THe miseries and Calamities which of late have happened in this confused place of England are so many , that they furnish the discourse both of this and of other nations , who notwithstanding are not able to expresse them all ; I shall now relate you onely two , befalling within these few dayes , and to this end that by the true report of these which by men of sundry passions may be prevented ) others of the like natare , if it please God may be prevented , of the one I have certaine information , of the other I my selfe was an eye witnesse . The first happened at Acton , some six miles distant from London , where lived a Gentleman ; reported and beleeved to be different in Religion ( as too many now a dayes are which we know to be the cause of all our evills ) from the Church of England ; but in the voice of most of his neighbours a sober moderate and charitable minded man . This Gentleman having in his house no more but one ancient Gentlewoman his kinswoman , whom he intrusted as his house keeper , with one serving man and maide . Had his house besett with divers Companies of Souldiers , who had listed themselves for the service of the King and Parliament and were in pay , and command , under Officers , where after they had forced him to open the gates by threatning words they entred the house , and so strangly despoyled him , that they left him not a bed , bedsted , table , doore , or glassewindow , chest , trunke , or the smallest utensill , but sold all for very small prizes before his servants faces , some of them having forced him before on foote to London , and for his bills , bonds , letters , and other writings , the most part they tore in peeces , and strewed them about the house , others some they sent up to London , he hath with much industry , and long time rarley furnished a plot of Ground with the choicest flowers and outlandish trees which he could procure , which they plucked up by the roots as many as they could , and the rest left so desolate that whereas it was thought the finest and most curious gardens in all those part , there is now left nothing but the ruines of art and nature .

The other outrage which with griefe I saw was committed in Radcliffe highway , upon Tuseday last being the 23 of this instant August , where lived an aged Gentleman in good fashion , love and credit amongst his neighbours for many yeares space . I was enformed and might likewise guesse by his aspect that hee was above fourescore , and his wife not much distant from his time . This poore man was like manner assaulted by another company of Souldiers , who are billated thereabouts , untill the Drum commands them to doe service : where having approached his doore , they drew out a paper which they read , whether a pretence of Authority or what else I cannot easily conjecture . And thereupon they rusht into the House , rifled him of all that was in the House , breaking and battering many of the goods , and having brought them out , sold them to such persons as would buy them at any rates , and this at nooneday and in the sight of 1000 people ; one Featherbed I saw sold for foure shillings , and one Flockbed for one shilling , & many other things at I know not what prises , leaving him nothing but naked wales and one stoole which the old man sate upon , he being lame and decrepit with old age . she Headborough of that place endeavored to ●… escue some of the goods , which were af●… terwards violently taken againe out of his house After the riot was thus ended , they marched away with a drum ; and then I made bold to goe into this distressed mans house , where I found him sitting upon his only stoole , and with the teares falling downe his hoary beard ; from whence having administred the best comfort that I could I departed .

I will now leave the Reader to Iudge of these strange inhumanities they being in this respect the more monstrous in that they are practised amongst Christians against Christians , and amongst men that pretend and indeede should maintaine and defend Religion , the Lawes of the Land , and Priviledges of the Subiect ; to the scandall of the true sincere Protastant Religion , destruction of the Lawes of the Kingdome , and the utter violation of all Priviledge .

If it be heer obiected unto me that they were Papists , I demand if there be not many wholsom Lawes , made against them , and desired both by the Kings Majesty by the Parliament to be put in execution , nay , were they Iewes or Aethists , it is a staine to the Government of the Kingdom amongst many other distempers , and may teach Forraigne Princes to use the same rigour towards Protestants beyond the Seas ; whose Religion in puritie , truth , and decency let us pray God for ever to maintain and defend . The Lords and Commons in Parliament declares , that all such persons as shall , upon any pretence whatsoever , assist his Majestie in this Warre , with Horse , Armes , Plate or money , are Traytors to His Maiestie , the Parliament , and Kingdome , and shall be brought to condigne punnishment for so high an offence .