Mercurius Rusticus, or, The countries complaint of the barbarous outrages committed by the sectaries of this late flourishing kingdom together with a brief chronology of the battels, sieges, conflicts, and other most remarkable passages, from the beginning of this unnatural war, to the 25th of March, 1646.

Mercurius Rusticus, &c. (Book 5)

V. (Book 5)

The Cathedral Church of Peterborough Robbed, de∣fac'd and spoil'd by Cromwel and his Schismatical adherents, &c.

COuld we sooner have produced a certain, and full relation of the observable circumstances about the ruines and desolations of the sometimes flourishing, though now demolished Cathedral of Peterborough, the same might justly have challenged to have been inserted before this time and place, both in respect of the dignity of the Ancient, Re∣ligious and Royal Founders, the same of the irre∣ligious and unworthy defacers, the admirable vicis∣situde of its own condition, and reasons of its Fa∣tal doom, having suffered not so much by the fury of the Danes, because a rich Monastery, as by the zeal of Cromwel, because an Episcopal See: and (if his knowlege reached so high) for that it had been so much and often honoured by the Princes of this Nation in several ages.

When Peada the first Christian King of the Mer∣cians to propagate the faith of Christ, laid the foun∣dation, but had a sudden period put to his life and pious intentions by his unnatural and wicked Mo∣ther, Wolpher his Brother, albeit at first averse, yet afterwards a convert to Christianity, (to expire the Murder of his two Sons whom he had cruelly put to death for embracing the Gospel before him) by

the help of his Brother Ethelred, and his Sisters Kimburga, and Kinswith, having finished that work in the year of our Lord 633. Consecrated it to the memory of S. Peter (whence the place ever since hath been stiled Peterborough, which before was called Medeswel-hamsted, or Medeshamsted) and it continued for the space of two hundred and four∣teen years, in such glory, that in the Judgment of our Learned Antiquary, Monasterium fuit longè Ce∣lebratissimum, till the Danes massacred the Monks and destroyed that place of Devotion, which was after an 108. years restored to its former state, by Ethelwould Bishop of Winchester, asisted by King Edger and Adulph his Chancellour, about the years of our Lord 960. in which it remained, until co∣vetous Sacrilege began to get the upper hand of wel-meaning charity in his Reign, who was as fit∣ly, as truely said to have had Ingentes virtutes, nee minora vitia, though at the undoing of its Kindred, this had least reason to complain, being then ad∣vanced to a Bishops See; But this third woe hath so much disfigured that Majesty which till then this building retained in its fore-front, this Cromwel hath so far out-vied in acts of Piety his Precedent, that Cromwel in Henry the 8. time, this place hath now suffered in so great a manner for its Loyalty, as that we know not where to enter upon the narra∣tion of the same, except at the great West-win∣dow (where his Soldiers made their first breach and entrance) which was adorned with such variety of Ecclesiastical History, as will evidence them to be deformers of that through-Reformation in our blessed Queens time of happy memory, whom not∣withstanding they so highly cryed up. From thence they presently hurried to the Choire, where as soon

as they had broken open the doors, they, accord∣ing to their trade and custom in other places, fell on tearing in pieces the Books of Divine service, and sacred Anthems, yea (which may seem more strange) they were so hot against Preaching or hearing Sermons, that all the seats of the Auditours were plucked up and the Pulpit, the place of the Divine Oracle, and the Book seat pulled down with that black-mouthed cry, Down with that Throne of Antichrist, down with it even to the ground. And when their zeal had driven them, to that height of impiety, that some standers by could not behold it without great reluctancy, which moved one of them to request Cromwel that he would please to stay his Soldiers from further defacing and ruining that place, all the satisfaction he could get, was but a provocation to further mischief, replying, that his Gods were a pulling down, and when the other answered that the God he served was beyond the reach of Soldiers, Cromwel told him that they did God good service in that action, as if even in these days were fulfilled that prophecy of our Saviour, John 16.2. The time is coming whosoever doth the greatest Mischief will think he serveth God. But observe the wages that divine Justice repayed one of them for their work, which may testifie how he accepted of the same; When they had demolished the Choire, the East-end was the next they aimed at, where one espying in the roof right over the Communion-Table, our Saviour pourtraied, coming in glory with his holy Angels, and at the 4. corners, 4. Evangelists (none of which they will endure, as knowing how opposite they are unto them) he charged his Mus∣quet to shatter them down, but by the rebound of his own shot, was struck blind; If he did his God

good thereby, he did himself an ill turn, his wick∣edness falling on his own pate; He laid a long while in a woful condition, and never recovered his former sight: His life by Gods mercy was re∣preived, that he might repent, but he was surely scourged, that he might take notice, there is pun∣ishment for Sacrilege, and bear witness of that truth unto his fellows, although he found more savour than Calisthenes, who attempting to burn the temples by setting fire on the Gates, was for that act himself burned: or Alcimus, who whilst he was pulling the house of God down, was struck with a Palsie, and dyed in torment. Some would have thought, that that remarkable judgment over∣taking him so on the sudden, sufflaminated their running on, and that striking of him blind, should have opened their eyes. But let favour be shewed to the wicked, yet they will not learn righteous∣ness, in the land of uprightness will they deal un∣justly, and will not behold the Majesty of the Lord; But Lord, when thy hand is lifted up, they will not see, as thou foretoldest by thy Prophet Esay 26.10.11.13. it should come to pass, When other Lords besides thee have dominion over us; They were not at all deterred, neither left any ways un∣attempted to get down that roof, which ladders failed, they cut the Bell-ropes (wich if rightly ap∣plyed, might have curred their itch) to eke out their tackling, till they reached it with their Poleaxes, and brake down the carved works. Psal. 7.4. Afterwards espying the rare structure of Stone∣works over the Altar, admired by all travellers for the excellent artifices, which was no ways guil∣ty of superstitious workmanship, they made all of it rubbish, breaking up also the rails of which they

compiled bone-fires, tumbling the Communion-Table over and over, they were also so offended with all memorials of the dead (knowing themselves in the number of those whose memories at the best shall perish as if they had never been) that not one Monument in the Church escaped undefaced, no not of the pious benefactors, (whose accusation was sufficient, they had done good to the Church) not those two fair Tombs of Katharine Queen Dow∣ager of Spain, the Repudiate of King Henry the 8th. and Mary albeit Queen of Scots. It was so great a crime to have been Queens, the marble walls, and guards of irons wherewith they were surrounded and incircled could not preserve them in repose from all their miseries, but they would add this one unto the rest, to lay the Emblems of their honours in the dust, pulling away the herse of black velvet, and carrying away whatsoever was vendible: When their unhallowed toylings had made them out of wind, they took breath afresh on two pair of Or∣gans, piping with the very same about the Market place, lascivious Jiggs, whilst their Comrades dan∣ced after them, some in the Coaps, others with the Surplices, and down they brake the Bellows to blow the coals of their further mischief, and left any should ring auke for the fire they had make, they left the Bells speechless, taking out their clap∣pers, which they sold with the Brass they flaied from the graven stones, and the Tin and Iron from other parts of the Church and Chappels be∣longing thereto, which were many and richly a∣dorned, but the Daughters faired no better than their Mother; there was not suffered any window to remain unshattered, or remarkable place in them unruined, their intent being to leave those conse∣crated

walls as a room fitted for vermin to nestle in, or which was worse for Cap. Ashwell to exer∣cise his Soldiers in, where while he was in town, he made his Rendezvous, and when they went a∣way, set fire on some part of the wood-work, to have burnt the remainder down, if it had not time∣ly been discovered; Neither did the Cloysters at∣tending, scape better than those they were made to wait upon, though these both in their roof and glazing might be compared with the chiefest Ca∣thedrals, the first square being beautified with the History of the Old Testament, the second of the New, the third shewed the whole relation of those by whom the Church was builded, the fourth pre∣sented us with all the Effigies of our Kings since William the Conquerour: But it seems; those unrea∣sonable and wicked men, care for scripture, and Princes, and Pious Monuments all alike, their wide throats were as open Sepuclhres, their Sacri∣legious appetites (being yet unsatisfied with de∣vouring) must needs swallow up the Lands apper∣taining to that Church, to whith that they might pretend the juster title, they broke open the Char∣ter-house, Plundered away the great Charter, all the Evidences, leases, and other writings belong∣ing thereunto, manifesting their parties desires to have all Estates of others, to come, and be at their arbitrary disposals, and they unto whom in right they are due, to lie as these places and Persons at this day, Mourning in Sack-cloth and Ashes.