the miserable estate and con­dition of our City I conceive is sufficiently known, yet there hath not any wayes, or meanes, beene neglected by our Major, Alder­men, and the rest of those worthy Citizens, who have been both vigilant and watchfull for preven­tion of danger; and although some part of this our Citie is surrounded (and by those blood thirsty peo­ple which seek to destroy us, our lives, liberty, and Religion) yet we hope in due time to asswage their malice, and confound their devices.

There was lately a hot fight between us and our Enemy, and Cannons plaid on both sides, but little or no hurt done, onel [...] we took eighty or thereabouts of them prisoners. Since which time, Sir William Courtney Commander in chief, Collonel, Actland Collonel Eulford, and the rest of the Kings Partie, [Page 2] have laid at ease, eating and drinking up the sweat of poore mens labours, the Cavalleres with their num­ber amounting neere upon three thousand horse and foot, lyeth at Apsom, Saint Thomas his Parish, Affing­ton, and the passage betweene Kirton and Exeter. As for the East and Southerne part we have free passage, and have daily great supplies of provision from Ti­verton, Silferton, Collompton, and Bradinch, but for how long this will so continue, God knowes, we feare not long, but suspect that a greater force will shortly en­viron us from Bristol, and so besiege all parts. Wee stand onely upon our guard, and thinke it not fit to sally out to raise the siege, for feare of being put to retreat and disorder we should not have sufficient to manage our workes; as our enemy lyeth upon advan­tage, so we expect aide from Plimouth and Dartmouth, till which time here can be no issue of the businesse. The Earle of Warwicke at his arrivall neere our Castle at Apsom, sent a message to the high Sheriffe, com­manding him to raise the Country upon the posse Co­mitatus, that thereby he might land men and ordnance, commanding him in the name of King and Parlia­ment to assist him to keepe the peace of the County, but the Sheriffe obstinately refused it, saying hee would not obey his command, pretending hee had a Proclamation from his Majestie to the contrary: then my Lord sent three or foure small ships which batte­red downe a great Fort levell to the ground where the Cavalleres harboured, but left their freehold, as the Cavalleres terme it, with the losse of sixty or seventy of them slaine: the Malignant prisoners, both Gentlemen and Clergy now in durance, were upon [Page 3] the Cavaliers besieging our City very deboist, and mutinous, swearing they would burne and fire the houses over their heads, and although I call them pri­soners, yet they had too much liberty, going and com­ming when and where they pleased, such ingratefull parsons are worthy of restraint, and are rewarded since accordingly. At Ratford house, where the late Iudge Dodderidge lived, we have mounted 3. Peeces of Ord­nance, and fifty or sixty Musketiers, to keepe the enemy from comming over the River, yet such is their desperatenesse, that they attempt it daily, and come over robbing and stealing our horse, sheep, and cattle, and make such spoil, that neither they nor their Com­manders have any feare of God, or rule of good man­ners. Sir Iohn Barkely a great Commander of the Ca­valiers, hath done very great spoil amongst us, posting to and fro with 150. horse, imposing upon the subject such heavie taxations, that the subject cannot bear; their horses and goods plundered, their persons threat­ned, and imprisoned, and I think it is no newes to the world, that this County hath had its share of troubles. For since the siege of Sherborn Castleful 14. months, when first Sir Ralph H [...]pton tooke his flight in the North part of Somerset, and so along the Sea coast till he came to Pendennis Castle, we have not been free of soldiers, and no small number, but by thousands, some­times 4 5 6 8. and 10000. still in pay of our own par­ty, and at length came the rabble of Cornish, and they swept the Country clean where they went, yea, and forced men to carry Arms, but they have done them as little service as they did us at Modbury, when they all run before they came near the place.

This distraction amongst us wee have justly deserved, and indeed it was ever con­trary to my desire, that young Chidley, who is the chiefe cause of our troubles, should have such a place of authority, Serjeant Ma­jor Generall, a place of too much honour for a giddy youth; but such is the wisdom of many, that they thinke if a man spend a moneth, two or three in the wars of a for­raigne Nation, none like such for experi­ence: but give me leave, honesty is the best policy: wee have beene in all parts thus treacherously dealt withall, and I think no County suffered the like as we have by Chid­leyes revolt. It was not for his good condi­tions or experience we esteem the losse, but the number of brave horse, yea and most of the Earles owne horse, which indeed is the onely ruine of the Western parts. Yet God is all sufficient, and we doubt not but hee will strengthen us, as daily he doth; for since the surrendring of Bristol, where within 24. houres after we heard the truth thereof, how the matter was caried, and upon what terms [Page 5] the souldiers and inhabitants should depart, as in the Articles of agreement is largely expressed, none of which being performed, but the City rifled, yea, and all both fri [...]nd and so, though the Malignants to be known from others stucke greene boughes at their doores, and wore them in their hats; yet being all pillaged, the Malignants amongst us knowing they shall taste of the same sauce, if the like occasion happen to us as in Bristol, begin to be well affected, and en­courageth the rest, and at this present doe voluntarily as hard duty as a common soul­dier; so that those Malignants amongst us that are of strength and ability, I am per­swaded, will shew themselves more forward in this wrong Cause, as they terme it, for the love of their goods, then any other man amongst us Therefore if any assistance come to us speedily, we doubt not but to remove those ill neighbours about us, and be at li­berty. I cannot certifie you with more then I have said of the proceedings amongst us, but wee have had lately intelligence from [Page 6] Bristol, that there is a Regiment or two upon their march, or ready to march at Dorchester and Waymouth, I see not how, or who should resist them; neither is it expected that there can be prevention given, unlesse some considerable force be sent downe to joyne with the Country, and to resist and make head, there be­ing no more in these parts but onely those small for­ces we have under the command of Sir VValter Erle, which are more then sufficiently matched with the Captaine of Corfe Castle: and certainly if there bee not a sudden course taken, the enemy will be excee­dingly strengthned, and all the Westerne parts ruined and spoiled. Squire Rogers of Blanfora, one of the greatest disturbers of the peace in this County, is late­ly dead; he died of the small pox, coming from Ox­ford. Thus praying to God to deliver us out of the hands of our oppressors, I rest,