News from the North: OR, A true RELATION OF THE affairs in those Parts, And in SCOTLAND.  
Being a LETTER Sent to a Friend from Penrith in Cumberland, the 23. of JUNE, 1648.  
AND Published for the satisfaction of those that desire to be truly informed of the present condition of those PLACES.  
LONDON, Printed by Richard Cotes, 1648.   

News from the North; OR A true RELATION Of the affairs in those parts, and in SCOTLAND.  
Honoured Sir,  
ALthough I have but little to acquaint you with since my last, yet because I would omit no opportunity of letting you understand our condition, I have directed these to your hands; providence hath so ordered it, that through exceeding unseasonableness of the weather in these parts, and the continued expectation of assistance out of Lancashire, we have done little but secured our own quarters at this town, which are now eaten up; to morrow or next day we advance towards Carlisle: the Lancashire▪ Foot and Horse (so they are called here) coming up to us as we expect, they are now but 16. miles from us, their number 2000 Horse and Foot; our Head▪ quarters I presume will be about Berwick bridge three miles from Carlisle, it being judged the best place to enforce the enemy without the town to an engagement or a flight, whose numbers are not above half so many as reported, all not exceeding 3000. in the field in these parts; some part of their Horse are advanced into Northumberland to Marpeth, between Anwicke and Newcastle; if our advance to Berwick bridge do not cause their retreat, ours settled there we intend to send after them. Many daily come out of Scotland to us, both English and Scottish, but few Olive branches brought by either; the tidings sad relating to honesty, or honest men, some Ministers already executed, more imprisoned, all that endeavour to oppose or obstruct the present furious proceedings of the now prevalent party, are by power given to a Committee for that purpose to be secured, their goods to be confiscated. Their oath is framed and urged already upon the Nobility and Peers, but none other; upon it Lowden the chancellor, and Louthian, Warriston, and several other Lords and Gentlemen are fled, but not known whether. Orders are issued out to all Ports to make stop of them; there was a purpose of the honest Gentlemen, and others well affected to honesty, in the West part of that kingdom, to have embodied to the number of 10000 but prevented by the advance of lieutenant general Middleton thither, so as not above the number of 1500. got together, those he summoned and willed to return to their homes; this drew off most, yet fearing it was but a design to catch their persons, resolved to outbid all adventures, and would ot stir, 300. of these lieutenant Middleton forced to a water side, that they must either yield or fight, the latter of which they chose & did it with much courage, that they beat off his Horse, and put them to a rout and flight, thereby got opportunity to secure themselves in Galloway a garrison of Argiles, 500 more being all that stayed of the 1500. which had been old soldiers, got into a Bog for their own preservation, which was after beset by the Horse, but as yet we know not what is become of them. Argile hath been sent to by the now late Committee of Estates, to know the reason why his two Regiments now with him yield not obedience to the commands of the present officers of the Army; he replied he would examine it, and shortly return them an account or a reason of it. Middleton, Bartlett, Vrry, (not Colonel Vrry) Gibbs of Essex, these all have accepted of Commands under the general Hamilton. Old Leven, David Lish●y, Holborn, Carr a colonel at Plymouth; lieutenant colonel Carr lieutenant colonel to Middleton, and several, yea most of the Officers formerly employed by themselves, and we in England have refused. Honest men say, never was there such a sad persecu●ion in that kingdom, yet God hath exceedingly emboldened the spirits of the Ministry and others to withstand them, as if deliverance were behind the curtain for them; all confess, no visible help to them but by this Army, or part of its sudden advance into that kingdom, which how God may please in his wise providence to order I cannot tell; much hath God been pleased to teach them of a spirit of forbearance towards such as they deemed Brethren, confessing their error in their rigid pressing to a conformity. I am almost persuaded in my own heart, God hath a design in this to unite the spirits of the Saints in both Nations each to other, by making them see a need of one another. It made my heart almost to bleed, to hear some of them confess it was a wise dispensation of the Almighty, that they who had it in purpose, and endeavour to persecute others, should first taste of that cup, yea from the hands of such which they thought to have made instrumental for the other, and that God should so order it, that those whom they judged could not upon prudential grounds be suffered to cohabit with them, or be so much as their neighbours, should now become the only visible safety, or hopes of such under God to them. I have done with this; I have no further to acquaint you with, but the increase of the enemy about Pomfret, and their late endeavours to surprise Nottingham, York, Hempsley, and Bolton Castles.  
Sir, I am your most affectionate Kinsman, H. H.  
FINIS.