Loving SIR ,

I Hope you have received the Last I writ of the 15th Instant , wherein I certified you that the Army was twentie miles into Cornwall , where the King with his own Army , Prince Maurices , Hoptons , and Greenvils had laine about a weeke , within halfe a mile of us . Since which time the Enemy hath marched downe upon us , and wee have been in Skirmish a weeke to morrow morning ; in which time , blessed be God , wee have lost none of note , and but very few private Souldiers . What the Enemy hath lost I know not . The reason the Battle hath continued so long , and is like to continue much longer , is in regard both Armies are within inclosures : wee are come very neare one of the other : many of our great Pieces and theirs are within Musket-shot of each other : The Enemy doth confidently assure themselves of Victory , using many opprobrious speeches to us ; for wee have much talke with them . The first morning they fell opon us , I was sent out 〈◇〉 a partie of men to encounter them ; wee had very hot service all day , and were within ten yards one of another ; sometimes wee argue together , som times wee scoulded together like the Fish-women in Cheap-side , and sometimes wee fought very hot ; wee were so neare , that sometimes the Kings men would leape over the hedge into the midst of us , taking us for their owne men : They use all the power , violence , and treachery they can , to destroy and cut us off . But in God in whom our strength doth lie , and on whom the eyes of our farewell are fixed for succour and reliefe , hath hitherto helped us , and owned his owne Cause , and given us and the whole Kingdome new experience of his love and goodnesse to us , in preventing the treacherous designe of our Enemies : yesterday the Enemy were readie all to fall upon us at once , and that they might more surely prevaile against us , had procured one whom yet wee have not found out , to blow up our Traine , and had so farre effected it , that the wild-fire and lighted Matches were put into some Waggons ; one Match ( by the providence of God ) contrary to the nature of Match , went out of it selfe , and another Match was found burning in a tynne Box , ready to give fire to the wild-fire . I hope the deliverance from this second Gunpowder-Plot , will never be forgotten by us : The Lord is good to us in providing for us in so barren a place . Wee were above a fortnight without Beere , but now wee have some sometimes from the Lord of Warwick , as also Bisket , Butter and Cheese , so that , blessed be God , wee are in no great want . Wee daily expect Collonell Middleton to come to us with reliefe . Wee question not but the Lord will either sustaine and strengthen us , or else will supply us with reliefe in due season .

August 26th .

Sabbathi 25 Aug. 1644. Loving Brother my best respect presented .

WEE lie now at Leatthell in the middle of Cornwall , where wee have endured much hardship for want of bread , yet find provision beyond expression , blessed be God . When wee entred Cornwall at Lanceston , where wee tooke sixtie barrells of Powder , besides great store of Ammunition , and twelve Pieces of Ordnance taken at Salt-Ash : and likewise two hundred Prisoners : The 22 of this moneth we fought from morning to night , and thorow Gods mercy wee had but little losse ; but divers of the Enemy . The 25 of this moneth being Sabbath day , wee have had a second Powder-Plot , which had not God wonderfully prevented , it might have proved of as dangerous consequence as the first : And thus it was ; On Sabbath day 25th of the said moneth , our whole Traine was intended by the Enemy to be blowne up : the Enemy plotting by some members in our Army , caused two great baggs of wild-fire to be made , which was put into a Waggon , and two ends of Matches being tyed to the mouth 's of both the bags , a Bandeleire being fasten'd to one of them , the bottome of it being broken out , and the end of the Match within the Bandeleire , the Regiment of Foote standing about the Artillery , the Match burning , and the Enemy round about the Towne , expecting execution , that they might be ready to fall on , to cut the throats of our Forces : Now stand still , and see the salvation of God : The first Match burned cleane out to the Powder , and there dyes , doing no execution at all : The second Match was burned within two inches of the Powder , where the Controwler going to deliver out some Powder to the Regiments , found these things thus done , yet the actor in this bloudy intended Massacre is not found out ; Digitus Dei ; to the Lord , the discoverer of secrets , be all the glory .