THE Last joyful Intelligence FROM His Excellency HIS QUARTERS IN READING: Wherein is contained, the Propositions of agreement, upon which the town was delivered, with the manner of the delivery, how they marched away without their Ordnance, and the true estate of his Excellency's Army at this present.  
Faithfully related in two Letters sent from good hands in the Army, to a person of good quality in the City, bearing date April 27. 1643.  
LONDON, April 29. Printed for Thomas Watson. 1643.   

The last Intelligence from his Excellency his Quarters at Reading, since the surrendering up of the town.  
SIR, To inform you of the whole proceed since we came to this town, we understand the state of it, knowing it to munition; the Welshmen have already feasted with a horse or two, and those lean ones, in regard that horse-meat hath much failed of late, which occasioned an endeavour of the Horse to go away on Saturday night; but but they were stopped by the Foot: so likewise for their ammunition, they want powder, but bullets more, shooting very seldom, and very strange shot, as stones, & such like. The Governor is by all sorts confessed to be wounded; some say, shot in the neck, others, bruised by the fall of a stone from a house, but he is so ill, that he executes not his place, which causes much confusion and distraction among them. Some of the Town have come out, and informed us to this purpose, & that they had an intent to leave the town; which its like enough they would have done, had it not been as hazardous as their stay, in regard of our Quarters. We took prisoner on Sunday morning a servant of Sir LEWIS DIVES, who was sent to give the Town notice of ammunition coming to them; he swum over the river and back again, but was intercepted, and the Supply was prevented by some Troops of horse of ours, and Colonel BARKLAYS Regiment, and 200. of Colonel HOLBORNES', who lay in the way about Cavesham: We likewise took a fellow equally guilty of folly and knavery; he was once of the Lord ROBERTS his Regiment, and ran away to the enemy, and was now hired to blow up our Magazine, as himself confesses, but knew no way, as he says, but to throw a light match into a barrel, supposing he should have found one open; he was to have had five pound for his pains; but now instead of that a halter. Yesterday hearing that the King was advancing this way to the relief of the Town with what Force he could make up, which is not much in the absence of his Parties: We sent a strong Party of Horse and Dragooners, under the command of Colonel MIDDLETON, who at a place called Dorchester, seven or eight miles from Oxford, surprised the King's Regiment of Foot, now again under the command of Colonel WIL VAVASOUR, that man of honour, by whose loss if we can gain so much wisdom as to trust no more of them upon their lost reputation, we shall make a good bargain; who, though he was not there present, his Captain and Lieutenant were taken, the Standard again endangered, about 100 horse taken, and sixty or thereabouts (some say more) slain, and about 50. prisoners; and Captain WATSON the King's Gentleman Harbinger was taken providing for the Kings march that way.  
On tuesday the town hung out a white flag, and sounded for a parley, which was answered by the Lord General, than they sent hostages from the town and we did the like, which done; a council of war was called, which met in Sir Francis Knowles his House. where after consultation concerning the said Treaty, these Propositions his Excellency eondiscended to, viz.  
1. That the Forces in that town should surrender up the town to the King and Parliament.  
2. That they should march dirctly to Oxford, without doing any act of hostility.  
3. That they should leave behind them in the town ten pieces of Ordnance.  
4. That the said Forces should free those which they had taken prisoners.  
Which being fulfilled, his Excellency promised them a free passage to Oxford, with Bag and Baggage, allowing them six hours' time to march away in.  
We had a skirmish with the King's Forces during the Treaty, where we slew ne'er 200. of them, with the loss of 6. men, and they were forced to fly to save themselves, not being able to hold us play.   

SIR,  
THis is to certify you of a truth, that the King came to Dorchester on Tuesday last, and the town of Reading was yielded up on Thursday at 12. of the clock, and they were to march with bag and baggage, with their Colours displaying, with about three thousand soldiers, with four small Drakes and ten Wagons, and the Earl of Essex about three of the clock entered the town, with Colonel Hampden and Serjeant-Major Skippon, to view the town, and three of their Commanders came to view our Army, and it is supposed that our Army will advance after them, for our men were very eager to fall on them as they marched out, but that my Lord General (to satisfy them) promised to give every soldier twelve shillings a piece, and is to be paid on the first of May, being Monday, but my Lord General is very unwilling to let many of his soldiers enter the town, for fear the town should be undermined, till they have made further search, for the safeguard of our men. Our Regiment is quartered in the Outworks. I have no more to write to you at this time. The next (I hope) shall be from Oxford. Farewell.  
The King is returned to Oxford this day.  
From our Camp at Reading, April 27 afternoon. 1643. Your loving Cousin, John Alexander.