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.

II.

Sir Hen. Audley's house Plundered: Variety of Inso∣lencies committed by the Rabble of Essex, upon M. Laud, M. Honifold, M. Stevens, and M. Symmons, Ministers. The Countess of Rivers Plundered to the value of 100000. Pounds, &c.

THe last weeks Mercurius told you of the Plun¦dring of Sir John Lucas his House in Essex and the barbarous Insolencies practised on him and his. The Tumult was raised and made confident by Success, they go on in Triumph, and like a violent Torrent swelling above its Channel, carry all before them, and fearing no opposition, they divided themselves into several Companies, every place where they come tasts of their Fury and Madness: Some go to Sir Henry Audly's at Beere∣church, whose house they plundred of its Furniture, and his Grounds and Pastures of his Cattle.

Others go to M. Erasmus Laud, a poor Minister of Little Try, whose very name with these men was a Crime and reason enough to expose him to their Rage: Guilty he was of nothing but a good and honest Name, yet they spoil him of his Goods, drive away his Cattle, rob of 20 l. in Monies, his own and his Wives Cloaths, all except those upon their backs: M. Laud knowing divers of them, and knowing them to be Colchester Men, repaired thither to the Mayor for Justice, and by chance found him well circumstanced for an acti∣on

an action of that nature, both in respect of Place and Company, for he found him at the Moote-Hall, and the Aldermen his Brethren with him: Being come thither, he was so far from finding what he sought for, Justice, that he was not permitted to make his complaint, M. Cole, one of the Alder∣men telling him openly, that they knew him and his Cause, he was the Minister of Try that was Plundred the day before, but they had other Busi∣ness in hand and he must be gone, for they could not hear him.

Others of them went to M. Honifold, a Batchelor in Divinity, and near 70 years of age, dwelling in Colchester, there they rifle his House of all its Fur∣niture, take away his Bonds, Bills, and Evidences, leave not a Shelf behind them, nor a Pin to hang a Hat on. The good old Man, thinking that Spoil and Robbery had been as punishable now as when he was a young Man, and not knowing that the pretending defenders of the Law had banished all Law out of the Kingdom, went to crave the Mayors assistance, to restore his Goods and punish the Offenders. Alderman Cole, the Fulk of Col∣chester being present, told him, that he wondred he would offer to come abroad being a Man so much hated, and so rated him away. In his return, a multitude of Boys and rude People throng about him, and prosecute him through the streets with Exclamations and Outcries: Nor do they stay here, their hands second their tongues, throwing stones and dirt at him. So little did either the hoary Head and venerable old Age, or the privi∣ledg of his sacred Function afford him protection from the inraged multitude: Many see him, some pity him, but none dare own him or take him into

protection, lest they should divert this swelling tide of popular fury from the good old Man, and draw it on themselves; at last bowels of compassion yearn on him, a Kinsman of his emboldened, what by the urgency of Nature, and the constraint of Charity, opens his doors to afford him shelter from this storm, but all in vain; like so many Bears robbed of their Whelps they double their rage, the multitude threaten to pull down the house unless the prey be delivered up unto them: The good old Man seeing the inexorableness of his per∣secutors, to make a full return of the kindness which he found, resolves rather to expose his own Person as the subject of their fury, than his Kins∣mans house: and so he did, for out he goes unto them, and now having retrieved the Game, they pursue him with a high advanced din and confused clamour: At last when all other means to escape their fury failed, he made a voluntary captivity his safety, and took the Common Gaol for his Sanctuary.

Having thus thrown Master Honifold into Pri∣son, not so much the Ignominy of the place where they had lodged him, or saciety of contempt of Gods Minister which they had cast upon him, as the want of more day-light, sets an end to this days Frenzie. They part for the present, but resolve to meet next morning; and so they do, a day or two are too scanty to act their boundless malice. Being met, their next plundering expedition is to the Countess of Rivers house at S. Osyth, a rich prize: There they enter the House, and being entred, they pull down, cut in pieces, and carry away her costly Hangings, Beds, Couches, Chairs, and the whole Furniture of her House, rob her of her

Plate and Monies: They tear down her Wainscot, Leads, and Windows, they leave not a Door, nor so much as a Bar of a Window behind them. The Countess with her Family, forewarned of their in∣tentions to come thither, made an escape, and re∣tired to her House at Melford in Suffolk: Thither within a day or two they pursue her, Essex is too narrow to bound the madness of the Essex Schisma∣ticks; in Suffolk they meet with some that are as mad as themselves: Few Counties (the more is the pity) but can yield Companions in such Outrages. From thence she hardly escapes with her life: she abandons her House, and leaves it to the mercy of these new ministers of new Justice, who not only rifle the House, but make strict search for her Person. And that you may guess what spiri∣tual men they were, and likewise in what danger this Honourable Person was in, they express them∣selves in this rude unchristian language, That if they found her, they would try what flesh she had. From whence she fled to St. Edmunds-Bury, where the Gates were shut against her an hour at least; at length she was suffered to lodge there that night, and next day with a strong Guard she was convey∣ed out of Town, and so keeping her self as pri∣vate as she could, made an escape to London. Her losses at both her Houses, were valued at an Hun∣dred thousand pounds at least, though some that knew the rich Furniture that adorned both, affirm it to be no less than an Hundred and fifty thou∣sand pounds, besides her Parks in both places were utterly spoiled. One of these Plunderers, whose name was Bowyer, was apprehended in London selling some of these Goods in the very act, and for this committed to Newgate as a Felon, two of the

Countes's Servants entring into Recognizance to give in Evidence against him for the King, but up∣on his Petition to the House of Commons, it was ordered he should be discharged without paying any Fees, which was done accordingly. And 'twas but an oversight that his prosecutors had not been laid in his place, and publick thanks decreed him for his zeal to the Cause.

Mr. Stevens, Parson of South-Hamfield in Essex, hearing that the Plunderers of that County were coming on him, took Horse and fled, and so saved both himself and his Horse, for he knew that both were sought after. The Father being fled, the Children left to their own providence, bethink how to secure those little pieces of Plate which each had received from the bounty of their Godfathers and Godmothers; neither time nor ac∣quaintance could give them latitude of much choice where to hide it, and thinking any place safer than their own House, they run to a poor Woman their Neighbour, and there with her they deposite their whole Treasure. When the Plunderers came and found that the Birds were flown, having intelli∣gence, or as some say, but suspecting that the poor Womans house might hide Mr. Stevens his Goods, they go to her House and demand them: The Wo∣man denies that she hath any of Mr. Stevens his Goods: hereupon one of the Plunderers strikes her on the head with a Club with such violence, that her Brains came out at her Nostrils. The poor Woman being thus murthered, the bloody Mur∣therers insult over her, and say, that the just hand of God was upon her, for lying against her know∣ledg, and denying those parcels of Mr. Stevens his Goods that were in her possession: so usual a

thing it is with these men to blaspheme God, and intitle him to all those wickednesses which they commit on others.

Mr. Edward Symmons, Parson of Rayne in Essex, in the Months of June and July, 1642, Preached against the sin of Rebellion and Disobedience, and against traducing the King, slandering the foot∣steps of Gods Anointed, and refused to promote the Civil-War (then begun) by stirring up the Peo∣ple to contribute Money, Plate, and Horses to the maintenance of so unnatural, so destructive a Di∣vision, as most of the Ministers of those parts did. This as it was more remarkable in him, so it was more heinously taken from him, in regard of his former intimate acquaintance with Mr. Stephen Marshal, Parson of Finchingfield in Essex, the great Incendiary of this unhappy War, and had given him the right hand of Fellowship: Hereupon he was sent for to the House of Commons by a Pur∣sevant, and was told, That he being an Honest Man (but of a different judgment from the Sence and Vote of the House) did more prejudice to the good Cause in hand, than a hundred Knaves, and therefore would suffer accordingly: Which saying since that time, hath been plentifully made good, and veri∣fied in many particular Oppressions and Sufferings, unjustly inflicted on him and his whole Family.

First, He was Imprisoned and most illegally deprived of his Liberty, for no other cause, but because he would not, contrary to the dictate of Religion, and his own Conscience, countenance and promote an accursed Rebellion against his gracious Sovereign.

Secondly, He was referr'd after to the Commit∣tee for Scandalous Ministers, thereby to blast his

Credit and Reputation in his Ministery: a most diabolical and divelish Course, and a work of him who is the accuser of the Brethren, to defame honest Orthodox Ministers with the odious name of Scan∣dalous and Malignants, though made so neither by error in Doctrin, Wickedness of life, or Debauch∣ness of conversation, but by the malignity of a Vote, knowing, that by this means, such Ministers do∣ctrines and Testimonies will be of little or no cre∣dit afterward with the vulgar: for had it been Scan∣dal in a true and proper sense, which they indea∣voured to take away out of the Church, they would never have brought over his head, so scandalous, so infamous a man to be Lecturer in his Cure as they did: for to the wounding of Mr. Simmons his Soul, and the indangering the Souls of his Parishoners, one Lemuel Tuke is appointed Lecturer in Master Simmons his Church, a man by education a Weaver, and that had not so much as saluted either Univer∣sity, yet while men slept he intruded into a Cure of Souls in Nottinghamshire, from which ever since 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the Parliament began he hath been a Nonresident: for not long after the sitting of this Parliament, his Parishoners framed a Bill against him to the Lower House, Articling against him, not only as negli∣gent, but insufficient in his calling: Nay they ac∣cuse him of no less than Barretry and Battery, Drunkenness and Whordom, and some such other sins, which in the judgment of all honest men, make a man truly and properly scandalous: yet this man thus Articled against to the House of Commons as Scandalous, is thought worthy to be substituted as a Coadjutor in Mr. Simmons his Cure, who only was voted Scandalous, because not Rebellious: so that all the World may judge what it is to be scan∣dalous

in this new sense, To honour the King, and to live in obedience to the established orders of the Church.

Thirdly, having preached that it was unlawful to take up Arms against the King, and contrary to the Doctrine of the Scriptures to contribute to a War a∣gainst him, in opposition to Lemuel Tuke, who la∣boured to poison his People with Sedition and Re∣bellion, affirming openly, that in some Cases it was lawful not only to Resist, but (which I tremble to relate) to kill the King; instancing in the ex∣ample of Athaliah, 2 King. 11. yet the said Tuke is countenanced and encouraged, whereas Master Simmons for asserting the Truth, was summoned be∣fore the Committee, there to answer as a Delin∣quent: who was so far from a Retractation, that he justified the Doctrine: which he did so fully, that one of the Committee was convicted of it, yet as he himself did, so he would have Master Simmons to withold that Truth in unrighteousness: for Sir Thomas Barrington (who was the man) confessed that it was a Truth and a Divine Truth, yet not fit to be preached at all times, no not by those that were intrusted with it by God himself, no though it might be in some danger of Impeachment. At last being charged to preach no more such Doctrine, and putting in bail, by the Committee he is per∣mitted to return to his charge. But behold what it is to be voted a Delinquent, or a scandalous Mi∣nister by the Committee; it is to be put out of the protection of the Law, and exposed to the fury of the people: for on his return Oath is made before a Justice of Peace, that at Halstead in Essex it was concluded that an hundred men from Cogshall and Colchester side (some of that Crew that

plundered Sir John Lucas his house) should suddenly surprize Mr. Simmons in his house, Plunder his goods, and cut off his person as one not fit to live, because he was (as they said) against the Parliament: But by the good providence of God this Conspiracy was discovered and prevented.

Fourthly, they oppressed him in his State, for after his return home, seeing the necessity of op∣posing that inundation of wickedness which was overflowing his Charge, and pressed earnestly in conscience according to his duty and place, to labour to undermine that throne of Satan which by the Luxation of the nerves and sinews of Government was like to be set up both there and in all parts of the Kingdom, he bent himself in his Sermon chiefly against the prevailing sins of the time, as Lying and Slandering, Rebellion and Treason, Pride and Oppression, Malice and Cru∣elty: yet these Sermons by his malicious enemies were interpreted little better than Libells against the Parliament: and upon Information given he was sent for up, three or four times, to the Lower House, to his very great charge and trouble, tho when he came to London he was never called to answer to the Accusation. And because he re∣fused to contribute voluntarily to the maintenance of the Rebellion, his malicious Neighbours resol∣ved to extort it from him in a seeming legal way: for in the rates made for the Royal Sub∣sidy, they raised him far beyond his just propor∣tion, and therefore in the first rate, they seized him twice as much, and in the second almost thrice as much as themselves; and contrived their business so cunningly, that they caused him to be sent for up to the Parliament while these things

were in doing, and returned rates in to the Ex∣chequer in his absence, that so he might not have the opportunity, by complaint of a just grievance, to relieve himself.

Lastly, having by most unjust vexations exhau∣sted his Estate, and drained his purse: without hearing his defence indeed without further sum∣moning him to appear, they sequester his Parson∣age and Glebe, and Tyth, and put one Robert Atkins a stranger into Cure; and as they put his Livelyhood into a strangers hands, so they put his life into the power of his Enemies, who are authorized to apprehend him, and carry him Pri∣soner to Cambridg: but upon Intimation given, he withdrew himself, and leaving all to the mer∣cy of his Enemies, was forced by flight to secure his Person.

And here by the way give me leave to observe one thing to the Courteous Reader, and it is the Reason which was alledged in the sequestration of Mr. Simmons his Parsonage, and indeed is ge∣nerally used in all these sequestrations, and it is, For the better supply of an able and godly man in the said Church: I would they could tell us where we should find these two Epithites Able and Godly to meet in any one of those which they have sub∣stituted in the Revenues and imployments of those Orthodox Divines, which they have banished from their Cures and families: do but survey the new Plantations which they have made, and you will think that Jereboams Priests were risen again from the dead, the lowest and basest of the Peo∣ple: for while honest, learned, and conscientious men could not suffer themselves to be made the base instruments to corrupt and seduce the Igno∣rant

multitudes to comply with the reasonable pra∣ctices of the heads of this Rebellion, it was neces∣sary to seek out and invite such of the Clergy into their Party, whom either want of Merit, or want of Honesty, had left destitute of Means; and when Orthodox Men are displaced or driven away, and such Trencher Chaplains put in their places, we may easily guess what work is in hand, even the alteration of the Government: For while they are so earnest both to Preach and Print that other Forms of Government are God's Ordinance as well as Monarchy, they will in time go on to un∣dervalue Monarchy in comparison of the rest: But to leave my Diversion, and to return to Mr. Sim∣mons.

His Living Sequestrated, and his Person exposed to the licence of his veriest Enemies, but he with∣drawing himself from this Storm, and being out of their reach, they reek their malice on his poor Wife and Children, and his aged Father: They threaten to beat down the House about their Ears, unless they would yield possession to Mr. Atkins, His Father, for cutting down three Trees on the Glebe for necessary uses, and an honest Parisho∣ner for loving Mr. Simmons, and plowing his Land, were most maliciously handled, and sent for up before the Committee in the Exchequer Chamber: And when after all these Threats and Oppressions they still keep possession of the Parsonage House, having no place else wherein to put their Heads, at last, May the 15, Watt Tyler, I mean Watt Long, whom some call Colonel Long, came with some Troops of Horse, and cast his whole Family out of Doors, his aged Father, his Wife and three Children, the eldest but seven years old, and his

Servants; and so gave possession of the House to Mr. Atkins.

He that desires to be better satisfied concerning this faithful Minister of God, and what raised this Persecution against him, let him have recourse to that Learned and Orthodox Book of his lately Published, called, A Loyal Subjects Belief, worthy every Mans reading, wherein he shall see a solid and satisfactory Answer to all those Arguments divulged by way of a Letter by Stephen Marshal, the great Patriarch of Rebellion, whereby he in∣deavours to maintain the Lawfulness of this pre∣sent War against the King: In which Letter you may see the true Character of a Cauterized Schis∣matick, for as if he were afraid the World should not think him sealed up to a Reprobate sense, and past all grace of Repentance; he tells us that as soon as he hath recovered his Health (much im∣paired by a hot eager prosecution of this Rebel∣lion) he intends to return (with the Dog to his Vomit) to sacrifice his strength to the service of the Cause and his Excellency, in all which, while he labours to free himself from the imputation of Madness, and apologizeth against a prevailing Report, that the horror of his guilt had distracted him, he proves himself to be madder than ever the World took him.