A VINDICATION OF Lieut. Gen. Cromwell, AND Com. Gen. Ireton, Against the scandalous aspersions cast upon them in a Posted LIBEL signed by one TOMPSON.  
And likewise a true state of the Case concerning the said TOMPSON.  
By A. C.  
march .7 th'. LONDON, Printed for Laurence Chapman. 1647.   

A Vindication of Lieu. Gen. Cromwell and Com. Gen. Ireton, against a posted Libel signed by one TOMPSON.  
THis Tompson being a Corporal of Capt. Pitchfords Troop in Col. Whaleys Regiment, about five months ago was with some idle company at a Tavern in the Town where that Troop quartered; where in drinking and gaming late in the night he fell into a drunken quarrel with some of the company about some money they were at play for; and the Mistress of the house with some of the servants endeavouring to part them, he kicked her on the face, kicked and beat some of the servants, and then clamorously charging her and them that they had feloniously picked 20 li. out of his pocket, he went and fetched his sword, with some other of his comrades, and with his sword drawn fell upon the household, wounded three of them, chased away the rest, drove the Mistress of the house into a chamber for shelter, seized upon one of the servants and took him prisoner away with him, threatening him to tie him neck and heels together, with other terrible threats and ourages to the family. Hereupon being complained of to the regimental counsel of that Regiment, he (at last) confessed before the Council, that his clamour of 20 li. taken from him was but a pretence, and that it was not really done to him: The rest of the abuses and outrages were fully proved against him, and to all or most of them himself confessed. For these and the like matters of Brawling and Baratry he was censured by that Council (with something of reparation to the family) to be cashierrd the Regiment at the head of it the next Randezvouz; but at their next Randezvouz (through some neglect or other) being not brought forth, the sentence of cashiering was not formally executed upon him, only he was put out of the muster, and the Regiment-marshall soon after was ordered by the Major to discharge him from the Regiment. But he taking occasion and encouragement from the mutinous distempers then wrought or endeavoured in the Army by the London-agents and their partakers, closed in with them, and took the boldness resolutely to continue with the Troop and Regiment, to march and take quarter with them in despite of the Officers; which accordingly he did, endeavouring to inflame discontents and distractions amongst them, and sometimes for the same purpose employed himself as an Agent in the name of that Regiment to other Regiments of the Army: In which he endeavoured and endangered to raise great disturbances.  
Afterwards there being another Rendezvouz of that Regiment he came thither with the Troop, obtruding himself in despite and contempt of the Officers to be and act in the place from which he was cashiered, and at the Rendezvouz the Officers requiring his departure (as being cashiered) he refused to submit to that censure, making clamorous out-cries to the soldiers, That the regimental Council had proceeded illegally against him. To which the Officers replied, That if he thought they had wronged him, he might complain to the General and Council of war at the head quarter, and there the matter being reexamined he might have reparation if cause appeared. But that also he refused, crying but, That he could expect no justice there, but he would and did appeal to the Regiment; And by such mutinous outcries he endeavoured, and did endanger a great mutiny and disturbance in the Regiment, but the Officers with much a do pacified them for that time: After which he would needs continue to march and take free quarter with the Troop, and endeavoured to raise further mutines, and disturbances in the Troop and Regiment, and in other Regiments of the Army; until at last the Colonel or Major caused him again to be apprehended and sent to the head quarter (than at Windsor) where he was for these things committed Prisoner to the Marshal General, to be tried for the same by the Council of War there. But being brought before the Council, and charged with these things, he refused to answer them, pleading that he was cashiered, and so being no Soldier, that Council had nothing to do with him; and this he did with very insolent and contemptuous language and carriage to the Court: The Council nevertheless thought fit to proceed against him, either as a Soldier (if the sentence of cashiering were not executed upon him) or (if it were) then as one pretending to be a Soldier, and obtruding himself into the Army, to be and act as a Soldier, without being enroled in some Troop or Company, by the government whereof he might be kept in order (against which sort of persons the Articles of War (made laws by the authority of Parliament,) do expressly provide and authorise the Court Martial, to proceed as well as against offending Soldiers:) But the proceeding to Judgement upon him, being suspended (while some further examinations were to be taken) and he ordered to be continued Prisoner that while in the Marshall's custody; during this suspense, coming to Lieutenant General Cromwell with pretences of extreme necessity, about some occasions of his own to go to London, and promising faithfully to render himself again into the Marshall's hands within a few days limited, he obtained leave of the Lieutenant General to go upon his parole. But instead of rendering himself again a Prisoner into the Marshall's hands, he sent to the General, and Council a Declaration and Protestation against them, (which it seems his business at London, was to get drawn and Printed,) wherein after much reviling and tedious disputes against all power of the Court Marshal, and all exercise of Military discipline, either upon Soldiers or others, except in Actual war, (although it be expressly authorised by Parliament, and limited by certain laws, for the restraining of disorders and abuses amongst the Soldiery) he concludes with a protestation against the Council of War, as a company of Robbers, Thiefs, and Murderers; threatening that if they should any further meddle with him, he would raise the Hue and Cry of the Kingdom against them as such, and would endeavour by all means in the world to destroy them, or to that effect.  
Since this (it seems) he hath continued about London and (as is informed) hath been frequently amongst the Soldiers about Westminster, endeavouring to stir up mutinous distempers amongst them; until on Saturday last, the Lieutenant General, and Commissary General, going from the House of Commons, to attend the General upon a Council of War at Whitehall, and meeting this Tompson as they came out (knowing that he was duly a Prisoner to the Marshal General as aforesaid; but falsifying his parole, had never since rendered himself into the Marshall's hands according to it,) They charged two Soldiers with him, and immediately appointed an Ensign of the Guard, to see him brought before the General at Whitehall, where by his excellency's appointment, the Marshal General did resume him into his custody, to be tried by the Council of War, upon those things for which he was formerly committed. And this is all that grand violation to the Rights and Liberties of the free Commons of England, for which the Lieutenant General, and Commissary General were (in that Tompsons' behalf) posted up the other day, about the Town in Printed Tickets, whereby (in stead of the Hue and Cry, threatened in his Protestation) an Alarm was given to the people, as if the estates, liberties, and lives of all the free commons of England were at one stroke, ready to be destroyed in him. But what protection to their liberties, estates, or lives, against the violences of Soldiers, or others the poor Commons might expect from this fellow and others, of his temper (though zealous p●etenders for the same) if their licentious humour should prevail, men may take a measure by those abuses, and outrages, and violences done to the poor people, for which this fellow was first complained of and censur▪ d, and upon censure for which, all his later clamours▪ out-cries, and mutinous practices have ensued. From which and other l●ke instances it may justly be doubted, that this fellow and such as he, would feign be such free Commoners, as to communicate freely of what any other man hath, and to say or do freely what they will and can against any man without control for it, and till then will never think themselves in the full state of free-commoner-ship.  
If any do doubt the truth of the causes and proceed against this man (as they are before alleged) they may see them at large (with much advantage above what's here expressed) as they are upon Record, in the hands of the Judge Advocate at Whitehall; where and from whom also they may understand the later p●oceedings of the General, and Council of War against him on Wednesday last, in the trial and just condemnation of him, together with the grounds thereof, as also his unparallelled insolent, contemptuous, contumelious, and menacing carriage against the General a●d whole Council at his trial, not becoming a Christian or a civil man.   
FINIS.  

Imprimatur  
Gilb. Mabbett.