A DECLARATION OF THE Lords and Commons Assembled in Parliament, Concerning an insolent Letter sent to Mr. CLARKE at Craughton neere Brackley in Northamptonshire; From Sir JOHN BIRON Knight, since the Inhabitants of that County apprehended divers Rebels under his command; as he with them and many Troops of Horse, in a warlike and trayterous manner marcht toward Oxford, to the great terror and aff [...]ightment of His Majesties good Subjects in those parts.

Whereunto is annexed a Coppy of the said LETTER.

13. Septemb. 1642.

ORdered by the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament, That this Declaration and Letter shall be forthwith printed and published. J. Brown Cler. Parliamentorum.

LONDON, Printed for J. Wright. 14. Septemb. 1642.

A DECLARATION Of the Lords and Commons Assembled in Parliament.

WHereas Sir Iohn Biron Knight, upon the 28 of August last with divers Troopes of Horse in a Traiter­ous and warlike manner, did march into the County of Nor­thampton, with an intention to kill, rob, and spoyle his Majesties Subjects in that and other Counties, to the great terror and afright­ment of the Inhabitants of those parts; wher­upon divers of His Majesties loyall and well affected Subjects of the said County, accor­ding to their duty did assemble themselves to­gether, and pursue the said Traytors, and Rebells, and apprehended divers of them, [Page] and routed the rest, whereby their Trayter­ous designes were for that time prevented; Since which time the remainder of those Troopes that escaped, joyned againe in a bo­dy, and in manner as before, forcibly entred the City of Oxford, and plundered, robbed, and spoyled, his Majesties faithfull Subjects there, and forced divers to leave their owne habitations, and to fly elsewhere for protecti­on from their fury. And whereas the Lords and Commons, have beene since informed, That the said Sir Iohn Biron, the head and ring­leader of those Traytors, in a presumptuous and insolent way, wrote a Letter to one Master Clarke of Craughton a Gentleman of quality in the said County of Northampton, a Coppy whereof is hereunto annexed, whereby most falsely and impudently he presumes to stile the faithfull, and dutyfull service of His Majesties good Subjects in apprehending and chasing the said Rebells by the name of trea­chery and rebellion, indeavouring to trans­fer that odious crime and title due unto him­selfe to them, and using divers menacing speeches against Master Clarke, and others, [Page] thereby as much as in him lyeth to dete [...] Majesties good Subjects from resisting him and his associate [...] in their Traiterous at­tempts.

The Lords and Commons taking the same into their consideration, do declare that the Assembling together of the said Inhabitants of the County of Northampton, and their pur­suing, apprehending, and chasing the said Re­bells, was according to the Lawes of the Land and the duty they and all good Subjects owe to the King and Commonwealth, and their service very acceptable to both Houses of Par­liament, who will take them and all others that shall follow their good examples into their care and protection.

To M. Clarke at Craughton neere Brackley in Northamptonshire.

SIR,

IN my way to Oxford, I made some stay at Brack­ley to refresh my selfe, and my Horses, after a long march, where I was unex­pectedly assaulted by sundry Troops of re­bels that came (as I am since informed) from Northampton, and the adjoyning places, and withall most treacherously set upon by the towne of Brackley, so that I was forced to make a speedy retreate to the Heath to resist them, had they had the cou­rage to come forth of the towne. In this confusion one of my Groomes who had [Page] charge of my baggage was surprized in the towne, another who had a Box, wherein was money, apparrell, and other things of valew, left it in a land of standing Corne, which since hath been found, and as I heare brought to you; I have therefore sent this Messenger to require the restitution of it; which if you doe, I shall represent it to His Majesty, as an acceptable service, if not, assure your selfe I will finde a time to repay my selfe with advantage out of your estate; And consider, that as rebellion is a weed of a hasty growth, so it will decay as suddenly; and that there will be a time for the Kings loyall Subjects to repaire their losses sustai­ned by rebels and traytors; So I rest in ex­pectation of a speedy answer by this bearer,

Oxford, 2. Sep. 1642.
Your friend and servant, Iohn Biron.
FINIS.

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