CO EN WAIL DtJEINa THE CIVIL WAB. 31 



"the number of 1200, a great strength to defend his House there. 

 "And sixtly the Eeformado Captaines, being a company of younger 

 " Brothers, not having meanes to raise men, are quartered in the 

 " out parishes, and feedeth upon the spoile of the Country." — Against 

 these, the Parliament Forces are stated to be 2000 Foot and 500 

 Horse in garrison about Plymouth, Plimpton, and Stoke, under the 

 command of "that worthy gentleman Sir George Chudleigh, Knight 

 ** and Baronet, and Governour of Plymouth, Mountwise, and other 

 " Castles thereabouts. Secondly, to hinder the Cornish passage from 

 *' Salt-ash into Devon, there quarterethBarronetNorcDt, his Regiment 

 " consisting of about 1 200, at a place neere Euberdown." It appears, 

 however, from this " True Relation," that the Cornish contrived 

 daily to break the line, and row across the river, and take horses, 

 sheep, and oxen. Some were occasionally taken, and among them, 

 "master Blight," the "chiefe" among "the theeves," for whom Sir 

 Shilston Colemady was offered in exchange, but refused, as Blight had 

 been the first and chief agent in preparing the Cornish Petition to 

 His Majesty, " a petition very full of mallice and wickednesse." 

 However, he contrived to escape, no doubt with some connivance; 

 clad in soldier's apparel, and his long hair cut off, he passed through 



Plymouth unnoticed. A story is told concerning a Captain of 



Sir Bevil Greenvil's regiment, who seems not to have been sufficiently 

 on the alert. According to the narrative, he went with his company 

 to plunder, at a farmer's house, where they were treated with much 

 respect and (enforced?) hospitality, so that Captain and soldiers got 

 drunk together. In the midst of their jollity, a company of the 

 Parliament Train Bands came on them unawares, and took them all 

 prisoners without the loss of a man on either side, " but a Lieutenant's 

 hand cut, which we much/lament." The " Relation " finishes by 

 stating that the Trevanians for certain would leave their commands, 

 "but they have so ingaged themselves in this unnaturall war, and 

 "being the two first ring-leaders that raised the rebellion in Corn- 

 " wall. Sir Ralph Hopton by his policy hath so bewitched their good 

 " intentions, that they know not where to turn, lie or go in rest, 

 " wishing that the third part of their estates would reconcile them 

 " to the Parliament." 



The following is "A List of His Majesties Commanders in chiefe, 

 " also the names of the Colonels, Lieutenant Colonels, Serjeant-Majors, 

 "and Captains of his Majesties Forces in Cornwall." It contains 

 the names of members of many of the leading families in the County. 



