The Copie of a Letter, relating the places and Garrison towns of the Cornish Forces, with the number of souldiers therein, and also a list of the Commanders in chiefe, the totall of their strength, and the names of those Delinquents which leave their habitations in that County.
KInd Sir, for the many favours which have been by me received from you, I cannot but impart my knowledge of the proceedings of our Western Armies: and although I cannot stamp so good a letter as the Pamphlets I lately received from you, yet the reality of my pen shall far exceed your knowledge therein. Whereas severall writings largely exprest the death of Sir Ralph Hopton, and how he was taken, stript, and for greedinesse of plunder let passe, I can assure you there is no certainty in any of it: but for certain he is yet alive, for I have seen many Warrants issued forth under his name for the raising of money towards the paiment of the souldiers, since those untruths have been set abroach. The Cornish Army we understand lieth upon the borders of our Shire, and at these places: viz. Liscard, Saltash, Launceston, Bridgerule, Stratton, and other Parishes neer the river: and first the L. Mohune his Regiment, consisting of about 900. quartereth at Liscard, and the Parishes thereabouts, towards his mansion house near Lostithell. At Saltash Sir Nicholas Slaning his Regiment, consisting of about 1000. are garronized, whereof old Sir William Courtney is governour. At Launceston M. Trevanian his Regiment is quartered, consisting of about 700. foot. At Bridgerule in Cornwall Sir Francis Haley his Troup of horse, consisting of 200. At Stratton, [Page]Sir Bevil Greenvil with the number of 1200. a great strength to defend his House there, and sixtly the Reformado Captaines being a company of younger Brothers, not having meanes to raise men, are quartered in the out parishes, and feedeth upon the spoile of the Country, and indeed upon any fight they are very diligent if oportunity serve, and they seing a good booty to seize thereof, the forces there be which lyeth in the arreare of each town to fall upon an onset if occasion serves, now to prevent their further rage amongst us, I have set down in order the strength of our force appointed to be billited neer each place and under whose command first about Plymouth, Plimton and Stoke, there are in Garrison 2000. Foot, and 500. Horse, under the command of that worthy gentleman Sir George Chudleigh, Knight and Baronet, and governour of Plymouth, Mountwise and other Castles thereabouts, Secondly, to hinder the Cornish passage from Salt-ash into Devon, there quartereth Barronet Noreot, his Regiment consisting of about 1200. at a place neere Ruberdown, neverthelesse the Cornish here breaketh the limits and dayly roweth over the passage, and stealeth our horse sheep and Oxen, but by chance we have met and taken some of the theeves, of which master Blight is chiefe, the main person that doth the spoile amonst us, wee imprisoned him and his crew at Plymouth, but we heare since he is broken away and at liberty we conceive it a treachery in some of the townsmen that had made the way for his escape, of which you shall heare the truth by the next Post, there was a worthy Gentleman proffered to bee ransomed for him, but our Deputy Lievtenants refused it, because he was the first and chiefe agent that drawed and preferred the Cornish Petition to his Majesty, a petition very full of mallice and wickednesse, and when he was denied by our Deputy Lievetenants, to be exchanged for Sir Shilston Colemany, Sir Ralph Hopton worked a cunning plot and way for his escape [Page]as thus disguised in face and head, by the Barbers shaving off his long haire, and in souldiers apparell walking in the ranks of others as though his fellowes, and so passed through all the Ports of Plymouth, our Sergeant Major Generall, Sir George Chudleigh his sonne, I know you have heard of his vallour and wit at the last Fight at Ochampton, for which worke of renown the Citizens of Exeter have presented him with a rich present, a Bason and Ewer, worth a hundred pounds as I heare, now for the Town of Bridgerule, where Sir Francis Haley quartereth, we have appointed Captain Tompson his Troope with a Foot Company of Captain Lutterels, I take it to keepe him within compasse at that place, at Stratton we have received intelligence that there is a great stirre and unrulinesse between Sir Bevil Greenvil Horse and Foot, and some spoile and hurt have been done about Holsworth, by his Forces, but we are sending of a Regiment of Foot, and 500. Horse, which wee hope will appease the souldiers rage there: One passage I would not willingly omit: a Captain of his Regiment with a Company of souldiers came to plunder, and in a Farmers house they were entertained with a great deal of respect and abundance of good cheer and beer they had, insomuch that Captain and souldiers were drunk therewith, and in the interim of their jollity a Company of our trained Bands apprehended them all unawares, and not one man slain on either side, but a Lievtenants hand cut, which we much lament: but since it is our fortune to take such a company of rebellious persons, we may rejoyce thereat, and so we hope shortly to regain our losses at Liscard, occasioned by the neglect of our Lievtenant-Generall, who is since gone from us, both for that and the ill service he did at the last fight at Modbury. We heare that at Pendennis Castle a Captain brought from Gersey and S. Mallowes great store of Ammunition for the Cornish, I believe they are in great distresse thereof, [Page]let them make merry therewith, for I can assure you the Cornish wil be frustrate of other hopes that way, for what with Plymouth, Dartmouth and other havens in our Countrey, we have shipping ready for sea, and hope to prevent it. We have lately taken two Spies coming from Sir Ralph Hopton, and as I am informed, he was sent to the Papists in Dorset and Somersetshire, for raising of money for payment of his souldiers, the Cornish sum of 1000. pound a week beginneth to fail, and the Commonalty weary of the taxations: two or three prizes have stood them in great stead; for as yet the Spanish silver flourisheth amongst them. I will conclude with these few words: Both the Trevanians for certain would leave their Commands, but they have so ingaged themselves in this unnaturall war, and being the two first ring-leaders that raised the rebellion in Cornwall, Sir Ralph Hopton by his policy hath so bewitched their good intentions, that they know not where to turn, lie or go in rest, wishing that the third part of their estates would reconcile them to the Parliament. And thus much for the present, the next week you shall have a full telation of what is now preparing on both sides, which God grant may be for his glory and our good.