COLONEL JOSEPH BAMFEILD'S APOLOGIE Written by himselfe and printed at his desire Facit indignatio versus ANNO 1685. PREFACE ALbeit the unbounded liberty of the press may sufficiently warrant my necessary undertaking and that a modest and needful Apologie free from all passion or unlawful Aymes may hee by an ordinary charity excused if not fully justifyed yet I had not run the hazard of the publique sensure being conscious of my owne incapacity had I not been in need thereunto by some reasonable pressages that the end of my misfortunes which can finde no other period and that of my life neerly approches 1. Neither had this alone prevailed with mee unless constrain'd thereunto by the injust and to any ingenious nature most insupportable injuries and Calomnies of some who are totally ignorant of the truth of my affaires nor have ever had the least provocation on my part to couver the cruelty of their secret practises and obscure proceedings against mee to the endangering of my life even since I came in this Province of Freesland which next the protection of God I thinke has been chiefly preserved by my neglecting it I not being ignorant of my danger nor of the causes thereof which I saw no certaine meanes of preventing but by flight disguise and concealment which I have ever through the whole cours of my great troubles been resolved against chusing rather to dye once if I could not fairly defend my selfe then live in fear of dying always Especially having a long time considered death if not in a dishonourable way as the only end of my calamities which I could reasonably hope for and my most sure azile 2. No less have their sinister and malitious practices contributed to the traversing of my fortune which I am persuaded had not otherwise been thus long desolate and obscure by encreasing the jalousies and indignation of some who I have never willingly offended nor otherwise then through the insupportable necessity of my affaires heeretofore and the indispensable compulsions of honour which would not permit me to doe what I might and most others would have done nor to have left undone what in policy and the general practice of mankind I ought to have avoided as essentially needful to my interests and to the raising me out of this sepulcher wherein I have for some years lain buried alive which peradventure I should not have come short of had I not been secretly calomniated and circumvented by underground darck and unavow'd or rather never to bee avowed mines and traines which in some kind have not a little contributed to the rendring my wounds incureable as well in England as elswhere 3. This being really my case is also the sole cause why I am enforced to expose my discreation to the capritious sensure of critiques rather then to abandone my honour by a womanish modesty timiditie and silence leaving these persons triumphant in their victorie which they have atchived by indirect and most unjust means I am not ignorant what wrongs have been done mee by whom and how but know I shall never be openly accused and by consequence not have any occasion of vindicating my selfe but by this means to which onely I can have recourse and although I am far from all hope of recovering what I have lost yet I shall endeavour to let some see demonstratively how far their credulity has been abused and my innocency wrong'd which I can no otherwise performe then by declaring truly and sincerely what I have done or not done leaving it to the judgment and sentence of all unprejudiced and unpassionate persons to what degree I have been either unfortunate or criminel 4. What my transactions have been in some great conjonctures I shall be as sincere and candid in as if my eternal happiness or misery depended on the truth or falsehood of what I here expose to the common view which I onely make publique for the vindication of my honour though I clearly foresee my interest may suffer by it which weighs soe little with mee that if this adventure meets but with a charitable reception from good men and unpreoccupied I beleeve as far as I know my self I shall not be much troubled if my death should prove immediately after the Epilogue to this tragedy JOS. BAMFIELD AT 17. years of age I began to serve the late King of happy memory Charles the-First being ancient under my Lord Ashley General Major of the Army in the first expedition against the Scots an Accord was made as other agreements in those times of very short continuance for the spring following the war was the second time declared in that expedition I was first Leutenant in the Regiment of Colonel Henry Wentworth brother to the Earl of Cleveland shortly after a Compagnie falling vacant in the same Regiment by the favour of the King I obtain'd it In the space of a year the peace was again made and the Armies disbanded The war betwixt the King and the Parliament followed shortly after I continued in his Majesties interest and service I commanded the Regiment of the late Duke of Somersent at that time Marquess of Hartford Generall for the King in the Westerne Provinces 2. In the first incounter which Arrived betwixt his Majesties and the Parlaments forces I was hurt and taken Prisoner brought so to London by the late Lord Hollis at that tyme Colonel under the Parlament Not long after being at liberty the King honnoured mee with a Commission for a Regiment not being at that tyme full twenty years old having levied it I returned to Oxford where his Majesty held his court Few days after his Hyghness Prince Robbert gave me a Commission which he had procured of the King to be Governour of Malmesbury whereof I knew not any thing before he was pleased to deliver it mee About the month of April following his Majesty sent mee order being pressed for troupes to march with three Regiments of foote and as many Compagnies of horse to Joyne his Army for the relief of Reading besieged by the Earle of Essex and was rendered by Colonel Fielding at the same tyme the King arrived there which might greatly have endangered his Army had the Enemy seen and made use of their advantage 3. In the month of June following his Majestie sent Prince Maurits and the Duke of Somerset with an Army into the west whereof my Regiment was part to Joyne with My Lord Hopton and Lord Berkeley who had beaten the Parlements forces Commanded by the Earle of Stamford not long before in the Province of Cornwell the Conjunction was made the towns of Weymouth whereof the late Earl of Shaffsbury was left Gouvernour Taunton and Bridwater being taken and garrisons placed in them the body of the Army Marched towards Generall Waller haveing first despatched my Lord Berkelay with four Regiments of foote and some few troupes of horse to blocque up Exeter to prevent the Earl of Stamfords raising of forces in Devonshire Who was
they lay nor was it councellable he Should only that he would demande a treaty and debate by a power given to the commissioners to explaine and discuss Every artickle apart and in particular which was the likeliest means to produce a good Effect and that by such an answer and demande those persons whoe had as then the most credit and cheif direction would endeavour to despose the Parliament to consent by which means and throwgh reasnable expedients which might be fownd out the severest things might have been moderated and great difficulties remouved To which end I told him I had already written to the King whoe seemed to be very well satisfied therewith and disposed to give such an answer 35. He replyed that he was upon good grounds assured when his Maj. had hearâ—d what this messenger forementioned had to propownd be would not demande any treaty and that the army would set him on his throne and make him a great King I besowght Allmighty God that it might prove soe but that I feared thy would at last take away his life and crowne together puting him in a capacity of possessing another in Heaven more durable Sect. 36. The next day I went to waite on the Marquis of Hartford since Duke of Somerset whoe the forenamed Gentilman had told me was acquainted with all this transaction and concurred in it which I fownd true and that he was persuaded the army would restore his Maj. sudainly perceaving me obstinate in the contrary opinion he sayd theise words to me Colonel Bamfield I have allways wished you well and doe soe Still and therefor would advise you not to oppose your selfe further to obstruct this cource towards the Kings recouvery for some of the clergy begin to suspect that you have particular interests in your transactions with the Presbitereans which weigh more then that of his Maj. I made answer that I had no other worldly interest but what was involved in and subordinate to the Kings that I never expected any advantage neither from the one or from the other partie but that I was soe fully convinced of the desperate designs secret practices and principles of the army and their adherents where of I did not want light that the groundless jalousie of some men nor their deluding hopes should never make me prostitute my reason nor act against it or have any thing to doe with those whose end and underground workings were for the destruction of the Kings person and Monarchie Sect. 37. A few days after this his Maj. answer came but not alltogether such as theise his freinds whoe I have mentioned desired but unhappy enough for him to doe the armies business at that tyme for the most Zealous part of the Presbitereans left the wisest and most moderate whoe endeavoured to have made the Kings answer the fowndation of a treaty and being likewise irritated by the Schotish Ministers Gyllaspy and others joined with the armies adherents in Parliament to demande of the Scots the delivery of his Maj. person to commissioners whoe were sent to receive him and guardes commanded by Collonel Graves This was clearly foreseen by the late Duke of Lauderdalle then one of the Commissioners for Scotland the Earle of Holland my Lord Willowby of Parham my Lord Hollis S r. Phillip Stapleton and very many others in both houses whoe were ar that tyme entirely for the Kings restauration upon as moderate termes as their conduct and credit in Parliament Could possibly worke out and as the only expedient to remoue difficulties wished and endeavoured to bring the business to a personall treaty by which means they hoped to abate the severity of some demands which all reasnable and truly conscientions men amongst them knew his Maj. Could not graunt without violence to his conscience in the breach of his othe and divesting himselfe of all power to maintaine ye lawes protect his subjects or to preserve himselfe and his posterity from being deprived of that less then halfe his regall and just authority which his assenting to those propositions in the termes they were drawne up would have left him the remaining part of his power being but precario and at the arbitrement of every succeeding Parliament Sect. 38. The wisest amongest them Considered and acknowldged theise truths and seeing a part of the Nation desposed with the army and their adherents towards a popular Gouverment would willingly have had more power in the King then when they began the war they desired or designed Sect. 39. On the contrary the adverse partie was absolutely against a treaty which they feard might lead to moderation on both sides and produce an accord destructive to those great projects the cheifs of them had figured to themselves for a long tyme and resolved upon after the niew modeling of the army to prevent an agreement they must hinder a treaty to which end that party in both houses haveing at first vigorously opposed sending of any propositions to the King but that being carried against them in the affirmative by great adress and infusing jalousies concerning Religeon into the greatest nomber of the Presbitereans few of them being States men by experience and peradventure not all by reason they easily drew them to a vote that his Maj. Should be obliged to signe the propositions in the termes as they were sent him by both houses alowing no latitude to the Commissioners by whome they were sent to treat or debate one syllable knowing very well that the King neither would nor indeed Could consent to them as they were neither with Conscience honour or safety however least the extreme danger whereunto he lay exposed might have prevayled with him to consent they made use of the stratagem I have allready mentioned of infusing into the belief of many of the most considerable of the Kings freinds that the army would restore him upon certaine conditions specified whoe led his Maj. himselfe to some hopes of it Sect. 40. By theise means the King was by the Scots delivered to the commissioners sent by the Parliament to receive him by them browght to Holmby one of his owne houses where he was rigorously guarded and very hardly used in all considerations not permitted to Speak with any man but in presence of some of the Commissioners not one of his domestique servants suffered about him nor the liberty to write or receive a lettre from the Queen any of his Childeren or freinds knowing nothing what his enemies did or what he was to doe himselfe In this deplorable condition one nepar whome the Parliament had placed about him as his barber being gained whose employment every morning and evening neer his person gave him the oportunity of conveying letters unpercevably into his hands how strictly soever he was watched by this conveniency haveing written to him at large concerning many things and especialy of the desorders begun betwixt the Parliament and the army and of all els which I judged necessary for his Knowledg in that estat
Generall in the West for the Parlament but after the Battaile of Stratton reduced to the Gouvernment of that Citty 4. The first day wee came before it the Enemy despising our small Number sillied out with a very considerable party but was vigorously repulsed beaten and some of their out worcks and the south subburbs possessed which by reason of our want of Amunition and our few forces wee quitted of our own accord very many of their men where killed and taken prisoners The siege continued about twoe months the Parlement endeavoured twice to succour it once by land from plimouth and Dartmouth which where surprised in their march beaten and totally Dissipated Secondly by sea with the Parlaments fleet commanded by the Earl of Warwich having two thowsand souldiers aboarde which he designed to land at Apsom under the favour of his Cannon but was prevented by our sinking the night before divers vessels with stones in the Channel He endeavoured to land at other places on the strand in his long Botes but was always repulsed with loss one of his ships was fired by us another so raked through by our Cannon that they were Constrayned to fire it themselves not able to bring it of 5. About this time Bristol was taken by the Kings forces Prince Maurits arrived before Exeter with about 3000 Cornish foote and some horse having viewed all the quarters and Approches resolved on an Attaque by the south gate which was Committed to Colonel Chudly and mee with 2000 men the manner left to our selves at the place where wee intended to fall on the enemy had twoe out guards advanced from the southgate the distance of musquet shot of about 3 or 400 men with a line of communication from the port to the out works which wee could perceive was but slightly mand wee resolved with fire locks and Pikemen with pistols by their sydes that light matches should not discover our designe to march silently an hower before break of day to assault the line jointly by way of surprise he on the left hand neat the outguarde I on the right neer the port hopeing thereby if success full to cut of the retreat of the Enemy which wee did by this meanes all in the out work were either killed or taken Whereupon wee Lodged our selves under the wall reasnably wel couvered soe neer the port that they durst not attempt à sally in this condition and consternation they beat a parley desired a treaty sent out hostages Sir Richard Cave and I were employed to treat and had the place rendered even on our owne tearmes 6. Having refreshed the Army twelve or fourteen days the Prince marched to Dartmouth though late in the year to begin a siege before the several Quarters were fully fixed his Highness the Earl of Marborow General of the Artillery c. and Major General Basset fell all three at one time dangerously sick which caused disorder and delay the greatest part of the Officers were inclined to raise the siege and retire the Army into Winter-quarters Sir Richard Cave Colonel Chudley and my selfe opposed it and wrote to My Lord Berkeley who was Gouvernour as well or the Province as of Exeter to come to the Army at whose arrival resolution was taken to attacque the Town in two places Colonel Chudley and my selfe were ordered as at exeter to assault one post in divers places he entered the first beat the Enemy out of some Workes but being unfortunately killed his Troupes were repulsed those I commanded entered likewise drove them from all their outworks which was their chief strenght in that quarter and commanded the Towne which immediately treated and rendered whereof Colonel Seymour was made Gouvernour 7. Towards the end of October the King sent order to my Lord Berckely to dispatch mee with my own Regiment and what other troupes he could spare with all expedition to joyne with my Lord Hoptons Army for the relief of Basing then besieged by Sir William Waller I was immediately sent away with a Brigade of Foot consisting of his Lordships Sir William Courtenays not he of Devonshire but another of the same name Sir John Acklands Colonel Strangeways and my own Regiment with three troupes of Horse I joyned my Lord Hoptons Army Basing was relieved Waller retired incamped advantagiously under Farnham Castel General Hopton followed him presented him Battaile the one would not dislodge nor the other attacque him as he lay the day following a Councel of war was held about the beginning of December where it was resolved that the Amy should separate into four Brigades and retire to Winter-quarters one with my Lord Hopten to Winchester another under Sir Charles Vavasour to Alsford a third commanded by Colonel Boles to Alton the fourth with mee to Petersfield the Horse were divided accordingly a party with every Brigade of Foote whereof I had with mee Sir Edward Stowels Regiment of Cavallery Sir Edward Fords Sir Edward Bishops four Troupes of my Lord Bellasis his Regiment commanded by his Major Bovel with the three Troupes which came with mee out of Devonshire One present at the Councel declared his opinion that it was dangerous to divide the Army into so many open quarters whilest Sir William Wallers remained in one entire Bodie since he could in one night as his custome was to march force any of the neerest to him before the others could be advertised joine and succour the quarter aetacqued this comming from a verry youngman was neglected as of no moment though the consequence ten days after made it appeare as one of Cassandra's predictions which though always true were never believed till accomplished or pastremedy 8. Four of five days after my Lord Berkeley arrived at my quarter from Oxford bringing with him Sir William Butler his Regiment of Horse with the Kings commands to march incontinently towards Arundel to take it if possible I marched all tuesday with the Horse and as many Musquetiers as I could mount being favoured by a great mist without any discovery about four of the clock wednesday morning wee surprised and forced the Towne the greatest part of the Enemie retired into the Castel which was rendered the Saturday following when my foote came up that the Souldiers should goe whither they would leaving all Armes and Amunition both of war and mouth having in three or four days given the necessary orders touching the defence of the Town and Castel I left Sir Edward Ford there with 400. Foote marching all night with the rest at the instances of Sir William Butler whom his Majestie had made Sherif of Kent hoping to have taken Bramber Castel but were prevented by Colonel Morley and Sir Michael Livesie who had possessed themselves of the place and passage over the River with about 2000. Men out of Kent whilest I was seeking another forde where I might pass the River with more conveniencie then in the face of the Enemy my Lord Hopton by an Express sent mee advertisement that the General Waller
condemne you as often to free Speaking to him about his Royale Highness the Duke of Yorke and my Lord Chancellour he told me the Duke is not as I hear inclined to you as he has been and I easily belive that S r. Allen Apsley sayd the truth to you for I had told him what it was that his Master will not medle in your concernments My Lord Chancellour had kindeness for you wrowght out your liberty was opinion when you first came out of the Tower that you might have been employed at sea for the King would not endure to hear of your coming to Court but now those thowghts of his Lordship are off and thowgh I can perceave that he wishes not your utter ruine yet if you should fall into any new trowble you will finde no favour from him I have here inserted the substance of this noble persons discource and as far as I can possibly recollect his words Upon these advices twoe or three days after I embarqued my selfe in a ship of Zealand and landed at Midelburgh where meeting with very great civility and kindeness from all persons in generall I remayned neer four years when by the councels and very effectual recommendations of some of my frends I went to the Hague where by their credit and by the power of some persons in Holland whome they had engaged to favour me I had the honour to be received into the service of the State Shortly after Colonel Dolman and I were summoned by proclamation without the specification of any crime as the cause to render our selves in England by a day which neither of us doeing we were both proscribed and which I belive was never done before by act of Parliament without any Criminal charge aleadged against either I shall not wear out tyme with fruitless complaints nor with any other kinde of reflexions which can signify nothing I only solemnly protest that after my proscription which was I thinke in the very beginning of the year 1666 till the month of April in the year 1674 I never wrote letter nor sent message to any creature in any of his Majesties Dominions nor did receive any Haveing not had in all that tyme being about eight years the least correspondence directly or indirectly either to good or bad ends In the month of April 1674 when the peace was concluded by the last treaty of Breda I wrote three or four letters to twoe persons of great quality in the most eminent employments about his Majestie and in no less credit Whoe had been bred up from their youth in the service of the crowne one with whome I had formerly long and great correspondence returned me no other answer then verbally to him whoe delivered him my letter that he was very sorry for the unhappiness of my condition but that the conjoncture Could not permit any man to speak in favour of that unfortunate Gentileman The other I know did move his Ma tie in my behalfe for my returne into England severall tymes but Could obtayne no Grace Thus finding my selfe most entirely ruined and hopeless of ever recouvering either in England or els where I betooke my selfe to a resolution as contrary to my temper humour and custome as one opposite can well be to another where unto I could never constraine my inclination throwgh the whole course of my life untill that tyme which was to retire my selfe not only from all kinde of affaires of what nature soeever but even from the usual contentment of humane conversation as far forth as the possibility of subsisting Could admit and to lead an Hermitical kinde of life to which end haveing throwgh the frendship of a worthy person to whome I was knowne procured in the country a little house in a garden but as great as my designe Thither I retired my selfe and soe continued during the space of five years haveing had in all that tyme very little other society then my bookes and meditations notwithstanding this great circomspection and harmless way of living I Could not be entirely free from some practises which had been for a long tyme one of the chiefe causes of my great calamitie in soe much that I then did and doe now thinke that if the very trees Could have had the discoursive faculty they would have been employ'd to my disadvantage which made me as much as was decently possible to avoyd the speaking with all man kinde but in this egiptiene darkness by intervalls God extraordinaryly afforded me such glimerings of light that I Could discouver the first mouvers reasons ends and instruments of all theise practises as likewise that passion in the first and interest in the last produced theise effects from which I playnly saw no manner of life that I Could consine my selfe unto was of sufficient force to free me Theise considerations which were solid and reall exempt from all Hypocondriacall vapours or chimeraes together with the very sencible decay of my health throwgh this way of living as likewise that melancholy sencibility of my to heavy distresse not haveing been Stoicien enough to have lost my feeling together with other reasons that I shall not mention I concluded my return to Leuwarden at least for the winter more conducible to my health to my security and more convenient in other considerations then the country about the end of September 1679 I posted my selfe there where I lived as free from all conversation as I had done at Bergum In the year 1680 coming to the knowledg of some things which concerned me in the highest degree that I Could be touched with and perceaving by the prints which were frequent and filled therewith that the desordres in England were risen to that Height that the storme seemed to blow from all points of the compass and not only conjecturing that I should be suspected but knowing that I was soe thowgh innocent as to all those transactions as the childe whoe had never seen the light I begun to thinke with my selfe what course was fittest for me to steer and after much deliberation I concluded it absolutely best to write into England which accordingly I did to a person whoe I thowght Could not be exposed to any suspition and by their means if they would have adventured it to have letters delivered to some of the Court whoe had formerly been my frends this person answered my letter and undertooke what I desired Where upon calling the saying to minde that he that wallkes circomspectly walkes surely allbeit I saw no necessity to have done it as things were betwixt England and this State I demanded leave from those whoe had the power to accord it me for my writing to such of my frends as would have endeavourd to get my proscription taken off free and entire liberty was graunted me very Generously without those limitations which I offered to Impose upon my selfe I wrote three letters to persons of Importance at the court one tooke tyme to resolve whither he would