A True and impartial ACCOUNT OF THE Plunderings, Losses, and Sufferings OF THE County of HEREFORD BY THE Scottish Army, During their siege before the City of HEREFORD, Anno Dom. 1645.  
Since brought in by the Country in writing.  
Published in this juncture of time for the undeceiving of the people, who may perhaps fancy to themselves some imaginable advantage by stickling for the Scots and their partisans in this Nation.  
By MILES HILL, Gent.  
LONDON, Printed by E. G. for L. G. 1650.   

To the Christian Reader.  
WHen the Apostle makes a prediction of the evils and miscarriages of the last days, 2 Tim. 3. he doth not instance in such wickednesses as are of a gross and visible cognizance, but in those of a more spiritual and refined nature, men shall be lovers of themselves, without natural affection, high-minded, &c. For as in the appearances of heavenly glory the best wine is kept till last, and the completest enjoyments served up at the end of the feast; so darkness treasures up her most deceavable works till the last show and appearance of all her sorceries: The reason is, because the world being now ripened in understanding and judgement, by long and costly experience, is not so apt to be imposed upon by such evils, as lie open to the redargution of sense and common principles; but is advanced into error by changeable fallacies and deceits, through all gradations and methods of subtleties, according to the wisdom of him who is wiser in his generation then the children of light, amongst those dark and sable appearances which heightened the danger of the last times; the Apostle gives the last place to a form of godliness, without the power, ver. 5. & truly (Reader) when thou seest self love, love of pleasure, covetousness, fierceness etc clothed with a form of Religion, then judge that this prophecy is fulfilled, and that thou art fallen into the very last of the last days, (i.) into the lees of all danger, and the very dregs of times. And indeed the world in a great measure labours under this deceit at this very time, when self and self interests are advanced, under notions, and pretences more specious and taking then their own; who is there almost that lives in the true being and power of Religion, and delights in it for its own sake? but we embrace the outward husk and shell, mixing the pretences of divine and human interest for worldly advantages, which is the most fordid and degenerous of all accounts; how happy were it if the world were undeceaved in this particular, and could attain to the true understanding and discernance of all things, untwisting all interests, unfolding all mysteries, giving unto Caesar that which is Caesar's, and unto God that which is God's? As I cannot acquit many of our own from this evil, so thou hast here a pregnant instance of this deceit in the ensuing discourse. Our brethren of Scotland (us we formerly called them) in the flood of all their designs made their own interests and advantages the mid channel, the heart, and centre, which acted and informed the course of their undertaking here amongst us. The pretended appearance of religion and zeal had at first won them great r●●ute amongst the credulous and well meaning English, especially in their first and best designs; I myself was a great proselyte of theirs till I had experimented their oppressions, self-seekings and cruelty at the siege before Hereford; where though they were sufficiently provided for, by the care of the honourable Commissioners from the Parliament of England, who were pleased to employ me to get in provission from the Country; Yet the great spoil and havoc they made, almost to the impoverishing and ruining many poor families in that Country, did woefully experiment the disagreement between their intentions and pretences in this particular: I speak not of the Hamiltonians party, whose deceit was more gross, and by consequence sooner found out, and deeply punished by him, who judgeth the fatherless and pleadeth the cause of the widow; but of the Army under general Leven, cemented in a pretended Kirk-interest; these were the men that in five weeks endamaged this small County so many thousands, when they were settled in the siege before Hereford, and an orderly course taken for their subsistence far above the ability of that poor County; yet they soon found out ways to carp at the proceedings of the Parliaments Commissioners, to disoblidge them, to weary them out, that so they might be their own carvers, and impose what charge they pleased upon the Country, which was taxed by them five times above what the Parliaments Commissioners thought it able to bear; of which thou hast here an account in the ensuing discourse, as to some Parishes; if I had not been impeded in my work by malignant, neutral, and disaffected persons I had brought in a complete catalogue from the remaining parishes amounting to near so much more; Is not near 60000 li. a great loss for one County in five weeks, and that by pretended friends? Let not Religion be abused hereafter; let policy and piety go by distinct names; let lucre appear as it is; let not self and self interest be ashamed to appear to be what they are; let us learn to distinguish persons, interests, and things hereafter; let Religion go for no more than it weighs; (i.) let us ascribe no more truth or realty ●●men, than we can experiment in them; let not pretences cheat us. Naturalists observe that those bruits which come nearest the shape, but fall short of the true being of man, are most ugly; 'tis so here, the more seemingly religious a pretence is, the nearer a kin to the outward form, the more loathsome, despicable and deformed. Yet, how are weapt to be deceived? how are we transported? how many proselytes have these false pretences, and interests amongst us? what children are we when toys and fancies please us? I write this (if possible) to caution and undeceive my Country men from harkening to the Siren lays of Kirke seducers, these are the men that foment wars, strifes, divisions, in the world, for the maintenance of their own dominations and discontents; if their stratagems were but seen, they were prevented, let us rather join hand in hand, and quietly sit under our own vines and figtrees in submission to the present power, then to make merchandise of our peace estates and lives by huckstering for any corrupt party or faction whatsoever; if their little singer were so heavy, what will their loins be? It is eccentrical to my purpose to enumerate all their miscarriages in their marches to and from Hereford, and in the Northern countries, I shall leave that to those who are fellow sufferers with us in the like miseries, hoping that they may be awakened to some such discovery as I do here present thee with; I shall say no more to thee, but wishing thee not to sacrifice thy wife and children to the bare pretences of a Covenant, Loyalty, Religion; I leave thee to the perusal of the ensuing discourse by which thy conviction as to the true understanding of the persons and designs herein mentioned (through God's blessing may be more cheap and easy than ours (to our so●●ow and smart) was.   

AN abstract taken of the losses damages and plunderings of 106. small Parishes within the County of Hereford by the Scottish Army commanded by general Leven, in which the poor Inhabitants thereof lost, as by a true account ready to be attested upon oath, under the hands of the Officers and chief of every Parish, to the value of the sums underwritten at every Parish appearing, in which County are 70 Parishes more which suffered in the like nature as much if not more, as is verily believed, which brought not in their accounts to be put to public view, by reason of some disaffected to the business being scottified persons; in the prosecution of which were divers houses riffled, doors, Chests, and Trunks broken open, several families undone; most of all their Cattle, horses, and goods taken from them; much money plate, Jewels and all kind of rich householdstuff, Rings, and other rich commodities, as wearing apparel, linen, books; the Plate & linen of divers Churches, near all the horses, mares, & colts that ever they set their eyes upon as well from friends as others; which the Reader may see if he please in an Inventory, as it was taken and brought in writing unto Miles Hill Gentleman, at the City of Hereford, in the month of September 1646. being the several accounts of each Parish, at Major man's house at the sign of the boot hard by the fountain tavern in the Strand; these outrages being committed in July and August the year before, as they lay in siege before the City of that County; their body of foot had then close begirt it; who had their provisions brought in to them by the poor countryman, they consisting of 9000. and odd persons; their horse that guarded these foot were about 1500. David Lesley having marched with the rest towards Scotland; as soon as they entered the County the spoil being divided most of it by those horse left to guard these foot, there being many hundred of women, & baggage horses ready to receive it, who packed it up, who did constantly march with this Army. Reader, if thou hadst been present to have seen the cries these poor people made, if thy heart had not been hard, it would have melted into tears with them; considering that this Army coming in with the prayers of the kirk as brethren, should do such things; and all within the space of 36 days; the siege began the 29. of July 1645. and rose up the second of September following, and left the City unattempted or taken.  

The several losses and damage sustained by the several Inhabitants in the several Parishes within the Hundred of Graytree.  
 l. s. d. TAken and plundered from the Brough and and foreign of Rose to the value of— 1189 18 00 Taken and plundered from the Inhabitants of Much Martle to the value of— 1104 11 04 Taken and plundered from the Inhabitants of Eton Tregos to the value of— 0238 16 00 Taken and plundered from the Parishioners of Ashton Iguram to the value of— 0178 04 10 Taken and plundered from the Parishioners of the Lea to the value of— 0134 19 08 Taken and plundered from the parishioners of Linton to the value of— 0487 16 11 Taken and plundered from the Parishioners of Woollhoye to the value of— 0650 00 00 Taken and plundered from the Parishioners of Sollershop to the value of— 0094 09 00 Taken and plundered from the Parishioners of Upton Bishop to the value of— 0674 12 08 Taken and plundered from the Parishioners of Westton under_____ to the value of— 0742 05 08 Taken and plundered from the Inhabitants of Waford to the value of— 0091 05 10 Taken and plundered from the Inhabitants of Brampton to the value of— 0439 15 06 Taken and plundered from the Parishioners of Putney to the value of— 0073 13 00 Taken and plundered from the Parishioners of Mancels Hope to the value of— 0063 00 00 Taken and plundered from the parishioners of Dorrington to the value of— 0328 08 02 Taken and plundered from the parishioners of Mordeford to the value of— 0490 00 00 Sum 6979 08 08   

The several losses and damage sustained by the several Inhabitants in the several Parishes within the Hundred of Woolsey.  
 l. s. d. TAken and plundered from Mr. Manington of the parish of Sarnfield to the value of— 1000 00 00 Taken and plundered from the Parishioners of Risbury and Nicton to the value of— 0325 00 00 Taken and plundered from the parishioners of Docklow to the value of— 0123 01 08 Taken and plundered from the Parishioners more to the value of— 0051 13 03 Taken and plundered from the Parishioners of Hatfield and Doctlow to the value of— 0107 08 04 Taken from the parishioners of Hursby, Hepsleys Green, and Hoggaston to the value of— 0087 19 08 Taken and plundered from the Parishioners of Sarnfield to the value of— 0022 19 00 Taken from Arthur Winwood of Upton Gent. to the value of— 0185 00 00 Taken from the Parishioners of Upton more by plunder to the value of— 0051 10 00 Taken and plundered from the Parishioners of Tester to the value of— 0076 10 00 Taken and plundered from Mr. Richard Collins of Upton to the value of— 0220 00 00 Taken and plundered from the parishioners of Yarpall to the value of— 0066 01 08 Taken and plundered from the parishioners of little Dwilwin and Sollers to the value of— 0256 15 01 Taken of Mr. Hyet of Bidney to the value of— 0015 16 01 Taken and plundered from the Inhabitants of Warton and Newton to the value of— 0176 11 00 Taken and plundered from the Parishioners of Ivington— 0189 03 00 Taken and plundered from the Parishioners of Eton Honner, and Stretford to the value of— 1043 18 02 Taken and plundered from the parishioners of Hidehill and Wintercot to the value of— 0068 18 04 Taken and plundered from Hope Hampton, and Winsbery to the value of— 0483 11 02 Taken and plundered from the Parishioners of Humber to the value of— 0055 05 00 Taken and plundered from the Inhabitants of lie court to the value of— 0031 18 06 Taken and plundered from the Inhabitants of Luston to the value of— 0137 16 10 Taken and plundered from the Inhabitants of Kimbolton to the value of— 0278 17 01 Taken and plundered from the Parishioners of Orleton to the value of— 0027 13 04 Taken and plundered from the Inhabitants of Ashton to the value of— 0032 16 00 Taken and plundered from the inhabitants of Morton to the value of— 0093 00 00 Taken and plundered from the Inhabitants of little Hereford to the value of— 0066 16 08 Taken and plundered from the While and Piddleston to the value of— 0022 03 06 Taken and plundered from the Inhabitants of Stagbadge in Chalstry to the value of— 0050 05 00 Taken from the Inhabitants of Richford to the value of— 0220 00 00 Taken from the Inhabitants of Eyton to the value of— 0088 08 04 Taken from the Inhabitants of Lucton to the value of— 0063 18 04 Taken and plundered from the Inhabitants of Middleton to the value of— 0217 05 11 Sum 6130 11 11   

The several losses and damage sustained by the several Inhabitants in the several Parishes within the Hundred of Broxas.  
 l. s. d. TAken from the Parishioners of Marden by plunder to the value of— 0796 15 05 Taken from Preston town and the Parishioners of Willington to the value of— 0696 15 00 Taken from the Parishioners of Felton to the value of— 0099 13 04 Taken from the Inhabitants of Bromyard cum membris to the value of— 0682 17 06 Taken and plundered from the Parishioners of Sutton to the value of— 0354 00 00 Taken from the inhabitants of Wacton to the value of— 0012 11 07 Taken and plundered from the Parishioners of Grendon Bishop to the value of— 0090 02 08 Taken from the Parishioners of Amberley to the value of— 0066 00 00 Taken from the parishioners of Thorneby and Rowden to the value of— 0043 05 04 Taken and plundered from the parishioners of Much Cowyarne to the value of— 0278 10 00 Taken and plundered from the Parishioners of Tedston Dallamore to the value of— 0031 00 10 Taken and plundered from Tedston Wafer to the value of— 0087 09 08 Taken and plundered from the parishioners of Pencomb to the value of— 0063 08 03 Taken and plundered from the parishioners of Ullinsweek and little Coward to the value of— 0022 13 04 Taken from the parishioners of Stokelacye to the value of— 0120 12 10 Taken from the parishioners of Whiteborne to the value of— 0046 94 11 Taken from the parishioners of Ockle Pychard to the value of— 0338 17 06 Taken from the Parishioners of Stamford Bishop to the value of— 0236 11 02 Taken from the inhabitants of Menbery to the value of— 0081 01 08 Taken from the Inhabitants of Bromyard Town to the value of— 0252 02 00 Taken from Waffoloe, and one cook to the value of— 0057 00 00 Taken from the parishioners of Hampton Charles— 0030 10 05 Taken and plundered from the parishioners of Boddenham to the value of— 0607 10 01 Sum 4895 12 02   

The several losses and damage sustained by the several Inhabitants in the several Parishes within the Hundred of Wormloe.  
 l. s. d. TAken and plundered from the Inhabitants of St. Warn to the value of— 0195 00 00 Taken and plundered from the Inhabitants of Bowlston to the value of— 0099 10 00 Taken and plundered from the Inhabitants of Actenbury to the value of— 0105 10 00 Taken and plundered from the inhabitants of Dewsall to the value of— 0129 06 08 Taken and plundered from the Inhabitants of Sellocke and Foye to the value of— 0077 08 08 Taken and plundered from the Inhabitants of Machbery to the value of— 0181 07 00 Taken and plundered from the inhabitants of Orcupe to the value of— 0097 11 02 In damage and loss to the inhabitants of Kilpecke to the value of— 0104 14 02 Taken und plundered from the Inhabitants of King's chapel to the value of— 0063 11 00 Taken and plundered from the Inhabitants of little Burch to the value of— 0071 03 08 Taken and plundered from the Inhabitants of little Dew church to the value of— 0092 16 08 Taken and plundered from the Inhabitants of Tretyre and Michael Church to the value of— 0165 02 08 Taken and plundered from the Inhabitants of Londinabo to the value of— 0045 14 06 Taken and plundered from the Inhabitants of Longaran to the value of— 0120 13 00 Taken and plundered from the Inhabitants of Morstow— 0010 09 00 Taken and plundered from the Inhabitants of Kentchurch to the value of— 0006 14 06 Taken and plundered from the Inhabitants of Garway to the value of— 0401 18 02 Taken and plundered from the Inhabitants of Phitslowe to the value of— 0006 00 00 Taken and plundered from the Inhabitants of Gotheridge to the value of— 0038 03 06 Taken and plundered from the Inhabitants of Hentland to the value of— 0082 15 00 Taken and plundered from Morley of that parish to the value of— 0022 00 00 Taken and plundered from the Inhabitants of Dewchurch to the value of— 0040 00 00 Sum 2157 06 01   

The several losses and damage sustained by the several Inhabitants in the several Parishes within the Hundred of Jemisworth.  
 l. s. d. TAken and plundered from the Inhabitants of Holmer to the value of— 0531 07 04 Taken and plundered from the Inhabitants of Hampton Bishop to the value of— 0511 18 04 Taken and plundered from the Inhabitants of Willington to the value of— 0485 13 08 Taken and plundered from the inhabitants of Wornsley to the value of— 0107 10 04 Taken and plundered from the Inhabitants of Pipe to the value of— 0161 08 08 Taken and plundered from the Inhabitants of Kenchester to the value of— 0336 12 00 Taken and plundered from the Inhabitants of Credenhill to the value of— 0113 11 00 Taken and plundered from the Inhabitants of Bushopson to the value of— 0218 11 02 Taken and plundered from the Inhabitants of Norton Cannon to the value of— 0112 10 10 Taken and plundered from the Inhabitants of Byford to the value of— 0241 01 06 Taken and plundered from the Inhabitants of Braynton to the value of— 0060 00 00 Taken and plundered from the Inhabitants of Mornington to the value of— 0220 18 00 Taken and plundered from the Inhabitants of Bridge sollerd to the value of— 0211 10 00 Taken and plundered from the Inhabitants of Yazor to the value of— 0172 12 00 Taken and plundered from the Inhabitants of Stanton to the value of— 0352 16 00 Taken and plundered from the Inhabitants of Burhill to the value of— 0268 12 04 Taken and plundered from the Inhabitants of Mansell Gamadge to the value of— 0212 02 06 Sum 3818 15 08   

The several losses and damage sustained by the several Inhabitants in the several Parishes within the Hundred of Huntington.  
 l. s. d. TAken and plundered from the Inhabitants of Kington to the value of— 0165 02 11 Taken and plundered from the Inhabitants of Huntington to the value of— 0140 09 03 Taken and plundered from the Inhabitants of Brilley to the value of— 3152 03 00 Taken and plundered from the Inhabitants of Eridesly to the value of— 0454 03 04 Taken and plundered from the inhabitants of Whitney to the value of— 0193 06 08 Taken and plundered from the Inhabitants of Cliffard and Hardwick to the value of— 0221 10 07 Taken and plundered from the Inhabitants of Winsorton to the value of— 0112 00 08 Taken and plundered from the Inhabitants of Batch and_____ to the value of— 0151 08 06 Taken and plundered from the several Inhabitants of Clifford to the value of— 0017 16 08 Sum 1608 00 09   

The several losses and damage sustained by the several Inhabitants in the several Parishes within the Hundred of Bebtry.  
 l. s. d. TAken and plundered from the Inhabitants of Preston upon Wye to the value of— 0606 00 08 Taken and plundered from the Inhabitants of Tremell to the value of— 0119 17 00 Taken and plundered from the Inhabitants of Merkes to the value of— 0141 16 00 Taken and plundered from the Inhabitants of Dorson to the value of— 0302 07 02 Taken and plundered from the Township of Vowchurch to the value of— 0080 02 04 Taken and plundered from the Inhabitants of Wormbridge to the value of— 0034 01 04 Taken and plundered from the Inhabitants of Kentchurch to the value of— 0054 04 11 Taken and plundered from the Inhabitants of Dinder to the value of— 0484 07 08 Taken and plundered from the Inhabitants of Didley to the value of— 0307 15 07 Taken and plundered from the Inhabitants of Kinson to the value of— 0392 19 10 Taken and plundered from the Inhabitants of Black more to the value of— 0042 03 04 Taken and plundered from the Inhabitants of Dulas to the value of— 0030 15 02 Taken and plundered from Backton parish to the value of— 0039 12 04 Taken from the parish of Peterchurch to the value of— 0237 16 08 Taken and plundered from the Inhabitants of Abbeydore— 1212 03 01 Taken from Kentchurch and Howton to the value of— 0177 18 10 Taken from Retherose and the Inhabitants there to the value of— 0206 00 00 Taken from the Inhabitants of Home Larye to the value of— 0295 09 11 Taken from the Inhabitants of Much Dewchurch to the value of— 0689 12 11 Taken from the Inhabitants of Eton Bishop to the value of— 0610 10 05 Taken from other persons near the parish to the value of— 0137 18 01 Sum 6153 09 11  
Sum total of all the aforesaid particulars is 31743 05 02  
Besides the damage, plundering, and losses of the 70 Parishes which brought not in their accounts: with divers Gentlemen, and persons that neglected to bring in their accounts, that lived within the 160 Parishes herein accounted for, which is expected, might have amounted near the sum of 30000 li. more.  
FINIS.