A DECLARATION Made by the Lord Marquesse of Hartford, and other Lords and chiefe Gentlemen of the County of SOMERSET.
Shewing their intention of comming into that Countie, to be (onely) to settle Peace, and not to offer the least violence or disturbance to any His Majesties loyall Subjects, either in their Persons or Estates, (contrary to what hath been falsely suggested) and which hath bin manifested by all their actions ever since.
And which doth farther appeare, by the examination and confession of one Captaine Preston, a principall Captaine of the Trained Band of that Countie.
Whereunto is added, A Letter from the Governour of Sherbourne Castle, to his worthy friend in London; truly relating what hath passed betwixt the Marquesse of Hartford and the Earle of Bedford, since he came before Sherbourne.
LONDON, Printed for H. B. 1642.
A DECLARATION of the Lo: Marquesse Hartford and other Lords and chief Gentlemen of the County of Somerset, being now at Sherbourn, made the 12 th. of AUGUST, 1642.
FInding our Countery in so great distraction, we have thought it necessary to communicate to our good friends and neighbours the cause of our present remove to this Town. We came some dayes since into the Countie of Somerset, with commission from His majesty to mustre the trained bands of the County, wherein we have done nothing but according to the Law: but although such as were summoned to the muster yeelded obedience or a lawfull excuse, yet contrary to our expectation, we found that great multitudes of people were poysoned and enraged against that service by false and scandalous suggestions, as if the intent of the Commission were to enthrall the people and to take away great part of their estates, which we are confident never entered into His Majesties thoughts, and are certain there was nothing tending that way in the Commission: So we pray all men to be assured, that it was impossible to have made us the instruments of so great an oppression. By which [Page 2] and other false reports of malignant & factious spirits. A great number of people were on friday last gathered against us neere Wels in warlike manner, not onely out of that, but out of other neighbouring Counties, and that as we are credibly informed, with promises of pillage of the Countrie, as rifling of the Palace of Wels doth make manifest: Where they threatning to force us in that Town, and we being willing to prevent as much as was possible all occasions of shedding blood, which they would have enforced. We retired to Sommerton, receiving yesterday advertisement from several parts, the Sheriffe of the said Countie had issued out warrants to levie the power of their county upon us his Majesties Commissioners, without any warrant at all from his Majestie, as we are very well assured, for seeing the mischiefes that would necessarily have followed upon our forced defence if we should have stayed there, we thought fit to retire out of that Countie, expecting that in time our Countrey men will be satisfied of our integrity, and reduced to the obedience they ought to yeeld to his Majestie and his Laws.
- Lo. Mar. Hartford,
- Lo. Pawlet,
- Lo. Seimer.
- Sir Iohn Pawlet,
- Sir Iohn Stowel,
- Sir Ralph Hopton,
- Sir Charles Berkley,
- Sir Hen. Berkley,
- Sir Ed. Berkley.
- Sir Ed. Rodney.
- S. Fran. Dodington,
- Sir Fran. Hawley.
- Ed. Windham, Esq
- Tho. Smith, Esq
- Ed. Kirton, Esq
The examination of Cap. John Preston, who conducted some men out of the West Countery, was taken prisoner by some of my Lord Mar. HARTFORD his Company.
JOhn Preston Esq said that he with others, by their approbation to the number of about 300. men came yesterday from the West part of the countie with Arms, viz, musquets, pikes, powder, bullets, and match, and as he believeth, with an intent to lodge the said men in Glastenbury, that night, but whither to go farther he did not know, but thinkes they intended to march next morning up to Mendip hill, and further said, that finding Sir John Stowel & Sir John Paulet in their way, received a message from the said Sir John Stowel & Sir John Pawlet, by M. Sanders of Petherton, w ch was in effect to desire them, to return as he hath heard it delivered to him, to which M. Pyne returned answer at first, that they should go on, but at last he held it convenient that they should returne: but the people pressed to go forward, having received encouragement, from words uttered by some of their company, that they were but a few horse and would run away, but what particular persons spake those words, he remembreth not: And he further saith that after the Skirmish was past, and the horse pursuing the foote, they running away. Sir John Paulet came up to them, whilst there were some with their swords drawn upon him, who straightly charged them that they should not kill him, nor offer to spill any blaod of the poore fellowes, upon which they departed frm any further execution:
A Letter written by the Governour of Sherbourn Castle, to a worthy friend, of the proceedings of Sherbourne and Yeavel since the beginning.
I Send you the newes of these parts, which have been very active; On Friday the 2. of Septemb. the E. of Bedford appeared before this Castle, (which I have the honour to be Governour of) and marched directly towards the townes end, which is large and accessable in many places; but our Horse, in number 240. appeared, (his Army consisting of 7000. men, and 600. Horse, with 14. Peeces of Canon) made a stand: some skirmishing was with the Horse, and wee got the better, brought away divers prisoners from the face of their Army, and forced them to a colder lodging them the towne, upon the hils; where that night we gave them a hasty alarum, and retreated, leaving them in Armes, shivering, and blowing their nayles till morning.
On Saterday they attempted againe for lodging, and the convenience of the towne, our Horst faced them: They marched towards us a good round pace with Horse, and a Regiment of Foot; wee retreated back to a hedge side, from whence came a volley of shot, that sent many of them into the other world, and caused divers (which that night ran away) to enter into consideration of the calamities of war.
Then they come with all their strength and Canon. We retreated into the towne, lodged Musketiers in coverts, & behind barricadoes, and they with their Ordnance battered the towne all that day, and skirmished [Page 5] ten houres, with great losse, and not one of our men lost: In the conclusion we dealt so hardly with them, that we returned them to the hills, where till Sunday following they wanted neither cold lodging nor hungry appetites.
Sunday they bestowed partly in hearing rebellion fomented, and stealing of sheep and oxen, (which they never paid for) by Scripture, affirming it as lawfull as for Christ to gather eares of corne with his Disciples, and not pay for it.
This night they were kept in alarum, our horse falling in three place, into their quarters. Munday they battered our Castle out of shot, which not reaching, they came neerer, and fell to worke upon a battery, which my little drakes soon beat them from, not one of my shots falling in vaine.
This night I gave three shot of Ordnance an mid-night, which they conceived a signall, hearing that some Forces were upon the way to us vvith Squire Rogers: Whereupon 1000. of them ran away, and the next day they raised their siege.
On Wednesday we followed them to Yeavel, where their vvhole Army lay: our vvhole number vvas but 150. horse, & 200. Foot. They came out upon us horse and foot: We skirmished awhile for the two passages, at last they got one, 1000. of their Musketiers beating off ours, Cap. Stowel charged their horse, vvhich ran away: but another Troop supplyed it, which Cap. Digbie and my selfe charged, beat it away, and chased it almost to the bridge.
Now on the other passage vvas a cruel skirmish betvveene the Musquetiers; at last vve lost it; and Sir [Page 6] Walter Earles Troop (commanded by his Lieutenant) fell upon us; The Lieutenant was killed, & that Troop cut in pieces, not 16. of them returned, and Digbies men brought home 16. of their horses: but their Musket shot disordered our men, and some of our men ranne heartily: but we stayed them at the top of the next hill, rallyed them, and marched home in good order, whilst their men likewise quitted the place in disorder, and pursued not a jot.
But they lost 140. of their men dead upon the ground, buryed 9. of their Commanders next day in the Church, and marched with a few men to Dorchester, and disbanded the rest of their Army, there being besides many of their men and Commanders which lye dangerously wounded at Yeavel.
In all this we lost but twelve men. Serjeant Major Banfield is taken; Captaine Hussey, Lieutenant Hall, and an Ensigne were killed; and here we are fortifying this Castle, and now raising men, for all the Countrey is open to us. So with my love to you I rest,