HEere I haue sent you all the remarkable Newes that I haue vpon the last of Iuly . There was taken by a Perdue of ours , in the night ( a Frenchman ) that was sent by Monsieur de Thorax , the Gouernour of the Citadell , with a full intent to kill my Lord Duke ; and for the speedy effecting of the same , he had prepared a strange and dangerous Poynado , which although it was taken about him , hee confidently denied that he came not with any intent to kill the Duke , vntill hee came to the Tortures , which being presented before him , he promised to discouer all to my Lord if he would promise him life , the which he did , and doth so performe with him , like a noble and mercifull Generall .

The same man that was apprehended did affirme , that hee was enioyned to act this same treachery , within 15. dayes , or a month at the farthest : So by that wee coniecture and hope that they are victualled for no longer time .

The like Treachery wee heare from England was plotted there by the Agent of the King of France , but God be thanked he is yet well ; and so I hope shall be to the terror of his Enemies .

Vpon the 5. of August being Sunday in the night , we made approach into their Trenches , and beat them out most shamefully to their great losse : The Reason why wee gaue them this Allarume , was to the intent wee might get to a principall Well they haue in their custody , that we might poyson it , the which we effected to our very little hurt , and their much preiudice , by reason they haue so little water , the best of them is stinted to a Pint a day , the common Souldiers haue lesse , and haue but a Biskett a day to eate with a pound of Butter between eight of them .

The greatest part of their Horses they were faine to kill for want of water , and to cast them into the Sea : So they haue not aboue 40 Horses left in all ; the which were encountered by ours the night following as they were going for reliefe to another little Fort they haue , in which are some two hundred men , or there about : There they haue good water enough , but very little Victuals ; our Horse men beate them in againe with some losse to them , and they tooke a Prisoner , whilst wee were entring their Trenches , our Sea watch had taken two Barkes , the one laden with Prouisions , and the other had 27. Barons and great Commanders which were comming to the Fort to assist the Gouernour Monsieur Thorax ; after them were to follow , if they safely arriued , seuen thousand men , and 3000. horses , who were fearefull to goe before their Commanders , and as I thinke now , will scarse euer follow ; for that they were all drowned , onely three were saued : the one of them is the Gouernour of Brest his Sonne ; the other , Gouernour of the Kings Fort by Rechell ; the third , Lieutenant Colonell of the three Thousand Horse , a braue Commander .

The principall that were drowned of note that these men will discouer to vs , was the base brother of the King of France , a great Prince : the other was Colonell of the Horses ; the rest they will not name vnto vs , their losse is so great that they are ashamed to speake of .

The Rochellers are fearefull that the King will lay siedge to the Towne , since hee cannot send them to vs : So as those French that came to assist vs , being in number two hundred and fifty , they are now gone backe to Rochell for their owne defence .

The King hath made Proclamation in Languedocke , that those Protestants that will not go to Masse by the sixteenth day of August , they shall prepare for the Sword ; vpon which cause the Duke de Rohan , for their defence , and his owne hath fifteene thousand men in Armes , and the Protestants flocke daily to him , and to Rochell for their Defence .

The Duke of Sauoy for that the King hath not performed with him concerning the marriage of his Sister , is ioyned with the Count de So sons , a great man of France , who for some priuate discontent was of the late Conspiracie against the King , who fledd some to one part , and some to another .

One of them is in England which was vsed to come so much to my Lords .

All of them now that are able to raise any force are comming with these two , against the King with a very great force and power .

The Prince of Conde hath all his Forces ready to defend himselfe against the King , but as yet hee stirres not , so that if please GOD wee had this Fort , wee should haue hope of further good successe to follow this Enterprise , to the French Kings great trouble , considering how much he hath to doe , and with whom .

Captaine Pennington hath taken two Shipps of the French which were bound for Spaine .

Our men hath also taken a Galley from vnder the Fort which was for the Gouernours safety , when hee could hold out no longer ; there was no men in her , by reason it lay neere the Shore , they ranne away other Boates and Barques in abundance .

Wee haue taken those that venture to passe by vs , and many wee haue suncke with men in them , some we haue fired vnder the Fort , so that now our Sea men haue nothing to doe , because the French dare not venter to come thither .

The ninth of August 7. Souldiers ranne from them to vs , and doe protest that they haue killed many of their Horses for food , so that now there is not aboue twelue in all , which are stollen out into the little Fort , who were afterwards encountered by Sir William Connigham Captaine of the Horse , with as many on foote , who were going out for forrage for their Horses , but as they comming home , Sir William mett with them , and slew and drowned thirteene of them , and fiue he tooke Prisoners , the rest escaped very hardly .

Such is the Cowardise of these that are left , that they haue suffered themselues to be round Entrenched , and not once to make any Sally vpon vs .

The reason is , because ( I thinke ) my Lord will keepe no quarter with them , because of their trecherous plott against his Person , and they being fearefull , will rather starue then fight , now the best of them is gone , the French Nobility haue had such ill successe this many yeares .

They are forst to set vp Sheets in many places of the Fort to catch Raine water to drinke , wee haue had much raine which hath beene a great helpe to them .

The ninth of August here was a man hanged against the Fort , who had attempted with many others ( women and children ) to carry Victualls to their husbands , and fathers , and friends into the Port , contrary to a Proclamation there to tending .

For which attempt on the cleuenth day following , all the Wiues , Children , and Families of those men which were in the Fort , were turned out of the Towne into the Fort , to helpe to eat that little Prouision that they haue left ; but had you heard the cry that was made amongst them it would haue greened the hardest heart liuing : for their Husbands were forced to shoot against their Wiues , and Fathers against their Children , and not to suffer them to come in : but the night being very wett , at last they tooke them in with an ill will .

The same Proclamation likewise shall bee put in execution through the whole Isle , the sooner it is done , the sooner wee shall haue done with them .

Wee are sending twenty S●yle for more Victualls , lest we want , it must keepe the Souldiers all this Winter .

We haue expected euer since wee came fiue thousand men out of Ireland , and three out of England , but wee heare no newes of them at all .