Governour of this Cittie: if you can fynde a better, I shall be glad to take it, for I asseure you he is no more esteemed by you than he is by I know not howe well to give credite to it but there is two gentlemen now comme from Newberie frighted from thence the last nightt by intelligence they had of some of the enemies forces were to come into Newberie invited thither by the townesmen whoe have only reported the plague to bee there to keepe the Kings troopes oute, how slight soever this maye bee, sure I am that disaffected towne can nott bee to much punished by Y' High for att my coming from Basingstoke they stopped all our baggage and had detained it butt thatt they hered wee were strong enough to revenge itt. The Sherife of this Countie intendes to bee heer this day to order some things for his Maties services; these S1 are the reasons thatt keepe mee a day longer in this burntt & plundered quarter, to-morrow I shall obey the command I have to remove to Andever & doute not but that sudenly Y' Highes would receave a good accountt concerning the designe thatt thatt is in the weye to es From Yr High's most humble faithfull Servant GRANDISON.* * William Villiers, Viscount Grandison, Colonel of Horse in the Royal army. See Introduction, p. xv. [No. 11.] May it please your moste excellente Majestie, To give me leave to acquainte you with the presente condition I am in Sr William Brewerton is come downe with fower hundred horse and dragooners and joyned with St John Gell att Darbye, who had a thousand dragooners and foote, and the Lorde Greye is att Leicester with five hundred. Theis with (Cavelrie) are drawing all againste my Lord of Chesterfield and my selfe and more they expecte. If I had anie considerable strengthe this Countie would be of greate importance to your Majestie, and I finde the people well inclinde but if I quitte the Countrie all these part are utterlie loste though my Lorde of Chesterfield, the gentlemen with me, and myselfe are resolute to fight itt out to the laste if itt be possible to keepe this place, but wee humblie beseeche your Majestie to comand us speedie aide from Banburie, otherwise wee may be all loste, and your cause suffer, which is more deare to me than the life of Your humble and loyall Ashby de la Zouch Subjecte & Servant H. HASTINGS.* Sunday 15 January 3 of the Clocke. Addressed "To his moste excellente Majistie at his Court att Oxenforde humblie presents theis." * Henry Hastings, second son of Henry, fifth Earl of Huntingdon, General of the Royal forces in cos. Leicester, Derby, Nottingham, Lincoln, Rutland, and Stafford created Baron of Loughborough, Oct. 23, 1643. See Introduction, p. xxxii. C SIR [No. 12.] I reckon it a greate blessing that you are soe neere us for your fame getts creditt to your Servants and since the report only of your aproaching wee have prospered much; but to compleat our hopes when you come amongst us, I shall make noe doubt but with the help of God, that this countrie will be soone reduced. And I maie assure you that when we can be quiett heer it will be great advantage to his Matys service for I am sure no County in this Kingdome, standes better affected Soe as our only desire is that your Highness once apearing will gett some thousands hence to followe you. The worke here will be short, and the advantage greater than you can conceive, but to informe you more particularly the bearer hereof will relate to you at better leasure. I beseech you S' give creditt to him for he understandes the Countrie right, and will represent unto you nothing but the truthe. It will be a greate favour to me if you please to take notice of him, as one that hath done faithfully great service heer I beseech God prosper you, & guide you heer, it will be the greatest comfort that can come unto Your Highness Most humble and faithfull Servant DERBY.* [No. 13.] May it please your Highnesse The returne of my Lo Biron is with that consideration taken to what concernes your comonwealth, as for * See Introduction, p. xxi. et seq. the matter of the result & the persons called to councell (among whom hee was a principall adviser) about it, & the whole state of the Kings affaires, as I suppose the satisfaction to your reason in the opinions are inclined to, is so probable, as by it in part you may perceive, as also from other reasons, that no Oxford motion if rightly represented (I know not what particular letters might carrie, or from whom they might be sent) could mouve any cause of Jealousie of a dessigne here ether to forestall your judgement or prelimett your comand. I have bine present at most of the consultations (till yesterday some occasions made mee absent, & of that daies work my Lod Biron will give the best account) & in all what I could ever discerne the proceeding hath bine to propound only by way of question all thinges of moment which were to be attended to bee acted by you or within your command, to receive an absolute resolution according to your judgement and likeing; what may have appeared more positive, as the settinge downe the Kinges condition here; the urgency as was then thought in time, and the nature of the thing itselfe, to which perhaps being absent you could not therefore so well speake to make that at first bee ventured on before it was possible to aske your opinion of it, but the inferences upon it in relation to you were never so forward to conclude beyond wishes & the ingenuitie of not disguising so much as was, is some proofe faire dealing was meant where plainesse was used. I think I could not have mist myselfe so much, if other had bine to bee seene, or where the Kinges service, and my ancient respect to Prince Rupert (which time workes no so earthy effects upon as to decay) call for my observation, that my senses could be deceived, or I not attentive. The most that was treated was when W. Legge was here, & in his companie (who certainlie is a safe man to consult with in your interests) & the furthest discourse, which was but discourse nether was but in a case of such a necessitie as imported more than Oxford, whether prevention of force were not more eligible than reparations in hopes of growing advantages, considering along the whole conjuncture of affaires, & then if anything of consequence were to be done, the fate of all the Kinges good fortune must bring Prince Rupert to have a part in it, & upon those premises the conclusion will beare his contentment which I shall ever wish as a great meanes before hand to procure those successes will cause it, and in this think I expresse myselfe With all the expedistion possibly I coulde I have sent thees Dragoneers after you I besitch God send Yr Highness better sucses then I had with them, for both thay and my horsmen did most shaamfully loos the bravest designe at Henley that ever was undertaken sins my cooming to this Armey, and lost it not but gave the victory away when they had allready possession of all that thay went for, and with it I lost as brave an offiser as I must ever hope to comand in this Kingdom. May it pleas Yr Highnes I am soe extreamly dejected at this busines that I doe wish with all my harte that eather I *James Stuart, Duke of Richmond and Lenox, K.G., Lord Steward of the Household. See Introduction, p. xxxvii. |