This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. Searching, reading, printing, or downloading EEBO-TCP texts is reserved for the authorized users of these project partner institutions. Permission must be granted for subsequent distribution, in print or electronically, of this text, in whole or in part. Please contact project staff at eebotcp-info@umich.edu for further information or permissions.
Honoured Sir,
I must now be a Harbinger to bring sad newes to you and the rest of our friends at Wapping, which I am sure cannot but with me condole the losse of our old acquaintance Colonell Rainsborough, who after a long preservation from the force of the Cannon and open
hostility of the common Enemy, was at the last most unfortunately murdered in his Chamber, it being done in a base and unworthy manner; Some say it was to be farther avenged for the death of Sir Charles Lucas, and Sir George Lisle, and thereby think to mitigate the fact; but I will assure you they will find it otherwise: for the whole Souldiery with us lay this businesse much to heart, and although the losse of such an instru∣ment as he, cannot be small: yet are we confident that we have this gain, that the hearts of all the well-affect∣ed party in the Kingdome will be the more firme in conjunction with each other; I heare his wife is now in London, I pray God give her strength to take it patiently, which is one generall use we are to make of such trialls and afflictions. And as for those that are such implacable enemies to peace, and secretly thirst after the blood of such as would live quietly in the Land, we hope care will be taken to preserve us from their malice, and to bring those to condigne pu∣nishment which do justly deserve it, that they may be a terrour to others from running into the like mischiefs: The enemy in Pontefract Castle have about sixscore horse well armed, which oftentimes sally forth, and do great mischiefe, and have (as some report) fitted them∣selves with all things for a twelve moneths siege: the weak Leaguer by the new Militia of the Countrey hath so wasted the parts adjacent, that what with freequarter and large assessements, with the spoile made by the E∣nemy, the Inhabitants are very much impoverished; Here hath been levyed for many weekes together the value of 30000. l. per mensem, but we have better hopes
of those which are now coming to doe the work, the Lievtenant Generalls forces being drawn neer: and tru∣ly it is high time, for some further course to be taken not only against this Castle, but also against Scarbo∣rough, for the Enemy there have made divers late sallies forth, and have taken a Pinnace which was come into the Harbour with some Provisions, whereby some relief hath been gotten by the Enemy; but another course is t••king with them also. Thus with my best re∣spect to your selfe, and all our friends, I remain
Whetherby, 31. Octob. 1648.
Your obliged friend, S. T.