Where the survivors went

The text below is the final part of the letter sent by Sir Arthur Haselrigge on the 31st October 1650 to the Council of State for Irish and Scottish affairs at Whitehall. The original was published on the 8th November 1650 by order of Parliament.

Written in the 17th century, some parts of the language are different to how English speakers write today. We have provided you with a ‘modern interpretation’ of the letter at the end of the step (PDF in the Downloads section), so if you get stuck, please refer to that.

Gentlemen… Of the Three thousand prisoners that my Officers told into the Cathedral Church at Durham, Three hundred from thence, and Fifty from Newcastle of the Sevenscore left behinde, were delivered to Major Clerk by order from the Councel,… and Officers about Sixty, that are at the Marshals in Newcastle. My Lord General having released the rest of the Officers, and the Councel having given me power to take out what I thought fit, I have granted to several well-affected persons that have Salt-works at Sheels, and want Servants, Forty, and they have engaged to keep them to work at their salt-pans; and I have taken out more about Twelve Weavers, to begin a Trade of Linnen cloth like unto the Scotch-cloth, and about Forty Laborers.