No CrossRef data available.
We use cookies to distinguish you from other users and to provide you with a better experience on our websites. Close this message to accept cookies or find out how to manage your cookie settings.
We use cookies to distinguish you from other users and to provide you with a better experience on our websites. Close this message to accept cookies or find out how to manage your cookie settings.
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 12 June 2012
Four or five years ago, whilst making some researches in the State Paper Office relating to the time of Charles I., I met with a short succession of Letters from a person of the name of Nehemiah Wharton, addressed to his then late master and honoured friend Mr. George Willingham, merchant, at the Golden Anchor in St. Swithin's Lane. A few of these Letters, which I then, and some which I have since transcribed, I now lay before your Lordship and our Society. They form a graphic illustration of the historical incidents of Butler's celebrated poem, and detail the more than wretched condition under which our country suffered throughout the confused period of the Great Rebellion, wherever the rival forces came, whether to plunder or to protect the unfortunate inhabitants. Another feature in these Letters is the strange and ceaseless union of outrage with religion. Atrocities of the worst kind were constantly followed by “a famous,” “a worthy,” “a godly,” or “a heavenly sermon,” preached by one or other of the spiritual trumpeters of the time, who inflamed the population. After pillaging Sir Robert Fisher's house, near Coventry, on the next day, the soldiers “kept the Fast and heard two Sermons.” Before the third was ended they had an alarm to march.
page 311 note a See also the Perfect Diurnall of the Passages in Parliament from the 1st of August to the 8th, 1642, 4to.
page 311 note b This part of Wharton's narrative is singularly corroborated in the following Tract, published by authority in the very month in which this letter is dated, entitled, “A Relation of the Rare Exployts of the London Souldiers, and Gentlemen Prentizes, lately gone out of the Citie for the Designes of the King and Parliament.” Hen. Elsyng Cler. Parl. D. Com. Printed for William Smith, 1642. 4to.
“The miseries and calamities which of late have happened in this confused place of England are so many that they furnish the discourse both of this and of other nations, who, notwithstanding, are not able to expresse them all. I shall now relate you only two, befalling within these few dayes, and to this end, that, by the true report of these (which, by men of sundry passions, may be prevented), others of the like nature, if it please God, may be prevented. Of the one, I have certaine information; of the other, I myselfe was an eye-witnesse. The first happened at Acton, some six miles distant from London, where lived a gentleman, reported and believed to be different in religion (as too many now-a-dayes are, which we know to be the cause of all our evils,) from the Church of England; but, in the voice of most of his neighbours, a sober, moderate, and charitable-minded man. This gentleman, having in his house no more but one ancient gentlewoman, his kinswoman, whom he intrusted as his housekeeper, with one serving man and maide, had his house besett with divers companies of soldiers, who had listed themselves for the service of the King and Parliament, and were in pay and command under officers; where, after they had forced him to open the gates by threatning words, they entered the house, and so strangely despoiled him that they left him not a bed, bedstead, table, doore, or glasse window, chest, trunk, or the smallest utensil, but sold all for very small prices before his servants’ faces, some of them having forced him before on foote to London; and for his bills, bonds, letters, and other writings the most part they tore in pieces, and strewed them about the house; others some they sent up to London. He hath, with much industry and long time, rarely furnished a plot of ground with the choicest flowers and outlandish trees which he could procure, which they plucked up by the roots, as many as they could, and the rest left so desolate that, whereas it was thought the finest and most curious gardens in all those parts, there is now left nothing but the ruines of Art and Nature.
“The other outrage, which with griefe I saw, was committed in Radcliffe Highway, Tuesday last, being the 23 of this instant August, where lived an ancient gentleman in good fashion, love, and credit amongst his neighbours for many years space. I was informed, and might likewise guesse by his aspect, that he was above fourscore, and his wife not much distant from his time. This poor man was, like manner, assaulted by another company of souldiers, who are billeted thereabouts until the drum commands them to do service, where, having approached his doore, they drew out a paper, which they read,—whether a pretense of authority or what else I cannot easily conjecture. And thereupon they rushed into the house, rifled him of all that was in the house, breaking and battering many of the goods, and, having brought them out, sold them to such persons as would buy them at any rates, and this at noone day, and in the sight of one thousand people: one feather-bed I saw sold for four shillings, and one flock-bed for one shilling; and many other things at I know not what prises, leaving him nothing but naked walls and one stoole, which the old man sate upon, he being lame and decrepit with old age. The headborough of the place endeavoured to rescue some of the goods, which were afterwards violently taken againe out of his house. After the riot was thus ended, they marched away with a drum; and then I made bold to goe into this distressed man's house, where I found him sitting upon his only stoole, and with the teares falling downe his hoary beard, from whence, having administred the best comfort that I could, I departed.
“I will now leave the reader to judge of these strange inhumanities, they being, in this respect, the more monstrous, in that they are practised amongst Christians against Christians, and amongst men that pretend, and indeede should maintaine and defend religion, the lawes of the land, and privilidges of the subject, to the scandal of the true sincere Protestant religion, destruction of the lawes of the kingdome, and the utter violation of all privilidge.
“If it be here objected to me that they were Papists, I demand if there be not many wholsome lawes made against them, and desired both by the King's Majesty and by the Parliament to be put in execution; nay, were they Jewes or Atheists, it is a staine to the Governement of the Kingdom, amongst many other distempers, and may teach forraine princes to use the same rigour towards Protestants beyond the seas, whose religion in puretie, truth, and decency let us pray God for ever to maintain and defend. The Lords and Commons in Parliament declares that all such persons as shall, upon any pretence whatsoever, assist his Majestie in this warre with horse, armes, plate, or money are traytors to His Majestie, the Parliament, and Kingdome, and shall be brought to condigne punishment for so high an offence.
“Ordered to be forthwith printed and published.
“H. Elsyng Cler. Parl. D. Com.”
The closing paragraph of this Tract shows, at once, the encouragement which was tacitly given to these outrages by the dominant power in an appearance of loyalty. There can be little doubt that the parties assailed in these instances had sent either money or its value to support the King's cause.
Penruddock's residence was not really at Acton, though very near. It was the Manor-house of Ealing, the manor of which had belonged from time immemorial to the See of London.
Lysons, in his “Environs,” says, “At the time of the Parliamentary Survey, in 1650, the Manor-house (of Ealing) was in the possession of John Penruddock; the same, it is probable, who was executed at Exeter in 1655 for an insurrection against Cromwell. It is described in the Survey as ‘ruinated, and lying open since the first plundering thereof in the beginning of the last troubles.’ “
page 313 note a Lysons, in his account of Chiswick, makes no mention of any residence here of the Earl of Portland. Arthur Duck, LL.D., was at this time sub-lessee of the prebendal manor of Chiswick. He sat in the Parliament of 1640, and was a well-known adherent to the royal cause.
page 328 note a Prince Arthur, son of Henry VII.
page 330 note a John Prideaux, D.D. was consecrated Bishop of Worcester, Dec. 19, 1641.
page 331 note a Regiment.