Selected quad for the lemma: peace_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
peace_n	justice_n	party_n	session_n	2,323	5	10.4288	5	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A92155	Angliæ ruina: or, Englands ruine represented in the barbarous, and sacrilegious outrages of the sectaries of this kingdome, committed upon the lives, consciences and estates of all His Maj: loyal subjects in generall; but more particularly upon the churches, colledges, clergie, and scholars of the same. Containing two briefe catalogues of such heads and fellowes of colledges in the University of Cambridge, and other learned and pious divines, within the city of London, as have been ejected, plundered, imprisoned, or banished, for their constancie in the Protestant religion, and loyalty to their soveraigne. Whereunto is added, a chronologie of the time and place of all the battails, sieges, conflicts, and other remarkable passages which have happened betwixt His Majesty and the Parliament; with a catalogue of such persons of quality, as have been slain on either party, from Novemb. 3. 1640 till the 25. of March, 1647.; Mercurius rusticus	Ryves, Bruno, 1596-1677.; Barwick, John, 1612-1664. Querela Cantabrigiensis.; Griffin, Matthew, 1599?-1665. London. A generall bill of mortality, of the clergie of London, which have beene defunct by reason of the contagious breath of the sectaries of that city, from the yeere 1641. to this present yeere 1647. with the several casualties of the same.	1648 (1648)	Wing R2447; ESTC R204638	175,259	292

the Doctor was in the Chancell there to interre the Corpes of a Gentleman lately deceased these Souldiers rushed into the place with an intent to bury the quick with the dead to put the Doctor into the same grave which they had done for no other reason but because he used the forme prescribed by the Church at buriall of the dead had he not been powerfully rescued by his Parishioners Lastly when the glad Tydings were brought to Chelmesford that Episcopaty was voted down by the house of Commons all usuall expressions of an exulting joy were used amongst the rest Boonefires were kindled in every street but most of the fuell was violently taken from the Doctors wood-yard And now the pile raised and the fire kindled they want nothing but a Sacrifice this they resolve shall be the Doctor himself to this purpose the Separatists of the Towne assisted by two companies of Souldiers in the Evening assault him in his house seize upon his person and are ready to carry him to the fire there to throw him headlong into the middest of it but some of his friends having information of the design go and acquaint the Command●rs with the bloody intentions of their Souldiers who presently take a guard and rescue the Doctor out of their power as soone as ever they had seized on him Since that oppressed and worryed every day by these ravenous wolves he was forced to forsake his Charge as many other godly Ministers are and to fly for his life leaving his wife and eight children to the m ●cy of the Rebels who have deprived his family of all their livelyhood and exposed them to extreame want Nay they have severall times broken violently into his house under pretence to search for him and have held Pistolls cocked and Swords drawn at the breasts of his Children and Servants charging them upon their lives to reveale where the Doctor was It was lately certified from thence by a chiefe Member of that Towne and no friend of the Doctors that he finds the case there to be farre worse then he expected for while they hoped that the power being Trayterously wrested out of the Kings hand they should have shared it amongst themselves they find that either the power is fallen into their hands that are fa●re beneath them or else hath raised these men up far above them for as he writes the Town is governed by a Tinke● two Coblers two Taylors two Pedlers c. And that the World may see what a Systeme of Divinity these Coblers and Taylors are like in time to sti●ch together and what Principles they intend to Rule by I shal here set down certain preparatory prelusory Propositions which they usually Preach for Preach they doe to their infatuated Disciples and by them are received as the divine Oracles of God and you shall have them in their own● Termes viz. First That Kings are the burdens and plagues of those people or Nations over which they gove●ne Secondly That the relation of Master and Servant hath no ground or warrant in the New Testament but rather the contray for there we read In Christ Jesus there is neither bond nor free and we are all one in Christ Thirdly That the Honours and Titles of Dukes Marques●es Earls Viscounts Lords Knights and Gentlemen are but Ethnicall and Heathenish distinctions amongst Christians Fourthly That one man should have a Thousand pounds a yeare and another not one pound perhaps not so much but must live by the sweat of his browes and must labour before he eate hath no ground neither in Nature or in Scripture Fiftly That the common people heretofore kept under blindnesse and ignorance have a long time yeelded themselves servants nay slaves to the Nobility and Gentry but God hath now opened their eyes aud discovered unto them their Christian liberty and that therefore it is now fit that the Nobility and Gentry should serve their servants or at least work for their owne maintenance and if they will not work they ought not to eate Sixtly That Learning hath alwayes been an enemy to the Gospel and that it were a happy thing if there were no Universities and all Books burnt except the Bible Seventhly That any man whom God hath as they call it Gisted may be chos●n by the Congregation for their Pastor and that imposition of hands by the Bishop and Presbyterie are mee●e Papish Innovations What more additions to these monstrous Opinions the wildnesse of such mens braines a●ist d by the cunning of the Devill and incouraged by th●●surped ●ower of these times may pro●uce we must l●ave to the discovery of time In the interim good Re●der stand amazed and wonder at this excellent pattern● of the inten●ed bl●ssed Reformation Had not God to prepare us for destruction deprived us of knowledge had he not closed our eyes that we should not see an● hardned our hearts that we should not understand were we not a people as the Proph●t speaks forsaken and meted out for destruction it could not be but that Mankind would rise up against this Generation of Vipers and their Protecto●s and sw●ep them away to use the Metaphor of the holy Ghost with the beesome of destruction who if a while connived at will prove moths fretting to the destruction both of Church and State for in this Modell you may see the Babel which is now in building and the budding forth of those Brambles out of which if not timely quenched will come forth a fire as it is in Jothams Parable which will devoure the Cedars of Lebanon The same godly Reformers which plundered Master Laud before mentioned came afterwards to Master Cornelius Parson of Peldon in the same County of Essex whom they rob of all his goods within doores and without they spared not his Library nor his Wives Child-bed Linnen though the was great with Child and in danger by the fright she took at their comming to have occasion to make use of them before her due time they plunder him to the value of foure hundred pounds a very great summe in a poore Clergie-mans purse especially as these times goe For reliefe of his losse he sends his servant to the Major of Colchester a famous Justiciary as you may remember the last W●eke in the relation of Master Laud and Master Honifields cases having made his Complaint and accused the Plunderers by name the Major knew that some body deserved Commitment but had the ill luck to be mistaken in the person and therefore instead of the Plunderers he commits Master Cornelius his man to the Gaole where he is lodged for a Malignant untill his Master plundered of his man too came and put in Bayle that his servant should be forthcomming to answer to all objections the next Sessions Master Cornelius knowing that he should in vaine expect Justice where he found Oppression from the Major goes to Master Gardner a Justice of Peace not farre off who grants his Warrant for apprehension of the parties who

MERCURIVS RUSTICUS THE COVNTRYS COMPLAINT Recovnting the Sad Events of this Unparraleld WARR Angliae Ruina OR ENGLANDS RUINE Represented in the Barbarous and Sacrilegious Outrages of the Sectaries of this Kingdome committed upon the Lives Consciences and Estates of all His Maj Loyal Subjects in generall but more particularly upon the Churches Colledges Clergie and Scholars of the same Containing two briefe Catalogues of such Heads and Fellowes of Colledges in the University of Cambridge and other Learned and Pious Divines within the City of London as have been ejected Plundered Imprisoned or Banished for their Constancie in the Protestant Religion and Loyalty to their Soveraigne Whereunto is added A Chronologie of the time and place of all the Battails Sieges Conflicts and other remarkable passages which have happened betwixt His Majesty and the Parliament with a Catalogue of such Persons of Quality as have been slain on either party from Novemb. 3. 1640 till the 25. of March 1647. AMOS 9. 11. I will raise up the Tabernacle of David that is falne and alose up the breaches thereof and I will raise up his ruines and I will build it as in the dayes of old ANNO 1647. The Preface WHen the sinnes of this Kingdome were ripe for punishment the Divine Justice permitted a great part of it to be besotted with Discontents either wholly causelesse or such as His Maj. was pleased to remeay with Grants so unmeasurably gracious as could not otherwise be justified then by thier importunity that demanded them and His Majesties Royall tendernesse of his Subjects peace and safety These grants were so far from satisfying those whose broken fortunes and boundlesse desires would not permit them to live without a Civill War that they made of them no other use then thereby to strenthen themselves to demand more till at last they broke out into most unnaturall Rebellion The people alwayes apt to cherish murmures and invectives against thier Princes and now grown wanton with the fruits of a long peace incline to Abners mind and thinke the Warre which yet they knew not but a sport Therefore with a great facility they embrace the designe and the baits to cover the Hooks with are the preservation of Religion and the vindication of liberty And howsoever they cannot reconcile their practise with Gods command which under paine of damnation forbids all Subjects to resist their King yet they are so wedded to that interest which they Challenge in Religion and Liberty that for Gods command if they cannot untie the knot they resolve to cut it Doe but assure them that the forbidden fruit will make them as Gods and they will eate it though it be forbidden doe but perswade them that to take up armes against their Soveraigne is the way to secure their Religion and Liberty and they make bold with God for once to choose their owne way for so good an end From so desperate Resolution had they had but Morall justice they might have beene kept back by the improbability of those calumnies whereby His Majestie was traduced as intending to alter Religion and infringe their Liberties Or had Religion to which they doe so Zealously pretend had that potent influence upon them it might have taught them that Religion cannot be defended by transgressing Gods commands which are the Rule of it But if nothing else yet even regard to their owne pretensions the defence of Religion and Liberty should have wrought in them a detestation of Rebellion which is so contrary to both For as an eye had to Gods dominion over us should exact obedience to his commands though never so much to our prejudice So the meditation of his infinite goodnesse ought to win it from us because his commands enjoyne us onely what is for our good if we could see it He would not have forbidden Subjects to defend Religion against their King by force of Armes but that he knew as Rebells can be no friends to Religion so it gaines love admiration by the innocent patience of those that professe it where as Blood-shed Force and Rapine the fruits of Rebellion procure Hatred or Hypocrisie And for Liberty it is for he good of Mankind to forbid the assertion of it by Subjects Armes taken up against their Prince both because that pretence would otherwise be used by those that have a designe to make the abused people their owne slaves and because Rebellion doth more violate the Subjects liberty then is morally possible for the worst Prince in times of peace to doe This truth was knowne before by speculation to a few whose endeavours to infuse it into the distempered peoples minds had the fate of Caffandraes predictions to hit the truth and want belief till these sad times have at last verified it by acostly experience That this may be more universally beneficiall you have too plentifull a harvest of Instances collected in the ensuing Relations wherein may evidently be seene that this War which the multitude was so fond of as the onely meanes to preserve Religion and Liberty hath beene the utter ruine of them both Here you shall find these great pretenders to Religion Suppressing that which themselves confesse to be Divine Truth Debarring poore prisoners the comfort of joyning their prayers together enforcing men to take Oaths of blind obedience to whatsoever they should afterwards command them turning out Clergiemen above all exception and placing most scandalous and insufficient wretches in their roomes darting from their invenomed mouthes most horrid Blasphemies against our Lord and Saviour abusing the service of God and profaning not only the Forme of it the Booke of Common Prayer which now they have utterly extirpated but even Gods owne Word the holy Bible which they pretend to reverence Here shall you behold them not onely like those Canes Sepulchrales violating the bones ashes of the dead to make the world know that they beleeve what some of their fellowes openly professe that of those sometime living Temples of the holy Chost there shall be no Resurrection but exercising their sury on the Churches of God which they have defaced with barbarous rudenesse defiled with more then beastly nastinesse as if contrary to their wont they had studyed the Booke of Maccabes to find out and out-doe the most Heathenish wickednesses therein related they have polluted the very Altar with their whoredomes Nor can these Reformers at whose doore the profanations of the Houses of God must lye make the world beleeve they are in earnest when they plead for Religion whilst they deface and demolish the places where it should be taught and practiced and put out the Eyes of the most flourishing Universities of Christendome Then for the other point the Subjects Liberty the following Narrations will plainly shew that it hath not been spared by those that would be accounted the Champions of it when the violation of it might satisfie either their Lust their Covetousnesse or their Cruelty Their Lust hath prompted them not only to

these Plunderers whose name was Bawyer was apprehended in London selling some of these goods in the very act and for this committed to Newgate as a Felon two of the Countesse's servants entring into Recognizance to give in evidence against him for the King but upon his Petition to the House of Commons it was ordered he should be discharged without paying any fees which was done accordingly and 't was but an oversight that his prosecutors had not been laid in his place and publique thanks decreed him for his zeale to the Cause M. Stevens Parson of South-Hamfield in Essex hearing that the Plunderers of that County were comming on him tooke horse and fled and so saved both himselfe and his horse for he knew that both were sought after The father being fled the children left to their owne providence bethink how to secure those little peeces of Plate which each had received from the bounty of their Godfathers and Godmothers neither time nor acquaintance could give them latitude of much choice where to hide it and thinking any place safer then their owne house they run to a poote woman their neighbour and there with her they deposite their whole Treasure When the Plunderers came and sound that the birds were flowne having intelligence or as some say but suspecting that the poor womans house might hide M. Stevens his goods they go to her house and demand them The woman denyes that she hath any of M. Stevens his goods hereupon one of the Plunderers strikes her on the head with a Club with such violence that her brains came out at her nostrils The poore woman being thus murthered the bloudy Murtherers insult over her and say that the just hand of God was upon her for lying against her knowledge and denying those parcels of M. Stevens his goods that were in her possession so usuall a thing it is with these men to blaspheme God and intitle him to all those wickednesses which they commit on others M. Edward Symmons Parson of Rayne in Essex in the Months of June and July 1642. Preached against the sin of Rebellion and Disobedience and against traducing the King slandering the footsteps of Gods Anoyn●ed and refused to promote the Civill Warre then begun by stirring up the people to contribute Money Plate and Horses the maintenance of so unnaturall so destructive a division as most of the Ministers of those parts did This as it was more remarkable in him so it was more hainously taken from him in regard of his former intimate acquaintance with M. Stephen Marshall Parson of Pinching field in Essex the great incendiary of this unhappy war and had given him the right hand of Fellowship Hereupon he was sent for to the House of Commons by a Pursevant and was told That he being an honest man but of a different judgement from the Sence and Vote of the House did more prejudice to the good Cause in hand then a hundred Knaves and therefore would suffer accordingly which saying since that time hath beene plentifully made good and verified in many particular oppressions sufferings unjustly inflicted on him and his whole family First he was imprisoned and most illegally deprived of his libertie for no other cause but because he would not contrary to the dictate of Religion and his owne conscience countenance and promote an accursed Rebellion against his gracious Soveraigne Secondly he was referi'd after to the Committee for scandalous Ministers thereby to blast his Credit and Reputation in his Ministery a most diabolicall and divelish Course and a work of him who is the accuser of the Brethr●n to defame honest Orthodox Ministers with the odious name of Scandalous and Malignants though made so neither by error in doctrine wickednesse of life or debauchnes of conversation but by the malignity of a Vote knowing that by this means such Ministers doctrines and Testimonies will be of little or no credit afterward with the vulgar for had it been Scandal in a true and proper sense which they indeavoured to take away out of the Church they would never have brought over his head so scandalous so infamous a man to be Lecturer in his Cure as they did for to the wounding of M. Simmons his soule and the indangering the soules of his Parishioners one Lemuel Tuke is appointed Lecturer in Master Simmons his Church a man by education a Weaver and that had not so much as saluted either University yet while men slept he intruded into a Cure of Soules in Nottinghamshire from which ever since the Parliament began he hath been a Non-resident for not long after the sitting of this Parliament his Parishioners framed a Bill against him to the Lower House Articling against him not onely as negligent but insufficient in his calling Nay they accuse him of no lesse then Barrettry and Battery Drunkennesse and whoredome and some such other sinnes which in the judgement of all honest men make a man truly and properly scandalous yet this man thus Articled against to the House of Commons as Scandalous is thought worthy to be substituted as a Coadjutor in M. Simmons his Cure who onely was voted Scandalous because not Rebellious so that all the world may judge what it is to be Scandalous in this new sense To honour the King and to live in obedience to the established orders of the Church Thirdly having preached that it was unlawfull to take up Armes against the King and contrary to the doctrine of the Scriptures to contribute to a Warre against Him in opposition to Lemuel Tuke who laboured to payson his People with Sedition and Rebellion affirming openly that in some Cases it was lawfull not onely to Resist but which I tremble to relate to kill the king instancing in the example of Athaliah 2 King II. yet the said Tuke is countenanced and encouraged whereas Master Simmons for asserting the Truth was summoned before the Committee there to answer as a Delinquent who was so f●rre from a Retractation that he justified the doctrine which he did so fully that one of the Committee was convicted of it yet as he himselfe did so he would have Master Simmons to withhold that Truth in unrighteousnesse for Sir Thomas Barrington who was the man confessed that it was a Truth and a Divine Truth yet not fit to be preached at all times no not by those that were intrusted with it by God himselfe no though it might be in some danger of Impeachment At last being charged to preach no more such doctrine and putting in bayle by the Committee he is permitted to returne to his charge But behold what it is to be voted a delinquent or a Scandalous Minister by the Committee it is to be put out of the protection of the Law and exposed to the fury of the people for on his returne Oath is made before a Justice of Peace that at Halstead in Essex it was concluded that an hundred men from Cogshall and Colchester side some of that

they had Him in their power that expresse such malice on his shadow having at first entrance violated their loyaltie to their King according to His Majesties frequent predictions their fellow Subjects cannot expect Justice at their hands now all is lawfull prize that comes to hand Money Plate Jewels many fuits of Rich Hangings Linnen Bedding they Plunder from the Cabinet to the Larder and make cleane worke as they goe leaving no booty for a second Plunder And though that house were but one yet in that one they Plundered three Sir Richard having dis-robed two houses one in Essex the other in London thinking to secure all in this third while these things were in doing the Lord Brook with other Commanders commands the Wine-seller to be broke up but in a saucy imitation of greatnesse they will not drinke without a Taster yet not being confident enough professedly to owne Regall observances for prevention of danger a pretence was made that the Wine was Poysoned and one of Sir Rich. servants is compelled a Pistol set to his breast to begin and lead the way that if there were any danger the experiment might be made in him he having gain'd a Cup of Wine by their dissembled State they follow freely and drinke very liberally to the good successe of their designes without ever scrupling whether drinking so did not come within the nature of a health And indeed it was an oversight that Casui●t Prin was not consulted in the Case the Cup often goes round at last some inspired with the spirit of Wine Prophesie that Sir Richards Treasure was buryed in the Seller presently they fall to digging and instead of Treasure find a Mine of Bottles they drinke up the Wine and in indignation break the bottles from hence to coole the Wine they goe to the Beere Seller and in both what they could not drinke they break the vessells and let runne on the ground after this they breake open his Library and the place where he kept his Evidences they seize on all the Bills Bonds Deeds Evidences Writings and Bookes which they find whether Sir Richards or his friends some of these they take away with them some they teare in pieces some they binde in bundles and make them serve instead of fuell both to heat Ovens and to rost meat for their supper and would by no means suffer any of them to be redeemed though large summes of mony were offered for them the house it self escapes not their fury wanting Ladders to come at the Lead they supply this defect with the Rackes broken downe from the Stables they rip up the Lead and carry it away they teare downe the wals of the houses with Spades and Mattocks they dig up the lower roomes hoping there to find more Treasure they breake the Windowes Doores Wainscot Seelings Glasse they take away all Iron Barres Casements Locks Keyes and Hinges They break open his Wooll-house and Barns and empty and all they enter the Dove-house and like vermine destroy the Pigeons onely one of these vermine falling from the holes brake his back and dyed thereof and because they could not carry away his house covertly they indeavour to fire it to this purpose they leave matches burning in the mats but were discovered From his house they issue our into his ground there they lay all common they break up his rales and fences of his Sheep what they did not eate they sold Sheep worth 20 ● for twelve pence Lambs worth 10 ● for six pence and the reasons why the rates of their market were so low were first they were a Malignant and Traytors goods so they styled Sir Richard Secondly they were sold to their Brethren and therefore must afford good Penniworths The rest of the Stocke they runne their swords or Pikes into most of them and spoyled them Nor was Plunder the only thing they looked after blood is in their thoughts First they send a Troop of horse to pursue Sir Richard and threaten to cut him as small as hearbes to the Pot they clap a strong guard on Sir Richards Lady deny her a bed to lye on though the neighbours earnestly intreated Some there were among them who poore Soules affrighted with these barbarous Insolencies fled into the field and hid themselves in growing Hempe and there lay on the ground almost 20 houres without meat or any sustenance so that what with fright and dampnesse of the earth some of them contracted dangerous sicknesses and hardly escaped with life The Torrour which fell upon the Country there about was so great that the neighbouring Justice of Peace durst not grant his Warrant to search after any of Sir Richards goods though earnestly intreated to it and the neighbours were so ill used and threatned to extort confession from them where Sir Richard was or where any of his goods were conveyed that some sounded for fear some fell mad and some dyed Certaine it is their carria●e was so barbarous that it inforced M. Jo. Crew one of the Company to professe his dislike and to tell the Lord Brookes and the rest That they being Law-makers should not be Law-breakers nor make such precedents as would discover their intentions and render them odious unto the Country since that knowing Sir Richard to have put himselfe for preservation of his Life under his Majesties Protection they have caused his Pond heads to be digged downe and have destroyed all his Fish they have cut downe his woods and seized on all his Lands or made them utterly unprofitable unto him for they will not suffer any Bayliffe or servant of his to take any care of his estate but have often sent parties of horse to seize on them or kill them At a place called Kings-harbour neare Hounslow-he●th three Souldiers under the Command of the Lord ●ha●ton came into a house to drinke going away they of the house demand money for their drinke so unexpected an affront did so incense the Souldiers that one of them told his Companions he would show them how they see houses on fire in Ireland and so put his Carbine into the Thatch and discharged it let the house on fire and departed The Generall ESSEX returning from London came by as the house was on fire complaint is made unto him that the owner of the house was undone but all in vaine his excellency was not at leasure to doe Justice The Countesse of Rivers who as you heard in the second Weekes Relation was Plundered to the value of an hundred thousand or an hundred and fiftie thousand pound finding her aboad here unsafe having lost her goods and her person in danger to secure her selfe resolved for a time to abandon her Country and rather expose her selfe to the hazard of Travell then commit her selfe to that protection which the contemned Laws now affords To this purpose she obtained a Passe to goe beyond Seas While she was in preparing for her voyage Master Martin Plunder-master Generall he that so familiarly speaks

and Seditious man and make their complaint to him and to inflame him that was too apt to kindle without their holpe they doe not onely aggravate their own losses at Wellingborow but tell him that they threatned to come and do the like at Welby M. Perne changing his black Coat for a gray instantly goes to North hampton and there represents the injury done to their Faction at Wellingborow and the pretended danger of Welby so effectually that by noone that Tuesday Colonel Norwich commanding in chief Serjeant Major Mol● Captain John Sawyer Captaine Francis Sawyer Captain Pe●t●ow Captain Redman Captaine Farmar Captaine Harrold with 500 but others say 1000. Horses and Dragooners came to Wellingborow being come thither they divide themselves into severall Troopes to make good severall passages into the Towne thereby to keepe out the Countrey that were comming to their ayde Captain John Sawyer with 80 or a 100 Dragooners enters the Towne at that side which leads to Welby and riding in the Front of his men marched directly towards M. Neile of Wollaston and some few with him who stood to oppose him Sawyer discharges at M. Ne●le and whom he missed with his Bullet h● would be sure to hit with his tongue shooting out arrowes even bitter words calling him Pop●sh Rascall but what reward shal be given unto thee O thou false Tongue● he stayed not long without it for the words were no sooner spoken and ●o second his words a charge given to his Souldiers to give fire but he received what he would have given his deaths wound by a shot in the head and necke by Goose-shot which made him fall on his Horse neck which shot was seconded by a Countryman who with a Club beat him off his Horse into the dirt being thus beaten down the women to revenge their husbands Quarrell fasten on him but M. Oliver Gray Nephew to M. Gray before mentioned M Woollaston rescued him out of their hands who otherwise had immediatly died the death of Sisera by the hands of women reprived thus for some few houres they carry him to one Gray's house an Alehouse-keeper whose wife was Capt. Sawyers Aunt where they administred what they could but in vaine for after two and twentie houres Languishment he dyed as soone as Captaine Sawyer was fallen his Souldiers instantly ran away only his son unwilling to leave his Father followed him to the hazard of his life by many wounds which he received In other Parts of the Towne the Townes-men quit themselves like valiant Souldiers loyall Subjects and with very little helpe of the Country Kept the Rebels out M. Gray's man and another with each man his Musket kept out above a 100 at the lower end of the Towne and repelled them twice or thrice and had not Captaine Sawyer comming to himselfe a little before his death perswaded them that it was in vain to stand out there being three Pieces on the way from Northampton to batter the Town which proved true and withall perswading them to write a Letter to the Commanders promising that upon their submission the Towne should be secured they had held it out to the last man but the dying Captain prevailed with them they write a Letter according to his advice which as they say was signed by his own hand the apprehensio of his desperate condition having put newthoughts in him But this resolution not being so fully made known to the Towne as a businesse of that concernment ought to have beene some of the Towne being ignorant of any Treatie made some shot and the Rebells willing to take advantage rush into the Towne put both those of the Towne and Country to flight Captaine Francis Sawyer much inraged for his Brother and comming neare the place where his Brother was wounded seeing Master Flint the Curate of Harrowden stand there not any way ingaged in the resistance having not given any provocation he barbarously struck him with his Pole-axe and cleft his head downe to the eyes of which wound he dyed instantly the earth drinking up that innocent blood shed by the hand of an accursed Doeg which like the blood of Abel calls loud in the eares of God for vengeance upon them who authorize and countenance such horrid Murthers Cursed be his anger for it was fierce and his wrath for it was cruell Being Masters of the Towne at three of the Clock in the afternoone they begin to Plunder and continue the spoyle untill the next day light failed them untill Wednesday night In this time they carry away the Wealth of the Towne to Northampton and other places sparing none but those whose tongues were framed to Shiboleth men of their owne Faction whether they were active against them or stood Neuters by which Essay those Luke-warm men who stand pendulous equally poysed between Rebellion and Loyaltie and know not which side to leane unto may guesse what measure they are like to receive from the Rebels hands if ever they come to have them in their power In the Towne two men especially suffer under these Free-booters Master Gray and Master Fisher from the first being Clerke of the Peace they take away the Commissions of Peace the Sessions Rolls together with his owne Evidences and Leases all his houshold-stuffe even to his very bed-cords leaving but one sheet for his wife and five children his Wheat and other Corne they give to their Horse what they did not care they threw into the streets and trampled it in the dirt From the other they took goods and other things amounting to a very great summe and to compleat their wickednesse to their oppression they adde scorne for having taken away all that they could in derision they affix Protections in writing under Colonel Norwich his hand at his and some others doores forbidding any man to Plunder Generally what they could not carry away they spoyle so that the losse sustained by the Towne is valued at six thousand pounds They took Master Neile Prisoner and some forty more amongst them they took the Vicar Master Jones a grave and learned man but lame and very sickly and having Plundered him of all he had they mount him on a poore Jade with a Halter instead of a Bridle the rest they tye two and two together and drive them before them to Northampton Master Gray as I told you was the day before led Prisoner to Wilby from thence to Northampton where his Prison cannot afford him protection from the fury and rage of the Souldiers to make way to his death they threaten to pull downe the house where he was confined and the Commissioners finding that he could not remaine there with any safetie were constrained to send him away Prisoner to London Being come thither Articles are framed and exhibited against him which being examined at a Committee and no proofe at all made he was voted to be discharged his Imprisonment yet to delude Justice and the Petition of Right the Chaire-man could never find

thought sufficient to secure them but yet were denyed Nay when the Sheriffe of Sussex was brought Prisoner from London to Windsor very lame though his Chirurgion offered Colonel Ven to be deposed that on the least neglect his Leg was like to Gangreene yet after he came to Windsor he was forced to lye with the rest of the Knights and Gentlemen on the ground many nights at last shewing his Leg to Ven he confessed that he never saw a more dangerous lamenesse and promised to acquaint the Earle of Essex with it and the Sheriffe himselfe being acquainted with the Earle presuming on some interest in him wrote unto him to acquaint him with his Condition and earnestly intreating him that he might be sent to London and disposed of though in a Dungeon for a weeke that he might have the assistance of his owne Physitian and Chirurgion offering to give anysecurity be at any charges to assure him of his safe Returne to render himselfe true Prisoner but neither the sense of his misery nor his earnest sollicitations could prevaile with his Excellency And if the Knights and Gentlemen who had money to bribe that compassion which they could not intreat found no better measure at their hands what then thinke you were those heavy pressures under which the poore common Souldiers groaned there were in the Castle eight poore Souldiers to whom the Sheriffe of Sussex allowed eight shillings a week yet not withstanding because they refused to take the wages of Iniquitie and serve under the Rebells Colours and fight against their Soveraigne they starved them insomuch that being released that they might not dye in the Castle comming into the aire three of them fell down dead in the streets three more recovered as farre as Eaton where a good woman for five shillings a Weeke given for their reliefe by the Sheriffe of Sussex gave them entertainment and when the Sheriffe made his happy escape he left them alive There was a poore man living neere Moore Parke whom when Prince Rupert was in those parts commanded to shew him where the Pipes lay which conveyed water to the Castle for this crime they apprehend him and commit him prisoner to the Castle where they fed him with so slender dyet that they even starved him and when upon his wives teares and lamentable cryes that she and her children were like to starve at home while her husband starved at Windsor they having no subsistance but what he got by the sweat of his browes he was released he was not able to stand on his legs and whether dead since we have no Information There was at the same time in the Castle one Lieutenant Atkinson prisoner who suffering under the same want of necessary food sent to his Father humbly petitioning for reliese his Father though a man of good estate returned answer that unlesse he would take profered Entertainment from the Parli ment he should ly● there rot● and starve and be damned for him He finding no p●t●ie from his Father where Natu●e and Religion bade him expect it petition●d the Gentlemen in the Keep for bread as many others dayly did and on his Petition had monies sent him but dyed starved two dayes after and left this just ground to the world to make this Observation That whe●e Pur tanisme prevailes it can●els all Obl●gations both of Religi●n and Natu●e and never fa●l●s to make men guilty of that ●in which is in the n●mber of those wh●ch the Scri●tu●●s tell us shall heare wrath on the end of the World the want of N●turall affection Mercurius Rusticus c. X. Master Chaldwell and his wife barbar●usly used by the Reb●ll● at Lincolne and his servan● murthered Master Le●●e Parson of Wedon-Pinkny in Northamptonshire hi●selfe and his Church infini●ely abused on the Lords day by some Rebell-Troopers of Northampton c. WIlliam Chaldmell of Thorgon●y in the County of Linco●ne Esquire and Justice of Peace being an aged Gentleman yet his Loyalty and desi●e to se●ve the King in ●is just Warres made him over-looke his infirmities so that he resolved in person to come to His assistance To this purpose he provided foure horses compleatly furnished of which the Rebells having intelligence they surprize him and seize on his horses In Februa●y 1643. some Rebell-Troopers came to M. Chaldw●lls house and demanded entrance which he denying unlesse they could shew some Commission from the King they presently broke up his hall windows and forcing his entrance apprehend his person yet his person is not all they come for they begin to plunder his goods and the first thing which they lay hold on was some Linnen lying on the Hall Table A servant of Master Chaldwels standing by unwilling to lose any thing if it might be saved takes hold on the Linnen too and intreats the Troopers to spare it Presently same cry out shoot him which was no sooner said then done for one discharging a Pistoll at him shot a Bullet into his heart and the top of his seouring-stick into his body neere it The poore man instantly fell downe dead hardly by any motion expressing the farewell of life While most stood amazed at so barbarous an act some make towards him thinking to help him but were forbid by the bloody Villaines to come neere him who were so farre from remorse for what they had done that to murther they added theft diving into the Pockets of him whom they had thus murthered and ●obbing him of his moneys Nay his wife whom they had murthered hearing of this sad accident being great with child came to see her dead Husband but was not permitted to come neare him being threatned by these Troopers that if she came neare him they should doe unto her as they had done unto her Husband shoot her dead Having done their pleasure in Master Chaldwels houese they carry him away Prisoner to Lincoln Being come thither they commit him to the Towne Gaole and lodged him there in the common Keep amongst Murtherers and Felons The day after the Lincolne-shire Rebels received the defeat before Newarke by a verball command from the Earle of Lincolne● he was removed from the Towne-Prison to the Castle in Lincolne where he was put into a ●as●ie stinking place called the Witch Hole and without any regard to his qualitie being a Gentleman of prime ●ote in his Country or to his age being an old man they permit him to stay there all night having no other bed but the Ground and no other Pillow but the hard stones The next day they vouchsafe him the favour to let him purchase a little and but a very little better accommodation by buying out some poore Prisoners out of their lodging remaining there in this disconsolate condition his wife an aged Gentlewoman came to visit him being very willing to share with him in his Misery as before she had done in his Prosperitie Having spent some time in mutuall consolation and exhorting one another patiently to beare this unjust

being apprehended though for Felonie put in Bayle to answer the next Sessions When the time came Master Cornelius indicts these Plunderers the Bill was found by the Grand Jury upon the evidence of three or foure witnesses who were Spectators and saw them carry away the goods nay the Prisoners at the Barre not onely confessed the fact in their examination before the Justice when they were first apprehended but in the face of the Court and presence of the Jurors yet the Petty-Jury contrary to reason and their owne consciences found the Indictment against the King The Court wondring at so wilfull blindnesse cause the Statute to be read lay open the evidence and remand them back not doubting but comparing the fact with the Law the Result would be a verdict for the King they persist in their obstinacy and returne Ignoramus Being asked by the Bench how they could goe against so cleare evidence They answered in generall Because they did not thinke PLUNDERING a new name for an old Theft to be Felony by the Law but being beaten out of this starting hole though tenne are convicted yet two stand out and give this reason that they were a Malignants goods and the Parliament had given power to plunder such but when it was replyed that no such Order was produced nor was it pleaded by the Prisoners at the Barre they then professed openly that these men arraigned at the Barre were honest men that they had an In●ent to doe them favour and they would doe it Hereupon the Bench justly incensed against so willfull p●rjury binds over the Iurors to answer it the next Assiz●s and withall order M. Cornelius to indict these plunderers againe upon an other Felony he obeyes their command and the Grand Iury find it to be Billa vera but when the underSheriffe went out to impanell a Jury to try the Prisoners he could find none but Separatists who attended there that day purposely to be of the Jury and professed openly that they stayed there to save the Prisoners Happy men these that may commit Murthers robberies and thefts and yet seare no Condemnation neither at the Tribunall of God or Man It is an usuall doctrine of this Sect That God sees no sinne in his children for that name they will ingrosse to themselves though no men lesse deserve it and it seemes they are resolved to see no sinne one in another It was a wild saying of a gre●t Patriarke of theirs That the Children of God were Heteroclites because God did often save them even contrary to his owne Rules I know not how true they will find this assertion at the great day when Murther shall be Murther and Theft Theft and God that righteous Judge who without respect of persons shall render to every man according to his d●eds yet here on earth if these men may judge one another they may commit what wickednesse they list and let the raines loose to all kinds of villany and yet be saved contrary to all the rules of Law and Justice M. Archer Lecturer at the same place in his Sermon encouraged the people to take up Armes against the King but it may be objected sayes he that the Gentry gainsay this Doctrine and the Learned utterly disclaime it as erroneous and damnable but what though the Gentry and Learned as you call them dissent yet let it not Stagger your beliefe of this undouted Truth for I tell you that in my Conscience you may do it and in doing it you are so far from sinning that you will do that which is acceptable to Go● Be liberall ther●fore in contributing to this holy warre and sending forth men to fight this Battle of the Lord. This man in his Prayers and Sermons constantly cals the Parliament The Lords Annoynted but with what Oyle it is not yet determined I am sure by experience we find that it is not Oyle of Gladnesse Mercurius Rusticus c. IV. Sir Rich Mynshull's house in Buckinghamshire plundered by the Lord Brooks command The Kings picture abused A house burnt neare Hounslow by the Lord Wharto●s Souldiers M Wiborow and M. Thorne the one a Minister in Essex the other in Bedfordshire the first ill-intreated on the Lords day by the Lo S. Johns Troopers the other unjustly committed to Prison for a private revenge ON Munday the 15. of August 1642. Sir Richard Mynshull of Bourton in the County of Buckingham Knight furnished with tenne Horse and Armes began his journey into the North to wait upon the King as in the duty of a servant and subject he was bound This being discovered for they have spyes in every corner to the Lord Brooke Sir Peter Temple Sir Rich Ingoldesby Master Goodwine and others then at Aylesbury leaders of an Army raised against His Majesty It fell under consideration to make Sir Richard Mynshul a precedent to deter others from serving the King since it was not to be done but by exposing their persons to Imprisonment and their estates to plundering for the Result of that deliberation was that since they could not secure his person they would seise on his estate Nor doe they stay long before they put the sentence in execution for on Thursday the 18. of August the Lord Brooke commanding a great part of the Army came to Sir Richards house and in case he should find Resistance they bring diverse peece of Ordnance to batter the House but being come they find no opposition The first company that enters the house were under the command of one Cap Iones who either detesting the oppression or yet not fleshed in the sin which but then found footing in this Kingdom for this was the first of this kind committed in Buckinghamshire and the second in England moderated the eagernesse of the Souldiers sharpe set on the prey so that they gleaned but a little here and there this moderation renders Captaine Iones suspected for a Papist both to the Lord Brooke and the rest of the Commanders nay he is not onely voiced for a Papist but a Rumor is raised that he was bribed into this Moderation and had taken a reward to spare Sir Richards goods the Captain blasted with these reports the jealousie of him grew so high that they threaten to kill him to avoyd the sury of the Souldiers he is faine to withdraw himselfe nor d●rst he appear before a Servant of Sir Richards had made oath that he was Innocent of any such Contract And now the Lord Brooke and his Company being masters of the House the first thing on which they expresse their rage is the Kings picture which with their swords they most traiterously pierce through in divers places and not content to wound him in that representation whose person God miraculously hath and we hope will preserve from them They whet their tongues against their Soveraigne using Traiterous and scornfull language against Him by all which it is more then manifest to all the world what they would doe to the Substance if