reason the number of them séemed infinite For all the people had forsaken their houses long before wee came because they were euermore oppressed by Souldiers by which meanes wee could get neither meate nor drinke but were glad to hunt cats and to kill them or any beast wee could lay hold on and this we baked and made them serue for dayly sustenance The greatest calamity of all was we could get no water to drinke it had bene so long frozen vp and the snow so déepe that it was hard to say whether we marched ouer water or vpon land So that we were compelled to digge vp snow and with stones red hot to melt in tubs and then to drinke it This affliction continued about 12. or 14. dayes till we came into Russia Vpon our very first entrance into which kingdome we marched ouer an Arme of the Sea that was 8. leagues ouer many of vs steruing to death in that passage by the cold fréezing winds that blew the same day In which frosty iourney I saw so much bread as a man might buy for twelue pence sold away in little bits for the value of forty shillings But this misery ended the next day at our setting foot into Russia where we found plenty both of corne and cattle onely the people of the country ran away leauing all their goods behinde them but so cunningly hidden that the best pollicy of ours could hardly finde them out By this meanes of the peoples running away wée were glad to play the Millers and to grinde all our corne our selues to bake our bread and to dresse our owne victuals Then marched we vp to Nouegrade a chiefe citty in Russia where we were to receiue all our meanes the rested behind vnpayed but our Captains beguiled vs and kept it for themselues yet to st op our mouthes they told vs we should go into Muscouy and there all reckonings should be made euen Wée had scarce marched aboue thrée dayes towards Muscouy but that newes came how a certaine number of our enemies lay in a sconce by the way the strength of them was not perfectly knowne but it was thought they were not aboue 700. And the we must vse some strat agem to expell them fro thence vpon which relation our Captains drew forth to the number of 300. English horsmen and 200. French horsemen so that in all we were about 500. that were appointed to set vpon the supposed 700. Polanders our enemies that so lay insconced vpon whom we went Our chiefe Commander in that seruice was Monsieur La Veile a French man who so valiantly led vs on that the enemy hearing of our comming fled ouer a water that was by the seonce yet not with such spéede but that we slew to the number of 400. of their side and lost onely thrée men of our owne but we tooke the sconce About the sconce stood a faire towne called Arioua with a riuer called the Volga running through the middle but no bridge ouer it onely a few boates and sloates made cut out of trées were there to carry the people ouer from the one halfe of the towne to the other This sconce furmshed vs not only with great store of riches but also with a number of Polish horses and as many armes as serued to arme 500. men our want of that commodity being as much as of any thing besides for of those fiue hundred men that went vpon the seruice there were not 300. fixed armes yet through the hand of him that deales victories or ouerthrows as it pleaseth hun best the day was ours Ouer this riner Volga the enemies were neuer driuen before either by the Emperour of Russia or by the King of Sweueland for which cause as afterward we heard the next day when they departed from the other side of the riuer they burnt that halfe of the town on which side they were themselues and in most bloudy barbarous cruell manner made hauock both of men women children albeit not aboue halfe a yeare before the inhabitants on that side had reuolted from their owne Emperour turned to thē In which tyrannical vprore their custome was to fill a house full of people then the doores being locked vpon them that none might issue forth the house was fired about their eares and oftentimes were yong children taken by the héeles and cast into the middest of the slames This inhumane tyrranny being practised not onely by the Poles that were our enemies but euen by those Russes that were traytors to their owne Empeperour serued vnder the Poles and were called Cassakes whose cruelty farre excéeded the Polish The towne being thus burnt to the earth all the 6000. which as I said before fled ouer the riuer out of the sconce were by vs supposed to be but 700. came down in full battalion to the riuers side with such fiercenesse as if presently they and their horses would haue swom ouer to fight with vs which being perceiued our poore 500. stood ready to resist them But whether they feared our numbers to be greater then they were and the we had some other secret forces I know not but away they marched the selfe same day in which they came downe in that brauery not doing any thing of which we for our parts were not much sorry because if the battailes had ioyned we knew our selues farre vnable to withstand them And this was the seruice of the most note that we went vpon Two or thrée other sconces towns we tooke from our enemies they not once daring to resist vs because they knew nothing of our numbers force But the dishonest dealings of our Captaines made the whole army discontent insomuch the our Souldiers would often times deny to go forth vpon seruice because they had béene almost a yeare in the land and had receiued no more but one Rubble amounting to the value of 10. s̄ English So that vpon these discontents 50. of our men ran away to the enemy at one time discouered to them our strength After which we durst not be so bold as before we had béene The fire of a new conspiracy was likewise kindling but it was perceiued and quenched with the bloud of the conspirators of which the chiefe were hanged On there-therefore wée went when wée came within 40. leagues of Muscouy newes was brought that the enemy had beleaguerd 7000. Russes that were our friends and that vnlesse we forced the siege to breake vp the 7000. Russes would euery man bee sterued where they lay This sad report albeit wée had resolued neuer to go vpon any more seruice vntill wée had our pay so wrought in our hearts that we much pittyed the miseries of others because we our selues had tasted of the like Our Generall whose name was Euerhorne was a Fynlander and with a company of Fynland blades as they tearme them well appointed on horsebacke was by the King of Sweueland sent after vs as our Conuoy vntil we
he should not onely be rewarded with great store of money and haue new apparell to his backe but also should without tortures imprisonment or death be set frée and sent backe againe into his owns countrey This proclamation strucke vs all with feare and astonishment because albeit we to our selues were not guiltie of any plot or villanie intended to the place or people yet we knew this might be a meanes to endanger all our liues how innocent soeuer Our suspition of daunger fell out according to our feares for one Thomas Griffyn a Welch man one of our owne company but a person as it appeared of a base and diuellish condition being tempted with the baite of gold resolued to enrich himselfe albeit it were by the sheding of innocent bloud And thereupon like a false traitor to all the rest of his fellowes he went and knéeled before the Gouernor and with a face counterfeiting a guiltines and fearefull destruction told him that if he might be forgiuen for his part and haue his life warranted he would discouer such a secret that the opening of the same should be good to all the Country and the concealing thereof the Ilands vtter ruine with the confusion of the people The Gouernor being glad of this discouery so promised assured Griffyn both of his life and of the reward willing him not to feare any danger but boldly and with a constant bosome to lay open what he knew vpon which wordes the traiterous Iudas told him for certaine that we came thither onely and for no other purpose than to surprise the Iland kill the inhabitants make spoile of their wiues and goodes and hauing set fire of their townes and villages to flie to sea againe Yet for all this would not the Gouernor beléeue him celling him it was a matter very vnlikely that so small a number so distressed for want of food so weather-heaten and so disarmed should venture vpon an enterprise so full of dangerous euents but the villaine replied that all these complaints of want were but songs to beguile the people for that vpon the least Allarum giuen other shippes that lay houering at sea and furnished both with men and armor would on the sodaine and that very shortly land for the same desire of spoile as these their fellows had done and therefore councelled the Gouernor to preuent such imminent mischiefes betimes The Gouernour being thus farre vrged presently called before him lieutenant Walton whose lodging was appointed in his house and hauing related to him all that Griffin had discouered and withall demaunding of lieutenant Walton what he could say to this matter of treason and conspiracy the lieutenant at the first stood amazed and vtterly denied any such intended villany protesting by the faith of a Souldier that this report of the Welch man procéeded fom the rancour of a vile traitors heart and therefore on his knées intreated the Gouernor not to giue credite to so base a villaine who for the gréedinesse of alittle money went about to sell all their liues and to make all thinhabitants of the Iland become murderers adding further that if the Gouernor would but giue him leaue he would make the treacherous slaue before his face there presently confesse that he had belyed his fellowes and that there was no such Conspiracie amongst them The Gouernor gaue him authority to vse his best meanes to trie a traytor because it was not he said his desire to haue the bloud of any Christians shead wrongfully but if he should find the Welch mans words to be true he could do no otherwise than apprehend vs as traitors to his King and the Country and to lay such punishment vpon vs as should be sound due by their lawes But lieutenant Walton earnestly intreating the Gouernor that if he had any such ill thought of vs he would be pleased to hold him in setters as prisoner for vs all till the trueth might be found out And that traiterous villaine Thomas Griffyn being opposed face to face with the lieutenant still continuing in his first resolution and most boldely perseuering in his accusations against his poore countrymen that lay scattred in seuerall houses about the Iland not hearing of any such matters Behold how all that Griffyn had discouered were by a strange accident strongly confirmed to passe for currant and whatsoeuer lieutenant Walton had vttered in opposition of Griffyns slaunders were held as vntruths and traps to betray the Country For iust as the traitor had told the Gouernor that more ships were not farre off but were ready to second vs vpon our arriuall it chanced that in the very heat of this businesse and their feares of daunger where none was two other ships full of armed souldiers came to the same place of the Iland where our ship put in These two ships had brought souldiers out of the lowe Countries a cessation of warres being there and were going into Swethland as we were but by crosse windes and fowle weather lay so long at sea that wanting victualls they were driuen in hither for succour Whose sodaine approch and ariuall being signified to the L. Gouernor the welch mans words were then thought true all the fland was presently vp in Armes to resist the strength and fucie of a most dangerous supposed enemy and so secretly did the Inhabitants put on Annes that we who were kept like prisoners amongst them knew nothing of these vproares But night approaching the Generall gaue speciall charge that secret watch should be set and kept ouer euery souldier that lodged in any mans house which by the common people was as narrowly performed for they did not only watch vs as the Gouernor commaunded but amongst themselues a secret Conspiracie was made that in the dead of night when we should be fast asleepe they should come and take vs in our beds and there to binde vs with cords it being an easie thing to do so when our company were diuided one from another ouer the whole Iland At the houre agréed vpon the plot was put in force for they entred our Chambers and bound euerie Souldier as he lay making them all ready like so many shéepe marked out for the slaughter For mine owne part I had fiue men and thrée women to binde me who so cunningly tyed me fast with cordes whilst I slept and felt nothing nor dreamt of any such matter that with a twitch onely I was plucked starke naked out of my bed and laide vpon the colde earth vnderneath a Table with my armes bound behinde me so extreamely hard as foure men could drawe them together my féete tied to the foote of the Table and my necke bound to the vpper part or boord of the Table In these miserable tortures lay I and all the rest in seuerall houses all that night and the most part of the next day our armes and legges being pinched and wrung together in such pittilesse manner that the verie bloud gushed out at the singers ends of many
to be called all together the very next day at which time Thomas Griffin the Welsh Iudas who had all this while lyen feasting in the house of the Lord Gouernour began to tremble and to repent him of his villanny begging most base forgiuenesse on his knées both from the Gouernour and vs his countrimen and fellow Souldiers protesting that what he did came out of his feare to saue his owne life But our Officers vpon hearing him speake thus had much adoe to kéepe the companies from pulling downe the house whore Griffin lay because they would in that rage haue hewed the villaine in péeces But leauing him and all such betrayers of mens bloud to the hell of their owne consciences let vs set forward out of this infortunate Iland not stay in any place else till in small boates we come by water to Elzinore in Denmarke where wee ioyfully got aboard once more and are hoysing vp sailes for Sweueland Yet euen in this sun-shine day a storme falles vpon vs too for our Officers not hauing sufficient money to furnish vs with victuals we were enforced to pawne our Ancient and Lieftenant Walton for the safe returne of the ship with condition that they should not be released vntill a sufficient summe of money was sent to defray all charges So that we left our Officers behinde vs but the King of Sweueland did afterwards release them and then they came to vs. But before their comming we hauing a good winde landed at a place called Newleas in Sweue and from thence were carryed to Stockholme the Kings seate and there was the King at the same time betwéene which two places it was a dayes march on horsebacke Vpon this our arriuall at Stockholme we met with the rest that had gone before vs and with diuers others of our countrymen that came out of the Low-countries as before is related In this place we lay so long and had such poore meanes that wanting money to buy soode we wanted foode to maintaine life and so a number of vs were ready to sterue till in the end our miseries making vs desperate we fell together by the eares with the Burgers of the towne in which scambling confusion and mutiny euery man got one thing or other of which he made present money to relieue his body withall yet lay we at the walles of the citty crying out continually for money money till our throates grew hoarse with balling but the stones of the walles gaue more comfort to vs then the inhabitants One day aboue all the rest we heard that the King was to ride a hunting and wée imagining that all the abuses wrongs and miseries which we endured procéeded from some vnder-hand hard dealing and packing of our Captaines and Officers resolued to gather about the King at his comming forth to cry out for mony but the King being angry as we supposed came riding amongst vs drawing his pistoll from the saddle bow as if he purposed to haue shot some of vs but seeing none of vs to shrinke from him nor to be dismaied he rode backe againe we following him desiring he would either giue vs money or else to kill vs out-right one amongst the rest whose name was William Attane spake to the King aloud thus I hold it honor to dye by the hands of a King but basely to sterue to death I will neuer suffer it Vpon these our clamors the King looking better vpon our necessities sent money the next day and immediatly after gaue vs a moneths meanes in mony and two mone ths meanes in cloath to make vs apparrell Of the cloath we receiued some part but the money being paid was by our Captaines sent into England to their wiues no part of it euer comning to the poore common Souldiers hands for presently vpon this we were commanded aboord the ships with promise that when we were aboord we should haue our money But being in the ships vnder hatches away were we carryed with prouision onely of one moneths victuals when by reason of the weather we were forced to lye eight wéekes at sea in all which time we had nothing but pickelled herrings and salt stremlings with some small quantity of hard dryed meates by which ill dyet many of our men fell sicke and dyed In the ship wherein I was wée liued fouretéene dayes without bread all our best foode being salt herrings which we were glad to eate raw the best of vs all hauing no better sustenance At the last it pleased God to send vs to a place called Vfrasound in Fynland where we landed Fynland being subiect to the King of Sweueland From Vfrasound we were to goe to Weyborough a chiefe towne in the country of Fynland where we no sooner arrriued but our Souldiers ran some one way and some another so long that the Captaines were left alone with the ships This running away of them being done onely to séeke foode so great was their hunger By this carelesse dispersing themselues they lost the command of the whole country which they might easily haue had if they had bene vnited together and not onely were depriued of that benefite but of horses also which were allowed by the King for them to ride vpon So that what by the reason of the tedious iourney which we were to trauell being fourescore leagues and what by reason of the extreme cold being a moneth before Christmas at which time the snow fell and neuer went off the ground vntill Whitsontide following but all the raine and all the the snow that fell fréezing continually diuers of our men were sterued to death with the frost Some lost their fingers some their toes some their noses many their liues insomuch that when wee all met at Weyborough we could make no make no more but 1400. able men and yet when we were landed at Vfrasound we were 2000. strong the extremity of the cold country hauing killed so many of our Souldiers in so little time At our landing at Weyborough we had good hopes to receiue better comforts both of money and victuals for the inhabitants told vs the King had allowed it vs and in that report they spake truth yet contrary to our expectation we lay there about 14. dayes and had nothing but a little Rice of which we made bread and a little butter which was our best reliefe Drinke had we none nor money our Captaines gaue vs certaine letherne pelches onely made of shéeps skinnes to kéepe vs from the cold At this place we receiued Armes to defend vs against the enemy and sixe companies that were allowed by the King for horsemen receiued horses there From thence we were to march into Russia where our enemies continued But the iourney was long and vncomfortable for we marched from Newyeares day vntill Whitsontide continually in snow hauing no rest but onely a little in the nights So that the miseries and mis-fortunes which we endured vpon the borders of Fynland were almost iusufferable by
should come to Pontus le Guard who was chiefe Generall ouer the whole army of strangers that came into the land so that according as he was sent and charged by the King he ouertooke vs before we came to Arioua By the intreaty therefore of this Fynlander and the flattering promises of our owne Captaines we were contented to go vpon this seruice and to deliuer the Russes or to dye our selues in the action Yet with condition that as they promised to vs wee should by the way méete our chiefe Generall Pontus le Guard who with certaine numbers of English French Dutch which the yeare before were come into the land was vpon a march out of Muscouy not onely to méete vs but to ioyne with vs and pay vs all our money which remained good to vs prouided likewise that so soone as euer we should release the 7000. Russes our money should be payed downe On these conditions I say we yéelded to to go vpon the businesse At length Pontus le Guard met vs according to the promise and with him was money brought to pay vs and his word giuen that presently wee should receiue it But the lamentable estate in which the poore besieged Russes were within the sconce being at the point of death for want of food required rather spéedy execution then deliberation so that the necessities of their hard fortunes crauing haste on we went hauing about 19. or 20000. Russes that were people of the same country ioyned to our army to aide them in this enterprize But as we all were vpon a march the enemy hauing receiued intelligence of our approaching set forward to the number of 8000. Lanciers and more to intercept vs by the way and being within one dayes march of the place to which we were likewise going they set fire vpon thrée or foure villages hard by the place where we lay at gcasse with our horses for a token that they were comming And this was done vpon Midsommer day last in the morning by breake of day Then came they thundring with shouts and cryes to set vpon vs but no sooner was the Alarum giuen when the greatest part of those 19. or 20000. Russes that were ioyned to vs as our aide fled most basely before any blow was ginen This sodaine cowardize of theirs somewhat amazed vs but the houre being now come wherein we were not to talke of dangers but to go méete dangers with our sixe companies of English horse we brauely resisted the Holanders and with great hurt to them but with little losse vpon our part charged them thrée seuerall times At last Pontus le Guard our chiefe Generall tooke his héeles and fled too leauing vs vtterly destitute of all direction which much astonished vs as not well vnderstanding what to do for our greatest strength being by their flight taken from vs none but we strangers were left in the field and of vs there was not in all aboue two thousand and of that number there were aboue sixe hundred French horsemen who séeing both the Generall gone and the Russes fled turned their backes vpon vs and ran away too most valiantly yet not out of the field but to the enemy Then were we not aboue twelue or rouretéene hundred at the most left to resist eight thousand at the least vpon whom notwithstanding our sixe companies of English horsemen charged thrée seuerall times without any great losse but with much honour And at the fourth time for want of powers to second them which the French should haue done all our sixe companies were scattered and ouerthrowne with the losse of few of our colours The captaines ouer these sixe companies of horse were these Viz. Captaine Crale of whose company I was Captaine Kendricke Captaine Benson Captaine Carre Captaine Colbron Captaine Creyton Which sixe Captaines had not in all their companies aboue 500. men In this battaile Captaine Creyton was slaine in the field Captaine Crà le was shot in the knée and within a short time after dyed of that wound not aboue twelue of his company escaping Captaine Kendricke was wounded in diuers places of the head and dyed Captaine Benson was shot in the hand and wounded in the head and yet escaped and liued onely Captaine Carre and his Cornet escaped but all his company scattered lost Diuers other Officers were slaine whose names I cannot remember Thus were all our English horsemen dispersed and ouerthrowne to the number of 500. and vpwards Our Generall Euerhorne with his companies of Fynland or Fynsco blades were also put to retraite so that there was not left in the field aboue 6. or 700. which were footmen And of these one halfe was English one halfe Dutch who kept onely a certaine place by a wood side barricadoed about with Wagons hauing with them foure field péeces with which they did great spoyle to the enemy But their number being but few neither durst they venture on the enemy nor durst the enemy enter vpon them but kept them still as it were besieged in that place only because they could no wayes escape The inconuenience of which cooping vp in so narrow a roome being looked into and the dangers on euery side well considered it was held fittest for safety to summon the enemy to a parlée In which parley the enemy offered that if they would yéeld and fall to their sides they should haue good quarter kept And if any man had desire to go for his owne country he should haue liberty to go with a pasport from the King of Poland Or if any would serue the King of Poland he should haue the allowance of very good meanes duly paid him Vpon thiese compositions they all yéelded and went to the enemy only Captaine Yorke his Officers with some few of their Souldiers went backe into the country and came not to the enemy as the rest had done who from thence marched vp to the Polish Leaguer being ten miles distant from the place and there they continued But such as desired to trauaile to their owne ceuntries were sent to the King of of Polands Leaguer which lay at that time at a place called Smolensco and there accordingly had their Passe to the number of 100. of which number I my selfe was one What became of the rest I know not but I with fiue more held together in trauaile vntill we came to Dantzicke a great towne in Prussia being distant from Smolensco one hundred leagues FINIS