Memoires of the lives, actions, sufferings & deaths of those noble, reverend and excellent personages that suffered by death, sequestration, decimation, or otherwise, for the Protestant religion and the great principle thereof, allegiance to their soveraigne, in our late intestine wars, from the year 1637 to the year 1660, and from thence continued to 1666 with the life and martyrdom of King Charles I / by Da. Lloyd ...

THE Life and Death OF Sir CHARLES LUCAS.

HAD not his Ancestor Sir Giles Lucas appeared in the Roll of the Essex Gentry, made 12 Hen. 6. 1433. nor his Kinsman Thomas Lucas Esq been Secretary and Coun∣sellor to Iasper Duke of Bedford and Earl of Pembroke 1385. had there not been a succession of Knights and Squires, Sheriffs and Justices of that County for eleven Kings Reigns; had he not been Brother to the most Illustrious Princess Margaret Dut∣chess of New-Castle, a Lady admired in this Age, and to be un∣derstood in the next, which will be convinced by her that there is no Sex in the minde; and that the delicate Piece of the Creati∣on we call Woman (having a Male-soul as well as we) was not only made for dalliance; And to the Right Honorable thea 1.1 Lord Lucas, the great instance of a learned, wise, and sober Nobility, who intending with Horse and Arms to wait on his Majesty in the North, Aug. 22. 1642. was discovered, surprized, plundered to a great value, carryed to London and imprisoned there till he gave 40000l. Bail to appear upon summons, and not to depart London without leave. One of the first that suffered for his Loyalty in his Country, and one of the forwardest (when he arrived at Oxford) where he was made Baron Lucas of Shenfield, Ian. 3. 1644. 20 Car. I. in asserting it by sober Counsel, and by a well-guided Arms in others.

Sir Charles Lucas had worth enough to raise a Family himself,

being theb 1.2 first that entred the breach at Breda the last Siege, when Cornet of Horse to Sir Io. Coniers in the Low-Countries; where the sweet generosity of his nature to all men (his soul being universalized) especially those of his own noble disposition (there one might have seen running 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, and he would ever have emptied his soul into theirs. The greatness of his spirit, whose soul came into the world (as the Chaldee Oracle phraseth it) 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, cloathed with a great deal of minde. more impregnated than others with rich notions, which by way of Theory he comprehended exactly from books, and by way of practice from experience and observation, together with his pru∣dent reach, unwearied patience, close watchfulness, setled inte∣grity, circumspect activity, advantageous temperance, and good conversation, gained the repute of the best Commander of Horse in the world; in which capacity he had the Command of a Colonel in the Shew, as he called it, against Scotland; and of General of Horse in the real War against the English, and that in the North assist∣ing the Earls of Cumberland and Newcastle, to form an Army where the best Horse were to be raised; from whence after some notable defeats of the Lord Fairfax, which some said were remembred at Colchester, he carryed 2000. Horse to assist his Majesty, with whom we finde him eminent both for his direction and execution about the hill near Newbery and E••born-Heath, which he maintain∣ed with one Regiment well disposed and lined with Musqueteers, and a Drake, with small shot against the gross of E••••ex his Army•• the Leading-man of which he Pistolled himself in the Head of hi•• Troop, giving close fire himself, and commanding others to do the like. After this first battel of Newbery, and his recovery fro•• his seven wounds received there, being at Cawood Castle, when it was assaulted, with extraordinary skill and valor he forced his way through the enemies quarters to such places as he thought convenient, with such confidence and magnanimity, that his ve¦ry name became a terror in the North, raising by the very Alarm three Sieges, and reducing two strong Garrisons.

Atc 1.3 Marston-Moor being commanded to lead the Kings Left Wing against the Parliaments Right, consisting of Fairfax his Troops and Scots, he routed them for two miles together with a violent Charge; and afterwards saved most of those that were saved in that fatal battel, making it his business to pick up a Re∣giment of Veteranes, (saying, He must make much of a Souldier, for he was long in the making; and not one in twenty lived to it.)

At Newark he gave as great a proof of his good Discipline, as he did of his personal Valor; strict, though not severe in his Com∣mands, being none of those that reckoned it the very spirit of Po∣licy and Prudence, where men refuse to come up to Orders and Law, to make Orders and Law come down to them; and for their so doing have this infallible Recompence, that they are not at all the more loved, but much the less feared: and which is a sure con∣sequence of it, accordingly respected. Disobedience, if complied with, is infinitely incroaching, and having gained one degree of

Liberty upon indulgence, will demand another upon claim.

Free in his rewards to persons of desert and quality; very zea∣lous on all occasions against the Rebellion, being usually known to deliver himself in these words, That he preferred the style of Loy∣alty before any Dignity earth could confer upon him. In his Charge serious and vigilant: remiss in nothing that might expedite or improve his dispatch in Affairs of Government; as compassionate as couragious, never killing the man he durst spare, and very ready at all times to afford what himself could not receive, Free∣quarter; to which I need adde only his brave and successeful At∣tempt in the famous march from Berkley Castle with part of his Regiment between Slym-bridge and Bev••rston Castle, upon Col. Massies Garrisons, with his incomparable Gallantry at Tidbury, his brave answer at Berkley Castle at the refusal of two summons, viz. That he would eat Horse-flesh ••irst, and Mans-flesh when that was done, before he would yield.

But having trod many uncouth parts for his Majesties restituti∣on, and breaking his Parol with the General, upon good advic•• (had before to satisfie his Conscience in that point) he formed an hopeful Association among the Gentlemen of his own Country, (the beginning whereof was indeed so distracted, that he advised them to retire quietly to their own homes, until they had a fairer opportunity) who intreated him to command them (promising to live and die with him one and all) as he did, securing them on all hands by a party of choice Horse from the Incursions of the Enemy; and disposing them in Quarters most for their advan∣tage and safety all along, till (taking the Earl of Warwicks House and Arms in his way) they came from Burnt-wood to Colchester, which shutting the gates against him, he reduced with his very ap∣pearance, and when the next day begirt, he entertained the Ene∣mies whole Army with such Conduct and Resolution in the hedges, and Suburbs round the Town, that had they all fallied out as he advised them, they had (as some Prisouers acknow∣ledged) bidden fair for the overthrow of that whole Army. But the enemy falling next day to form a Leaguer, he (considering there was no marching out of the Country about, being Champi∣on ground, wherein for want of Horse they would be instantly cut off) Victualled and furnished the Town in spight of the Army from thea 1.4 Stores and Countrey adjoyning; and made its ruines above belief defensible (to give time to other Countreys, while the Army was there to Associate, expecting the Northern relief) and likewise to weather the Army its self by hard duty, unsea∣sonable weather, and continual sallies, sending out some excel∣lent Persons to countenance the Levy of more Forces in other Countries, and keep intelligence, from whom several small par∣ties came in through the Leaguer: and ordering all the Town Arms into the Magazine, and listing the Towns-men into Com∣panies.

Iuly 7. Sir Charles and Sir George Lisle made a grand Sally, that cleared one side of the Leaguer, Streets, Hills, Hedges and all, to

the loss of near a thousand six hundred killed, several stealing into the Town, and many running home.

Iuly 12. Sir Charles took care for a convenient distribution of the Provision left among thea 1.5 Towns-people and Souldiers, and of Declarations to be sent into Kent and Essex, and to the Army, pro∣mising from his Majesty, Arrears; and Indemnity to such as laid down their Armes, or would joyn with them towards the Peace and Settlement of the Kingdom.

Iuly 29. Sir Charles advised that the Horse should break out through the Leaguer towards the North, but in vain, the false Towns-men, that should make their way as Pioneers, deserting them.

August 17. He and the Lord Capell, in a Letter to the General, desired twenty days respite, to inform themselves about their in∣tended Relief; and that being denied, the Relief failing, the great Northern Army beaten, their Ammunition spent to a Barrel and a half of Powder, and their Provision to two Horses and one Dog, the whole Kingdom stupid, and Sir Charles his admirable over∣ture (after a general protestation, that they would not accept of dishonorable terms, nor desert one another) of a general Sally to perish nobly, or honorably Relieve themselves, being (when all things were ready to a minute for the executing of it) defeated, yielded; and by the Generals order retired to the Kings-head, till Sir Charles was sent for, with Sir George Lisle, Colonel Farre, and Sir Bernard Gascoin, to a Councel of War, by which he was Con∣demned to dye immediately: Sir Charles askingb 1.6 Ireton, By what authority? and being answered, By a Vote of a Council of War, ground∣ed on an Order of Parliament, by which Order all that were found in Arms were to be proceeded against as Traytors: Replied, Alas! you deceive your selves, make us Tray••ors, you cannot, but we are Conquered, and must be what you please to make us; and desired time to prepare him∣self till the morrow. Which being refused, telling them he desired it not out of any desire of life, or fear of death, for (said he) I scorn to ask my my life at your hands, but settle hisc 1.7 Soul and Estate, He told them, he should be quickly ready, as after a most heavenly Pray∣er he was, saying, He had often looked death in the face, and now they should see he durst dye. Adding (when he had pulled down his Hat, opened his Breast, the dwelling of Courage and Loyalty, and set his Hands to his Side) I am ready for you, now Rebels do your worst; whereat, being shot in four places, he fell down immediately dead.

Notes

• a 1.1

  Wose Loyalty cost him at Gold∣smiths-Hall 3634 l. as Sir Rob. Lucas of Lexton Essex did 0637. Tim. Lucas of ••en∣thon in Lin∣coln Esq 0750 I. Sir Charles Lu∣cas 0508 I. Jo•• Lucas of Devon 0325I.
• b 1.2

  〈…〉〈…〉 ap∣••ean in the H••ad of the Army.
• c 1.3

  Where he was taken Prisoner.
• a 1.4

  Sir Cha••les gi∣v••ng out of his t••nderness to his Country, special order to drive nones Cattel, but known ene∣mies.
• a 1.5

  Toward whom, as his Town.-to••n people, Sir Charles ••as very tender and mercyful.
• b 1.6

  That brought the sad news.
• c 1.7

  That he might not go out of the world with all his sins about him.