COnsidering the ingagements whereby I stand so deeply obliged unto your Worth, be­ing myselfe your man at Armes for the Re­publick, and for the service of the Parlia­ment, in which Cause I am resolved to live and dye. I thought I could not present you with truer News, or which would more please the expectation of what passed late at Arundell Castle, and the full manner of the ta­king of it, which is News that I doubt not but in a cheer­full readinesse you will receive, wherein you shall under­stand the great mercy which under God we have recei­ved in strengthning us and preserving us, and that in a very great and large proportion. Sir the joyfull and gainfull achievement of this place, which lately was the [Page 2] Den of the Cavaliers, and is how the place of refuge for us, shall be the present subject of this Letter.

VVEE endured a long and tedious siege, the weather was cold, the nights long, and the season of the yeare trou­bled us, who lay in the Field extreamly with high windes and extraordinary showres of raine, yet our hearts (God be thanked) were active, warme, and resolute, neither did the absence of the Trayned Bands of London who departed homewards, any way d sanimate us, but rather increased our cou­rage and our faith in God. Indeed our opposition was strong, and we lost at the first assault some spe­ciall Commanders, and some other Souldiers, and the great danger we were in day & night might have abated our resolutions (had not God) in our greatest necessities wonderfully preserved us, and shewed us more wonderfull declarations of his mercy then my dull pen is able to expresse: for in the midle of the danger and difficulty of the assault, our noble vigi­lant and Heroick Commander Sir William Waller, did so cheer up our resolutions, and put such new fire into our bloud, as it raised in us all the spirit of forti­tude to fall upon our enemies, every one of us stri­ving [Page 3] to exceed each other in valour, or absolutely resolve to endure the losse of our lives to the last man.

Vpon the fourth of this moneth (as often hereto­fore) we made a strong assault of battery against the Castle, which unexpected charge caused (as we conceived) the Enemy to startle, having never found so strong a charge before, besides they were driven into great want of provision, which rendred them the more unable to defend themselves; this we rea­dily perceived, which caused more vigour and reso­lution in us to continue the assault, and to take a care that none of them should scape at the back side of the Castle by leather boats over the water as some of them did heretofore. VVhen the Enemy found our resolution, and that they must either endure the utmost that Famine or the Sword could threaten, or submit unto the mercy of the Parliament, they were driven into great perplexities, and understanding that there were great Ordnances sent for from Portsmouth to batter the Castle, they thought it was their safest way to surrender it, and to desire termes of composition that they might march forth with al their Armes, Horse and Baggage toward the Lord Hopton without any violence to be offered them, but [Page 4] the answer of the ever Renowned Sir William Wal­ler was, That they should presently surrender up all Prisoners, Armes, Horses, Standards, Colours and all provisions of VVar whatsoever with all that is in the Castle, That they also should surrender all Souldiers of ours taken prisoners, and if any of ours had suffered in any part by the Enemy that their Souldiers shall expect the like usage from us. The noble Sir William Waller protested also to some friends there present, that the losse of his friends and some Souldiers in that service were more pretious to him then the gaining of so many desperate Malignants which had long stood out to maintaine a Castle wherein they found so little probability to relieve themselves. The besieged when they found no hope of reliefe, and that their Lord Hopton was re­treated towards Winchester, came forth and surren­dred themselves on the sixt of this present Ianuary betwixt nine and ten in the forenoon; the souldi­ers and Governour himselfe being in a miserable distresse and perplexity all the night before: There were taken in it Sir Edward Lloyd Colonell, Sir Ed­ward Bishop Colonell, Iosias Bamfield Colonell, Lieu­tenant Colonell Rawlins, Major Mullins, Major Massey, Major Mils; and of Majors, Captaines, Lieu­tenants [Page 5] and Reformadoes about fifty more. There were ta­ken also a thousand Prisoners, a thousand Armes, foure thou­sand pound in money, with other good booty. It is certain we lost some Commanders and good Souldiers in the many as­saults that were made against the Castle, which did all extra­ordinary good service, but we have now in the taking of it sa­tisfaction for that losse. Sir William Waller resolved that if Sir Ralph Hopton will not finde out him, he will finde out Hop­ton. We have a long time expected the assistance of foure Regiments from London, but (as I was writing this) I heard they were upon their march. I beleeve we shall with all speed (having put a sufficient garrison into this place) march further Southwards. I doubt not but you will pray for our successe wheresoever we shall advance: and the rest of our friends de­sire you with me, that you wil joyn with us to render al hearty thanks to Almighty God who giveth us victory, and will yet doe great and wonderfull things. I pray remember my love to my wife to whom I have also written, and withall, &c.