: 287 177: 307 : 222 : 182 : 273: 36: 10:33:20: any thing 53: 73: 313: 75: 298 : 232 : thinking of 92: 285: else before I haue 74: 44: 4: 54: 45: 76: 105: 134: 46:77: 177: 157 relieu 133 : 78 : 313 : 312 : 177: 212: deale 376: 203:79:298:313: 283: 17: 84: 83: 325: is so weake (105: 182 : 226 : 70 : 80: 143: 497: 375: & scarce horse 93: 81: 55: 112 : 53: 45 : 82: 3500: 174: 73 :) as I shall vn 95 177 74: 54: 14: 11: 4: 6: 73: 292 willingly hazard 273: 33: 465 23: 60: 57: Oxon before Lo. Goring1 or Garrarde : 436: 105: 134: 382 : 234: 75: 7:12: 34: 33: 44 105 76 184: 31: 45: 21: 273: 221: except such 13: 32: 77: 10: 50: 53: 40: 4:61: 70:46: necessity that 78:32:57:1: 44: 54: 55: 45: 71: 85 : 283 : Oxon wilbe lost if not 436 305: 105: 79: 4: 42 : 53 : 72 : 183 : 226 : 70: 78 reliued 106: 267: 11: 123: 302: 134:97: 313 5: 43: 63: 44: 80: 18: 86: 81: 243: 54: 45: 33: 62: 11: 70: 185 : 82: 291: 46:83: 1 Goring at this time was engaged in the siege of Taunton, and had been ordered, as Bulstrode asserts, by letters from the King, to quit that place and join his Majesty, who was afraid, shortly before the battle of Naseby, that the enemy might prove too powerful for him. Bulstrode says that he wrote the General's reply, in which Charles was urged to act upon the defensive until Taunton should be taken; but he hints some strong suspicions of Goring being actuated by sinister views. The whole passage is curious. See Bulstrode's Memoirs, p. 124. Edit. 1721. 448: 55: 77: 286: 178: 105: 106: 78 : 2 : 14: 13: 54: 182: 232: 90: unnecessary 47: 44: 40: 48 6:45: 304: 157: 226: 71: 79: 448 : 134: stinting 281: 19: 53: 46: 5 : 57: 54: 74: 93: 75 : 55: 70: 24: 30: 71:182 : euery one (117: 233: 512: Yorke not ed to small 226: 72: except 133) 273: 73: 10 : 74 : 53 : 17 : 11: 4:44: 77: 244: 47: 40: 33: 70: 185 : 78 : day 233: 221: 12: 71: 45: 79: 129 : 86. : 80: 123: 93:118:45: 226 : 72 : 81: hasten 221 : 273 : 313: 298: 232: 294: 74: 60: 44: 33: 84: 74: absolute necessity for 30: 46: 3: 45: 53: 55: 23: 70: 85: 83: 73: 134: 293: 235 : 281 : 137 : 233: 75: 10: 76: 1: Christian noe tyme 14: 33: 23: 53: 70: 24 : 11:30: 77: 226: 498 : be lost for yor succour shall 105: 78: 5:40: 54:72: 134: 314: 488: 78: how soone it may be 16: 41: 36: 266: 235 : 45:79: 178: 209:105: 121 298 92 probability 233: 226 : 71 : 73 : 16: 12: 56: 13:34 : 20 : 182 : 199: 77: mad men; which 177: shall 55: 72 10 86: 94 : Harboro 74: 15 11:34:50:43:35: 39: (299: 178: 17: 84: 216: 41: 38 : 55: 222 :) 262 : 498 : 273 : 75: 8: 12: 281: 34: 293: straglers 93: 273: 219: to supply you for this service provision 448 273: 486 : 313 : 134: 90; 282: 318 : & then march faster or wee shall 222: 76: 64: 11: 53: 70: 44: 33: 234: slower 77: 54: 5: 42: 307: according to intelligence. So I rest Your most asseured frend, Indorsed, 4o Junij 1645, "the K to me." CHARLES R. The decyphering is in the hand-writing of Sir Edward The King to Sir Edward Nicholas. Nicholas, I have receaued so many letters from you, that I beliue none of them ar miscaried,' & this morning one from you of the 7. & wth it one of the same date from all my Comissioners except Southampton and Dorset by wch I perceaue they were not so much stressed by the siege as the rest: but the cheefe end of this is, by you to send this inclosed to 454: tell his 394: that I have receaued 165 of the 16 of May but would not stay this messenger untill it was desyfered: I will say no more now, but if we peripatetiques get no more mischances then you Oxfordians' ar lyke The fact is, however, that Charles's general correspond ence was, at this time, much interrupted; for the letter of Goring, already alluded to, was intercepted by Fairfax, and it was this which induced the parliamentary commanders to bring the King to action at Naseby, before he could be joined by the army from the West. 2 A letter written by Charles, on this day, to the Queen, was intercepted by the Parliament. In it he assured her that the rebels had been forced to raise the siege of Oxford, in consequence of his march after the taking of Leicester; and that quarrels were then very frequent between Fairfax's and Cromwell's soldiers. He also observed that his affairs never were in so hopeful and so fair a way; adding, that all he wished for, in case of ultimate success, was the undisturbed enjoyment of her society. merry winter. So I rest to haue this somer, we may all expect probably a Your most asseured frend, As I thanke you for aduerticing me, so I much wonder 94: 281: 204: 93: 221 : 53 : 55: 10: 7: 44 73 299: 281: 406 : 54: 74:50:33:40:60: : 8:14:70: 75: 221: for you know 283: 281: 351: Councell was neuer wont 76: 36: 11; 53: 77 : 30: 129: 78: 37: 40: 31; 71:79:273: 80: 20:45:51:12:23: 72: 46: upon any matter: 226: 70: 81: 244: 249: 133: 273: 281 17: 82:106: ye398: & certainely 178:307: a strange thing if my 285: 183: 83: 18: 84: 222: 182: 325 (espetially I being 94: 281: 173: 233 : 281: 19 : and) should be gouerned 106: 73: 17:85:74: 53: 24: 70: 122: 351 94: 436: the 303: it is scarce fitt for my selfe 94: 267: 11: 124 : 71 : 12 : 31:1: 45: to give any 47: 43: 53: 26: 70: 25: 63: 57: 439: & in deed it added to my 39: 42: 30: 20: 44: 33: 283 : Vulpone 109: 226: 72: 73: 14: 23: 30:21:45: this 34: 282: as the Gouernor tould me he did such an indiscreete other 181: 124 : 2 : 35 : 25: 71: 46: 74: 17: 41: motion 72: 185 but few dayes agoe: howeuer I desyre you to take the best care you may that 281: 199: 233 : 282 : 105 : 226 : 71 : 77 : 121: with heerafter; of wch I will say no more, hauing freely & fully spoken of it to 406: 16: 13: 70: 72: 43: 32: to whom I refer you, & rest Your most asseured frend, CHARLES R. The Gouernor hathe earnestly desyred me to thank Vulpone and your selfe for the great assistance ye haue giuen him in my absence, wch I hartely doe, desyring you to continew so; for I fynde he will haue need of all helpes. R: 14° Junii. 1645. The King to me concerning the l'tres sent his Matie by the Councell when he was at Daintree. The King to Sir Edward Nicholas. LUBNAM,' 13 June 1645. Nicholas, this is first to send this inclosed by your meanes to 70: 454: 240: then to lett you know you ar like to heare of me tomorrow.2 I marche In Leicestershire. This Letter, as noted by Nicholas, was written on the very day before the battle of Naseby. 2 The "inclosed" Letter is not preserved; but, on a comparison of dates and facts, it appears to have contained the news of the capture of Leicester. It was at midnight, after the letter in the text was written, that a Council was held in the King's tent, and a resolution taken to give battle; but it |