these few degrees of comparison with Mr. Eliot 1 MR. Eliot is upon record at VVestminster to have altered his opinion and practise towards the Publike foure times though there happened more alterations He doth charge me but with one turning to Sir John Pennington which I have to shew is a Peace of Non-sense 2 Mr. Eliot is an Array-Committee man and Commissione and a Soliciter against the State I am a Minister therefore must be no striker that 's his advantage he may strike me he thinks but I may not strike him 3 Mr. Eliots estate is said to be worth about 120 livre. per annum in the Country besides his practice in the City the bounty of the Parliament had made my yearly means equall with his if I had husbanded it so well as he 4 Mr. Eliot was put into the Gatehouse lately for wronging the Commonwealth 10000 li. in unlawfull debenters I have suffered imprisonments too but they were my wrongs and troubles for the Commonwealth 5 When Mr. Eliot speaks or Prints his good affection to the State he doth it to shift of his malignity and fashood and to weaken the Parliaments friends and to divide them and to scatter them for which he thinks he may live to have thanks but my good wishes that way have been still published not of revenge but of good will and to unite the Parliaments friends and to encourage the Souldiers over to Ireland witnesse THE PLOT FROM EDOM and LONDONS BLOWING UP BY LONDONERS VV. B. To the Right Honourable William Lenthall Esq Speaker c. For the Right Honorable the Parliament of England in behalfe of the Commonwealth of ENGLAND Being a slow Returne made by William Beech Minister now absent and in the Country Unto a loose and lying Pamphlet set forth by Squire Eliot still present in the City BLAZED By the said Mr. Eliot to blemish the Testimony of such as have any knowledge to give light of his Falsehood to the State that have intrusted him being yet upon an old designe of near 5 years practice to wrong the Parliament and the Commonwealth of 8 or 10000l more which is as truly theirs as their Mace WHerein the Accountant conceives he may not so far encourage the falsehood as he heareth but cannot see iâ— is contained in Mr. Eliots scandalous Legend as to honour it with repetition the standing loyalty of the Gentlem libelled against being so eminently beyond the strength of Mr. Eliots breath to blast by the test of his own hand writing if it were worth any thing by the Testimony of the present Commissioners of Pembrookshire and above all these the known clearnesse of the Truth but is bold to disprove as much of it as doth reflect on himself or that comes within this abstract of the many Testimonies given of him and of his doings and sufferings for the State of England during all the fixe times of Mr. Eliots turning to and fro which will serve as much for discoverie of Mr. Eliots falsehood as for Beeches Vindication It is certified by the Subscribers who have good report in this great Assembly to be men stedfast and sincere Honorers of your just Power and by such as will depose upon oath what they doe subscribe unto as being either fellow-sufferers eye-witnesses or otherwise very competent to testifie what they subscribe unto That this Accountant did at the first appearing of friends for the Parliament in Pembrookeshire go at his own charge for ought they could ever hear or can imagine from Milford to Bristoll to Col. Nat: Fines Sir William Waller the late Earl of Essex and from Bristoll did post up and down for halfe a year or thereabout to Redding London back againe to Bristoll to London again and then back again in great hazzard as they heard and understood by letters and good reports from time to time to procure the aid of Ships Men and Ammunition to put the said County and Harbor of Milford in a posture to serve the Parliament That the said place became accordingly very serviceable to the State that this Accountant did move first at the intreaty of some of the well affected Gentry there and having with him a message from Cap. Devereux Wyat an Alderman of Tenby now prisoner for debt in the Marshallsces For which Mr. Beech was apprehended by warrant from Judge Jenkins and indicted of high Treason as they heard at S. Dogmarls and they do well know that he was sent prisoner from place to place Haverfordwest Tenby Carmarthen and that he had they beleive suffered the Execution of a horrid death if he had not escaped out of their hands when one Mr. Freeman escaped about the time of a defeat given the enemy by the Parliaments forces there That M. Beeches said services and imprisonments occasioned thereby continued near two yeares and that he lost they beleeve three yeares profit save only a very little one of those years worth in times of peace 150l per annum at Muncton and his augmentation at Nangle the two last yeares as they are credibly informed that when Gerrard had scattered the Parliaments forces there in the year 1645 Mr. Beech was forced to flye with his owne and divers other distressed families by Sea to London That he hath served your Honours since at the Seidges of Basing and Denington and was 7 weeks prisoner at Wallingford as they heard also untill he was exchanged by Maj. Gen. Browne That he hath given divers publick Testimonies of his loyalty to the Parliament ever since That he hath sustained several arrests and imprisonments in London and at Westminster to their knowledge and as it appears to them in relation to his said services and troubles and debts occasioned thereby and during his attendance here which hath brought many sad inconveniencies upon himselfe and they beleive distresse upon his family Mr. Beech had Commission and imployment from his Excellency the late Earle of Essex and I have heard very much from persons worthy of credit of his great sufferings for that imployment Tho Cosen Secretary then to the said Earle The sum of this Certificate he hath with him aboundantly testified in severall parcells and hee would offer Mr. Eliots oath of his certaine knowledge in all the particulars but he waves it as uncertain and stained and nothing worth Cap. Ralph Grundy and Cap. Devereux Wyat have escaped the tongue of Mr. Eliot the best of any though they have felt the utmost of his hands he doth confesse even in his LEGEND that they do both deserve something and that they did love the PARLIAMENT a little but he is of opinion they have been rewarded enough seeing they escaped hanging and quartering before and only that they do favour Revolters he suspects because they doe not favour his wayes This being a large Testimony from an Enemy whom they did helpe to beat when he was an Arch Cabby they having subscribed their names and affixed their Seales
wounds bleeding nor yet to wash away the blood tainting nor yet to squeeze out the corruption spreading and anoying no nor yet any Judge in readinesse to punish the offender in foure or five yeares attending at their doors O how many bleeding Patients have swooned and sunke there when but a touch would have cured them of their evill doth not the strong man rejoyce in his strength that he is so 〈◊〉 to oppresse And will he not turne Atheist in one halfe turning more if he be not there already seeing he can thrive so by turning and falshood Must not the weakest to the wall and dye of his wounds Alas Honoured Sir who shall pay for the cure of truth and loyalty thus wounded by treachery and falshood Truly Sir there are not a couple of such poor undone friendlesse wretches in the Commonwealth of England as these be viz. The truth of things and loyalty of persons And what Sir if truth as it is very bold should be so daring as to strike out the teeth and slit the nose and put out the very eyes of falshood by the weapon of a true discovery Indeed Sir Falshood is rich speaking truth would make it dye a begger that it knows false enough and by the helpe of Truths Apes glozing and faining and counterfeiting it hath gotten mary friends good men great men and doth it not know the way to get Arâ—â—…s to put in Artificiall eyes the likenesse of a nose and another row or rows of counterfeit teeth and these they find will serve their turne for a time though truth and its discovery are resolute not to give over untill these counterfeit Mock-truths be knocked off again and for ever or the will lye by it for ever untill judgement relieve her and send falshood to its owne place to the lower Gate-house to the lowest of all dark houses and Gate-houses In the mean time I would to God there were a standing Committee to inquire speedily into things whether they were naturall or artificiall it would not be a peny charge to the Commonwealth to put the saddle upon the right horse Sir by all these hintings upon Mr. Eliots name your Wisdome will soon finde that there is such an unmannerly contest as formerly there hath been between Mr. Eliot and others so now there is such another between that Squire and my selfe a Minister in Hampshire Mr. Eliot remembers the place in his late Legend I was bold not long since to wish well that some truth of this Squires great falshood to the Commonwealth might be taken notice of by the STATE and it seems the man took cognizance of it in the same libell because truly Sir I doe know him and his wayes I wish I had but the tith of his acquaintance and credit to be beleeved in behalfe of the State though I had never a sheafe of tythe more in the Country nor yet a peny for it yet I comfort my selfe with this still that many precious truths have beene brought to light by men of no credit obscured men at first Sir Indeed I do know the maâ— as well as if not better then any man in England not excepting the woman that gave him suck I have endured hard travel and have been at some cost to trace him Hee againe for my complaints of him libels against me but it is to be understood it is upon the plea of se defendendo Felons when they be pursued doe the same thing though they make not the same plea Honest men who will adventure to catch them for the Collop of 10 li. given them by the State out of the Commonwealths Treasury are upon their perill upon that oft-bloody plea of se defendendo made and done upon the prosecutor by the felon by this and no other instinct for Mr. Eliot was quiet enough before neare five years together This Gentleman doth now take up as much dirt as he can hold in both hands and throws it at me that I might runne in the other sid of the hedge because hee hath taken the high wayes where is dirt enough and when he hath stood with whips and wands like some notable great rich crafty begger these five years whipping none but such as whipped him most when he was a Rebel against the State and of the Array to keep Tyranny on foot still and his dirt he keeps to throw on me and such as my selfe because he could not have me quartered by the judgement of Judge Jenkins and Judge Turner when the Earle of Carbery it was the spight of him and others snatched me away from their cruel civil to his mild military power being then Commander in cheife for his late Majesty Indeed the Earl told me in his garden at Golden grove that he was Maligned much for favoring me so much and could do it no longer for the cry that was against me wherein Mr. Eliot made not the least noyse so that it may bee taken for a made circumstance if it be admitted for a proofe that Mr. Eliots good affection to the State the Lord free them from many more such good affections as his will appeare to bee when the deepes be discovered was not good affection God knoweth but REVENGE on those that served the State and had good affection before him as appears by the destruction he still workes upon those that could never be driven by all his strong breaths and Ropes and Giâ—â—es unto Revolt by an unheard of Treachery and by many powerfull Impulsives But revolters are served in their kind did I plead for or justifie them for shame 〈◊〉 but they have answered the Law you have for it ONE was shot M. Eliot knowes it I am sorry he was principled no better I did once suffer wrong by that man Mr. Eliot knows it but it was upon Mr. Eliots Law-brothers report to wrong me of what mony I had layd out cheifly by his letter I with Mr. Eliot were better swayed by better ends then the shot man was I feare it much O ye depths be you discovered And bring ye out of your treasures Mr Eliots constant good affection to the State And all his cordiall ends for their honour ye must render these things at last if ye do it not now O ye depths Sir I did say Mr. Eliot did throw dirt upon me with both hands yet this I must say also of his Printed boldnesse that it had many blushing and cleansing Parentheses in it He doth a little hold down his head in these expressions of his HE DID HEAR SAY and FOR OUGHT IT DID APPEAR and HE IS CONFIDENT c. that these and these things were true of Beech For I have seen his legend since the penning of that which followeth next I could give you sir a true Pedigrea how that the REPORTS he speakes of were Maggots of his own and his uncertain Ally brothers blowings in their severall and changeable postures between the late King and the present Praliament And for what
long since to this Testimoniall Raphe Grundy his fellow prisoner Devereux Wyat his fellow sufferer The substance of other Testimonies signed by Cap. Robert Moulton and Cap. Richard Swanley the successive Admiralls of a Squadron of Ships on the River of Milford in the year 1644 and 1645. Wherein Cap. Moulton certifieth the credible report he hath heard of Mr. Beeches sufferings and imprisonments by the enemy And Cap Swanley doth not onely testifie the same but also how that Mr Beech having escaped imprisonment under the enemy did come aboard the Leopard with one Mr. Freeman a Minister and others desiring the protection of the Parliaments ships and Capt. Swanley gave order for their passage accordingly in the ship Lewis From aboard the Lyon From aboard the Leopard Your Accountant Beech doth offer an hundred hands more if need be to certifie this known Truth and he hath more hands and good hands at present but they are such as Mr. Eliot hath either blown upon or that are withered by Revolt since and that too by strange and incredible ways and causes Civitas Winton We the Subscribers do certifie that we have seen from time to time near 5 years together diverse publick Testimonies of M. Beeches very good affection to the Parliament and unto this present Government and we have heard very much from persons to be beleived of his services at the siedges of Basing and Dennington Castle and of his imprisonment at Wallingford for the same Given under our hands this 28 of March 1650. Iohn Woodman Iohn Brayne Humphy Ellis Tho Lambard Edmond Riggs Mayor Tho. Musprat Ro. Mason Your Accountant having drawn up this short account of his long sufferings had also prepared Ten other particulars to send after this by the Post entituled The PRESUMPTIONS upon which M. Eliot doth GROUND his Printed LIBELS and Painted FALSITIES but that he was unwilling to gratifie so many evill eyes that would soon have sight thereof when they come to Mr. Eliots hands who would laugh to see your Honouâ—s attended upon by such dirty Wayters The sad experience that this Accountant hath had of Mr. Eliots cunning and his admirable successe at every Turning and the slow proceeds of Iustice hath inforced him to a Resolve of Silence who hath sadly found that he shall bee more eased and better able to expresse the Falsehood of this man by short Interjections then by long Orations O how many good friends and Causes he is bold to speake truth have been blown up by Mr. Eliots digging under both and by his LYING so long at your DOOR it is high time with submission to your wisdom be it spoken to dismisse him of his Attendance He hath blown up as many men as ever came yet in the way of his Violence and Falsehood or that ever were so bold as to Complain of him He begins to fal upon your Honorable Commit for the Army c. taxing them of injustice and their Registers of desperate designes to ruine a wel affected man because he was committed by that Honourable Power of yows as is said to the Gate-house for some foule practices He is observed to be very vigilant in skinning over the sore before the corruption be out but there is good hope your Honours will prove better State Arâ—â—â—s then so the Cunning Man hath a salve for every sore to skin it over at least and is provided for all changes as well for great friends as good rayment if the face of affairs should change oftner then it hath done Your Accountant is quite tired and not well in health indeed he is sick and he is able no longer to countermine the cunning of Mr. Eliot he hath a strong arme and a subtile head there is a spring in his purse and it comes secretly through the veines of a red earth his friends be not few and those he hath be no flâ—nchers there is no visible prosecutor of his falshood of this kinde but such as are almost as weake in the arme as himselfe He is therefore lefâ— unto your wisedome that may finde him and to his owne wit that may taile him and to providence that will foyle him In the interim your wisdome will not blame his feare when spying the denger and Eliot a boaring and himselfe in the bottome he complaines to the Pilots and cry out to Him that steers in cheife at the Helme Lord Have Mercy Upon Us Queries sent Mr. Eliot for his knowledge to examine him upon at or before the first sitting of the High Court of Justice in Excelsis The Parliament of Saints glorified Requiring his answer better then by spinning out loose and lying Pamphlets and Papers Saints Love No Lyes Mr. Eliots Conscience upon Interrogatory 1 COnscience dost not thou know the truth of all the fore-mentioned Certificates concerning Beech and did not thine eyes behold him a Prisoner to the enemy at Haverfordwest and at the house of Tho. Wyat Mayor of Denby the Head-quarters of the Enemy And was thy Master Eliot a well-affected man then And was he never Commissioner of Array And was it not once the honour of thy neighbour Eliot to be thought the best friend that ever the late King had for action in the whole Association there speake out feare not he is thine enemy too as well as Beeches 2 Doth not thy Neighbour Eliot hate this Querest since the yeare 1644. when thou knowest he laid so hard at his life to Judge Jenkins c. and for such treasonable practises so termed then by him as are mentioned in the testimonies above specified and had he no hand in framing nor giving instructions for drawing up the 19 Articles of high treason against Beech for the same neither to the Judges nor to the Clerke that drew them when he was Commissioner of Array or a little before minde him of it aske had he no good will to see the bloody execution of this Beech 3 Conscience aske thy master if he doth not know that Beech doth lye under Judgement for a Debt and that execution must follow of course the first of the next terme upon the action of a Gentleman that calls thy master Unckle Eliot and speake was he not thy masters Bed-fellow at Westminster when the Suit of Lort contra Beech began and was it not dost thinke for Eliots sake nor yet by Eliots instigation it being so contrary to the former temper of the same Gentleman who was more friendly to him in his behalfe unto the Enemy when Eliot sought his life And didâ—t thou not heare that the Debt became due for a More c. used and spent by Col. Poyer in the Parliaments service 4 Conscience dost not know how much thy master Eliot was ashamed before the Honourable Committee for Examinations neare five yeares since when Mr. Whittaker was present and in the discovery of the same falsities that he is bold since to cast abroad in print
of my chiefe counsell to betray as the Rebels call it the Kings Towne to him for these and divers other considerations as also for his Great Prudence though the Rebell Devereux will call it slinesse and subtilty and treachery that he hath wrought his present peace with the Parliaments Forces by Sea and Land and hath paid a summe of money or Fine which he intends shall goe under the notion of Loane-money to the State and shall purchase him the name of a wel-affected man thereby and hath gotten a hand or two to certifie so much against a wet day by which his said Prudence he hath obtained double Tickets to passe between and unto both the said Garrisons the Rebels Garrison at Tenby and the Kings Garrison at Bristol while Devereux like a mad fiery peevish old man was fighting for the Rebels by which the said Richard my Executor became very comfortable unto me in my sicknesse and was also so provident for himselfe and so faithfull to me as to Informe me how the Rebell Devereux our elder Brother and to whom I intended so much good did threaten what strange things he would do or cause to be do 〈◊〉 me if ever I returned and calls my loyalty treachery because he doth alledge I did swear and undertake to him and to other the Parliaments Commanders there that I would keepe the Towne for the use of the said Rebels which I did not upon better consideration though I had sworn to doe it I Doe therefore Nominate And Appoint the said Richard Wyat to be the sole Executor of my whole estate worth as I beleeve at the time of my slight 8. or 10000. livre. which being wholly personall and in mony wares goods debts due by Bond Bill upon Book which I made a shift to send and bring with mee by Sea to Bristol from the prevayling power of the said Rebels there soone after they had most audaciously taken the Kings Fort at the Pill and had made many of the Kings good Subjects there their Prisoners in the yeare 1644. And because I did feare the Rebels would either take me Prisoner and seize upon my mony goods c. for my pretended offence or else force me to flight in a time of greater danger I did rather chuse for my liberties sake to fly before the Seidge and so preserve my estate too because I found my body declining and I dread to think of their Ship which the Rebels call The Rogues Increase wherein they put their Prisoners and which would soone have made an end of me in respect of my infirmities if they should have taken me in the Towne given up by me which soone after my flight they stormed and tooke together with seven or eight hundred men which I received in to serve the King as aforesaid And whereas I am given to understand by my said Executor and my servant William Bowen who have been both with me oft times in my sicknesse that Thomas Bowen Esq my singular great Debtor and the Brothers in Law and kindred of the said Thomas Bowen who were lately Commissioners of Array most of them and who perswaded me first to deliver up the Kings Town to himself are now become many of them of the Committee for the Parliament there and have Sequestred me some of them for the pretended Crime which they made me guilty of if it were a Crime and did engage their estates before the whole Towne to save me harmlesse from if I would freely deliver it up to the King I doe professe that I doe still to the last of my life retaine my unstained loyalty to his Majesty and I doe desire the said Thomas Bowen and John Eliot Esquires their Brothers and Kindred and I doe adjure them by their Vowes made unto me for my Indempnity from that fact to preserve my estate by their new Power for my said new Executor he allowing and paying these ensuing Legacies and Bequests to themselves their friends and kinred and to the wel-affected Gentlemen here named Imprimis To Prince Rupert 2500. li. which Mr. Eliot saith in his legend the Prince had of Thomas Wyat but it is false his Highnesse had but a Collop of it and that also for his Protection there it was to be paid him againe when the King came to his Crowne Item to I. W. a wel-affected man of the same Garrison a sum Item to W. W. a sum of the same Garrison and to M. M. of the same Garrison another sum Item to A. B. C. D. E. F. wel-affected men and women to the ruine of the Parliament of the same Garrison and elsewhere great sums as appeares more at large by the originall Will And I doe appoint John Eliot and Thomas Bowen Esquires and the other Gentlemen mentioned in a Schedule with my said Executor late Commissioners of Array as is said now wel-affected Committee men to be Over-seers of this my Will and it is my desire that the said Over-seers should keepe in their hands for ever so much of the said Debts which they doe owe me by specialty and upon my Shop-looke and remaining in the known hands of their nearest kindred friends unckles c to the value aforesaid which they doe duly owe unto me for wares they had at my shop and for monies lent them according to the discretion of my said Executor and the need he shall have of their assistance to preserve the estate for him and from the Rebell Devereux I doe also and in speciall discharge John Eliot of Norbeth Esquire and his Son John Eliot my friends and neighbours but especially the eldest of all debts dues demands judgements executions extents c. to solicite and to retaine counsell for my said Executor in the City while he gathers up the money owing me in the Country and it is my desire that my said Executor should allow any sum or sums of money as he shall thinke fit to Mr. Eliot or any other provided that he and they doe stoutly and confidently engage all his and their friends and reputation at any time if the Rebels should ever over-come the Royall Party and effectually perswade that I my selfe and my said Executor were wel-affected men and provided that he and they doe so imploy their wits that neither the State nor any friend of theirs may have any part of my estate of the value aforesaid I doe acknowledge that upon some conflict of minde upon my bed of sicknesse and some yearning of my bowels towards the many children of my brother Devereux I did rashly joyne him in the Executorship with my said brother Richard few dayes since before my servant Margaret Moody but since I have received counsell by such as love me and the Kings friends not to mention the Rebell Devereux lest it should bring a blemish upon my Will and a forfeiture of the estate the Rebell Devereux being so notorious for his Rebellion every where I doe therefore