ALthough I cannot enjoy that former happinesse which I was wont, the fruition of your society, yet I hope by our pens we may recipro­cally understand of each o­thers welfare, I could wish, and daily pray [Page 2]that there might be a conjunct and perfect union and concord betweene his Majesty and the Parliament, for want of which we live in danger through feare of forraigne and domestick enemies. Our countrey is sorely oppressed, not onely with the Kings part, but the vulgar and poorer sort of peo­ple are in combustion: there was upon thursday last at the Mount five or six hun­dred poore Fishermen and their wives that came to Bodnam with spits, clubs and stones, and in a violent and rustick manner with the help of other poor there, entred diverse houses, and carried away their plate and pewter, so that the county was up in armes, and the beacons set on fire through­out the Shire. Sir Ralph Hopton, who is at Pendennis, never stirred forth in all this hurley-burley, but at night about six of the clock he came & marched after the fisher­men, and urged them to go to M. Trefuses his house at Waford and plunder him, and he would second their designes. Sir Ralph Hopton had a good bang on the neck for his counsell, and laid gasping in the high [Page 3]way, and astonished: at the first his soul­diers cocked their pistols, and vowed to shoot them, who were also struck off their horses, and two slain in the high way, so that for the present Sir Ralph and his fol­lowers returned to their hold without pil­laging M. Trefuses as he intended. Sir Ralph the next day came with 500. foot & horse, & then he revenged himself of some few stragling fisher-men, whom he tied to trees and whipped naked with Broom and Furse, and that day took six light horses from Sir John Vigures stable pillaged him of all his plate and pewter, leaving him not so much as a dish or a spoon to eat his meat in. Captain Carwithan and his trained Bands rose, and very fiercely assaulted Sir Ralphs troupes, yet Sir Ralph made them retreat with the losse of 6 or 8. of his men. The fishermen and their wives came in the time of the skirmish, most of them having gotten muskets, birding peeces & swords, so that with the Trained Bands and the fi­shermen, they left but a narrow passage for S^r Ralphs escape, vowing that if they could [Page 4]take Sir Ralph or any of his, they would whip him or them to death for his barba­rous cruelty on their friends, Sir Ralph de­parted for that time, and carried away five of his eight horses, and great mischiefe he would have done more, but the way was so dirty and stony, that it is impossible for the horse to travell, much more to fight, in such narrow passages.

There is one maine thing which I have omitted, and that is, the multitude of War­rants which have issued forth under the command of Prince Robert to all places within twenty miles of his Army, it runs in the nature of Generall Lesley his War­rants at his entring of New-Castle, com­manding all men to provide and bring to his Army all manner of food and suste­nance for his souldiers reliefe, as also that the countrey provide both horse and men for the assisting of him in the said warre, and that all those that wil not assist him, to pay a contribution of money for their re­fusall.

And this is the effect of the said War­rants, [Page 5]as I can rightly understand. Plate and money is brought to his Majesty in a­bundance, and the Coyners of his treasure carried upon wheeles, and coyne money travelling. It is a most excellent inventi­on of Leniell His Majesties Engineere, whom we thought to have beene cut off in the last fight at Kinton.

There was this day seven-night two Barks full of Ammunition on at Foy, with three thousand mens armour, which came from the Governour of Flanders, whose name is, as I have heard, Don Francisco de Melos a Spaniard, M. Cozens one of the Deputy-Lieutenants for the Shire, seized on it for His Majesty, who bearing the Parliament an inveterate hate for his last dishonour, in censuring him to ask for­givenesse for his false Patent, hath in an op­probrious and tyrannicall manner levied great Forces, and doth pillage his neigh­bouring friends, and all in the name of his Majesty. I cannot certifie unto you more at this present, save the names of such in [Page 6]this our County who are altogether for his Majesty.

• The Lord Mohune, and his Sonn.
• M. Arundell,
• Sir Bevill Greenvile,
• M. Cozen,
• Sir Ralph Edgcombe,
• Sir Iohn Furse,
• Sir Iohn Roystworth,
• Sir Robert Meynard,
• M. Pope,
• M. Washer,
• Sir Richard Young,
• M. Venner,
• M. Pollard,
• M. Tingrose,
• M. Trefuses,
• M. Phillipps,
• M. Carey,