A SHORT AND True Narrative of the departure from England, Sicknesse, and Death, of that late worthy Knight, Sir PHILIP STAPLETON, Attested under the hands of foure of those Gentlemen that went with him. With a briefe Character of his Person, &c.
HAving met abroad with so much noise and to many malicious & false reports touching the Conversation quality, life and death of that truly honourable Gentleman, Sir Philip Stapleton, the glory and honour of his Country and Family: I thought sir bring neere him in most of his undertakings Military and Civil, wherein both in publike and pri [...]e his undaunted courage, and accomplished endowments were sufficiently tryed, to publish this short narrative to the world, to silence those Calumnies and Aspersions daily spread abroad against him, which though its much short of his true worth yet 'tis a witnessing to the truth, and can be denied by none, that have either known of, or been conversant with his person, parts, honour, Religion, or Family: and first
For his Family, he is descended from royall stemms of honour and majesty.
For his Religion, he was a true and zealous Protestant, though [Page 2]not any way new fangled, yet abundantly carefull, and curious enough to discover the saving truths in fundamentalls of Faith and knowledge, and living thereafter, ever using all duties suitable to a sincerely hearted Christian in his Family, and otherwise towards God and man, both in publike and private to his dying day, which he prosecuted with a modest zeale, and faithfull constancy, Nor was he easily engaged into any thing of Change, no not into that way he so much sustred for (the Covenant and Church-government by Presbytery) though afterwards he looked upon it both in divine and prudent considerations, as the way of God suiting most, and best with the union of the Nations, and in that the welfare of both, And the next way under God (moderately advanced) to make the three Kingdomes happy; and upon those very grounds, with most Christian and indefatigable endeavours was a Cordiall promoter of it. He was a religious lover of both his Wives, and all his Children without partiality; breeding them up in the feare of God, Giving life unto his admonitions and counsells, by his holy, [...], and affectionate carriage and conversation towards them walking with, and before them as a Husband and a Father, looking at, and depending upon his and their Father in Heaven; And yet so as taking care of, and providing for them competencies our of that little God had made him steward of. All which he both faithfully and providently expressed in his life, and affectionately and prudently disposed of at his death.
For his Honour, he had more then can well be allowed to any, but the best of Englishmen, and of them, the most indeed, [...]e was as much an Englishman, and as truly noble in his heart, as England hath ever bred, he abounded in curtesie to all, even his enemies, that which was their shame to contrive or act against him, hee made it his honour to passe by. A most faithfull friend, their extremities were his opportunities in which he never thought he had done enough; his compassions overflowed to the distressed, endeavouring upon all occasions with all his interest, to give freedome & releif to the oppressed, indeed he made this his businesse. For injuries received (though he was quick enough in the first resentment of them) he heaped Coales upon their heads in his returnes of favour, he was indeed a friend to all that needed him, and an enemy to none though [Page 3]sometimes he was unhappy in not being rightly understood by them, which bred some mistakes, and those ill reports of him, but he well knew that is part of the Good mans Portion in this world, hoe therefore walked above them. Hee was a most faithfull lover of his Cou [...]try, the settlement of the Peace, of which as he desired it above his temporall felicities, so he was willing to spend himselfe, and to be spent for it. He was so farre from making these troubles a stirrup to his advantage, that (though others, too many, and most of them pretend to piety and selfe-denyall, have reaped very many thousands more then otherwise they ever were, or would have been masters of) here refused Great things offered and voted to him, 'tis well knowne to divers of his neerest friends, hee hated the thoughts of Glory or Ri [...]e this way, often solemnly professing the peace of the Kingdome once setled he would retyre and spend his remaining dayes in blessing God for his mercies to this poore Kingdome, and endeavour after a holy life, suitable to such an engagement; But God would not have it so, but would rather honour him with a kind of martyrdome for this Kingdome, who not sensible of his worth, knew not how to put a true value upon such a Jewell, nor indeed was worthy of him: And therefore God thought fit to call him to himselfe there to glorifie him.
For his parts they were very eminent, he was quick of apprehension, sound of judgement of cleare and good clocution, and in things wherein the just Rights of the King, the Priviledge of the Parliament, and the safety of the Kingdom (against what power soever) was concerned, or the re [...]ig' [...] of any distressed required it, he ever spake freely, and with great abilities by which he not onely gained much interest in the house and abroad but also contracted upon himselfe much envy from others as the great obstructer of their designes, he very well fore-knowing and constantly in publike and private asserting that the Change of this Government (so much aymed at by some though otherwise pretended is contrary to the well being at least of this Nation and to the union with our brethren of Scotland and will be when ever attempted destructive to the safety of both; And he would often say, that though hee and others▪ possibly through the power some had might be persecuted to banishment or death, and that it might be [...] on against [...] under [...] [Page 4]of justice and righteousnesse in those that did it, suggesting dangerous designes to be underhand contrived by himselfe and others, contrary to the interest of this Kingdom, and the trust put upon him and them in Parliament, which he abhorred and of which he ever solemnly took God to witnes he was innocent of, & those other of those things of which they were falsly accused. And though he did of late foresee it would be done, though by never so unjust and unwarrantable wales, the principle those people ground their actions upon, being (guided by light and conscience, as they falsly pretend) to destroy all men of parts or interest that oppose their way, it may be blindly supposing they do God good service in it. Yet when God had suffered them to goe so farre he was confident it would returne upon them in the latter end, to their owne shame and ruine. And for him and the rest, though they perished under it yet their overthrow would become their crowne, and therefore he submitted it to God acquiessing in his will.
For his person, he was of a thin body, and weak constitution but full of spirit, which was too soone spent (if God had seene it good) with the manifold endeavours and excessive paines he day and night undervvent for the service of this poore Kingdome: And though he found his body not able to endure much hardship, yet when the Kingdome had need of it, and God called him to it, he exposed himselfe to the greatest hazards in the warre, daring as much, and going as farre in that service, as any mortall ever did, witnesse those eminent engagements of his in the two great Battels of Keinton and Newberry, in which he was in a very high degree instrumentall to the gaining of the day in both. And being afterwards with that most famous, and ever to be honoured the Lord Generall, the Earle of Essex and others, by the selfe-denying vote (which how, and to what ends made use of by some, the world well knowes, and God will judge) called off, he, and they all layd down his Armes without any dispute, which will one day rise up in judgement against the men (of this world) of our dayes pretend what they will, who as he frequently said persecuted him for his judgement and conscience declared where it was his duty to speak both (though they pretend it a Liberty of Conscience to speake and act what and where they ought not) he valued himselfe so little in comparison to his service [Page 5]to this Kingdome, that he would willingly have suffered to Assasination, rather then have declined his [...]ng in Parliament: but finding upon serious debate, that at present to give way to the furious multitude, madded with a pretence of zeale to Justice and Righteousnesse it probably might be of better service to the Kingdome to withdraw, did it. And though afterwards at the Call of the House, sate againe (which he and the rest might have done at their pleasure) his reasons at are well known to some, were so publike, that for this alone he deserves the highest honour: thus to hazard himselfe again upon this ground that if it were possible by improvement of Councells and means, the utter violation of the Parliament [...] and the plunder, and destruction of the City, who had been so much a [...]istant to the preservation of this Parliament and Kingdome so much threatned might be prevented. But when another way was taken which possibly hee thought not honourable then againe upon the aforesaid Grounds, by the leave and passe of the House formerly ordered [...]otally withdrew and travailed (as it unhappily proved to England) having at that time a Flux upon him with his journey and voyage by Land and Sea increased &c.
OBeying that necessity that enforced us out of England▪ Foure of us vi [...]. Sir William Waller, Sir William Lewis▪ Sir Philip Stapleton (though then Feaverish with a Flux that had followed him some daies before) with Col. Long began our Journey on Saturday the 14th of his instant towards whole Haven in [...]ssex, where wee were by eight the next morning to meet Sir John Clo [...]worthy, who was to come thither by water; In which journey out first inconvenience was. A report we met at Aveley, 16. miles from London, that a party of Sir Thomas Fairfax his Horse, with some of those Dragoones, that lately had taken Til [...]ury Fort: were quartered in our way, to the Haven above-mentioned, which made us leave the road, not willing to trust to the security our Passes should have given us, against the insolencies that the Troupers might have been over-apt unto. And that from our experience of their way, in avowing their Actions without orders from their Officers, which cast us on such ill [Page 6]Lodgings that night, that few of our Company put off their clothes, whereby Sir Philip Stapletons distempers were much increased, but yet his willingnesse to goe on his journey was such, that we all went on board a Pinke that was to carry us on Sunday about one in the afternoone, where the first nerves that saluted us, was that some Watermen on shoare, had threatned the Master of the Vessell, that he would runne himselfe into a great danger by carrying of us over, which made him leave his Vessell, and our Voyage to the care of his servant, though halfe his wages were paid before our comming out of London, and a Gentleman that acc [...]mpanied Sir Philip Stapleton to the water side, hearing the Watermen therein some unnecessary discourse concerning our Journy knocks one of them over the pace, which wrought so with them, that they became so diligent in pressing the Master of the Backs danger upon him, that the fellow (having had neither the wit, nor the honesty to aske us for the sight of our Passes, became so frighted therewith that hee hastened along the Coast, to stop us; And wee being under sayle, came by Gods blessing, though the wind was high and we once in great danger of being cast away, (some three Vessells having by that storme perished neere Callice,) as farre as Margetts, and Anchor'd against that place for that night, which was a very blustring one, without any accommodation for any of us wherewith we were the more afflicted from Sir Philip Stapletons sufferings, by reason of his want of health; And he sing Sayle the next morning (though at our comming out we resolved for Plushing) yet we determined for Callice the cu [...] being shorter, and the wind blowing fairer thither, having had enough of the Sea in our small Barke, to give us cause to wish our selves ashore; And in our passage we came by some of the Parliament Ships, under the Command of the Vice-Admirall, riding at the Downes; and sayling within call of the Nicodemus Frigott wee were questioned whence wee came and whither we were bound; to which having answered from London, and for Callice, we passed on, having in view of the Fleet taken up a Pilot of Sandwich to assist the manning of our Barke, finding our selves much inconvenienced for want of the Masters help therein: and so holding on with a faire wind, had recovered neere Callice; the afore-mentioned fright had so wrought on the Master of the [Page 7]Barke, that recovering Margetts he disperst a report there, that we had stolne away without Passes, conveyed with us 16000 pounds in Treasure, and taken away his Barke without his consent: Whereupon the Drums were beaten up there, and a Boat manned out after us, with some forty in Armes, who not able to reach us, came with that false alarum to the Captaine of the Nicodemus Frigott above-mentioned; and he thereupon slipt his Anchors, and being a swift sayler overtooke us about noone within some two leagues of Callice, where shooting a warning-Peece at us, some of his men came aboard us, and some of us went aboard to him, and he requiring us to returne to the Vice-Admirall, wee tackt about, and the wind being contrary, it was neere ten at night e're we could recover into his Ship, who seeing our Passes, was troubled that we were stopt in our journey, but upon the report so generally divulged of the great Treasure we had with us, would not dismisse us the next morning without a Councell of War, who advised the search of our Portmantles, & our servants to their very pockets, for his justification and ours, and that in the presence of some of them, that had published those false rumours, after which finding with us but some few changes of Linnen and cloathes; on Tuesday morning about ten of the clock, having bin civilly treated we farwel'd him, and went on our journey for Callice, (Sir Philip Stapleton having gotten some rest, in one of his Cabbins, and some ease from those things which had been administred him by his Chirurgion) where we arrived about five in the evening, and hoped that a few dayes rest there, would have recovered Sir Philip Stapleton so, as that he would have been enabled to have gone on our intended journey thorow Flanders for Holland; but his Flux continuing with him on Tuesday night together with his Feaver, and his stomack failing him, though neither he nor we had any mind to the French Physicians, yet on Wednesday he enclined to consult with the onely one that was there, who comming to him, and discoursing his then condition, without mentioning his being in any danger, resolved that he should about eight that night, have a Glyster, the which he tooke accordingly, and that he should have a veine open'd the next morning his Glister not working well with him and his Feaver continuing and he having had no rest that night, sent to desire to speake with some [Page 8]of us, assoone as we could be ready, comming to him, he acquainted us therewith, and that he had a swelling risen upon his thigh, somewhat below his groyne, the painfulnesse whereof was such, that it did not onely hinder his sleepe, but his lying at any ease; At the hearing whereof, having been informed, that the sicknesse was in the Towne, and that the Inhabitants were not onely fearfull thereof, but very inhumane to any that were visited therewith, removing of them out of the Towne, what ever their condition was, to a place without the Walls where there were Cabbins provided for them; some of us by his desire, tooke the freedome to lay hands upon the place, he complained of, both for our owne satisfaction, and to be enabled to give the Physitian a cleere account thereof, he enforming us, that he conceived it arose from the weight of his Watch lying thereon, and that he had formerly been once or twice troubled in the like sort; We apprehending the great danger it might have been to him, to have a veine opened, in case God had visited him with the sicknesse, did thereupon with his approbation, resolve to acquaint the Physician with that swelling, who there with his Apothecary, and Chirurgian view it, and resolved from the forme thereof, and the place it was in, that it could be no Plague; and so proceeded to the opening of his veine, and tooke from him some eight ounces of blood, which was so extreamly corrupted, that it turned to a yellowish kind of water before it could be brought from the bed where he lay to his Chamber window after his veine was bound up againe, he told us, that he found his head well, and his heart whole, and that the Chirurgian having laid a Plaister upon his swelling he found the paine thereof also to abate, but yet his reaver continued without allowing him to take any rest, and he began to draw his breath stiorter, whereat we were so troubled, that wee againe sent for the Doctor to him, who came to us about two in the afternoone, but upon some discourse that had passed between him and the Chirurgion hee was so fully resolved that his sicknesse was the Plague, that wee could not perswade his going up to him; You cannot but easily ghesse how we were therewith astonished, knowing that after his blood-letting, if it were the Plague, that there was no hope of his life, and whilst we were in discourse with him and the Chirurgion of what had been done, [Page 9]and what was now to be done for him; It pleased God to call for him to a better place, and the end of his miserie, gave a beginning not onely to our forrowes for him, but to an unheard of cruelty exercised upon us in the house (being the three silver Lyons) where we were, where the people of the house falling into a present out-cry, clap to their gates, and resolved to keepe us Prisoners in the house, till wee should give them satisfaction for the dammage they suggested, they should receive by his death there, and with impudency demanded from us two hundred and fifty pounds, alleaging that it was fit his Estate should yeild them a further recompence, it was there neither time, nor place, to offer or expect reason, and wee were thereupon necessitated, to ply our selves by the mediation of an English Gentleman living in the Towne, to the Magistracy there, aswell Civill as Martiall, and through his intercourse with them, concluded to give the Master of the house towards his satisfaction for the dammage he might receive, fourescore pounds sterling, ten pounds to the Doctor, twelve pounds to the Chirurgion, and two pounds ten shillings to the Apothecary, being in totall one hundred foure pounds ten shillings, Towards the which we received from his servant Thomas Gage, of his Money, the summe of seventy three pounds ten shillings, leaving the rest of his Money with him for his transport, and his Masters goods for England, and for his Masters Interment, the which he being a Protestant and dying as they supposed of the Sicknesse, was to be in their ordinary and rough way.
This thus concluded, discharging all their other demands, wee had the gates of the house opened unto us, and were permitted to goe aboard a Barke wee hired there, at an extraordinary rate for Flushing; being from their cruelty, enforced to be the Porters of our owne baggage to the water side, and lying there at Anchor that night, under the extremities incident to so poore a conveyance, when wee were weighing Anchor about eleven of the clock, with the morning Tyde, the Towne Searchers boarded us, and searched our Persons, our Servants, our Males, and every thing therein▪ in the expectation to have found great Treasure, report having come to Callice before our arrivall, that wee had brought [Page 10]away with us, one hundred thousand pounds in Gold, which had raised their hopes to have had a great Booty of us, and made them the willinger to believe, that report of the Plague; The Searchers being no way curious in handling either of us, or any thing that did belong to us, in pursuit of their prey, but [...]ding that we had been stript at our Inne, to a [...]can [...]ling onely, fit for our journey, they f [...]rw [...]ld us, and we them and that their so cruell a place; And being not able to reach Flushing that night passing in our way the next morning over against Bla [...]ckborough under the care as we thought of a l [...]owing Flemish Pilote we struck on the sands neere twenty times, when in all likelihood wee must have perished, had not God continued his mercy to us in the mildnes of the weather so as to give us leave to tack about, and to recover more ware [...], after which we got to Flushing upon Saturday, where wee continued the Sabbath day, and went thence on Munday to Trov [...], and thence on Tuesday morning, so as we got hither on Wednesday at noone, being the first place that allowed us opportunity of sending unto you this sad story, as it relates to our deceased Friend; We cannot be insensible of the losse, his Lady, his Children, his Friend, the Kingdome itselfe, hath had in so gallant a Gentleman, we need make you no profession (we are confident,) that we were not wanting to him in the duties of friendship, not shall not be (if ever we may expresse i [...] (to any that have relation to him, wee know your respect such towards him and his; That you will take some friend with you, to Communicate this sad piece to his Lady, who hath our prayers that God may assist her to undergoe this great affliction, and that he may be a Father to his Fatherlesse Children, we desire to heare from you of the receipt hereof; Wishing your happinesse, and that we might heare that the Distempers in England were all well composed by a happy Peace, we remaine,
Rotterdam, 27 August, 1647.
A farther relation concerning some other passages of his sicknesse, Death and Buriall.
HE landed at Callice on Tuesday Aug 17 about 6 aclock at night, and presently took his bed, being very sick, and continued till [Page 11]Thursday about two aclock in the afternoon; the Gentlemen came to him at times til 11. that morning; In this time his man Thomas Gage did oft raise him up in his bed, when he was in much paine, and held him up with Pillowes behind. On Wednesday he sate up three houres together in the after-noone, about two houres before his departure, he willed his man to let him lie along in his Bed, then being so laid, he lift up his hand and eyes to heaven; His man perceiving that, he asked him if he were in paine; he answered, in no paine at all; He asked him againe, whether he thought he should die, and he answered, yes, and willed his man to commend him to his Wife, and not to forget his Children; After this hee betooke himselfe to prayer for an houre and a halfe, praying for his enemies, and desiring God to receive his soule, and then quietly departed without groane or gaspe. About ten aclock at night there came one and wraped him in a sheet, and put him in a Coffin, and with another sheet over the Coffin; He was carried to the place where the Protestants of that City use to bury their dead, and there was buried. The Inhabitants of the place say, that there was once a Church there, but burnt downe by the Spaniards; It being a waste place, the Protestants purchased it for their burying place. It is compassed about with a broad Ditch or Moate, onely at the entrance there are two sides of Brick, and a large Gate betwixt them, which is kept shut, at buriall times.