A LETTER SENT To the honourable William Lenthal Esq Speaker of the honourable House of Commons, Of the late Fight at Colchester, AND, How the Suburbs of the said Town were fired by The Lord Goring, Lord Capel, Sir Charles Lucas, and the rest of the Enemy.  
PRinted by the Command of the honourable William Lenthal Esq Speaker of the honourable House of Commons.  
London, Printed for Edward Husband, Printer to the honourable House of Commons, July 17. 1648.   

To the honourable, WILLIAM LENTHAL Esq Speaker of the honourable House OF COMMONS.  
SIR,  
IN my last I intimated to you, That we hoped to gain the gatehouse, the works about it, & church; all which the Enemy had fortified very strongly, and it pleased God this afternoon about Five of the clock to deliver all these places into our hands, the manner was thus; we discharged four pieces of Canon altogether, which much amazed the Enemy in the works, and then discharged four more; and immediately our Musquetiers fell on and stormed the gatehouse with Ladders, and threw in hand-Granado's: The Enemy opposed very stoutly for a while, and threw down several of the Ladders, but at last gave back; some held out their Handkerchiefs, others fired very fiercely: yet notwithstanding, our men gained the work, and part of the gatehouse, and throwing in a hand-Granado, where there was some of the Enemy stood to their Arms, it happened to light amongst their Magazine, consisting of about four Barrels of powder, and blew up about forty of their men: It pleased God that we had but one man hurt with that blow. All this evening our men have been digging, and pulling out the dead bodies of the Enemy, finding here and there a Leg and an Arm by itself. There were in the whole number, as some of the prisoners who had quarter confessed Sevenscore, and we had about Threescore prisoners, not any could escape (we getting between them and home) so the rest were put to the Sword, and destroyed as aforesaid.  
I send you herewith some poisoned Bullets, that you may see how they still persist in their venomous disposition, to shoot such things as may be sure to rancour and poison the flesh.  
The Enemy was so enraged at this loss (having totally by this means shut themselves up within the walls, and not having any part of the Suburbs) that they set the Suburbs round the Town on fire, and at this present there is the saddest spectacle to be seen, that hath fallen out in this Age, there being now burning in a great Flame, houses above a mile in length, and with that violence, that it is a wonder to behold it: By this we conceive that they are desperately bent, and will not only destroy the Suburbs, but even burn the Town also before they yield.  
I hope in the Lord he will enable us very shortly to gain this place, and to make such Destroyers of the Nation, Examples to posterity.  
Leaguer before Colchester, July 15. 12 at night. J. R.  
FINIS.