Also see:
The Siege of Portsmouth August to September 1642.
August 19.1642
The Copy of the Letter from Portsmouth
Sir, I sent you a letter by the foot-post which I hope came to
your hands on last Saturday, wherein was contained all or most
part of Portsmouth news, and now I herein send you all
or most of what has happened since thereabouts: The Colonel having
caused the Bridge called Portsbridge 3 miles from Portsmouth
entring into the Isle of Portsea, (in which Portsmouth
stands) to be made secure with a frame of timber work very
strong, to hinder all from passing that way but he whom he pleased,
and having built a little Fort or Bulwork of earth a little within
that Bridge, and planted four pieces of Ordnance there to defend
the Bridge, and having placed 10 or 12 horsemen there to watch
there day and night, did on Wednesday last carry back to Portsmouth
3 of his Ordnance, and the fourth also about a mile, but the wheels
broke, so that he was fain to leave that piece in the highway,
all that he did fear the the Troopers which came from London,
would by force or some strategem get them away, and then make
use of them to offend the Colonel: yet when the pieces were gone
he still kept horsemen day and night at the Fort, and the timber
work upon the Bridge, to secure it as formerly, and all Wednesday
Thursday & Friday last, he caused divers hundreds of cattell,
sheep, and swyne in the fruitfull Isle of Portsea to be
to be brought into Portsmouth there , whether they were
fat or lean, to be all killed and salted up, and caused every
house in that Isle to be searched and all manner of provisions
to be taken away from the pwners, as corn, meal, flower, beefe,
bacon, bread, butter , cheese, eggs, and all their poultry and
ducks, not leaving half loaves of bread, nor pieces of bread,
nor pieces of cheese, and drove away all the cattle what soever,
to the great terrour of all the people, especially women and children,
causing poor and rich to come away, and beg about for bread to
keep them alive, and he made such men as he could find, help to
drive their own cattell and carry their own provisions into Portsmouth,
and then kept many of them by force, but the Kings Ships as
soone as they heard of the cruel intentions, landed some men at
the East side of the Island, and two pieces of Ordnance, and thereby
kept off the horsemen, whilst the ship-men got over many women
and children into Hayling Island and about 100 cattell
and about 200 sheep, they got ropes over the cattels heads and
made them swim over after the boats: Upon Friday last in the afternoon,
I went purposely to Portsdown to see and heare what I could,
at which place all this was credibly told me, and I then went
as neer the Fort as I durst, which was dangerous to be fetched
in by the horsemen that were guarding it, in regard all the Troopers
were then in Havant Town & in Southwick, 4 miles
distant where they lay, and came not abroad all that afternoon,
by reason of the extraordinary rain which happened that afternoon:
if the weather had been fair, as I was told in the presence of
the Councell of war at Southwick, the Troopers had
attempted to have taken the Fort that afternoon, and then I had
seen it: but in the night time, that night some Troopers went
down to the Fort , and were troubled to get down the timer-work,
it being so strong, and whilst they were getting it down the horsemen
rode all away from the Fort, and the Troopers afetr them, but
could takwe but one of the men, and two horses, so as now the
Troopers have the Fort, and have set there four pices of Ordnance,
and this blocked up that passage, so as the Colonell and his company
are all within the walls of Portsmouth as it were in a
pound, not daring to encounter the Troopers; Although they last
Saturday went almost to the Town Gates, to try if any dared to
come forth to them, the Colonell sent out two pieces of Ordnance
charged with musquet bullets, and two gunners to guard the piece
with the broken whell, that the Troopers might not get it away:
But on Saturday in the afternoon a valiant Trooper alone adventured
to go and neer them, and cunningly got on the backside of the
men, who could not suddenly turn about both or one piece, so as
the Trooper shot off his Carbine at one of them with a brace of
bullets, and spoiled his running away, for he fell down dead,
I believe that this day they will attempt to take a Castle near
Portsmouth called Southsea Castle, half a mile from
Portsmouth, and make no question of taking it, and then
to make use of it to shoot into Portsmouth. Master Lukener,
Master Bellingham, Christopher Bird, and others of the
County of Suffolk, I believe wish they were at Chichester
again, every night some of of Portsmouth souldiers and
gunners get away down the walls and come to the Troopers, utterly
disliking the Colonells cause and usage of the Inhabitants of
Portsea Island, by taking away their cattell and provisions,
&c. And yet scorn to be thought cowards, for they offer to
go in the forefront, and in most danger with the Troopers in any
service whatsoever. Since Chichester men came to Portsmouth
there hath been harder usage of people by the Colonell and his
company than before, and some think by their or some of their
advices, a young woman in Portsmouth being great with child,
who got leave to come last Friday out of Portsmouth, and
whom I met by the way, reports; that one of the Chichester
men, but not Mr. Recorder Lukener, nor Mr. Bellingham,
said to her that he would not have her go, because if the Town
should be so put to it, as to want victuals, then that in her
belly would eat as sweet as a young sucking pig by which we may
guesse that they are inclinable to shew as much mercie as the
Rebells in Ireland, but I hope that God will prevent all
their wicked purposes. The Troopers I believe resolve to banish
all fear of danger, and within fewer days, though with losse of
men, to adventure to scale the Walls, and take the Town, and prevent
the doing of any more mischief by them in the Town to the poor
Inhabitants or any others: there is no great strength in the Town
of men, & but 80 or 90 horses, there being about 240 horses,
Troopers, and 500 foot, by the Parliamenst directions; but the
Town is extraordinarily well provided with powder, and shot, and
dyet, by reason of the fetching in of so much from the Inhabitants,
there was a horse and a man taken on Saturday last about five
of the clock at Havant, going to Portsmouth, with
a suit of cloaths, for one Mr.Bellingham in Portsmouth,
but not Bellingham of Chichester, yet his kinsman,
in which cloaths, between the outside and inside were sowed up
16 Letters, and about that time our Troopers took a man, and a
horse, and severall Letters going out of Portsmouth from
the Lord Wentworth there, and divers other Letters are
taken, so as the bottome of their plots I hope discovered: This
morning one of the Isle of Wight was with me, and told
me, All of their people there stand right for the King and Parliament,
except the Captains of their Castles and some of the Gentry; one
Sir Robert Dillington there would have sent so much corn
to Portsmouth but was prevented by Master Buckley
a Justice of peace there, who stands very right for the King and
Parliament; there is in the Island much fear of the Captains of
the Castles, whether they will prove right or not; they are such
men as Col: IgoringI is; the peolple are in great fear of them,
and wish that the Earl of Pembroke were come, and that
they might Muster, &tc.
15 August: 1642
Ordere that this letter shall be forthwith Printed and published.
H.Elsynge, Cler. Parl. D. Com.