The manner how eighteen French men who were bound for Ireland, wee brought to Newgate, 7 March 1641.
TWas the Prophets expreſſion to no leſſe then a King, obedience is better then ſacrifice; but rebellion is as the ſinne of Witchcraft. A crime moſt hatefull to God and odious to man bringing ſwift deſtruction if not timely prevented, as upon particular preſons, ſo more generally upon whole kingdomes: it being that curſed root, from whence proceedeth many hundred branches of impious and confuſed actions, rapes, murder, famine, fire and ſword, with infinite the like bloudy and cruell maſſacres, doe ordinarily attend this hell hatcht fury; wherein the innocent ſuffer as well as the guilty, good and bad, one among another till at laſt the hand of Iuſtice continually purſuing, ith end overtakes, and in a moment, confounds the wretched actors thereof in ſudden and ſhamefull ruine.
This truth needes but little Illuſtration, the diſtreſſed condition of our neighbour nation of Ireland at this preſent, occaſioned by the unnaturall rebellion of her owne ill-bred ſonnes, too well approves it, where ſuch in humaine cruelties, and unheard of tortures, are dayly practiſed by the barbarous enemy, that the very relation thereof, would melt a heart of flint to heare it,
But now bleſſed be God, ſuch hath the painful indeavours, and prudent care of our moſt gracious King, and his wiſe Parliament been, for the helpe and aſſiſtance of thoſe our oppreſſed brethren, that by their charitable benevolenee, and friendly aid, the proteſtants are much ſtrengthned, and the rebels diſcouraged, great hopes being left of a quicke and finall conqueſt over thoſe tyrannicall and mercileſſe traitors.
Our royall King hath long ſince proclaimed them ſuch, let none therefore preſume to ſuccour or relieve ſuch a viprous geneneration, that gnaw and feed upon the bowels of their owne deare mother, leſt vengeance reward their ungodly deſignes, and ſweepe away both authors and abettors at an inſtant.
The cauſe of this my writing proceedes from a late paſſage, now freſh in memory and the onely talke of the Citty, I meane the 18 French men, who by an order from the Parliament were apprehended neere Plimouth, and from thence brought to Newgate, upon a ſuſpition, that they had an intention to tranſport victuals and munition to the rebels in Ireland.
Their names are as followeth,
- Captaine Butler.
- Capt. Iohn Ryant.
- Capt. Daniel Ryant.
- Addam Gould marchant.
- Thomas Levaleu. marchant.
- Daniell Dally. maſter.
- ſervants.
- Morgan Quirke.
- Garret Foy.
- Iohn Ryant.
- Nich Baggott.
- Darby Ryant.
- David Galloway.
- Iohn Williams.
- Patricke Furlong.
- Iohn Dym.
- Richard Gallaway.
- Thomas Mattach.
- Iohn Butler.
The Ship lies at Salt-come in Devonſhire, and was bound for Corke.
Theſe men being ſhipt in a ſmall veſſell, which as they ſay was onely laden with marchandize in France, and bound for Corke, though tis ſuppoſed twill be ſound otherwiſe, were by contrary windes driven upon the coaſts of England, at a place called Saltcome in Devonſh. where not without good cauſe they were ſtaid by the Governour of the Towne, and notice given to the Parliament, thereof, who preſently ſent downe an order to ſtay their ſhip and bring them to London, which was accordingly done in this manner. The ſheriſſe of every county with the conſtables, were commanded to conduct them from place to place, till at liſt they came to Brainford, where they lodgd on Sunday night, March 6. The next day the ſheriſes of London went downe to Brainford and from thence brought them to Newgate the ſame day at night, a Conſtables riding one each ſide all the way and the priſoners in the middle.
If they be guilty I make no queſtion but the Parliament will quickly ſift it out, and inflict ſuch puniſhment upon them as the hamouſneſſe of their offence deſerves.
The laſt Newes from Ireland, 7 March, 1641.
The 10. of February our men went to Artain, againſt a caſtle ſo called, which had before done ſome miſchiefe, to ſome of our men, the enemy being in it, But the enemy fled before our ſecond comming, and left the Caſtle, and a garriſon was left in it by us.
Upon the 11th. wee had newes, that the enemy was intrenching at a place called Soughing Towne, ſome 6. Miles ſouth of our City, and ſome 2000 Foot, and 200. Horſe went out againſt them; The Lord Lambart commanding in chiefe; A ſmall battell they had, but the Enemy ſtood not, on the Enemies ſide ſome 70 or more was killed, and but one hurt on our ſide, and ſo came home that night, and brought home one of the Rebells Captaines and two more of the enemies Captaines ſlaine, many Letters of treaſon were found about him that was taken.
On the 13. a man was brought to our City being taken by ſome of our ſcattering men ſcouting about our City, who confeſt without conſtraint, that he had killed an Engliſh woman at a place called Leſlipeſous, 6. Miles Weſt of our City, and waſhed his hands in her bloud, being ſet on by the popiſh Prieſts ſo to doe, hee was preſently hanged, but dyed with much repentance and a proteſtant, which few do.
Upon the 19. and 20. Arrived heere from you 2000 Foot and 300 horſe but little or no money, which made us poore of the City fare harder then before; which was to hard.
Upon the 21. Wee had knowledge that our Ships ſent with vittaile to relieve Tredath had got ſafely in, and in ſpight of the enemy, who had chayned up the harbour, but our men brake the Chaine, and got in, notwithſtanding. And publike thankes was with us for that happineſſe, for in ſuch a great ſtrait was that City, as to eat Horſe fleſh, as letters from my friends from the City to mee teſtified; Alſo Captaine Bartlet who was the Sea Captaine, in his comming home met with ſome fore ſmall Boats or Barkes of the Wexford men, going toward the enemy in the North to carry Lenten proviſion, but hee ſpoyled their deſigne in ſinking moſt or all of them, About the ſame time we had alſo Letters out of Munſter, that all that part of the Countrey was roſe in Rebellion being carried out by the Lord Muſcry, and Lore Roch, who had profeſſed much fidellity, and many deceitfull promiſes had paſt to the preſident of that Province, till they ſaw their owne advantage, And it is reported they are net leſſe then 20000 ſtrong, beſt appointed of all the Rebels, for indeed this Lord Muſcroy is the moſt monied man, of all the Iriſh Lords, So that now not one place in Ireland, but is in Rebellion, for the Lord of Clanrickard, ſtands as ſome thinke Neuter, does nothing at all, or cannot do any thing, or will not, But wee heare that our Preſident of Munſter was forced to betake himſelfe to the ſtrong hold of Corke, and the Lord of Corke betooke himſelfe to Toyhall, which are reported both to be beſiged by the enemy.
Upon the 23. of this moneth, newes was that at a place neere Feleſton ſix miles from us, a great multitude of the enemies had ſtrongly fortifide themſelves, and it is well fortifide by nature, having alſo a ſtrong Caſtle in it; Some 3000 of our men went againſt it, horſe and ſoote, Our Lord generall the Earle of Ormond himſelfe went, as did Sir Charles Coot, Sir Symond Harcourt, and many more, Iohn Moore being one of the Soldiers, and upon the forelorne hope. had both his left and right hand man killed, he told me that our generall himſelfe, led up the forlorne hope, with many words of Comfort to them, able to make any man fight of ſee ſuch a man as he goe in ſuch danger: For the enemy had a great wood to ſhelter them beſide trenches, but our men after 2 houres Battell, beat them from their Trench, and from the wood, killing ſome 80 of them, For all that advantage but 7 of our men was killed, but that we loſt one Captaine Rochford, a man of ſuch note, that never more was any man bewayled; For all the good and valliant parts of a Soldier was in him, in this bout Sir Symond Harcourts Regiment, behaved themſelves valliantly but for the Caſtle our men were forced to returne home without taking it, having nothing but field peeces with them, the way being to rotten to beare greater as yet; many more of the enemies had bin ſtaine but that the wood defended them, ſo that the Trees tooke off all that was ſent to them in this Caſtle is thought to be much wealth beſides all that have bin great men of the Rebles. But our men will not ſo leave it, but will againe try their forces againſt in ſhortly.
As yeſterday our men came home, yet tis to be feard that a famine is like to be in our City, in that ſtill men come to us and proviſion is ſhort, and none of yours that come to us bring any vittailes, great taxes are vpon us, more then can be borne, He that had Butter, and Cheeſe, and Cloath at betwene 6 and 14 Shillings a yard here ſent by any out of London, might make a good trade of it; Cheſhire cheeſe is ſould here for ſix pence a pound already; Some of your Londoners are come hither (acquaintance of mine) that will ſend for ſuch things, for great profit may be made by them, and quicke returne.