THE DISCOVERY Of a great and wicked Conspiracy against this Kingdom in general, and the City of London in particular.  
Being a Letter sent from the Hague in Holland, and directed to Secretary Nicholas, but intercepted by the way, and read in both Houses of Parliament on Saturday the 26 of November. 1642.  
Also, what great preparations of money, men, and Arms, there is now made in Holland, France, and Denmark, to assist the King's Majesty in England. With the manner how the said Letter was intercepted and taken.  
Whereunto is added, An Order by the Lord Major, for the raising of 30000 l. in the City of London.  
Die Sabbathi, 26 Novemb. 1642.  
ORdered by the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament, that this Letter be forthwith printed and published, and read in all Parish Churches within the City of London and the Suburbs thereof, by the Parsons, Vicars, or Curates of the same.  
J. Brown Cler. Parliamentorum.  
LONDON: Printed for Ed. Blackmore. Novemb. 28. 1642.   

IT is now long since I had the opportunity of writing to you, but since my first have not heard any thing from you at all; The occasion of our long stay here, was first the expectation of our Irish ships, next the raising money, which the proposition of Newcastle drew as fast as it could advance, the failing of the Ships had it not been supplied by the reputation of the King's success at Land, had given us a dangerous blow here; but that hath so supported our credit that the Prince of Orange hath since played his part, and advanced all those sums we were to expect, of which 20000.l. is sent towards you, 20000 l. to Newcastle, and 20000.l. at least we bring with us, besides the great business which we expect this day a final end of, which will advance 60000 l. more, in which we are ascertained of the Prince of Orange his utmost power; such nevertheless we apprehend the importance of the Queen's being in England, that we had gone this last week, and expected the coming of thatafter, had not an unseasonable compliment from your side stopped us, till this express sent to you: the fleet is now ready, and this week we certainly go, if those counsels, or chances, that move to dilatory resolutions, move not more effectually than the certain advantages of our expedition and dispatch from hence, all our affairs now done, and nothing more to be expected. That you may know upon what grounds we go, and what security we expect there, and what advantage you in the South are to derive from it, you must know we have sent over 10000 foot arms, besides the Garrison near 2000 horse arms, and 20 piece of Canon; we bring over wagons and all accommodation to march so soon as we arrive, we carry very considerable Officers from hence, and by the advice we receive from that side 8000 men are on foot already, 6 Troops of Horse, and the rest will not belong on raising after we come there. General King is designed for lieutenant-general, hath been with the Queen, and will be suddenly there. From Denmark are likewise sent Arms for 10000 foot, and 1500 horse, with a train of Artillery, and every thing proportionable, to the very Drums and halberds. Two good men of war come their Convoy, and in them an ambassador to His Majesty, a person of great quality in Denmark, I hope it will be a general care there to see him Nobly treated, for the entertainment and neglect of the last was much complained of, and is so much insented by the King, that it had like to have frustrated all our expectations in that Court, had not Cochran very handsomely evaded it, he comes along with the ambassador, with whom if you encounter you will communicate some Propositions of great importance, which in how much the fewer hands they are carried, will be so much the better liked by them you are to deal with, if my employment in this affair may fall upon your servant that writes to you, I know you will not be unmindful of him.  
We have great apprehensions here by something intimated from my Lord of Holland, of a treaty further entered into then we have advertisement of, or can well approve; We have confidently bel●eved your approaching London, (if you had not made too long stay upon the way) would have determined that matter, and what the difficulties are now of that we cannot yet understand, for if intelligence from hence came as freely to you as to us, the King's party there are very considerable, and full of that expectation, and a day or two loss of time by the late example of Hull, may be judged of what contrary consequences it may produce.  
We hear my Lord of Essex approaches London, but believe he will be so waited on by the King's Horse, not to let him join with their Forces there, being now so lame an Army without Horse or Canon, as the Relations you send hither makes him to be. We believe the King's Horse likewise, now so great a body, that it will be as troublesome as unnecessary for them to subsist together, and think so many Troops might be well spared as might be sent into Kent, to countenance a party to be set on foot there, which according to our intelligence here would undoubtedly be found very affectionate and considerable, so that by sparing 500 Horse, you might possibly add to your Army 5000 foot, to be employed upon the River on that side the town.  
If the unhappy interception had not come of the last weeks Letters, we had undoubtedly been with you on the other side in Norfolk and Essex, within three weeks, and in that condition having all the kingdom behind us on every side, it will not be hard to judge whether should have been better able to subsist, they within the town, or the King's Army without; admit my Lord of Essex were gotten in, or that the town had not yielded itself so soon as you had approached, you may yet certainly presume on this, that our being once on foot we shall be able to collect for you all the 400000 l. Subsidies, universally throughout the kingdom, which will make the King's Army subsist, and wear out theirs, besides which the money we bring; what we expect from Denmark, and France, are all encouragements to make us expect no Treaties to be admitted, but upon terms of great advantage and honour to His Majesty, those you are best able to judge of upon the place. If the King have use of them, I am confident you may expect from France, (so soon as you set footing in Kent, and shall intimate you desire the same) the three Regiments of His Majesties own Subjects there employed, under colonel Hill, colonel Fitz williams, and colonel Beling: your Letters directed to Newcastle will direct our addresses to France, for I hope we shall yet be there before you can return any in answer to this.  
Hague, Novemb. 22. 1642.   

The manner how this aforesaid letter was intercepted and taken.  
ON Saturday morning the Gentleman that brought this letter from Holland came up to London in a Gravesend-boat, intending to land at Brainford, and therefore for the more expedition shot the Bridge, which being perceived by one of the pinnaces that lie on this side for the guard of the City and Parliament, and being known to be a Gravesend-boat, which always land on the other side at Billingsgate: they called to them to know their business; But they not regarding their summons still posted away, whereupon the men in the ship made after them and hauled them in, examined the Gentleman, and having some suspicion searched him, and found this with some other letters about him; whereupon they presently carried him up to the Parliament, where after examination his letters were taken from him, and he committed to safe custody.  
This letter (as is supposed) was writ by colonel Goring.   

By the Maior.  
Whereas certain Letters from foreign parts and several places of the Kingdom have been intercepted, and brought unto the Parliament, discovering the desperate designs and plots of Papists and other ill affected, in collecting great sums of money and providing many thousands of men and Arms, for the ruin of our Religion and Kingdom. For the preserving and securing whereof, there is great necessity of a present and speedy supply of money, that the Army may suddenly advance, for preventing of the many outrages that the cavaliers daily commit in several places of this Kingdom at once; & in regard the burden hath hitherto lain upon the willing and well-affected persons; the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament have passed an Ordinance, that all such persons as hitherto have not contributed, or not proportionable to their estates, upon the Propositions of Parliament, for the safety of the Kingdom, shall be assessed and compelled to contribute and pay according to their ability. And forasmuch as moneys cannot be advanced by virtue of that Ordinance, to supply the urgent and pressing occasions of the Army; It is desired by a Committee of the Lords and Commons, appointed by the Parliament, for advancing of mon●ys, that a sum of 30000 l. might be raised by Tuesday in the afternoon, and all such as shall lend any money for the present raising of the same, shall be repaid their moneys so lent out, of the first moneys that shall be collected upon the said Ordinance: and for the better advancing of this necessary service, the Ministers of every Parish are requested, publicly to stir up their Parishioners hereunto, and that the Church wardens of every Parish cause an assembly of the Parishioners tomorrow after Sermon, in the afternoon, that amongst them they raise a proportionable sum, and that upon Monday next, at three of the clock in the afternoon the churchwardens appear at Guild hall before the said Committee, to give an account of what moneys they have raised.  
Dated November 26, 1642. Isaac Pennington Major.   
FINIS.