THE CASE OF Christopher Todd, And several OTHERS, Relating to the great Hardships and Abuses they have Received from CHARLES ETON, Captain Lieutenant to the Right Honourable The Earl of Oxford; And several Misdemeanours Committed by the said Captain, to the great Prejudice of his Majesty's Service, humbly offered to the Consideration of the; Knights, Citizens, and Burgesses in Parliament Assembled.  
THE said Christopher Todd, who Mounted himself Three several Times, at his own Charge, in the Troop, which is now Commanded by the said Captain Eton, and likewise paid Ten Pounds towards the Remounting others in the said Troop, but received no Benefit himself on that Account; who, after Application made to the Honourable the Commissioners of Accounts, for Relief in the great Abuse and Injury received in the Accounts of their Irish Arrears, and for objecting against the evil Practices of the said Captain, he was disgracefully put out of His Majesty's Service by the said Captain; who, by virtue of his Commission, fraudulently took away the said Christopher Todds Horse, which he hath since Sold as his own, for Sixteen Pounds.  
That on the 7th. of January 1695. James Mitchell, of the said Troop, being under Confinement, for refu●ing to pay 10 s. per Week, for 12. Weeks that his Horse was kept in Capt. eaton's Stable; was offered, That (if he would declare the said Christopher Todd had corrupted him to speak what he was to affirm against the said Cap●. Eton at the Court Martial) it would be better for him: But he being Conscious to himself, that he could not in Justice assert any such thing; and accordingly refusing so to do, was immediately sent to the Marshals, and loaded with Irons made on purpose for him; and so continued for the space of Eleven Days, in so miserable a Condition that he could hardly walk in the said Prison, until such time as the Honourable Robert Harley Esq spoke on his Behalf to the Secretary of War: After which he was Discharged from the said Confinement, upon his being Disgraced at the head of the Regiment, and obliged to ask Forgiveness on his Knees Three several times, although he knew not wherein he had Offended.  
That in the Year 1693. Capt. Eton defrauded Mr. Thomas Brushfield of Fifty Pounds, who was to have made it Sixty Guineas, for being Clerk to the Troop; but the said Captain not performing his Agreement with him, did propose (for the Advance of so much more Money as would make up the aforesaid Sum Eighty Pounds) to procure him a Commission to be Lieutenant of Foot; which he never performed, but directed him to hire Horses to Muster in his Troop, which he did accordingly, and once Mustered on the said Capt. Coach-Horse.  
That in May 1695. One John Steer was hired by Capt. Eaton's Clerk, to Muster in his Troop for Five Shillings; being told by the said Clerk it was for another Man: That he did actually Muster; And in July 1695 he was Mustered as absent upon Furlow, although he was not in Truth absent from his Family (where he was at first found) nor knew anything of his being so Mustered  
The said Captain hath Mustered one John Palmer, knowingly by a wrong Name; his first Muster being in May 1694. but he never came into Quarters or performed Duty, or appeared with any Horse of his own, until he was informed against in September 1695.  
The said Captain did enter in the Muster-Rolls of March, May, July, and September 1693. the Names of William Dreage, Richard Johnson, James Collings, Henry Channel, and Francis Thackleston, who were never known to do Duty, or belong to the Troop.  
That the said Captain did enter the Names of Andrew Bayley, Daniel Johnson, Philip Waglestaff, William White, John Lucous, William watter's, and John Beard in the Master-Rolls of May, July, September, and November 1694 as absent; though they never did once appear at the Musters, or were known to belong to the Troop.  
That the said Captain hath from February 92. to July 95. had Money advanced by the King for Twenty Horses, which with 450 l. by him stopped and received out of the Soldiers Money, under pretence of Mounting them, amounts to the Sum of 700 l. Out of which he hath only bought 14 indifferent Horses.  
The said Captain did stop out of the Subsistance of each Soldier in his Troop Six Pence per Week, for 26 Weeks, when in Country Quarters, from Septembe 93. contrary to Order, or the Practice of any other Officer in the Regiment.  
That the said Capt. hath kept William Jourding in his Troop unmounted for 20 Months, viz. from May 94. and (to excuse his Absence at the Musters) often Mustered him as Sick when he was not so; on the Account of getting Three Fifths of his Pay the whole time.  
That he hath turned out of the Troop several good Soldiers that did great Service both in Flanders and Ireland, who could get no Account of their Irish Arrears from their former Capt. but were reduced to great Want, and one of them had in all probability perished, had not the private Soldiers made a Collection for him: And moreover the said Capt. under pretence of Custom, took away the Horses of such fit Persons, whom he so discharged, and took in several other Persons that were unfit for the Service; that they might buy in more Horses to the Troop.  
That the said Capt. did stop Seven Weeks whole Pay from one Thomas Bello of the said Troop in Feb. 92. and afterwards did take the Horse of the said Tho. Bello, a Journey to the Bath for 8 Weeks, and upon his Return the said Horse was so much damaged, that he was not judged worth more than Three Pounds, and yet did make the said Tho. Bello pay out of his Subsistance, the Charge of his Keeping for all the said time.  
That the said Capt. hath Mustered his Coachman and Groom as effectual Soldiers, although they never appear to do Service in the Troop; the said Groom having been constantly Mustered on the said Capt. Coach-horse, and that the said Capt. hath affirmed him to be an effective Soldier; and saith, That in regard he is a careful Man, he keeps him to look after the Horses of such Men as are negligent therein, although the said Capt. hath obliged several of his Troop to bring their Horses to his Stable, and makes them pay Ten Shillings and Six Pence per Week for their Keeping, that so he may punish those to whom he takes a Dislike: It being properly the Corporals Business in all Regiments of Light Horse, to see that the Soldiers do take due Care of their Horses.  
All which Practices are of such ill Consequences to the Government, especially at this time, when His Majesty stands in so great need of being well served, that it doth wholly doscourage several fit Persons from coming into His Majesty's Service: The Remedy whereof is humbly left to the Consideration of this Honourable House, for the preventing the said great and growing Evils, by such Means as in Your abundant Wisdoms shall seem meet.