should heave sent to steay me and to recall me bak and that by reson of som tratourous act Y' Highnes had to leay to my cheardge, as for the [first] which was steaying of me If yo' Hg at my teaking my leave from you had leavyd Yo' least commands or desyrs upon me, they should heave been obeyed, and if Yo' Hygnes heave anything to leay to my chearge, I can but answyr Yo' Hignes as I have wryttin to His sacred Matie wch was that I wold apeir when and wher His sacred Matie wold command me eather to cleir myselfe or suffer for my offence. The same I offer to Yr Hyghnes for I reather suffer any thing in the world then leive innocentlie in Y Highnes Malgreace, for I dear plead my thots innocent from ay prejudiciall thing to my measter his searvice or hurtfull to Yo' princelie feamalie to my knowledg and I dout not bot yo' Hys can bear me witnes in a peart. I in all hemilitie creav yo' Hyghnes pardonn for my bouldnes and begg Y' Hygnes gratious answer wh yo' spidiest convenience to him who shall ever remeayn Yo' Hyghnes trowlie devoyted Servant Hamburrie Ye 23 of January 1645 ETHYN.* Yo' Hyghnes will excuse the informalitie of this letter my sicknes is the cause of it for I heave beine above 4 months sick [No. 23.] May it please Y' Highness When I have ask't your pardon for this presumption and trouble wth your leave I shall haste to the * Sir James King, Knt., of Barracht, Lieutenant-General under the Marquis of Newcastle in the North, created Lord Ethyn, in Scotland, March 28, 1643. occasion of this letter; Your old and faithfull Servant Capt Jo Reichardson is heere in Ye King's service as diligent as his usual custome and inclination with his old troope and hartes; If it please your Highness it was Ye Kings command to mee hee should heer joyne wth us butt people dispos'd to make groundless carrells beginn Ye symptomes of a murmure; Y' Knowledge of this may prepare you against those litle engines of discontent; I am confident you understande mee in this particular; and by this lighte you shall bee unprinced if you beleeve mee I finde now there is little hope that my Lord of Loughborough will satisfy Yr Highness expectation, and therefore upon the first oportunity I shall attempt to passe for Oxford, I cannot by any means get the fifty pounds which I received here returned, but if any will pay it at Oxford he shall have it certainly upon your Highness's signification thereof repayed him here. The Lo Ashtely is returned and after the reliefe of Maxfield, pursued the Rebells and tooke two pieces of Ordnance, some of them got into a church and maintained the Steeple untill they were fired out. here is not any of the 4000 men which were undertaken at Oxford to [be] recuited, yet levyd, nor cannot be considered possible by any rationall men, the Enemy is active in every place, but here wee live as if possest with a lethargy. I shall ever pray for Yr Highness happiness remaining By this inclosed you perceive the distresses of the North and now the choice is whether you will desert Yr Countrie now gained & possest or serve against a fresh enemie I pray resolve speedily of it; and make all the haste hither you may it is very fitt the Prince be acquainted with it for if S Th. Fairfax joyne with the Rebells all these forces in these pts and those in Darbyshire must joyne and follow them Sir a counsell of warr must necessarily be called, & the prince acquainted with it. * Probably Ralph Goodwin, M.P. for Ludlow, 1640. + Samuel Tuke, Colonel in the Royal army; created a Baronet, March 31, 1664. [No. 26.] May it please Y Highness Just as I was coming to my quarters about 9 a clock I had intelligence by a couple of prissoners taken by the quarter maister of Worcester Collonell Sandes that puphery iss quartered att Camden this night 5 troopes of [and] 2 of Dragoones, and that this morning he came from Warwyck. As yett I understand nothing to the contrary that he is not ther: to all the quarters round a bout I gave notice. Sands & Collonell Westons regiments are drawn between him and Warwyck I am now going towards him on this siyd, by brak of day iff they answer our resolution I hope wee shall make him pay for our losse att his house of this I thought fitt to aquaint Yr highness. Iff any orders cam' it should not find here Yr highness's most humble Servant DANIELL O'NEILLE.* Broadway. [No. 27.] Charles R Whereas Our Right Deare & entirely beloved Nepheu Prince Rupert did at a Councill of warr held by us at Newarke the 18th of this instant October there being then present Our Right trusty & Right well beloved Cosen & Councillor Mountague Erle of Lyndsey Lord Great Chamberlayne of England Our Right trusty & Right well beloved Cosen Richard Erle of Corke, Our * Lieutenant-Colonel of Prince Rupert's Regiment of Horse ; afterwards Groom of the Bedchamber to the King. See Introduction, p. lv. Several characteristic letters of O'Neille will be found in Carte's "Collection of Original Letters and Papers concerning England," from 1641 to 1660. E Right trusty & well beloved Jacob Lord Asteley Field Marshall General of Our Army John Lord Bellasis Captaine Generall of Our Horse Guards, & Charles Lord Gerrard Lieutenant General of all Our Horse Forces, Our trusty & well beloved S Richard Willis Knight & Baronett Governor of Newarke, & John Ashburnham Esq Our Treasurer at warr, desire to cleere himselfe for the rendering of the City & Garrison of Bristoll with the Castle & Forces thereof, & thereupon produced a narrative of the matter of fact during the said siedge with the Articles for the rendering of those places, which being accordingly read & considered Wee were then pleased to say that Wee did not believe Our said Nepheu to be guilty of any the least want of courage or fidelity to us in the doing thereof but withall we believed that he might have kept the Castle & Fort a longer tyme Wee having absolutely resolved speedily to have drawen together all the Forces we possibly could & to have hazarded Our Own Person for his relief, Our Design being so layed as that in probability it would have succeeded. To which Our said Right Deare Nepheu answered that what ever hee did therein was by the advice of the Councell of warr of that Garrison, & that he could not in his Judgment possibly expect such reliefe besides hee alleadged that hee had not received from Us any intimation thereof but said that if hee had he would have mayneteyned those places to the last man though the tender reguard he had to the preservation of so many Officers & Souldiers was the chiefe reason that induced him to capitulate for the whole they having so long & faithfully served Us All which our said Right Deare Nepheu humbly submitted to our Judgment Upon which at a Second hearing before Ourselfe this 21st day of October the Lords & others above named |