BLOODY NEWS FROM THE EASTINDIES:  
Being a true Relation, and perfect Abstract of the cruel, barbarous, and inhuman proceed of the Dutchmen against the English at A●boyna: With a Discovery of the Hollanders pretended-plot: The unjust Trial of the English Merchants and Factors: Their Examinations and Confessions: The bloody Sentence pronounced against them: And the manner how Capt. Towerson, Mr. Tompson, Mr. Johnson, Mr. Beaumont, Mr. Clerk, and divers others, were hanged up by the hands on a large Door, where they were made fast upon two Iron Staples, and their hands and legs stretched asunder; As also burning them with lighted Torches under their Armpits, & with lighted Candles in the bottom of their Feet, under the Elbows, and in the palm of their hands. Then they bond a Cloth about their Necks and Faces very close, and pouring water upon their Heads, till the Cloth was full up to the Nostrils, stifled them, forcing their Eyes to start out of their heads; their Cheeks to seem like great Bladders; and each man's body to swell as big as three. With their Speeches at the place of Execution; At which instant a great darkness arose.  
THese particulars are averred by Mr Ramsey, a Merchant; an Eye-witness of their Martyrdoms; who desires the publishing thereof throughout all England. Signed, JAMES RAMSEY.  
London, Printed for George Horton, 1651.   

Bloody News for England: Or a true Relation of the unjust, cruel, barbarous, and inhuman proceed of the Dutch men against the English at Amboyna in the East-Indies: With the manner how they hoist them up by the hands with a cord on a large door, where they made them fast upon 2. staples of iron, hailing their Hands one from the other as wide as they could stretch; burning them with lighted Torches under the Armpits, and also bound a cloth about their Neck and face so close, that pouring water upon their heads, stifled them, forcing their eyes to start out of their heads, and their bodies to swell as big as three.  
BY an Express from Holland it is certified, That there are Propositions to be sent to the Parliament of England, to this effect, viz. 1 The requiring restitution of their ships. 2 The permitting of the English Cavaliers to stay in Holland. 3 The Sea to be free, and a Navy of 150 Sail to be kept to justify the proceed of the Dutch on the British Seas. These are bold Propositions indeed; And yet not the least mention of giving satisfaction for their bloody Massacre at Amboyna in the East-Indies: the like, not to be paralleled; as will appear by the ensuing Relation, VIZ.  
THe Governor of Amboyna having contrived a way how to be rid of the English, by pretending a conspiracy to surprise the Castle, sent for Cap. Towerson, Mr Tompson, and the rest of the English Merchants and Factors, and committed them to several prisons, torturing them most inhumanely, and binding them in Irons; Which being done, he took the Merchandise of the English Company into his own custody, and seized on all their Chests Books Writings, and other things. In the mean time, the Governor studied what tortures to inflict upon them: And first he sent for Mr Beaumont, and Mr Johnson, who being come into the Castle, Beaumont was left with a guard in the Hall, and Johnson was taken into another room: Where, by and by, Beaumont heard him cry out very pittis ully; then to be quiet for a little while, and loud again. At last, after he had been about an hour in Examination, he was brought forth wailing and lamenting, all wet, and cruelly burnt in divers parts of his body, and so laid aside in a by-place of the Hall, with a soldier to watch him that he should speak with no body. Then was Mr Tompson brought to examination, and Beaumont being in the Hall heard him roar most lamentably, and many times. Next, was Mr Beaumont called in, and being demanded many things, all which he denied with deep Oaths and protestations, was made fast to be tortured, a cloth tied about his Neck, and two men ready with their Jars of water to be poured on his head. Then was Mr Colson brought in, being newly arrived from Hitto, and was the same day brought to the torture; who, for fear of the pain wherewith he saw others come out in such a case, that their eyes were almost blown out of their heads with the torment of water, chose rather to confess all they asked him, and so was quickly dismissed, coming out weeping, lamenting, and protesting his innocence.  
Next, was Mr Clerk brought in, who was tortured with fire and water, by the space of two hours. The manner of his torture, and the rest, were as followeth. First, they hoist him up by the hands, with a cord on a large door, where they made him fast upon two staples of Iron, fixed on both sides at the top of the door post, haling his hands one from the other as wide as they could stretch. Being thus made fast, his feet hung some two foot from the ground; which also they stretch asunder as far as they would reech, and so made them fast beneath unto the dore-trees on each side. Then they bond a Cloth about his neck and face so close, that little or no water could go by. That done, they poured the water softly upon his head, until the Cloth was full up to the mouth and nostrils, and somewhat higher; so that he could not draw breath, but he must withal suck in the water: which being still continued to be poured in softly, forced all his inward parts, come out of his nose, ears, and eyes, and often, as it were stifling and choking him, at length took away his breath, and brought him to a swoon or fainting. Then they took him quickly down: and made him vomit up the water. Being a little recovered, they tied him up again, and poured in the water as before. In this manner they handled him 3. or 4. several times with water, till his body was swelled twice or thrice as big as before, his cheeks like great Bladders, and his eyes staring and strutting out beyond his forehead: yet all this he bare, without confessing any thing; insomuch, as the Fiscal and tormentors reviled him, saying, that he was a Devil, and no man, or surely was a Witch, at least had some charm about him, or was enchanted, that he could bear so much. Wherefore they cut of his hair very short, as sudposing he had some Witchcraft hid n therein. Afterwards they hoist him up again as before, and then burned him with lighted Candles in the bottom of his feet, until the fat dropped out the Candles; yet hen applied they fresh lights unto him. They burned him also under the elbows, and in the palms of the hands; likewise under the Armpits until his laterels might evidently be seen.  
Having thus martyred this poor man, they sent him out by four Blacks; who carried him between them to a Dangeon, where he lay 5. or 6. days without any Chirurgeon to dress him, until (his flesh being purified) great Maggots dropped and crept from him in a most loathsome and noisome manner. Thus they finished their Sabbath days work.  
The 25. of February, old stile, all the prisoners, as well the English as the Portugal, and the japoners, were brought into the great Hall of the Castle, and there were solemnly condemned, except john Powel, Ephraim Ramsey, john Sadler, and Thomas Ladbrock, formerly acquitted as aforesaid.  
Captain Towerson having been (during all his imprisonment) kept apart from the rest, so that none of them could come to speak with him; writ much in his Chamber (as some of the Dutch report,) but all was suppressed, save only a Bill of debt, which one Thomas Johnson, a free Burther got of him by favour from his Keepers for acknowledgement, that the English Company owed him a certain sum of money. In the end of this Bill he writ these words: Firmed by the Firm of me Gabriel Towerson, now appointed to die guil●less of any thing that can be justly laid to my charge. God forgive them their guilt; and receive me to his mercy. Amen. This Bill being brought to Mr. Welden the English Agent at Banda, he paid the money, and received in the acknowledgement.  
Wil Griggs (who had before accused Capt. Towerson) writ these words following in his Table-book: We, whose Names are here specified, John Beaumont, Merchant of Loho, Wil Griggs, Merchant of La●ica, Abel Price, Chirurgeon of Amboyna, Rob. Brown, Tailor, which do here lie prisoners in the Ship Rotterdam, being apprehended for conspiracy, for blowing up the Castle of Amboyna: we being judged to death this 5. of March, Anno 1622. which we through torment were constained to speak that which we never meant, nor once imagined; the which we take upon our deaths and salvation, they tortured us with that extreme torment of fire and water, that flesh and blood could not endure: and this we take upon our deaths, that they have put us to death guiltless of our accusation. So therefore we desire, that they that shall understand this; that our employers may understand these wrongs, and that yourselves would have a care to look to yourselves: for their intent was to have brought you in also, they ask concerning you; which if they had tortured us, we must have confessed you also. And so farewell; written in the dark.  
This Table-book was afterwards delivered to M. Welden aforenamed, by one that served the Dutch.  
Samuel Colson also, another that accused Captain Towerson, writ as followeth in the waste leaves of a Book, wherein were bound together the Common-Prayers, the Psalms, and the Catechism.  
In one page thus. March 5. Stilo nove, being Sunday, aboard the Rotterdam, lying in Irons.  
UNderstand that I Samuel Colson, late Factor of Hitto, was apprehended for suspicion of conspiracy; and for any thing I know, must die for it: wherefore, having no better means to make my innocency known, have writ this in this Book, hoping some good Englishman will see it. I do here upon my salvation, as I hope by his death and passion to have redemption for my sins, that I am clear of all such conspircay; neither do I know any Englishman guilty thereof, nor other Creature in the world. As this is true, God bless me.  
Samuel Colson.  
The 26. of Feb. the prisoners were all brought into the great Hall of the Castle, (except Cap. Towerson and Emmanuel Tompson) to be prepared for death by the Ministers. The Japoners now all in general, as some of them had done before in particular, cried out unto the English, saying I Oh you Englishmen, where did we ever in our lives eat with you, talk with you, or (to our remembrance) see you? The English answered, Why then have you accused us? The poor men, perceiving they were made believe each had accused others before they had so done indeed; shown them their tortured bodies, and said, if a stone were thus burnt, would it not change his nature? how much more we that are flesh and blood?  
To these that remained in the Hall, come the Dutch Ministers, who telling them how short a time they had to live, admonished and exhorted them to make their true Confessions; for it was a dangerous and desperate thing, to dissemble at such a time. The English still professed their innocency, and prayed the Ministers that they might all receive the Sacrament, as a seal of the forgiveness of their sins; and withal, thereby to confirm their last profession of their innocency. But this would by no means be granted. Whereupon Samuel Colson, said thus unto the Ministers; You manifest unto us the danger of dissimulation in this case. But tell us, if we suffer guiltless, being otherwise also true believers in Christ's Jesus. What shall be our reward? The Preacher answered, by how much the clearer you are, so much the more glorious shall be your resurrection. With that word, Colson started up, embraced the Preacher, and gave him his purse, with such money as he had in it, saying Domine, God bless you: tell the Governor, I freely forgive him; and I entreat you, to exhort him to repent him of this bloody tragedy, wrought upon us poor innocent souls. Here all the rest of the English signified their consent to this speech. Then spoke John Fardo to the rest, in presence of the Ministers, as followeth: My Countrymen, and Brethren, all that are here with me condemned to die, I charge you all, as you will answer it at God's judgement fear, if any of you be guilty on this matter, whereof we are condemned, discharge your Consciences, and confess the truth for satisfaction of the World. Hereupon Samuel Colson spoke with a loud voice, saying, according to my innocency in this treason, so Lord pardon all the rest of my sins: and if I be guilty thereof, more or less, let me never be partaker of thy heavenly joys. At which words, every one of the rest cried Amen for me, Amen for me, good Lord. This done, each of them knowing whom he had accused, went one to another, begging forgiuness for their false accusation, being wrung from them by the fear or torture. And they all freely forgave one another: for none had been so falsely accused, but he himself had accused another as falsely. In particular, George Sharrock (who survived to relate this night's passage) kneeled down to John Clark, whom he had accused of the tale at Hitto , and craved forgiveness at his hands. Clark freely forgave him, saying: How should I look to be forgiven of God, if I should not forgive you, having myself so falsely accused Captain Towerson, and others?  
At the instant of the execution there arose a great darkness, with a sudden and violent gust of wind and tempest, whereby 2. of the Dutch Ships, riding in the Harbour, were driven from their Anchors, and with great labour and difficulty saved from the Rocks. Within a few days after, one Wil Dunckin, who had told the Governor, That Rob. Brown, the English Tailor, had told him the English should have as much to do in the Castle of Amboyna, as the Dutch: This fellow coming upon an evening to the Grave where the English were buried, being all (say Cap. Towerson) in one pit, fell down upon the Grave; and having lie● there a while, rose up again stark mad, and so continued 2. or 3. days together, and then died. Forthwith also fell a new sickness at Amboyna, which swept awry about a thousand people, Dutch and Amboyners: in the space wherein, there usually died not above 30. at other seasons. These signs were by the surviving English referred to the confident prediction of Emmanuel Tomson , and were by the Amboyners interpreted as a token of the wrath of God for this barbarous Tyranny of the Hollanders.  
FINIS.