Another bloody FIGHT AT Colchester, on Tuesday night last, between his Majesty's forces commanded by Gen. Lucas, and Col. Lunsford, and the Parliaments forces; showing the manner of their sallying out of the town, and falling upon their Guards, with the number killed and taken, and a dangerous shot against the Lord Gen. Fairfax. Also, the resolution of Gen. Lucas and his Forces rather to die like the Sons of Mars valiantly, than to yield the town dishonourably, and their proceed thereupon. With two other bloody Fights, and divers Colonels taken prisoners. Likewise, the L. Byron's proceed in Wales, and his Declaration for the King. a finely dressed man on a horse holding a sword Printed in the Year, 1648. NEW PROPOSITIONS FROM The Colchesterian Shavers, to the Lord Gen. Fairfax, upon the arrival of the sad intelligence of the routing the Scots Army in the North; and their further resolution touching the town. SIR, DIvers of the Colchesterians have deserted their Lording Masters, and tendered their service to the Lord General, but his Excellency would not accept thereof: this Evening we sent them in their sad tidings of the defeating of the Scottish army, who upon receipt thereof, immediately dispatched a Trumpeter to the Lord General, with propositions for the surrendering of the Garrison, together with all their arms and ammunition, except musket and sword, three Bandaleers of powder, and a competent ptoportion of match and bullet, which if condescended unto, Hostages should be sent forth, and articles agreed upon for the surrender, but his Excellency rejected this message, being resolved to stand it out, and to have most of them submit to mercy. Whereupon the Trumpeter returned, and delivered his Excellences answer to the Earl of Norwich, and Gen. Lucas, who upon reading thereof, began to grow into a great agony, vowing revenge, and resolved rather to die like Sons of Mars in the field, then to submit basely to the mercy of an enemy, and to surrender the town upon dishonourable conditions: Therefore, to enlarge the Soldiers liberty, General Lucas, and Col. Lunsford takes upon them to be their Redeemers, and sallies forth with a considerable party of Horse and Foot upon six of our Guards, about ten of the clock this Evening, thinking to surprise them all unawares, but by our Eagle-eyed sentinels they were discovered, and alarmed the Guards, who soon were in a readiness to receive the Shavers, manning their Works, and securing their Line, and upon the near approach of Gen. Lucas, we gave them a volley, and fired six piece of Ordnance against them, being charged with key-shot, which did great execution: they answered us again, and began to advance towards our Turn pike, but finding the opposition too great, wheeled about, a party of our horse and foot pursued them to the very sally-ports, killed nine, and brought away seven prisoners, besides their great loss upon the very first Onset, supposing them to amount to the number of 25. occasioned by the execution of the small shot. In this action we lost about eleven men, 7 slain, and four wounded. The Inhabitants are in great distress, and so are most of the soldiers, yet they remain both obstinate and insolent, and say, unless they may have good conditions, they are resolved to sacrifice their lives to the last man, and to maintain their Works, and dispute the town to the last drop of blood, but we doubt not, but famine will soon force them to the worst of conditions, rather than to hazard our Army by storm. We have all things in readiness for a storm, our Mines are quite finished, and our trenches so near the walls, that we annoy each other with stones, the enemy hath countermined us near the East gate, and took one of our Mines, and five of the Pioners: our Batteries are also quite finished, and the great Guns planted and have made several Breaches in the walls, but they have made them up again with woolpacks. Col. Rains borough hath made many a gallant shot against their great Mount near St. Mary's Church, dismounted three piece of Canon, killed two Gunners, and a Metrose. His Excellency being advertized that the Mounts were all finished, and the Ordnance planted, resolved to take a view of them which accordingly he did, divers Colonels and other Officers accompanying him to the said Fortification, and upon his Excellencies going into one of the Forts near East Gate, the enemy discharged a Drake with Case shot, which scattered Dirt upon him and his attendants, hurt an Officer in the face by the rebcunding of a stone, but did none of the rest any harm. The Earl of Norwich, Lord Capel. Sir Charles Lucas, and the rest of the Officers in the Town, sent a letter to the Lord Fairfax wherein they desire 20 days leave to address themselves to the Prince, and if things go not suitable to their desires, than etc. This Letter was received by the General, and answer was returned by a Trumpeter, though not according to the expectation of the besieged. Hunger bites those in the town, and their desires not being granted, if the old proverb be true, that hunger breaks stone walls, some are of opinion, that men of that desperate condition will endeavour to break the line once again, before they submit, but more danger is in attempting a quick line (to hold out the proverb) than a dead wall; for the General hath fitted all things for a storm if occasion be, and is every minute so well provided to receive the Enemy if they sally forth that if the distresled condition of the besieged should put them upon any desperate design is more probable they will be accessary to hasten their utter destruction then that that any of them should deliver themselves by an escape. A great Victory in Hereford-shire. Letters out of Hereford-shire, say, that there was a late fight between a party of horse for the Parliament commanded by Maj. Harley and a party for the King commanded by Sir Henry Linging, in which its said Sir Henry Linging had the better at the first but Maj. Harley having a reserve charged with great gallantry, rescued some prisoners, took many other of the adverse party, and divers Officers; amongst whom it is said Sir Henry Lingen himself is one, and ten Lieutenant colonels, Majors, and Captains. By Letters from Stafford it is advertized, that Col. Stepkins formerly a Commander in the King's Army, had a design to have surprised the said Town and Castle for the King, the place of Randezvouz was two miles distant from the town, where a great number of Royalists were gathered in a head together, in the night time, and intended to have put their design jam execution the next morning; but by the revolting of two Gentlemen, who discovered the same to Capt. Stone in the nick of time, the plot was discovered, and the Governor, with a party of horse and foot, about two in the morning, marched to the said place of Randezvouz, fell upon them in their quarters, killed Colonel Stepkins and seven more, wounded many, and took divers prisoners of quality, with the loss of two men. Other letters from Northampton shire say, that the Royalists in those parts have been a long time complotting and associating themselves together, and have had several randezvouzes near Stanford, and upon Friday last declared for the King, but having intelligence of the great Overthrow in the North, soon changed their resolutions, and dispersed themselves into several parts of the County, so that all things now are in a peaceable condition. Northampton 22 August 1648. The further proceed of the Lord Byron in Wales, and his Declaration to the Welsh-men to rise for the King. SIR, THe Lord Byron is very active in these parts for the raising of Forces for the King, he hath set forth a Declaration to the Country, declaring the grounds and reasons of his engagement, and his desires to free the subject from oppression, and to reinvest his Royal Majesty in his just rights and privileges, to maintain monarchical government, and to establish Religion, and the fundamental laws of the kingdom, etc. and therefore desires their assistance, for to engage with him therein. But as yet few makes their appearance, and his numbers are but small. Carnarvan 21 Aug. 1648. FINIS.