My Lord,  
I Am so full of business, that I cannot write to your Lordship but very briefly. It hath pleased God to give us an extraordinary deliverance from a cruel conspiracy and massacre, from malignants within the City, and from a powerful invasion from without by Prince Rupert and all his forces. God discovered unto us the conspiracy some two hours before it was to be acted; we took the chief actors with their Arms and preparations in several houses by threescores and forties in a house, we have laid them safe in the Castle, and the Enemy, after two or three Cannon shot, perceiving that the plot within the Town (whereon they depended) was discovered, wheeled about and left us in some haste, fearing we should fall upon their rear; and indeed four of my Troopers chased seven of theirs, took four of their Horses, their Arms and Cloaks, and forced them into a River to save their lives. Whosoever shall consider the condition this Town was in, in respect of the townsmen, and in respect of the Garrison (one Regiment, viz. Col. Essex'es something disteinpered by their Colonels removal, especially the Officers, although they did very good service, with great diligence; and the other Regiments being raw Soldiers, and hardly having one old soldier for an Officer amongst them all, and how I was without money, without counsel, and without experience in my own particular for matters of this nature) must upon these and many other considerations conclude, that though, as I writ in my last to your Lordship, that it is not to be expected that I should do miracles; yet God hath been pleased to preserve me almost by a miracle, the praise and glory of this good success being only due to him. And it is very probable that Prince Rupert will make another attempt upon this City, which is of infinite consequence to them, and without a good proportion of men, it cannot be defended: it will require 1500 or 2000 men to be upon the guard constantly, to make a sufficient guard: there is no better way then to have here a body of an Army of four or five thousand men at the least, which when the Enemy approaches may have recourse to the City, and at other times may disperse itself to the defence of the adjacent Counties. My Lord, never did man make such shifts for money as I do, my Regiment of Horse, Col. Essex his Regiment of Foot, Col. hungerford's Regiment, and part of Col. Pophams lieth upon me, besides many great incident charges which in this case must needs be borne by him that commands in chief. I beseech your Lordship to consider me, and let us have money at least, if we cannot have both money and men, both which we want. I shall shortly send your Lordship and my Lord General (to whom I humbly beseech your Lordship to excuse me that I do not write at this time, for I am not willing to make an imperfect Relation, and I have hardly time to eat, drink, or sleep, or scarce to turn myself) and I will also send the examinations of the prisoners in the Castle, which are well-near 60, with all the passages of this great deliverance, from a most bloody massacre, for which the Major and Aldermen and Council of this City are very desirous to join with me in a day of public thanksgiving in this City.  
March 11. 1642. Your Lordship's most obedient son, Nath. Fiennes.   

SIR,  
I Cannot omit to give you a hint of our condition, and what hath passed among us this week: on Sunday night last we had an Alarm, Prince Rupert with a force was come against the City, with some two thousand Horse, as is reported, accompanied with his Brother Prince Maurice, and Lord George Digby, and other Noblemen; they came with confidence of an easy entrance, and therefore brought no great Guns, they expected supply from our Malignants, which it seems was promised on Monday, they faced our works, where Colonel Fines sounded a Trumpet, having with him only a Troop of Horse; at night they retreated, and next day being Tuesday they appeared again, waiting the issue of a Treasonable Plot which some of our wretched Citizens had assured to perform. This, and Sir William waller's not coming, together with the advantage of a good part of our Forces gone to Sherborne and our works not finished; of all which they had a daily account made them, build upon an easy conquest: On Tuesday night, whilst the City was in a continued Alarm, it pleased God so to bless the painful watchful diligence of Colonel Fines that the Treason was discovered, and the chief Actors taken, with all their preparation, which is one Robert Yeomons, one of the Sheriffs the last year, and George Butcher, both Merchants, who are now imprisoned in the Castle, with many more; others are fled, and since seen in the King's Army, and some are hid, and every day new ones discovered and secured, I cannot write you now at large, they being this day in examination, but in brief it was thus, they had concealed many Armed-men in Houses, and fitted them with all things necessary to the work, there is found with one of them a Copy of the Actors Names, which was sent the Army and such others as must be protected; All others were to be left unto the spoil, the first two sorts were to have a white Ind in their Bosoms, and upon their Arms; The Plot itself was to set upon the Sentinels, and the Court of Guard at Frome-Cats and the Pitty-Gate and to do it quietly, they had the convelance of the backside of a House to bring on their men, who must come together at the to wling of a Bell in three Churches, St Nicholas Bell for the Butchers, Saint John's Bell for the Sailors, and Saint Michael's Bell to bring down the Cavaliers; My House must be the first to beforced for the Reyes, which at that time I was without upon special occasion, which when it came to the hearing of the King's Army they were not a little angry, and are now withdrawn from us, how fare, we yet know not, but the snare is braken, and we are escaped, blessed be the Lord. This doth require a day set apart for Thanksgiving, and we have now resolved upon it, I am sorry my Son remains so weak, yet I hope we shall enjoy him longer amongst us, I must conclude and take my leave resting.  
Bristol this of March, 1642. Yours assured, R.A.   

From the Fort at BRANDANH ILL, March 11. 1642.  
SIR,  
YOurs by the Post I have received with my Bill of exchange, for which I give you many thanks for your pains therein: as for your business with the Alderman, I must entreat your patience till the next conveyance, it is so that my Captain, myself, and all our Company, have been here to keep this Fort this three days and two nights without relief, it is somewhat hard duty for fresh water Soldiers, but we are all willing to do it, because the time doth necessarily require it.  
Upon Tuesday the seventh of this month, Prince Robert, Prince Maurice, and my Lord George Digbie, with 4000 Horse and 2000 Foot, came and presented themselves with their Forces upon Durdam down, within Cannot shot of this Fort, and now I shall give you a Relation of a Treason as horrible, as detestable, (and setting aside but the greatness of Persons) as bloody as the Gunpowder Treason, and ought especially by us of this place to be taken notice of, and yearly to be celebrated with praise and thanksgiving to the Great Protector unto eternity, the Plot was thus: Our grand Malignants to God and their Country, had combined with the Forces aforesaid, to draw near the City, and had promised them to assist them with 16. pieces of Ordnance, or more, as occasion should serve, these Guns were to be brought unto them by 500 Seamen from our Pill where the Ships lie, and these men were to join with them for our confusion. Now within the City Master Robert yeoman's that night had gotten into his house privately between 50. or 60. men, some Merchants like himself, others Seamen, and all Rogues, their number I believe was to be greater, but God did discover the Plot ere it came to the height; these men in the night were, upon the toll of a Bell at Saint Nicholas, to come out of his house and join with a Regiment of butchers and mecanicks, that would come up to the high Cross, and they to kill the Sentinel, and go possess themselves of the main guard, and so to hinder all that side of the City over the Bridge, from coming to their succour, then at Froome gate Master George Boucher he had another crew of like Vermin, that upon the toll of Saint John's Bell (which was to be at the same instant of time) they were to join with a Company of Seamen, and set upon the guard at Froome gate, and all to be put to the Sword that came within their reach, they having possession of these two Guards, a Bell was to toll at Milehill, to give notice that the Cavaliers should draw down to Froome gate, and ere they should come, some from the Guard should go and break open the Mayor's door and kill him and his, take away the City keys, and let in these destroyers, so that now by this Post you might have heard of the Tragical end of all your acquaintance, for we found in some of the actors possession white inkle strings about of an ell long, and every one that was to live, should wear one in his hat before, and another in his bosom, those that wanted it were to be massacred by Pistols or Swords without mercy. The discovery of this was miraculous, some poor body or other came to our Company which guarded the Bridge that night, and acquainted us that they saw some men go into Master Yeoman's house at ten or near eleven a clock at night. Whereupon half our Company with a Troop of Horse, went to the house and found the men as I have formerly related, with many Pistols and Muskets ready charged, these men were presently sent away to the Castle, and that night the Company at Butcher's house were taken, which hindered the tolling of our Knell, and the next day we fell to work roundly, and have clapped up all the Malignants we know.  
On Wednesday the Enemy had notice of the Plots Discovery, which made them retreat, and as I am unformed, Prince Robert went away weeping for certain he was so incensed against the parties that promised assistance and failed him, that he would speedily return with Ordnance and be revenged on altogether: he is retreated towards Cicester, I pray God convert him (but not turn him.)  
Upon Thursday last in the afternoon, Prince Robert's Trumpeter came to Town, and we all thought it was to Summon the City, but proved otherwise. I was present with Colonel Fynes when he came in, and his message was from the Prince to the Colonel to inquire after two Gentlemen, which he said a party of Horsemen had set upon, and either taken or killed, the ones name was Weston, the other Wheton, both Gentlemen of quality, the Colonels answer was, he had no such prisoners of that name, but told him that on Tuesday night 3. of his Troop set upon seven of their Company, and took four of their Horses, two Cloaks and some Pistols, and that the men swimmed for their lives, no man ever seeing them after they entered the river, so that its probable they are drowned. I have been tedious in this Relation, and all because I would truly possess you withal the passages, and now what remains but to crave your thankfulness to the Almighty for this our great deliverance, and the Lord grant we may never be unmindful to render unto him praise and thankfulness for it; All your Friends are in good health here, your Father I hear not of, so for the present I take leave, and rest  
Your assured loving Friend E. H.  
Pray acquaint my Brother with what I writ to you.   

A Letter written by a Reverend Minister now residing in Bristol, to a Friend of his in LONDON.  
Loving Friend,  
I Can do no less then impact to you the wonderful and miraculous goodness of our gracious God, in preserving this City of Bristol from a most bloody Plot to be put in execution upon the soldiers and well-affected in the City, which was on this manner: Your Brother, the Captain, being appointed to watch with his whole Band of soldiers at a Gate in Bristol, called Froome Gate, on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, Nights and Days, and being diligent to see all his men in readiness, walks up and down within his Guard, as well to prevent the Enemies without, approaching nearer and nearer the City. even to a place called Durdome Down, within two Miles of the City (as the Malignants within the City, from effecting their Plots, which we did always fear, but now were persuaded were nearer to be put in execution, by reason of the Enemies so near approach towards the Walls of the City) and bending toward that very Gate, it happened through the mighty Providence of Almighty God, that when the Captain commanded all the Inhabitants of that Street to hang out their Lights, by reason of the Darkness of the Night, and his soldiers were beating at their Doors to that purpose, that one Butcher's House, a Merchant of great Wealth was without Light: at whose Door when they knocked, they would make no answer, as if there were no person at all in the House: Upon which, it pleased God to put it into the Captain's mind, (finding by inquiry, that there had been some that entered in the day before) to suspect those persons that were in the House to be Malignants, because they would not hang out their Lights. Whereupon the Captain commanded his Men to break up their Doors; and when he and his Men were entered into the House, they found about threescore men ready with their Arms: of whom, they apprehended twenty three, and the rest ran out at a Water-Gate, on the backside of the House, and went away through the Water, it being a low Tide, and made an Escape: and searching afterwards, they found great store of Arms, Muskets ready charged, with some seven, and some ten Bullets apiece, their Pans primed with Brimstone and Powder mingled together, that they might not miss Fire, their Links ready by them, their Powder papered out, and all things ready for the Deligne, which should have been put in execution within an hour after this time of their apprehension, and the Method of their Plot was this: They having many days before kept in Pay great numbers of Armed men in several parts of the City, which men consisted for the most part of Sailors, Butchers, Halliers, and such like, that upon the Touling of the Bril of Saint john's, and other certain Bells appointed by the Conspirators, the Malignants of Bristol at a certain hour appointed that very Morning should issue forth at Froome Gate in special, and at divers other Gates of the City, upon all the soldiers, at their several Centuries, to murder them, and then seize upon the Ordnance, and make good Froome Gate for the entrance of the Enemy into the City (at the Ringing of a Bell) who lay within a mile and an half of the City, expecting every Minute when they should have been let in, and as soon as they had entered the City, they were to cut the Throats of all persons in the City, which had not the Mark and Word secretly dispersed through the City, to save some that the Enemy favoured: the Mark was a white Ribbons or wh●te Incle on their Breast, and the Word wa● King Charles. The Captain the next Morning took Bucher himself, and took Herbert a Merchant, a Malignant, and divers other chief Merchants of the City: Herbert's Boy and Butcher's Maid being taken at Butcher's House, have fully confessed the Plot, and about an hundred of the Complotters are taken, and in close Prison▪ Now, when the Enemy found that the Plot was discovered and prevented, though they had drawn their Forces so near the City, immediately they withdrew, and retired toward Cicester: And now we hope we shall settle the City in a very safe way. Thus much I thought good to impart to you, that you may know the certainty of the Business, and thus in haste desiring your prayers, I remain your loving friend.   
FINIS.