IT much troubles to heare of that lame­nesse that is upon you, which hath brought so much paine with it, the Lord in his due time I hope wil deliver you from both, and in the meane time give you patience to submit; I received the sad newes of it, in your Letter on wednesday as we were upon our march from Okingham to Newberry; Where we quartered wednesday night, from whence we intended to relieve Marleborough which had valiant­ly stood out against the enemy three or foure dayes, and slew divers of them with little losse on their side, never yielding untill their Towne was fired in foure or five places, which when it was taken, they plundered all the Town, and tooke some six score of the honest peo­ple prisoners, and much like unto the Irish Rebells most Barbarously dealt with them all, which might have beene prevented if Mr. White. Mr Pitts friend his solicitation for three or foure dayes together of my Lord Generall, and the Councell of War could have prevailed to have sent us in time, but when it was too late we were sent; Thursday we heard it was taken & that 3000 were got into Wantage in Barkeshire: Thursday about 11 or 12 of the clock we marched toward that Town and drew [Page 4]up in the Field before it in to the ancles in Clay, about nine or ten of the clock at night, but staying somwhat too long before we fell in upon them not knowing their strength, and fortifications: that better part of their persons, and horse fled and escaped amongst whom my Lord Digby was the chiefe, the night was so exceeding darke, wet, and Tempestuous that we could not possibly get intelligence of their strength, untill some 20 of our horse were sent in amongst them, who slew their Sen­tinell, harged a whole Troope of their horse, and safely retreated to us with the losse of only one of their horses: then were six or seven companies of Dragoones sent in, who every step stept up neere to the very tops of their Bootes, and yet went on with such courage and cheere­fulnesse (though exceeding wet, weary, and dirty) as though they had been in the most delightfull Garden-walkes; after them some Troops of horse, but before this could be done most of them escaped, which other­wise had been all slaine or taken Prisoners, only we slew five or six of them, one a Captaine, and tooke about 30 prisoners which we released at our comming away to free our selves of being troubled with them, that night we returned back againe to Nuberry, all the night being exceeding wet and blustring, so that we had 24 houres march & service such as these that have been 20 yeares inservices abroad never had the like, yet we are all well blessed be God, only many of our horses faile us and by reason of it some of our men are taken prisoners, the Enemy lying in most parts round about us, and with their scouts take some of our men whose horses tir'd, we are like to have a very hard service of it, If it con­tinue out the winter as I doubt it will: we have watcht three or foure nights together, but for victualls blessed [Page 5]be God we have hitherto had enough and never yet wanted any. I received a Letter from Master D for which I give him thanks, I would now returne him answer but I cannot being so extreame weary and sleepy, only remember me kindly to him and tell him that our Commission was expresly to fall upon Henly, and at that present those Forces that my Lord Generall sent from Windsor were to fall upon Marlborough, so that our Commission was not so large as he was informed; we had this afternoone an alarum that great Forces of the Kings were comming, two or three wayes a­gainst this Towne, which we finde is not altogether true yet: certainely there is of some which will make us watch this night also: I had almost forgot, we tooke my Lord Digbies Coach and Horses and their Carriages and Armes, and Powder, but were constrained to throw a­way the Powder and tooke their Muskets, and one of them that was slaine died with a fearefull Oath in his mouth swearing he would see the Parliament hang­ed before hee would yield to them, with that one of our Dragoneers shot him, so that his last words were Oaths. Good store of pillage our men got from them that they had gotten at Marlborough, when they plun­dered it: remember me to Master D. and their wives, Master A. and his wife, Master T. Master B. my Cozen Ioseph, and the rest that love me, not forgetting the new married couple, so with my love to your selfe I commit you and yours to the Lords protection, and ever remaine your truly loving Friend.

I now write this letter as I have done others formerly, not knowing when or how to send it, the Lord hath in goodnesse wonderfully pre­served me hitherto, especially in our taking of Winchester, where the most part of the Regiment assaulted the City at one side of it where the wall was broken downe, which yet notwithstanding (with no small dificulty we entred) and in regard of the excee­ding high and steepe passage to it, so steepe that we had no other way to get up, but to creepe upon our knees and hands, from the bottom to the top as high as most houses, the Enemy all the while playing with their Musqueteers upon us, but slew but three men in our getting up, and one of our Captaines that followed me as he was entring the breach, after I had led in some twenty men; the bullets all this while flew thicke about us, yet I blesse God I had not the least hurt; the most part of our Enemies at our comming got into the Castle, so that the greatest part of the opposition we had in ta­king the Towne was from the Townse-men, who have since sufficiently paid for it, for they have bin (the grea­test opposers of us) plundered by our unruly souldiers: we stood in armes all that night, and beset the Castle round with Musquetiers and Horse, and laid Perdues under the wall that not a man of them could stir, then they sounded a parley about ten or eleven of the clocke at night, but we refused to accept it, against the mor­ning we had prepared a great number of Fagots and [Page 7]picht barrells, to fire the gate in regard we wanted Or­dinance and Petards: as soone as it began to be light they sounded another Parley wherein my Lord Grandison himselfe with some fiue or six more desired to be, which was accepted, after much debate they yielded and Ar­ticles were drawen up that they were all to be taken Prisoners and resigne up the Castle, and their Armes, and Horses, and Money, all to be taken possession of by our Officers, but our Common Souldiers who will be under no command, broke into the Castle by force, sei­zed upon the horses and all their goods, and most per­fidiously contrary to our Articles fell to stripping of them not leaving so much as Cloths upon some, which together with many other disorderly passages makes us weary of the service, which I had quit ere this but that the cause ties me to passe through all diffi­culties whatsoever; since our taking the Castle, some of our men have forsaken us (upon these grounds) one for want of money, the other because my Lord Grandi­son and his Lievetenant Colonell, have escaped after they were a day and night Prisoners, which doth much dis­hearten all of us; I doubt not but you heard of all and much more before this, the report is of great treasure that was taken from them, which is more then I know, yet doubtlesse many have had good booties of money and cloths, besides many brave horses, but for my part I have neither: For I account my Obedience to Or­ders more then all that was here to be gotten: our ene­mies are much troubled at their losse, for they account it a great overthrow, two Regiments being utterly de­solated, their Commanders taken, together with their Armes, and five or six hundred horse: Colonell Brownes Regiment had the honour to take the City, and [Page 8]enter the breach. Give praise to God, for my preserva [...] we are now at Havant in Hamp. whither Sr. William W [...] and Col. Ramsy are come with two thousand men, from whence we are to goe against Chichester in Sussex, which I beleeve will be a good service, if they doe not run a­way before we come: they are well fortified with Or­dinance and one thousand men; we want no hardship neither by night nor day, for we meete with nothing else, yet I blesse God I never was better in health; I have not so much as a Cough, the Lord give me a thank­full believing heart; remember me to all that loue and aske for me: so with my love to you I commend you and all about you to the Lords protection and rest, Yours.

We are this munday morning commanded by my Lord Ge­nerall to returne to him just now when we were going against Chichester.