Sir Arthur Hesilrige's LETTER To the Honourable Committee of Lords & Commons AT DERBY-HOUSE, Concerning the Revolt and Recovery of Tinmouth-Castle.  
In which Action, Lieutenant Col: LILBURN (Governor of the Castle) was slain, with divers Seamen and others.  

14 Augusti, 1648.  
ORdered by the Commons assembled in Parliament, That this Letter be forthwith printed and published.  
H: Elsing, Cler. Parl. D. Com.   
London, Printed for Edward Husband, Printer to the Honourable House of Commons, August 15. 1648.   

For the Right Honourable, The Committee of Lords and Commons at Derby-House.  
My Lords and Gentlemen,  
I Have sent this Express to your Lordships, not being willing that you should sooner hear of the Revolt of Tinmouth-Castle, then of the recovery. Yesterday between two and three of the clock in the Afternoon Lieut: Col: Lilburn being Deputy-Governor of that Castle, commanded most of the Officers upon several Services out of the Castle, and then armed and set at liberty the prisoners, and plucked up the Drawbridge, and told the Soldiers, That he would pistol every Soldier that would not be for himself and King Charles; whereupon many ran over the Works, and a very honest and faithful Corporal refusing to deliver up his Arms to him upon those terms, he thrust him through the body, and killed him; and immediately he shot off several pieces of Ordnance, declaring that he kept the Castle for King Charles, and sent to the Sheels and other adjacent Towns, and made proclamation for all that loved him and King Charles, to come to the Castle for his assistance, and many Seamen and others came in to him immediately: So soon as I heard the sad news of his traitorous Revolt, I commanded a very considerable body of Foot to be drawn out of the Regiments in this Garrison, under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Ashfield, and sent also one hundred Dragoons with them; I sent also many ladders down by water, and gave Orders to storm the Castle that night whatsoever happened. Between one and two of the Clock this morning they drew near to the Castle, Lieutenant Colonel Lilburn fired four pieces of Ordnance upon them as they came up, Major Cobbet led on the Forlorn-hope, they took no notice at all of the Canon, but when they came within twenty yards of the Works, bringing their ladders with them, they gave a great shout and fell on; the works are exceeding high, and though their ladders were long, they could not easily get up, the Enemy still as they mounted, with pikes and Gunner's ladles pushed them down, some storming at the Gun holes, the Enemy were forced to come so high upon the works, that our Soldiers underneath shot them into the bellies, and killed divers of them; but at last ours mounted the works, recovered the castle, and killed many Seamen and others, and amongst the number that was slain, they found Lieut: Col: Lilburn. I shall give your Lordships this account for myself, He was Governor of that Castle before I had command of it; He hath been in the Parliaments service since the beginning of the wars, and under my command near seven years since; He was ever very active and faithful for the Parliament, and known to be a valiant man; He did not give the least suspicion of being a traitor to the Parliament, till the day of his Revolt: It was not for me to have put out such a man from his place, unless there had appeared some just grounds for it, and I hope your Lordships will so apprehend it: I bless God it is now in the Parliaments power, and by God's assistance I hope I shall so keep it; the goodness of God was such to us, we lost not one man, we have only three wounded. I am  
My Lords and Gentlemen, Your faithful Servant, Arthur Hesilrige.  
FINIS.