A VINDICATION OF Henry Portington ESQUIRE, Being Unjustly committed to Newgate, UPON The Information of a MAD MAN. London, Printed, 1665. The Preface. READER, I Beg your Pardon, if I err in Form, but in Truth not at all; the Reasons which incite me to this trouble, are First, To clear me and our Party of that unworthy aspersion, too much used by the Enviers of His Late Majesty's Friends; that I, and such as I, was drinking when we should be Fight. Secondly, I was, and am now to Employed by twenty select Officers, having no other Design but for promoting their Honours, and endeavouring the advantaging their Dividends, in the Indigent Moneys, in which my expectation is frustrated, to the Dissatisfaction and Ruin of us all; for, if they were to give me their shares, I should be no gainer. This I publish to the World, that I may return, as I came, without blemish. Yours Henry Portington. A Vindication OF HENRY PORTINGTON Esq DIfficile est Satyram non scribere: Its pain and grief to an ingenuous Soul to keep silence, and see Apostasy and Parasitical Baseness flourish in the seeming Garments of belied Truth and Loyalty, to see these lurk undiscovered by the Wise, would make the Tongue of the Stammerer to speak, and the Pen of the Rude and Unlearned to write: And however, the galled will kick, and the most guilty themselves will accuse us, as guilty of the Crime of being Accusers and Informers, this must not deter or abash us. I wish all Governors would so countenance the just Accusations of honest men, that the dishonest might be discountenanced; then should not Vice rise by the ruins of Virtue; for to say truth, Mercy to the bad, is Cruelty to the good: To connive at the faults of public notorious Offenders, is to justify them in their wicked actions, which is equally as heinous as to condemn the innocent, for so the Divine Oracles tell us, He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, even they both are an abomination to the Lord: It will not excuse us that we never were of the number; there will be cause enough to condemn us, if we through a fond indulgence wink at them; Parum interest faveasne sceleri, an illud facias, Sen. For my part, had their unworthy practices been prejudicial only to myself, I should have been content to have suffered in silence; but who can endure to see his Majesty abused, his Bounty frustrated, the Parliaments Charity misemployed, and other truly Loyal Subjects wronged? For certainly, when it pleased his Sacred Majesty, at the request of his Parliament, graciously to bestow that considerable sum of 60000 l. upon his truly Loyal, suffering, indigent Officers, it was not his Majesty's intention, nor can it enter into the heart of man to think, that it was intended for those that did never serve really under his late Sacred Majesty of ever blessed Memory, as Officers in the late War; nor yet for those that, deserted his service; much less for those that served against him; and yet all of these lay claim to a share thereof, and go away with recompense, whilst his Majesty's constant, loyal, indigent servants, who through all hazards and extremities, have born Arms by the command of his late Majesty, in the defence of the King's Person, Crown and Dignity, and who have continued faithful through the whole course of the late Wars, are exposed to scorn and penury: This is no small abuse to his Majesty, that his Bounty should be frustrate, by falling into their hands to whom it was never intended: Besides, it may prove of dangerous consequence, for that his Majesty may hereby mistake his Foes for his Friends, whilst treacherous and undeserving persons receive the reward and character belonging properly to persons of Loyalty and Honour. And if it be objected, That those persons so obliged by the King's Bounty, will become faithful ever hereafter; And therefore, there can be no danger in mistaking. I answer, That I wish they may prove so; but they must excuse us if we somewhat fear, that they who were so unthankful and faithless to that Saintlike King of glorious memory, whose care and burden was so great, whose Piety and Charity did shine so clearly, will ever be truly thankful or faithful to any: Sic notus Ulysses. But this is not all, that his Majesty is thus abused, though it is most intolerable: the Parliament is also abused, in that their Charity is misemployed; and well may they hereby be discouraged from making any request of the like nature for the future: The Kingdom in general is abused and dissatisfied, seeing their Moneys go the wrong way; and, which is grievous in the eyes of all true Loyalists, the late War raised by the Lords and Commons, may now stand upon Record to be Lawful, seeing those that ever fought against the King, are joined in the same qualification of Loyalty with those that only fought for him: And thus his Majesty's loyal and indigent servants, that are publicly known to have stood all Extremities of Hazards and Necessities, are discouraged, and utterly out of capacity of doing further service for their King and Country; whilst the Bread of the Children, who acknowledge, reverence, and obey the King, as the Father both of Church and State, is given to Dogs: What more is left remaining to his Majesty's poor Sufferers but their Honour, and that they may transmit that fair to Posterity? I shall add my endeavour, by declaring my knowledge concerning the Officers of the Northern Army, wherein I served; and when all those who served faithfully and constantly are known, it will be easy to discern who are counterfeits. IN the beginning of the Wars and late Rebellion, I was Cornet to Captain Roger Portington, and assoon as I knew how to Command, I raised a Troop of my own, consisting of 90. Horse, which I recruited from time to time, and hath at this day two Leiutenants, Trumpeter, and 38 Soldiers; all times were we faithfully serving his Majesty, through the extremity of the whole War, not one revolting to the Enemy, in the Regiment of Sir William savil's; after whose death, we continued in the name of Sir George Savil, commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Portington, and here you shall have a hint of most of the Engagements our Regiment was in, myself and my Troop never absent from any. Upon the Convoy of the Queen Mother at her landing at Barlington to York. At the fight of Seacroft-Moor, under the Command of the Lord Goring, where we took 800 Prisoners. At Tankersley-Moor under Sir Philip Byron, where we took 400. At the Siege of Leeds. At the Taking of Rotheram. At the Taking of Howley-Hall. At Asherton-Moor, where we took 1600. Prisoners, Colonel Heron and Howard slain, and many of our Regiment. At the taking of Bradford. At the taking of W nckfield Manor, Colonel Dalbey slain all under the command of the Marquis of Newcastle. At Harthington in Darbyshire, where we took 300, of which I had the Convey to Chesterfield to Leiutenant General King's Quarters. At the taking of the Pinnace where my Troop had the guard of two small Guns, through the Isle of Axholm, in which the Earl of Kingston, and Mr. Nevil was slain. At the Siege of Gainsborough where that Person of honour and gallantry Colonel Cavendish was slain, and many others. At the Siege of Hull. At Horn Castle, twice to little purpose, under Lieutenant General Henderson. At the fatal Battle of Winsby, where Sir Ingram Hopton, Major to our Regiment, was barbarously murdered after quarter given, Captain Vernat, Cornet Roe slain, and scarce one Officer but dangerously wounded, and the first time our Regiment was beaten, under the same conduct. At taking Lieutenant Colonel Lasseb's, and his Foot, in the Isle of Axholm, with Sir John Main, Lieutenant Gregory slain, Officer to Lieutenant Colonel Robert Portington. At Selby where my Lord Belasses was taken, and at least 300 Horse out of our Regiment. At the taking of Liverpool, under his Highness' Prince Rupert. At Marston Moor, Lieutenant Buridge commanding my Troop was slain, myself being sent from Liverpool to Westchester, being in a very sad condition, and not rid of some wounds I had formerly received. But recovering, I came to Clythro Castle, where I was most civilly used by Sir Tho. Danyel, which did much add to perfect my full recovery, which no sooner perfected, I went to Appleby in Westmoreland, where I met the Northern Horse with my Lord Langdale, missing of my own Troop, my Lieutenant who was slain, and four of my soldiers. Now gins the extremity of the War. At Malpas under my Lord Langdale himself wounded, Colonel Beton, and Cornet Hogson slain, than Colonel Tuke had the command of the Horse into South- Wales. Against Monmouth after it was surprised, Sir Will. Blackstone dangerously wounded, and my Lieutenant Marsh slain. At Ledbury under his Highness' Prince Rupert. At the taking Salisbury by my Lord Langdale, after Ludlow thought to have beat up our Quarters, but repulsed by the vigilancy of Sir Francis Anderson, Sir Robert Hilliard, and Captain Sunderland dangerously wounded. Under the Lord Goring with an intent for Portsmouth. At Daintrey. At Melton Mowbray Sir John Girlington, Captain Cescoyne of our Regiment, Captain Hungate, a Reformade in my Troop, all slain. At the relief of Pontefract Castle, where we took 1500 Prisoners, Mr. Meltham and Leiutenant Higdon slain; all these three engagements in one week performed by the Lord Langdale, and made our Retreat without any loss into Cheshire. At the relief of Beeston Castle, under his Highness' Prince Maurice. At the relief of Hereford. At the relief of Dovington Castle, where the Northern Horse had the guard of his late Majesty, commanded by his Highness' Prince Rupert to Oxford, where I brought up the rear by Abington, without the loss of a man. At the taking of Leicester, his Majesty present. At Naisby. Against the piece Army in Wales with my Lord Ashley. At the relief of Sir John Winter's House, with my Lord Langdale, and Colonel Russel. At Claerwall, where the Enemy kept a Garrison under ground, under the Lord Langdale, and Colonel russel's. In the severe march with his Majesty to Doncaster, and so to Huntingdon, where I had the guard at Gormanchester, took the Mayor of Huntingdon in a Hogstye, who endeavoured to keep his Majesty out; then into Wales, and to Wroughton-Heath, many gallant persons slain; back into Nottinghamshire, where in Worsupp-Park many of us Officers had the happiness to kiss his Majesty's hand, and then commanded under the Earl of Bristol, and Lord Langdale for Scotland, to join with the Earl of Montross. At Sherburn Sir Richard Hutton, Colonel Carnaby, Captain Godfrey, who had the Command of Sir John Gutherwicks' Troop in our Regiment, all slain, Sir Jorden Crofland dangerously wounded, after which, I had the command of our Regiment into Scotland. At Avon in Scotland, where Colonel Brown fell into our Quarters. At Dumfress, where the Earl of Bristol had his Horses stolen out of stables quartering at the Provosts of the Town. At Ravenglass, there I was commanded by entreaties by the Earl of Bristol, and Lord Langdale, to return with Sir William Huddlestone, and Sir Horatio Cary, for the Soldiers of our Regiment mutinied to part with their Officers, and would have sunk the Boat which was to convey them to the Isle of Man; so I consented to hazard myself to save so many Persons of Quality; in our retreat there was not a Colour left flying but my own, and in that black night the Enemy fired all the Beacons in the Country round to give us light, the event of which proved sad. At Worton Sands, where we repulsed the Enemy; Captain Braudling wounded. At the Siege of Skipton, and so with Sir William Black-stone, Lieutenant Colonel Carr, and several of the Garrison to Lichfield. At Slowithold, my Lord Ashley, and Sir Charles Lucas both taken Prisoners, and so to Oxford, where we were in a sad condition; but coming to the Governor, Sir Tho. Glenham, with whom I had formerly been acquainted, did give order for us, and the next morning sent for me to attend his late Majesty of ever blessed Memory, to whom I gave the best account I could of the Earl of Bristol, the Lord Langdale, and all the Officers that took Boat; and of those that returned out of Scotland to Oxford, I knew but five, Captain Grimston, Captain Braudling, Captain Wilson, Leiutenant Herman, and myself; his gracious Majesty did charge the Governor to provide for us, and the next day I received five pounds, which was all I ever received, except one week's pay for my Troop, after the Queen-Mother landed at Burlington, and did by the assistance of Sir Thomas Wentworth endure till the Surrender, and came out upon the Articles. For the second War upon the surprise of Pomfret Castle, the Enemy sent several Parties to apprehend us, but having advice of both, the taking of the Castle, and the Enemy's intention, Roger Portington, Robert Portington, and myself, all having real and honourable Commands in the first War, raised all the men we could, with whom we forced our way to their assistance, for which services Roger suffered eleven years' Imprisonment, and damnified in his estate near as many thousand pounds, and we as much as any that adhered to his Majesty, according to our Talon; Robert irrecoverably, as it was supposed, wounded at Willowby, and all of us Prisoners at the death of Oliver, one at London, another at Hull, and myself at York. Since his Majesty's return, I have been Lieutenant to Sir Godfrey Copley of a Troop of Volunteers in the Regiment, and under the Command of his Grace the Duke of Buckingham, where all the best of that part of the Country are pleased to ride in, having 70 of the said Troop within two miles where I live, who hath been, are, and I despair not, will be, at the sound of a Trumpet, (having one continually quartered with us) at his Majesty's service, as all the rest is. Thus have I briefly run over the sad Scene of a direful Tragedy, wherein it may be easily supposed, what miseries I suffered from his Majesty's Enemies, and the Kingdoms Subverters; to be plundered of my whole personal Estate, and that considerable, my real sequestered, and the greatest part of it sold, was no trouble: But to have my Wife and Family turned into the open streets at Doncaster, whom none durst harbour; but her own Sister, not living far remote, having compassion on her, took her home: for which charitable act, her Husband Mr. Wray was imprisoned and sequestered: And at this time, the remainder of my Estate ready to follow the first, having by reason of the forementioned Calamities, contracted so much debt, as otherwise I am not able to discharge, this is a trouble: To be imprisoned perpetually for his Majesty was no trouble; but being come home for a while by the Mediation of some Friends, to have some Sixteen Gentlemen, my neighbours, come to visit me, all taken Prisoners with me, and suffered very much, this was a trouble: To serve his Majesty faithfully, this was no trouble; but to be counted disserving, this is a great trouble: To be arraigned at the Assize at York. for serving the King, where the Judge wished me to thank the Jury, this was no trouble; but to be committed to Newgate, and arraigned for disserving; these all put together, produce heart-breaking troubles. And if those persons who have neither been Active nor Passive for his Majesty, but Neuters rather, and not constant, but rather disloyal, shall be rewarded, and such as myself rejected, we must expect recompense in another World, where Astrea dwells. In the Interim, I could wish, that every man that intends to share, or hath shared in his Majesty's Bounty, might make a Narrative of what he hath done or suffered, and where he served in the late Wars: And then it is my humble Petition, That his Sacred Majesty would be pleased to do Justice, rendering to every man impartially to his merit, since Justice is the Beam of Princely Balances: As says the Old Rule: 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Or live without Distress, Or die with happiness. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 'Tis good for them to die, Whom Life brings Infamy. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 'Tis better not to live, Than wretchedly not thrive. The Names of some of the Officers who were slain and died truly Loyal, in the Regiment of Sir William Savill, none that revolted. Sir Ingram Hopton Major, Major Robert Portington. Capt. Copley. Capt. Vernatt. Fleetwood, Armitage, Wentworth, Gasguoyne, Benson. Lieutenants. Godfrey, Batt, Lee, Cullier, Gregory, Burridge, Marsh, Savill, Purdee, Batley, Cunye, Snow. Cornets. Byrum, Townesend, Roe, Burdett, Taylor, Bright, Smyth, Corrington. FINIS.