An Exact RELATION Of Fourteen day's PASSAGES FROM PORTS▪ MOUTH. The Isle of Wight, and other parts.  
Wherein is contained the manner of the proceeding of the Cavaliers, and their Confederates the Papists, against the Christian-PROTESTANTS.  
Sent in a Letter from a worthy Gentleman in that County, to his Friend in London.  
Whereunto is added some special Passages from Hall, Lincolnshire and York.  
LONDON, Printed for Benjamin Allen, 1642.   

A true Relation of fourteen day's Passages, etc.  

FOR News thus it is with us, The greatest p●r● of our Western Gentry are professed Royalists. Two of them near us are lately put into the Commission of the Peace, enemies to the Pa●liament, and very unfit, though they were better affected: but such will serve to do mischief well enough. At Chichester, Sr. Thomas Boyer, Sr. William Morley, Mr. L●wknor the Recorder, a Man that is throughly known for the New-Corporation, with three other me● of note, came and demanded of Captain Chittey, for the King, the Magazine of the City: the Captain being a man well affected refused; they said very peremptorily, That they would have it before the m●rrow morning; he replied very 〈…〉 should not: so he caused a strong Watch to be set to keep it; and the next day appeared in the City well Armed, with many both of the place, and of the Country near adjacent, to assist him and Guard him in his Office. St. Thomas Boyer, and Sir William Morly are Parliament Men, and so is Captain May another of those fix.  
It is reported, that they with the men above mentioned, and Doctors and Clergy men of the Cathedral Church had plotted to betray the City to Colonel Goring▪ Mr. Lewknor wrote to Portsmouth to the Colonel, to sound the depth of his design: the Colonel sent him word, That his Commission was to make Portsmouth as strong as he could ●or his Master; and that he hoped, that bo●h 〈◊〉 and ●●●●rs would be assistant to him if need were. Since we 〈…〉 th● Recorder is gone to Ports mouth: Th● 〈…〉 of our parts consists mainly in honest Trades-me●▪ the 〈◊〉 are ●aught, as was said before, and the Country people are for the most part blinded and misled by their malevolent Hedge-Priests, there being not above si● or seven honest Ministers here abouts. It is certain, that 2 Cavelliers ravished the same maid, one after another near Ports-mouth, while one stood by and held their Horses.  
It is related that three gallant Gentlewomen desired to have a boat to waste them over to Stokesbay a place between Portsmouth and the I'll of Wight but not obtaining, they were in a friendly manner brought back to the above named Sir Thomas boyer's house in his coach: It is thought that they were men in women's apparel, because they three were alone without any man.  
Doctor Hinshaw one of the Prebendaries of the high Church of Chichester sent a load of wheat into Portsmouth; but lately, as we hear. The Churchmen there are every day exercising of their Light Horses in the Bishops close: It is reported that one of them sent his servant once, twice, and thrice, to Master Cawley a worthy Parliament man, and the chief Pillar of our Country on this side, entreating him to give him a meeting in the said Close, and other places: but as Nehemiah refused to meet Sanballat and Gesalm in one of the villages of the plain of One, where they thought to do him mischief; so did this Gentleman very wisely and warily: He was willing to meet the Doctor at places which were not for his turn, and (as they say) he was so often repulsed, that at length his servant was sent with an excuse, that the m●n was mistaken. By these particulars you may a little discern the state of our Country▪ But notwithstanding all this (the Lord be praised) the Parliament I hope hath the better end of the staff. There is a Merchant in our Town, which for three days together, law near a man of War, lying before the Cows in the I'll of Wight; in this great Ship there is a Scottish Noble man (as they say) that hath done very good service, he lieth there and keeps provision from going out of the I'll to Ports-mouth: he took a Boat la●ely fraight with light Horse Saddles and their, furniture going over into the Isle, and for the use of the malignant Party, he asked the boat-man what was his freight, he said 9 shillings, there 'tis quoth the Noble man, and paid him, & bade him withal to bring the Horses, & he would give him another freight. This Noble man hearing that one Captain Newland had sent provision over to Portsmouth, went a shore and sought about for him, protesting that he would send him up to the Parliament, the Cap. skulks and dares not be seen, he is a great fat tall man of a very Heathenish behaviour, and (as I hear by an honest man that hath seen him there) lieth at Master Moulins, when he cometh to London, on Fish-street hill. There is a Captain that is possessed of a Castle near the Cows, he had inveagled the Country round about, and by fair glozing speeches had persuaded them to bring in their Arms into the said Castle, telling them that they would be there kept in safety from the Cavaliers, and when there should be need of them he would redeliver them. But of late they of the Island suspecting some treachery in the Captain, because they heard that the Earl of Portland was put out of the Government, went and demanded their Arms, the Captain denies to deliver them: they had no present remedy, but went and made their complaint to the above named Scottish Lord: he goes to the Captain and demands the Arms for the Islanders: the Captain stiffly denies, the Nobleman replied, that if he did not deliver them, he would heat down his Castle about his ears, the Captain remains stubborn still, the Lord came with his Ship under the Castle, intending to make good his threatening: But when the Captain saw whereto he must, he yielded at length and delivered the Arms.  
There have been three times Letters intercepted geing to, and coming from Portsmouth. At Havant near Ports-mouth the Townsmen took a Traveller upon suspicion, pulled off his , and in his Boots found Letters from the North to the Garrison, the Letters were carried to Mr. Richard Norton, a good Gentleman hard by; he wished that they had brought the messenger aswell as his Packet; whereupon a few lusty men went out with their muskets after him, and took him, and brought him to Mr. Norton, who sent him and his Letters up to the Parliament.  
Another time there were letters passing from Chichester to Portsmouth the Messenger went of purpose through byways, there met him a man (conceive, the simplest to see to, that ever you saw, and you have his Image) who demanded of him whither he was going, he said to Ports-mouth, not suspecting that such a simple fellow would, or could defeat him, but that simple unlikely man laid hold of his bridle, bade him to stay, told him, that he was an Officer; with that came another man, who helped him, and so they carried away the messenger to Mr. Nortons'.  
This day Goodmen Faisters of Lewes, having been at Havant whither he was sent by the Lady Clerk, Mr. Staples Wife, to learn the certainty of occurrences near Portsmouth, brings News of a woman that was sent out of Portsmouth, with a puppet of clouts like a child in her arms, she came along by a Fort, which was first built at Portsbridge within 3. miles of Portsmouth by the Cavaliers, but is since abandoned by them, and they retired into the Garrison for fear of our Men, and since there are hundreds at work about it, for King and Parliament, and have planted Ordnance upon it. The Cavaliers when they left it, drew away four Pieces, and their Carriage breaking, they were feign to leave a fift upon the way. But to come to the woman again, one of our Men asked her what she carried, she said a child, prithee let me see thy Baby, said he, so search being made, it was found such as I said, the lower part was only clouts, but in the head of it was a black Box full of Letters, She and her Stilborne, are carried to the right place, I warrant you. A Cavalier and his Man road into Havant upon lusty Steeds, labouring to raise there a Malignant party, to help him in plundering o● Mr. Nortons' House, the good Gentleman had news of it presently, he sends out some of his Men on Light Horses with Pistols, who road after the Cavalier and his Man, took them and brought them to their Master, who dismounts them from their own horses, sets them upon a couple of jades, and sends them up to the Parliament an honest man of my acquaintance was at Mr. Nortons', when this was done. After this a Troop of Cavaliers with certain foot came up to Portsdowne, and challenged Mr. Norton forth, saying, where is this same Norton; where is he? I warrant him he is a very coward, let him come forth if he dare; and at this time they held the Fort; Mr. Norton hearing of it presently Arms himself, puts on his Buff coat, and was riding out to them with his Men, and just upon the speed of it arrives at his house a 100L. light Horse, from the Parliament, out they go with him but when the Cavaliers saw such a strength come against them, they posted down the hill towards their Fort with great speed, the Scots that were among Mr. Nortons' auxiliaries, would presently have flown on upon the Fort, but Mr. Norton would not suffer them for fear of danger, there being Ordnance planthere. Another time 30. of the Cavaliers came out in a vaunting manner, against whom went but 6 of our light Horse: the Cavaliers all discharged upon them, but hurt never a man of them, only hit one of their Horses on the shoulder, easily curable; our six then made nearer up to them; the Cavaliers seeing them so venturous, were stricken with fear and fled, our men made after them amain, and being within shot of them, discharged upon them, shot one through the back, who fell down from his Horse dead in the place, another they hit in the breech, who fell likewise, but made a shift to creep away into a hedge, and a third they took alive on his horse, so they took a man and 3. Horses, being but 6 against 30. praised be the Lord of Hosts for so great a victory. It is said that the old Soldiers do daily make escape out of Portsmouth, and it is thought that the rest will gladly surrender the Town, if once it were but formally demanded: for they begin already to be in distress through want. One Mr. Bellingham a young Gentleman road, armed capape from Chichester into Portsmouth, but now wisheth that he were out again, and is at charges 5 shillings a day only for a boat, which lieth at hand, still waiting for an opportunity to make his escape home, but cannot yet get way.  
Some of the Scots that came among the 100 Troopers to M. Nortons' succour, are of purpose billetted in one Bringsteds' house the Parson of Havant, because being a most pestilent man he had provided a Light Horse for the service of the Cavaliers, the Scots are with him therefore, and M. Norton hath charged him with the keeping of 10 Light Horse for the King and Parliament, because he was so brisk; and lately one of the Scots men being aggrieved with him, fell upon him and basted him welfavouredly: and feign he would be gone, but they will not let him; so he is forced to stay, waits upon them daily, gives them good words, and tells them, that he will gladly lie out of his own bed to make them room. And both here with us at Ar●ndell, and else where (as I hear) the Psalmists words are true: Gods enemies are found liars to him, that is, they yield him sained submission, speaking favourable of the Parliament, who not many days ago, had their mouths filled with other manner of language; and as it was in Mordica's time; many of the people of the Land became jews, because the fear of the jews fell upon them: So I hope you will shortly hear it to be among us every where; yet because abundant wariness never harteth, therefore we neither are, nor will be secure, till there be no more cause of fear. Goodman Maisters brings news that the Papists near Ports-mouth do much mischief and that himself was like to be taken by the Cavaliers, but there coming after him 2 Travellers horsemen, accidentally, the Cavaliers thought that there were more coming, so they fled away with all possible speed.  
It is reported by them that fall off from the Garrison ●t Portsmouth, that the Colonel being angry with them of Gospar, a Village not fare from the Town, because they would not come into his aid, commanded a Cannoneer to let fly at their Houses, the Cannoneer at first refused, but being threatened by the Colonel, that he would run him through, if he would not, he shot, but it was over the houses, and so did, no harm.  
Dated, 16. August 1642.   

From HULL.  
SIR,  
the Forces are all gone from hence, and from Beverley, and we hope to have trade again, for I hope we are now in the safest place of England: and though some particular persons, have been rob and spoilt of their goods in the Country, yet God be thanked, our Country is not much worse in general, than it was afore the Cavaliers, for what hurt they did, we paid with dollars and good English coin made good so long as it lasted, one thing remarkable of the fainting spirits, observe by this passage tieir Sentinels were so frighted with some passengers that lost their way, coming near them, made them all run away, fearing there were more coming behind, the wicked flee when none pursues them: I pray God make us thankful for our deliverance. If God permit us a meeting, I shall relate that to you, that I cannot commit to paper, but this is certain, our Country is much firmer to the Parliament, than ever it was before.   

From Lincolne-shire.  
THe News that we have here is little, for the present, only this is certain, that Sir john Hotham is so dreadful to some of the Cavaliers, that one of them and the one of no small house is mad, and once running under his bed in his mad fit cried out, Sir john Hotham comes, Sir john Hotham comes, he being here under cure for that disease, and there came a Company of them to our Town, but they were such Hellhounds, Blasphemous Villains, Drunken Sots, and for the most part so meanly acoutred, that they are ashamed to see, and are now gone, as we here: for Lincoln Town, we want but some encouragement from London, and we should do well enough here.   

From YORK.  
We have here as great preparations, as you have in London, and we hope we have Warwick Castle, and the Guns sure, and Portsmouth and Sommersetshire we hope, we have also sure, and so in the end we hope to have all; we had a meeting here yesterday and to day, but not so great an appeataance as some could have wished, it's said that Sir john Hotham and Dr. Bastwick will be tried here this Sessions, it may go hard with Dr. Bastwick. but how they will come by Sir john Hotham, I leave to judge, I know not.  
FINIS.