136 Records of the Rising im the West, A.D. 1655. 
other parts. By the 17th they reached Wincanton and _ received 
intelligence of the rout of their opponents. Thence Boteler returned 
to Wilts. 
His Highness had received intelligence of what had happened at 
Salisbury with more than ordinary speed, and gave orders, as was 
his wont, to seize all the horses in the public stables in London and 
Westminster.! The news reached him the very day of the Rising, 
for we find the following orders to General Disbrowe, his brother- 
in-law, which mention the seizure of the Judges as a thing of the 
past. They are dated March 12th. 
The Protector’s instructions to General Disbrowe, in Secretary Thurloe’s 
handwriting.* 
‘¢ Whereas there is an insurrection in the west by the Cavaliers who have 
armed themselves, and seized upon the judges of assize at Salisbury, and proceed 
on to commit other violences and outrages upon the people; you are therefore 
to repair with your regiment into the west, and to take into your charge and 
conduct the troops of Colonel Berry, now in the west, the two troops of Colonel 
Twisleton’s, whom we have ordered from Chichester to join with you, and also 
all other forces both horse and foot in the western Countries. And you shall 
use your best endeayoures to prosecute the said Cavaliers in whatever parts of 
the nation they shall go; and to suppress them; and also to put the said 
counties into the best posture of defence you can ; for which purpose Commissions 
are herewith delivered unto you; and all commanders and officers of the said 
forces are hereby required to observe such orders, as you shall give them, and to 
obey your commands according to the discipline of war. And all justices of the 
peace, mayors, bailiffs and all other officers and ministers, are required to be 
aiding and assisting to you; and are hereby required to fill up every troop in 
your regiment; to a hundred in each troop; and you shall give the same orders 
to all other the troops aforesaid ; and you are also to seize and secure all persons 
which you shall judge dangerous to the peace of the nation, and search their 
houses for arms, and to seize their horses for the use of the state, Given at 
Whitehall the 12th of March 1654 (5). 
To our right trusty and right well beloved 
Counsellor General Disbrowe, Major General 
of the West. 
Disbrowe made all speed to win the honour of subduing the 
Western Cavaliers, and left London with his forces early on Tuesday. 
On the following day he wrote to the Protector? 
1 Weekly Intelligencer, March 20th, 1654 (5), 
*3 Th. 221. 
Ibid, 247. 
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