A DISCOVERY Of many, great, and Bloudy ROBERIES: COMMITTED OF LATE BY DISSOLVTE AND Evill affected TROOPERS.
Jn ſeverall places of this Kingdome, but chiefly about the City of London.
Since the late disbanding of the Army in the North.
With a Relation of the Times, Places, and Perſons, on on whom theſe Roberies were committed.
WHEREIN Is inserted the Deſcription of a bloudy Combate, fought betweene 9 Troopers and 6 Butchers, meeting on the High-way, and what enſued. With divers other Out-rages, and Abuſes, acted by them within this City.
Printed at London for Iohn Thomas, 1641.
IOyfull newes it is to all good men, that a general peace is concluded betweene England and Scotland, warlike weapons are laid aſide, and each embrace the other in amity and unity; which newes cannot be more joyfull then profitable, generally I mean. But ſome particular wrongs & injuries are acted by thoſe, whoſe thoughts are bent upon nothing but miſchiefe, their actions being governed by the malice of the Divell, ſome I ſay, prove themſelves Rebels to peace, they having no forrain Nation to make known their valour, or fight againſt. They to keepe themſelves in action, moſt baſely pillage their owne Country-men; as if they had left them onely to gather goods, and to provide means, againſt their comming home againe, which proclaims them Traytors to vertue and goodneſſe: and if they looke not to it ſpeedily, it will be their owne ruine.
Complaints flye abroad every where, no man almoſt dares truſt himſelfe to the high wayes, for feare leſt he loſe his purſe, or his life, which is dearer. I have ſome ſuch actions to declare, as will cauſe ſome laughter, but more ſorrow.
The Robery which was ſaid to be committed in the North, Knowles being the Ring-leader, I omit, it being divulged already, although not perfectly, but as I underſtand, the Author, or Poet, hath fooliſhly recanted his Relation, with a tongue thou beſt: but politike Taylor is reſolved to prove his recantation more falſe then his relation: he had better bin then in his fool•Coat, acting Iack-pudding, then to have been partaker in that robbery. But I leave him, and proceed to my owne relation, of ſome roberies, lately committed by Troopers ſince their disbanding.
At Kingſtone upon Hull 5 Troopers met with 7 Clothiers, whoſe purſes were cramb'd with ſuch Angels, as they adored, the troopers did ſet upon them with their Piſtols charg'd in one hand, and their ſwords ready drawne in the other: the Clothiers were not ſo well armed; wherefore for ſafeguard of their lives, they yeelded their purſes, the ſumme of all which money came to about 400 pounds, which weight of money made the troopers light-hearted: but it continued not long, for 5 of the Clothiers kept aloofe off, marking whither they would goe, whilſt the two went for Piſtols; which when they had got, they being well horſed, purſued the troopers, and overtooke them, which the troopers perceiving, were amazed: becauſe not long before for joy of their purchaſe, they had diſcharged their Piſtols, whereſore without any reſiſtance, they returned the Clothiers their moneyes againe, who gave them ten pound a man for their horſes, and ſo they departed.
At Barwick, one Iohn Hawkins a trooper, and an Iriſh man met with 6 Maids, & rob'd them all? but of what, their Maidenheads.
In Cambridgeſhire 14 Troopers travelling from Yorkeſhire, made a reſolution to receive pay of the next company they met withall, which were a company of Farmers comming from Cambridge, whom they gagged, leſt they ſhould cry out, they took their moneyes and cloathes, bound them hand & foot, and then being naked, not having ſo much as a ſhirt on, they tyed them to trees, and ſo left them, and as yet cannot be found out, the loſſe of the money grieved the Farmers not ſo much, as the cold lodging they had that night.
SIxe butchers travelling towards the North to buy cattell, one of them ſaid, what if a company of Troopers ſhould now meet with us? the reſt anſwered, they cared not if they did, they had not rid above one mile further, but 9 Troopers met with them indeed, who told the Butchers they muſt have ſome money, they anſwered, they muſt get it firſt, whereupon the Troopers rid at them with their ſwords drawne, the butchers they reſiſted them very valiantly, inſomuch that the troopers retreated, whereupon the butchers tooke courage, and renewed their blowes, the Troopers thought they had ſet upon 6 Divels, they were ſo baſtinadoed by them, Men were wounded on both ſides: but the butchers ſo well behaved themſelves, that the troopes were forced to truſt to the ſwiftneſſe of their horſes, which one ſtout butcher perceiving, being vext they would fight no more, with all his might he threw his ſword at a troopers horſes legs and almoſt cut of one off his legs, nor was he contented then, being ſo much moved, but a lighting from his horſe, and ſnatching up his ſword againe, he purſued them, and cut and mangled three of them ſo much, that they fell from their horſes, is men being void of breath, the other 6 rid into the wood, or elſe he vowed (by the helpe of God) to have done the like for them all, his name was Thomas Aſhley: who although he were in many places wounded, he regarded it not, but went forward, untill they all came to their Journeyes end, and then were their wounds dreſſed: and ſince, I heare well recovered.
The Troopers have not all reformed themſelves ſince they came from the North, although ſome few have; for ſome of them play their prancks now in and about London: for nigh the Cake-houſe towards Iſlington, it being a dark night, fourteen troopers met a Coach, in which were 3 or 4 Gentlewomen, & a gentleman, having bin at a wedding, they knockt the Coachman out of the box, and then got up to the Coach to the Gentlewomen, and took all their money out of their pockets, their rings from their fingers, their handkerchers from their necks, their hats from their heads, and from each of them their beſt petticoates, and from the Gentleman a pluſh cloak, a golden belt and Rapier, and took care withall that he carryed not home too much money with him, they took from them in all, as much as came to ſixſcore pounds, and then bid the Coachman got up into his box againe.
Another coach comming from Warford to London, wherin was a Counteſſe, and ſome other Ladies, was ſtayed in the high-way before the Sun was ſet, by 3 troopers, who pillaged, and took all their money, rings, and Jewels that were about them, and let them goe.
A Gentleman that lived in Buckingham ſhire, comming to London late at night, met a company of troopers neere Iſlington; who ſet upon him, and took his money being in a cloak bag behind him, wherein was a 100 pounds, and they took his horſe alſo from him, which he valued at 30 pounds.
A Captaine living in Covent-garden, was lately rob'd of 14 l. by 8 troopers, neere the corner of Hide-park, who I heare ſince are taken, and lye now in the Gate-houſe.
At the corner of Hide-park ſince, was a Ladies coach rob'd by a company of troopers, who tooke what money and rings they had about them.
One Maſter Hackney at the Mearemaid in Cheapſide, and two others, comming lately from Iſlington, being after day light was ſhutting met 4 or 5 troopers, who tooke their cloaks and hats, and what moneyes they found about them.
One Mr. Meredith being on Sunday night the 3 of October in Vhite-croſſe ſtreet, going to his lodging at Bun-hill, neare to the ſixe Windmils, met with 3 fellowes in bufcoats, who ſeeing of him, bid him ſtand, putting their rapiers to his throat, at that time he had received 11 pounds for rent, which they bid him deliver, or elſe he ſhould loſe his life, which he did according to their demand, with which they were not contented, but took alſo his cloake, and thirty ſhillings more; which he had in another purſe: and alſo his watch, and beat him very much, which cauſed him to goe back to the watch, who preſently purſued them: three they tooke upon ſuſpition; but as yet they are not ſure they are the theeves.
Vpon munday night being the fourth of October, ſeven Troopers met with Sir Robert Manſfield beyond Kentſtreet in Southwark and ſet upon him and his men; and over-comming them, took away fourteen pounds: it being noyſed abroad, they were hard purſued: they ſeeing, reſolutely drew their ſwords; which one goodman Dyar perceiving, ruſht in amongſt them, whom they wounded in the arme and hand: notwithſtanding the theeves fled and got away, and are not yet to be heard of.
Many more noteable robberies have bin put upon troopers, of all which I dare not, nor cannot ſay they are guilty, but one more remarkeable Exploit I have to relate.
A Company of them gathered themſelves neare Clarkenwell, one of which had got a Conſtables ſtaffe, the reſt Halberts, like watchmen, & when they met with any, they muſt come before the Conſtable, and he muſt examine them; and after examination, they muſt by no means, if they had cloaks, carry them away with them, or money in their pockets. The Conſtable (becauſe the times were dangerous, and many Knaves abroad) muſt keepe it for them, faining a place where in the morning they ſhould enquire for them; but as yet the Conſtables houſe could never be found. Very many this Yeare have beene ſo cheated. But now the watch is broke up, ſome of the Bill-men being at this time, as is reported, in the white Lyon Priſon, the Conſtable is fled, but J hope ſhortly that he and all his Complices, if they leave not theſe lewd courſes, the penalty of the law will leave them at the Gallowes, where I ſhall leave them.
(EEBO-TCP ; phase 2, no. A81530)
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