Souldiers.

The ABBOT of BATTLE. He is a pregnant Proof, that one may leave no Name, and yet a good Memory behind him. His Christian or Surname cannot be recovered out of our* Chronicles, which hitherto I have seen; But take his worth as followeth:

King Richard the second in the beginning of his Reign was in Nonage, and his Coun∣cil, some will say, in Dotage, leaving the Land and Sea to defend themselves, whilst they indulged thir private Factions.

This invited the French to invade this County, where they did much mischief, Plun∣dering (the Thing was known in England before the Name) the people thereof, and carrying away captive the Prior of Lewes; And no wonder, if our Abbot was startled therewith, seeing it may pass for a Proverb in these parts.

Wherefore (though no Sheriff) he got together (as well as he might) the Posse Co∣mitatus, and puting it in as good a posture of defence as the time would permit, march∣ed to Winchelsey and fortified it.

Some condemned him herein, it being incongruous for a Clergy-man to turn Soul∣dier. They objected also, that he ought to have expected Orders from Above, doing Rectum but not Rectè, for want of a Commission.

Others commended him, to save and preserve, being the most proper Performance of a Spirituall Person. That, in Hostes Publicos omnis Homo Miles. That though it be high Treason for any to Fight a Foe in a Set field without Command from the Su∣preme power, yet one may (if he can) repell a Rout of Armed Thieves invading a Land, the first being the fittest Time for such a Purpose, the Occasion it self giving (though no express) an Implicite Commission for the same. This Abbot used rather the Shield then the Sword, being only on the Defensive side.

Well, the French followed the Abbot, and besieged him in the Town of Winchelsey. In Bravado they dared him to send out one, two, three, four or more, to try the Mastery in fight, to be encountred with an equal number; But the Abbot refused to retail his men out in such Parcels, alledging, that he was a spiritual person, not to challenge but only defend.

Then the French let fly their great Guns, and I take it to be the first and last time, they were ever planted by a Forreign Enemy on the English Continent, and then roared so •…ud, that they lost their voice, and have been (blessed be God) silent ever since.

The Enemy perceiving that the Country came in fast upon them, and suspecting they should be surrounded on all sides, were fain to make for France as fast as they could, leaving the Town of Winchelsey behind them, in the same form and fashion wherein they found it.

I behold this Abbot as the Saver not onely of Suffex, but England. For as Dogs, who have once gotten an Haunt to worry sheep, do not leave it off till they meet with their reward: So, had not these French felt the smart as well as the sweet of the English Plunder, our Land, (and this County especially,) had never been free from their incursions. All this happened in the raign of King Richard the second, Anno Domini 13...

Sir WILLAM PELHAM Knight, was a Native of this County, whose ancient and wealthy Family hath long flourished at Laughton therein. His Prudence in Peace, Page  107 and Valour in War, caused Queen Elizabeth to imploy him in Ireland, where he was by the Privy Council, appointed Lord Chief Justice to govern that Land, in the in∣terim betwixt the death of Sir William Drury, and the coming in of Arthur Gray Lord Lieutenant of Ireland.

Say not that he did but stop a Gap for a twelve-month at the most; seeing it was such a GAP, Destruction had entred in thereat to the final ruine of that Kingdome, had not his Providence prevented it. For in this juncture of time, Desmund began his Rebellion 1579. inviting Sir William to* side with him, who wisely gave him the Hear∣ing with a Smile into the Bargain. And although our Knight (for want of force) could not cure the wound, yet he may be said to have washed and kept it clean, resigning it in a recovering condition to the Lord Gray, who succeeded him. Afterwards he was sent over into the Low-Countries 1586▪ being Commander of the English Horse therein: and my* Author saith of him, Brabantiam persultabat, He leaped-through Brabant; Importing Celerity and Success, yea as much Conquest, as so sudden an expedition was capable of. I suspect he survived not long after, meeting no more mention of his Mar∣tial Activity.