THE DECLARATION AND RESOLUTION OF Divers Officers and Soldiers under the command of Major General Laughorn, concerning the proceed of Col. Poyer, Governor of Pembroke Castle in Wales; And their Resolution touching his Excellency the Lord General. Also another late Fight betwixt the Forces under command of Col. Poyer, and the Parliament Forces belonging to his Excellency the Lord General. And the great danger of Adjutant General Fleming, and divers other Gentlemen, by Poyers surrounding them, with their gallant success thereupon. LONDON: LONDON, Printed for R. W. MDCXLVIII. ANOTHER LATE FIGHT BETWIXT The Forces under command of Col. Poyer, [and the Parliaments Forces belonging to his Excellency the Lord General, near the Garrison of Pembroke. Honoured Sir, WE have lately received intelligence of Col. Hortons' advance towards Pembroke Castle, with a gallant party of Horse, and it is said he will be there within few days, We daily expect the coming up of the other Forces designed for the said service, which if speedily performed, will be the only means of bringing Poyer and his Confederates under subjection and feat. There hath lately been another Fight betwixt the Enemy, and the Bristol Forces belonging to Col. Overton, within three or four miles of Pembroke town, which conflict continued not long, by reason our Forces were overpowered, yet they defended themselves with such Heroic and unanimous spirits, (although very deeply engaged) that they denied to yield, unless upon honourable terms and conditions, which terms, after some dispute, were granted them, as will appear by the enclosed paper. The Enemy came down with a strong party of Horse and Foot, and thought to have surprised them in their quarters, but by the great vigilancy of the Bristol party, they were timely discovered, and gallantly repulsed; for further satisfaction whereof, I shall refer you to the enclosed. Worthy Sir, THe miseries of the destroyed County of Pembroke do very much increase. This Evening a Vessel arrived here that came yesterday morning out of Milford and brings news that Poyer is near 500 strong in Foot, and that Captain Addis Troop, one other Troop of Major General Laughorns horse, are fallen in to him, which amounts to about 100 he is daily raising more Forces both of Horse and Foot, and to that end doth frequently muster the Country into Pembroke town, who do out of pure fear obey him, and do●h make very full appearances before him, with Bills, Holberts, and such other weapons as they can get, and out of them upon Saturday last he pressed 100 men, besides what he hath pressed since in the Country, he hath sessed all the Country Parishes about him to a tax, near trible as much on any parish as the three month's Sesment for the Army is, which he forceth the Inhabitants to bring into him in money or provision▪ or both, & such as do refuse he threatneth to plunder, he hath imprisoned Mr. Lort, Mr. Bowen, and Mr. Poyer, with several others, and made them all pay their ransoms. On Tuesday last a little before night, the two Companies of soldiers that went down by water from Bristol, landed near Hentlan in Milford, and on Wednesday were set upon by the two troops of Horse, and about 100 Foot of Poyers in Pulchran Church, and Churchyard, but they maintained the place, and are not taken as the report was, but had conditions upon treaty, to march away with their arms, and are gone to Cardiff, upon engagement not to land again in Milford. The same day Poyer beset Hentlau house, where was Mr. White, Mr. Roger Lort, Adjutant General Fleming, Mr. John Lort, and several other Commissioners and Gentlemen that were met together, about the accommodating and quartering of the new landed soldiers, all of them are and was in great danger of taking, but they also by a stratagem escaped, and are got on shipboard. One Butler a Colonel of the King's Army, a grand Malignant, commanded the Foot that were about the House, and had provided bars of Iron, sledges, and other instruments, for the breaking open of the doors of the house. By this, and what hath formerly been certified, you may see the settled resolution and activeness of Poyer, and his adherents to raise a new war, which I am confident will grow to such a head on a sudden, if not timely prevented, in those malignant and discontented parts, as will not easily be overcome. The disbanding of Maj. Gen. Laughorns Forces goes on very successfully and peaceably. The several Companies and Troops disbanded, being as followeth. Col, Lewis Foot his Company. Cap. Jones troop. Cap. lloyd's troop. Col. Lewis troop. Capt. Griffiths troop of Dragoons. Cap. Thomas Vaughan's troop. All these shown a willingness to obey the Parliaments Orders, notwithstanding they received Orders from Colonel Powel on pain of death to be that day at Carmarthen, & bring three day's provision with them, Col. Horton it is thought by this time hath entered Pembrokeshire, and confined Poyer to a narrower compass than he had. Some troops of Major Gen. Laughorns men are gone with him to testify their fidelity to the parliament against those which revolted, which with some others joined, makes him about 12. or 1300. strong. Likewise Lieut. Col. Read with 8. Companies of Col. overton's Regiment, are marched after, very well appointed, and at the coming away of the last Messenger, were as far as Cardiff. Poyer as yet hath but very few Horse, nor is not able to keep the field, but will be again sufficiently penned up in the Castle, upon the appearance of the additional Forces sent down. Brecon. April 8. 1648. The Copy of another Letter from the West. Worthy Sir, Our troubles here are great, Poyer and the Welsh-men still continue their insolent carriage, and that they have secured most of the Committee whom they took. But there are ships come into the Harbour to block them up, and to prevent the coming of any relief unto them. The number of the Rebels are not so great as is reported. Their whole Body doth not amount to a thousand, although it it is rumoured they are at the least four or five thousand strong. The Inhabitants adjacent are very much incensed against them, by reason of their great burdens and oppressures, occasioned by their present plundering both of provision, Goods, and Chattel: Poyer hath declared the grounds and reason of his present Engagement, and entertains all that comes to him: he hath summoned in the Inhabitants in those parts. Bristol 9 April. 1648. A Letter sent from the City of Bristol, touching the resolution and proceed of Col. Poyer. Noble Sir, THe affairs here are in a very sad condition, our fears daily increase, and the Country is divided; for the malignant party gives out high speeches, and divers of the Cavalry resorts to Pembroke Castle, for the assistance of col. Poyer, and it is to be feared, they will very much endanger the public peace of these Counties, and prove a great obstruction to the proceed of Parliament, etc. Their numbers increase, but not to that heigh as is reported, although it be rumoured that they are 4. or 5000. strong, but I can assure you to the contrary, that they do not consist of above 8. or 900. Horse and Foot, and divers of them slightly armed, the greatest part of them are such who its thought will hardly change many blows. We do also further hear, that the Forces designed by his Excellency the Lord General are upon their march, Colonel Horton (we hear) is upon his march, as also Sir Hardresse Waller, and Col. Okey, with their Regiments. The Countrymen are summoned in to Pembroke, but upon what occasion we know not, unless it be to fortify the town, which is very probable. We daily expect Col. Horton with his Regiment, who (its said) is upon his advance towards Pembroke, for the blocking up of the insolent Revels; but we are informed, that the cause of his so long stay, is, because he expects a Randeavouz with the rest of the Forces appointed for that service, which is all at present, from Bristol 9 of April 1648. Your most obliged Servant, James Gibson. Postscript. SIR, Upon the close of this Letter here arrived a Gentleman from Cardiff, who doth assure us, that the greatest part of Major General Laughorns Forces have subscribed to a Declaration, wherein they protest against any confederacy or compliance with Poyer and his Confederates in this action, and that such of their Soldiers as have or shall go in to him, they have and will look upon as Enemies and disturbers of the peace of the Kingdom, and that they are resolved and ready to aid and assist his Excellency the Lord General against any party or parties whatsoever. By all this, yet we hope this storm in Wales so much heightened by Malignants will suddenly be blown over, and their malignant expectations to engage a new War in those parts frustrated. Bristol April 9 1648. Imprimatur, G. M. FINIS.