An Epiſtle Narrative of the Bar­barous Aſſault and Illegal Arrest of Frederick Tur­vill, Eſq by Sixteen Bailiffs, with the death of one of their followers.

AFter ſo long abſence from thee, and what I was willinglier to part with, in the unſtable ſtate I left it, my Country; thou mayeſt perhaps rather look for an account of my travails into Forreign Nations; ſtuff'd with ſome of Mandivels lyes, then a homely Narra­tive of any Domeſtick accident. But a ſad miſchance ro­lating to a dear friend of ours commands my Pen, and forces me to aſſure thee, I have not any where abroad a­mongſt people civilized by Law, or Religion, been an eye-witneſſe of an action more Barbarous, yet authoriſed and licenſed by a pretended legality, then what the ſecond day of my reſidence in London, preſented to my veiw. It made me, I confeſſe, ſadly phanſie, that where Gentlemen of Noble extraction were ſo much abuſed by baſe people, under the Cloak of law; all thoſe Regicides were not ex­tinct that pretended by law to cut off the head of all laws their King.

It was on the 17th. of this current, that from a Balcone of my lodging in Covent garden, I beheld the Plazzos com­paring them (ut parva magnis) to that of St Mark at Venice, or the Portici di Bologna, when at a diſtance, I took particu­lar notice of two Gentlemen walking together, whom by. the comelineſs of their deportment, and ſtudied negli­gence of a manly gate, I concluded, improved travailers2 I was, I muſt need ſay, pleaſing my ſelf with this reflection, that as there is no Munkey more ridiculous in my eyes, then an Engliſh Monſier, who croſſed the Seas for faſhion more then deſigne, and made it his ſome moneths ſtudy to wag his head and heels, as lightly as his Feathers, or ſwear in an affected paſſion à Je reniege dieu! So our Nation may, in this regard, thank and excuſe its late miſ­fortunes, that the unconſtant changes of Government, and conſtant perſecution of the loyall party hath forced ſo many gallant ſpirits to quit their Native home, who by wiſe reflection on the Manners, Natures, Policies, and Go­vernments, of other States and Kingdomes, have impro­ved themſelves to ſuch a height of Wiſdome and Gallan­try, hat we need not yeeld to any Nation in Europe, as before in Military, ſo now in Politick and Civill affairs. Theſe were my thoughts relating to the two Gentlemen, who had but one Footman attending on them, when be­hold! on a ſuddain they were ſurrounded by a cluſter of rude but ſturd, fellows; with ſwords drawn, hangers and o­ther weapons, as if they intended a murder. One of them making at the foremoſt of the Gentlemen) whom I could not yet diſcern to be our dear and noble friend. Mr. Frede­rick Turvill) was by him ſeveral times bid to ſtand off upon his perill; but he forcing in, gave not our friend leave to draw his ſword, though he had his hand on it, who ha­ving a long leaguer Cloak thrown round his left ſhoulder, could not preſently draw; wherefore quitting his ſword, he whipt out a Dagger, preſented the point, not offering to ſtab, or thruſt at him, but rather retiring ſome paces backward towards the wall in the poſture of a Legall de­fence; but the Fellow (whoſe name was Gerard) preſſing ſtill on, and endeavouring to cloſe, ran himſelf upon the Dagger, which paſſed into his breaſt, and he forth­with fell to the ground Another of the Crew in the very inſtant caught hold of Mr. Turvills right hand, to avoid whoſe hold, he changed his Dagger to the left, and with it ſtruck him that held him: Now three more of the company made at the defendent with their hangers,3 and after ſome blows cloſed with him, but could not wreſt from him the Priniard, with which, though held, he put off two paſſes made a his body which ran through the ſleeve of his ſhi•t and doublet. Gerard in this inte­rim, ſtill alive to re•enge, aroſe again, and making at him, cryed out: Thou Rogue, God damn me, thou haſt kill'd me! but by a puſh was turn'd again upon his back. It was worthily obſervable, that our noble friend being as you know, but of a moderate ſize, and very neatly tim­bred, yet, as unconcern'd in danger, in the vehemency of his Paſſion, uniting all his ſpirits, could not be worſt­ed by all theſe burly, ſtrong and boyſtrous fellows; two of whom I could plainly diſcern, he threw with apparent eaſe to the ground, whileſt others hung upon his arms and ſhoulders. There it was to be ſeen, how much a clear and neat ſtrength born on by an active reſolution, and an undaunted courage, can prevail againſt the boy­ſtrous fury of a lubberly rout, whoſe ſouls are duller and heavier then their louty bodies, and would leave a doubt of their final Reſurrection, were there not a ſeve­rer Judge to condem them to hell, then they find here to condemn their bodies to a Gallows. My quill is too ſlow to accompany the active performances of our noble friend, who being now overpowr'd more by their weight then their motions and almoſt preſſed to the ground, overturn'd two of them in a dark cellar, and fell with them, 'tis true; but you may eaſily imagine the nobler element would be ſtill uppermoſt: there, I ſuppoſe he loſt his weapon, who would have caught at lightning, to dart in their faces, and himſelf in the dark, but not his courage. And here I muſt not omit to tell how bravely the other Gentleman behaved himſelf all this while, who with his Sword, kept the other twelve in play, being on­ly ſeconded by Mr. Turvills man, who unadviſedly not keeping cloſe to him, was diſarmed, which the gallant perſon perceiving, and not ſeeing his friend any more, re­tiring a ſtep or two, pluckt out a Piſto•l, at which the Bayliſſs drew back, and gave him opportunity to make4 an honourable retreat. Thus was noble Turvill arreſted and carried over to the Roſe Tavern, before either I or any other Gentlemen knew him, much leſs came in to reſcue him, all this being done in leſs time then you can read it. He was there confined to a Chamber, all the Bayliſſs ſtanding about him with drawn ſwords, ſix of them be­ing wounded, wheere he ſaw Gerard ſprauling on the ground, lye Curſing and Swearing, and charging his fel­lows to impute his death to our Friend, till he ſpewed out his revengefull ſoul no doubt to hell, whether it was car­ried by a bloody Oath, and imprecation; He left theſe villaines heires of his revenge, for they proved ſo fatih­full executers to his damnable Will, that they ſtill thirſt after his blood, although it be certainly proved, they had no Warrant at that time againſt Mr. Turvill, and credibly reported, that they miſſing their aym in executing ano­ther Arreſt, reſolved amongſt themſelves to ſerve it on the firſt Gentleman they met, and by conſequence, gave oc­caſion to their followers death, who was no Bailiff himſelf; yet they added Robbery to their Roguery, and pickt Mr: Turvills pockets under pretence of ſearching for Piſtols. What horrid abuſe is this of the Law, that a neſt of rogues let flye where and at whom they will, ſhould attempt not onely an Arreſt without Warrant a robbery inſtead of an arreſt, but venture at the life of a Perſon of quality, whoſe life ought to be as dear to his Country, as it concerns the Nation, that all ſuch raſcalls ſhould be hanged. Quod ge­nus hoc hominum? aut quae tam barbara morem Permittit Patria? Tis grown now to that height of barbarouſnes, that nei­ther Streets, nor Houſes, nor Courts of Juſtice, ſcarce Churches themſelves are free from theſe Vermin, and but one day in the week exempt from their attempts: Were it not ſafer for moſt of our Gallants in Town, that have courage to enter at a breach in the face of an enemie and the mouth of a Cannon, to travaile amongſt Beares and Wolves, where their defence were juſtifiable and honour­able, then to walk our ſtreets (where every man ought to have publique freedome) under the ſight of theſe Monſters5 that watch at every doore, and ſtart out of every hole, with forged right to warrant their miſchief? may they not at every turn cry out, Per inſidias iter eſt, formaſquejera­rum?

After theſe legall Thieves had rob'd Mr. Turvill, not thinking themſelves defenſible in their baſeneſſe, nor daring to truſt their own cowardlineſs any more in the o­pen ſtreets amongſt Gentlemen and honeſt people, that had all their mouths full of Mr. Turvills defence, and praiſe of his civility, gallantry, valour, and worth. They call'd the Conſtable to their aſſiſtance, brought forth our friend, to conduct him to Juſtice Blake; multitudes they were, and I cannot deviſe how it came to paſs, that, we could not poſſibly get together above two or three Gentle­men in all that time to reſcue him, though all the people generally ſpoke high his praiſe. Two there were, whoſe gallantry ſhall alwayes be by me admired, for they per­formed againſt the multitude, as much as could be done by men, till in diſpute my friends man, made his eſcape, after whom they crying; ſtop the murderer! We ſuppo­ſing our Friend had been disingaged, made good and ſafe our own retreat. But ſoon after to our exceſſive grief, I un­derſtood, he was brought before Juſtice Blake, from whom I could no wayes expect any civility for a Gentleman, though his wife be a Gentlewoman of good extraction, and much civility. He is ſaid to be of principles deſtru­ctive to all Titles of Honour, and one who was more like to favour his equals, then give reſpect to his betters.

Deareſt N. O may thoſe happy and glorious dayes haſten upon us with golden wings, which we hope for by the means of this free enſuing Parliament, wherein a Crown may be reſtored to majeſty, Titles to Nobility, Ho­nour to Worth and Gallantry, Subjection, Quietneſs, re­ſpect and loyall Obedience be found in Subjects, and a6 perfect Reformation of all Abuſes, Cheates, Trepans ta­ken from the Law, and inſolence from the under rout of People. Let us in the interim comfort our ſelves with theſe loyall hopes, and let me live no longer, if I live to ſee any one hair of noble Turvills head to periſh for this Gallant, Noble and Juſt Defence of his worthy Perſon.