An Account of the taking John Penruddock, Esq Mr. Hugh Grove, and others, at Southmolton in the County of Devon, March 15.1654. by Col. Vnton croaks Troop of Horse.  
And the true state of the pretended Articles of Mr. Penruddock, &c.  
MR. Penruddock, Mr. Grove, with the Commander in Chief and others, had taken up their Quarters at the Falcon inn, and about ten a clock at night the colonel possessed the Town with his Forces, and divided his soldiers to several stations, and with a party aflaulted the Falcon inn, where for a time a hot dispute was made, from the House, but at length they sallied forth and skumished, and cried Quarter, and some were hurt, and Mr. Grove was taken prisoner, and others endeavoured to escape, and afterwards Mr. Penruddock upon search in the house was taken Prisoner, and conveyed a Prisoner to the Guard, the colonel all this while not speaking with them.  
Afterwards, the Col. being busy in reducing the Forces in the George inn, word being brought unto him, that Mr. Penruddock was taken, the Col. sent for him from the Guard, and told him that he heard that he was a Commander, and wished him to use his power with them in the George, to yield without effusion of any more blood, telling him, that if they would yield, he would give them Quarter, and intercede to the Protector for their lives.  
And soon after, the colonel and Mr. Penruddock went to the George inn, where all that Mr. Penruddock could say or do, prevailed nothing, they within reviling him, telling him he had betrayed them, and said that they abhorred his motion, and fired upon him for a farewell.  
The Col. afterwards proceeded by force to the reducement of the inn, and sent to the Mayor of the Town for his assistance, and resolved to try the utmost extremity by fire and Sword: And all things were prepared and ready for execution, and they from the house discharged a volley of shot, which did some execution, Mr. Mayor being shot in the buttocks, and went home. And this was all that came upon Mr. Penruddocks endeavours.  
After some farther procedure, made by the Col. They in the George inn being reduced to all extremity, they in the inn desired a parley, and that granted, they desired Life, Liberty and Estate, and to keep their moneys. The Col. answered, that those conditions were Paramount his power, but that if they would immediately yield themselves prisoners, and come forth in the street, he would so intercede to the Protector, that they should not be injured by any power under Heaven, either in Life, Liberty or Estate. Here were the only conditions, and made with those in the George inn only, nothing at all relating to Mr. Penruddock or Mr. Grove, who were prisoners long before.  
Hereupon 5. persons, viz. Mr. Wake, two of the Mr. Colliers, and two others came out of the George to the Col. and undertook that 28. men horse and arms would immediately follow them, and so many in the George should be delivered up; and the Col. appointing some of his own men to take an account of the men at the door the 5. persons only came forth, the rest came not to the Col. to the door, but took an opportunity, and escaped out at the back doors: or hid themselves in hay mows or other places.  
The colonel thus abused, and so free of all treaty; and yet conceiving and finding those 5. persons to be men of worth and valour, would not take any advantage against them; but continued his resolution to intercede to the Protector for them, which he did as effectually as he could, and saved their Lives and Estates, although they were condemned unto death, the Col. using his utmost endeavours to have had them set at Liberty also, but could not prevail, although his Importunities were great and many on their behalf, as is evident and known.  
When Mr. Penruddock heard of this success at the George inn, and that the colonel had promised to intercede for the Lives of those 5. Gentlemen: he told the Col. that he ought to be included, because he had used his endeavour to reduce them, although it took no effect. The Col. replied, that there were no Articles given, only a promise to intercede for those 5 persons, and that as for the rest in the inn after the said 5 persons came out, they would not stay the result, but had made their escape, and left the said 5 persons to mercy.  
Mr. Penruddock insisted still, to have had formal Articles made in writing, for his own advantage, after he was a Prisoner, never pretending to any before, or to any afterwards, but for using his endeavour to persuade the said surrender, which took no effect. And yet the Col. used all the means he could to have saved his Life also as a Gent. of great hopes and fortune. But could never be drawn by him to betray his trust, though tempted with 500 then with a 1000 then with his whole Estate, too mean considerations to weigh down truth and honesty.  
And whereas it hath been by some alleged, that the colonel should say, to some of the Prisoners, that if their General Wagstaffe had been there, he should have been used as they were, but that now he was likely to fare worse. It was spoken only to this purpose, that had he been with them, he should have had air Quarter as a soldier, but being escaped, he might be abused, or miscarry by other hands.  
And whereas also it hath been reported, that the Protector should say; that had the Col. gave Articles, he would have allowed them; The Protector never said any such thing to the Col. but on the contrary, wrote under his hand, that he would not spare Mr. Penruddock upon any consideration whatsoever, But a full discovery of the whole design.  
These things the Col. can make appear, by the intercourse of Letters betwixt the Protector, Mr. Penruddock and himself, and by sufficient witnesses, and Appeals to the honourable Lords, whether these Interloquatory passages in furore belli, and dark night, can in the least amount to Articles, or whether upon these surmises, the Col. ought in the least to be clouded or blemished; he protesting in the sight of God, that he never signed or sealed any Articles whatsoever, or ever made any promise, than as to those 5. persons as aforesaid.  
A more full and exact account of all that passed, he hopes shortly to present to the view of the world, for the full clearing of his injured innocence, if he may be so permitted to do.