ORdered by the Commons Assembled in Parliament, That this Relation, concerning the Passages of the Kings Army at Old-Brainceford, be forthwith Printed and Published; And further, That no Person, upon any pretence whatsoever, shall presume to Print the same Passages but Edward Husbands and John Frank, untill the 25 of December next ensuing the date hereof.
A True and Perfect RELATION Of the Barbarous and Cruell PASSAGES Of the Kings Army, At Old-Brainceford, neer London: Being presented to the House of Commons, by a Committee of the same House, who was sent thither, on purpose to examine the Truth of the particular Actions of the said Army.
Printed for E. Husbands and J Frank, and are to be sold at their shops, in the middle Temple, and next doore to the Kings-Head in Fleetstreet. 1642. Novemb. 25.
The Preamble.
UNnaturall, Inhumane, and strange Cruelties, send forth a voyce; and the voyce which they send forth is so loud and piercing, that it awakes even secure and sleepy Man kinde, and stirs up their bowels to an in flamed and united Indignation. The divided pieces of a woman abused to death, needed not the [Page 2] Eloquence or Voyce of an Orator; they spake themselves, and they spake so loud, that they were heard by a whole Nation, and drew forth this Answer; There was no such deed done nor seen, from the day that the children of Israel came out of Aegypt. Neither did they fetch onely an Answer of words, but of deeds: All the men of Israel gathered together as one man, against the Authors and Abettors of that abominable wickednesse.
It is a Lamentation, and to be taken up for a Lamentation, That in England such horrid acts should be done, that yeeld forth this high, crying, and affrighting voyce. Yet such have lately been done; and [Page 3] there will be no need but only to bring them into view, and then to let them speak themselves. And when they speak, if they get not the same Answer in Deeds, they cannot but get the like Answer in Words; No such thing hath been done, since England came out of the Aegypt of Rome.
For hear are Acts represented, so far out of ken, and view of Christianity, that they are voyd of humanity; Yea, so voyd of humanity, that they are short of the good Nature of wilde, savage, and unreasonable Creatures. Even Beares and Wolves, agree with their own kindes, but these have robbed, spoiled, and tormented not Christians onely, for [Page 4] those perchance may be thought not to be of their own kinde, nor men, which these savages have seemed to put off, but partners and associates in their own cause, and friends to that Quarrell for which they seemed to fight.
But let their own works speak, and when they speak, I say not, Let Grace, but let Nature hear, and it shall suffice.
A true and perfect RELATION OF The Barbarous and Cruell Passages of the KINGS Army at Old BRAINFORD.
THe Kings Army upon Saturday the 12. of Nov. instant (after His Majesties Assent to Treaty of Accommodation) surprised Colonell H [...]lls his Regiment at Old Brainford; and after they had possessed themselves of the Town, they plundered it, without any respect of persons (except the house of one Brent a Church-Papist (whose Wife is a known Popish Recusant, and hee [Page 6] suspected to give Intelligence to the Kings Armie:) First they drank, and wasted the Beer and Wine in the severall Inns, and other places in the Town; and such Beer and Wine as they could not drink, they let it run out (in some Cellars as deep as to the mid leg.)
They also took from the Inhabitants, their Money, Linnen, Woollen, Bedding wearing Apparell, Horses, Cows, Swine, Hens, &c. and all manner of Victualls. Also, Pewter, Brasse, Iron pots, and Kettles, and all manner of Grocery, Chandlery, and Apothecary ware: Nay such was their barbarous carriage, that many of the Featherbeds which they could not bear away, they did cut the Ticks of them in pieces, and scattered the Feathers abroad in the fields and streets; They did also cut the Cords of the Beds, and broke down the Bedsteads: They did cut in pieces, and burn the poor Fishermens Boats and Nets, by which they got their livings, (having pillaged them besides of all that ever they had:) They did cast Beef into the dirt, which they carryed not away with them: They littered their Horses with Wheat-sheaves: [Page 7] They spoiled Nurceries of Fruit-trees of good value; and neer upon Three hundred Bushells of Apples from one man they took away, spoiled, and trampled to dirt with their Horses feet; besides, Fifteen pair of Sheets, his Bedding, &c. They also took Candles, to the value of Twenty pounds and upwards, from one man, and burnt them all night through the Army, and such as they carryed not away, either they broke in pieces, or threw into the fire, or trode in the mire.
Had they rested with robbing of the richer sort, it had been some degree of mercie; but they left not unplundered, the blinde Beggar at Old Brainford, taking from him and his Wife, their Apparell, Linnen, Woollen, and Bedding; and the like they did to the Four Alms-women in the Spittle there, and took from them their Wheel or Rocks, by which they got something towards a livelyhood.
And when they had thus plundered, and taken away all the goods (except here and there a Bed) they defaced some houses, and set one of fire (of purpose, as is conceived, to fire the [Page 8] Town) which was afterwards quenched by an Inhabitant.
Had their wicked carriages here ended in the losse of the Inhabitants goods, without hazard of their persons, they had undergone it with more patience; but such was their inhumane behaviour, that they did set drawn Swords and Pistols cockt to men and womens brests, threatning them with death, if they brought not out all their money; and threatning others, to cut off their Noses, and pull out their Eyes, calling them Parliament doggs, Round-headed rogues, beating and wounding some of them, (one of them being a lame Cripple) taking others of the Inhabitants prisoners, and putting Irons upon them; others they tyed with Ropes, and stript some to their Shirts; and as one of them that was led next day in Irons towards Oatlands, stoopt to take a little water in his Hat to drink, they beat him, and bruised him for offering to do it; Their hearts were so seared, that they would not extend compassion to the aged and gray-headed, for they took one grave old Gentleman, (above Fourscore yeers of age) and [Page 9] put him with other of the Inhabitants of the Town, into the Pound, where they were divers hours, and afterwards were removed into the Slaughter-house, where they lay all night, it being a most nasty and noysome place; and the old Gentleman being bound head and feet together all night: They also plundered an ancient Gentlewoman of about Threescore and ten yeers of age, (whose age and weaknesse would not permit her to go to Church for these Seven yeers last past) they took from her all her Bedding, Linnen, Pewter, &c. and even her Mantle from her back, leaving her in a poor and miserable condition.
Their plundering was so universall, that even divers of the richer, as well as the meaner sort, were, and to this day still are, inforced to live of the charity of the Earl of Essex his Souldiers; the CAVALIERS leaving scarce one piece of Bread or Meat in all the Town: It would pierce a heart of flint, to see the tears dropping from the old mens eyes, in expressing their sad condition:
And a great addition to these Cruelties, was [Page 10] the barbarous, mercilesse, and unheard of usage of the PARLIAMENT Souldiers by the CAVALIERS, for they did put them into a Pound, and there tyed and pinioned them together, where they so stood for many hours, some of them they stript to their Shirts, others to their Breeches, most without Stockings or Shoes, and in that condition removed them to the Slaughter-house, where they lay all night, and next day were dragged away over Hunslow-Heath, towards Oatlands, divers of them bare foot and bare leg, over Furrs and Thistles, till their feet and legs did bleed, and were fore gauled: But these may be accounted but Acts of Grace and Favour, in comparison of what they did towards others of them; for when divers of Master Hollis his Souldiers fled into the River of THAMES, for safeguard of their lives, they shot at them as they were swimming, and so divers of them were drowned.
They took after the Fight ended, Five of the Earl of Essex his Souldiers, and tyed them by the hands with Ropes, and inforced them into the River of THAMES, who standing in [Page 11] the water to their necks, casting their eyes on their Enemies, in hopes of Mercie; but such was the mercilesse condition of their Adversaries, that a Trooper rid into the water after them, and forced them to fall into the depth of the water, saying to them (in a jeering manner) Swim for your lives, when it was past all possibility to escape.
Had their barbarous carriages begun and ended in heat of blood and revenge, it had a little qualified then offence; but so full of inhumanity were their hearts, even before the Fight begun at Old Brainford, with Colonell Hollis his Regiment, that they placed Ten of the Earl of Essex his Souldiers (whom they had formerly taken prisoners at Keynton) pinioned, in the Front of their men, to be as a Brestwork to receive the Bullets that came from Colonell Hollis his Regiment, that the CAVALIERS might escape them; but such was the providence of God, that not one of them was hurt, though shot through the clothes in many places; and one of the Ten escaped (who was formerly a Sergeant to a Company in Colonell Essex his Regiment) [Page 12] and in the presence of divers Witnesses, averred the truth of this particular.
And now since it appears by these prodigious Acts of Rapine, Destruction, and Tyranny, that these men delight in cruelty, and fight against their own Associates, and spoyle those that favour their own cause, with those that oppose it; what remains, but that they be taken, not for such as endeavour the defence of the King, but the ruine of the Kingdom; and not as Enemies of some kinde of men, but as the common Enemies of mankinde.