The Humble Petition

OR

Representation

Of M. William Harrison, Gentleman and Souldier.

To His Excellency

Sir Thomas Fairfax,

Captain Generall of the Forces

raised for the KING and

PARLIAMENT.

Together with a further Relation of the

said Mr. William Harrison, with a true disco-

very of the abundance of Treasure sent downe into

the West, and divers Persons there imployed

to raise Forces (under pretence of the Service for Ireland) to make warre

against the Army commanded

by his Excellency.

as also the desire of the Souldiery to the Com-

mittee of NORTHAMPTON.

By William Harrison Gent, Souldier under this Excellency

Sir THOMAS FAIRFAX.

Printed in the Yeare 1647.

The Humble Petition , or Representation of

Mr. William Harrison, Gentleman, and Souldier,

To his Excellency Sir THO. FAIRFAX, Captain

Generall of the Forces raised for the King

and Parliament.

May it please Your Excellency to understand, that the true cause which made me for a while to discontinue my Service in your Regiment, was upon notice given me that one Mr. Marriott had got an Execution forth against me, Who about foure yeares since did violently draw his Sword upon me, and I gave backe a little, and drew mine to defend my self. It was my fortune to wound him, and I could have killed him, but I closed with him to disarme him, at what time one Gadson a Keeper ran in, and laid hold of my haire, whereupon I was inforc'd to defend my selfe and to draw my knife, and did cut one in the face, and the others fingers, and had got them both downe, and disarmed them; for which the Committee of Northampton kept me in prison seven Moneths and thirteen dayes without Bail; but having got my liberty by the meanes of Sir Rowland St. John, and other Gentlemen that were my friends, I presently bought a brace of geldings, and came to your Excellencies Regiment, to Capt. Laurence his Troope, where I and my man did Service above a twelve-Moneth, untill I heard that my Enemy Mr. Marriot, a man of an implacable spirit, who sued my in the time of my service under your Excellency (I not knowing it) had gotten an Execution forth against me, Gadson and he being the one witnes for the other. This was about three dayes before the surrender of Oxford, at what time I lost out of my Quarters a Gelding worth (as times now are) at least 16 pound. Being very loath to become a prisoner againe, I acquainted my Captaine with my sad condition, and desired him that he would grant me a Passe to goe into Holland; hee deny'd me, but at the last did grant it. The man whom I did hurt had seven Articles of a most high Nature proved against him; and the whole Country wondred that he was not sequestred. It will be proved that he bribed a Gentleman who gave false information to the Committe. his goods were then worth two thousand pound to be proved, but he is since broke, and now lyeth in Gaole. All his goods are made away. your Petitioner hath two friends that have paid 500 pound for him. And three or foure honest men were inforced to fly their Countrey for his Debts. Many have paied 100 l. and 40. l. a Man for him.; in the meane time hee lyeth in jaole , drinketh Sack and is merrie. His sureties curse that Gentleman and their Wives and Children who mis-informed the Committee; And say that if the Committee had done right, they should have sequestred his estate, which might have helped to have paid the Souldier.

This businesse and these sufferings being out of your Petitioners way above one hundred and forty pound as hee will prove, and the onely occasion that your Petitioner to his great griefe was inforced to leave for a while the Regiment as Captain Laurence & Lieutenant Merrice can beare him witnesse, your Petitioner most humbly prayeth that your Excellence will be pleased to take him & his Petition into your consideration.

A further Relation of the Grievances of the said M. William Harrison, with a true discovery of abundance of Treasure sent downe into the West, and divers persons there imployed to raise Forces (under pretence of the Service for Ireland) to make Warre against the Army commanded by his Excellency.

HAving received a Passe for the Low-Countries, and intending to take shipping at Yarmouth, I was disswaded from it by one Master Duke, who liveth within ten miles of Yarmouth, it was at that time thought that the Scots and we should have differed; whereupon I marched North-ward, but God be thanked, it was not so; whereupon I turned to course and marched West-wards to some of my wives friends, knowing it not safe to returne to my own Countrey, my Enemy Marriot having such power with great Men in it. There I understood that Major Generall Skippon should be Field-Marshall for Ireland; whereupon I came to London, and got a friend, one Master Vickars a Wine-Merchant, to goe along with me to the Field-Marshall, and 40 men whom I had listed to goe with me into Ireland, in case that things were so setled, that the Army might disband and I receive my Arreares, but when I came to Westminster, I found that the Field-Marshall was gone to the Head-quarters at Saffron-Walden, I made bold to goe into his Parlour where I found him setting alone; and having presented my service to him, he very nobly shewed me kind respects, and asked me to whom I formerly did belong; I told him, and shewed him my Passe; whereupon he assured me, that on the next day my Captaine and Major would be in Towne, and moreover assured me, that if the Service went on, I should not want Command: I was not willing to stay there long, moneys being short, and having had no pay in eleven moneths. But the next day my Major and Captaine came, and they did me the favour, readily to consent and goe along with me unto Major Generall Skippon, whom we found very busie upon the Treatie, where Lieutenant Generall Cromwell, seeing my Captaine, imployed him upon a Message to some gentlemen in the Towne: But I staid and heard the Grievances related in the Church, having taken a resolution with my selfe, not to adventure for Ireland without the Army was satisfied and disbanded. It was my fortune presently to observe major Generall Skippon in the street, I ran after him, and once more made bold to demand of his honour how the businesse stood for Ireland? He told me, That for ought he knew, I might have as much Command there as himselfe. Whereupon I marched againe into the West, where staying for a season, I could heare but little Truth in any thing; I resolved therfore to returne to London, to understand how the Affaires stood, hoping that in so much time I should find things setle. My mis-fortune was such, that my Horse miscarried in the way, but a friend lent me another, which when i came to London, I sent downe by the Carrier. Being come into the Citie, I found a generall Melancholly and Distraction of Spirit, which made me feare a new Warre, insomuch that I could not sleepe all night; In the morning I tooke Post for the West againe, but had no warrant, and in this dispatch I continued untill I came to Marleborough, where I desired Post-Horse to ride all night, which the Post-master granted, but the Committee denyed, partly because I had no warrant, and partly because they understood i belonged to Sir Tho. Fairfax; I told them that I was very sorry that any who belonged to his Excellency should be so under-valued as not to be allowed Post-Horses for money to follow the necessary imployments. The Post told me, that the Committee was informed, that Sir Thomas Fairfax was falling off from what he was. I answered him in the heat of blood, That he was the sonne of a Whore who told him so. And so having satisfied the charges of the house, I walked forth into the street, no man regarding me, where an honest young-man, one who had been a Souldier, Thomas Slatter by name, proffered to goe along with me, and to doe me any courtesie he could for Sir Thomas Fairfax, which accordingly he did, and carrying my Cloake for me, I all that night travail'd in my Bootes, and by the next night we came into Glocestershire, and had marched on foot full fiftie miles. There I found a friend who lent me a Horse that carryed me unto other friends; being with whom, I did send for divers Gentlemen from the Counties of Gloucester, Worcester and Hereford who loved me well: And having communicated my selfe unto them, and shewed that the intent of Sir Thomas Fairfax was to restore the King to his Parliament to Gods glory and our comfort, he enjoying his Crowne and Dignitie and the Subjects their Liberties and Privileges, I found the Gentlemen so propense unto that Cause, that for so good an end I should not want for men, money, horse, or Armes, but I readily should have them.

Finding such a generall inclination, I suddenly prepared for London againe, and tooke my way to Tewksbury, and sent two messengers on foot to Stow-in-the-Old, to lodge there at the signe of the Crowne, at the house of one Dickson. They came thither on Saturday night was three weekes, and found there ten guests, seven of them seeming to be Gentlemen , and the other three to be their servants, who were directed by a special friend in private to that house. I came there on the Lord's Day in the morning, and brought with me a gentleman that was my friend: These ten being merry, and frolike with the Host of the house, he told them, That the Kings and Parliament would agree. Immediately they declared themselves to be utterly against Sir Thomas Fairfax and his Army, rayling against his Excellency in a nature too high to report, and withall affirming, That if they had came through his Army they had been all made slaves. Thereupon they confessed, they were going to Worcester to raise forces for Ireland. They had in their Port-mantle as much gold and silver as two men could easily lay upon a Horse, they could not put their hands into their pockets to pay for a quart of Wine, but they pulled forth handfulls of gold. I perceiving that this pretence of them for Ireland was onely a designe to rayse Forces against his Excellencies Army, for I knew it could not be for Ireland, I called unto me the man of the house who was my friend, and told him that they were base fellowes, for I was confident, that what they had saide was false: I therefore desired him that he would be pleased to depart his house; and when they were set at dinner, I and the three men with me would kill three or foure of them and give quarter to the rest, and bring up their money, horse and armes unto Sir Thomas Fairfax. The Inne-keeper was daunted at it, and said, that they were sent thither by a speciall friend, however if he thought they were against the King and Sir Thomas Fairfax, he would willingly on the high-way be one of my side, and withall importuned me to be patient, and to forebeare them in his owne house. I was much vexed at it, and the rather, because they would have had away my two foot-men with them: Upon my Soule, had the man of the house beene right, we should have both mastred and diis-armed them.

The Commanders being then busie at Councell, I met with young Mr.Cromwell, son to the Lieutenant generall, by whose means I found out Lieutenant Merris, and divers other gentlemen, by whom I understood that his Excellency was not raising of forces, but onely standing on his owne Guard, hoping that all would be well. I intended indeed to present my service to his Excellency with about threescore or fourescore foot, and to give him in a true relation of the state of the Countries where I had been, knowing where to Arme five hundred men. And if his Excellency would be pleased to send downe a Colonell or two, I would have shewed him in a little compasse he could be provided with one Regiment of Horse, and 2000 Foot; but God be praysed I found things in a better posture, howsoever I was extreamly discontented, considering how I had lost my selfe in the businesse.

Relating my minde to the souldiers, they kindly embraced me, I imparted to them in order all my grievances; and out of the true reality of their affections, and sense and fellow feeling of my sufferings, It is the desire of the souldiers, with the advice of many of my betters in the Army, that this should be committed to the Presses. and the first Book to bee delivered to the Committe of North-ampton, to have a flight thereof, by which they may perceive how much mis-information hath abused them, And the Soudier dothe not doubt but that the Committee (seeing how faithfull I have been ever unto the service, and at what expense of money, and how I had both tired my self and Horse to advance the well-fare of the Kingdome) would of themselves bee pleased either to give or lend mee a horse with all furniture fitting for a gentleman, that so I may the better be accommodated to present my selfe unto his Excellency, and personally, and by word of mouth declare my selfe unto him. And withall, whereas in the Articles which I Articled against Mr. Marriot of Hartwell Parke, they were not put in a way, or any mention of sequestration to bee made for 2000 pounds worth of goods then to be proved which was occasioned by a Gentleman who gave false Information, and deluded the Committee, of whose honour I am, and alwayes have been very tender, for I dayly pray for Mr. Ousley, Mr. Farmer the High Sheriffe, and the rest: And whereas in assisting Mr. Marriot heretofore with the hazzard of my life at Hartwell Parke, I so farre ventured to save his goods that I killed a Horse, and wounded foure men: The Honourable and most vertuous Lady Crane (to whom they did belong) did forgive mee all, when Master Marriot was to save me harmlesse, although it should cost him five hundred pound, for which fact some of the Committee sufferd me to be Fin'd, which Fine I paid, in the proceeding of which troubles both my wife and children wanted. It is the soudiers desire, that the Saddle should be laid upon the right Horse, Mr. Marriot having had the benefit of the croppe, and that the Fine that was paid should be restored to my wife and children. And if the Gentleman who mis-informed the Committee, shall bee found out in Northampton Towne or thereabouts, it is the Souldiers desire that hee shall bee sent up unto the generall, or kept in safe custody untill hee shall make good the 2000 pound for which I shall produce my witnesses; And the businesse to be heard in the Army. And if that any man shall deny the party I shall demand, the Souldiers will fetch him with 2000 Horse. It is also desired that all Executions, Writs, and Warrants, and Actions of Battery, concerning Mr. Marriots businesse be made void. And if a new warre shal happen in this Kingdome (which God forbid) I doe here fully declare my selfe to bee for King and parliament, and willingly to adventure my life in the service, and that I will give in unto the Generall a list of those Gentlemens names in the Counties of Gloucester, Worcester, Hereford, and Salope, that are able and ready to raise one thousand Horse, and two thousand Foot and willingly and altogether venture both lives, limbes, and fortunes for the King and Parliament, for the safety, the reconcilement, and the happiness whereof I doe dayly and devoutly pray.

The said Mr. Harrison sayes that the Committee is much railed on in this Kingdome, but he believes it is long of false intelligence; It is our desire in this whole Army, that if the said Marriot shall deny to pay back this Fine, that you Gentlemen of the Committee doe pay it to his Wife and Children, and that you will be pleased to keep the said Marriot with bread and Water, till he restore the mony to you againe: for it is nothing but right, and in the Conscience you ought to see justice done. We heare that many Knaves brought letters to Sir Richard Samuel, and did say any thing to doe Mr. Harrison wrong; they had best give him satisfaction , for we know Sir Richard Samuel well enough.

It is our whole Armies desire, That if in case Mr. Harrison shall finde out the Gentleman who kept Marriot from being sequestred, that then he challenging the man to you, he be kept safe till wee fetch him, and Mr. Harrison produce his witnesses, and then the businesse to be heard before Sir Tho. Fairfax, and the two thousand pound before spoken of to be returned to the Parliaments use.

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