182 A Contribution to the History of Malmesbury, fyc. 



event appears well from the following' letter, preserved in the 

 Record Office 1 : — 



" To the Honor ble William Lenthall Esquier Speaker to the honno Bie house of 

 ye Commons these present 



to the Honno tle House 

 "Right Honno ble : 



" Being hear Intrusted by the noble Goverao r of Gloueest r not oneMe to receave 

 in the contributions for the maintenance of this garrison but allsoe to give him 

 Intelligence of all occurrences that may Annie way Accrew unto the gennera 11 

 good. The w h uppon all occasions I have faithfullie done. And now lately 

 haveing sent out by vertue of his commission one Capt Sallmon to ffetch in som 

 money in Chippenham hundred w thin this Com c of Willtshire ; whoe by God's 

 providence seazed uppon M r . Hayes M r . Usher to herr Ma tie and found w th him 

 manie letters from his Ma tte the Earle off Digby and diverse others off great 

 Concernment whom the s d . Capt Sallmon brought into this garrison on thursday 

 last in the Afternoone and delivered up to Collonell Devereux governour hear by 

 Collonell Massey's appoyntment : with all the s d . letters, whoe eoppied out the 

 principall and sent the originalls to my Lord Generall. all w ch was donne without 

 giveing the least notice thereof to the govemo r of Gloucest r . wch. when I un- 

 derstood w th other particular passages in the caryedge of this mayn businesse of 

 consequence I gave the Governour of Gloucesfr notice theareof w th all possible 

 speed I could. Whoe I make noe question but will w th all expedition give an 

 Accompt thereof to this honno rble Assemblie ; And now this p r sent Instant dining 

 w th the Governo r Devereux hear hee finding by my poore Counsell to further him 

 in the genne r11 good. Revealed unto mee the Coppie of the kinges p r ticular letter 

 written to the Queene whearein is more expressed to discover their great plott 

 against our nation than all the rest, being but in figures. Whereupon I demanded 

 Iffe he had sent Coppics of all to the Parliam 1 as well as to his Excellency, whoe 

 tould me hee had not. therefore in consideration of the p r sent necessitie as allsoe 

 in regard the letters though sent by his Excellencie for London might be surprised! 

 I gave him Counsell to send Coppies of the said letters to this honno rbIe Assemblie. 

 notwithstanding all former delay whoe takeing my advice I w th all speed that 

 might bee assisted him in writing these copies for the more secure and speedie 

 Information of this honno rble Assemblie in the p r mises to w eb end I have sent upp 

 my owne servant this bearer for the more ffaythf ull & speedie deliverie, humblie 

 beseeching Allmightie God to give you the spirit of wisdome to discerne not onlie 

 these but all the blloudie plotts of the enemies of God's church for the utter 

 subversion of Antichrist 



" Your honno" humble & faithfull 

 " servant till death 

 " Mallmesburye the 6 of Julie "An* Cabteight 



A° 1644" 



Leaving Malmesbury in such careful hands, I mast with regret 

 close this paper. 



1 " State Papers, Domestic, 1644." There appears to be nothing in those of 

 1643 referring to this subject. 



