MEeting with strange Occurrances in the Journal, called The Perfect Occurrences, in a Letter from the North, I being that Countrey man, and well knowing the matter whereon that Letter treats, have taken upon me to write something unto you in behalf of that great service done upon our borders, and in vindication of Capt. Craken­thorpe, who is aimed at for to be aspersed for not receiving Arthur Foster for Leiutenant; In the Letter there is a high publick spirit put upon Mr. Howard of Naworth, who, as is said, spared no paines for his Countries service, the way is meant by his Troope, in suppressing Moss-Troopers; the end why he is so set forth, is that some way may be found out to put some Horse under his Command. I see if the publick spirits prevail, we wil all turn publick spirited, Latet anguis in herba; 'tis true that Mr. Howard hath had a troope of horse all this last Winter under his Command, which was thus set on foot: Sir Marmaduke Langdale, and the Scots Army being in the North the last year, most of the Gentry joyned with them, amongst whom Mr. Ho­ward was not backward, for in Gilsland he called three Musters, viz. On Thursday the 10 ^th. of August, Munday the 14 ^th. and Wednesday the 16 ^th. of August, 1648. the day before Preston battell, so raised one troop for the Prince his service, whom he gave out was to meete at Barwick, but having news that they had lost the battell at Preston, Mr. Howard being at a loss himself, thought it best to con­vert his troope to the taking of border theeves, called Moss Troopers, and though he did little service, yet found he it a good gloss for his actions, and it took so well, that when we returned, and God had subdued the Enemy, he got the favour as to continue his troope, and having past well thus far, he looks a little further to make Arthur Foster, who should have been his Lieutenant, Lieutenant to Capt. Crakenthrope, and so make two troopes; but the Captaine soon per­ceiving the mystery, was unwilling to entertain Foster for Lieutenant, giving these reasons, for that the said Foster was a Capt. for the King in the first war against the Parliament: secondly, that he was in arms in the Garison of Carlile, in the second war against the Parliament, [Page 4] thirdly, that the said Foster had never served the Parliament: fourthly, that he had been arraigned for murder, but it being pretended, that he was a fit man for to serve against Moss Troopers, he answered, that Foster lived amongst that pack, and who so knows that place, knows that none living there durst oppose the Moss Troopers, that was any way notable, and that he was Sir Rich. Grahams man & must do nei­ther more nor less then he will have him; now you know all the Moss Troopers, are either Sir Rich. Grahams, Sir Edward Musgraves, or Mr. Howards Tenents, and our Northerne and Scots Lords jump in one policie to make to themselves great revenews of barren grounds, the Moss Troopers pay to Sir Richard Graham one thousend pound per annum, and above, and to Mr Howard no less, and to Sir Edward Musgrave a good revenew: now the Inhabitants of barren grounds to pay such rents, what they cannot by their labours, they make up by Moss trooping; under this consideration it hath been anciently thought fit, that the Landlords in those parts should make good the Tenants theft to the owner and certainly if this were put in practise, we should nothear much of Moss troopers; for thus it is carried, a young theef be­ing entred to a tenement, for which he is to pay fine, may steal without controul but his theft is Registred by his Landlord, and if he fall un­der his displeasure, he is apprehended, and hanged at his Lords will, or if he hath been a theef in his youth, and grown rich by his craft, though for twenty years he stole not then will his Landlord pick a quarrell at him, and for old done deeds hang him, and take his lands and goods; to take such maner of theeves was Arthur Foster imploy­ed, but not to meddle further, without his Lords Order: one of Capt. Crakanthorpes troop being upon that service with Mr. Howard, asked him what they were going to do, Mr. Howard answered, to take Moss troopers, well said the trooper, there is one of the greatest now riding by you (which was Sandy Kinman) upon which Mr. Howard called Kinman, and told him what the trooper said, who answered, away Sir, away, misken him: In that its said Capt. Crakanthrops troop marcht unto Scotland, where he had, &c. this is altogeter false, or that they took any Moss troopers by way of defeat, I love no vaine boasting, I am of that troop, neither did ever Foster take any but a few poor sneakes out of their own houses, such as I tell you have fallen under their Landlords displeasure, one of which told Foster it was not long since he rid himself, and when the souldiers would have taken Arms as they found them in the houses of the Moss troopers and their friends, Foster would not suffer them; but Captain Crakanthrops [Page 5] hath displaced Foster, and so that service so well begun wil fal. Truly Sir that Capt. is in the eye of a company of Delinquents, and Semy-Parliamentiers, who pretend for the Parliament and Countrey, but intend the ruine of both, had they but such as Mr. Howard, or o­ther of their creatures in places and power, and the Captaine outed, all were their own; that Captaine hath suffered more for the Parlia­ment then any there, and stood closer to the Countrey then they all, he was imprisoned neer three whole years, had his prison changed ten several times, laid in irons, coupled with now some of his troopers for the Parliament, and the more to torment him, put amongst whores, and murtherers of their own children; he and o­ther fourteen imprisoned within the compass of fourteen foot long, and nine broad, and with his own hands he was forced to cast out his own excrements for many dayes together, yet was not these, nor many more cruelties able to alter the said Captains affection to the Parliament: but while thus in prison, he weekly gave Intelligence to the State of Scotland, of the enemies doings which cost him no small moneys to obtain, devised a secret Character, which he directed you then to reade and write, by which were imparted (as you know) matters of high concernment for the good of both States; they asperse him that he is no souldier, because forsooth thus kept in the first war, which is so false, that all that well know him know the contrary, he was a Captaine before these wars began; and though not in the first, yet in the second war ferved, where he behaved himself so, that his ad­versaries, amongst whom he marched could never lay any aspersion upon him, but on the contrary have in that way highly commended him, he never shewing the least fear or disorder, but did so order his troope, that by his means and councell, God made him instrumental to save the rest, as at severall places I could name, and for his deport­ment in the Countrey, set aside some of the Committee that are Malignants, and have acted in the Commission of Array, there is not a man hath that impudency as to speak evil of him at this day; for the ease of the Country he hath devised a way to take off free­quarter for his troop, borrowing of the Committee so much money as doth only give the souldier 18. pence a day, which he is ingaged to repay to a penny what he hath borrowed out of his pay, when he shall receive the same from the Parliament, and doth at present quarter his Troop, the Horse altogether, over which he sets [Page 6] a guard, and the men within a mile or two of their horse; that upon any occasion, are able within two hours, to march upon any Order, the ground partly his own, and others taken for that purpose by him; and doth with the money borrowed, maintain twenty poor Fa­milies, not able to subsist of themselves. Truly that Captain doth en­devor himself, & makes it his study, to do good to all, nourishing the Lords people, having a Congregation of godly men in his Troop; such as fear the Lord, will not suffer them to do violence to ary, but makes them content with their wages, nay, without wages; yet notwithstanding all this, and that none is able to lay any thing to his charge: And though the Lord General at the instance of that honor­able person, the Lieutenant General, gave him a Commission to be in the establishment of the Army, yet by the malignancy of some of the Committee, as Sir Wilfrid Lawson, who hath acted in the Commission of Array, entred into association against the Parlia­ment, sworn the oath to the Earl of Newcastle, raised forces for the King, all which, and much more as fully be proved against him; by whose means, the said Captain is sought to be reduced, and an order obtained to refer it to him, and some other of his stamp to make choice of another; but I fear not, but my Lord General, the Lieu­tenant General, and the honorable Sir Arthur Haslerig, will pre­vent the designes of these men, and not suffer a poor Countrey to be spoiled by such as are strangers; for its not to be thought that that Countrey having but one man that hath any estate there, who hath served so faithfully, as the said Captain, that he shall be re­duced without any charge, and such as are rather Souldiers of For­tune, and strangers, have command. Its fit, I say, for the Moss Troopers service, which for want of Foster, its said will fall. The said Captain hath a Lieutenant, one Lieutenant Dowson, who was known to be a man of such parts, and so well experienced in that way, that all that know that Countrey know, that there is not a fitter Souldier in all England for that service; a man of much approved gallantry, and more worth then ten Fosters. And I dare say, if the Captain had but order to subdue that pack of theeves, that it would soon be done; which service, he is so far from letting fall, as that he intends to make suit, that he may do service against the Moss-Troopers.

Thus loving friend, you see, as was our sufferings of old, by the [Page 7] enemies of God, and the Countrey; even so it is at this day, onely a new way, and a new device set on foot to ruine good men; for all the good, and faithful men in these parts, are struck at in Captain Crakenthorp; but the Lord that hath carried us out in many trou­bles, will not leave us now; into whose hands we render up our selves, and rest upon him.

VVE think it fit that 205 l. be collected through this County in general, for one moneth; which the High Constables are to pay over to Captain Crakenthorp, he having engaged to repay the same to us for the County, upon the receipt of the said money.

SInce I received this Letter, Captain Crakenthorp hath been here at London, and made the difference between him, and Major Sk [...]if, known to the General, and Lieutenant General, who both of them were so free from partiality, or wronging the Gentleman, as upon right understanding the case, his Excellency writ presently to Sir Arthur Haslerig, not to suffer any further pro­ceedings against the Captain, in prejudice to his Commission. I doubt not, but Sir Arthur Haslerig will for the future, so provide for the protection, and indempnity of honest men, as not upon the underhand Information, or other false suggestion of their adver­saries, though Committee-men, displace, or discountenance friends: As for the Lieutenant General, though a stranger to us, he hath done more for us, then all that sit in Parliament, for our poor Countrey; not long since, he sent 100 l. to the poor of Westmerland, by the hand of Captain Crakanthorp, and hath been ready to give us his assistance for freeing us of the pressures we still lie under, for not coming to the Common-prayer Book, upon the penalties of the Statute made 35. Eliz. yet unrepealed; while the Lord Howard, (Mr. Howards father in law, having lately married his daughter to him) Burgess of Carlile, and others, as have the honor to sit in Parliament for Cumberland, are regardless of our sufferings; and to this day, never procured relief, or reparation for any of us that suffered there, under the enemy, for the Parliaments Cause; so as unless the Lieutenant General, the Speaker, or some other gallant man of the House, Commisserate our sufferings, and present our condition to the Parliament, I am without hopes, ever to get access unto Justice, either for my self, or my suffering-friends; for whom, I have here attended at the Parliament door, more then two yeers; yet be not discouraged, nor cast down. I hope, though our own Countrey­men neglect us, strangers will pity us.