A GREAT PLOT Discovered in the NORTH AGAINST The Honourable Houses of Parliament, and His Excellency Sir THOMAS FAIRFAX'S Army.  
Wherein is declared The full proceed of the Royalists, in raising of Forces for the opposing of this renowned Army.  
WITH The manner how they should have surprised six strong Castles in Yorkshire, and the Names of the chief Ringleaders that should have commanded this Party.  
ALSO, A Remarkable Passage concerning His Excellency, and His sending down a strong Party of Horse towards the Northern Parts.  
DECEMB. 10.  
Published for general satisfaction, and presented to every respective County throughout the Kingdom of England.  
LONDON, Printed for William jones, 1646.   

A Great and Terrible PLOT Discovered in the NORTH.  
SInce the arrival of the last Post from the North, which intimated unto us the unhappy tidings of the great Conspiracy in the North of England, yet welcome News, in the timely discovery of it; we are further advertised, and it is likewise signified to the honourable houses of Parliament, by letters from very good hands, the dangerous proceed of the Royalists in those Parts; wherein is made manifest, the inveterate malice, and most bloody designs of the Enemies of England; For, having formerly been the chief Instruments of involving this Kingdom in blood, by engaging a desperate war against the Worthies thereof, have (since the happy sheathing of this devouring sword) again endeavoured to draw it, that so streams of blood might issue forth, and run down the streets of our stately Towns and Cities: But God forbidden, for He having by His omnipotent Power sheathed the sword, and composed the sad difference and distractions within this bleeding Kingdom, were now pleased to manger their Designs, and being to light the wicked Conspiracies and Intentions of the Enemies to Truth and Peace; as will manifestly appear by this ensuing Relation.  
The Royalists in the North of England, having for many weeks together laboured and endeavoured with his Majesty for the raising of Forces, and providing of Arms, and other Necessaries of war, having attained their desires, began to pluck up their drooping Spirits, and to appear in a warlike manner, divers of them having obtained new Commission from his Majesty to raise Forces against the Parliament; and those which have been in Arms against the Parliament for the King, flock thither, and promises are made that they shall have consderation for the time they spend, till they become useful, and can attain to the accomplishing of their Designs in agitation, by raising of an Army to oppose the Power and Strength of his Excellency sir Tho. Fairfax.  
The Names of the chief Ringleaders which had received their Commissions from his Majesty, are, sir Marmaduke Darcy, sir jordan Crosland, sir William Blackston, and many others: But now they begin to despair by reason that their main supportance, and chiefest aims hath taken no effect, which was, the surpisall of the strong Holds and Garrisons in the North (now in possession of the Parliaments Forcces) the Names of which, together with the manner of the Situation of them, I will faithfully communicate, as followeth:  
First, that impregnable Hold the Castle of Pontefract, who endured more than a years siege by the Parliaments Forces, under the Command of the right honourable the Lord Fairfax; which place if it had been again re-possessed by the enemy, (as was intended) would have cost many thousand men's lives, before the retaking of it.  
But that which makes us most lament, it, that the concord and union of our distressed Kingdom should still be retarded and meet with opposition; for it is intimated unto us, that for the surprisal of the sorenamed Garrison, the King's hand & seal was not only showed but that his Majesty had also granted several Commissions to men of eminency, for the further prosecuting of the Design in agitation against the Parliament, as is before cited.  
But if this Plot had taken effect, our renowned Parliament had lost one of the chiefest Flowers in this little Garden; for, it is held to be one of the strongest Castles in Europe, having ten great Towers within it, and situated upon a high Rock, having but two Gates to enter in at, and the walls at least seven or eight yards in breadth, being free from Battery by any Canon.  
If the enemy had become Masters of this Castle, they would have endangered most of the other Holds in the North, as Scarbrough, a place of great consequence, and situated upon a a mighty high Rock, which if once being repossessed of again, would tend much to the prejudice of this Kingdom, but especially to the Northern Counties.  
Also the Castle of Helmsley would have been in great danger, by reason of the innumerable sort of Papists and Malignants that are about it, it is a place of great concernment, having cost many men's lives in the reducing of it, and much blood spilt in the attempting thereof.  
His Excellency Sir Thomas Fairfax at his besieging of the said place received a terrible wound, being shot through the shoulder with a sling-bullet, weighing about seven or eight pound, as he was viewing the ground for raising of his Batteries, and planting of his Ordnance.  
But to conclude, Skipton Castle, Knaresbrough Castle, and Sandall Castle is supposed would be also endagered, being places of great strength and consequence, especially the two first.  
All which (is very probable) would have heene attempted, if they had prospered in their first Design; but being frustrated in that, and many of the Complotters apprehended, the rest despair (as men out of hopes) betaking themselves to any corners or holes for sanctuary.  
The rest of the Royailsts that have had formerly so many frequent meetings, and divers others of the King's Officers and Soldiers, that lay hover up and down the Northern Parts, plundering and pillaging the countries, dare not appear so publicly, nor appoint meetings as formerly.  
So that it is hoped all their wicked stratagems and Conspiracies will soon be frustrated, by reason of The confident expectations we have of a firm union betwixt the two Kingdoms of England and Scotland, will (we hope) in a very short time remove all fears and jealousies (magure the malice of the adversary.) The receipt of the money is consented unto; for so far are we from standing on punctillioes, or circumstances, which might retard matters of greatest concernment, that it will appear to the world that we shall be most real in our performances; in pursuance whereof, the Scots shall receive the first 100000. l. at North-Otherton, and when they are marched out of Newcastle the other 100000. l. accepting of Hostages for the rendition of the rest of our Garrisons, and their quitting the whole Kingdom.  
I had almost forgot to intimate unto you, that the Scots Commissioners sent a Letter to the House, of the transactions of the treaty between them and our Commissioners, about the matters before recited, and are pleased to declare, that its far from their desire, that any differences or misunderstandings arise betwixt us. We hear that a fair conclusion will be made to the general satisfaction of all good men, and the establishment of Peace betwixt the two Kingdoms. The money is speedily to be sent away, And his Excellency Sir Thomas Fairfax is to send a strong party of horse, consisting of 3000. for the safe conveying of it to the North.  
The Parliament have also been pleased to express themselves, concerning the Covenant, as followeth:  
We by the Covenant in the first Article which concerns Religion are to endeavour in our several Places and Callings.  
In the second, which concerns the extirpation of Popery, Prelacy, Superstition, Heresy, Schism and profaneness, to endeavour in like manner.  
In the third, which concerns the Rights and Privileges of Parliament, the Liberties of the Kingdoms, and the preservation and defence of the true Religion and liberties of the Kingdoms and the preservation and defence of the King's person and authority in the preservation and defence of the true Religion & Liberties of the Kingdoms, to endeavour in our several Vocations.  
The 4. which concerns Incendiaries they are to be brought to public trial, and receive condign punishment from the supreme Judicatories of both Kingdoms respectively.  
In the fifth concerning the continuing of the peace & unon of the Kingdom of England and Scotland, We shall each out of us endeavour according to our Places and Interest.  
In the sixth and last, concerning the assistance and defence of all those that enter into this Covenant. To endeavour according to our Places and Callings, to perform whatsoever we are obliged to by the Covenant.  
It seems strange to us, That England and Scotland being several distinct Kingdoms, and by Covenant each one being to act in his several Place, Vocation Calling and Interest, that the Kingdom of Scotland should from the Covenant entitle themselves to the right of exercising any joint power in the Kingdom of England the express words of the Covenant being directly contrary to the exercise of any joint power, which was several and distinct before the making this Covenant, and the joint exercise of such power would break the Covenant; because we are thereby obliged in our several Vocations, mutually to preserve the Rights and Privileges of the Parliaments, & the Liberties of the Kingdoms, and the exercise of such a joint power, which doth give a negative voice to another Nation, in the proceed in the Kingdoms of England & Ireland would be a manifest breach of those privileges and liberties: And whereas throughout your whole Papers this joint interest is so much enforced from the Covenant, neither that word joyatly, nor any other expression which will bear that interpretation, is so much as mentioned in the Covenant; and the words, each one in his several Vocation, Calling Place and Interest, which runs through the whole Covenant, and would have cleared the meaning of it are wholly left out by you and in all your recitals of the Covenant, or arguments drawn from thence, there are no words to that effect.  
FINIS.