A true Accompt of the late Reducement of the Jſles of Scilly, publiſhed in re­gard of the many falſe and ſcandalous Reports touching that Service.

FOr as much as ſome men have taken upon them to write and report very falſly, and indeed ſcandal­ouſly, traducing the unſpotted reputation of faithful Inſtruments in managing the late Re­ducement of the Iſles of Scilly: I hope 'twill be account­ed no tranſgreſſion, if I take leave to repreſent an honeſt and true Account of the ſervice done there.

I ſhall not venture, as ſome have unworthily done, to ſay ought upon bare hear-ſay, but ſhall write upon bet­ter knowledg, being actually in the ſervice from firſt to laſt, and an eye witneſs of what was done.

And why I may not with more reaſon expect to win credit upon that Account, then thoſe who have written and reported ſwelling words of vanity, and yet never ha­zarded their carkaſſes within Cannon ſhot of danger in the ſervice; I ſee not.

'Tis to be feared, I wiſh it be not ſo, That greedineſs of honour have promped ſome to prepoſſeſs the world with their own worth above what was meet; and not only ſo, but thereby, detracting from others, have, with4 too much affectation, attempted to pin the Honour of the work upon their own ſleeves.

I ſhall avoyd Partiality in my Relation, and follow the unbyaſſed way of Truth; I refer my ſelf to the Teſt, let any diſprove me if they can.

The manner of the ſervice was thus:

After we had layn at Sea, from Saturday April 12. til Thurſday 17. in the morning betimes (each Officer having received Orders over-night) we boated our Sol­diers, intending to gain a landing place upon Triſcoe, to that end we divided our Boats and Men into two parts, the one to land in a ſandy Bay by their Fort within old Grimsbay Harbor, the other in a more ſtony Bay, ſome­what to the Weſtward of that; But the quickneſs of the Tyde had ſet our Boats ſo much to the Eaſtward out of the way, and the fearful Pilots directing another courſe among the Rocks, we were neceſſitated to ſet all forwards toward Old Grimsbay Harbor. The Enemy perceiving our motion, drew their chief ſtrength thi­ther-wards to oppoſe us. Our Boats being all of them exceedingly cram'd with men, and many of them very ſlenderly accompliſhed for ſuch a ſervice, rowed exceed­ing heavily, & could not by any means be brough to row up cloſe one with another, and ſom were ſet faſt upon the Rocks for want of water: Whereupon Orders were given, that the Boats ſhould ſtop under a Rock till they came up altogether, that we might joyntly ſet upon the Work. But in the Progreſs, the Pilots, and many of the Powers (who were taken up in the Weſt Country, very backward to the ſervice) miſguided our headmoſt Boats to a little Iſland called Northworthel, ſtanding in•he entrance to Old Grimsbay Harbor, and within half5 Musket ſhot of Triſcoe, divided by the water, and ſo ſci­tuate, as none, ſave thoſe who were acquainted, could know whether 'twere part of Triſcoe or not. To this place the timerous or treacherous Pilots directed, af­firming once and again that it was Triſcoe; and when Major Bawden replyed, he was doubtful of it, in regard he diſcovered none of the Enemy coming down to op­poſe their landing, one Nants (accounted the moſt knowing Pilot for the place) affirmed reſolutely (upon his life) that it was Triſcoe, whereupon three Compa­nies preſently landed; but the Miſtake diſcovered, pre­vented the landing of any more, yet not without ſom diſ­order upon our buſineſs; Notwithſtanding which, and that the Tyde and opportunity might not be loſt, Orders were given, that the reſt of the Boats ſhould row on into the Bay, where we intended to land; but our foremoſt Boats were again miſguided, and unadviſedly made, to that part of the Iland neareſt hand, occaſioned the rather as I ſuppoſe, for that the Enemy had there drawn down a Body of Musketeers, and fired much upon our Boats, with whom our men deſired to be doing, but the place proved craggy & inacceſſible, ſo that we could not land: Here was hot firing between our men and the Enemy, (the Rocky ſhore being the only Interponent;) They had a ſufficient advantage againſt us, having the Rocks for their ſhelter, and our men ſo very thick crowded in their open Boats, as many of them could not make uſe of their Arms: indeed it was a miracle of mercy that we loſt not very many men here; if any of our Boats had been foundred, all the men muſt needs have been loſt; for every Boat was ſo exceeding full, that in ſuch an extre­mity, one could not poſſibly have helped another.

6Now to be plain, when the Boats drew ſomewhat neer, and the great, ſmall, and caſe ſhot flew about to ſome purpoſe, and danger muſt be lookt in the face, (for I believe we endured about 70 great ſhot, beſides muſ­kets in abundance) many of the Boats, in ſtead of row­ing forward into the Bay, turned the Helm, and rowed backward, and aſide, from the buſineſs. And notwith­ſtanding Lievt. Colonel Clark (of whom, to ſpeak the truth in this place, I hope will be no offence) ſtrugled all he could to draw them on, earneſtly calling to one and commanding another to follow him with their Boats, yet would neither commands nor threats per­ſwade them to obſervance; but, do what he could, they rowed off. This I muſt affirm for truth, for that I heard and ſaw the gentleman above-named ſtanding on the head of his Boat, amidſt the thickeſt of the ſhot, under this performance. And I beleeve there want not ſuffi­cient teſtimonies; Captain Dover may pleaſe to re­member, that he among others was called to, yea and commanded too, upon pain of death to follow on with his Boat: What his Anſwer was, and how carefully obſerved, cannot be unknown to himſelf, nor yet to o­thers; for I am ſure his boat rowed off, and came no neer.

After ſome time ſpent, I think neer half an hour, in this perilous, yet ſucceſleſs manner, we withdrew to Northworthel, the little iſland where our Boats were firſt miſguided; Our loſs was not great in reſpect of the ha­zard, which I wiſh may be recorded upon all our hearts as a ſignal teſtimony of Gods abundant goodneſs and favor to us; Some four Soldiers and one or two Sea­men were ſlain, and the like number of the Enemy, with Colonel Wogan wounded.

7Three Companies were left upon Northworthel to keep the Enemy buſie, and the reſt were landed upon an adjacent iſland, called Tean, from whence we had a better diſcovery of the Enemies ſhore; The place yeelded but little freſh water, which, through the num­ber of our men, was ſoon troubled, and made unfit to drink, which together with the want of proviſions, and the raw conſtitution of our men newly come on ſhore, made this cold nights lodging the more irkſom and comfortleſs.

The next day, April 18. the enemy ſpent ſome great ſhot at us, which fell among ſome of our Tents and brake them, but did no farther harm; We labored to get ſome proviſions a ſhore (which could not be ſudden­ly done, our ſhips riding at that diſtance) for want of which our men were indeed diſtreſſed: and ſome there­upon murmured even to diſcontent, repining at the con­dition of the ſervice they were to undergo upon ſuch faint terms; But through a ſupply of victual, and care­ful regard of Lievt. Colonel Clark, all was put into an exact poſture, in order to a ſecond attempt; To which end Capt. Hatſel and Capt. Smith were ſent aboard Ad­miral Blake, to deſire that the Boats, and Rowers who would ſtick more reſolutely to their Oars, might be ſent to us, which he did: And that we might be the better be­ſteaded in our landing, he moreover appointed about 150 or 200 Seamen (who were better acquainted with Marine affairs) to attempt with us, under the conduct of Captain Morrice.

We thought it neceſſary to deal with the enemy ſpee­dily, while the weather was ſeaſonable, for ſhould it have proved otherwiſe, and our ſhips have been forced8 off to Sea, we muſt either have periſhed, or have given our ſelves up to the Enemy for a morſel of bread. Up­on Conſultation, we reſolved (it being judged beſt) to ſtorm the Enemy by night, and to that end, had, in this day-time, carefully obſerved how to direct our courſe to the place we intended for landing, (which was about ¾ of a mile, and interrupted with many rocks in the way,) For now we became our own Pilots.

We boated our men (having drawn off thoſe three Companies from Northworthel in the dark of the even­ing, and left there onely ſome 80 men to Alarum and amuſe the enemy in that quarter while we fell on,) and between 11 and 12 of the clock at night ſet forward (the Seamens Boats being head-moſt,) at which time it pleaſed God that it was very calm, ſo that the ene­mies Friggots, whom we doubted might injure us in our paſſage (being thereunto deſigned) and do moſt prejudice, could not come up to do any harm, though they ſpent ſome great ſhot at us. We made fires upon Tean as if we had continued there, the ſmoke wherof was blown towards the enemy, which ſomewhat obſcured our paſſage; Yet the enemy diſcovered us when we came about half way over, and took an Alarum, and ere we attained the ſhore fired many Ordnance upon us, which did no hurt.

The boats came up for the moſt part roundly toge­ther, and put to the ſhore, where the enemy diſputed our landing with ſtout reſiſtance, in ſo much as the Seamen were forced back into the water; yet our men charged them reſolutely, even to club-musket, and through the bleſſing of God worſted them, killed upon the place one Captain, and ſome 12 or 14 others, took9 Priſoners 167. whereof four Captains, the reſt fled, none had eſcaped, had we been acquainted with the Iſland.

The Enemy oppoſed us at this place with about two hundred of their beſt men, but the Lord was pleaſed to make their ſtrength as ſtubble, and to give the place with a greater advantage into our hands, then if we had ſucceeded in our firſt Attempt; for the Enemy grew the more confident, and ſent over another ſupply of their beſt men from Saint Maries Iſland to make this the more ſure, which made up in all above 300 men, a great­er ſtrength by far then was imagined: But the Lord was our Helper, graciouſly anſwering to the Word given out amongſt us, which was [Help Lord.]

This nakedly repreſents the ſum of our Proceeds, which indeed is circumſtantiated with ſo much of the manifeſt Providence and Power of God, as might make the moſt deſerving Inſtruments (concerned in the work) humble and ſober, and not to have high thoughts of themſelves.

And now what reaſon there is for ſome to write and report, That the Seamen did all the work, That they alone gained the landing place, That they did the main, the work, That the work was undertaken by, &c. undervaluing and declaiming the ſervice of the Souldiery, let all men judg.

Truly I would not detract a hairs bredth from their worth, nor would I write one word that might provoke emulation, or ſtir up animoſity, I love the girdle of A­mity and Unity; the Sea-men did good ſervice, and the Souldiers did no leſs. But that the main work, or gain­ing the landing place, was (as ſome have too largely10 written and reported) ſolely performed by them, I muſt deny as untrue. For although the Sea-men were in the ſecond or third headmoſt Boats, (as, I conceive, in reaſon they ſhould, in regard of their better experience for guidance of the reſt through that Rocky paſſage in the night, and greater skill and acquaintance with Maritine ſervice, and beſides having under them the choyceſt and beſt accompliſhed Boats for that purpoſe,) yet had not the reſt of the Boats been carefully kept on together with them, and, as it were, in the nick of time, put to the ſhoar and the Souldiers immediately grapled with the Enemy (who to give them their due, ſternly oppo­ſed,) without doubt the Sea-men had come to an ill Market, and muſt needs have periſhed: For 'tis well enough known, that upon their landing they were pre­ſently beaten back into the water, even under their Boats, and were as ſoon relieved by the Souldiers, whoſe cou­rage was no whit daunted from doing their duties: I in­ſert not this as any blemiſh, the beſt men in the world may receive a check, but that the clear truth of the bu­ſineſs may be fully known.

This appears no fiction; beſides a Cloud of Teſti­monies, honeſt and valiant Corporal Perry, of Captain Northcots Company, carryed the mortal witneſs of this charge to his grave, who then received his deaths wound upon the edg of the ſhoar.

But if one hundred fifty, or two hundred Sea-men, (which were the utmoſt) thus intereſted in the work, be accounted ſuch a high matter; it may be remembred that (upon Conference between the Sea and Land Com­manders at Plymouth about this buſineſs) the Aſſiſtance of ſo many Sea-men was no more, nor indeed ſo much,11 as was thought requiſite to the carrying off this Mari­terrene ſervice, which, give me leave to ſay, is another manner of buſineſs, and of another complexion, then that we uſually are acquainted with at Land.

To ſay more; Put the caſe (though it be not the caſe here) a party of Souldiers or Sea-men ſhould of them­ſelves have carried that or the like Attempt againſt an Enemy, without the actual Aſſiſtance of the reſidue of the Forces orderly following to the ſervice, ſhould that party have ſo vainly blown the Trumpet before them, as that they had done the main work? the Honour of it was due to them, — &c. cauſleſly decrying and tradu­cing the reſt of the Forces. Truly, I conceive, ſo doing would not, only, be accounted a frothy vapour, but an un­handſom peece of injury to the reſt.

All that can be ſaid to this particular (as far as I can ſee) is, That Admiral Blake ſent about one hundred fifty or two hundred Sea-men to aſſiſt the Land Forces in the ſtorming of Triſcoe: God was pleaſed to give a bleſſing to the Attempt, and thereupon we forced our Entrance, ſpoyled the Enemy, and gained the Iſland: A ſlender ground, methinks, for any to vent ſuch lofty lan­guage on the one hand, and cauſleſly to beſpatter the good ſervice of the Souldiers on the other.

What ſhould move Captain Peck to inſert in his let­ter ſuch falſe intelligence to Major General Desborough, as that the firſt days attempt failed through the timer­ouſneſs of ſome Commanders of the Soldiers, that the Seamen did the work, &c. his own heart beſt knows; little reaſon I beleeve he had: I am ſure he ſhot his bolt at randome, and could write nothing of his owne knowledg; for indeed neither himſelf, nor any other12 Sea-Commander hazarded themſelves in either of the Attempts; The Seamen who were with us the laſt day were commanded by Captain Morrice, a Paſſenger to the Barbadoes; And when Captain Peck was queſtion­ed about this, by ſome of the Officers at Triſcoe, why he would offer to injure and diſrepute the Soldiers, by writing ſuch detracting language, without any real ground of truth, things which he indeed knew not; and withall deſired that he would name ſome that had failed their duty; He anſwered, he could name none; nor knew nothing, but by hear ſay, and report of ſome Sea­men, and that he was ſorry his writing ſhould any ways prove prejudicial, and that he thought no more harm in what he wrote then he intended to his own heart. I would not have been thus particular but for the Truths ſake.

No better ground, queſtionleſs, had ſome others, to give the like blinde Account of the buſineſs; and a­mong the reſt Captain Pecks Brother (as I am inform­ed) took upon him the boldneſs, very unworthily to traduce the reputation of Lievt. Colonel Clark, and to exerciſe his tongue very ſcandalouſly; the Gentle­man hath no need of my pen to vindicate or commend him; his merits and faithful endevors in this peece of ſervice, will, I queſtion not, ſurvive the lying reports of all detractors. If any failing may be imputed to him, I think it can be no other, unleſs the over-much care and pains he took in proſecution of the work may be ſo accounted; indeed he underwent too much for his body, which was but ſickly when he came from Ply­mouth, and which the Sea had much oppreſſed with continual diſtemper all the while he was on ſhip-board,13 and now more weakened on ſhore for lack of natural reſt, &c. Yet I am confident none can truly ſay, he ei­ther ſwerved from his duty at any time, or favored him­ſelf from hazard, or yet accounted his life precious for the works ſake.

But 'tis more then probable, this Gentleman, as ſome others, who have impudently laſhed with their tongues, wanted a true proſpect of the buſineſs, being muffled up in the ſmoke of the Ordnance fired from Aboard, the ſhips far enough out of danger; and miſtaking ſo much at hand, ran into groſſer abſurdities farther off, ſpeeding thoſe falſe reports abroad, where (for preſent) were none that could contradict them.

'Tis a good part of Religion to bridle the tongue; if that were obſerved more, we ſhould have leſs ſtrife and emulation.

Thus much I have adventured to publique view; I hope I have therein not exceeded the bounds of ſober­neſs and truth; my end is, that this peece of ſervice may be truly underſtood; and the Honor and Worth of faithful Inſtruments vindicated. Indeed I was hi­therto loth to exerciſe my pen upon this ſubject, leſt I might hazard the breach of amity; and, truly, had not done it now, had not the laviſh tongue and pens of ſome gone about to crop off the beſt flower in a mans garden, viz. his honor & reputation: And therfore ſpeaking but the truth, I hope I ſhall juſtly give no offence; If of­fences come, woe be to them by whom they come.

Let the exceeding goodneſs of God to this unthank­ful Nation, in lopping off the bough even with terror, and giving into our hands a place ſtufft with about 1214 or 1300 men, a greater number by many then we were, and but yeſterday the remora to our Maritine affairs, a ſcourge to the Merchants, thought invincible for ſtrength, and deſperate to attempt, with ſo little loſs, and in ſo ſhort a time; Let, I ſay, the eminent hand of Gods good Providence in theſe particulars teach us all to live the life of Faith, and to walk more humbly and thankfully before him, and not to forget and undervalue ſuch ſignal mercies, or diſeſteem ſuch faithful inſtru­ments, whoſe hearts and hands (I may confidently ſay) were really fixt, and through Gods bleſſing became in­ſtrumental for the compleatment of the work, which as it carries in it a ſingular high advantage to the Com­monwealth, ſo let it gather from all our hearts due ac­knowledgments of praiſe and glory to the God of our Salvation, who hath delivered and will yet deliver us, if we wait and put our truſt in him.