Mr. PETERS MESSAGE Delivered in Both Houses, TO THE LORDS and COMMONS IN PARLIAMENT; FROM Sir THOMAS FAIRFAX. WITH, The Narration of the Taking OF DARTMOUTH.
AND A List of the Names of the chief Officers and Gentlemen, and the Cullers, Arms, Ordnance, Powder, and other Ammunition and purchase; and the severall Victories of the Army, and their scattering of the Enemy to severall places.
With other proceedings concerning Prince Charles, and other passages of great concernment.
This Narration of Mr. Hugh Peters, Minister of Gods Word, commanded to be printed, is published according to Order, to prevent false Copies.
London, Printed by Jane Coe. 164 [...].
Mr. Peters Message delivered in both the Houses, to the Lords and Commons in Parliament, from Sir Thomas Fairfax. With the Narration of the Taking Dartmouth. And a List of the chief Officers and Gentlemen, and the Cullers, Armes, &c.
MR. Peters, upon Wednesday last in the morning, tooke his Iourney from Dartmouth and came to London, Friday, at eight of the Clock in the morning; bringing with him, from the Generall, a Letter to the House of Lords, and another to the House of Commons; both letters referring to his relation of particulars, concerning the West, who being called into the House of Commons, was required by the Speaker so to do; and in his relation applyed himselfe to these speciall heads. First, to some peeces of Gods providence, he tooke notice of Secondly, to the State of the Enemy. And Thirdly, to the condition of the Army, and his discourse was as followeth.
MAy it please this honourable House, to take notice, when our Army lay on the East side of Exeter▪ our way seemed doubtfull to us, and therfore, had no means to attend upon, but Councell or Providence, the former of which did not leade us Westward; our Army being sickly, the Winter violent, our men ill clothed, but the Lord who hath wrought all our workes for us, partly from the report of the Enemies approaching, and partly from the [Page 4] necessity of seeking better quarters; drew us where we are, and since that time, have given into our hands neere 1000. of the Enemies Horse, and cast a pannick feare upon them, or Magormisabibe, that they are a terrour to themselves, for upon the advance of a party from Credi [...]on, they fled, and six of Collonel Okeys Dragoones, put 500. of the Horse from their Post, at which time, they fled from Plymouth, leaving their Guns, Armes, and Ammunition behind them; we marched to Totnee [...]; having our designe upon Dartmouth, where we found very good quarters, and this is very remarkeable, by the Testimony of many; that before we came neere Dartmouth, in seven weeks there had been little or no Fish taken upon that coast: but now there was so many mullits▪ taken, as comfortably supplyed our Army, which continueth to this time.
It is also observable; that in the storming the Towne, though all things did not answer the appointments in the Councell; yet there w [...]s no confusion or miscarrige, and this I must add, that we had faire weather to a minute till the Towne was taken: and then it rayned.
It was taken without much blood-shed, we lost but two men, that we heare of; what we tooke there, the following list will manifest; in which service, that gallant Collonel Hammond who first entred, and his Major, Major Sanders; with the other worthies, Collonel Fortiscue and his Regiment, Collonel Lambert and his, and Lieutenant Collonel Pride, and his, had the cheifest shar [...], and did like themselves; It is the mercy of God in giving this Towne; that already appeares to those that know it, and will more hereafter to those that are ignorant, where tenn strong Workes [...]nd Forts, with one hundred and three peeces mounted upon them, and mand, might be thought sufficient to maintaine that Towne and harbour, against a very potent Army.
Secondly, for the condition of the Enemy, the Lord hath scat [...]ered them like Chaffe before the winde; they fly when none per [...]s them; they are broken, and divided in their Councells, some of them would force the Prince into France, some few about him, are of his owne minde, rather to stay here, and put it to a hazard; some of the chiefe Gentlem [...]n of Cornwall, begin to looke back upon their error, Greenefield somtimes drags some numbers of [Page 5] poore people to L [...]unceston, to make an appearance; who soone make their escape againe, and hide themselves; God seemes to distraine for his glory, and make his enemies confesse; surely the Lord is God, the Lord is God; to conclude, when I looke upon the face of things in the West, the Enemies worke resembles an ill plaid-game, at Chesse (only I crave leave for the Leavity of speech) where not to speake any thing of giving the check, to the fury of some: I hope I may say the Bishops are thrown into the bagg, but I am sure the Knights, Rookes, and Pawnes, are shifting from place to place; being driven into a narrow corner, witnesse the Courtiers we have taken lately; some on shore, and some on Sea, bound for France; I must conclude, that the complexion of your affaires in those parts, is very promising.
Thirdly and lastly, to returne to your Army: I shall take bouldnesse to let you know, the good and evill of it, two things will commend them, above any Army I have knowne, viz. their unity, and activity; I have not knowne the least breach among them, in the least to distract or retard your affaires, though their Iudgements may differ in many perticulars; I remember a great Prince once asked in the meridian of the King of Swedens successe, how he did to mannage his Worke, and maintaine his Warr▪ it was answered, by the Councell of Oxenstern, and the love of his people; I can say, your Army is under a blessed conduct, their Councells Godly, and faithfull, more love I have not seene, which I believe may spring from this Roote; that through grace, we make Godlinesse our intrest, and not opinion, th [...] [...]hich we wish were the Spirit of the Kingdome; though we [...] [...]scribe to none, many there be who loose a reall intrest t [...] [...]intaine a floating fancie. We could desire, that the choller that we find in this City; yea that black choller: I had almost said, that black coate choller were spent, upon the ignorance and prophannesse of the Country.
One thing there is most singular in this your Army, that whereas Souldiers usually spend, and make forfiture even of the civility▪ they bring into other Armies; here men grow religious, and more spirituall thriving, then in any place of the Kingdome, that I may a little change the old verse, and say, Multâ fides pietasque vivis, quae hac castrâ sequntur, yea, for my selfe; though [Page 6] I have been [...]ong a learner, and sometime an unworthy teacher of others, yet have more then an ordinarie cause to blesse God, for being a member of this Army, in reference to my spiri [...]uals; that I can unfainedly say to it▪ Te [...]úm vivere amem, [...] lubens mori [...]r. Let me ad this, that the civilities of this Army, a [...]d the d [...]baucheries of the Enemies, have much promoted your co [...]quests.
For the evill of the Army, it is not without its sinne, yea Army sins▪ though not counte [...]a [...]ced by the authority there exercised; there wants are (maynly cloths) much agravated by this tedious Winter, that however the Committee of the Army and their Noble, and paynfull cheerman have much obliged us: yet through what obstructions we k [...]ow, not, not o [...]e suite of clothes is come unto them, what their marches have been, and in what Seasons▪ what Guards, & what Posts they have kept & in what distances; we leave to others to judge: I only say. I wish those may be cloathed, whose [...]aked bodies have even cloathed the K [...]ngdome.
And now I take leave to present you with some bunches of Grapes, brought from the Canaanites quarters, for a taste; I have brought you divers Cullers taken in Town and Country, amongst the rest, the Kings first own Cullers▪ which he first advanced at York against the Parliament; and this I show as a piece of their souldiery.
I have brought you a piece of their policie, as you may read in these bundles of Letters, I found in the Governours House at Dartmouth, some of the Princes, some of [...]uperts, some Gorings, some Culpeppers; together with their Commissions by Sea and Land.
And for a taste of their Piety, I present you with a Masse book, and an Altar, which I took from the Enginier of Dartmouth, who is a D [...] Masse Priest.
And lastly, I have some of their persons to present unto you▪ committed unto me by our Generall, viz. The Earl of Newport, and Baron Den [...]ams son; who was usefull to us in the delivering up of the Castle and Fort, on Tuesday last.
And now my most humble and earnest request unto this Honourable House is, that the longing expectation of our Noble Generall, and his Councell about him, may be satisfied, in the speedy recruiting of this Army▪ for which I might use many Arguments, but that I am commanded from those I come, not to be a Trumpetter of their praises, though I conceive it but the discharge of my duty, to say that such an unparaleld Generall, and active Army, by whom the Lord hath given you a great measure of heaped up mercies should not be denied that, wherein the good of the State is more concerned then their own, could the common souldier be paid Weekly, and your Army recruited to the establishment, and one thing more done, which is, a true new Modelling of your Navy, with fitting men and fitting Ships rightly imployed, of which I have presented a pattern to some worthies of this House, I make no doubt but (through Gods blessing upon this Honourable House) thus recruited, this Army thus established and paid, this Navy so modelized, you might throw the Gauntlet to the proudest Nation, near [...]r hand, or farther off. Which that you may be enabled to do by the powerfull presence of the Eternall God, I shall desire, that the dew of Heaven may fall upon all your Councels, and for your own soules that they may flourish like a Green hearb, and watered Garden.
Prisoners taken at Dartmouth, Jan. 19. 1645.
- SIr Hugh Pollard Baron, Governour.
- Earl Newport.
- Col. Seymour.
- Mr. Denham, B [...]. Denhams son.
- Lieutenant-collonel Nich. Coddrington.
- Lieutenant-collonel Bluet.
- Lieutenant-col. Tho. Wankland.
- Major Francis F [...]l [...]ord.
- Major Hooper.
- [Major Pollard, slain.]
- [Page 8]Captain Robert Pollard.
- Captain Andrew Woodley.
- Captain Andrew Sampson.
- Captain Robert Duke.
- Captain Alexand. Powsell.
- Captain Thomas Coffin.
- Captain John Bluet.
- Captain John Ford.
- Captain Anthony Stert.
- Captain George Downing.
- Captain Arthur Haughton.
- Captain Robert Conway.
- Captain Nicholas Reynolds.
- Captain William Reynolds.
- Captain Roger Lea.
- Captain Owen Philips.
- Lieutenant John King.
- Lieutenant Lewis Pollard.
- Lieutenant Roger Hunt.
- Lieutenant William Duncalfe.
- Lieutenant Charles Rigand.
- Lieutenant William Eston.
- Lieutenant Francis Rea.
- Lieutenant Nicholas Labully.
- Lieutenant John Stanner.
- Lieutenant Robert Johnson.
- Lieutenant George Drew.
- Lieutenant Sam. Williams.
- Lieutenant Alexander Hinlay.
- Lieutenant John Searle.
- Ensigne John Garret.
- Ensigne John Richard.
- Ensigne John Upton.
- Ensigne John Read.
- Ensigne Robert Dodge.
- Ensigne Arthur Waggin.
- Ensigne Thomas Vickering.
- Ensigne John Fitz-James.
- Ensigne Edward Covine.
- Cornet Lamot, &c. Others not brought in.
- Mr. Reynolds, Gentlem. of arms. Many Country Gentlemen.
- Mr. George Huckmore.
- Mr. Reynolds, senior.
- Mr. Rich. Stukely.
- Mr. Carew Stukely.
- Mr. Reynolds, junior.
- Mr. Hooper, &c.
- Many inferiour Officers.
- Prisoners in all about 600.
- All the common soldiers set at liberty.
- Many Barrels of Powders.
- 1000. Arms, besides broken ones.
- Two men of Warre.
- Ships in all about 30.
- 100. Horses.
- The particulars not yet delivered.
- Of Ordnance about 100. Peeces already taken notice of, besides what are in ships, and other places. In all near 200.
- 8. Horse Cullers.
- 5. Foot Cullers.
- 7. Standards of Foot cullers left in the Army.
- 1. Cullers, with the Kings own picture▪ and a sword in one hand, and a book in the other, was not brought off from the Ship, in which Mr. Peters came by Sea.