AN EXACT AND Humble Remonſtrance TOUCHING The late Conflict of Armies in and neer the County of PEMBROOKE; and the preſent condition of the Harbour of MILFORD.
Preſented to the Honourable Committee of the two United Kingdomes, England and Scotland, by ſuch as were very lately reſident in the ſaid County.
Together with a word of Remembrance and Advice, ſeaſonably they hope, directed to the Committee of the ſaid County, and Mayor of Penbrooke.
London, Printed by J. M. 1645.
IT may be thy curious eye will not be ſatisfied with Generall Relations, and if we deſcend to particulars, there may be ſome injury done to Truth againſt our will; and it were great pitty ſo rare a Grace ſhould receive the leaſt blemiſh by Friends, ſeeing ſhe is ſo oft-times wronged both by the ignorant and malicious Enemy. If we ſhould take on us to tell thee how many were taken, and how many ſlaine, we might ſay, we miſſe about 300. and ſpeak our thoughts, and yet not punctually (it may be ſuitable) to the verity of the matter. This I would have thee note, That this unhappy claſhing hapned not many dayes after valiant Crumwell took Heathen Sir Henry Vaughan Colonell and Welchman, with all his Bare — Foot going to Oxford. If thou wilt promiſe to be candid in thy conſtruction, thou ſhalt have once more other matters come to thy hand, if God will, very ſhortly. It is yet but Low-water at Milford, as ſoon as it it Halfe-flood, our truſty Mercury, that loves not to talke ſo large as others, will hoyſe up ſaile and bring thee true intelligence, and very probably, pleaſing too, if thou be not a blood-thirſty Iriſh-man, or his baſe Engliſh confederate:
Farewell.
WHo ſadly Remonſtrate to your Honours, That when it pleaſed God to give a great bleſſing to the ſaid County, not onely plentifully to caſt off, but alſo for a good while to be nouriſhed, and miraculouſly to be preſerved by his great power and providence, raiſing them ſo beyond all probabilities, from a handful of naked men to become a prety conſiderable body of armed men; the reſolved Commanders and Worthies there, for diſcharge of their faithfulneſſe in ſo great a Truſt, having a tender eye alſo to the Exonerating and eaſing of a Country almoſt worn out by the pillaging and oppreſſion of the Enemie, and neceſſary Quarter of friends; put on a reſolution, and marched out of their own County to Cardigan where after they had poſſeſſed4 themſelves of the ſaid Town and Caſtle, and Indeed wonderfully releeving the ſaid Caſtle afterwards, when it was ſtrongly beſieged by Generall Gerrard, they beſieged the Caſtle of Emelyn about ſix miles diſtant from Cardigan, being the enemies next and onely Garriſon in that Quarter, where (after they had laid neer a fortnight) upon the 27. day of Aprill laſt, being the Lords day about ſix of the clock in the morning, there came a very ſtrong party of the enemies horſe from England, beſides other foot very numerous; who ſuddenly and ſecretly fell upon our men; flew and took moſt of our beſt foot Companies, beſides many horſe, drave the reſt into their Garriſons, being about 30. miles remote from the place of their defeate; and forthwith Advanced into the County of Pembrooke, faced the Town of Haverford West, and ſommond it. The Souldiers no ſooner quit the ſaid Town, by reaſon of the openeſſe of it, and that they might the better preſerve the other Garriſons of Penbrooke and Tenby, being far mote ſtrong and conſiderable, but the Inhabitants were conſtrained to ſurrender it upon very ſlender Quarter, there they ceaze upon much of our Ammunition and Armes, impriſon, plunder, and abuſe the well-affected Townſmen; range every where about the Country, pillage and deſtroy that which ſhould be the preſent and future livelihood of an Army; and have given us a ſure teſtimony, that they will leave nothing undone, that miſchiefe and violence can invent againſt a diſtreſſed County. This done, they drew all their forces towards the other two Garriſons of Pembrooke and Tenby, and are very confident either to over-maſter them, or in fine to diſtreſſe them till they yeeld: Notwithſtanding the Major Generall, Mayor of Pembrook, and reſolute Commanders there, have firmely by Gods bleſſing, determined to ſtand to their truſt, and reſolve rather Honourably to loſe their lives, together with their ſaid Townes and Garriſons5 then baſely, by yeelding, betray them with their Religion and Liberties.
They further make known to your Honours the moſt dangerous condition of the Harbour of Milford, which the Enemie doubts not to block up, by planting Great Ornances to keep out ſuch ſhipping as might relieve the Town and Caſtle of Pembrooke, and this very probably they will ſpeedily do, if a timely expedient be not found out to prevent them.
It were but raſhneſſe and indiſcretion in them to intimate the dangerous conſequence of a Delay, as of other things ſo well known to your Honours; The publike importance of the ſaid Haven, being the onely harbour to friend between Plymouth and Leverpool, bloody Irelands greateſt curb and terrour; the Marriners ſecurity, if preſerved: nay, they are verily perſwaded, and ſo are all that know it, that there is not one place in England more conſiderable, Conſideratis conſiderandis, then that; though ſome ignorantly (we hope not maliciouſly) to the great prejudice of the ſtate do ſlight it. They preſume no farther but humbly ſubmit themſelves to your Lordſhips, and from a bleeding and moſt tender heart, they do commend the condition of the publick, and that place, together with their own ſad eſtate and condition to the Grace and Mercy of a good God and the known Wiſdome of this Honourable Committee, for their more ſpeedy reliefe.
IT is not unknown unto moſt of you, who they were that very lately departed from your Country and Harbour of Milford. And albeit they had but ſmall incouragement to remain there; yet now, by Gods Providence, being ſafely arived here, (a place of greater enlargement and love.) They cannot chooſe but remember you, and in their remembrance, (though they never tread on your ground again) to endeavour your future weal and happineſſe. They cannot but be ſenſible how Offices and Officers in this kind have been intreated and rewarded; namely, with cruelty and contempt for love and curteſie, (ſome if they had Grace would bluſh at the conceit.) However it now falls out, that water ſhall never be able to quench the flames of publick Affection and Deſires. They humbly and earneſtly crave of you, (and that in the bowels of Jeſus Chriſt) that in matters of ſuch publick conſequence you lay by, and caſt away all ſiniſter and by ends of your own ſelfiſhnes of all ſorts, which already have been your undoings, and have proved unto you more banefull, then the Malice of your moſt Malignant Enemy: ſuch as have contracted on many of you a great Odium in the minds of many honeſt men, and have rendred you very meanly ſpirited in good men opinions and judgements. Retention of old private Star-chamber and Ludlow-grudges. Partiality where conſcience and Equity ſhould beare ſway. Coveteouſneſſe working by oppreſſion on the poor7 undone-Commons, reſerving your old corne for the Enemy, or at beſt for the Vermine; when your underlings and tenants in the mean time are ground to powder; having not corn enough left for the Mill, to ſtop the mouthes and refreſh the bowels of their crying children: beſides the diſcouragement of thoſe diſheartned Soulders, that have hazarded, nay loſt, their own lives to ſave yours. Gentlemen, I pray give us leave to tell you in love, and tender affection (for we regard not Atheſticall ſpurnings.) This hath made a loud cry heaven-ward, and this together with that Epidemicall vice called Exceſſe, and that Coroding diſeaſe called Malice, and that pleaſing ſin called Contempt and abuſe of Gods Miniſters, was the diſſolution and rout of that part of your Army, and diſcomfiture of your men.
The theeves that ſtole away your Cattle, plundred your houſes, betrayed the perſons of ſome of you into the hands of thoſe that hate them: and ſurely if you bottle not up many teares to extinguiſh and quench theſe flames of Gods wrath and juſt diſpleaſure, it will conſume further, till it hath conſumed all, diſsolved gates of iron and walls of braſſe. Take therefore this courſe, uſe. this Method. A Jove Principium. Begin with God and then no doubt but he will go forth with your Army; nay, he will recruit and diſcipline the ſame, and make you again gloriouſly victorious over thoſe degenerate Engliſh, and Egyptian Welſh, that now encompaſſe you, and are confederate with the bloody Iriſh againſt you: As for us we confidently hope (and we have an aſſured perſwaſion) that the enemie is neer (or at leaſt not far off) his fall, for that he is now exalted ſo high in pride and preſumption. Turn over a new leaf then, and get but the Maſter head of your corrupt Affections, in any good meaſure, and it will not be long ere you be again Maſters of the field, and prevalent in your undertakings.
London,May 24. 1645.
LEt it not trouble your minde to conjecture who it is that thus put you in the Preſſe, it may ſuffice that there is a hand in this publication that hath but little cauſe to be partiall in this ſenſe, or to ſigne any thing in your praiſe, did not worth and your faithfull ſervice to the State call for and command it. Private ſpirits are odious in publick times. Sir, Goe on in your wonted conſtancy, and the Lord proſper you; only take this friendly word of counſell, Love them that love GOD, and cleave cloſe to him your ſelfe; get first acquaintance with him, and renew it by hearing the Word and Prayer, and walk on with him by a daily exerciſe of piety; this doe, I ſay, and proſper. There will never want a party to aſſiſt you. If all ſhould faile, God hath an Army of Flyes and Lice to deſtroy his Enemies like the Egyptians. As for us we ſhall not be wanting to put up the moſt effectuall prayers we are able for you all; That ſuch as are unſetled may be eſtabliſhed, that ſuch as are hollow may have that vacuity filled up with ſubſtance and realities, that ſuch as are deſcreet in their moderate and cold expreſſions in theſe times, may be made either hot or cold, or ſpued out: That ſuch as would now be ſavers may be looſers, and ſuch as will be looſers may be ſavers; That ſuch as are diſtreſſed may be comforted, and ſtraitned Garriſons enlarged, if they deſerve it. Theſe are our votes.
(EEBO-TCP ; phase 2, no. A84186)
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