A TRUE RELATION Of a dangerous PLOT AGAINST The Well-affected party of the Town of LYNN, DISCOVERED By a most worthy and faithful servant to the Parliament Thomas Lovekin Major of the said Town. WITH The Articles agreed on by the Royal party concerning the said plot; wherein they express their desires, to restore his Sacreed Majesty to his Royal Throne and Dignity. Sent in a Letter from the said Major Lovekin, to his loving friend Captain james Clarke, at his quarters in the Spread-Eagle at Gracious- street in London. London, Printed for J. C. 1648. A Great PLOT Against LYNNF, discovered by that most faithful servant to the Parliament, Thomas Loukin Major to the said Garrison of LYNNâ—Ź. SJR, I Received your letter, and thank you for your good opinion of me, which I do assure you I have not forfeited, as you may perceive by this ensuing information in brief is which thus. Upon Tuesday the ninth of this Month, Edward Elsden of Swafham came to the White-Hart in Lynn and desired to speak in private with me, which I accepted off where he presently began to present the affections of divers Gentlemen in the County to me in general terms, with other words tending for the King and his party. I perceiving his intentions, and being willing to discover his design did seemingly comply with him; which he being joyful off, promised me an honourable Commission, either from the Prince or the King, and told me, that I had now an opportunity, to make myself great and honourable I told Elsden, that it would not be lafe for me, to act in a design of so great a consequence, without a Commission. He then replied, that if I would appoint a time to meet with some Gentlemen in the County, who would gladly give me a meeting) I should have full satisfaction to all my demands. So I being very willing to hazard my life in the full discovery of such an attempt, promised them a meeting. After we parted, I took my horse and rid to Capt. Taylor who then quartered at Mr. Thrisebyes', and acquainted him with all these proceed; who was glad to here that I was like to make so fair a discovery. Our place appointed to meet at was the whight-Swan at Downham on Friday night following, and Elsden promised to condust me a private way thither, which he did; but it being late before we arrived near that town, the gentlemen were gone from the Swan, than we inquired for them at the Blacke-Swan; but failing of them there also, Elsden desired me to stay alone in the house, and he would bring them to me; for he said the chiefest of them lived not above two miles off, so according to his request I stayed, and two hours after Elsden returned to me again, and told me the Gentlemen were loath to come for fear of being discovered; but they had sent a Capt. to wait upon me, who stayed at the Townsend to conduct me to the house where some of them were, so I presently mounted, and rid a long with them, and with in half an hour came at a House cituated amongst woods, & by lanes, where being conducted in Mr. Ralph Skip with was the first man saluted me, the rest all strangers, we had not long been Complementing before we fell into debate concerning the Design in hand, where they promised to seize upon all the Horse in the County upon the very day that I should stand out for the King, of which day they would give me speedy notice & send immediately to my assistance 200 horse for which purpose they dispached Messengers into the County a moungst their Friends to be in a readiness I then demanded by what authority, and Commission, I should act, Mr. Skipwith said that he had a Commission from the King to raise the whole County upon any advantage, but could not by virtue of that grant a Commission to me, but further engaged himself by Oath, and the rest to send immediately to Prince Charles for a large one for me, after this an old rogue a captain. of the King's party would have us all seware, and the contents to which he would have had us sworn were most Devilish, but they presenly called for a Bible which put me (I confess) into a sweat, and then I resolved to die & was ready to produce my pocket Pistol to make what work I could with them, and then with the sword; but the Bible being something long a coming, (for I think there were very few in the house) I resolved otherwise with myself, and set a bold face on it, and told them that I was as ready & willing to swear as any of them; but I feared it would not bind us sure enough, and told Mr. Skipwith, that I knew he was a judicious man & not ignorant, that an Oath being taken without any that had power to administer it, was not binding, and therefore I desired, that we might be more surely bound by some subscripsions one to each other, which at last took effect, and so by the providence of God, I was quit of there damnable oath. The articles Subscribed were to this effect, that we who were there present, should with our lives and fortunes advance the cause of the King, & endeavour to restore his sacred Majesty to his throne and former power, against all opposers with words to the same effect more at large. They further assured me, that upon the securing of this Garrison, they should be so courted by the King's party, as I should have forces sufficient to secure the town & Marshground, and have a considerable body to take the field, I should also have had Sr. Ralph Hares estate, and Mr. Gaiosels and have been made a Lord at least. Never was bird more joyful being set at liberty from a cage imprisonment, then when I was clear of them, and the next night being Saturday, I rewarded them, and I caused them to be imprisoned, and brought to Lynn, only the Parson, and a Major, and an old Captain that had been of the King's party, were sent out the day before into the County, to inform their friends of this business, and so the troop misled of them. Sr. acquaint all the Parliament men you know with this business, my Col. promised to wright a bout it this day, but his Occasions being great could not. All this I do and will aver upon Oath. Your friend to serve you, Tho. Lovekin. May the 8. 1648. Imprimatur Gilbert Mabbot. FINIS.