Captain Samuel Bridger, being imployed by his Excellency the Lord General, and
Lieut. General Cromwell, to bring up the Newes of taking the Libertines, and to
make a certain Relation thereof to the House, the 15 of May instant, delivered a Letter
from his Excellency to the Speaker of the House of Commons, which Letter was on
the next morning, being the 16. day, read in the House, and Captain Bridger fetched
into the House by the Serjeant at Armes, and Commanded to declare the certain Relation
of passages, which was as falloweth, viz.
May it please this Honorable House,
I was imployed the last Lords day by his Excellency and Lieut. Gen. (the Head
Quarters being then at Andover,) to go to those which you call Levellers, or Libertines,
to communicate his Excellencies Declaration to them, and finding them at
a Randezvouze at Sunwell in Berke, had the consent of Cornet Den, and some other
Officers the Libertines had made, and of about 12 of their Adjutators, to make
known the said Declaration; but would not give leave to have it published in the
head of the Regiment. And the said Declaration being read before Cornet Den.
the aforesaid Officers and Adjutators, and many others of the Souldiers that came
to heare the same, some cryed out, burn it, others, that they would not believe Fair-fax,
Cromwell, or the Parliament; for they had deluded them long enough already,
and that they would make their own termes, and seeing their Resolutions to be so
absurd, and that reason would not prevaile with them, I thought, I should do
my Lord Gen. and the Common-wealth good service. in carrying a little with them
to observe their motions: And the Libertines marching towards Newbridge in
Berke, about 3. miles before they came to the Bridge, they perceived some Scouts,
which gave them an Alarum, but many of them hoped the said Scouts, were some of
Tho[unr]psons party, and cryed out, Thompson was come with 500. horse, to joyn with
them; but the said Scouts proved to be a party of Col. Reynolds, and Major Abbots
sent out by his Excellency, to secure New-bridge, And so soon as the Libertines perceived
it was Col. Reynolds and Major Abbots, and that they had secured the Bridge,
many of them cryed out, Fairfax and Cromwell had betrayed them, and were very
earnest to force the Bridge; but others being more moderate, desired to speak with
Col. Reynolds, or some of the Officers that secured the Bridge, upon which Major
Abbot was sent to the Speaker with them, and the Levellers Officers riding with
Major Abbot till they came near the Bridge, where I saw Col. Reynolds, and being
[unr]uch troubled that I could not have opportunity to speak to him, fearing he would
have gave the Levellers leave to have passed the Bridge. I took an occasion to salute
him, and imbrasing him in my Armes, I whispered him in the year, and told him, if
he did not maintain the Bridge, we were utterly undon, and if he would maintain
it, I would get to my Lord Gen. and Lieut. Gen. and acquaint them with it, upon
which Col. Reynolds told me, he would keep it with his life, and went to his Souldiers,
and told them, he had a Command from his Excellency to maintain that Bridge,
and asked them if they would live and dye with him, and his Souldiers cryed all, and
gave a great shout which put the Libertines in a terrible fear, crying out that Crumwell
would be on the backs of them, and presently began to send out Scouts towards
Abbington, and I seeing no other opportunity to go from them, I went out with
their Scouts, and finding and opportunity, set spurrs to my Horse, and rid from them
towards Blewberry Hills, where I met the Lord Gen. And Lieut. Gen. A body of