A LETTER FROM Sr MARMADUKE LANGDALE, GENERAL of the Northern Forces; TO Sir CHARLES LUCAS: CONTAINING A clear Relation of all their proceed in the North: With an hopeful assurance of a speedy Relief to COLCHESTER.  
After the Original Copy, truly transcribed.  
LONDON. Printed in the Year, 1648.   

A LETTER FROM Sir MARMADUKE LANGDALE General of the Northern Forces, TO Sir CHARLES LUCAS.  
SIR,  
YOur gallantry in resolution and action during that fierce and furious Siege of Colchester, hath already confirmed in us that noble opinion which we ever retained of you in all your undertake, both for spirit and knowledge. Valour acquits itself best in extremes: Of this your loyal prowess hath given an ample testimony. We here, who truly love and honour you, and who with some of our best and choicest Forces hope in a very short time to Relieve you; could not retain less than a deep resentment of the diversion of those nobly-disposed Royalists, who engaged their Persons for your Succour: with the pre-mature fall of that active Spark of true Native Honour, the Lord Francis Villers: upon whose Surprised and dis-armed Body, report informs us, that such inhumanity by a Mechanic hand was committed; as Barbarism itself would conceive Horror to be an Actor in a Subject of such cruelty. But what shall either you or we collect from these tragic overtures, but the implacable hate and heat of an odious perfidious Foe, flaming from a furious desire of imbruing his treacherous hands in the blood of all Such as profess themselves faithful Servants in defence of their Prince's honour, safety of their Country, her just and ancient Liberties! for which we Fight: and for preservation of which, we shall ever hold it a devotional loyalty to engage our persons, fortunes, with whatsoever is most dear unto us. The cruelty they show to ours, might prescribe us a Rule what to do, when it shall please God that we be (which we hope ere long to be) Masters of the field. But revenge in actions of cruelty shall ever be as far estranged from our thoughts: as theirs, since first these Civil unnatural Wars were broached, have been from harbouring loyalty or compassion. Mean time, these men's designs, who push at nothing lower than Crowns, may afford both you and us, who stand in defence of a just Cause, and no private Interest, as God is our witness) this useful Lesson, Rather to sacrifice our Lives to a noble and memorable fate; then to submit to an imperious merciless Foe.  
Hold out, brave Sir; continue your resolution; pursue your Sallies: let not their numerous Recruits amate you, (give me leave for the true zeal I bear to your Cause, and love to your person, to enforce this needless advice:) you need little doubt, but if Skippon's power of inlisting men be abridged, as we hear it is: that these recruits or fresh supplies cannot continue long. Sedition, have it never so specious pretences, nor powerful Favourites; it will at one time or other be unmasked, and show its own deformity; which shown, those who followed her, and foolishly fawned on her, will become much ashamed that their misguided judgements should be ever taken with so deceiving a beauty.  
Now to enliven the hopes of all that brave and honourable Cavalry there with you; Think every Evening, how we are one days March nearer you than we were in th' Morning: and that our heartiest wishes go along with you; as we are very confident within few days, with our hands to assist you. And to confirm the apparancy of these hopes, you may be pleased herewith to receive an Abstract of our proceed, together with the Order we observe, and Success we receive in our March towards you; which you may with assurance communicate to my L. Goring, my L. Capell; to whom, I beseech you present my affectionatest Service, with all others of concern.  
Having divided our Army into two several Bodies, both for accommodation of Quarter, as also to reduce such Neutral Counties in either Division, as upon appearance of a visible Force were easily to be made Ours: it was my Charge with sundry other English Commanders of eminent quality and under my Conduct, to march Northwest; His Excellence, High Lord General of the Scotish Forces, North-east. In our March we found an opposing, but no considerable Party ready to encounter us near Appleby; but they were quickly driven to a speedy retreat, and in such confusion, as their fear enforced them to make choice of such a place for their Quarter, as of all others, was most incommodious for relieving Soldiers. Their retreat to that part of the Country made was for their ruin; being to encounter afresh with the Scots, by whom they were, though not totally routed, fearfully distressed.  
Since which time, Scarborough a Port-town of main consequence; with the Castle, a Fort of impregnable strength, have declared for the King.  
In our address to Kendal, we found the Town generally well-affected: Such as had been before Officers and active Instruments for the Public; upon remove of some principal Fomenters of Sedition in those parts, because wholly Ours. These we received, and conferred Places of employment and Command upon them according to their qualities, and capacities of managing them.  
We apparently found, during our short abode there; that nothing had so much infected the affections of the people, as the seditious doctrine of sundry Sectaries and Non-conformatists in those parts, who bestowed their oil in laying adulterate colours upon the face of Rebellion.  
But their fear of danger has caused them to leave their pasture: By whose absence & apprehension of their own errors, their deluded Flock is now brought back to the fold of Loyalty. So clear we left that part, or angle rather, of the County.  
In our March to Lancaster, we met with no opposition. For the Town, it is rather Neutral then cordially Loyal; howbeit, the Inhabitants pretended themselves Ours: for these, much like the popular affections of most men in those parts, move and remove just as they see our Forces move. Some will wonder why we made it not our work in our March, to take in the Castle, being a place of such strength and conveniency for receiving and entertaining Garrisons to keep those parts in awe and subjection; which otherwise, by the factious advice and practice of Incendiaries, (of which number there is no County but it has one corner or other sufficiently stored) might break out into open Rebellion; or such dangerous innovation, as it might highly trench upon the safety and welfare of those adjacent parts. But my Answer is, as there is at this time no considerable Force within the Castle; which concludes it less formidable: So our times of Speedy marching are no convenient seasons for besieging. Let us first do the work we came for in the County, and all these Forts will find hands to open their Gates to us cheerfully. There was no report which we received with more acceptance than the reduction of some Commanders in those parts; who, weary of engaging their lives, estates, and liberties, in so unjust and disloyal a quarrel, became firm and faithful Cavaliers: and being persons of quality, drew others by their example, to the like practice of obedience and loyalty. I shall not need to instance them; their personal employments will witness so much for them.  
In this our March towards Preston, we fear no overtures. Heavy taxes and grievous quarterings have made many already shake off the insupportable yoke of their slavery. The father we go, the more confident we are. Cheshire hears of our advance with much cheerfulness. The like success we receive by Letters from his Excellence.  
Dear Sir, hold out but a little, a very little space; your friends will visit you, and bring you off with honour: and with joint embraces congratulate you, for making loyalty your object of valour.  
Sir, Your most constant Servant, M.L.