A WICKED PLOT AGAINST THE PERSON OF Sir William Waller.  
DECLARING, How one of his Soldiers either for hire or malice would desperately have shot him, but (by the providence of God) his Musket not taking fire he immediately was apprehended; and deservedly executed for it.  
Showing also, The true passages of every day's service, from the first besieging of Arundel Castle, till the surrendering of it unto Sir William Waller. Jan. the 6. With an exact Relation what Commanders were slain during the siege, and what Prisoners and Pillage was found in the Castle.  
Together with the taking of a Dunkirk Ship, which (being chased by the Hollanders, came up the Channel near unto Arundel Castle for harbour, very richly laden, who intended to go to the relief of the English-Irish against the Parliament.  
Sent from the Army to a Gentleman dwelling in Mugwelstreet, and by him caused to be printed for the satisfaction of such as desire to be truly informed.  
Published according to Order.  
jan. 11. London, Printed for Robert Wood MDCXLIV.   

A WICKED PLOT AGAINST The Person of Sir WILLIAM WALLER.  
SIR,  
I Doubt not but you have heard of our Siege at Arundel Castle, but in regard I am not ignorant how uncertain reports of this nature are at London, I am bold to present you with a brief (yet true Relation) both of the whole Siege, and the yielding up of the said Castle to Sir William Waller on Twelve-day last in the morning.  
At our first sitting down before the Town and Castle of Arundel, the Cavaliers shown themselves very bold and insolent, & seemed to be so confident of their own strength that they took the offer of quarter in defiance, & hung out their red flag, but within half an hours fight the enemy was forced from their Outworks, and above eighty of them taken prisoners, the rest we pursued into the Town, who without any further opposition fled into the Castle for shelter, and the streets were quickly scoured by our Forlorn Hope, and one Captain and a Lieutenant with many other prisoners taken.  
The Town being thus cleared of the Enemy and won by our men, the Cavaliers played out of the Castle with musket shot, but could command but very little of the Town; for the greatest annoyance they did us by shooting from thence, was on the Bridge, where one of our men was shot in the thigh, and Captain Butler scaped very narrowly, for he was shot thorough the Holster as he road over.  
It pleased God that we lost not above three or four men (to my best knowledge) in entering the Town, besides some few that were wounded, of which number I must with sorrow remember that valiant Gentleman Lieutenant Colonel Ramsey, who was killled, and Lieutenant Colonel Burcher, who received a wound in the belly, but is pretty well recovered of it again, and our chief Engineer was taken prisoner.  
In the taking of this Town (which is by nature situate in a place of great advantage, and was fortified by the Enemy) I may not forget the undaunted courage of our men, and especially the blue coats, who run up the Enemy's works, and beat them off with the but ends of their muskets: and indeed, to speak the truth, those men which we took at Alton that joined with us, did very good service.  
Yet in this place I cannot omit to acquaint you of a perfidious rascal, that for hire or some other wicked end, would have killed our Noble General, and not certainly knowing his person, gave fire at the Sergeant Maior General; but it pleased God that his Musket went not off, so that his wicked design was prevented, and himself deservedly hanged.  
The greatest part of our foot were quartered in the town and a Regiment of Horse kept a guard, that not only all manner of relief might be kept from the Castle, but also to prevent their sallying forth, which within three days they attempted to do, but were quickly driven in again with loss.  
And after that they turned forth of the Castle about a hundred horse into a Meadow, part of which was within Musket shot of the Castle, and yet most of them were quickly gotten out by our men.  
Some of their men being hungerbitten, got over the Walls and slid down with Ropes and were taken prisoners.  
One Richard Smith escaped about four miles out of Town, that came out of the Castle, and was taken at one of our Courts of Guard, where being by the Captain of the Guard very strictly examined, he confessed, that he was sent with a Letter to Sir Ralph Hopton for aid, but would not produce the Letter, but said that he had lost it: So that it appearing that he had been an arch Spy in our Army, and was now going to betray it into the hands of the Enemy, he was condemned to be hanged upon the Bridge in the view of the Castle.  
But we were much troubled, and did greatly fear lest that some of the chief of their Commanders had escaped out of the Castle, for the last Week was found (by some of our soldiers) upon the River which runneth near to the East side of the Castle, a Boat made of Horse Hides, which was brought from the Castle, and it is a great presumption, that some use was made thereof; but it is rather thought that it conveyed some Messenger away to Sir Ralph Hopton, then that any Commanders escaped.  
Much talk we had of Hoptons' coming, for divers days together, and some of our Scouts did affirm that they saw some of his Scouts and were near his body, but we heard no more of him until Wednesday last, at which time news was brought that he had besieged Waberton House about six miles from Chichester, in which is a Garrison of about eighty men under the Command of Colonel Norton.  
Upon Friday last a Drummer came forth of the Castle for a parley, but seeing great store of Provision in our Army, and having been hungerbitten in the Castle, he yielded himself prisoner rather than to carry an answer back into the Castle, so that they were constrained to send another, and a Parley was granted, but in regard they would not accept of Sir William's free proffer of quarter at his first coming, he now utterly refused to give them any, but would have them submit to his mercy. The Lady Bishop and many other Gentle women of quality came out of the Castle: And the next morning being on Twelve day last, the Castle was surrendered upon quarter, but all of them were to become prisoners; of which there was about eight hundred Common soldiers, and about a hundred and fifty Commanders, of which the chiefest were Sir Edward Bishop, Sir Edward Ford, Colonel Banfield, Lieutenant Colonel Rolls, Major Massey, and Major Mullins, who are all very suddenly to be sent up to the City of London.  
It was my chance to be at Arundel at the very instant when the Castle was yielded, and saw the Prisoners march out, but I never saw so many weak and feeble creatures together in my life, for almost all the Common soldiers were half starved, and many of them hardly able to set one foot before another. Yet had they Beef very plentiful, but they certified us, that they had no bread since Christmas day. There were great store of Horse, arms, and much treasure found in the Castle: So that it is not a little weakening to the Enemy, and strengthening to our Party.  
The taking of this place hath wonderfully encouraged our men, who are all so forward in their service that they deserve great commendations, and the Lord I hope will prosper all their undertake.  
Within a day or two after the taking of the said Castle, there fell out a fortunate adventure, no less remarkable than all the rest. A man of War of Holland had chased a Dunkirk Ship laden with good store of Merchandise and linen Cloth, which is now very welcome to our Army.  
She had in her twenty four pieces of Brass Ordnance, about a hundred Barrels of Powder, good store of Arms, which (according to the Ordinary custom of Imagination in this kind) was conceived and believed to be sent to the relief of the English-Irish, that make havoc now in Cheshire.  
Sir William Boarded the Ship, which came up the Channel not fare from Arundel Castle, on Tuesday last, and is now Master of it.  
He hath also sent two thousand horse and foot, with two Drakes, to besiege the Lord Lumleys' house in Sussex, the taking of which will be of great advantage to us, and it is thought, by the most judicious Commanders, that it cannot long hold out.  
This being done our Noble General, as we hear, intends to lose no time, but having received the additions of the London Trained Bands into his Army, he intendeth to march Westwards, from whence we understand there are considerable supplies coming to the relief of Sir Ralph Hoptan: And it is hoped that Redding, Wallingford, and some other Towns thereabouts will soon be brought to subjection.  
Which I pray to the Lord they may in his due time, to his glory; and that he would be pleased to send a period to these troubles. Which is the continual prayer of him who is  
Yours to command, DANIEL BORDER. From Arundel january 9 1644.  
FINIS.