A LETTER From NEW CASTLE, To the Right Honourable the Lord High Chancellor of Scotland, and the rest of the Scotish Commissioners at London.  
Containing a RELATION of the taking of the Town of NEW CASTLE By Storm.  
Dated the 19 of October, 1644.  
Published by Authority.  
London, Printed for Robert Bostock and Samuel Gellibrand, Octob. 26. 1644.   

Right Honourable,  
I Should have gone into Newcastle at the time when the Packet went from hence, on Thursday, but was put off till Friday by these obstinate mischreants, especially the Mayor of that Town. Sir David Hume, John Ratherford of Jedburgh, and I, went in on Friday at nine in the morning; we had Commission from the General and Committee (if we found real dealing) to yield to all honourable Conditions, for preventing the effusion of blood, notwithstanding all the Provocations we had from them. The Mayor, Sir Nicholas Cole, and Sir George Baker were treating with us: they gave us big words: do what we could, they would not so much as come to speak of Conditions of rendering up the Town: And, after three or four hours Debate, all they would condescend unto, was, To think upon their Propositions, and send them to the General within three days; one of which Propositions to be as they affirmed, and Mordicus adhered unto: That when all Conditions were agreed upon, they should give Hostages for delivery up of the Town after twenty days, if Relief came not to them. And because we who were commissionated from the Army, were limited to Friday at night, to conclude or give over Treaty, we desired them to write to the General, to know his mind concerning those delays, and we should either stay till his Excellency's Answer did come, or would carry it, and return, if we had further Commission. They would not grant this favour to us; but told us, They would let us go, and they should write to the General to morrow. I went thus far on with them, which was more than in Policy I should have done: yet so fain would I have effusion of blood shunnd, that I told them in plain terms, That if they did write any thing, it should be that night. They sent out a Letter that night, about eight of the clock, wherein they averred many untruths, and told, They would send their Propositions on Monday next. It was late before many of us could be got together, to give Answer: Those who met, thought it fittest to return an Answer, and to send such Conditions as we would grant; and to certify them, That if they did not accept them, and send out Hostages for performance, the General would no more treat. The substance of the Conditions were: 

1 That all Officers and Soldiers who are desirous to go out of Town, should have liberty to go with Arms, Bag and Baggage, to any Garrison not beleaguered, within sixty miles; and should have a Convoy, Wagons, and meat on the way.  
2 That all Strangers, Sojourners, or Inhabitants, who desired to go with the Soldiers, should have the like Liberty and Accommodation.  
3 The Town shall enjoy their Privileges and Jurisdiction, conform to their ancient Charters.  
4 The Persons, Houses, Families and Goods of the Citizens and Inhabitants should be free and protected from violence.  
5 They should have their free Trade and Commerce, as other Towns reduced to the Obedience of the King and Parliament.  
6 That any of them who desired to go into the Country, and live in their Country-houses, should have safeguard for their Persons, Families, Goods and Houses.  
7 That no free billeting shall be imposed on them, without their own consent.  
8 The Army should not enter the Town, but only a Competent Garrison.    
I have not the perfect copy of the other Instructions sent to them, which was signed by the General, with that caveat, That they should send out Hostages this day, at eight in the morning, for the surrender of the Town upon these Conditions, betwixt this and Monday the one and twentieth, before two in the afternoon, otherwise the Conditions to be void. In stead of sending out Hostages, or desiring a new Treaty, this morning they sent a bitter Invective-Letter, standing to their former Resolutions. We had been so long expecting that these men within the Town should have pitied themselves, all our Batteries were ready; so many of our Ours as they had not found out or drowned, were in danger of their hourly finding out; the Winter was drawing on, and our Soldiers were earnest to have some end of the business; which made the General (after so many slight) to begin this morning to make Breaches: (whereof we had three, and four Ours) the Breaches were made reasonable low before three of the clock at night. All our Ours played very well: They within the Town continued still obstinate: My Lord Chancellor's Regiment, and Backleughs, entered at a Breach at Close-gate: The General of the Artillery his Regiment, and that of Edinburgh, entered at a Mine at the White-Tower Colonel Stewart and Gasks Regiment, entered at a Mine, after not dispute, beside West-Gate: this was one Quarter: lieutenant-general Bailiff had another Quarter at Newgate, with five Regiments, viz. his own (which was formerly Dudhops) Waughtons, Cowpers, Dumferlings, and who entered by a Breach: Great dispute was made here, and some of our Officers killed, whereof one Major Robert Hepburn cannot be enough lamented. Cassilis, Kelhead, Wedderburne, Martial, and the Master of Yesters, had a third Quarter, who entered by a Breach, not without dispute. Lord Sinclare, Aytoun, Niddery, the Master of Cranstoun, and the Lord Levingston, had the fourth Quarter, who entered at two Ours. They would have had more hot work, but the Resolutions of the Officers and Soldiers made a quick dispatch. They within the Town made all the Opposition they could, on the Walls, and in the Streets. Some houses are burnt. The Mayor and some others fled to the Castle, and did presently beat a Parley, which the General would not hear, at that time, in respect they had been the instruments of so much bloodshed. The Lord Rae, and some others of our countrymen, are prisoners with us. You shall hear more particularly, within a day or two, by an Express.  
Octob. 19 1644. Your Lordship's humble servant, A. HUMBIE.  
FINIS.