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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A79510	The inhumanity of the Kings prison-keeper at Oxford. Or a true relation of the most transcendent cruelties, cheatings, cozenings, and base dishonest dealings of William Smith Provest [sic] Marshall General of the Kings Army, against the Parliament prisoners under his custody. As it was delivered at the Barre in the House of Commons, by one, who with many others, were sworne before the Lords assembled in Parliament, and were prisoners in Oxford six moneths, being further confirmed by Captain Wingate in the Commons House, he being Member of the said House, and some time prisoner in Oxford, the space of 9. moneths. Together, with the copy of a letter from a Gentleman of quality confirming the former particulars. Also the copy of a petition and articles exhibited to the King, his councell of warre against Smith. Likewise a letter to the Speaker, subscribed with 70. prisoners hands. Whereunto is added the unsufferable cruelties, exercised upon the Cirencester men, in their passage to Oxford, and at Oxford, in the castle and Bride-vvell, vvhen they were taken. Written by Edm. Chillenden. who was a prisoner there 6. moneths. Printed according to order.	Chillenden, Edmund, fl. 1656.	1643 (1643)	Wing C3876; Thomason E63_17; ESTC R9315	22,716	31

Kings proceedings with his Army was good and necessary or whether the Subjects of England were bound or not bound by the Votes Acts and Orders made by the Lords and Commons in Parliament was a high point above our Capacities to decide and therefore desired to be excused from taking that Oath conceiving that wee must not sweare upon doubts and questions but in judgement righteousnes and truth Smith he cries out harke harke they are a Preaching we then complained to them of our ill usage and told them it was the way to starve us and that a many of us were sicke in the Dungeon and desired they might bee removed where they might have more Aire and wee said that wee hoped that it was not the Kings will nor the Counsell of VVars pleasure thus to destroy us But Dr. Reeves told us in plaine termes that it was the Kings mind and Counsell of Wars pleasure to destroy us * But the Dr. hath forgot his Spectacles would multiply and took his Spectacles and looked on us and said we looked as fat as Connies and so wee were sent backe againe to the Dungeon and those that were sicke grew weaker and weaker so that one eased nature as he lay * Namely one Giles Carter and Caleb Selfe and another was troubl●d with a continuall Vomiting those things were gr●evous to us they being done in the place where wee all were when Smith came to Bridewell we complained to him of it and desired him that they might be removed where they might have more aire and have some comfortable thing made and permitted to come to them or else they would not live long he cald us if we would take the Protestation we should have any thing we desired but if we would not if wee all died hee did not care wee were our owne murtherers and did not permit any thing more to be allowed save our former Allowance not any Friend no not our Wives to come to see us or any to have our Shifts washed Nay hee put the Man that dwelt in the Bridewell in Prison in the Castle because he had meat a boyling over the fire for his owne dinner and all Smiths men came and eate up the mans meat so that by his cruell usage the afore-named Giles Carter ended his daies in great extremity VVe seeing this conceived in our selves if wee staid here there was no way but of death and perishing did with one consent resolve our selves of this extreme miserie so we with our knives and the hooke of a doore made a hole through a Free * stone wall above a yard thicke and so all that were well went forth which was about 40. whereof 4. were taken againe and 6. was left sicke in the Dungeon which 6. when Smith knew the rest were gone laid in Irons when we were so weake as not able to stirre and so kept us till Thursday or Friday having nothing to comfort us but water and then wee were removed to the Tower in the Castle againe wherein the roome where we were put was about 60. men and a many sicke of the small pox so that the place was very unwholsome and nasty and there allowed us one penny bread and a Can of Beere I come now to relate to you some other of Smiths Tyrannicall and dishonest practises When Marlborow men were sick Smith gave to one Mr. Betterise a Chyrurgion of Oxford 5 s. to provide some hot and comfortable things for the sick● Prisoners Mr. Betteris laid out some of the money presently after this meeting him in the street demanded his money of him and threatned him if he would not give it him so M● Betterise gave him all his 5. s. againe though he had layed out some of it before This Mr. Betterise did use to come at first into the Castle to dresse the wounded Prisoners and by that meanes knew the disease of the sicke Prisoners did say to some N●ighbours of his that they were spoil'd for want of water and so indeed they were for we had no water sometimes in two dayes time Smith he heares of this and meeting with Mr. Betterise put him in Prison in the Castle for so saying but was within a short time by Sir Iacob Ashley released out of the prison but by Smith commanded to come no more to dresse the wounded prisoners About this time there were some prisoners brought in which were taken at Banbury and amongst them was one that was wounded in the head with a Pole-Axe Smith was by the Gentlemen and Captaines in all the faire wayes intreated to let a Surgeon to come in to dresse him he would not permit any to come so that this mans wounds festered and stuncke and in a short time hee ended his dayes in great extremity There a so being in the Tower many Prisoners and they hav●ng had no water in 20. na● 48. houres time knockt for water Oc●don the Captaines man came and told them hee could help them to none though the River runne by the doore they being dry knocked again Smith came himself said I will give you water caused 3 or 4 of his men to come arm'd to guard his person and cal'd downe one that was my Lord Saies Miller and layes him in Irons Neck and Heeles and one Sergeant Wallis hee Canes him at least 60. blowes over the head and wounds him very sorely that he hath lost one of his joints and after this layes him in Irons 28. pound weight Neck and Heeles and so keepes him 48. houres in a nasty Dungeon without bread or water or any other sustenance and Caned Lievtenant Whitehead and layd him in Irons and to colour over his Tyranny commands his men to say they made a mutiny There was one Mr. Freeman a Constable neere Banbury Smith cals him to take the Protestation hee refuses it Smith said if hee would not take it he should goe up into the Tower hee said that was the worst he could doe to him Is it saies Smith you damned Rogue and striked him with his Cane sweating bitterly at him la●ed him in Irons neck and heeles set him on a cold Stone in the yard takes away his coat from him sets a sentinel over him so keeps him 30 4 daies in the winter time without either bread or water or air other food This Freeman was also removed to the Dungeon in Bridewell where he escaped to his owne house and there was taken againe and brought into the Castle Smith layes him in Irons and so he ended his dayes also in great misery The same day he cal'd downe one of Marlborow souldiers and offers him the Protestation the youth refused it Smith sweares at him and beats him with his Cane layes him neck and heeles in Irons puts him in a Dungeon set a Sentinell over him so keeps him till he had forced him to take the protestation and allowed no food to be given him There was one Mr. VVierby a minister and one Mr. Price

THE INHUMANITY OF THE Kings Prison-Keeper At OXFORD Or a true Relation of the most transcendent cruelties cheatings cozenings and base dishonest dealings of William Smith Provest Marshall General of the Kings Army against the Parliament Prisoners under his custody As it was delivered at the Barre in the House of Commons by one who with many others were sworne before the Lords assembled in Parliament and were prisoners in Oxford six Moneths being further confirmed by Captain Wingate in the Commons House he being Member of the said House and some time prisoner in Oxford the space of 9. Moneths TOGETHER With the Copy of a Letter from a Gentleman of quality confirming the former particulars Also the Copy of a Petition and Articles exhibited to the King His Councell of Warre against Smith Likewise a Letter to the Speaker subscribed with 70. Prisoners hands Whereunto is added the unsufferable cruelties exercised upon the Cirencester men in their passage to Oxford and at Oxford in the Castle and Bride-vvell vvhen they were taken Written by Edm. Chillenden who was a Prisoner there 6. Moneths Printed according to Order LONDON Printed by G. D. for John Bull 1643. A True RELATION OF The trancendent Cruelties and base inhumane practises of Captain William Smith Pro. Marshall Generall of the Kings Army extended exercised on the Parliament Prisoners in the Castle at OXFORD VPon the fifth of Decemb. 1642. I was travelling upon the Road about my lawfull occasions and in my journey towards Newbury between Henly and Reading I met with one whose name was as after I was informed ●hithe●● and falling into discourse asked him the best and readiest way towards Ne●bury which he certified me was through Reading But I answered him I was loath to goe that way because of the Garison and for feare of giving offence he replied to me that if I pleased to to goe that way he would do me so much favour as to have me through Reading without any let or stay I giving credit to him went with him into Reading and set up my horse at the Beare where we supped together and there did Inne all night on the morrow early in the morning the aforesaid Whithead came to my chamber and certified me I must goe before the Governour which was Sir Arther Ashton a ranke Papist as I am informed being come thither there was also Colonell Feelding which knew me to be a Londoner and takes me by the hand and sweares he was very glad he had met with me and so certified the Governour that I was as arrant a Round headed Rogue and Traytor as any was in England and one that hath 700. men to command at any time to aid the Parliament With that ●he Governour without any further examination swore at m● bitterly and calls me dam'd Rogue Traytor and with that strook me with his Cane on the head This cariage of Ashton Feilding is not to be pa a●●eld in Tur y many pa ● o● the World and brook it very sorely and swore like a mad man that he would presently hang me and with a guard of Musquetiers did send me to the Gallowes where I stood some quarter of an houre expecting death but such was Gods goodnesse toward me that I was convey'd from thence to Prison whither came the aforesaid Whethead and in the name of the Governour took away my Moneyes On the next Lords day I was conveyed to Wallingford and the Wednesday following to Abington I being brought before the Governour A very moderate ●ivill Gentleman Lievtenant Colonell Sherly there being divers Cavaliers in his company and one whose name was Smith that had the watch that day he would needs have me to say the Lords Prayer over to him which I refused Yet to give him satisfaction I told him if he pleafed to lend me a Bible I would read the Chapter over where that was but that would not content him he swore he would lay me neck and heels in Irons which to prevent I addressed to the Governour and said Sir I conceive I am your Prisoner and this Gentleman ha●h nothing to doe with me and if it be your pleasure to put me in Irons I am content This is not Smith the Marshall but a Captain of a foot Company With that the Governour said you came without Irons to me and without you all go away but Smith swore I should not they swore so long that they fell to blowes and by this difference by Gods providence I received mercy from the Governour So the next day being Thursday I was convey'd to Oxford Castle Who afforded me a good supper and bed at the Provose Marshalls ●uarter that night But to leave my particular sufferings and come to give you a relation of others I shall begin with a relation of the usuage of the Prisoners taken at Malborough in the County of Wilts by the Cavaliers in their passage to Oxford After they had surprised the Town and had taken 180. odde Prisoners they drove many of them through the waters and the first night thrust them all up into a nasty stinking stable amongst Horses where was one horse dead there they continued till the next morning and had no food allowed them and so drove them like Rogues and theeves tied together by the armes in the horse way up to the knees in mire and dirt and allowed no food to them nor suffered no friend to come at them for a man coming to see some of them was carried away to Oxon to Prison with them and in foure daies time as they were drove from Malbrough to Oxford were allowed no food but only at Lamburne a Gentleman did provide some for them but they would scarce give time to receive it and that was all the sustenance they had in all their passage not so much as water for some of them being drie would faine have dranke of the water in the high way but they would not suffer them nay they strook many of them over the heads with their Canes for stooping to take a piece of Ice to hold in their mouths to quench their violent thirst On Friday they came to Oxford and as they passed through the streets towards the Castle there was much rejoycing by the Inhabitants Scollers and Souldiers calling them Round-headed Rogues and Traytors and striking some of them One passage is worthy observation that the Lord George Digby and Commissary Wilmot took Master Iohn Franklin By this you may see how the Lord Digbie and she now Lord Wilmot loves the House of Commons Member of the House of Commons and led him away from all the rest of the Prisoners to a Tree and there swore deeply they would hang him like a damn'd Rogue and Traytor if he would not confesse where his Money was And this is a short Relation of these mens sufferings before they came into the Castle Now you shall know our usage after we were in the Castle under Captaine

William Smith This is not Smith the Fencer his name is Thomas Smith the first night we were put up into the Tower 180. od the place being so little that we were forced to lie one upon another and were allowed one penny bread a peace and a Can of small Beere water was better and so for the best part of 13. nay some of us 23. weeks were allowed no more Some of us have many times been two daies without any thing at all so that by this cruelty and living on the boards many fell sick and very weak in body almost all of us like to perish and end our daies by the bloody flux and one of us was starved to death and as this man was drawing on towards his end Marshall Smith was sollicited in all the faire waies that possible could be by the Gentlemen and the Captaines there in Prison that he would suffer some thing to be provided for the poore man but such was his crueltie that he would not and so the man died He saies it was a base Protestation onely framed by a company of ebels and Traytors to take away the King-Crown and life Some few daies after he called us to take the Protestation which he stilled the Kings we desired to heare it read over to us which when we had heard it we refused it as being against our Consciences telling him we had taken one already which was the King and Parliaments he swore at us and call'd us damn'd Rogues and Traytors striking us with his Cane drives us all up into the Tower swearing deeply he would make us take it or he would make us to shit as small as a Rat But he was forsworne for we shewed him a faire paire of heels whereupon he gives command that no body be permitted to come at us to relieve us either with food or linen causes a hole to be made up where things used to be conveyed to us and confined us to our former allowance and charge was given upon pain of death that no more should be allowed us or any thing else permitted to come at us which was accordingly done for food being sent to us out of the Citie by some he caused his Souldiers to take it way and eat it Then the Gentlemen and Captaines imprisoned made a weekly Purse for the reliefe of the poore Prisoners and made * A Lievtenant of Horse Lievtenant W. Dingly Steward of it vvhich if they had not done I am very confident vve should halfe of us have perished He causes this to be restrained and threatens the Stevvard to lock him up close Prisoner if he did after offer to relieve us vvith Bread or Beere Some small time after this Sir Iames Penimon vvanting Souldiers they called us dovvne into the yard and as vve passed through the great Chamber vvhere at least 12 or 14. Gentlemen lodged and had vvashed their hands in a Bason of vvater such vvas our extreame drought that vve could not be restrained from drinking it yea the very raine vvater that vvas on the Barrels heads that stood in the yard There they propounded to us that if vve vvould take the Protestation and take up Armes to serve in that Armie vve should presently be all released We all refused it vvith that Peniman svvore at us and Smith ran after us as fast as his lame legs vvould giv him leave drives us all up again into the Tovver striking us vvith his Cane swearing deeply that he would wake take it or he vvould make us to shit as small as a Rat and so kept us still to our former allovvance When they had tryed by all these wayes of cruelty they had or could extend to us in the Castle then they sought by faire meanes to win us and Sir Iames Peniman and Smith calls us all downe into the yard and there they argue the case to us and alleadge the Scripture to us as the Divell did to Christ but when they saw that by this they could not prevaile with us they swore most bitterly at us and Sir Iames Peniman swore God dam me none of us all did belong to Salvation but wee were a Company of damned Rogues Rebells and Traytors and swore we should bee made to take the Protestation for we should have no Victuals allowed us saying they that would not worke should not eate * But after this 14. were removed out of the Dungeon to an upper Chamber so little that we could but lie down when we went to sleepe and so wee were kept without any thing for a day and above And to extend his Cruelty and increase our misery Smith causes us on Munday Feb. 6. to be removed from the Castle to Bridewell to the Dungeon where we were above 40 of us put down into it about foure Weekes thronged in so little Roome that woe were scarse able to stirre one by another * There being never a house of Office the place also being made very noysome because wee eased our selves in the same so that in some place of it we might goe over the shooes in Pisse and filth About a Fortnight after woe had bin there A Petition that we had made to the Lord Generall of that Army and a Letter that was written to London setting forth the barbarous usage of us by Smith came out in P●int * The Letter was Printed in my name which is Edmund Chille●den which Smith would have fathe●ed on mee but hee could not prove it But this Letter and Petition netled Smith that he gave the Capt. and Gent. a great deale of Liberty upon it Whereupon the Generall as wee conceive appointed Commissioners to examine the truth of the things contained in the Letter and Petition and on Mu●day Feb. 22. Six of us namely Edmund Chillenden Thomas Cheny Edward Leader Edward Bradney William Whitlawe Ioseph Blises were like Felons and Rogues brought through the Streets in Irons to Sir Iacob Ashleys where was Dr. Reeves the Kings Advocate and two other Commissioners who instead of examining of us fell a Railing at un a●king us to take the Protestation We Answered we had taken one already which was the King and Parliaments which we would maintaine to the last drop of our bloods * I making this Q●estion because it was I that spake for all of us They told mee that I should of all the rest bee hanged say●ng you are a peermtory Rogue indeed but as for this Protestation we know not what it is nor whose Authority if beareth for we know that the lawes of this Land provide That no O●th should bee forced on us contrary to consent in Parliament which Laws were out Inheritance and therefore wee would defend and maintaine them as our proper Rights and Liberties and no wayes betray them or words to this effect VVee further said that to sweare the Earle of Essex was a Traytor or the Army under his conduct was raised against the Kings or that the

them made a Petition declaring his Majesties Act passed to them which was acknowledged by the Generall● as appeares plainly by the Answer of the Petition * The Petition I have seen with the Answe but as yet ●ann ● procure he Copy of it He would not 〈◊〉 Cap aine C teso●y ● c● se h w● 〈◊〉 not pay him ●oo pounds for his fee and so also he did by Mr. Ha field Minister of ●●●bury and so by Captai●e Vive ● I do not believe any of them committed any fa●lt de●erving any Pa don but this I say according to their Proceedings and thereupon order was given they should be released yet notwithstanding Smith kept them in Prison close and by his ill usuage Captain C●tesby is since dead and Captaine Vivers hath bin almost at Deaths dore and is yet Prisoner therefore it behoves the King and the Generall to vindicate their Honour by executing Justice on Smith for thus grosely abusing the King and the Generall He hath kept many in Prison after they have been pardoned by the King and have taken the Protestation for excessive Fees But to let all the world see he is a knave in all respects and to all persons friends and foes he hired a Priest to preach in the Prison and this Priest was as base as Smith himselfe and would raile against the Parliament and the Citie of London as loud as Smith yet when this Priest came to demand his quarterage of Smith P● th●s it 〈…〉 that the P●rl●●ment ●s 〈◊〉 in the least ●●staken in say●i●● the King is 〈◊〉 and invi●●●d i● by King ●● ●naves and ●●eeves he to save his Money and deprive the Priest of his due calls him all to naught and saies to him you raile against the Parliament you shall have quartering and so claps Irons on the poore Priest that he was glad to loose his Money to be rid of his Irons and so he serves all his men when they aske him for Money now let all the world judge whether it be for a Kings honour to have such Officers And further to set out his base dissimulation when the Commissioners from the Parliament are in Oxford then to make the matter faire as if he were a stranger to a Tyrant he will let the Gentlemen Captains have liberty to walke in the Garden and suffers their friends and wives to come to them but as soon as ever they are gone forth of the City he locks them up close Prisoners and debars all friends yea their owne wives and though they be sick will not suffer them to come to helpe them in their extremity nor no Phisitians but whom he will appoint which for ought any knowes may poison them for in a short time there hath died of these Gentlemen Captaine Liacot Captaine Fleminge Captaine Iohn Frankling Captaine Gasterill Captaine Stevens Iunior Captaine Stevens Senior Captaine Plai●r Captaine Austen Captaine Caseby Lievtenant Flower Master VVitman Merchant of London Mr. Herfield Minister of Banbury old Thomas Web and three more Clothiers of Glocestershire and 4. more common men which are before mentioned There was a Clothier of Glocestershire which was released Smith got him againe and kept him in Prison to make him pay a great Summe of Money and there the man ended his daies A True RELATION OF The taking of Cirencester and the cruell dealing of the merciles Cavaliers towards the Prisoners they there took in their passage as they went to Oxon and at Oxon. UPon Thursday the second of February 1642. Prince Rupert with a great company of his Cavaliers came before Cirencestor and there after an hot Skirmish they being valiantly resisted by about 400. of my Lord Stamfords Blew Coats and Captaine Wallingfords Dragooners there being in the Town not above 500. Souldiers with the Trained Bands and all yet such was the cruelty of the Cavaliers seeing my Lord Stamfords Blew-Coats thus valian●ly resisting them and in their resisting slew many of them so that thereby they were much enraged insomuch that they set on fire a Barn and some houses and Hay Ricks which did much anoy our men who had overtoyled themselves with resisting them not being relieved by the Trained Bands which were in the Towne and by this means were forced to retreat into the Town the Cavaliers pursuing them and so surprized the Towne and after they had given them Quarter because they had slaine none before they murthered many of the Inhabitants about twenty persons or more * Let all Malignants take notice that notwithstanding they love them and their Cause yet where they get the ●ictory they will make no diffe●ence between a Mal gnant and an honest Round-head and most of them were Malignants against the Parliament After they had thus taken us we were led into a field about halfe a mile from the Towne where the chiefe Commanders were that they might take a view of us who threatned to do execution upon us all and there the Common Souldiers stript us and wounded many of us and then drove us back to the Church in Cirencester where we remained almost two whole daies and two nights in all which time they allowed us no sustenance wherewithall to live till just as they drove us towards Oxford they gave each of us a small piece of bread and cheese and then bound us all with match and so drove us along without stockings on our legs or shooes on our feet or hats on our heads many of us having no Dublets and some Gentlemen of good quality without Breeches and so we came to Burford hill where the Cavaliers gave each of us a little piece of Bread which was all the reliefe they gave us in our way between Cirencester and Oxon and for this we waited a long time upon the hill the wind blowing very cold and we standing barefoot and bareleg'd in the snow Then we came to Witneigh where we lay in the Church and from thence were drove towards Oxon and about a mile from the City His Majestie with the Prince and the Duke of Yorke came thither to see us drove along more like dogs and Horses then men up to the knees in mire dirt along the horse way aboundance of the Scollers much rejoycing at our misery calling and abusing us by the names of damned Rogues and Traytors And when we came to Oxon we were put all together in the Church and there we received for the most part of us a piece of bread that night the next morning they seperated the Voluntiers from the Trained Bands and cruelly used us to force us all to take the Protestation and take up Arms for them against the Parliament for they allowed us but one small piece of bread and a can of B ere a day and would not allow us to have a draught of water to drinke we offering to pay Money for it yet wee could not obtaine it by which cruell usuage they forced the most of them to take the

Protestation that of 1100. and 66. Prisoners there was but 16. that refused it that they had scraped about the Countrey for for they brought old Almes men about three or foure score yeare old and lame Cripples from their mothers wombe blind men and all to make up the number of a great many Prisoners they not only forcing them to take the Protestation but afterwards fined th●m beyond their estates and drove them to other desperate courses so that one cut his throat he not dying presently was asked the reason why he did so he answered he was so hungry that the Divill tempted him to cut his throat to be out of his misery and divers others of them fell weake and sick and were sent to Bridewell where they died two or three in a day and one man drawing on towards his end I and Edward Leader and another had opportunitie to speak unto him and we asked him what he thought of his last end he said unto us and fetch d a great sigh he could have both said and thinked more if he had refused the Protestation and kept close to Christ and so d●parted Whilest they contiue in the Churches we that were in the Dungeon hearing that they wanted bread gathered 7. shillings amongst us and gave it the woman of Bridewell to lay out in bread for them which she accordingly did and went to the Church to give it them but such was Smiths cruelty as that he would not permit it to be given them so i● was returned to us againe and those of them that refused to take the Protestation he beat and abused tying some of them neck and heels and others he sent to the Dungeon others he brough into the Castle where we were made to stand in the cold yard a●l the fi●st day in the snow then at night we were put in●o the Ha l wh re we continued 3. or 4. daies without receiving any allowa●ce from them whereupon we asked Captaine Smith for some allowance he then giving us bitter words and swore at us hid his man give us so much bread as he would give a dog a day and for water let them lap in the yard and be hanged or pox't for a company of damn'd Rogues Dogs or to this eff●ct Then after two or three daies he allowed us halfe a p●nny loafe a day but we had no water to drinke in two daies together Then we were put up into the Tower and there we were allowed a penny a day in bread and a can of beere wh●ch was the best allowance that ever we received from them lying for the space of 15. weeks on the boards and by reason of this hard usuage many of us fell sick which dr●ve us to call from the Tower for more reliefe whereupon he strikes two of us with his Cane over the head and layes us neck and heels in Irons and kept their allowance from them and since the Pa●liament hath sent downe 1●0 for the reliefe of the poore Prisoners he hath ever since kept away the Kings allowance from us The Copy of a Letter written from the Castle at Oxon by a Gentleman in Prison there confirming the former particulars Noble Sir I Cannot but take speciall notice of your respects manifested unto my selfe and all the rest of the Gentlemen my fellow Prisoners in so kindly writing unto us and sending to see how it faires with us which true it is there came once a Trumpeter of Captaine Lidcots about the exchange of his Master for another and for his paines he was clapt up Prisoner with his Master and kept there by Captaine Smith till such time as he could conforme unto Captaine Smiths will and pleasure and take a new Protestation and serve in the Army which is called the King and his Captaine hath here since with five more in 14. daies ended his daies in a great deale of misery and woe In the last Letter which I have seen though the Bearer was not permitted to come in to us you let us understand of that courteous and noble usuage the Gentlemen that are Prisoners with you find at your hands and you tell us that you are sorry to hear of our hard usuage which you hope is not so bad as the report goes Truly let me say thus much in briefe from my very soul I doe believe that the Barbariousnes inflicted upon the poore Gally slaves in Turky cannot parallell those inhumane cruelties which abundance of poore men have undergon from the hands of Sm th himselfe the full particular rising of which I am confident will fill divers hundred sheets of Pap●r to make a second Book of Martyrs with more sadder Stories then are to be found in Queene Maries cruelties The ●ris●n●●s report A little touch of some part of which you may read in the Relation of one Master Wierlay that broke Prison here and in the Letters that divers others put out in Print (b) In a Letter Intituled a true Relation of 〈◊〉 u●●ag● of the Prisoners at Oxon. and a little more of which you will heare in the Relation of one Mr. Chillenden who with 18. more broke Prison here foure nights agoe for I believe that he will make a Declaration to the world We have from time to time complained to our friends at London which have hitherto hoped that Letters from the Gentlemen to the Court of the good usuage of the Prisoners with them would have prevailed with His Majesty the Generall here to purchase the like for us but alas it is in vain We have Petitioned His Majestie and the Generall and Articled against Smith for trancendent cruelties but we never could have hearing by reason of the potency of his friends and those damnable Oaths that he hath swore against us to which there is no more credit to be given then to the Divill and those wicked lies that he hath told and those false reports that he hath raised on us and filled the Court full of strange and unheard of matters that never entred into our hearts to thinke of much lesse to plot and those be his usuall practises and evasions when we complaine of him so that our strugling and complaining hath done us rather more hurt then good because our friends in Parliament hath not taken the right course to deale with their Prisoners as we have been dealt with which if they had they themselves I am confident would long ere this by their importunate desires and informations to His Majestie have eased us of Smith and purchased more liberty for us so that this is our last refuge that we have to betake us to to presse our friends immediately to get all their Prisoners of quality clapt up close Prisoners as we are and used in some reasonable proportion to what we are here and if this be not speedily done I doe verily believe they will scarce see the face of one man in ten of us for so neare as I can judge Smith

bill that hath caused much difference betweene Mr. Fisher and Captaine Smith consisting of Captaine Smith his Servants of 7 pounds spent by him in wine a bill of the diet of the servants and prisoners when sometimes they were in number 60 70 or 80. one day more another lesse which made it a confused bill and reckoning and did not at all as wee humbly conceived conc●rne any of us wee having agreed and Captaine Smith promised that we should have a 12 penny Ordinary which wee never refused but was alwayes ready to pay those that had money and the rest to give the best assurance they could for it and because this 150. pound was nor presently paid by some few of them they were locked up close Prisoners and Sentinels set in their Chamber doores to see that they received nothing but bread and water which Captain Smith swore was the Kings expresse command but he said he would allow them bread and beere This Petition was exhibited about Allhollantide 1642. but by Reason of the potency of his friends we could never have any hearing though since that time wee have preferred many other Petitions HEre you have seene a glimse of Smiths Tyranny but to repeate all his cruelt es with his cozening and cheatings and the c rcumst●nces about him would make vollume of many sheets of paper but by this all the world may see how the King is wounded in his honour by such bast Egyptians that care for nothing but their owne base and by ends therfore those great friends of Smith that have bore him up and stayed the Prisoners off from being heard in their just and lawfull requests whereby they might have been righted and Sm●th have received Justice according to ●● d●merits m●y be ashamed to poss sse the King and say they are his friends when indeed they are his u ●er and onely enemies that doe all they ca● to staine him in his Justice a d Hon ur● ●herefore I● pe that now they w ll see their error and the King and Lord Generall of that army will vindic●te ●heir honours by doing justice one Smith which if ●hey doe no● it wi●l lye as a blot on them to all Po terity and if his Maje●t●● please to grant to mee and other W●nesses ag●inst Smith his ●f conduct and protection I will prove to im as I have already here a l ●hese pa ticulars upon oath Viva voce and many more For sinc● Cap●aine Wingates that honourable and faithfull Gentlemans escape about it Smith was in trouble but was no sooner restored again to his place but he againe begins to play the Tyrant hee and his Lievtenant falls upon some of t●e Gen lemen and wou●ds them likely to kill one Lievtenant Fuller and after that layes him necke and heeles in irons and a●other Captaine hee wounds him sorely and puts him up into the Tower and lockes all the rest close prisoners and sweares that hee would lay Captaine Lilburne in irons because he did looke out of his Chamber window he having been sick to take the aire because hee saw him play thus the Tyrant and thus bee his usu●ll p●actices that men were better be cut of their lives then come to be under his custody therefore I hope all the m n of our Army will fight it out to the last and not suffer themselves to be taken but die rather like me● and brave Souldiers then to be by him starved and stuncke to dea●h I● will now bee looked f r that I sh●uld relat● the manner of Captaine Wingats and my owne E cape Thus mu●h i● b●i●fe that God in his due time was good to him and mee and to m●y more all the while hee and I was under this misery to support us by his strength and also by his wisdome and power at last perfectly to deliver us But to relate the full particular remarkable providences of God to Captaine Windgate and to my selfe and the rest that did escape would be t●o tedious but this we say and wee speake the truth God also bearing us witnesse that we doe not lie that by many hard and difficult waies we escaped God going along with us apparently which Captaine Wingate desires and my selfe also and all the rest that did escape that the sole and onely Honour Glory and Praise may be given to GOD. And so desires your Friends and poore brethren in the defence of the House to the last drop of their bloods EDMUND CHILLENDEN Thomas Cheny Edward Leader William Gough William Whitlow Thomas Chamberlaine William Briant All sworne before the Lords Assembled in Parliament Ioseph Bliset Daniel Ashton Christopher Weekes Iohn Allen. Witnesses not sworne TO THE HONOVRABLE VVILLIAM LENTALL SPEAKER of the Honourable House of COMMONS Noble Sir THE grievous burthen of miserable thraldome which we in Captivity now groane under presents it selfe to your selfe to your serious consideration relying on your Favour and compassion for speedie redresse wee had not thouht that ever we who have adventured our lives and Fortunes to maintaine and preserve the true Protestant Religion His Majesties Person and just Prerogative the Lawfull Liberty of the Subject and the just Priviledges of Parliament should be so soone obliterated out of your memory and left to the more then Pagan usage of Tyrannicall and mercilesse men we are not onely deprived of the society of our Friends of pen Inke and Paper but what we have by stealth whereby we might acquaint some of our charitable Friends of our languishing condition but wee have no allowance from his Majesty ever since we came in and but small allowance from the Members of the House of Parliament here with us because they cannot get Money in the Towne nor if they could get it will Smith the Marshall Generall suffer it to be broug●t into them so that we are bereaved of almost all the meanes of livelihod for when we have been ready to faint for want of water to satisfie our Languishing thirst having not a penny to buy us beere the said Smith hath taken the keyes from his man who was about to fetch us the water layde him in Irons vexing him very much for that he assayed to doe us that curtesie afterwards tooke off his cloathes and turn'd him out of doores And when some have asked him wheher his Majesty allowed us any thing as Prisoners hee hath after a most ignominious manner revised us giving us no better Termes than Rebells Traytours and Parliamentary Rogues saying eate stones yee Round-head rogues and bee hanged in like manner threatning all of us that will not take their soule condemning Protestation to take up Armes and joyne with them against the most Honourable Court of Parliament and my loving Generall his Excellency and likewise goe to erect their Bulwarkes which if any refuse to doe he is immediately cast into the Dungeon laid neck and heeles together with Bolts of five and thirty pound permitting none to administer him any comfort which cruelty

with abundance of menacing words having no hope of any intermission of this insupportable burden of misery hath struck such terrour in the hearts of many of the Prisoners that they have taken their Protestation and engaged themselves to serve as afore which hath cost many poore prisoners their lives whose bloud will one day be inquired after at the hands of those who were the efficient Causers thereof yea even the Parliament men themselvs here with us have been so restrained of their Liberties that they have been lockt up and confined to stay in their chambers for three or foure dayes together and not suffered to have any communication with the other Captaines their fellow Prisoners neither have had Meat Drinke or water but what hath been conveyed to them by stealth and have been enforced to ease Nature and throw it out of their Windowes and all this because they have endeavoured for releive by meanes whereof Master Francklyn a Parliament man lies now a dying And that which more augments our grievances is that we are not onely confined to lye on the bare boards on the Tables under the Tables on the chymneyes hearth nay on the very stayres and sometimes on the top one of another whereby is bred such a noysome stinke that it infecteth very many with the pestilent Feavour and other very dangerous diseases there being at this instant of time about twenty persons infected amongst us and in our Judgement past recovery the disease being so violent that i● q●ite bereaveth them of their senses In this deplorable condition we beseech you thinke on some meanes to revive our dying nay almost dead Spirits t●at wee may once againe injoy our Freedome which we have been so long time bereav●d of or take some course with the best of them which you have Prisoners with you to keep them short and barre them of their Liberty as we are to the end that they may with more earnestnesse sollicite their Friends and negotiate to procure their inlargements by exchanging of us for wee are credibly informed and doe beleive it to be true that they have so much Libertie and Favour at London and elsewhere that they need not care much for their imprisonment In a word if we are not speedily exchanged or some course taken for our better usage which now is insufferable many amongst us we feare will change themselves from being our Friends and become our Enemies and be as active in Tyrannizing over us as any that have been forced to apostatize from us wee beseech God so to direct the powers of your minde that you may with all sedulity importune and direct in our behalfe to the most Honourable Court of Parliament and then we doubt not but God will blesse your and our Endeavours to whose protection we commend you and remaine Your humble Servants though distressed Captives From our extraordinary cruell bondage in Oxford Castle this 19. of Iuly 1643. The NAMES of the Prisoners HVmphrey Morgon William Andrewet Thomas Fipps Timothy Code Foulke Greffes Robert Grage Io. Geuton Iohn Gleed St. Richards Iohn Burkhill Iames Clerring Richard Bradshaw Edward Parricke Thomas Wells Io. Williams Humphrey Lebbes Thomas Dungeon Thomas Gibbs William King Iohn Gell. Maurice Mocor VVilliam Wood Richard Symons Ioseph Ratclyffe Iohn Walter Joseph Amye Ioseph Rushaley Iohn Adler John Gelcot Christopher Fowler Richard Mixon Nathaniel Smith Richard Frith Iohn Overton Richard Weauright William Baenes Thomas Hartwell Edward Keepe VVilliam Elkoanley VVilliam Ashley Robert Childe Io. Reade Clement Prat. Iohn Shaw George Sharpe Cha. Smith Richard Smith VVilliam Croley Edward Huggens Richard VVhitehead Lievte Roger Cotrill Lievtenant Io. Reeve Serg. to the Earle of Stamford Henry Fitzherbert Edward Fitzherbert Iames Cragford Andrea Pest Quartermaster M●aurce Iames. Arthur Rose Scapcot Perdes George Rose Robert Holly Iohn VVilye Nathaniel Cambridge William Hawkes Iohn Butchius Iohn Grage Ienkyn Price VVilliam Hughes With many others that are so sicke that they are notable to subscribe Mr. Francklyn is since the penning of this dead by Smiths Cruelty FINIS A POSTSCRIPT Some things more which Jhere adde as his fishing one Mr. Fsheirs-house claping him prisoner in the ●ower a m st starving him afterwards ceasing on his goods turning 〈◊〉 his Wife and Family out of doores and also his seizing o t ●●ctor Gardens house and turning Mistris Garden into ●he street after he had beat and pinched her and most basely abused her neither have I set forth his pedigree and what hath been his manner of life which hath alwayes been base enough as appeares by the Testimony of one Mrs. House of Chichester where this Smith with his Family did lye about a yeare who to get into Favour dissembled himselfe a puritan and must needs have a Minister s●nt for to satisfie his troubled Conscience and when his dissemblednesse could no longer be hid he abused them and railed on them and went away not paying them a farthing this hath been his continuall course to live by cheating and cozning Therefore I desire the State would be pleased to take into their consideration the m sery that poore honest men are like to suffer under hand to keep al the common prisoners they take to exchange them for our common men which they never let free but alwayes keep yea and doe much abuse them These things J have written to let all the World see and know the truth which if they will not yet believe I wist they had seen and felt it as much as I. And whereas some men say their prisoners here suffer as much I deny it because I have been in the Prisons both here in London and at Windsor and finde it is altogether false whatsoever Malignants report