16 Nov 1642 || The Cavaliers speedily retreated from Brainford, to Hampton Court, and Kingston, where they stayed two dayes, and having intelligence that the Bridge over Thames neere Fulham was finished, and the Earle of Essex ready to march; they left Kingston (almost as miserable a Towne as Brainford) and marched with their Artillery to Oatlands, but they sent out some of their Horse to quarter at Rigate, and parts thereabouts towards Kent, shaping their course for that county, but such was the vigilancy of the Yeoman of Kent, or rather fidelity to themselves and the Kingdome, that they rise up in Armes, seeking to the Parliament and City of London to assist them in opposing the Cavaliers, for that they had seduced his Majesty to violate his faith with God above, (whom he had called to witnesse) and his Parliament here on earth, in breaking the Treaty of Accommodation, and in causing the effusion of so much blood at Brainford, by his Souldiers falling on Colonell Hollis his Regiment in their quarters, and marching 8. miles to take the advantage: But this alone startled not the Kentish men, for they had true information (the example of Brainford is sufficient) that they plunder all manner of persons, friends aswell as others, and that in Brainford they had taken from divers of the inhabitants their goods, from some to the value of 400. pounds, some 300. pounds, some more, some lesse, and from the poorer sort, all that they ever had, leaving them not a bed to lie on, nor apparrell, but what they had on their backs, not a paire of sheetes, nor a piece of bread, and what beere they drunke not, they spilt it in the Cellars, divers families of repute, with their Wives and Children, were reduced to such extreame poverty thereby, that they have begged ever since: And taking divers of the Townsmen (who never opposed them) after they had plundered them, putting them in Irons, and tying others with Ropes, and so led them away like dogs to Oatlands; This cruelty likewise did move the Kentish men (of whom the Parliament had a jealousie) to expresse their resolution to adhere to the Parliament to oppose the Cavaliers, being sensible that the common Souldiers command the Officers, the Officers the Commanders in chiefe, and the Commanders in chiefe command the King, and the King can command nothing but what the Souldiers please, such is the miserable condition he is brought unto, and in him the whole Kingdome; For certainly if the King could have hindered that cruell, barbarous, and unheard of carriage of his Souldiers at Brainford; Duty, Christianity, and common Charity obligeth a Subject to believe the King would not have permitted them to have done it, if it had layen in his power to have hindered it. ¹|| Humphrey Blunden – Speciall Passages and Certain Informations
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¹ Blunden was a pioneer of typical ECW newsbook style: rather than blandly or strictly objectively reporting the news, as was the style of early corantos, he drops into editorial mode, offering his own view on the situation. The editor of Mercurius Civicus later took this style to extremes, not only offering his own (often highly agitated) opinion but even making suggestions to the authorities regarding particular social or military issues he thought they ought to tackle.
Reporting the English Civil War
army movements, contemporary comment, plunder, prisoners
Further details of Brentford skirmish
In Kent, Middlesex on November 16 at 8:16 pm16 Nov 1642 || The Cavaliers speedily retreated from Brainford, to Hampton Court, and Kingston, where they stayed two dayes, and having intelligence that the Bridge over Thames neere Fulham was finished, and the Earle of Essex ready to march; they left Kingston (almost as miserable a Towne as Brainford) and marched with their Artillery to Oatlands, but they sent out some of their Horse to quarter at Rigate, and parts thereabouts towards Kent, shaping their course for that county, but such was the vigilancy of the Yeoman of Kent, or rather fidelity to themselves and the Kingdome, that they rise up in Armes, seeking to the Parliament and City of London to assist them in opposing the Cavaliers, for that they had seduced his Majesty to violate his faith with God above, (whom he had called to witnesse) and his Parliament here on earth, in breaking the Treaty of Accommodation, and in causing the effusion of so much blood at Brainford, by his Souldiers falling on Colonell Hollis his Regiment in their quarters, and marching 8. miles to take the advantage: But this alone startled not the Kentish men, for they had true information (the example of Brainford is sufficient) that they plunder all manner of persons, friends aswell as others, and that in Brainford they had taken from divers of the inhabitants their goods, from some to the value of 400. pounds, some 300. pounds, some more, some lesse, and from the poorer sort, all that they ever had, leaving them not a bed to lie on, nor apparrell, but what they had on their backs, not a paire of sheetes, nor a piece of bread, and what beere they drunke not, they spilt it in the Cellars, divers families of repute, with their Wives and Children, were reduced to such extreame poverty thereby, that they have begged ever since: And taking divers of the Townsmen (who never opposed them) after they had plundered them, putting them in Irons, and tying others with Ropes, and so led them away like dogs to Oatlands; This cruelty likewise did move the Kentish men (of whom the Parliament had a jealousie) to expresse their resolution to adhere to the Parliament to oppose the Cavaliers, being sensible that the common Souldiers command the Officers, the Officers the Commanders in chiefe, and the Commanders in chiefe command the King, and the King can command nothing but what the Souldiers please, such is the miserable condition he is brought unto, and in him the whole Kingdome; For certainly if the King could have hindered that cruell, barbarous, and unheard of carriage of his Souldiers at Brainford; Duty, Christianity, and common Charity obligeth a Subject to believe the King would not have permitted them to have done it, if it had layen in his power to have hindered it. ¹|| Humphrey Blunden – Speciall Passages and Certain Informations
——
¹ Blunden was a pioneer of typical ECW newsbook style: rather than blandly or strictly objectively reporting the news, as was the style of early corantos, he drops into editorial mode, offering his own view on the situation. The editor of Mercurius Civicus later took this style to extremes, not only offering his own (often highly agitated) opinion but even making suggestions to the authorities regarding particular social or military issues he thought they ought to tackle.
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