ROBERT
Earle
of
Essex
,
&c.
Captaine
Generall
of
the
Army
imployed
for
the
defence
of
the
Protestant
Religion
,
King
,
Parliament
,
and
Kingdome
.
WHereas
these
Countries
have
beene
very
much
afflicted
and
oppressed
by
the
enemy
,
and
we
are
now
come
to
relieve
them
of
their
hard
bondage
.
It
is
therefore
my
expresse
will
and
pleasure
,
and
I
doe
hereby
straightly
charge
and
command
all
Officers
and
Souldiers
of
Horse
,
Foot
,
and
Dragoons
,
belonging
to
the
Army
under
my
command
,
that
they
and
every
of
them
doe
forthwith
after
Proclamation
hereof
made
,
forbeare
(
notwithstanding
any
pretence
whatsoever
)
to
plunder
or
spoile
any
of
the
goods
of
the
inhabitants
of
these
Countries
,
or
offer
any
violence
or
other
prejudice
unto
them
,
upon
paine
of
death
without
mercie
.
Given
under
my
hand
and
seale
this
26
of
May
,
1644.
ESSEX
.
A
Letter
from
a
Gentleman
of
quality
residing
in
the
Army
,
to
his
friend
in
LONDON
.
SIR
,
THe
Armies
are
this
day
on
their
march
.
Yesterday
the
Lord
Roberts
Marshall
Generall
of
the
field
marched
with
a
party
of
Horse
and
Foot
(
by
his
Excellencies
order
)
and
possest
themselves
of
Abington
,
which
the
enemy
the
day
before
quitted
,
and
retreated
to
Oxford
;
truely
(
blessed
be
God
)
the
enemy
flies
before
us
and
durst
not
oppose
.
The
Countrey
where
we
now
are
,
are
in
a
very
poore
condition
,
and
truly
the
enemy
dealt
so
inhumanely
with
them
,
that
they
have
almost
stript
them
of
all
they
had
in
this
Towne
;
as
I
am
informed
,
some
of
them
ript
up
Sows
bellies
great
with
Pigges
,
and
did
other
incredible
acts
of
worse
nature
,
besides
ravishing
three
mayds
;
and
when
they
had
done
this
,
they
said
they
would
do
what
other
mischiefe
they
could
,
because
they
had
but
a
short
time
to
raigne
.
Herein
is
his
Excellencies
Proclamation
to
save
all
that
is
left
by
the
enemy
,
which
is
very
little
.
I
rest
,
Your
assured
friend
.
Blewbery
,
May
26.
1644.
in
the
morning
.
Sir
William
Waller
was
this
day
at
Sutton
,
which
is
between
Oxford
and
Abington
.