134 Records of the Rising in the West, A.D, 1655. 
assulting them should be worsted, yet, my Lord, I hope your highness will 
easily pardon me, being (seeing?) I shall freely adventure myselfe upon the 
good providence of the Lord, who I know will owne us ; and I am perswaded, 
succeed us in this business. And indeed, my Lord, I cannot with any confidence 
stay here, nor looke the Country in the face, and Jet them alone. I doubt not 
but to give your highness a speedy good account of this matter. I shall be this 
night at Shaftsberry, and then send to your highnesse againe. The Judges I 
have set at liberty here, and they were like men that dreamt to see us so sudainly 
here. I shall take care of their safe passage to London, whether they desire to 
come. Colonel Dove saies that Mack that Lieutenant Heely sent up, is come off 
but as a spye, and desires me to inform so much, | am, my Lord, 
From Salisbury upon my Your highness most dutifull servant 
march towards Shaftsberry, W. BorE.er. 
14 March 9 a clock in the morning. 
If I heare any of our friends coming towards us, I shall delay falling upon 
them, unless I see a very probable opportunity.” 
And so Colonel Boteler went his way westwards and at Shaftes- 
bury fell in with a messenger from Taunton bearing the following 
letter to Mr. Malyn, one of Cromwell’s Secretaries. He opened and 
read it as appears by an endorsement. ‘The letter gives a complete 
picture of a portion of the stage including some of the actors, and 
enables us more nearly to realize the whole affair. 
‘¢ Much Honoured Sir! 
I shall make bold to communicate unto you what hath lately happened 
in these partes—On tuesday last, about 2 o’clock in the morninge Capt. Pike 
post master of Crewkerne gave us an allarm at Ilminster, assureinge us that M. 
G. Wagstaffe, C Penruddock, and neer a thousand more of the late king s party, 
were inbodied at Sarum, where they tooke the judges and did much mischief, 
and where then come to Sherburne; whereupon I hasted to this towne, where I 
mett Col Pine, Col Ceely, Sir Thomas Wroth, C Gorges, Major Sampson, C 
Barker and divers Gentlemen more, with a considerable Company of such as were 
formerly of the Militia; and indeed, for ought I could discerne, they came with 
very cheerfull resolutions to engage their all against this upstart crew, and had 
the Lord seen it good our strength in reason had been more than sufficient to 
have accomplisht their utter downfall; but I had not been long here, before 
I saw my hopes of their ruine quite frustrated, which I must very much impute 
to the unhandsome carriage of C Gorges towards Col Pyne and some others, 
refuseinge to joyne with Col Pyne in any thinge relating to this present 
business. C Gorge takeinge upon him the charge of the towne commissioned 
thereunto by the magistrates thereof (as he is pleased to say) whereupon arose this 
great inconvenience; C Ceely with divers officers and soldiers to the number 
of 40 or thereabouts, being resolved to alarum the enemy, who then lay at Chard 
(or at least more perfectly to learne their number and condition) cominge to the 
1 3Th., 237. 
