thought we understood the cause of their comming in then, and conceived they would never have broken amity, with the Parliament of England, neither would they if the advice of the Kirk had been taken (and in that the Clergy of that Kingdome de­serve double praise for whereas it hath been the Ge­nerall speech abroad of late yeares, that the Clergy wereas forward if not more, then others in abetting of a War) the Clergie of Scotland are of a contrary judgement, and for that the comming of that Army in­to this Kingdome was against their consents they have excommunicated most of the chief Officers and others that were the occasion of their comming in by which if they persist, it seemes that censure is much slighted; for in ancient times men were of opinion, if history may be credited, that if they lay under the censure of excommunication they thought their corn would not grow, or if it did, it would not be well inned, and if it come into the barn, some causualty would fall upon it before it came to be made use of, but I shall leave this discourse and proceed to that which is more pertinent by way of the intelligence concerning our present af­fairs [Page 3] the conjuncture of Major Generall Cromwell and Lieutenant Generall Cromwell was not without great exclamation, Scarborough is well blockt up and no shipping suffered to come thither by Sea, and no comming in of any supplies that way, which is the more care taken of, for that we hear that the Prince hath a fleet at Sea, and hath attempted to have men at some other places of this Kingdome, and this place is the better secured against that danger, for that the harbour but little above 30 miles from York, and is an inroad into the heart of that County, it was hardly believed that Lieutenant Generall Cromwell would have appeared so soon in these parts, the expediting of his work in Wales was very seasonable, some of the Scots confesse that their march into this Kingdom was hastned by intelligence was brought them of the rising of a party under the Earle of Holland in England, the discipating of which hath been very small discourage­ment to them, but now they are here, they play swoop stake, and what will not make mony, or be for present use, if valuable, they seize for redemption as they have done the sons and young daughters of divers Country Gentlemen and Yeomen, if men say they are for the King hoping to fare the better, they call them Cava­liers and took all under that notion, if they say they have taken the Covenant; they say they are against the King and must take what follows if they say they have not taken the Covenant they are used a like, which the Countryes adjacent, through which they have not yet marcht are so sensible of, that they come in a pace to [Page 4] the Major Generall, and Lieutenant Generall Crom­well and were but monies procured for buying neces­saries and food, for bread-corn, is very dear, we hope to prevent the further march of the Scots Southwards, the taking of the Town of Pomfract was a very corsi­derable service performed by Lieut. Generall Crom­wels, about forty men were killed and the Enemy dri­ven into the Castle and close begirt there where wee hope a small number of the new raised men will keep them, and the old Souldiers keep in a body in the field, the Lieut. Gen. was with Maj. Gen. Lambert at Leeds the 12 instant, and some of their forces had a Randez­vouze about three miles off, when the two Brigards met the Major Generall with the Lieut. Gen shewed themselves at the head of each Regiment and the Maj. Gen. as well by way of entertainment as favourable reception made a speech Declaratory to the same ef­fect as also by way of incouragement to the souldiers which was recented with great applause ecchoing a forwardnesse in the service.

The Scots advance not, as if they intended to relieve Colchester, neither can they, for the Maj. Gen. hath made good the passes about which there hath beene some dispute, when the forces for the Parliament in these parts and others expected are drawn into intire body which is hoped to be done in few dayes you are like to heare of further actions til, when I rest,

Letters from the Leaguer before Colchester say, that the Earle of Norwich, Lord Capel. Sir Charles Lucas, and the rest of the Officers in the Towne, sent a letter to the Lord Fai [...]fax wherein they desire 20 dayes leave to addresse themselves to the Prince, and if things goe not suitable to their desires, then &c. This Letter was received by the Generall, and answer was returned by a Trumpetter, though not according to the expectation of the besieged. Hunger bites those in the towne, and their desires not being granted, if the old proverbe be true, that hunger breaks stone walls, some are of opinion, that men of that desparate condi­tion will endeavour to break the line once againe, be­fore they submit, but more danger is in attempting a quick line (to hold out the proverb) then a dead wall; for the Generall hath fitted al things for a storm if occasion be, and is every minute so well pro­vided to receive the Enemy if they sally forth that if the distressed cōdition of the besieged should put them upon any desperate design is more probable they will be accessary to hasten their utter destruction then that that any of them should deliver themselves by an es­cape.

Letters out of Hereford-shire, say, that there was a late fight between a party of horse for the Parliament commanded by Maj. Harley and a party for the King commanded by Sir Henry Linging, in which its said Sir Henry Linging had the better at the first but Maj. Harley having a reserve charged with great gallantry, rescued some prisoners, tooke many other of the ad­verse party, and divers Officers; amongst whom it is [Page 6] said Sir Henry Lingen himself is one, but receiving this only upon report I shal leave the certainty to fur­ther relations, Col: Stepkins which have betrayed a Garrison against the Parliament in Staffordshire be­took himself to a house of defence and having g [...]tten men to his assistance the Governour of Stafford came against them brought a deny Culverin with him began a battery took the house by storm, Stepkins finding an entrance made, betook himself with some few men in­to a Tower belonging to the said house, fought it out to the last, and himself died in the assault.