Several LETTERS OF Great Importance, AND Good success.  
Lately obtained against the Fellowship of Bristol, by Captain William Smith, Captain of his majesty's Ship called the Swallow, now in service for the King and Parliament.  
And likewise the Lord admiral's design upon Bristol, and the Navy making ready there under the Command of Sir John Pennington.  
LONDON, Printed for Lawrence Blaiklock, at the sign of the sugarloaf near Temple bar, 1643.   

SIR,  
ACcording to my last unto you, I set sail on the third of August 1643. out of Kinsayle to ply to the Eastward, and between the Saul-tiers and the Smales, I made a sail some two leagues to the Eastward, on the fifth of the same month, in the Morning, and at Even fetching her up, she proved to be a vessel belonging to North Yarmouth, and come from Strangford in Ireland, laden with wood, and bound for Milford in Wales, to deliver there: And inquiring what news, the Master told me that he met with captain Jordan, in the Expedition, who had taken a Hamburger, burden about three hundred Tuns, of force, sixteen guns, being laden with Salt and other provisions, she came from Rochel in France, and was bound for the relief of the rebels, and was taken before St. David's head on the Coast of Wales, the Master further informed me, that he did believe Captain Jordan was gone for Milford, and I having a great desire to meet with Captain Jordan, I bore in for that Harbour, not knowing how he might be engaged, and in case I found him not there, then to desire the Gentlemen of that County to send Heu and Cry to apprehend divers passengers whom Captain Jordan had forced on shear before he got possession of the prize, and when I came before the harbour's mouth, a Fisherman came on board of me, who told me that in Milford there were two ships, men of War, the one was the fellowship of Bristol, burden about four hundred tons, of force, 24 guns, having in her four Captains, viz. Captain Barnaby Burley, Captain Brooks, Captain William hail, and Captain Banister, the other was the Hart frigate, wherein commanded Captain Richard Nesson, the said Captains had summoned aboard the Fellowship all the Gentry in those parts, and certified that the King had rasten Bristol, and that all the Kingdom did now repair unto his majesty to seek for his gracious pardon, and that the Parliaments forces were all overthrown, and that His majesty would suddenly march for London, all Kent being now in arms to assist the King, Chattom and Rochel were also taken, therefore they would advise that County presently to present a Petition to His majesty, in tender of their service unto him, and also to raise such a considerable sum of money, as they in their wisdom should conceive meet to comply with His majesty's occasions, and so come aboard them, and they would present them to His majesty, but in case they should not do this, than they and their posterity were ruined for ever, for Prince Rupert would immediately come down and Plunder their country: And his majesty had sent them out to command all his majesty's ships, and other ships that were on that, or the Irish coast, that on their Allegiance they should repair to Bristol, and the Commanders & mariners should have his majesty's gracious pardon, and the Commanders should receive from his majesty both employment, honour, and great reward, and the mariners should have a large gratuity, upon this intelligence, I called to me all the Officers of the Swallow, and then the ships company, informed them, what I had heard, and that the ship was rich, having aboard her, divers goods belonging to the merchants of Bristol to preserve from plundering, all which the owners of the ship had traitorously delivered with their ship into the hands of the Cavaleirs, And that if they would fight for it, their love and zeal to God's cause would be made visible to all men, and it would very much daunt the enemy, and be a good example for others to trase them in the steps of valour and virtue, Also it would manifest their thankfulness to the Parliament, who had conferred such favours, as first a gratuity, than the increase of their wages, all which must needs bring a blessing on them, and I do not doubt, but that it should please God to deliver the Ships into our hands, but that the Parliament would acknowledge their constancy in gratifying their fidelity according to the value of the prize, and then demanding their resolutions, they cried all as one man, God bless the King and Parliament, and that they would stand by me, to the last man, and then I bore in for the Harbour, it being monday the Seventh of August 1643. where I found the said Ship at Anchor, but the Commanders had made us from the top of a hill, before we came in, and had fitted their ships, and put aboard their Waystcloathes, and when I came within shot, there came off a Boat from the fellowship, towards the Swallow, and in it one Captain John Brooks, holding forth a white flag, who desired a parley upon condition I would let him return aboard the Fellowship if we could not accord, to which I consented, than he came aboard, and leaping down into the waste, he cried, God bless King Charles, to which we all said, Amen. The which being done, the said Captain desired to have some private conference with me, but I refused it, saying, I desire to hear nothing from him, but what the whole ships company might hear, but he pressed it the second time, and being denied the said Captain turned himself to the ships company, relating unto them the words formerly specified in demonstrating the King's grace and mercy extended towards us, in case we would comply and carry the ship to Bristol, but than I commanded him to silence, saying, it did seem strange unto me, that he should dare to take the King's name in his mouth, in regard that both he and his confederates appeared unto me to be pirates, and Sea-Rovers, in that they had taken and rifled a double Shallop that belonged to his majesty's Fleet, now on the coast of Ireland, having five small Guns in her, but the said Captain replied, They had a Commission for what they had done, under the hand of Sir John Pennington, and that Captain hail had another under the hand of Prince Rupert, and that Sir John Pennington was High admiral by Patent under the great Seal of England; I told him I had no such intelligence of any such Patent, either from the Parliament, or from the Honourable the Earl of Warwick or any Order to obey it, and for that of Prince Rupert, he being a stranger, I could not perceive by what virtue or power his highness could give Commission to any to rob, or take his majesty's ships, or other ships belonging to any of His majesty's loyal Subjects. And therefore until I could be better satisfied; I would use my best endeavour to seize on their persons, and ships, as pirates, or sink by their side.  
And in the interim of this discourse, the Swallow was come to Anchor on her broad side, and then Captain Brooks desired me to certify so much in writing to Captain Burley; and while I went into the cabin to write, the Fellowship had cut her Cable, and was under sail, intending to run a shore; and being informed thereof by the Master, we came out, and I commanded the Gunner to give fire to a piece of Ordnance, the which was done; but within a Cable length the Fellowship came aground, and in pursuit of her, we cut and also came aground a little ahead of her, and then I gave her two pieces of Ordnance; whereupon Captain Burley appeared on the poop, and cried, Captain hold, hold; then I commanded him a board, who when he came told me he would deliver up the ship, if I would promise on the faith of a Gentleman to set the Commanders and ships company on shore, or give them a double shallop to carry them to Bristol the which if I refused to do, he had left those on board would set the ship on fire; then I replied unto him, that burn she should, for I was resolved not to part with any one man of them, for I valued them more than I did the ship: but in the mean time I had sent a letter to the Master & ship's company, that if they would deliver up the other two Captains with their ship, I did promise them all a free entertainment, and that they should have their wages paid, and all such goods as they could make appear justly to belong to any of them: upon the receipt of which letter, the Master and mariners did deliver up the ship without the loss or hurt of any one man (God be praised) only when the Hart frigate parted from us, to run a shore, we gave her an unhappy shot, and killed two men, and hurt one; but Captain Nesson who commanded in her, carried her eight miles up the River, and ran her a shore in a Creek; but she was pursued by Captain Rew Williams, and there was exchanged divers shot between them, but Nesson ran away with most of his men, and left her, and the next day Captain Williams brought her off, in which service, the Gentleman doth crave his lordship's Protection: Having perfected this service the next day, I set sail in pursuit of my admiral, to acquaint him with our proceedings, and also that Bristol was lost, and the fleet is now repairing there to command out fleet, wherein Sir John Pennington is to come out admiral, that so we might use our best endeavours to nip these proceedings in the bud, and having acquainted my admiral herewith, it is agreed on, that forthwith we repair to Milford to endeavour to get our ships want of victuals supplied, the which if we shall do I hope God will enable us to perform some good service in the preventing of the coming out of that fleet, either by inviting them to comply with us, or else to destroy them in the Harbour, And this is my admirals, and our constant resolution, if it shall please God to enable us with victuals to subsist on this Coast, to which I doubt not, but our God will give a blessing in that he hath been pleased to give such good success in the surprising of one of their best ships, as also the frigate, the which is a great encouragement to us, and doubtless as great a disheartening unto them who seek their King and country's ruin, endeavouring to upheld that Antichristian beast, whom God hath said, Must down, to whose protection I commit you, and take my leave, and rest.  
From aboard his majesty's Ship the Swallow, making sail for Milford, Aug. 17. 1643. Your most loving Brother to serve you, William Smith   

Noble Sir,  
THe Character which Fame sounds in the ears of all men that come into the these parts of your worth, and the good affection you and the rest of the Gentlemen of this County bear to the public Cause, whereon depends God's glory, the King's honour, and the people's safety, is a sufficient motive to induce me to present these, in discharge of the trust imposed, which is to keep a compliance with all His majesty's loyal subjects, who in their refined judgements, have made no divisions or distractions between the King's Majesty, and His great council the parliament in England, and to engage my life in defence and preservation of such Worthies, is my duty, in which, I hope one day to appear a loyal subject, and a faithful servant, and if here I may do my acceptable service, I desire to receive your instructions, with which to my power I shall not fail to comply▪ & I shall also desire you and the rest of the Gentlemen of this County, to be pleased to send Hue and Cry to attach certain wandering and Rebellious persons, who were lately forced on the shore by the Expedition on this County, it is thought some Priests and Jesuites were amongst them, and that they have jewels and money, the which I am informed they brought from Rochel in France, & were bound to the relief of the Rebels at Wexford in Ireland, the apprehending of these dangerous persons may happily prevent great evils which otherwise may ensue; and so every good man in discharging his duty to his God and his country, it may be a means to hasten a speedy composure of these sad tragical distractions, the which our good God in his mercy grant, to whose protection I commit you, and take my leave and rest,  
August the 7. 1643, aboard the Swallow. Your friend to serve you, William Smith.   

The Answer.  
All-worthy Sir,  
I Much rejoice at your constant perseveration and good success, which I hope the Lord in his mercy will continue, and my prayers and means shall not be wanting, I have imparted your desire of supplying your wants of victual unto the Gentlemen, whose willingness I presume will not be wanting, and this night I am assured to hear their answer, which I hope will give you real content, what lies in my power to assist you; I shall not be wanting, being really to corroborate my protestation with my life and means, not any way daunted with the poor flaws of ill fortune that hath lately befallen us, God will not suffer his chosen to suffer in the superlative degree, but greatly to chastise them, lest they attribute too much to the arm of flesh, God I hope & make no doubt) will make a period to these unnatural civil wars, and our Religion, laws, Liberties, preserved, in their desired purity, I desire to wait on you, but reserve myself till I receive your commands, in the interim I am your servant and present my service unto you and will remain,  
August 9, 1643. Your friend to serve you, Griffith White.   

The Letter upon the same day.  
Noble Sir,  
SInce the last Letter I sent you this post-noon, I understand by an honest Gentleman, who is as I am, that hail your now prisoner hath divulged in the presence of some Gentlemen of quality of this County, that the inhabitants of this County should not reap their corn, in case they did, they should not enjoy it, my desire is, that you would be pleased to vouchsafe this courteous favour, to examine and fish out the cause and ground of this report, and withal, if you find this to be true which cannot but prove prejudicial the public good, that you would write a letter, and direct it in general to the Gentry of this County (omitting particulars) which I verily believe will turn the hearts of such who are now in the way of colapsing, since the taking of unconstant Bristol, and unite their hearts with ours, who are constant to the Cause, I desire if your resolution comply with me (which I doubt not of) to hasten your Letter with all speed, which I know will be very thankfully received, and for my own particular I shall and will remain your very loving friend to serve you,  
Grissith White.   

Most worthy Sir,  
TO satisfy you, and the Gentlemen of this County, in the contents of your last unto me concerning the menacing speeches thundered out by hail and his Confederates, that the Corn now on the ground should never be reaped by the Gentlemen and Commons of this County, or if it were, you should never enjoy it, are I assure you only the Bravadoes of a proud insulting Enemy, and grounded neither on judgement, or religion; for who but our only wise God can tell what shall be hereafter, or what 2 day may produced; and I am confident the Gentry of this County are not ignorant of the power of the Almighty, that he is able to deliver as well by few as many, as is manifested unto you by multitudes of examples in his revealed word: wherefore to remove your fears, the only comfort I can give you is this, That in your maker's cause you would behave yourselves as becometh good Christians, and valiant soldiers of Christ Jesus, that you would gird on your swords, muster your Forces, put yourselves in battle array, and quit yourselves like men, putting yourselves under God's protection, doubt not but his Divine Majesty is both able and also will deliver all those that put their confidence in him; but without faith our Saviour would do no miracles while he was here on the earth: wherefore in confidence of his assistance, there can be no greater manifestation of our faith then to engage our lives and estates in the maintenance of his cause, which is the only means to preserve both. And I believe, that the Gentry of this County very well understand the condition of this war, and that it is no other than between Christ and Antichrist, and that one day his Majesty will have great cause to acknowledge the fidelity of all such his loyal and obedient Subjects as have or do adhere unto his Majesty and his great council the Parliament of England, in the suppressing of that Antichristian Rout who have now taken up arms to destroy the Protestant Religion, the King's honour, and dignities, the privileges of Parliament, and the liberties of the Subject; in the preservation whereof the Parliament have been forced to take up arms, in which as I stand engaged, I shall be ever ready to assist and comply with all such his majesty's loyal and faithful Subjects, so far as God shall enable me, and my abilities give me leave; and in tender of my service herein to all the well-affected Gentlemen of this County, I take my leave and rest.  
Your faithful Servant to be commanded in the service of God, the King, and Parliament, William Smith.  
FINIS.