The copies of the Kings letter, and generall order for the surrender of all his garisons: and severall other letters between Sir William Brereton, and Sir. Thom. Tildsley, about the overtures for the surrender of Litchfield to the Parliament. These papers being examined, and printed and published according to order. This text is an enriched version of the TCP digital transcription A78676 of text R200899 in the English Short Title Catalog (Thomason E341_6). Textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. The text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with MorphAdorner. The annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). Textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. This text has not been fully proofread Approx. 17 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 5 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. EarlyPrint Project Evanston,IL, Notre Dame, IN, St. Louis, MO 2017 A78676 Wing C2163 Thomason E341_6 ESTC R200899 99861520 99861520 113657 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A78676) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 113657) Images scanned from microfilm: (Thomason Tracts ; 55:E341[6]) The copies of the Kings letter, and generall order for the surrender of all his garisons: and severall other letters between Sir William Brereton, and Sir. Thom. Tildsley, about the overtures for the surrender of Litchfield to the Parliament. These papers being examined, and printed and published according to order. Tildesly, Thomas, Sir. Bagot, Hervey, Sir, 1591-1660. Brereton, William, Sir, 1604-1661. England and Wales. Sovereign (1625-1649 : Charles I). 8 p. Printed for F.L., London, : June 19. 1646. Consists of a series of letters by Sir Tho. Tildsley, Her. Bagot, Sir William Brereton, and Charles I, concerning the siege and surrender of Lichfield. Reproduction of the original in the British Library. eng Charles -- I, -- King of England, 1600-1649 -- Early works to 1800. Great Britain -- History -- Civil War, 1642-1649 -- Early works to 1800. Lichfield (England) -- History -- Early works to 1800. A78676 R200899 (Thomason E341_6). civilwar no The copies of the Kings letter, and generall order for the surrender of all his garisons:: and severall other letters between Sir William B Tildesly, Thomas, Sir 1646 2891 30 0 0 0 0 0 104 F The rate of 104 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the F category of texts with 100 or more defects per 10,000 words. 2007-05 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2007-06 Apex CoVantage Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2008-01 John Pas Sampled and proofread 2008-01 John Pas Text and markup reviewed and edited 2008-02 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion The COPIES Of the Kings Letter , and Generall Order for the surrender of all his GARISONS : And severall other Letters between Sir William Brereton , and Sir Thom. Tildsley , about the overtures for the surrender of LITCHFIELD to the PARLIAMENT . These Papers being examined , are Printed and published according to Order . LONDON , Printed for F. L. June 19. 1646. Sir THOMAS TILDSLEYES and Colonell Baggots to Sir William Brereton , touching the Woemen that were sent to their Husbands in the Close . SIR , YOur last nights night worke which might well be ashamed of the light is an act of so much barbarity so remote from Nature , Lawes , Christianity , and so dangerous to your Soules , that we cannot suffer you to sleepe in it another , and pray you may not harden your hearts to Counterfeit it for our parts we are secure that neither the blood of those Innocents if shed can be said to ▪ our Charge nor dare we faile to let you understand to whom it must be imputed . You have turned out of their Habitations sundry poore Woemen and their Innocent Children whom you should have rather relieved ) upon us that are now freed from all Obligations to relieve the Harbourlesse , or feed the Hungry , It is not unsuspected also that Gods visiting hand is upon some of them , which if being true their houses are fittest for them as is by Law appointed and we have no better warrant to entertaine them then to be desperate , and tempt God . Our Resolution is neither to receive these nor any others , you are unchristianly resolved to expose to death , we are all absolved from the dutie and the sinne that may grow by the neglect of it , and advise you to think upon it seriously with a beleif of a time when God will make Inquisition for blood . And soe we recommend them to your reception or other disposall upon more Christian thoughts . And we further wish you to take of the vicessitude of subblnary affaires , and that your party may be capable for though we will not menace to be your imitators in so bad an example , yet we will not for our better discharge omit to te●● you , that there has bin knowne many an Adombethed in the world , and the just God hath his wonderfull just retaliations ▪ And soe having done our duty both to the miserable exposed and your Soules , we pray God to keepe you from so mercilesse unreasonable and wilfull a wretchednesse as you are acting upon those innocent Woemen ( who upon our engagments as we are Gentlemen and Souldiers ) have not done any thing this siedge prejuditiall to your Cause by intelligence , or otherwise that we know of . If this may not satisfie you we shall send two or three Gentlemen to meet the like number of yours to discusse the businesse by word of worth , least this extreamity should be ▪ occasioned by some mistake , in the meane time remaining Your servants . Tho. Tildsley . Her. Baggot . Litchfield Close May 28. 1646. A Letter shot by an Arrow out of the Close into the Towne , written by Sir Tho. Tildsleys owne hand . VVHereas for our constant persistance in our loyallty in defending and maintaing his Majesties Garrison of Litch . according to our duty , we have visibly seen the blessing of God in our protection against the fury of the enemy hitherto which hath so farre enraged him that not being able in a manly way to prevaile against us , he hath betaken himselfe to barbarous and in humane attempts , and such as have never yet bin practised by Christians bloods , the thrusting poore innocent Woemen and Children ( no way engaged with quarrel ) upon the danger which they dare not looke upon themselves , exposing them either to famine or their mercilesse sword . We do hereby desire the Country to take notice that the King is now in the head of a verie powerfull Army consisting of ●0000 , Men which by Gods assistance may re-settle him and all his Royall Subjects in their Rights , and we doubt not but will speedily relieve us . If therefore the Country shall suffer the enemy to go on in their barbarous way and bring any more Woemen for their Relation to us and a good Cause into this danger , or suffer those to continue in it whereby they may innocently perish as is threatned they must expect we shall be enforced to a course contrary to our dispositions , and if God shall enable us , we will endeavour to make all men and their Wives that consent to their proceedings , and indeavour not to hinder the sam● , to ●ee●e those myseries which are now unjustly inflicted upon us and ours and this we desire all that have relation to this Garison to take notice of and publish . Signed by the generall consent of the whole Garison , 27. of May 1646. Another Letter to Sir William Brereton , from Sir Thomas Tildsley and Bagot , touching the Women . SIR ; THe Gentleman of our party have met with yours out of hopes to have created a right understanding about the women forced by you wi●hin our slighted works , but your Commissioners pretending to have no instructions from you to agitate that businesse made the Treaty short and fruitlesse , Th●y seem to make you a party in this uncivill act where we can hardly perswade our selves to fix it , unlesse you own it your selfe : Wee beleive you to bee a man of so much honour , that you will neither begin nor continue an example which would imply so great a thirst of bloud , and produce consequences of greater inhumanitie then becomes them , though of different perswasions in some things yet linkt together in many common Obligations , especially that great one of Christianitie , which makes profession of better things ; We have tryed all other meanes , and they failing we make this last particular addresse to your selfe as having the greatest command of your partie here , desiring you to understand we are resolved to defend the place like men , and shall be ready to encounter those attempts that you shall make upon us in a manlike way ▪ We cannot think our selves bound either in honour conscience or reason to pester our selves with those multitudes of women that you presse upon us many of them having no relation at all to us , and few or none to this place of an engagement . Besides wee have no entertainment here but what is fit for Souldiers , and if we should receive them to a dyet so unnaturall , to there weake bodies wee should expose them to destruction as unevitable as by famine , we are therefore resolved that we neither can nor will adant them least we shold contract the guil● of their deaths upon our selves and we thinke our selves bound to prevent it in you , and if it be possible all other the ill consequences of it , by this timely prevention . We hope you will take it into a sad and serious consideration , and since you are resolved to be our enemy to have so much regard to your owne honour at least as to shew your selfe a gallant one , and not to staine your selfe with these inhumanities which will render you accompt at the latter day , but will lessen your esteem in the reputation of the world especially to us who ( what ever opinion we have of your Cause ) will have a great one of you ▪ if you prosecute it nobly . Sir , Since Captain Stone has lost civility so farre that he will not answer a letter to a businesse , wherein he wholly rely●d upon his word yet we are confident you wil enforce the 3. Ensignes to perform their parralls which they cannot deny And if Captaine Heskith be escaped , propose some faire exchange for the prisoners we released upon your word . Resting , Your Servants , Thomas Tildsly , Heroy Bagot . Sir William Breretons answer to divers former Leeters sent out the Close from Sir Tho. Tildsley and Colo. Bagot . GEntlemen , Yours of the 28. of this month I received , and two former so full of impertinencies and insivilities that I intended not to ha●e vouchsafed any answer , were it not so that you might conclude I had nothing to reply in justification and defence of that which you term barbarous and inhumane which may be most justly retorted upon your selves for not admitting those accosse to their husbands whom the Lawes of God and man have joyned together , some whereof were never ceasing to Petition for admission to them ; By all or most whereof I conceive you might receive such abundant information of the condition of your affaires abroad as might bring you to a more right understanding thereof , and teach you not to disperse such silly and senselesse untruths as were those papers shot into the Town are said to be signed by the consent of the whole Garison , dated 27. and 28. of this instant May , a Copie whereof is inclosed . The first whereof that I ever saw was written by Sir Thom , Tildsleys own hand but signed by none , wherein there is nothing more true then that which is most false , That the King is in the head of an Army , consisting of 30000 , men , which you doubt not but will speedily relieve you , and yet in the meane time you not onely refuse to give entertainment to the Wives of those with you ( whose affections to you and your cause so farre prevailed with them , as to forsake their Lives , Families and estates ) but you doe also detaine other mens Wives , desired from you by their Husbands ) affirming your Garison to be sufficiently able to entertaine whom you please to admit . You pretend this to be an unpara●leld and unpresiden●ed act of cruelty , wee can put you in mind of much more cruelty practised by your par●y in Chester when the wives and children of those husbands with us we●e not onely sent out before the Citie was besieged , but after the suburbs were taken , divers persons sent forth , and their houses and whole estates of great value●● well before the siege as after the taking the suburbs seised upon , which we have not yet done to those we have sent into you for their Families remaine possessed of their houses and estates , as when they left the same . If there were any violence offered to any of those wom●n that were sent ( for children none were sent but such as went on their own acord ) we must charg the same upon your score who taking away a●l their provisions left many of them to a merci●es enemy ( as you terme us ) & disclaim any such charge to proceed from us further then in sending those wives to their husbands , whom God hath joyned together , and were fitter to be with them then with us . You say Gods visitting hand is upon some of them ▪ It is more then wee know or believe , but sure wee are that you or some of you threatned , and did accordingly send amongst us some of those with you that were visited with the Plague . And whereas you lay to our charge the barbarities and inhumanities committed by ▪ Vs , I cannot but believe you have forgotten what hath bin practised by your selves in fiting all Bacon street , whereby you advantaged us much , but your selves nothing , for you may see God hath made better provision for us ] and in burning and ruining diverse houses of your friends in the City ●ohing at all to your advantage or our prejudice . You aggravate much the battering downe of your speere-Steeple , not cons●dering how much our men were galled and annoyed from thence in severall places , and how much you had defiled the same with bloud , what your selves had purposed and endeavoured by undermining and battering downe the Chapell Steple [ which still stands with its wounds , to witnesse against you the little respect you give to those places which you call the house of God further then they may be servieable to your owne ends . You insist much upon the defacing the antientest Monument of Christian piety in the Kingdome , and will not see the hand of Gods Iustice upon the same for the Ignorance and Superstition that hath bin nourished and preached in that place the guilt whereof is further encreased by being made use of to bee your only refuse both for your selves , and those with you and your Magazine , and therefore the most proper object to be demolished by us , seeing it had bin formerly so abused by others , and now so much prophaned by your selves whom God it seems hath heardened , because he purposeth to distroy you otherwise , he would not suffer you to resist in your obstinatenesse , when you cannot but know your selves incapable of reliefe , and that the longer you hould ou● the worse condition , you must expect seing you discover nothing at all therein , but perversenesse and frowardnes , and cannot but either know or may know that it is as unsouldier-like as indiscreet , for you to attempt to hould out that place , now that you have no show of reliefe and that the King hath wholly put himselfe upon the Parliament . In your last you say you beleeve mee to be a man of so much Honour as that you cannot perswade yourselves to fix upon me this ( as you call it ) incivill act , and you acknowledge me the Commander of the said forces here whereas formerly in your Letter of the 13. of Aprill , directed to Adjutant Generall Leuthan you Speak scornefully and much more in your Answer to my first , Dated March 9. which if you had remembered , might have spared you the Labour of censuring or reflecting that upon me which you then justified to be Souldier like in your selves . And whereas you desire I would take notice you are resolve● to keep that place where you are in a Warlik way , you may hereby be assured that by Gods assistance there shall be as man-like and Souldierlike attempts and endeavours used for correcting your insolencies , and reducing you to d●e obedience of the Parliament , if not of making you examples to the world for your desperate folly , obstinatenesse , and imprudence in maintaining this hold , when you cannot but know there is no hopes of reliefe , and render your selves every day more and more uncapable of the Parliaments Clemency which you have so often repeated which I desired might have bin extended to you , I shall therefore once further advise you forthwith to submit to the mercy of the Parliament , that so that ruine which is otherwise inevitable fall not upon you , the prevention whereof if you willembrace the same is still desired by Your servant Brereton , Litchfield May 29. 1646. From the Campe at Rainhill . Since which time Sir William Brereton hath plaid with his Morter peeces and Batteries against the Clo●e , and hath made severall breaches into divers houses in the Close , and Sir William looseth no advantage that may begained upon any opportunity . Charles Rex . HAving resolved to comply with the designes of the Parliaments in every thing which may be for the good of the Subjects , and leave no meanes unassaid for removing of differences betweene us , therefore we have thought fit , the more to evidence the realty of our intentions of settling a happy and firme peace , to require you upon honourable conditions , to quit those Townes and Castles , and Forts intrusted by you , to us , and to disband all the forces under your severall Commands . Newcastle the 10. of Iune 1646. To our Trusty and welbeloved Sir Thomas Glemham , Sir Thomas Tilsley , Colonel Henry Washington , Colo. Thomas Blague Governours of our Townes , and Citties of Oxford Worcester Litchfield , and Wallingford , and all other Commanders of any other Townes , Castles , or Forts with in the Kingdome of England , or dominion of Wales . FINIS .