A TRUE RELATION Of the present Estate of Cornwall.
With the true proceedings of Captaine PYM; VVho is with his Forces at Plimouth, hindering the passage of the Lord Mohone, which with seventeen Thousand Cavaliers, endeavoureth to joyne his Forces with his Majesty.
Whereunto is annexed severall remarkeable passages concerning the Cavaliers behaviour, since their abode in Oxfordshire.
LONDON, Printed by T. F. for R.G. Decemb. 10▪ 1642.
A true relation of the proceedings of the Cavaliers in severall parts of this Kingdome.
THe malitious malignant party, the Cavaliers of Cornwall, that dayly march under the command of the Lord Mohone, doth hourely doe mischiefe in those parts, without remorse or pitty, that you would scarce imagine or believe, they will not suffer them to plowe their Grounds to sowe their Graine, but with their Horses they destroy it, they go to their Barnes and lodge their Horses there and plucke downe their Stackes of Corne to feed their Beasts, and throw it about to make Fodder of, and when they leave the place, they set them all on fire, swearing no Corne shall grow untill the Warre be done, nay the very Churches they make Stables of, is not this barbarous and inhumane.
On the twenty-eygth of November, at Foy in Cornwall, certaine Cavaliers comming thither to be billited, the Towne did kindly entertaine them on this condition, to pay for what they had, the Captaines and Commanders tooke their oathes, no souldiet that marched under their command, should be [Page]so base but pay for what he had, and so they did, there remayning three dayes.
The fourth, they gave the Towne notice of their departure and their Drumes about for to give notice that if any were unpayde of any Soul [...]ier let them repayte to their Captaines, and they should be satisfied, none came all was discharged, and for their welcome each place where they had layne, did feast them gratis with great thankes, the word being given among them, they fell to plundering breaking open Trunkes, chests and boxes, tooke all their plate and money they could find, and told them they did but borrow it, when the warre was done, they would pay it back againe, and thus and in this manner, doe these wretched catives these Cavaliers inrich themselves by making others poore.
At Lawson getting in with the like wild they likewise plundred that, all but of their owne religion that are yet secure, they have stuft the Papists houses with the Protestants goods, and like the Devill they cry all is there owne, swearing and daming, blaspheming and cursing that they will up to the King in spight of opposition and for the City of London they intend, there for to keepe their Chrstmas, and make the Citizens wayte upon their trenchers, but for the Roundheads, as they so terme them, they will send them pell mell to their father the devil, thee sweare they will build in every street a crosse, to crosse those that survive; therefore I hope the City will provide to give them entertainment let them have bullets but their bellies full, and they will be quiet Questionlesse, thus hoping [Page]of your safety, and your welfares, with my prayers to God for your peace, and the Cavaliers destruction, I rest yours till death,
A true Copie of a Letter sent from a worthy Gentleman, inhabiting at Banbury, to a Merchant inhabiting in the City of LONDON.
I Much joy of your health and welfare, you write to me for newes from the Cavaliers, how and in what manner they have behaved themselves, since the King came last downe, as for Battaile you know as well as we they have had none. but here they lye in Oxford, Abbington, Woodstocke, and other places, Rioting, Drinking, swearing, and Revelling, exceeding full of Money, paying still as they call, but we feare at their departure they will have it backe, againe with treble interest, here they wait (as they doe give out) for the Lord Mohone, who of a certaine is seventeene thousand strong, but we heare that Captaine Pym, Master Pims sonne is now with his Forces at Plimouth, and stops their passage over the River, that they are inforced as yet to keepe in Cornwall
But to my Cavaliers, at Woodstocke one of these roring-boyes being quartered there, went to a Drapers shop to cheapen Linnen, they agreed upon the price, others comming in he sell into discourse with some that knew him, and went away, the servants being busie, with his Cloath unpaid for, the next day comming by the Shop, the servant knew him, and demanded money for the Cloath, which yesterday this Cavalier had bought, but had never payed for it, this ungodly Catiffe having his oathes ready, swore that he had paid the money to him or his Master, his master denied the receipt, as well he might, the Cavalier with terrible oathes, most perjuriously swore that he had payed him; for if he did depart the house when he did buy the Cloath, before he had payd for it, he desired that openly might be showne upon him some vengeance, or that he might suddenly sinke or fall downe, and never have power to stir, or goe out of that place, thinking perhaps as the Athiests doe, that, there is no God, or else that God heareth not the prayers of the people, either to reward the just, or to rebuke the wicked, but God is a swift God to revenge, when his mercy is refused, for in the depth of his Iudgement, he heard his perjury, and strucke him so immediately to the ground that staggering too and fro, the strength of his Legs fayling him, downe he fell in the Shop, and became speechlesse, being never able to rise without helpe never able to utter any more blasphemous oathes against the Lord, onely a wonderfull thing to tell, as if God should plainely shew the cause of his procured wrath.
This perjured Cavalier held out in his left hand money for the Cloath, that the standers by might behold the same, but he fell downe in the Devils name for to stand up againe no helpe could support him, that he might be able againe to goe, so he was carried to his Lodging, and within an houre or two dyed.
AT Oxford a noted Cavalier, a filthy talker of ribauldry, and a Common curser and swearer, and a great blaspheamer fell sicke, in his short sicknesse he refused all comfortable Doctrine, he still cryed out the Devill, the Devill, confessing indeed Gods all potent power, for he said he felt it but could not pray for Grace, the cause he himselfe knew, but would not utter it, so kissing his hand often, in which he said he held the Devill, crying onely for helpe onely upon the Devill, he most miserably raving ended his most wretched Life.
AT Abbington a great Cavalier, and an excessive drinker, being at a Taverne, in the heigth of his jollity and mirth threw the Pots downe stayres, swearing, cursing, singing [Page]and blaspheming, the Parson of a Village nere adjoyning, passing the streete, this Cavalier looking out of the Windowe and called to him, doest thou heare Parson of no Church, come up hither, and swore a great oath, that he would drinke to him a whole Pulpet-full, so setting the Pottle-pot to his mouth, he powred [...] his throate so fast, in such a presumptious manner, that suddainly his Bowels fell out of his body, and there he dyed most miserably.