ERRATA.  
Pag: 18. lin: 22. for butifie red, but fifty  
P. 20. l. 16. for? note! and for! note?  
P. 23. l. 16. inst red just  
P. 27. l. 14. for therento red there, to l. 19. for? red,  
Pag. 34. l. 23. for hereby, red hereby  
Pag. 35. li. 31. for civilty, red civility  
Pag. 36. l. 17. red not hold l. 21. red Committees  
Pag. 37. l. 4. red It may be l. 10. red Synod   

A LETTER Written from WALSHALL, By A Worthy Gentleman to his Friend in OXFORD, concerning BVRMINGHAM.  
Printed in the year M. DC. XLIII.   

A LETTER WRITTEN FROM WALSHALL by a Worthy Gentleman to his friend in Oxford concerning BURMINGHAM.  
Sir,  
HEaring of the approach of Prince Rupert his Highnesse, and coming according to my duty to attend him, In my way I heard of the miserable destruction of Burningham by fire; which I must confess took the deepest Apprehension with me of any one accident since the beginning of these unhappy distractions, as presenting to my view a Picture of the present estate of Germany, and as by a Prospective showing me( not very far off) the Scene translated from thence hither. This sad thought drew me to a more narrow enquiry of the causes of the burning of the town, and whethet it was done by authority or no. And I found that the Inhabitants of that town were they who first stirred up those of Coventry to resist the King, and that about 300 from thence went into Coventry to defend it against the Kings Forces, that from thence they sent 15000 Swords for the earl of Essex his Forces and the aid of that Party, and not onely refused to supply the Kings Forces with swords for their money, but imprisoned divers who bought swords, upon suspicion that they intended to supply the King's Forces with them. That afterwards when His Majesty marched that way with His Army, out of His Princely goodness and in hope that His Grace and favour would prevail wirh them to turn good Subjects, he gave express order that they should not be plundered, and because some were plundered( though but a few and very little taken from them) there was exemplary Iustice done by the hanging of two Officers, And they had a special protection granted to them.  
Yet so little use did they make of the Kings Clemency, that the Kings Army was no sooner removed from thence but they stayed all the Carriages which did not move the same day with the Kings Army, amongst which was some of the Kings Plate and divers goods of great value, and therein they were so hearty and zealous that at their own charges they carried them to Warwicke Castle before the King was out of that Shire.  
And they have still Continued upon all occasions violently to oppose the King, and to aid those who have taken up arms against him. Insomuch that they made fortifications about the Town, and sent out parties to plunder the Kings friends. And when his Highnesse upon monday last sent one to them to take up his quarter at Burmingham, who assured them that if they would quietly receive his Highnesse and his forces they should suffer no injury, But otherwise they must expect to be forced to it, they refused to give him Entrance, and prepared themselves with all their strength to resist him; and when his Forces drew near they set up their Colours, and sallied out of their works, and gave fire upon them, and with opprobrious speeches reviled them, calling them Cursed doggs, devilish Cavaliers, Popish Traytors, and this was done not by a few of them but by almost all of them with great shouts and clamours. This could not but incense the souldiers, and the Prince to make his passage into the town was forced to give order for firing a house or two; but they retiring and flying, upon his entrance into the town he immediately gave order for quenching of the Fire, which was done accordingly, and no more hurt was done on monday. But yesterday his Highnesse being to march from thence, and fearing what those great Provocations might work with the souldiers, he gave express Command that no soldier should attempt to fire the town. And after his departure thence some souldiers( as yet unknown) having fired the town in divers places, he immediately sent to the inhabitants of the town, to let them know it was not done by his command, and therefore wished them to quench it, but the wind being high and the Fire increased, it could not be so soon extinguished as was to be desired.  
One thing more I heard of at this taking of Burmingham, which made some Impression with me, which was the death of a minister killed presently after the entry of the souldiers into the town. But it is alleged that he  told the soldier who killed him, that the King was a Perjured and papistical King, and that he had rather die then live under such a King, and that he did and would fight against him; and in his Pocket after his death were found some Papers sufficient to make me to believe the man was either mad, or one of the new Enthusiasts. It burdens my modesty to repeat them, but the truth( which you will desire to know) extorts them from me ▪ some of them were to this effect, that the 28 of March last he had a comfortable kiss from Mris E. with some moistness, and another day a cinnamon kiss from another woman, and another from one of 14 yeares old, with much more such like stuff which I blushy to writ.  
And surely whatsoever the Principles of these Teachers may be, the conclusions made by their Disciples is very strange. One of the best sort of their Prisoners here being discoursed withall concerning his taking up arms against the King, and demanded how he could take up arms in that manner considering his oaths of allegiance and Supremacy, peremptorily answered, he never did nor never would take those oaths.  
Sir, this I thought fit to writ to you while the memory of the business is fresh; and though it be accompanied with these Circumstances, yet it much troubles his Highnesse that this Accident should now fall out, he well knowing that they who are the great bout fieus and Incendiaries in the State, will be apt to Calumniate him for the firing of this town, which he never Commanded or Countenanced, and the actors of which he is most desirous to punish, and is most careful to find out, And this narrative now made you may be confident is true, coming from  
Your most humble and faithful servant. Walshall Apr. 5. 1643.  
FINIS.