MY kind love remembred unto you, wishing your welfare. I was sorry I could have no longer time with you when I was at London, to declare unto you my resolution to adventure my self with others in de­fence of the cause undertaken by the Par­liament, not only in my estate, but person, knowing no cause undertaken can be more acceptable to God, then the defence of his true religion, and nothing is more a­vailable to the advancement of peace and tranquillity then the preservation of the Priviledges of Parliament, lives and liberties of the free-born Subjects of this king­dome, I have well informed my conscience of the just­nesse of the cause undertaken by the Parliament, and the illegality and impiety that is daily practised in the contra­ry party, and shall count my life a good sacrifice, if it be offered up for the defence of that cause for which they have now taken up arms: I adventure my self, not for hopes of preferment, or lucre of gain to be obtained by the same, for my own estate you know is sufficient for my maintenance, and I could imploy my selfe and it in ano­ther way for my particular profit, but my only aim is to advance the publike to the uttermost of my power: my Brother Jonathan came with me to Reading the same eve­ning [Page] I parted from you, and having made my intentions known, I was accepted of by Serjeant-Major Holford, who is under the command of the Lord Gray, and had the place of a Lievtenant assigned unto me under Captain Audley. You desired me to write you the weekly pro­ceedings of the Army, which I shall gladly do to plea­sure you: you shall receive from me a letter (God wil­ling) on Munday next of what shall occurre in that time and afterwards weekly. I could wish you would com [...] your selfe, and I will endeavour to procure you a place. Pray brother remember my kind love to my friends in Essex when you write thither, and send them the newes you have from me, which shalbe certain and true.

Thursday the 18. of May about two of the clock in the afternoon, we received information in the army that part of P. Ruperts Forces about two thousand horse and foot intended to assault some of our souldiers that quar­tered about Wallingford, upon which Warrants were sent out in the Lord Generals name for the forces in those parts to gather themselves into a body for their own de­fence; and that in respect his Excellency had not substi­tute a Generall, or left Instructions at his return to Lon­don for the leading forth of the Army in the whole body from Reading against the Malignants, but only granted out Warrants for the raising of the Countrey if violence should be offered by the opposite Army, and to defend themselves if they should see cause, by which means the Countrey delinquents had good opportunity to have re­course to the Kings Army, and as many as would joyne their persons with it might, and they that would not, might contribute of their estates as themselves pleased, and if his Excellency had not returned speedily, great [Page] dammage would have fallen on the well-affected. These beginnings in his Lordships absence made the Comman­ders of the severall Regiments in the Army take conside­ration what was fit to be done to prevent future mis­chief, at length the Lord Gray sent the said Serjeant-Ma­jor Holford with two Troups of horse and 100. Dra­goons to Wallingford, where was 800. horse and foot of the Parliaments Forces quartered, to aid and assist them against the Malignants.

Friday Captain Audley under whom I serve went from Reading with about 100. Dragoons & 200. foot, accom­panied with Captain Spurling, into the countrey adja­cen, upon report of a mischief done by trechery at a town called Slowe, riding through the town, the same having many ill-affected persons therein, and are secretly for the Malignants, as two Captains, viz. Captain Welch and an other marched through the town with their companies, the said Captains were shot out of a house, and slain in the street as they rode, I was an eye-witnesse of the same being at their burying: our Captain upon this accident marched to that town too, to prevent future accidents of mishap, and in our march we were met by two troups of horse of the Malignants, who presently discharged upon us, and we again answered them, with whom we bickered about half an houre, and then they thought it better to run away then stay. We took about 20. prisoners & their horses, a Colour, and one Cap. Snag, whom we sent with a guard to Reading, about 30. more of them were slain & mortally wounded: we lost two men and a Dragoon, but none hurt; then we came to Slow, and took an oath of them for their fidelity to the service of the King and Par­liament, setling the town in peace, and disarming all [Page] the malignants that were discovered therein, & those that refused to take the said oath, were committed to safe custody till opportunity ser­ved to proceed against them: of the persons which we disarmed we took 150. arms, and a­bout the estimate of 6. barrels of powder in private houses, kept for the service of the King, and to act private trecheries against any persons of eminency that are for the Parliament, and should passe through the town.

We have it reported for certain, that a great skirmish was fought this morning neer Wal­lingford betweene the Parliaments forces and the Malignants, to which bickering Serjeant-Major Holford came with his Company; the fight continued about two houres very hot; we had the newes during the fight, and I was re­solved to have gone to it, but before we could come at them, we received information that the skirmish was ended, and that the Parliaments Forces had chased the Malignants, and a friend of mine who was in the fight assured me by a letter for certain, that the Parliaments Forces took at least 600 armes, one peece of ordnance, and slew above 300 of them, took 4. colours and 80 prisoners, of them that were slain was Co­lonell [Page] Higgs, Captaine Washington, Captaine Rosse, and Captain Young, Captain Midleston and seven Lievtenants and Serjeants taken pri­soners: the Malignants Forces of this Army consisted of about 2000 horse and Foot, and the Parliaments forces consisted of 600. horse and foot, and not above ten of our side slain, and a­bout 15 slightly wounded.

Saturday information was brought to the in­couragement of our Army of the valiant deeds of Sir William Waller, and that he is in great hopes of subduing the Welchmen, & reducing them into obedience to the King and Parlia­ment.

It is rumoured by some in the Army, that up­on the return of his Excellency some Forces shall go against P. Ruperts forces in Northam­tonshire, to relievs that County, but others con­ceive that His Excellency with his whole Ar­my wil be for Oxford, and that with all speed.

It is also reported that the Earle Rivers is come to the King out of the North part of the Kingdome, being driven from thence by the parliaments Forces, and that the said Earl nar­rowly escaped in the private habit of a com­mon souldier from being apprehended by the [Page] Parliaments souldiers within twenty miles of Oxford, he coming onely alone into Oxford this morning, the Kings decreaseth, and it is credibly informed they dayly shrinke away from the service: hereafter I shall send you the proceedings weekly, and if any things with tongue or pen in a right and honest way may do you good, it shall not in me be wanting. I would have sent you a to­ken of my love, but not knowing how the same may be safely delivered, I forbeare till I heare from you that you receive the letters I send you; Thus having no other newes of consequence to write to you at this time, pray­ing for your health, with my love commended to my sister, and your little one. And so I rest,