A LETTER FROM His Excellency the Lord Fairfax to the House of Peers, upon Monday being the fifth of JUNE, 1648. concerning all the proceed in KENT: WITH Several Papers found in the pockets of some that are now taken Prisoners, discovering the whole Design, And the manner how it should have been put in Execution.  

Die Lunae, 5 Junii, 1648.  
ORdered by the Lords in Parliament assembled, That the Lord General's Letters, with the Papers, be forthwith printed and published.  
Jo. Brown, Cler. Parliamentorum.   
Imprinted at London for john Wright, at the King's Head in the Old Bailey. 1648.   

For the Right Honourable, EDWARD Earl of MANCHESTER, Speaker of the House of Peers, Pro tempore.  
My Lord:  
I Shall according to my last give your Lordship this further Account of our success at Maidstone, Upon Thursday in the Evening about seven of the Clock, after very long Marches we got near the Town, and a Troop of Dragoones was sent to make good a Pass whilst the Town was viewing at what place our men might best enter, it being resolved upon to force our passage in case of resistance, the gaining of that Town over the River being of great advantage to our Affairs; but before there could be a view taken of the Town the Dragoones had engaged the Enemy, and forced them from that ground which they kept, the Dragoones being very forward to engage pursued, and so the Enemy drew forth a considerable Party of Horse and Foot to maintain a Pass against us, which necessitated the drawing down of the greatest part of the Foot, with some Horse, and though that part of the Town was of the greatest difficulty to enter, yet through the goodness of God our men made their entrance, and became masters of the Town, after four or five hours hot service, the Town being very strongly barricadoed, and through the darkness of th●●ight, and our ignorance of the Town, they disputed the Barricadoes and places of advantage with our men, playing hard with their Cannon upon them, in which service both Horse and Foot did exceeding well; and particularly, I cannot but take notice of the valour and resolution of Colonel Hewson, whose Regiment had the hardest task; Major Carter his Major being hurt, and Captain P●ic● a deserving and faithful Officer slain, the best of their men were there, whereof many were Cavaliers and London Apprentices, they looked upon the consequence of that place to be very great, and therefore did resolve to make what resistance they could, the old Lord Goring being that day proclaimed General at the Head of their Army, upon the Hill near Aylesford, where we saw their Body drawn up, which as their Prisoners since do confess, and they themselves gave out consisted of 8000. besides those in Maideston and Aylesford, in both which places there were about 3000. men; those of Aylesford coming as a fresh supply to relieve those engaged in Maidston. There were near 300. slain, and about 1300. Prisoners, many of them being taken next morning early in the woods, Hop-yards, & Fields, whither they fled in the time of the Fight; amongst which were Gentlemen of good quality, Sir Gamaliel Dudley, Sir William Brockman, Squire Scot, Major Price, and others, a List whereof is preparing to be sent. There were about five hundred Horse, three thousand Arms, nine Foot-Colours, and eight pieces of Canon, with store of Ammunition also taken in the first charge which our Forlorn Hope gave the Enemy's Horse (wherein our Horse carried themselves very gallantly (as I since hear) Sir John Many, and divers others of quality were slain. After it pleased God to give us this great mercy in the gaining the Town, their men received so great discouragement that the greatest part of their Army left them, and were dispersed, and a great number of Officers and Gentlemen since fled to shift for themselves; their word at the engagement was, King and Kent, ours, Truth. Having thus possessed ourselves of the Passes at Maidston and Aylesford, the Enemy being much confused with our success, and their own men discerting them, they at last Marched over Rochester Bridge towards Black Heath with about three thousand Horse and Foot, most of which were Cavaliers, Apprentices, and Watermen; our men not being able to make so speedy a March after them as was necessary, I sent Col. Whaley with a Party of Horse and Dragoones after them, upon whose approach they have left Kent, and are fled over the water into Essex, by Woolwich and Greenwich; Col. Whaley is in pursuit, and I doubt not but he will give a good account of that service.  
I have sent Col. Rich with a Party of Horse and Foot to relieve Dover, where I trust we shall find the same presence of God as hitherto hath been. My Prayer to the Lord is, That this great Mercy may be further improved to his glory and this Kingdoms good; I thought fit to present unto your Lordship these Papers enclosed taken from the Enemy, whereby you will perceive the depth of their Plot and their engagements to pursue what they have undertaken: I remain;  
Your Lordship's humble Servant. FAIRFAX. Rochester 4 Junii, 1648.  
I have secured the Mayor of Rochester, whose hand is to the Commissions granted for raising of Forces.   

The Copies of several Papers taken in the Pockets of some prisoners taken at Maidstone, in Kent, Thursday.  
COmmander in chief.  
To be divided into Briggades, Regiments, and Companies, and to have necessary Commanders and Officers over them. All other Officers, Quarter-masters, Scout-masters, Muster-master, Engineer, etc.  
Pyoneers and their Commanders, and necessary provisions, of Shovels, Spades, Mattocks, Wheelbarrows, Edge-tools, etc. To make defences against Horse, and Brestworks, for Musqueteers, etc.  
Quere, Drakes, and Feild-Peices.  
To fortify the Blockhouse at Gravesend.  
And what course shall be taken that we may be supplied out of Essex, when need is.  
And to endeavour supplies out of Sussex.  
Quere, whether not necessary to Fortify Rochester, with a Line and Forts.  
To take away all Arms from the adverse party, and to secure the Persons of such as are most powerful and dangerous.  
If the Enemy be stronger than we, then to take course for retreat beyond Medtray.  
To fortify Bridges, and which to break down, those Bridges which are not fit to be Fortified, and to stop up the Ford's.  
Quere, whether Fortify Tun-Bridge Castle, and the the Bridge there.  
A select counsel of War, not of very many to avoid confusion in debates, and to prevent discovery of secrets.  
Another Counsel or Committee to hear, and dispatch ordinary things, that the Council of War be not troubled with overmuch business.  
Quere, how to order all affairs when we go up with our Petition and to secure Maidstone, etc. When we are gone, to take special Order for intelligence.  
To appoint an Officer, or Commissary, to deliver out Arms, who must not deliver till he is well informed to whom, and to take notice of their names.  
The Trained-Bands of Maidstone, have lent two Auxiliaries, etc. Eighty Arms, who desire to have them again, and that the Auxiliaries be otherwise furnished.  
To appoint Colonels, Captains, and Officers, over all the Trained Bands, and to consider touching voluntaries and Auxiliaries.   

Rochester 30 Maii, 1648.  
WE oblige ourselves by the faith of Christians, and the honour of Gentlemen, not to discover or betray any debates or conclusions concluded or resolved upon by the Subscribers hereof; and further, faithfully and resolutely to deliver our Judgements and endeavour in effectuating of these results.  

1 THere is no credit to be given to words or promises but to the real performances of your desires and that speedily  
2 You cannot imagine that your County shall be free from their power, and other Counties subject to the same.  
3 Treaties and promises are to the end only for you to surcease the prosecution of your affairs, until they can make ready a power to suppress you.  
4 You can have no better security than their Votes, and all men know they change them daily, and the slaughter of the Surrey men and the justification thereof by a Vote of theirs, and the hanging of Captain Burley doth evidently show what is to be expected by any who oppose them. Nothing can secure you but the restoring of the King, and the Laws.  
6 Their power at this present is employed in the suppressing of other Countries who have the same ends with you. And their Army for the main part thereof, is divided into several remote parts, as Wales, Cornwall, the North, Suffolk. etc. So that you can never have so oppertune time to effect your desires, and therefore to lose this time is to lose your business and to be destroyed.  
7 A Letter to be sent to the Londoners, for their concurrence, & to permit them an admission through the City, as they had unto Essex and Surrey, in which Letter recite all the Indignities the Houses and the Army have put upon the City from time to time, as the changing of their Militia, taking from them the Tower and leaving it now empty, the slaughter of their apprentices, their Imprisoning of the● Mayor and Aldermen, the Demolition of their wo●ks, the rejection of their Remonstrance, their Triumphant Marching through their City, their distrusting of the City to guard the Houses, making of Ordinances to take away their Votes in choosing of City Officers, and their late Ordinance for the Militia to the City, left at their pleasure to revoke when they will.   
Things are brought to that pass, that the treasure of the Kingdom is exported, none brought in, trade utterly decayed, dearth increaseth, a Foreign Nation will come in unless some other speedy way be taken for the speedy restoring of the King, which this City, by concurring with their Neighbours, at this time may do, otherwise all the miseries that shall ensue, must be imputed to them.  
This Letter will be of no effect unless one of these two courses be taken, either to have it delivered and read in a Common Hall, where all the Citizens are assembled, or if that cannot be, to have it printed and dispersed through the City, and the Letter must be directed to the Lord Mayor and Commonalty of the City of London.  
Send to the Prince for Commission for a Commander in chief, and some other Officers, and have a standing Council, composed of 4 persons of every of the associated Counties, a standing Army, a Commander in chief, Assessments upon the Country to maintain them, and therein a sparing of the Common people what possible may be.   

Rochester May. 29. 1648.  
ORdered that Sir William Compton Knight, take the Command of a Regiment of Horse, consisting of five hundred, as Colonel of the said Regiment.  
Given under our hands the day and year abovesaid. 

Phil. Maude Mayor,  
Robert True,  
Francis Clerk,  
John durel,  
Edward Hales,  
James Darell,  
George Newman.     

31 May. 1648.  
REceived then of john Lamb Esquire, the sum of Ten Pounds, as so much by him lent to the Gentlemen Petitioners, to be repaid him again within a Month, witness my hand.  
john Maplisden  
To all Colonels, and Captains of Courts of Guards, and others whom it may concern.  
THese are to desire you to permit and suffer the bearer hereof Master john Lamb quietly to pass to Rochester, and from thence to London with his Horse and man, and from thence to return again without any Molestation.  
Given under our hands at Maidston this 31 of May, 1648. 

Thomas Stanley,  
john Best,  
Ambr. Beale.     
FINIS.