TRUE INTELLIGENCE FROM CORNWALL: BEING A true Relation of the Rising of 600. Fishermen and their Wives, and falling upon Sir Ralph Hopton and the Cavaliers, wounding Sir Ralph himself, by striking him from off his horse, killing divers of his men, and putting the rest to flight: and how the said Fishermen pillaged the town of Bodnam in Cornwall, which caused the whole County to be up in arms; and the Beacons to be fired throughout the whole County. Also how the day following Sir Ralph Hopton with 500 men took some few Fishermen, and tied them to trees, whipping them naked with Broom and Furse, and how he pillaged M. Trefuses house. Likewise the taking of two Barks which came from the Governor of Flanders with arms for 3000. men; and the names of the Malignants in the foresaid County. Sent in a Letter from Sir Jonathan Trelawney to M. Trelawney Merchant in London. LONDON, Novem. 10. Printed by R. Austin and A. Coe. 1642. TRUE INTELLIGENCE FROM CORNWALL; BEING A true Relation of Sir Ralph Hoptons' cruelty, in apprehending divers poor Fishermen, tying them to trees, and whipping them naked with Broom and Furse. Also the manner and occasion of Sir Ralph Hoptons' being wounded, with the names of the chief Malignants in the foresaid County. ALthough I cannot enjoy that former happiness which I was wont, the fruition of your society, yet I hope by our pens we may reciprocally understand of each others welfare, I could wish, and daily pray that there might be a conjunct and perfect union and concord between his Majesty and the Parliament, for want of which we live in danger through fear of foreign and domestic enemies. Our country is sorely oppressed, not only with the King's part, but the vulgar and poorer sort of people are in combustion: there was upon thursday last at the Mount five or six hundred poor Fishermen and their wives that came to Bodnam with spits, clubs and stones, and in a violent and rustic manner with the help of other poor there, entered divers houses, and carried away their plate and pewter, so that the county was up in arms, and the beacons set on fire throughout the Shire. Sir Ralph Hopton, who is at Pendennis, never stirred forth in all this hurley-burley, but at night about six of the clock he came & marched after the fishermen, and urged them to go to M. Trefuses his house at Waford and plunder him, and he would second their designs. Sir Ralph Hopton had a good bang on the neck for his counsel, and laid gasping in the high way, and astonished: at the first his soldiers cocked their pistols, and vowed to shoot them, who were also struck off their horses, and two slain in the high way, so that for the present Sir Ralph and his followers returned to their hold without pillaging M. Trefuses as he intended. Sir Ralph the next day came with 500 foot & horse, & then he revenged himself of some few straggling fishermen, whom he tied to trees and whipped naked with Broom and Furse, and that day took six light horses from Sir John Vigures stable pillaged him of all his plate and pewter, leaving him not so much as a dish or a spoon to eat his meat in. Captain Carwithan and his trained Bands risen, and very fiercely assaulted Sir Ralph's troops, yet Sir Ralph made them retreat with the loss of 6 or 8. of his men. The fishermen and their wives came in the time of the skirmish, most of them having gotten muskets, birding pieces & swords, so that with the Trained Bands and the fishermen, they left but a narrow passage for Sr Ralph's escape, vowing that if they could take Sir Ralph or any of his, they would whip him or them to death for his barbarous cruelty on their friends, Sir Ralph departed for that time, and carried away five of his eight horses, and great mischief he would have done more, but the way was so dirty and stony, that it is impossible for the horse to travel, much more to fight, in such narrow passages. There is one main thing which I have omitted, and that is, the multitude of Warrants which have issued forth under the command of Prince Robert to all places within twenty miles of his Army, it runs in the nature of General Lesley his Warrants at his entering of Newcastle, commanding all men to provide and bring to his Army all manner of food and sustenance for his soldier's relief, as also that the country provide both horse and men for the assisting of him in the said war, and that all those that will not assist him, to pay a contribution of money for their refusal. And this is the effect of the said Warrants, as I can rightly understand. Plate and money is brought to his Majesty in abundance, and the Coiners of his treasure carried upon wheels, and coin money travelling. It is a most excellent invention of Leniell His Majesty's Engineer, whom we thought to have been cut off in the last fight at Kinton. There was this day seven-night two Barks full of Ammunition on at Foy, with three thousand men's armour, which came from the Governor of Flanders, whose name is, as I have heard, Don Francisco de Melos a Spaniard, M. Cousins one of the Deputy-Lieutenants for the Shire, seized on it for His Majesty, who bearing the Parliament an inveterate hate for his last dishonour, in censuring him to ask forgiveness for his false Patent, hath in an opprobrious and tyrannical manner levied great Forces, and doth pillage his neighbouring friends, and all in the name of his Majesty. I cannot certify unto you more at this present, save the names of such in this our County who are altogether for his Majesty. The Lord Mohune, and his son. M. Arundel, Sir Bevill Greenvile, M. Cousin, Sir Ralph Edgcombe, Sir john Furse, Sir john Roystworth, Sir Robert Meynard, M. Pope, M. Washer, Sir Richard Young, M. Venner, M. Pollard, M. Tingrose, M. Trefuses, M. Phillipps, M. Carey, FINIS.