Englands Parliamentary Chronicle, Chronicle · Letter 42
TO The Honorable William Lenthal Eſq Sheaker of the Honorable Houſe of COMMONS.
SIR,
BY the laſt Meſſenger, the Packet from Ireland taken in the veſſel at Padſtow, was ſent unto you, which I hope came ſafe to your hands; by which original letters under the hand of the Earle of Glamorgan, you will perceive how (as yet) he is imployed for the bringing over of an Army, and what private correſpondency there is between him, the Prince, the Lord Hopton and other perſons of Note (notwithſtanding, he is under the cloud of being accuſed of High Treaſon) his being at liberty, & acting the Kings Commands in bringing over an Army of naturall Iriſh Rebels, and his correſpondency with the Prince, Hopton, &c. is enough to ſatisfie the World, by whoſe Command he manages that Affaire. I alſo acquainted you with a Summons ſent to the Lord Hopton (or rather honorable conditions) if he would inſtantly lay downe Armes, and disband the Forces in the Weſt, which being ſent unto him upon Thurſday laſt, and no Anſwer returned on Friday: On Saturday the Army advanced towards Saint Collumb, and being drawn to a Rendezuouz foure miles from Bodman; the Weather proved ſo extreame wet, that it was not held fit to advance on any further that day; and ſo the Foot were appointed to Quarters in Villages thereabouts, and a mile or two forwards: The Horſe being likewiſe at the Rendezvouz, returned to their Quarters; but ſome went to Quarter neerer the Enemy, and to the Guards, except a very good party of about eight hundred Horſe and Dragoons, commanded by Colonell Rich, who was ſent away with the ſame, with Orders to fall upon the Enemie; Guards or Quarters, as he ſhould ſee it moſt fit for the ſervice; and accordingly within two houres of Evening, he fell upon their Out-guards neere St. Cullumb, beat them to their Main-guard: Being then drawn up in a Body, ours likewiſe drew into three Diviſions; one commanded by Colonell Rich, another by Major Fincher, and the third by Major Scroop: The Enemy ſeeing no way but to fight, the Van of them gave a very good charge: Major Generall P…rt breaking through one Diviſion himſelfe: But they were inſtantly put to the Rout, and we had the purſuit of them for three or foure Miles, killing many, tooke about an hundred priſoners, whereof Major Generall Pert was one, and betwixt two hundred and three hundred Horſe. This ſo Alarm'd the Enemy, that it made them deſert the Head-quarter for a mile, and cauſed them to draw all their Horſe to a Rendezvouz at eleven of the Clock at night on Michel-Downe, and ſo continued in the Wet in a great Raine till the next morning, thinking the whole Army had been advanced. Our party returned to St. Collumb, and this morning brought the Priſoners to Towne. This party of the Enemies were of the Princes own Regiment, moſt of them Reformadoes Officers; they confeſſe their Souldiers are very weary, and that if it were publiſhed among them, they might have Paſſes to go home it was not in the Officers power to keepe them together; They likewiſe ſay, that moſt of their Officers, if they knew they might be accepted into the protection of the Parliament, they would deſert the Service.
Being askt, if they had heard any Propoſitions were ſent unto them from the Generall, offering honorable conditions both to Officers and Souldiers, they anſwered they never heard of any; ſo by that we perceive the Lord Hopton with ſome few of his Councel keepes the propoſitions from being publiſhed: There are ſome others come from thence, who ſay that the French are mighty inquiſitive to know whether they might be ſo far received into favour as to have leave to goe beyond ſeas: Laying all theſe together, we are of opinion, that it will not be in Hoptons power to hinder a good effect to the propoſitions ſent him; ſo ſoon as the ſame is publiſhed amongſt them, which before this, we hope by ſome means that hath beene uſed is effectually done: This day the Generals Trumpeter that went with the ſommons, is returned with a briefe anſwer from the Lord Hopton to this purpoſe: That he had taken the letter from the Generall into conſideration, but the ſuddaine advance of our forces gave an interruption to mention at this time any particulars, but by a Trumpeter of his own he would ſend a particular anſwer: The Trumpeter was curteouſly uſed and much reſpected. This evening the Lord Hoptons Trumpeter is come with a letter in anſwer to the Generals propoſitions, which indeed implies a willingneſſe to end the buſineſſe of the Weſt without more blood ſhed, but yet deſires to be ſatisfied whether the King and Parliament be not neare a concluſion of a Peace; for being intruſted by the King, it concerns him to ſupport his honour as long he can; and yet withall inclines to have ſome Countrey Gentleman come unto him to ſatisfie him of the ſtate of affaiers: Taking altogether, it argnes a coming to us, though it ſeems yet a diſtance, or elſe a way to get time (which I rather believe, becauſe he invited a ceſſation) untill ſome Iriſh doe land, which is the thing rumoured abroad in their Army, and expected to be there within eight and forty houres; and indeed a duplicate of that Packet we intercepted at Padſtow, is ſince arrived with the enemy, whereby its probable they haſten ſhips unto them, for the bringing over thoſe Iriſh that were intended for Cheſter into theſe parts: What ever his intention is, the Generall will not loſe a minute of time: All the Regiments this day advanced to and beyond Cullomb within three miles of Truro with a great part of the horſe; the headquarter is at Bodman with one Regiment there, which we leave to ſecure the paſſe.
To morrow the Generall and Lievtenant Generall advance after the Army, and I believe will quarter at Truro to morrow at night: This advance as it is like to further a good effect upon the Propoſitions (if God incline their hearts unto it) ſo it will I hope diſpatch the buſineſſe before ſuch time as any Iriſh can land: If there be a Treaty it muſt not be ſuch a one as ſhall take up above one dayes time: therefore a few dayes will decide that buſineſſe, and I hope (with Gods bleſſing) much to your advantage and the peace and welfare of this Kingdome. Major General Pert is run through the body, and ſhot in the body yet not mortall: There was found in his Pocket a Copy of a Letter to the Lords, about the Prince, either ſent, or to be ſent by him, adviſing them, That now was a good time to Treat before our Forces advance further; declaring, That they feared elſe their Condition would be deſperate.
The Countrey is very forward to aſſiſt in the Barrocadoing up of all Lanes and Paſſes, where probably the Enemy (if they intend to breake through) may attempt to paſſe by. This being all I have to trouble you with, I reſt,
Your moſt faithfull and Humble Servant, J. R. Bodman, March 8. 1645.
Much alſo about this ſame time Sir Ralph Hopton looked very earneſtly for new ſupplies out of Ireland, Sir Ralph Hopton expects ſupplies out of Ireland.and received Letters thence that he ſhould have them, and that they were ready for him, if he would be pleaſed to ſend forth ſhips to tranſport them over unto him.Foy taken But, Foy alſo was now taken by the Parliaments forces, and in it 13. peeces of Ordnance and the newes hereof made Pendennis tremble,Pendennis beſieged. hearing eſpecially her enemies approaching neere her, and now already thundring againſt her walls; The inhabitants of Cornwall, on all ſides, come in unto renowned Sir Thomas Fairfax, being overcome as much by his mercy and clemency, as by his might and courage, who thus drove his Enemies ſtill before him, terrifying Hopton alſo by his power and proweſſe and now at laſt inviting him by his Summons, the effects whereof you now ſhall heare, namely, that about the 18 of this inſtant March we received the certaine intelligence of the Demands of Sir Ralph Hopton, upon our moſt noble Generals Summons, which were as followeth: