A True RELATION Of the taking of Sherburne Castle, AND The treachery of the town malignants.  
As it came in a Letter written by a Captain who was at the taking of it.  
Dated from Sherburne, and received here the 24. of April, 1643.  
LONDON, Printed for Samuel Gellibrand. 1643. April 25th   

A true Relation of the taking of Sherbourne Castle.  
Noble Sir,  
AFter my humble service presented unto you, these are to let you understand that we marched out of Bristol on the 11. of this present with all our Troop, and with one Company of Dragooners which did consist of about 40▪ mwn. Col. Popham and his brother also marched along with us, having no Forces with them but their usual attendance. So then we marched into the lower parts of , to seize on the rents of the Lo: Capel, and the Lo: Pawlet, and of the Marquis of Hartford, and partly our journey was for the speedy expediting of sending away the provision which was raised in that Country to send into Ireland. In the lower part of Somersetshire we found men to contribute unto it very cheerfully, but that part which is next adjacent to the County of Wilts, hath been very cold in their contribution towards the Parliament and Ireland, but now we shall make them contribute unto us.  
We also marched to Wells, where we found Colonel Strewed with about an hundred Musquetiers, and there was some falling out between Col: Pophams' men, and one of Col: Strowds Captains, but it was quickly pacified, for Col: Strowds men left the town the next morning.  
We did also make search in the Bishop's house of Bath and Wells, and there we found one of the Bishop's gods, which was the Lady Mary with the Babe in her arms, and she was bound up in a linen cloth and laid in a coffin, this we found in the Bishop's closet, and my father doth intent to send it to the Parliament.  
At Wells we received order from Col: Fynes to make all the haste we could towards Sherbourne, for as much as he had received intelligence that the Marquis of Hartford & the Lord George Digby were on their march from Oxford to come to Sherbourne to raise Forces in Dorsetshire. So we according to our order left Wells, and marched towards Sherbourne with as much speed as we could to come thither before the Marquis, and we marched to Sherbourne that night. We sent a party of horse before us to Sherbourne, in all about 20. Horse and Dragoneers ', and gave them order to stay for us at the town's end, and not enter into the town till we came to them, because we knew it to be a very malignant town. But they it should seem forgot our order, and marched into the town, and when they were in they drew themselves up into a Battalia, and made a stand in a broad place in the town, and then they presently sent for the Constable to provide them and us Quarter. The Constable came presently to them, and told them he would do them the best service he could in providing them quarter; but this Constable returned no more again to our men, but in stead of getting quarter for us, sought all the means he could to raise the town against us, so we presently came in to our men, and asked what was the news? they told us there was all peace to us. As we were marching into the town, we heard a bell ring, and I asked a man what was the reason that the bell did ring? he told me it was the nine of clock bell. So we marched down towards our quarter, for we were come within their chains and their turn pike, than (little dreaming of any opposition that should be made us) we marched down into the middle of the town, it being very dark; when we came against the butcher's shambles, Master Hugh Popham, Captain Smith and myself were in the Front a little before any our men. And then some men called unto us, and bade us stand, and asked us for whom we were? our answer unto them was, we were for the King and Parliament: they told us they were for the King against the Parliament. Then we called for our men to come up unto us, but in the mean time we gave fire upon them, and they likewise gave fire upon us, and then they gave fire out of all the windows upon us, and came running out of every door with Muskets & great Bills, saying one to another, Kill the Parliament dogs. Some ten of our Dragooners were between our Troop, and Master Hugh Popham, myself and Captain Smith. Master Popham and Captain Smith carried themselves very valiantly, but those Dragooners of ours had not above three matches lighted amongst them, which forced them to fly back again upon our Troop, and so made the Troop give back a little way out of the straight place that they were in. So Master Popham, myself and Captain Smith were forced to retreat; Master Hugh Popham being so wounded that he road not 100 yards from the place before he fell down dead; Cap. Smith being so much wounded, that it is very doubtful he will not live; and myself was shot through one of my arms, close by the shoulder, and had I had no arms, I had been killed like one of them. But thanks be to God I am as well as ever I was in my life, but was never so dry beaten with bills and pikes as I was then. We drew ourselves up into a Body again with all speed, and made our Trumpets sound a charge upon them presently, and so we marched down again upon them. And then we dismounted our 40. Dragooners, & they marched down with us, and fought very valiantly, so that we presently beat them from that place of the town, and within one hour we beat them quite out of the town, they being in number 300. and we not above 120. but there was one of our soldiers which was shot out of a window, who being in heat of blood shot up his pistol into the thatch of a house (unknown to any Officer there) and the house was presently on a light fire, and it was in the very heart of the town; we had but one man killed in the place which was Master Popham and six or seven wounded, so at last we could not find one man in the Town, and we rod up and down from one house to another to cause the people come forth to put out the fire, but they being very diffident of our mercy would not appear. So we were forced to leave the town for that night; for if we had stayed no body would have come to put out the fire, So we marched to a Town called evil some three miles from Sherborne and there we quartered all night. The next morning the men of Sherborne beat up their drums for the Cuntrymen to come in to them and stood again upon their guard, and we sent into the Country for what forces we could get, and we have gotten within three days 3000. very able men and very well armed, and now are some 500 strong in horse so that now we have a brave Army, on the 19 of this present we marched toward sherborne again and when the enemy heard of it they ran quite away, So we have possession of the Town of Sherborne, the Castle and the Earl of bristols house, where I believe we shall have great store of wealth; There was a Rogue hired by some of the men of Sherborne to kill one of the Lieutenant Colonels of Somersetshire which man we have taken, and he hath confessed unto us whom set him a work, we have taken some Colours there, and now we have spoiled the party whereof they had great hopes there, I pray present my duty to my uncle. I rest,  
From Sherborne Castle 21. April 1643. Your humble servant, L.L.  
There were about ten men killed that night in Sherborne of the enemies.  
FJNJS.