'Nantwich and Chefter; their Councils feem very unfteady.' Aug. 21. The House received Intelligence, That the Scots Army lay on the 17th at Northwich, and the next Day advanced between Nantwich and Chefter; and that Major-General Lambert and the Forces with him were chearfully followed by the Officers and Soldiers of the Cheshire and Lancashire Militia of Foot; who, upon this Emergency, (though their Harveft was ready to cut) promifed not to leave them till they either fhould be properly difmiffed, or the Lord put a feasonable Iffue to this Business. The fame Day a Letter from the Committee of the Militia at Coventry, to the Speaker, was read: Right Honourable, WE E being now neareft the Enemy, take, ourfelves obliged to give you this Ac'count of their Motion. The laft Night they were ' encamped upon Blore-Heath, in this County, not far from Drayton, amongst whom we fent a Sol'dier the last Night, who had a View of them, 'being near their King's Tent there. We had alfo a Gentleman, this Morning, who had the 'View of their March Yesterday. They have be'twixt 5 and 6000 weak Horfe, and fome 6 or 7000 very fickly Foot. We hear further that, upon Sunday Night laft, 'my Lord of Derby came up to them, who brought 'with him fome 60 Horfe, moftly Gentlemen; ' and return'd back towards Lancashire, where he 'left his Foot, fome 200, to raise more. This Day we have an Account that they are moved 'with their Body to Newport, where we suppose 'their Head Quarters will be this Night.' 6 Aug. 22. Mr. Bond reported from the Council of State, That Major-General Lambert had fent them a Copy of a Letter to him from Col. RichVOL. XX. B ard Inter-regnum. 1651. Auguft. 1651. Auguft. Inter-regnum. ard Duckenfield, Governor of Chefter; advifing, That fome Parties from thence having taken feveral of the Scots Army Prifoners; a Letter from the King to Major-General Massey (who was employed to folicit Affiftance from the Minifters in Lancashire) was found upon one of those that were mortally wounded; and that Lambert had fent a Copy thereof to Cromwell. The King's Letter was in hac Verba : From Stoke, three Miles from Major-Gen. MASSEY, I Am informed that, by fome Mistake, a Clause is added to the Letter from the Prefbytery of the Army to the Minifters of Lancashire, which may be very dangerous, by breeding Divifion amongst thofe that would own me: For I hear they do add to the Letter a Defire that Confideration be taken of Men's former Malignancy. How dangerous this may be, and how inconfiftent with a former Expreffion of the Letter of the Kirk of Scotland, owning this Army, I leave you to judge: Therefore I would have you burn the Letter, and then I am fure it is loft, and can do no Hurt. Hafte you to the Army, where you will be of very great Ufe the Way we are to march. I am Your affectionate Friend, CHARLES R. Next a Copy of a Letter from Col. Moncke, Lieutenant-General of the Ordnance, to the Lord-General Cromwell, was read: Stirling, Aug. 14, 1651. May it please your Excellency, TH HIS Day, very early in the Morning, our Guns began to play, and before Six at Night the Enemy in the Caftle craved Leave to capitulate, which was agreed unto by the Con • fent *fent of the Officers, and the Surrender to be by Inter-regnuma Ten of the Clock next Day. • When I fent my Summons to them, they feemed to be fo valiant that they wanted Civility to return me an Anfwer. The Records which were at Edinburgh are to be given up to us, which fhall be difpofed of as your Excellency shall think • fit. 'I hope to be on my March towards Dunder before this Letter comes to your Hands, to reduce that Town and Castle that commands the Riyer. Your Excellency's most humble Servant, GEO. MONCKE. Aug. 23. This Day the Parliament received Intelligence from the Majors General Lambert and Harrifon, dated the 22d, That the Scots Army lay the Night before at Tonge, in Shropshire, and that they inclined towards Worcester; that Col. Danvers, Governor of Stafford, with fome few Horse, fell in upop fome of their Quarters, and killed five of their Men; but gave an Alarm to the whole Army. By another Letter it was certified that the Scots had, of Horse and Foot, 120 Colours; that their Horfe were poor and harraffed out; that their Foot were miferably ragged, and fick Creatures a great Number of them; that their King was found, with Cap in Hand, defiring them yet a little longer to ftick to him; perfuading them that, within two Days March, they fhould come into a Country where all Things would be plentifully provided for them, and fhortly thence to London: That the Parliament's Forces were at Tamworth, and from thence had sent several Parties to attend the Enemy's Motion; and to difpofe their own Marches, in order to a Conjunction with the Lord-General, and the other Forces lately fent from London. B 2 Aug d There is an Hiatus in the printed Journals of this Day, which is fupplied from The Proceedings of Parliament, Ño, 100, 1651. Auguft. Inter-regnum. 1651. Auguft. A Letter fent Aug. 25. A Letter from the Mayor and City of Gloucefter, to the Speaker, was read. SIR, THE Aug. 23, 1651. HE Enemy came to Worcester Yesterday, where, there being fome Foot of the Country, and fome Horfe, they made a gallant Refiftance, and several Times beat them back: But perceiving that, thro' the Treachery of fome in the Town, the Townfmen had laid down their Arms, ' and fome of them shot out of the Windows on ' our Men, while they were fighting for them, our Forces removed the Magazine, and withdrew their Horfe and Foot, while 30 Men only refifted the Enemy, and beat them back; at last (when our Forces were fecure on their Way to Gloucefter) thefe alfo withdrew, and left the Town of Worcester to the Enemy. All our Forces are now fafe here, at Gloucefter, which is ftrongly fortified, and the Citizens unani< moufly provided to refift any Attempt that shall be made on this City.' This Account gave fo great Satisfaction to the House, that they ordered a Letter of Thanks to the Mayor and City of Gloucester, for their Fidelity and good Affections to the Parliament. The King having fent a Letter, dated the 16th from the King to of this Month, addrefs'd to the Lord Mayor and the City of Lon-City of London, and Mr. Whitlocke having reported don, ordered to from the Council of State, a Proclamation therebe burnt, upon; after fome Alterations made by the House, it was ordered to be printed forthwith, and publifhed the next Day at Noon, with Drum and Trumpet, at the Exchange in London, and in Weftminster by the Serjeant at Arms. The Council of State was alfo directed to take Care of the Publication thereof in all other Cities and Towns throughout England. And the King's Letter was ordered to be burnt at the Exchange in London, by the Hands of the common Hangman. We We have not been able to meet with a Copy of Inter-regnum, his Majesty's Letter; but the Parliament's Proclamation thereupon was in hac Verba : с Aug. 25, 1651. 1651. Auguft. Hereas divers of the Scots Nation, and And a Procla W fome English Fugitives, being lately mation iffued,de Traitor. come out of Scotland into England, with their claring him a Leader Charles Stuart, Son to the late Tyrant, 'do here levy War against the Commonwealth, ' and commit many Outrages, Spoils, and Mur'ders upon the People of this Nation: And the 'faid Charles Stuart hath caufed himself, by the 'faid Men of Scotland and English Fugitives, to 'be proclaimed King of England; and, by Declara6 tions, profcribing fome who have performed great ' and excellent Service to the Public, and offer'ing Indulgences to others, would draw Adherents 6 to him in his wicked and traiterous Practices; 'particularly by Letters in his Name, directed to the City of London, and fpread abroad by fome of his clandeftine Agents, he labours to court 'them to his Party, by boafting his own Condition, and by endeavouring to annihilate the Ho" nour and Efteem of the Parliament and their 'Forces; who, through God's Mercy, have been 'so often inftrumental to chastise him and his 'Confederates; and will, through God's Bleffing we truft, ftill prove a burthenfome Stone unto 'them; hoping, it seems, in the mean Time, that 'that famous City, (whofe Faithfulness and eminent 'Services in behalf of Religion, Laws, and Liber'ties, are ever to be acknowledged) and that others of this Land and Nation, into whom, by his 'Cunning and Flatteries, he would thus infinuate, 'can forget the horrid and bloody War raifed by the late Tyrant his Father, and the Devastations 'attending it; and, by his Delufions and Impo'ftures, be perfuaded to betray themselves and their 'Liberties again into Vaffalage and Bondage, which, thro' the Goodnefs of God, at fo great |