Letter to the Speaker of the House of Peers, Letter
A LETTER FROM THE RIGHT HONOURABLE ROBERT Earle of VVARWICKE, Lord High-admirall of England: TO The Speaker of the House of PEERES.
VVith an exact Diurnall of all the most speciall and remarkable passages which have hapned during the siege of Lyme in Dorsetshire by Pr. MAURICE his Forces, from the 21 of February to this present.
Die Jovis, 10 Junii, 1644.
ORdered by the Lords assembled in Parliament, that the L. Admirals Letter, with the Diurnall concerning Lime be forthwith printed and published.
J. Brown Cler. Parliamentorum.
LONDON, Printed for Iohn Wright in the Old-baily, June, 11. 1644.
TO THE Right Honourable my very good Lord, THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF PEERES, these present.
My Lord,
COmming before Lime Regis this day seven-night in the morning, I found the Towne under a very streight and close si…ge. The proceedings of the Enemy and of the Townes defence till my comming will be offered to your Lordships knowledge by the enclosed, being a coppy of Colonell Weres journall to that time.
At my arrivall in the bay, I found the Towne in very great went of victuals and Ammunition, though for their necessary subsistance, Capt. Somerster Captaine of the Mary Rose (whom I had formerly sent hither for their encouragement, together with Cap. Iorden Captaine of the Expedition, Cap. Cocke Captaine of the May-Flower, and Cap. Iones Captaine of the Anne and Ioyce) had spared them out of his ships stores thirty five barrels of Powder, and a good quantity of Bisket and other provisions, besides some victuals delivered them out of Cap. Iorden and Cap. Iones. At my first comming I sent them on shore 38 barrels of Powder, and some proportion of match directed to them from the Committee for the West. I also contracted with a Sandwich man for nere 400 pound worth of corn, Malt, Butter, Cheese, &c. they not having left in the Towne two daies bread. The night before my comming the enemy had burnt neere twenty Barkes belonging to the Towne and some that were left they burnt the night following; the same night Cap. Pine was wounded and is since dead. On Satturday last I received a Letter from Captaine Ceely the Governour, importing the necessities of the Towne, and praying a supply out of the ships stores, without which they could not longer maintaine the siege. I was fully informed of the gallantry of the defendants, the garrison consisting of about 1100 men, who though they wanted shooes, stockings, clothes and pay, and had been kept on the Line from the beginning of the siege without reliefe, yet were every of them resolved to hold out to the utmost point of time, and when all failed, to make way through the enemy with the Sword. There condition and courage had such operation on the Sea-men of my ship that they did unanimously consent to give them one fourth part of their next foure moneths bread, and to abate it proportionably out of every daies allowance, yet with hopes that the State would make it good again. They did also out of their owne little abilities spare them divers paires of boots, shooes, shockins, clothes, and some victuals, saved out of their former allowance.
On munday last I called a Councell of Warre aboard, and upon consultation with one of the Commanders sent from the Councell of War in Lyme, we resolved to spare them out of the ships twenty thousand waight of bread, besides the sea-mens seven thousand, a hogshed of Beefe, a hogshed of Porke, some shot, whereof part was sent on shore that day. The same day I received a Letter from the Commanders in Lime, desiring that some of the Sea-men might be sent to guard their Line, while others of their garrison sallied upon the enemy, and by our Councell of Warre we resolved to spare them 300 men. But instead of giving a salley the Towne received a storming that day from the enemy, at which time there were about 60. of the enemy, and but 8 of the Towne slaine, and a few wounded, amongst whom Col. Were was shot in the belly, (but not mortally) and Lieutenant Colonell Blake had a slight hurt in his foote. Three Captaines were appointed to leade the forlorne hope, of which Captaine Southerne (who had on the Lord Paulets own armour) was slaine on the place, Captaine Aston was taken prisoner, and brought aboard the James on Tuesday morning, and the third Captaine escaped; the dead that then fell were left upon the place, the Enemy declaring that they would bury them and take in the Towne together. By this Aston I received notice that the besiegers were about 2500. Horse and Foote, that Prince Maurice, the Lord Paulet and Sir Iohn Barclay were in the leager.
The Garrison having by this successe received encouragement, they resolved to prosecute their former intention of sallying on the Enemy; they being much tired out with continuall duty, and the provisions spared out of the Ships, being not sufficient for many days supply the Souldiers spending about 1200 waight of Bread a day, and there being about 4000 Soules in the Towne.
In pursuance therefore of the former resolution, I sent the 300 men on shore with safety one Tuesday night, halfe of them being sent before hand into some small vessells that lay neere the Town. The same Tuesday I resolved before the time determined for sallying (which was to be communicated to us by a signe from Captaine Davies Fort) to send all our Ship-boates (filled with men) as also the Expedition and the Warwick frigat to ply to and againe on the East shore (there being severall vallies at Charmouth Bridport, and other places within five or six miles of Lime, that gave an opportunity of landing) hoping that by giving an Alarm there, I might draw off from about the Town the Enemies horse, (which the Townes-men most feared) and hapily some of their Foote, whereby the besieged might gaine the more advantage. Yesterday I accordingly sent out the Ships and Boats, and by an Alarme given, obtained that which was in our designe, foure or five Troops of horse, and some hundreds of foote giving a continuall attendance upon motion of our Boats. The Enemy it seemes was upon observation of our Boates, mistaken in our purposes, conceiving that our Boats had drawn off some of the Garrison, intending to land them on the East-shore, for the getting of provision into the Town, or for falling upon their Reire. Hereby supposing the Towne to be weakned, they resolved upon another storming, which began yesterday about foure of the clock neere to the time agreed on for sallying; They made three assaults, and did twice make an orderly retreate. The third time they came on with asmuch bravery and resolution as could be in Souldiers, which was as gallantly receive by the Townes-men. The fight was continued with extreame violence from about 6 of the clock at night for two houres, there being a continued volley of great shot and small shot.
The issue was, their fell of the enemy (by computation of some that came this day aboard) 400. and of the Garrison there wa… shine and hurt only 6 or 7 men. The last night and this morning there is in the Towne a more then ordinary silence. Thus have I represented to your Lordship the state of this Towne, hoping that some speedy course will be taken for their reliefe. Their fidelity and courage god hath much honoured, and it is pitty the delayi…g of supply should hazard the least blunting of their resolution. There be men of very considerable reputation in the Towne, who will be able (if freed from this siege) to serve the state, by raysing a good body of men in these parts. If Lime be lost, it will have a very ill influence, the inclination of these parts depending on the successe of that Towne, which the Enemy values not so much for it selfe as for the men that are in it, who if at liberty, will quickly get a strength together, which the Country will be well disposed to close withall. It will be an act very worthy the Houses of Parliament to hasten towards them some Forces by Land, and some victualls and Ammunition by Sea; that such pretious and distressed spirits may not become a prey to Famine, or to a cruell Enemy. So desiring your Lordship to communicate this to the House of Lords together with a tender of my humble service I commend your Lordship, and all your councells to the blessing of Heaven resting.
From aboard His Majesties Ship the Iames at an Anchor before Lime-Regis, 30 May 1644. Your Lordships humble servant. WARWICK.