IT is here in Warwicke-Shire, wee are like to fall into great calamities and distres­ses, if the Lord above doe not hold his holy hand over us; For you know that the Lord Brooke was made Lord Lievte­nant for Warwick-Shire, in my Lord Comptons place. Now any Lord Brooke being chose by the Parliament, and n [...] by the King, My LORD Compton and my Lord Brooke are in great variance, for the Kings Ma­jest [...] hath given Warwicke Castle unto the Lord Comp­ton; Whereupon my Lord Brooke hath placed foure great peeces of Ordnance in the Castle, one of them is placed upon the round Tower, the other is placed at [Page 2] the Gate, the other at Caesars Tower, and the other over the Gate.

Likewise my Lord Brooke sent his warrants abroad in two or three hundreds of the Shire to gather the Traine band together at Stradford upon Avon, and as many Volunteeres as every Constable could raise. So there were aimed to be very neare two thousand of Volunteeres of Horse-men, and Foote men. I was there my selfe, I see it, but there were but very few traine men would come in, because my Lord Brookes warrants did not give the Country satisfaction, for his warrants runne in the name of the Parliament, and not one word of the King: So my Lord Brooke tooke di­staste at the Constables, because they would not obey his first warrants, and then he made a new Proclama­tion that his warrants should goe in the Kings Maje­sties name and the Parliaments, together and those Const [...]bles that did not bring in their [...]aine Souldiers unto Stradford, he commanded them in his Proclama­tion that they should bring them unto Sutton Cofild, where there was a great meeting, the next Munday following, and so they did, and my Lord Brooke spake in his Proclamation that hee was, (and had tooke his oath) appointed by the Parliament to fetch away the Magazine from Coventry, which my LORD Comp­ton had laid there for the good of the Country and so within one day after he had beene at Stradford, my Lord Brooke went unto Coventry unto the Major to de­mand the Magazin, hee delivered it unto him, hee brought it unto Warwicke Castle with him, and there it is. It was two great Cart loades, and a Waggon loa­ded with Gun-powder bullets and match, now my Lord Compton within foure or five dayes after (with [Page 3] threescore horse-men, with Hats and Feathers) went unto Coventry to know of the Major the reason why hee had delivered the Magazine unto the Lord Brooke his answer was thus because he shewed his Commissi­on from the Parliament; So the Major told my Lord Compton that the City would lay in as much of their owne proper Cost and charges as my Lord Brooke tooke away, and so my Lord Compton was content with that promise: now my Lord Brooke he is in great feares that my Lord Compton will come and cease up­on the Castle, for the last Munday, my Lord Brooke did raise up three hundred men all with their muskets and swords to keepe the Castle, he thinking my Lord Compton would come with his forces then, but he did not, so our men came all home again; for hee had a great company out of our Towne of Alcester and from Stradford and from Brummy chum side, and all the Country over, now my Lord Brooke sent one of his chiefe men that he keepes, unto Master Bridges of our towne which is my Lords chiefe Steward, to cer­tifie Master Bridges that hee would come unto dinner unto him, so there was greater providing for my Lords comming and about tenne of the Clock in the morn­ing my Lords Post came unto Master Bridges to tell his LORD could not come at that time. But wished him to send him as many lusty men as the Town could spare and to bring their Armes with them: So the Constables went about the Towne to get as many as they could so upon Thursday night the Bayliffes and Constables sent halfe a score, and all that goe, my Lord hath promised them five shillings a weeke, and their beere and their lodgings, so upon Friday night last, my Lord sent another Post unto the Towne for [Page 4] more men and so there went foure more, and now this day there are more men to goe out of our Towne of Alcester, there was a hundred brave men went from Brummichum unto War-wicke Castle upon Saturday with their Armes of Muskets and Swords; and a hun­dred more went from Stradford, Henly, and Cosill unto the Castle this last Sunday, for the King came unto Lecester upon Saturday last with his troope to demand the Magazine and the Armes of the Towne, so the Major denyed, and told the King that it should bee kept for the good of his Majesty, and for the Parlia­ments good. I could tell you more, but I have not time, but in the next place I will tell you how the King is to come unto War-wicke as this day, or to morrow with my Lord Comptons forces to demand the Maga­zine, which my Lord Brooke fetcht from Coventry, and upon Friday next my Lord Compton meeres at Strad­ford, he hath sent out warrants already to the high Con­stables, that all other Constables meete there to heare his Proclamation, concerning the settling of the Commission of Aray for the which my Lord Brooke will oppose, he sayes, if he lose his owne heart bloud, for hee is a sworne man unto the Parliament, and hee will oppose it, and then it is supposed and thought that the King comes unto our Towne to demand the armes here, but they will not be delivered, but yet ne­verthelesse the Towne will bee for the King in a faire way as long as they live, and so the King, it is supposed will goe unto Worcester, from thence unto Ragnole Ca­stle in Wales, where the Earle of Worcester dwelleth, and now I have writ so largely unto you how matters goe with us, I would entreat you either in print or in writing, to send unto your friend what newes you [Page 5] have in London, for here is nothing but providing of armes. The Lord Compton went last Friday with three hundred Horse-men to meete the King, now there is such providing in Warwicke Castle for the Kings com­ming the like hath not beene this many yeares, to re­ceave him Royally, if hee come in peace, if other­wayes, I am afraid wee shall have a wofull time of it and so God of his mercy think upon us, I commit you unto God.

This which I have written is very true.