The severall Accompts of Sir IOHN GELL Baronet and Colonell; and of his Brother THOMAS GELL Esquire, Lievtenant Colonell, published to cleare their Innocency from false Imputations.
THat whereas we two Brothers have faithfully served the Parliament at our owne charge, since the beginning of these unhappy Differences betweene the King and Parliament, having hitherto received no more then by the ensuing Accompts appears.
When the Enemies of this Commonwealth had setled themselves in Darby Shire our native Country, divers Noblemen and Gentlemen then resiant there, yet they suffered the County to be oppressed by Papists and Strangers; we then took up Armes, drove away those plunderers, and after many conflicts with potent adversaries, by the blessing of God upon our endeavours, with some assistance from the Right Honourable Earle of Manchester, and some Nottingham Forces only at the siege of Wingfield Mannour, we have cleared that County of all enemy Garrisons, and often been assistant to severall other Countreys. Yet such is the malice of some Malignants and others that fled their Countrey in time of danger, that that they have falsly and scandalously raised a report, [Page 2]that Sir Iohn Gell hath cozened his Countrey of twenty thousand pounds, which false report they have maliciously spred both in London and divers other Counties: They have also procured some of themselves, and other professed enemies of Sir Iohn Gell, such as he had formerly committed for malignancy, to be Auditors to take these Accompts, which accordingly were given in upon Oath at Darby upon the seventeenth day of February one thousand six hundred forty foure; by which it appeares, how false that scandalous report was. Yet such is the continued malice of some of these men, that though they be fully satisfied of the truth themselves, as they professed at the taking of these Accompts; yet they endeavour to conceale these Accompts, that other men may still beleeve that false report, whereof themselves were Authors. To the end therefore that our Innocency may appeare, notwithstanding these mens malice, we have here published our severall Accompts, which as they were at first given in upon our severall Oathes, so we still justify the same to be true, and doe severally and respectively professe before God and the world, upon the faith of Christians, the credit and reputation of Gentlemen and Souldiers, that our said Accompts are true, and that we doe not know, or are conscious of any errour or untruth in either of them.
The Accompt of Sir IOHN GELL.
AFter the King had set up his Standard at Nottingham, and came with his new Army from thence to Darby, many of our countrey Gentlemen with our Trayned Bands met his Majesty in the confines of this County, and joyned with him; some went then into the Kings service, and the rest delivered up their Armes to the Kings party, by which means his Army was encreased both with men and armes. After the King went out of this County, two mean popish Strangers Dennis and Ballard, joyning with some papists and others ill affected, setled themselves at Wirksworth, about the middle of the County, and there under colour of raysing men for the King, they robbed and abused honest men without controle, although at the same time there were foure Earles, one Baron, and divers Kinghts and Gentlemen then resiant in this County; whereupon I being sensible of my Countries misery, and willing to maintaine the Ordinances of Parliament, I went to Hull to procure some Forces according to his Excellencies the Earle of Essex his Commission to me; and whilest I was there, Sir Francis Wortley with about an hundred folfowers fit for such a leader, came and joyned himselfe with the said Dennis and Ballard; whereupon many honest men were forced to flie, some of which came to me, and earnestly desired me to make hast to redeeme my then miserable afflicted Countrey, [Page 4]I hasted homeward and came to Chesterfeild, endevouring to encrease my strength all I could: at my first comming thither, some Lords and divers Gentlemen met together about Tutbury, and sent me a threatning letter, although in the meane time they never molested neither Wortley nor any of that party; I presently advanced and drove out Wortley with all his Company, and then setled my selfe at Derby, which by Gods blessing I have ever since maintained against all the power of Prince Rupert, the Earle of Newcastle, and Generall Hastings; and at this present the Enemy hath not one Garrison within this County: When I went first to Hull with my brother, I went at my own charge, and raised my men without any penny of advance money, since that time and in this service, I have sold my Stock, laid out my whole Revenew, which at that time was fifteene hundred pounds a yeare, borrowed money of my brother and others, married my only Sonne, received part of his Portion, all which I have spent in maintainance of the Parliaments Cause; besides, I had my House plundered, and nothing left but the bare walls, and the malice of the Enemy extended so farre, as to ruine and deface the Tombs and Monuments of my deceased Ancestors. In recompence towards all my losses and expences, I have received from Mr Hallowes Treasurer for the County, to my best knowledge about two hundred fifty six pounds, and no more, but for certainty therein I referre my selfe to his Accompt: And he had from me one hundred eighty pounds, or thereabouts, for which also I referre my selfe to his [Page 5]accompt: For Jewels and Plate, I never received any pennyworth, nor of any other kinde of goods, except only a few Horses, all which were employed in the publike service. The truth of all which I justifie upon my Oath
The Accompt of Lievetenant Colonell GELL.
I Have to my power faithfully served the Parliament; I never received one penny pay for my selfe, nor pennyworth of any Plate, Jewels, or other Goods towards the same: I have laid out many hundred pounds of my owne estate, in the raising, arming, and paying of Souldiers, and other necessary expences for maintenance of that service, for which I have not yet received satisfaction, as by my Accompt upon Oath fully appeares.