THE Royal Entertainment of the KING, by the ROYALISTS OF HUNTINGTON.  
Being a true Relation of the great Joy of that Town at his coming, with their bountiful Gifts to welcome him thither.  
Also his tender care of them expressed by Proclamation to keep them free from Plunder; and his extraordinary Favour and Mercy in setting all the Prisoners Free.  
Together with the great Lamentation of the Inhabitants at his departure.  
Sent in a Letter by a person of Credit, to a Gentleman of worth in LONDON.  
London, Printed by John Macock. 1645.   

THE True Copy of a Letter Sent by one of Credit, to a Gentleman of worth in LONDON.  
Sir,  
I Gave you an Account yesterday, of some passages of the Kings flying Army in these parts, and of his Advance from Huntingdon occasioned so suddenly as we conceive partly by the near approach of the Scots horse and some others, who are now upon the pursuit of him, and are crossed the Country by Northampton to head him before he goes too fare Westward; there also joined from Warwick, Stafford, Northampton, and Newport, the last night about 1000 horse, who were in his Van and hope to halt him till the Scots come nearer; I came with some other friends this Afternoon to Huntingdon, where we found the whole Town, formerly notorious for malignancy, turned quite round in the space of three days: In which I think good to give you likewise some further account.  
His Majesty on Sabbath day about five a Clock in the Afternoon entered the Town; and with much complemental hatting and bowing saluted all his good friends as he road through the streets, who was entertained by them with reciprocal expessions of Joy, and such Acclamations and Whooping, as have not been heard in place.  
The Mayor of Huntingdon, and two Bailiffs of Godmanchester a town thereunto adjoining, and their brethren presently, as a further acknowledgement of their delight to see him, taxed the said Towns at 5. shil. 10. shil. 15. shil. a man, (mean men) and others at fare higher rates, and presented his Majesty therewith in Lump; which Mayor, Bailiffs, and 43. others of his brethren [most Royalists] for their loving expression, are carried Prisoners along with the Army; as also many others both Townsmen and others fetch out of the Country, [and that known friends to them] too ransom themselves by money; being set on their heads from 20. l. to 300. l. a piece. Presently after the K. came in, proclamation was made: That on pain of death no Soldier should plunder, and that full satisfaction should be made to any who complained of such grievances; To put it to trial; no sooner was it made, but they fell to plunder, carrying out of divers shops and houses, 3. and 4. loads of goods and wares a piece, amongst many, Mr. Fulwood an Apothecary, and the two M. Kings, Woollen Drapers can witness it truth, not leaving them one bit of householdstuff in their houses, or wares in their shops; all which they carry along with them in their march. Every house was billeted, though never so poor, some 20, or 30. in a house, who was by special order to provide both horse meat and man's meat, and XII pence a day to each Soldier to spend, which was duly paid, though the poor creatures [by fearful oaths and God dammees to be pistoled] presently were forced to borrow from house to house as many scores did; and this was general through the town: our 
* At the Angel in Godmanch.  Innkeeper that you know a strong Royalist where Major Mountain quartered, made provision for him and 40. more, of the best he could get, and that in plenty; the first supper they drunk 3. l. in wine; his men fetching it out by paile-fulls, and freely bidden so to do by the owner, and welcome all the while; yet for two days together the poor Man walked in hourly danger of his life, upon their pretence of not serviceableness enough to them; and at their parting, after almost 6. score pound eaten and drunk by horse and man; forced him to borrow 42. shil. to pay each Soldier XII. pence or else they would carry him with them. Besides this he having but 10. sheep other soldiers fetch in 8. of them, and eat them at other houses; the other 2. he was fain to give 2. of his own billiters 6. pence a piece to fetch them into his house to be killed for them, [in regard all his own people were busy] which they accordingly did, but when brought, forced the Innkeeper to give them 10. shil. for the sheep claiming them as there own, now they had them in possession, and glad he was so to please them, and presently dressed them for them. In many quarters the soldiers fetch in sheep of othermen's and made the Landlord pay them 4. and 5. shil. a piece for them to dress them for their use, or else swore they would spit their children.  
Many houses plundered to nothing, so that Tables, stools, bedsteads and other combustiable things lie broken in every room, after the bedding, linen, pewte, and portable things carried out; very many people are not left worth one penny, and of their best friends: At their parting they drove away both Huntingdon and Godman-chester herds of Kine, about 6. or 700. and made them pay 13. shil. 4. pence, for every head before they had them again.  
They have left scarce a horse in either Town, nor in any other they Marched thorough or near: so that there is lamentable complaining in the Country not knowing how to get in their Corn yet out, both men and women being very busy in fetching in that which lies near the Town, on their backs.  
After great sums have been taxed and paid in by several Towns, all their horses have been fetched away, and many persons plundered. One very tyrannical expression towards an honest man in Godmanchester, of 73. years of age, one John Robince, a man far in debt, of whom they demanded 300. l. not being able to pay it, they tied lighted Matches between all his fingers, and burned him exceedingly, than tied his neck and heels together and so let him lie all night in his Barn, after that they had so crushed him that the blood sprung out of his nose and mouth to his almost strangling, the next morning they hung him up by the heels on a balk, put lighted Match behind his ears, to his cheeks, and to his privities, which brought the old man almost senseless. Yet notwithstanding all this have they carried him away with them in great extremity of pain, taking mournful leave of his wife and six children at the door, by praying God to bless her and them, and desiring her to bring them up in the fear of God and the like: and so without expectation of ever seeing each other they departed: this is most true: as by the Testimony of all his Neighbours, many whereof were witnesses to all passages. So his poor wife with much grief and tears declared it to myself. Some others they put ropes about their necks threatening to hang, if they provided not so much money as they imposed. It is marvellous to see how all Malignants are changed in judgement: saying, they expected to have found the King and his Army Saints, who have so often protested to maintain Religion and their Liberties; but they swear now they are more like devils that come out of hell, than any sort of men, and vowing while they are worth a groat to join with the Parliament to suppress them.  
They have knocked off all the Irons of all the Felons, and other prisoners in Huntingdon Goal, which were very many, and condemned men in Law, for gross Robberies and Murders; who have all taken up Arms for his Majesty. This is maintenance of Law.  
Colonel Gerard in the presence of many honest men did here openly profess, That the Parliament go about to take the Crown and kingdom from the King, but they would take such a course before they had done with it, that it should be left scarce worth having; and farther wished, That the estate which he had in England was all of a fire, for things would never be well till it came to that.  
The King, to please the Country, after many thousand pounds worth of goods sent away without any check, and many men undone, caused lots to be cast between four, who had pillaged a poor Glover in the Town, (one Gimber) of about 5. shillings, and one to be hanged therefore: And at his departure gave the Town and Country great thanks for their kind entertainment of him, and forwardness to show their readiness to serve him, [which they will not be so forward to do the next time he comes.] One Providence is observable, That divers of the best affected to the Parliament, in and about Huntingdon, have scaped with least loss, and many of the King's best friends have suffered most in their persons and estates. You may Recommend these Observations to as many as you please, being all truths in every particular; so I remain  
Your Loving Friend, etc. J. W. Hunt. 27. Aug. 1645.  
We are pursuing the Rear with 1000 horse and Dragoones, from Cambridge and the Association.  
I think it not amiss if you put this letter into some better form, and being made shorter it be Printed speedily, to satisfy some Malignants with you. It being in every particular true, and in haste written.   

Let the Reader take notice the Printer hath not varied one word from the Letter, but only added the Title Page.  
Published according to Order.