1. ABout the middle of September, 1642. a base and barbarous act was performed against that faithfull Commander, Captain Wingate, a Member of the Honourable House of Commons, being taken prisoner by the Kings partie in fight neere Wor­cester, he was carried prisoner to Worcester, and there brought before the two Germane Princes, Rupert and Maurice, and by them with many base reproachfull re­vilings examined, concerning his being in Arms against the King, which he wisely, and as resolutely declared. At which the bloudy Prince Rupert being incensed to heare, with an outragious fury, call'd the said Captaine Parliament dog, telling him, if he had such a gift of pati­ence, he should speedily be made a rare martyr. Imme­diately after this they marched from Worcester to Ludlow, and this Captain being bound with his hands behind him was set on horsebacke, bound fast to the horse, guarded by Troopers that swore Dam them they would pistoll him. And having rode about six or seven miles, having oft set their charg'd Pistolls to his breast, if he would not turne they would shoot him. But Prince Rupert himselfe coming to him gave command, if he would not renounce the Parliaments service, and turne to the King, he should presently be stript and ride starke naked before them to Ludlow. But this faithful Captain still continued his for­mer resolution, and was presently stript, (receiving, as he said, more hurt by the cold, then trouble at their cruel­tie and scorne.) And thus the Prince causd him to ride through the street at Ludlow, and with jeeres askt him, If he had now learn'd to suffer, vowing if he would not recant, to proceed against him with cruell torments to put him to death: but he persisted still in his constancy, and being sent to prison, was used most cruelly, being allowed but bread and water. This truth is confirmed and published by Authoritie of Parliament formerly.

2. Amongst the rest one that was hang'd three severall times, one after another, the halter broke every time as he was cast from the ladder, & the last time of the three, in a rage they tooke two halters, and twisted them toge­ther, but this also snapt in sunder. When he was cast off, and the man was still perfectly alive and well, at which they were struck to the heart, yet cast him into prison, and there starved him to death; which upon occasion by witnesse is to be verified.

3. Their common saying is, They will not be behold­ing to God to save them, and that they had rather be in hell with their Comrades, then in heaven with the Round-heads.

4. After the Parliaments Forces were out of the Ci­tie of Bristoll, and without the Workes, the Cavaliers re­vilingly and blasphemously told them, they were sorry they could not butcher them, upbraiding them, and ask­ing where is now your God? where are your fastings and professions? where is your King Jesus, and said, King Charles should be King for all King Jesus.

5. Another saving of theirs is; The Devill that made us, dam us, and Dam me and Ram me into the mouth of a Cannon, and shoot me nine miles into hell.

6. They drinke a health to King Charles, in whom they live, move, and have their being.

7. How should wee forget that bloudy massacre of Byron in Cheshire, that in coole bloud murthered no lesse then 1500. that fled into a Church for shelter, by fiering the same, and all these innocent poore soules burnt therein.

8. At Crowland in Lincolnshire about the middle of May, 1643. the Cavaliers coming to a neighbour Town call'd Spawling, they beset the house of one Master Ram, a godly painfull Minister of that Towne, they took him with one Master Harington, Master Horn, and Master Sla­tor, all worthy religious Gentlemen, and carried them away prisoners, and there kept them at Crowland for three weeks.

9. After which time they of Spawling beset Crowland, hoping to release these worthy Gentlemen and their Minister. Whereupon these Cavalerian Crowlanders tooke these worthy Gentlemen out of prison, apiniond them all together, and set them on the top of their brest­workes of the Towne, in the face of their friends that came to relieve them, who not knowing who they were at such a distance, shot fiercely at them, and one Captain Harington, son to Master Harington, then prisoner, shot three severall times at his own father not knowing him, but at last perceiving this cursed wile, the fight abated on that side where they were plac't.

10. Herein appeared the admirable providence of God, that in so many violent and furious shots, not one of these worthy Gentlemen were toucht or hurt by the shot, God guiding the Bullets not to hurt his servants. Thus they were miraculously preserv'd, and the Town taken.

11. Cicester prisoners coming neere to Oxford, divers Inhabitants went to see them, the prisoners were tyed two and two together with cords or Match, two Mini­sters trasht through the durt as the rest: when they came before his Majesty, in the mire they fell upon their knees for his Majesties fa­vour; but it was in vaine, his Majesty return'd this answer, they had brought that misery upon themselves: five or six dyed the same night they came to Ox­ford with their miserable usage; and one to end his misery cut his own throat.

12. They also tooke after the fight five of the Parliaments Souldiers, and tyed them by the hands with ropes, and forc't them into the Thames, where they were drown'd.

13. Amongst the rest one honest woman, Jane White, that reprov'd them for swearing, was shot with a brace of Bullets through the backe and belly, being great with childe, and within three weeks of her delivery, she dyed immediately.

14. At Banbury, though his Majesty gave his hand and seale to the contrary, that no injury should be done, yet most barbarously they fell to plunder the whole Towne, to the utter ruine of the said Inhabitants, saying, The King did not know the state and condition of warre.

15. One William Wright, of Abington, being well affected to the Parliament, advis'd the Inhabitants to stand upon their guard, and oppose the enemy, who being discovered, by Prince Plunderers command was condemn'd by martiall Law, and hang'd at his own dore.

16. A Gentleman of good worth they hang'd up in a With upon a tree, for saying, he was for the King and Parliament.

17. At Ipbeworth an honest religious man, saying he was for the King and Par­liament, they cut off both his eares, and gave him thirtie wounds; and after threw him on the dunghill, saying in a scoffing manner, Let the dogs lick him whole.

18. They tooke another man in the same Towne, and fastened a coard to his feete, and drag'd him about the streets: at last being weary of their crueltie, thus they said; Why should we weary our selves with this P [...]rliament dog, and so discharg'd three Pistolls at him to end his torment and life together.

19. A young man at Leeds for refusing to beare Arms against the Parliament, was horst by the Cavaliers, and great weights hung at his legs, which so hurt him that he bled and fild his boots with bloud, and his Mother weeping offered large­ly to take him off, but they would not, so that within a small space after he dyed.

20. Great cruelty was used to the prisoners at Oxford to force them to take the Protestation by the tyrant Smith, by tying lighted Match between their fin­gers, burning them to the bones, of which there were eye-witnesses.

21. Prince Rupert coming to Brainford with his cruell Cavaliers, he exercised most inhumane outrages there, plundering a Brewers house, spoyled and let out his beere, tooke from him ten or twelve Horses, drew his wife out adores in her smoake, with her young infant in her armes, having layen in but a weeke before; shee dyed soone after.

22. All those Prisoners which were taken at Brainford fight, they pinion'd together with match and ropes, stript them to their shirts, whipt them, and drave them before them like dogges to Hounslo, over surres and prickly bushes, bare­head and bare-foote. Some of these poore wretches fled from them into the Thames for hoped safety, were shot by these barbarous Cavaliers; and thus ma­ny were drown'd.

23. In November 1642. by that cruell and devillish Cataline, the Lord Dig­by, entering the Towne of Malbrough with his cruell companion Sir Daniel O­neale, that Irish bloudy Rebell, having with granadoes fired the Towne in foure severall places, rod furiously through the streets, and with drawne swords cut and hackt all they could meet with, whether men or women.

24. Then they brake open their shops, and took away all sorts of goods they met with, setting their swords and pistolls to men and womens breasts, threatening to kill them, if they would not confesse where their money was, and what goods they could not carry away, they brake and spoyl'd.

25. One Cavalier above all the rest coming an honest Gentlemans house in Malbrough, utter'd these words in a most insolent outragious manner; God dam me, ram me, sink me nine miles into hell, if I suffer one Round­head to continue here.

26. In a short time after the Lord Digby or Grandi­son came into the same Gentlemans house, who had ma­ny children, and told him he must pay 500. ¹. within foure dayes after at farthest; the Gentleman told him he had not wherewith possible to pay 100. ¹. he had been so plunderd lately; and besides he had 18. children to main­taine, and now nothing left to keepe them: but this Lord swearing his common Oath, God dam him, what did he tell him of 18. children, why did he not tye them two by two together and drown'd them; then demanding where they were, he said, if he would not drown them he would and then swore the same oath as formerly, if he would not pay that sum, he would hang him at his own dore.

27. Another Cavalier in the Town profferd a Towns­man twenty shillings, to teach him a new Oath, that he had never heard sworne.

28. The spoyle at this time was most lamentable, be­sides what they convayd away, letting out whole hogs­heads of oyle, and vessels of strong water, Aqua vitae, Treakles, spice, and fruit, which was all throwne about the shops, and streets, besides the burning and taking a­way of large Bibles, and all sorts of good books, with which they made great fires.

29. In one mans shop, wherein was Hemp, Flax, Oyle, Pitch, Tarre, Rosin, and such like combustables, they kindled a fire, and left it burning when they left the Towne, which was timely discovered and quenched.

30. At this time they drave at least 200. prisoners be­fore them to Oxford, bound two by two, & forced them on foote through all the dirt and mire where their Can­nons went: of which number about thirtie were honest able Townsmen; they were most cruelly used in the Tower of the Castle, not being allowed fire, candle, or straw to lie on, but the bare boards and plankes of the roome, and a peny in bread, and a farthing beere, depri­ving them of all friends, or supply otherwayes.

31. And when Smith their cruell Gaoler was solicited to pitie them; his answer was, Hang them damn'd rogues, villaines, traytors, the Devill take them, they are used too well, and when some of them were ready to dye, and he told of it, he would suffer nothing to be admini­stred for their helpe or recovery.

32. Note moreover, that besides all this spoyle by plunder, and otherwayes, of this distressed Towne, these wicked Cavaliers burnt downe 35. dwelling houses, and made at least 150. able persons homelesse and harbour­lesse; six or seven barnes full of Corne burnt and de­stroyed, besides stables, wood piles, and out-houses, and all their horse taken away: the losse of this Towne in all is by eye-witnesses and sufferers confirmed to be 50000. ¹.

33. This Tyger-like Tyrant Smith hath so pincht his prisoners with cold and thirst, denying them water to drinke, that when they have been brought forth and exa­mined by their mercilesse Judges, they have gladly drank the water wherein Gentlemen had washt their hands, and raine-water in the Castle Court, yea, many have drunke their own urin.

34. After some were brought to such misery, then they were promis'd a peny a day in cheese, and their li­bertie at length, if they would take that Oxonian cursed Protestation. Whereupon divers poore soules tooke the same, and within three dayes after their cheese was de­nied them, and all hope of libertie, unlesse they would pay the Tyrant Smith large fees, or serve in armes for the King.

35. And others had their heeles and neckes tyed to­gether for 44. houres, not suffering them to have one bit of bread all that time, or drop of water: some were so tyed or manacled three weeks together, without inter­mission, because they would not take that Protestation.

36. The perfidious dealing of Prince Rupert at Bristoll, violating all Articles of agreement at the surrender of the Towne, as soone as they had entred plundering all hou­ses as well Malignants as others.

37. They also tooke women by the throats, one espe­cially, and put a rope about her neck, threatening to throttle her, if shee would not reveale where her hus­bands money lay, and ty'd a sheafe of hemp to her body, and began to set it on fire, thereby to force her to con­fesse the same.

38. Some gave money to severall Officers, that they might escape, yet were plundred, and found no redresse; others were greatly fined to recover those goods that were taken away.