THE French Fleet having been on our Coast for several Days past , sometimes Coasting about , other time at Anchor at Torbay , has had this good effect , as to put us in a very good posture of Defence . On Saturday Morning , about Day-break , their whole Fleet , being with their Gallies about one hundred and twenty Sail , weighed Anchor , and stood in for a small Fishery Village , called Tingmouth . About 5 a Clock the Galleys drew very near the Shoar of the said place , their Men of War at the same time play'd their Cannon on the Shoar , for the space of about an Hour , or an Hour and half ; which scared the poor Inhabitants from their Cottages , they first taking with them what of any value , so short a warning and great fright would permit them : The Inhabitants being Fled , the Invaders immediately Landed their Men in their Longboats , to the number of one thousand Foot ; who being no sooner come on Shoar , but they presently set the Town on Fire ; ( which was soon done , there being never a House in the place but was thatched , except the Parsons , which was covered with Cornish-Slate ; ) they 〈…〉 two or three Fisher-Boats 〈◇〉 River , and the Beacon , and Plunder'd some other stragling Houses .

Upon the News of this Villainous Attempt ; and bold Invasion , the Militia of the Country , Horse and Foot , immediately made a Body , and marched after the Invaders ▪ shewing a great deal of Zeal and Resolution to Serve Their Majesties and Country upon this extraordinary occasion , the Nobility and Gentry of the Country ancing at the Head of them , with the Hereditary Courage and Bravery , which has always run in the Blood of the Gentlemen of this County , who for several Ages have bred Men Famous for their several Valorous Exploits , both by Sea and Land , in Defence of their Country , such as Sir Fran . Drake , Sir . Hugh Gibert , General Monk , Duke of Albemarle , Sir Walter Rawleigh , Sir R. Greenvil , Lord Andley ; with many others .

The Invadours , having Intelligence by their Scouts of the Posture of our Forces , and that we were moving toward them , they immediately prepared for to return to their Ships , and to make good their Retreat ; they Landed Seaven or Eight small Peices of Can ●use by the Shoar side , to Play 〈◇〉 our Horse in case we came too quick upon them , we do not hear they gave out and Declarations , or made any Pretentions for the late King James , or that one Soul in the whole Country , even the worst Roman Catholick , pretended to come into them , but on the contrary several adjacent Ro●… man Catholick Gentlemen , hea●… ing of the Villany of the Invad●s on their Native Country , ha●… Voluntary Surrendred themselve●… and offered all the security imaginable for their Peaceable and good Behaviour .

Tingmouth , the Place where these Villains Landed , consisted of not above Forty Five small Cottages , most belonging to Poor Fisher-Men , who got a poor Livelyhood there , it lying just upon the Sea ; it 's 17 Miles from the City of Exon , in the mid way , between the River Exon and T there being no considerable Town between that and Exon .

In the latter part of the Reign of King Henry the Fourth ; the French Landed on these Coasts , near the Town of Plymouth , and Burnt about Sixty Houses near that Part of the Town now called Britain side , and then were beaten to their Ships again by the Inhabitants of the Country , Queen Elizabeth , of Famous Memory , was pleased to say of the Gentry of this County , that they were all Born Courtiers and Souldiers , with a becoming Confidence , and Natural Valour .

The City of Exon was highly commended for it 's Loyalty , when Besieged by Perkin Warbeck , in the Reign of Henry 7th . and by the Western Rebels in the Reign of Edward 6th . by the Parliament Forces in Charles 1st . their Valour was invincible in the two First , and their Loyalty unstained in the Last .