London witnesse Doctor Featley Doctor Hayward Doctor Holdsworth Mr. Shute Mr. Squire Mr. Griffith and many others for so I am informed these men are because they preach that which their conscience tells them is the known truth And who are countenanced but ignorant and seditious Teachers who like the Masse-Priests of old call mightily on the people for their plate aâ—d mony for their Patrons and themselves who besides their daily Pulpit-treasons vent such other Divinity as if Luther were living he would blush to call them Protestants And if this be not cruelty injustice and tyranny let God and posterity judge Now for any loosenesse or incivility in our souldiers more then what is incident and common to great Armies I wish they would not mention it lest some impartiall Readers who know their courses understand it to be meant by some of their great Reformers who are that way as notoriously guilty as any And for my self I appeal to the consciences of those Lords and Gentlemen who are my daily witnesses and to those people mheresoever our Army hath been what they know or have observed in my carriage which might not become one of my quality and the son of a King And whereas they slander us for Popish Cavaliers I wish there were no more Papists in their Army then we have in ours but to me t is no wonder with what face they can slander us for men disaffected to the Protestant Religion when as their grand Reformers refuse to come to Church For his sacred Majesty I have been a frequent witnesse in England and all the world knows he ever shewed himself otherwise and therefore hold it to be my part and duty to tell them that His Majesty is the most faithfull and best defender of the Protestant Religion of any Christian Prince in Europe and is so accounted by all the Princes in Christendome And what a gracious supporter hath he been in particular to the queen of Bohemiah my verteous Royall mother and to the Prince Elector my Royall brother no man can be ignorant of if therefore in common gratitude I do my utmost in defence of his Majesty and that cause whereof he hath hitherto been so great and happy a patron no ingenious man but must thinke it most reasonable And for my self the world knowes how deeply I have smarted and what perils I have undergone for the Protestant cause what stately large promises were offered me would I consent and what a wretched close imprisonment was threatned if I refused to change my Religion whâ—n I was captive to the Emperour of Germany enough to satisfie any man of moderation But if it be not sufficient I would to God all English men were at union amongst themselves then with what alacrity would I venture my life to serve this Kingdom against those cruell Popish Rebels in Ireland for though I will never fight in any unrighteous quarrell yet to defend the King Religion and Laws of a Kingdom against Subjects who are up in Arms against their Lord and Soveraign and such all good wise men know this and that of Ireland to be though the pretence look severall wayes such a cause my conscience tells me is full of piety and justice And if it please God to end my dayes in it I shall think my last breath spent with as much honour and Religion as if I were taken off my knees at my prayers I think there is none that take me for a Coward for sure I fear not the face of any man alive yet I should repute it the greatest victory in the world to see his Majestie enter London in peace without shedding one drop of blood where I dare say God and His Majesty are witnesses I lye not no Citizen should be plundered of one penny or farthing whereby that ancient and famous City would manifestly perceive how desperately it hath been abused by most strange false and bottomlesse untruths for which some body without repentance must be ashamed at the day of Iudgement if they escape a condign legall punishment in this world I therefore conclude with this open profession and I am confident our whole Army will say Amen unto it he that hath any designe against the Paotestant Religion the Laws of England or hopes to enrich himself by pillaging the City of London let him be accursed And so whether peace or war the Lord prosper the work of their hands who stand for God and King Charls RVPERT The Parliaments Vindication in ANSVVER to Prince RVPERTS Declaration Prince Ruperts Declaration IT will seem strange no doubt to see me in print my known disposition being so contrary to this scribling age and sure I had not put my self upon a Declaration if in common prudence I could have done otherwise Answer His Excellence it seems is more mercifull to paper than men he plunders the Kings loving people and spares the Presse for publishing his Declarations and then ascribes it to the goodnesse of his own disposition discovered before his coming hither and which the Common-wealth hath felt and known without any further Declaration since the picture of his mind is truly drawn in his actions and though resembling not new in Phisognomy yet in firing and plundering of Towns and therefore his Decla pend in favour of himself can no way right him in this not sembling but suffering age as it will appear in this following answer and vindication to Prince Ruperts Declaration Dec. But since it hath pleased my L. Wharton to tell the whole City of London openly at Guild-Hall and since to tell it all the world in print that one great cause of their preservation at Edge-hill was the barbarousnesse and inhumanity of Prince Rupert and his Troopers that we spared neither man women nor child and that we aim at pillage and plundering and would come by it by murdering and destroying since such a charge as this comes from such a mouth I hold my self bound in honour to tell that Lord that as much of his Speech as concernes me is no trâ—er then the rest which for the most part is all false Ans It may be answered that my Lord Wharton knew that the great advantage gotten at Edge-hill had many concurrent causes and though God was the most supreme and immediate yet there might be some mediate and adjacent causes since the barbarous inhumanity of Prince Ruperts troopers might give a sharp edge to the swords and courages of our men that had deeply imprinted in their minds the cry and voyce of the common people against them every day bringing in sufficient proofe of their pillaging and plundering of the Country aske the men and they do faithfully report that their beasts are driven away their houses plundered and themselves utterly undone the women affirm the same and therefore it is more safe to ground an argument from a generall then a particular affirmation and to believe as it is that the country hath been most cruelly wronged by Prince
Rupert rather then that Prince R. is innocent of these outrages which have been committed in the country and therefore my Lord Wharton may be vindicated to have spok nothing but truth as become a Noble man and that his Lordship was so far from shunning the meeting with him at Keynton that if he have no modesty he dare tell him to his face that he is a plundering Prince and will with his sword make proof that there is nothing but falshood and forgery in his Declaration published to deceive who cannot be imposed on by his flattering vindication which goes forward thus Nor can I blame his Lordship nor any other faint-hartednesse in so bad a cause as theirs is but that they slew as many of ours as we did of theirs is as true as that they beat us at Sherbourn Cast it and at Worcester Prince Rupert would here made us beleeve that our men were faint-hearted but how can that appeare for if action beâ— be the expressions of the heart so many of their numerous great Army had not been cut off if our men had not fought with undaunted resolution having a great odds in number to discourage them and therefore wherein did their faint-hartednesse consist or how could they be faint-harted for thair cause that Prince Robert calls bad was as good as right could make it they fought for Religion the King and Parl. and the liberties of the Subject how could they then having so great so just so generall a cause be faint-hearted they knew that the malignant party consisting of papists and such as belonged to their faction Being the Popes and bishops souldiers rather then the Kings stood ready to play the bloody game of ware where all must be gamsters no spectators or lookers on and all must presently handle armes so that their forces and resolutions being united how could they be faint-hearted no let Prince Rupert know that unlesse he will account it faint-heartednesse to charge upon the Kings army with undaunted courage to recover the day when it was almost lost by the treachery or cowards of some to slay more men of theirs then we lost for that is most certainly true and at lest to make the Earle of Essex remaine master of the field Prince Rupert may blush to steale a victory by his own report which the Kings Army never obtained and therefore it is evident that Prince Rupert doth unjustly charge our men with faint-heartednesse and that he and his men were driven away and forced to run from Sherburne Castle and Worcester is most certainly knowne to all Souldiers and therefore here doth speake an known untruth that he may abuse us with false reports and slanders as well as with pillaging and plundering us which is the next matter he excuses and disavows the contrary whereof shall be presently cleerly eminiced and proved I openly dare his Lordship and the most quicke sighted of that lying faction to name the time person or house where any child or woman lost so mmch as a heir from their head by me er any of our Souldiers I spake not how wilfully barbarous their Souldiers were to the Countesse Rivers to the Lady Lucas in Essex and likewise to the like persons of quality in Kent and other places and since they speake of plundring whose money nay whose armes have we taken away what house have we ranscaked as they did the Earle of Northamptons Answ Prince Ruport thinking to vindicate his own actions hath by forged untruthes rendered himselfe more odious io the common people But let us aske him some questions whereby without question It will appeare they murthered divers pillaged and plundered many houses and with a high hand every where committed many ourrages throughout the whole countrey who were they that compelled divers of our most eminent Captaines to ride starke naked on horse backe while they followed them with reproachfull and contumelous speeches calling them Parliament rouges and Parliament doggs was it not Prince Rupert souldiers and the Cavaliers and who were they that drove our men like beasts before their army they tooke a religious Gentleman and having fastened a cord to his feet dragg'd him about the towne of Thistleworth and being weary of their cruelty cryed at last why do we trouble our selves any longer with this Parliament dogg and so shot him at last with his Pistoll and for their plundering of houses who hath made the Country looke like a desolate wildernesse houses being pillaged and broken downe and the people fled away was it their kindnesse their mercifull dealing or rather their cruell and barbarous unmercifulnesse and indeed by whom hath this Kingdome been brought to ruine and distruction but by Prince Rupert and the Cavaliers it is no doubt also that our Souldiers dealt better with the Countesse Rivers and the Lady Lucas and other great personages but it is well knowne that Prince Roberts Souldiers did most shamefully pillage my Lord Sayes house as the Lord Stamfords and afterward not content therewith they set it on fire and burnt it to the ground having as they alledged warrant uoder the Kings hand Seale for their so doing moreover he remembers with much shame and horror of conscience how when he came with his Army in a pillaging way to Kingston all the behaviour of his souldiers there was nothing else but a mixture of divers impieties for they stole horses broke open shops and took away their goods and to make their wickednesse more transcendent they profaned the sacred Temple converting the porch thereof into a stable for their horses who ever heare of greater impieties then these and yet forsooth Prince Rupert doth seek to vindicate himself from plundering or any other cruelty both which are well known to be continually used in his Army Dec. Whose pockets have we pickt ever to the value of three pence under pretence of searching for letters as they lately did in Glocestershire is it not their usuall practise first to plunder a mans house of all plate and monies and then imprison him as a Delinquent Ans It is a shame that a Prince should so far overreach himself in affirming untruths for I am of his opinion that they never took three pence out of any ones pocket being a booty of too small a value for such Royall Robbers but that they have took 2 or 3 hundred pound from divers men as is manifestly known nay even cariers coming up to London have been pillaged by them and waggons loaden with cloath as they were carrying it up to London have bin pillaged by them nay neither man woman nor child can passe upon the high-way in any security but either they are murthered or pillaged by them and yet Prince Rupert would make us believe that their souldiers are of such an excellent temper that they will do no wrong to any one that is if the booty be not of a considerable value for then they will not stick to shew the most inhumane barbarousnesse that can
be used and being not satisfied with that mony which they bear about them they have stripped men and women starkeÌ„ naked even to their shirts and smocks and so left them to the mercy of a darke and cold night to find the way home or else to perish in the fields and if all this former proceedings of theirs be not cruelty injustice and tyranny let God and the world judge It is well known that none have with the Parliaments consent been plundered at all but that the souldiers in their marches hearing of some notorious delinquents house have stept out of the way and disarmed them of all Ammunition because they knew that they were malignant enemies to the King Church State and Common-wealth who under pretence of standing for Ood and the King are ill-affected to the peace of this Land and would faine if they could enduce again Popery into this Kingdom the other part of his accusation is only true when it is replyed unto their Army for they do daily plunder the houses of such as stand for the King and Parliament and all such as are well-affected to them both they include in the nvmber of malignants making them not only prisoners but also to pay their liues downe for affirming that they wish well to the King and Parliament as if they could not love both together when indeed he hath no greater friends then those that he would comply with his Parliament which they so much hate and to be revenged on them hath perswaded the King to make this civill War and thus they will murther and pillage all that professe their true affection to the King and Parliament and thus Prince Rupert would make us believe that he and his souldiers are just and mercifull which we may sooner believe of a Butcher that kils sheep for the goodnesse of the flesh and so Prince Rupert kils and murders the Kings subjects for their good affection to the King and Parliament Declar. What have they seen in me that might not become one of my quality and a Kings son And whereas they slander us for popish Cavaliers I wish there were no more Papists in their Army then we have in ours Answ It doth not become the son of a King to strain and streach his words beyond belief as he hath done in his late declaration or to see a false glosse on his actions He should endeavour being a stranger unto this Kingdom to work a pacification between the King his Uncle and his Paâ—liament and not to engage him in a civill War against his loving subjects he should not pillage and plunder towns and houses wheresoever he comes as he did at Reading where he took away the Majors plate and at other places he should not desire the effusion of blood nor make his name odious to the common people as he hath done by his cruelty and lastly he should not have endeauoured to vindicate himself by a false vindication accusing us and our souldiers for those faults whereof himself is guilty neither let him object that we have more papist in our Army then there be in theirs for is wel known that their whole Army doth consist of men of desperate fortunes papists Damm'd Cavaliers and many dangereous malignants Declar. For though I will never fight in any unrighteous quarell yet to defend the King Religion and Lawes of a Kingdome against Subjects who are up in armes against their Lord and Soveraigne and such all good wise men know this and that c Ireland to be though the pretence looke severall waies such a cause my conscience tels me is full of piety and injustice Answ This indeed hath afair and specious protestation in outward appearrance yet his actione contradict his words or else his words are not full of that sense which they ought to be since P. Rupert is but an abettor in this war that doth unnaturaly put the King up on those violent courses under colour and pretence of the same cause which we maintain For doth not the Parliament all his Ma loving subject aim at no other end in this war but to defend the Kings persons now inviron'd with a company of dangerous malignants who deservâ— not the name of subjects and also to the Religion pure and undefiled in it's primitive essence and to make Law the rule and square of all their actions all which both the King Religion and Law they will defend with their lives and fortunes and to this end as the Parliaments many Meclarations do testifie they have raised an Army under the conduct of the E. of Essex and therefore it is an unjust aspersion which Pr. Rupert casts upon all his Majesties loving subjects challenging them that they are up in Arms against their Lord and Soveraign whom they love and would willingly submit unto in all christian obedience A son may love his father and yet not affect those servants who he is well assured hath done his father wrong and it is manifest that the Kings gracious disposition hath been much abused by wicked counsellors and malignants and their true subiects may desire and seek their extirpation and rooting out and yet retain a loyall love and reverence of their lawful Soveraign and in this manner accursed be he that doth not stand for the King as I am perswaded that all do even from the bottome of their heart The cause of Ireland is far different from that of England for they stand for their popish Religion against their King we stand with the King and for the protestant Religion and therefore it is piety in us to defend Gods cause and justice in us to see that the King and Kingdom be not wronged by the impartiall carriages of some Delinquents who would hold the ballance of justice and weigh out unto us the Kings power and authority unto us as they please to make it light or heavy to bear and while the King governes us they will govern the King that he shall do nothing but what is infused into them by their councellors and thus it is vve and not Pr. Rupert that do rightly stand for God rnd the King and his great though despised Counsell the Parliament vvhoses ruine he desires Declar. I should repute it the greatest victory in the world to see his Majesty enter London in peace without shedding one drop of blood where I dare say no Citizen should be plundered of one penny or farthing whereby that imminent and famous City would manifestly perceive how much they have been abused by most strange false and bottomelesse untruthe Answ How can any reasonable man give credit that Prince Robert doth so much desire that the King should come unto London in a peaceable manner who it is supposed hath been the chiefe agent to provoke the King first to keepe such a distance in the north from the Parliament and afterwards to raise an Army in the conduct whereof he doth appeare so forward and in the prosecution of which war he hath committed so many outrages his love unto the City of London doth appeare in nothing the King advanced his army so neere unto it and whatsoever is pretended to the contrary Prince Rupert had a strong affection to the wealth and riches of this populous City whose streets he and his Cavaliers had divided among themselves before their comeing hither it had been hard trusting to P. Ruperts mercy if he could have entered into the gates of the City all the money in my purse is sometimes not aboue a peny farthing and yet if I had gone in the habit of a Round-head citizen as they call them I doe not thinke but they would pillaged me for that suspecting that I had more money about me for P. Rupert loves money no more theh the fox loved grapes who despised them because they hung out of his reach so because he could not get into London Thus have I shal backe those arowes which P. Rob. aimed at us and yet I have not hit him so home as a bullet would have done at Keynton bataile for then he would never have turned Neâ—ter to deceive the world as he intended to doe by justifng of him selfe by a falce invective bitter pamphlet entituled Prince Ruperts Declaration which is thus in every particular confuted by a brief answer FINIS