SAD NEWES from the County of KENT. Sent in a Letter by young Mr. Criſpe of Dover, to his Kinſman in London.
IN that famous and fertile Soyl of Kent, a neer neighbour to the City of London, and a hand-maid to furniſh her with all Commodities which ſhe in a plentifull manner is poſſeſt withall.
In the Iſle of Tennet, a houſe called by the name of Queax, about eight miles from Dover lived a worthy Knight, and a good Benefactor to the poor, famous for his acts of piety and Charity, and therefore the more envied and wronged, as by the abominable outrage, and violent actions committed upon his houſe, himſelf, and his goods, the like hath not been for ſuch a bold deſperate deſign ſcarce committed in our Age, unleſs though formerly in the late Kings dayes the Turkiſh Pyrats ſet in Cornwall a part of their Mahumetan Seamen, and did for two or three Families ſweep them all away, children ſucking at their mothers breaſts, and forſt them into their Ships to Sea with them, robbing and plundring their houſes of Goods, and4 their fields of Cattel. Now here I preſent you with a Letter written from a worthy Gentleman at Dover, neer ally'd and kin to the worthy Sir Nicholas Criſpe, the houſe going by the name of Queax; about eight mile from Dover, and hath a creek of water from the Sea, which uſeth to ebb and flow with the tide, and of this creek theſe mercileſs men (villians I may ſay) made uſe, in a ſhallop, to the number of forty reſolute renegadoes, entred Sir Nicholas Criſpe his houſe, breaking open the doors, ſetting a watch over the ſervants urging the fearefull maid ſervant, elſe to deprive her of life preſently, if ſhe would not bring them to Sir Nicholas his Chamber, and his aged Uncles, for the feareful Maid not knowing their intents brings them to the two Chamber doors where the Gentlemen going to take their naturall reſt without the leaſt thought of any miſcheif to any; but by a deſperate deboiſt company of land Pirates I am ſure notorious Robbers, Sir Nicholas had his houſe plundered, himſelf amazed, and perſon ſurpriſed, with the aged Gentleman his Uncle, whom they have forced to Bridges in Flanders, and by way of entreaty upon a Parlie did releaſe Sir Nicholas, but upon condicon, that he ſhould ſend 1000. pound for the old Gentleman his releaſe, elſe he to be detained there priſoner at Dunkirke, which cannot be but a great griefe to that worthy Gentlewoman hie Lady and the reſt of his freinds; this old Gentleman thats carried away being miſt for his charitable releeving of many poor already: Oh let every honeſt heart deſire of the Lord that theſe either forreign or do meſtick Thieves and Robbers may be found out, for the report of people is generall, that they, or ſome of them muſt formerly know the houſe or way unto it very well.
And therefore, Oh diſcontented party, leave off the uſe of ſuch abhorred actions, which are in the ſight of God and good men an abbomination; Gods command is thou ſhalt not ſteal: The Levitical Law ſaith he that ſtealeth ſhall reſtore four fould. Many theives on earth Rob themſelves of the joyes of Heaven: Many well in good health this day, to morrow ſick, the third day in the grave; oh•areleſs5 Chriſtian what is the glory of this World, but a flower that continueth for a little ſeaſon? and then vaniſheth away, where there is no remembrance where his place was; therefore grant us all grace to live ſo here, to keep our ſelves unſpotted from the world, that we may work out our ſalvation with fear and trembling, and by the alone merits, death, and paſſion of our Crucified Lord Jeſus, attain to that eternall Kingdome which is endleſſe, that he hath purchaſed to all them that love him. Amen.
Hereafter followeth a Copie of a Letter ſent from M. Criſpe the yonger from Dover, which is 8. miles from Sir Nic. Criſps houſe called Queax, which is about a mile or more diſtant from any Town in Kent.
Directed to his Kinſman and loving friend, Mr. Kathern, Porter of Ludgate.
Superſciption.
For my loving Couſin Clement Katherns, Porter of Ludgate, at his houſe in Cradle-Alley, London.
MY kind love remembred unto you and my Couſin your good wife; I know you have heard of that ſad newes from Queax, the manner thus; Upon the 18. of July laſt paſt there came about 40. men well armed with Carbine, Piſtol and Sword, and Poleax every man there, it is thought they came from Dunkirke, thus comming to the houſe they quickly broke the lock of the outward gate, ſo entring into the outward court, they ſecured all the ſervants lay without doors, then came to the dwelling houſe and knocked very lowd, one asking who was there, being about 12 a clock at night, they told him they muſt come in, and the partie that ſpake to them being but new laid down in his cloathes, before he could come down with four blowes at the hall door, with a two-hand Sledg the door gave way, and entred the hall before him, ſecured him and the reſt of the ſervants immediately that lay within the houſe, then cauſed the maid to ſhew them my Uncles Chamber and Sir Nich•laſes, when they were entred there, they told them they wanted money, and7 that they knew they well could ſupply their want, which was done after three hours time in the Plundering the houſe, and had what they could get, they then told my Uncle and Sir Nicholas, that they muſt go along with them, and to that purpoſe carried the Coach-man to put horſes in the Coach to carry their Plunder, and Uncle, and Sir Nicholas to the water-ſide, and upon the way they had a Parlie with Sir Nicholas about leaving him behinde, it was agreed immediatly that he ingaging to pay to them 1000. pound in 28. dayes time at Bridges to one they named; then he ſhould be free to come home again, which was done: So Sir Nicholas returned home again, but my old Uncle they have inhumanely carried away in his old age, and as yet we hear not any one word of the leaſt thereof how he doth or where he is.
Thomas Smith the Butcher, went voluntarily along with him, I could not well ſooner give you this account, for we knew not the certaine truth of things till my Father came home about the middle of laſt week. My Father, wife, and ſelf preſent our kind love unto you: I am ſure if he returne not ſpeedliy we ſhall want him dearly, for he is very good to my aged parents. In haſte with thanks for all your favour I remaine.
I pray at your leaſure convey this Letter unto my Father-in-Law's Lodging.
TO conclude, Conſider likewiſe what ſad effects and prodigious abortives this ſinful Nation hath produced of late yeares by war, yet are we not better'd, but like Iron put into the water out of the fire, to be hardned for the Judgments of God hath hardned our-hearts, in our fullneſs of bread and comtempt of his Word, every one following his own fancy in maters of Religion, ſo much, that we have almoſt loſt that ancient Proteſtant Religion, which ſo many Martyres blood did ſeale and confirm, whom our Anceſtors ſo highly advanced, but now ſo much ſlghted and contemned that many do hate the name of Proteſtant.
Now great God, ſince it hath pleaſed thy holy Name in mercy to ſheath the devouring ſword from the 3 Nations England, Scotland, and Ireland, and that we have the Injoyment of peace agen, let them fall by the ſword that would any way ſeek to introduce it again in our days to this Nation, now we may praiſe the Lord that we are not troubled with burning of Towns, Plundering of Houſes, pitcht-Battells, nor flying fightings, though unhapyly a worthy, a godly, and noble Knight hath lately been ſtruck with a terible blow of it.
As tending to the danger of his life, the ſurprizall of his neer and deer kinſman, the loſſe of his goods, the frights of the good Lady, the feare and danger the poor ſervants ſuſtayned when they could not help themſelves, nor their Mr. himſelf, no not, but all let open to the height of their intended domination and deſtruction, this being the effect of War, the fruit it (produceth, at the beſt) but beggery. This diſign of their wretched act ſure muſt be begot by ſome who hath been free of the uſe of theft or Plunder, and will aſſuredly obtain his reward at the Gallowes, elſe dye deſperately by the ſword, as the Famous Thiefe of late hath done, Hinde, that had as many cuts on's head, face, and armes, as many more as he had fingers and toes twice over, yet the Gallowes was ordained his end as deſervedly.