An exact relation of the bloody and barbarous massacre at Bolton in the moors in Lancashire, May 28 by Prince Rupert being penned by an eye-vvitnesse, admirably preserved by the gracious and mighty hand of God in that day of trouble.

AN Exact Relation of the bloody and barba∣rous Massacre at Bolton in Lancashire, May 28. By PRINCE RUPERT.

Penned by an Eye-witnesse, admirably preserved by the gracious and mighty hand of God, in that day of Trouble.

AFter those two fatall and prodigious fountaines of our sad Counties misery, viz. our sinfull security, in too much resting upon our owne strength on the one side, and our wofull and ruine-threatning divisions on the other, had long portended, and Gods Ministers had of∣ten warned us of that sad calamity, which then we feared not, nor beleeved, but now smart under. It pleased the just and wise hand of heaven, at last, to awake our dead spirits by that sad Alarme of War, and to cause that black cloud which hung over our heads to be dissolved, and first to be powred down in a bitter shower of blood upon that Spectacle of sorrow and amazement, poor sighing, and solitary Bolton: That England may see and be ashamed that she hath not long since spewed out such Mon∣sters, as are bred in her own bowels; and that all may take it to heart, that there hath been no more zeale in us for the Cause, Servants, Gospel, and glory of the Lord of Hosts, so much aimed at, and by tongues set on fire of hell, so vilified as in this relation may further appeare.

On Tuesday May 28. this sad Town being almost destitute of men, Ammunition, or other means of defence, was in the morning relieved by that noble cordial Commander, Col. Righ••e, and certainly if some other aid desig••••d for our help had come in time, there had been a good account rendred of that Townes preservation, and the enemies discourage∣ment; but that God, which intended not our deliverance, used not the meanes; yet in all there was about 2000. Souldiers, and 500. Clubmen; a company sufficient if the security of the inhabitants had not hindred their better fortifying of the same: about two of the clocke in the after∣noone, the enemy was discovered about a mile off, and they made their ap∣proches to the Town on the More, South West from the Town, their num∣ber was guessed, and by themselves after confessed to be about 12000. they appeared at first like a wood or cloud, and presently were cast into severall bodies, divers Scouts approched to discover the way for their entrance with most advantage.

Our Commanders were very couragious, and our Souldiers very hardy, and both resolved to stand to it, and in the first encounter gave them about halfe an houres sharpe entertainment, were close in discharge as the ene∣mies confessed after, and repulsed them bravely to the enemies great losse, and discouragement, and in their retreat, cut them down before them in great abundance, and they fell like leaves from the Tree, in a Winters morning.

Then was a breathing, or rather a new preparative for a fresh encoun∣ter, which was gallantly performed on both sides, wherein the worthy Colonell Rigby, and his Commanders Captain Willougby, Captain Bootle, and the rest, did notable service: But alas, what could naked men do a∣gainst horse, in an unfortified place, besides it is conceived that a Towns∣man was their convoy to bring them on through a place called the private Aker, sfor a great reward, and then when once the horse was got into the Town, there could be no resistance almost made, but every man left to shift for himselfe.

At their entrance, before, behinde, to the right, and left, nothing heard, but kill dead, kill dead was the word, in the Town killing all before them without any respect, without the Town by their horsemen, pursuing the poore amazed people, killing, stripping, and spoiling all they could meet with, nothing regarding the dolefull cries of women or children, but some they slashed as they were calling for quarter, others when they had given quarter, many hailed out of their houses to have their brains dasht out in the streets, those that were not dead in the streets already, pistoled slashed, brained, or troden under their horses feet, with many insolent blas∣phemous

oathes curses and challenges to heaven it selfe (no doubt) haste∣ning the filling up of their cup, and bringing that swift destruction upon them, which they shortly after tasted of, (and blessed, blessed ever be the great and just God for it) with many taunts, and cruell mockings, as see what your prayers are come too? where is all your dayes of humiliation? we haue humbled you now; O that we had that old Rogue Horrocks that preaches in his gray cloake; but I forbeare many sad things, which might be inserted, the usage of children crying for their Fathers, of women cry∣ing out for their husbands, some of them brought on purpose to be slaine before their wives faces; the rending, tearing, and turning of people na∣ked, the robbing, and spoiling of all the people of all things that they could carry: All which this Authour being an eye witnesse of, and a sharer in who though quarter was given him by a Souldier that found him out, in hopes of getting his money; yet had like to have been severall times killed after for his money, which others had gotten before, and doubtlesse had been slaine if a Commander had not appointed to carry him to the Prince, yet he that carried him, forced him to go and to borrow twenty shillings more, else he would leave him in the streets againe, and that was present death.

The relator upon his own knowledge, and good information, further addes some particular instances of their then matchlesse cruelty, by which as (ex ungue Leonem) you may judge and abhorre them and their actions, and the Lord grant England at last an open eye and due sense of her owne misery, by this sad spectacle and wofull example of Bolton.

First, The massacring, dismembring, cutting of dying or dead bodies, and boasting, with all new coined oathes, swearing how many Round∣heads this sword, or they had killed that day, some eight, some six, some more or lesse; armes, legs, yea the braines themselves lying distant from their heads, bodies, and other parts.

Their treading under horse feet, and prancing over halfe dying poore Christians, who were so besmeared, and tumbled in durt and blood, that scarce any thing of man remained in the cruell beastly actor, or wofull sufferer, but onely proportion of men in both, the one being become so far below the nature of a man in acting, the other cast below the condition of the most miserable of men in suffering such unheard of things.

Their violent pursuit of their bloody victory in the Towne, and four or five miles out of the Towne in out houses, fields, high wayes, and woods, killing, destroying, and spoiling all they could reach, and crying out, where is your Roundheads God now, he was with you at Warrington, Wigan, Manchester, and other places, and hath he forsaken you Roundheads of

Bolton now? Sure he is turned Cavalier, &c.

Their bragging how many wives they that day had made widowes, and children fatherlesse, mercilesly casting off all pitty, in so much as if any is they were tumbling in the dirt or ditches, did but lift up their heads and cry Quarter, for the Lord Jesus sake Quarter, all the mercy they shewed them, was to cry out to others, or to say, God damme, ile give this or that strong Roundheaded Rogue one blow more to send him quickly to the Devill.

William Boulton was fetcht out of his Chamber with scorne, saying, they had found a praying Saint, and fetcht him to kill him before his wives face, who being great with childe and ready to be delivered, fell on him to have saved him; but they pulled her off, without compassion, and bad him call on his God to save him whilest they cut him in pieces.

James Syddall lying wounded and dying, was heard by one of them to give a groane (after they had thought him long before to be dead) and pre∣sently one discharged his Pistoll at his heart, but it would not enter, the other he prepared after, and that tooke effect, and after boasted, what an act he had done, saying, yonder lies one of the strongest Roundheads that ever I met withall, for one of my Pistols discharged at his heart would not enter, but I thinke I sent him to the Devill, with a vengeance with the other.

Katharine Saddon an aged woman of 72. years old run with a sword to the very heart, because she had no money to give, and some others killed out right, after they were mortally wounded, because they stirred, or an∣swered not greedy unjust desires.

Elizabeth Horrocks, a woman of good quality, after that they had killed her husband, tooke her in a rope, and dragged her up and down, after that they had robbed and spoiled her of all she had, and threatned to hang her, unlesse she would tell them of her Plate and money, who was yet won∣derfully preserved, their inhumane using of her, and barbarous usage of some other maids, and wives in the Town in private places, in fields, and in Woods, the Trees, the timber, and the stones, we hope will one day be a witnesse against them, for some of them being destracted at this day.

Alice Greg the reverend late Minister of Boltons widow stripped to her smocke, nay she having two smockes on, they tooke one of them, and left her scarce old rags to cover her nakednesse.

But the principall stain of all this their cruelty, as is reported, was set off by that Strange Earle his ignoble, nay base killing of valiant Captain Bootle after quarter given, besides whom, and Capt. Horrocke, we lost no Commander of note: but they lost (as is confessed) a Colonel, a Lieute∣nant

Colonel, and divers other Commanders, and persons of good quality; whether their losse or ours was greater for soldiers, is somewhat question∣able, so many of ours escaped, and so many of theirs were buried by them, partly in obscure places, and a great many of note by them lie buried in the Chancell of the Church: Of their and our side, it is conceived there was slain about 1200. or 1500. in all. Only this one thing more they may boast of in their bloody zeale, For the worst of Causes that ever was de∣fended by English spirits, that they left almost threescore poore widdows husbandlesse, and hundreds of poore Children fatherlesse, and a sweet god∣ly place, a nest of Owles, and a den of Dragons, almost without inhabi∣tant, only a few women and children are the remnant left, without bit to eate, bed to lie on almost, or a cup to drink in, or any meanes of subsi∣stence in the world: So that we may well conclude with Jeremiah, Iam. 1. 12. Was ever sorrow like to my sorrow, Is it nothing to you, O yee that passe by? &c.

Oh England! Oh Heaven! Oh Earth! Beare witnesse of our calamity: Oh London! And all ye places yet freed from our sorrows, think on the day of your peace with thankfulnesse; of our trembling and trouble with compassion: And oh all ye Christians and people of the Land! Let bleed∣ing, dying, undone Bolton bespeak one thing at the hands of all sorts. Take heed of security, and your own divisions, lay aside your own ends, spirits, interests, ingagements, dissentions, and distractions; and first la∣bour to carry on Gods work, in the subduing of these cursed Edomites, and Amalekites, devoted unto destruction by the hand of heaven, or else look with Bolton, to taste of the same cup of trembling, which the Lord, the God of Hosts in his due time take out of all our hands, and fill up with the measure of our bloody enemies sins, the measure of their plagues, which the just God will in due time return upon them for this and all their cru∣elty; That King, Parliament, and People may once more rejoyce in the due settlement of truth and peace in our dayes, and glory may still dwell in our Land; Which God grant for Christs sake, Amen.

FINIS.