Next, the Letter fent therewith: Col. MACKWORTH, Tong-Norton, Aug. 20, Aving fent you herewith a Summons to render into my Hands my Town with the Castle of Shrewsbury, I cannot but perfuade myself you will do it, when I confider you a Gentleman of an antient Houfe, and of very differing Principles, as I am informed, from thofe with whom your Employment ranks you at prefent: If you shall peaceably deliver them to me, I will not only pardon you what is past, and protect you and yours in your Perfons, and all that belongs to you, but reward fo eminent and feasonable a Teftimony of your Loyalty, with future Trust and Favour; and do leave it to yourself to propose the Particulars; being, upon that Condition, ready to grant you presently any Thing you shall reasonably defire, and to approve myself Your Friend, CHARLES R. How much his Majefty was mistaken in his Opinion of this Gentleman's good Difpofition towards him, appears from the contemptuous Style of his Answer, which was not addrefs'd To the King, but directed thus: For the Commander in Chief of the SCOTS Army. SIR, Shrewsbury, Aug. 21, 1651. BY your Trumpet I received two Papers, the Inter-regnum. one containing a Propofition, the other a direct Summons for the Rendition of the Town and Castle of Shrewsbury, the Cuftody whereof 'I have received by Authority of Parliament; and if you believe me a Gentleman, as you say you 'do, you may believe I will be faithful to my Truft; to a Violation whereof neither Allurements can perfuade me, nor Threatenings of ← Force, especially when but Paper ones, compell me. What Principles I am judged to be of I • know 1651. August, 1651. Inter-regnum. know not, but I hope they are fuch as shall ever • declare me honeft, and no way differing herein, as I know, from thofe engaged in the fame Em'ployment with me; who, fhould they defert that 'Cause they are embark'd in, refolve to be found, ' as I am, unremoveably, Auguft. Account of the The faithful Servant of the Commonwealth of England, HUMP. MACKWORTH. This Behaviour of Col. Mackworth was fo pleafing to the House, that they order'd the LordCommiffioner Whitlocke to draw up a Letter of Thanks to him, to be fign'd by the Speaker; acknowledging their good Acceptance of his Fidelity: They alfo refolved that a Gold Chain and Medal of the Parliament, to the Value of 100l. be fent to him as a Mark of their Favour. The fame Day a Letter to the Speaker, from Dr. Clerke, Advocate to the Court of Admiralty, giving an Account of the Surrender of StirlingCaftle to the Parliament's Forces, was read. Mr. Speaker, Ο% Stirling, Aug. 19. 1651. N this Day Se'nnight we perfected our Platforms for Batteries, and two Mortar-Pieces brought up from Leith for the reducing of Stirling-Caftle. The Enemy shot thro' and thro' our Batteries, but did not hurt any of our Men. They play'd hard against our Men that were in the Steeple of the Town Kirk, which did much < annoy them; they fhot through the Steeple, but all their Shots hurt but one Man. 'Two Mortar-Pieces were drawn to the Plat"form this Evening. All Things being in Readidinefs to go roundly to work with the Castle, the 'Lieutenant-General fent a Summons in to the Governor of the Caftle, requiring him to deliver the fame to the Ufe of the Parliament of England; 1651. Auguft. to which he returned a verbal Answer, That he Inter-regnum, ' would keep the Caftle as long as he could. The 'Lieutenant-General alfo fent about Exchange of 'Prifoners for fome of ours he had in the Castle; but it feems he would exchange none, in hopes to make Terms by them. Čol. Pinchbeck, an Englishman, and one of the Colonels that Col. 'Blake gave a Pass to come from Scilly into Scotland, 'kifs'd the King's Hand, and went as far as Glaf'gow with him towards England; but is come back hither, declaring much Difaffection and Diffatif'faction at the Enemy's Defign, and says he will 'not join any more with them. On Wednesday the two Mortar-Pieces were ' planted, and Mr. Hean the Engineer, (who was 'fent for from St. Johnstoun for that Purpose) made 'two Shots with each of them for Trial, two of 'which fell and brake in the Midst of the Castle. 'On Thursday the 14th both Guns and Mortar'Pieces play'd hard against the Caftle; we made two of their Guns unferviceable; they hurt us two Gunners with fmall Shot. In the Afternoon, whilft our Mortar-Pieces 'were playing hard, they in the Castle beat a Par 6 ley; which being hearkened unto, they fent out 'a Drummer with a Letter, intimating Defires ' of a Treaty: The Lieutenant-General sent in a 'Letter, wherein he took Notice of the Governor's 'flighting his firft Summons, but proposed three Articles to him, which he would grant if they ' would render forthwith, otherwise he would not accept of any Treaty. Hereupon, about half an Hour after, the Governor fent out Capt. James 'Cunningham and one Mr. Wright, as Commif'miffioners to treat; but the Records of Scotland, 'which the Governor defired might be conveyed 'to fome other Garrifon of theirs, being denied 'them, Mr. Wright faid his Commiffion was blown up, and would not treat; however that Night the Articles were all agreed on, and Hostages • fent forth. • The Auguft. Inter-regnum. • The Occafion of their most hafty Surrender, 1651. was from a Mutiny of the Soldiers in the Castle; 'who, being a commanded Party of their Army, ' and most Highlanders, not accustomed to Gra'nadoes, were much affrighted, and beat the Drum • without Order, threatening to throw over their Officers if they fhould disturb them; faying, "They would fight for their King and Kingdom, and not for their Country's Geer. The next Day the Governor, with about 300 Officers and Soldiers, marched forth according to Agreement: The Soldiers had the Night be'fore broken open many of the Trunks_in_the Castle, and went away laden with as much Geer · as they could carry. There were in the Caftle 40 Pieces of Ord'nance, viz. 27 very fair Brass Pieces, two great Iron Guns, and II Leather Guns; Provifion of Meal to ferve 500 Men above twelve Months, 40 or 50 Barrels of Beef, about 5000 Arms, (new Muskets and Pikes) 26 Barrels of Powder, 20 or 30 Veffels of Claret Wine and strong Waters,great • Store of Match with other Ammunition, Lances, • Swans Feathers, Darts, and other Inftruments of • War of that Nature; all the Records of Scotland; the Chair and Cloth of State, the Sword, and • other rich Furniture of the King's, the Earl of "Marr's Coronet and Stirrups of Gold, with his Parliament-Robes: There was alfo Store of • Goods of the Country and Town's People in the • Castle, which they had Liberty to carry away ac'cording to Articles, and came in great Numbers ⚫ for three or four Days together, little or nothing ⚫ being embezzled, but what hath been taken away by their own Men. We had released, a little before our Entrance, 32 Prifoners, among whom. "were Mr. Cornelius van Behmen, Engineer, Lieutenant Jones, and others taken at Newark. • Thus Eighty-four Hogfheads of thefe Records were loft in their Return to Scotland by Sea, after the Restoration. Merc. Pub. Anno 1661 p. 52. 1651. Auguft. Thus hath God in less than a Week's Space, Inter-regnum. nay, lefs than a Day's Space, (for we did not play 'fo long with our Guns and Mortar-Pieces) given ' into our Hands one of the strongest and most magnificent Caftles in Scotland, and the moft, if 'not only, confiderable Pass into the Country be'yond it. When we came before it, a Quære was made who should lead us into this ftrong Caftle? it was anfwered, The Righteous fhall poffefs the Gates of their Enemies; and certainly the Mercy is not the less for being gained with fo little Lofs, but the greater; and is a Pledge of ‹ what he will do for those that are now like to be engaged in England. Since my coming into the Castle, which is one of the ftatelieft and faireft Buildings I have seen in Scotland, I obferved this Motto over the Cha'pel Door, J. 6. R. Nobis hæc invicta miferunt • Centum fex proavi, 1617. It seems it had pass'd the 107th unconquered, but not the 108th. 'Col. Okey is return'd with his Party who went into the Weft: He took the Lord Ormiston, Mr. • Alexander, Mr. Henderson, and others, who were 'fitting at Paisley for the raifing of a Regiment to 'be under the Command of Col. Cochran, whom 'their King had fent out of England for that Purpose, though he had before promised it to MajorGeneral Van Rofs; they were both in the Town the Day before, but got away with the Laird of Blair's Troop into the Highlands. 'We are now preparing for a March with our 'Horfe and Foot towards Dundee. When our 'Convoy had brought those that marched out of the Caftle of Stirling as far as St. Johnftoun, they all went to their several Homes, except about 140. I crave your Pardon for this Boldness, and rest Your most bumble Servant, W. CLERKE. In confequence of this Letter the House refolv'd, That all the Records, with the Regalia and Infignia, taken in Stirling-Cafile, be lodged in the Tower "of |