It will probably follow from this, that this place will surrender to them. Herewith humbly commending myself to your High Mightinesses, I shall conclude and pray God, High and Mighty Lords, that he may preserve and protect Fatherland. Your High Mightiness' London, the 17"' September, 1642. most humble servant. Received 27"' September, 1642. (Signed) Alb. Joachimi. 1642.

P. S. News arrived, after this was written, that Portsmouth has surrendered to the Parliament. The conditions have not been yet received. Dated as above.

Mr. Joachimi to the States General.

[ From the Original in the Royal Archives at the Hague ; File, Engdand. ]

High and Mighty Lords!

My Lords Your High Mightinesses could have seen from my last, of the ix. instant, what has been said here of tlie rencontre which occurred on the previous Saturday, near Worcester, between the Cavaliers under Prince Robert and some Companies of the Parliamentarians. Your High Mightinesses will receive herewith the information communicated thereby to the King, and a book containing an agreement between the nobility and gentry of Yorkshire, mutually pledging themselves to remain neuter and to abstain, in the aforesaid County, from the proceedings and quarters of both sides. Against this the Parliament hath published a declaration, which is attached to the aforesaid agreement, commencing "fourteen articles of peace." Private letters have also been received from Lancaster stating that six standards have been presented to the King which were taken, in the rencontre above mentioned, from the Parliamentarians and it is reported that some thousands of the latter have been slain. A Parliamentman of quality told me, on Saturday last, that the Earl of Essex was with the army within twelve miles of Shrewsbury ; that place has been fortified by the King, who keeps his main force there. It is believed that My Lord Strange, now Earl of Derby,^ by the