An Unhappy View of the Whole Behaviour of My Lord Duke of Buckingham at the French Island Secretly Discovered William Fleetwood Noah Millstone Principal Investigator MPESE Sebastiaan Verweij Co-Investigator MPESE Richard Bell Research Associate Mike Jones Research Software Engineer Victoria Anker BRIHC Research Impact Fellow Peter Hammond Transcription Volunteer Manuscript Pamphleteering in Early Stuart England (MPESE) 2017 United Kingdom London British Library Additional MS 22591

British Library, Additional MS 22591

 British Library, Hargrave MS 226, ff. 216r–228r British Library, Harley MS 6255, pp.239–261 British Library, Sloane MS 363, ff. 56x–71x British Library, Harley MS 4264, ff. 257r–265v Beinecke Library, Osborn File 19139 Bodleian Library, MS Eng. hist. d. 89, ff. 110–120 Bodleian Library, MS Rawlinson A 488, ff. 1r–9v Bodleian Library, MS Rawlinson D 671, ff1–10 Cambridge University Library, MS Ll.3.11, ff. 69r–83r Houghton Library, fMS Eng 1266, volume II, ff.274r–279x Houghton Library, fMS Eng 1278, Folder 9 Huntington Library, HM 213, pp509–??? Senate House, University of London, MS 308, ff. 260r–272x Senate House, University of London, MS 309, ff. 163r–177x Woburn Abbey, MS 4E-60, ff. 265–259

1627 English

An vnhappye veiwe of the whole be- hauiour of my lord Duke of Buckinghame at the Frenche Islande of Rees

Secreetlye discouered by W: F: an vnfortunate comaunder in that vntoward Service

At A privye Assemblie, at the Councell table, by the kinge, and the Lordes. And to extinguish the ignominie of the Former Service of Cailes, an attempt into France was concluded on, and the duke de signed for generall, whoe tooke the honour indifferent gladlie, presuming to recover his Creditt, by his owne prowesse in this exploite. heere vpon, began A Strong presse of Soldiers, with soe large A Provison of victualls, and other maintenance for them, as could not but in comon reason promise A boone voyage to come, if the intent were closelye carryed, But before any Soldier was imbarqued, the duke out of an old ill will to the weale publique, divulged the Plott at Courte very freelye, without either Feare or witt, whereby the worst of our ill willers where soever, (taking but the paines to adredresse themselves thither) might knowe all for an easie attention, which must needes be halfe A prevention of the hopes in question.

Vpon the pointe of our first setting to See, the duke as well as out of A distrust, of some miserable deathe that might befall him in the voyage, as out of a consideracion of being (for A tyme) estranged from his effeminate pleasures heere hat some (from which noe warlike service can ever drawe him) would willinglye haue relin- quished his charge, without anye allegacion, either of his weakenes in his experience, or insufficiencie of his owne person, but he was prickt, and spurred on to it a fresh by the onlye perswation of his Majesty for that the Eyes of all the troopes were fixed on him for theiur cheiftayne.

Vpon this wee put forthe to sea, and inclined our Course (by the dukes direction) to the Island of Rhee or St Martins, where aswell everye mecanicke Comon soldier, as captaine and Colonell in our Compaynye knewe our Journye was to ende, But (Lord) the dukes carriage, at sea , was most obstinate and rediculous, & alltogither backward to his Faithe and creditt laid at pawne here at home, in his absence, for whatsoever the circumspect commanders vnder him, had propounded as behoofull, he would be sure to gaine saye, and vnder a vile penaltie to commaund that noe invention, should be soe much as sett on Foote, but what proceeded from his owne Studye & approbacion, soe by that meanes endeavoring to be whollye enriched and dignified with the attribute of compassing all the good fortune that could any waye waye attend the enterprise, as he now contrariwise surfeites of the disgrace, The Islanders, (through the largnes of the duks toung being too inquisitive after their fortificacions of divers plauguie passengers at Sea) were acquainted with our meaning long before they sawe vs, and soe wee arrived not there without an vnluckye expecta cion and entertainement

After wee had revewed the Forte and scituacion thereof, wee demaunded of the duke, wherein our Countrye could bee advantaged by surprising such A vast Stronge savored place, seeing the maintenance thereof after our Conquest, would yearelye expend, verye neere as muche, as the profitt could amount vnto

To this he replyed that throughe his owne intreatie vpon his majestys signing of his Commission, he was onlye put vpon this Island, which if he but recover his retourne, it would redeeme all his lost honour at home, and soe comaunded vs to entrench our selves.

Wee all being confident that this expression could but proceed from an vndaunted hart, some of vs presentlye in desperate manner went on shore (expecting the duke, and his retinewe at our heeles) where wee were sodainelye vnawares, encountred very sharpelye, by some troopes of French horsemen, (which by meanes that the duke kept of at Sea, and came not into our Succor) soe opprest vs with theire multituds, that manye of our companye in our retourne to our Shipps, were either hewen to peeces or drowned in the Water, as Sir William Hayden, and Mr Temple of Lincolnes Inne and many others of good Parentage. The third daye after this re= pulse, wee renewed our Strength, and went all againe on shore, and there fortifyed our selves, for our most advantage, and in shorte time after soe furiouslye summoned the Island, that the inhabitantes were constrayned to returne to their Fort, as theire last refuge, to the gates whereof, wee pursued them, with great terror, and tooke some fewe Prisoners/

Then perceaving the Strengthe and Compasse of the Fort, and vnderstanding that it was well victualled for a lingring seage, wee recoyled Backe, and intrenched our selves our selves a new from the anoye of their comon shott, and by degrees we came at last to inviround it allmost rounde, (as farr as it was anyway. needfull) and yet kept still out of the daunger of their ordynance, and for a good while deprived them of all Succors, both by sea and land, & soe planted our batterye thus farr wee speed indifferentlye well (havinge (in recompence of our first overthrowe) gayned the Island, & put our selves in possession of it, The honour and applause whereof de- testeth the duke, and his best mirritts in the whole Action, & (next vnder God) reflects on the everliving Fame, and memorie of that night valiant and heroique gentleman Sir John Burrowes, by whose onelye reache it was compassed, and whose Act therein (since in a calme season he was afterwars treacherouslye slaine) deserves (if one maye soe saye, without presumption) to immortealize his Soule/

The

The Forte nowe remayning vnyeilded, and standing betwixt vs and A reasonable Conquest (by the powerfull and searching per= swasion of Sir John Burrowes) as well comon Soldier as Captaine, protested to haue that too, or els to dye in the Feild, which promise the verye flower of all our Comanders there, were inforced in the end to make good, to the verye effusion of theire dearest blouds, And thus we con- tinued our batterye for aboue two monthes space and yet in all that time, throughe the extraordinarye strength of the place (by meanes of the Rampiers and barracadoes) that the defendants had newely erected within) wee could make noe breache, nor to take the oppertunitie to give as assaulte, wherevpon (for that our provision held out well) it was deter= mined by Sir John Burrowes ( whose weakest advice, at this time, the multitude were readye to followe, then the best of the dukes) that wee should beleager the forte round still, as wee had begunn, and soe with out A surrender thereof, by A long seige we should starve vpp the defendants, and all thinges considered, this was the onlye waye, to sur= prise soe impregnable A Place/

The duke was infintelye incensed with this swaye of Si John Burrowes, and his owne neglect, and therefore by degrees hee en= deavoured to allure the hartes of the Soldiers from him, which bare wordes could not bringe to passe, till he privatelye had distributed, to some of them assenting, the paye of the rest dissenting

Wherevpon such a murmuring and discontent arose betwixt the faction of Sir John Burrowes and the duke, that had not Sir John sodainelye quieted all by his wisedome, wee had certainelye mutyned, amongst our selves to all our confusions, and soe haue given the enemy an occasion to haue slaine vs outright, but by the midiation of frennds on either syde, they seemed to be reconciled, And nowe celebrated the Amitie the same night by A private supper in the dukes tent/

But such is the reache of A malicious vindictive hart, that it is never at rest, till the intended plott be put to A pointe, be it never be execrable and develishe; For the next morning Sir John (according to his dailye wont, surveying his owne Trenches, and being cleare out of all daunger of the Forte) was in all instant Strucken dead in the place with A muskett shott by an vnknowne hand, and soe gives vpp his speechlesse Soule, into the Joyes of heaven, that had never done but good on Earthe.

The newes and manner of this, bredd A new hurley burley in the Campe, and readye wee were to dye againe, vpon each others sworde, but that throughe fresh rewardes from the duke to some, & lordlike menaces to other some, (that had bine formerly rewarded) all were once more quietted, and our provision was much lessened wherevpon my Lord of Holland, was to our releiffe, but came not

About this time there was newes, that the French King approached vs with releiffe for the forte, and to raise our seige, wherevpon the duke for the safegard of his owne person (whereas his retinew was the strongest allreadye) withdrewe two of the regiments from the sure places Sir John Burrowes had formerlye alloted them to, for for his worships defence in particular, and soe left all manlesse, which the Frenche Convoyes (lying of Watche) perceaving, entred there the same night, and releeved the Forte, in abundance both with Fresh Soldiers & provision, and soe nightlye for A weeke togither came vnder our noses, with the like stuffe, and yet this duke would not suffer vs to encounter them, pretending that he feared the Frenche Kinge at his backe, when a lasse there was neither Kinge nor Frenche Armye there

When the Fort was everye waye as well manned as victualled, the defendants began divers times, to confront and brave vs before theire mayne sallye out, yett this our generall, would neither permitt vs to encounter them, nor (at last) to continue our batterye, soe that in everye discontented manner we laye idle, rioteouslye consumed the remainder of his majestys allowance, without attempting anye thing or worthe the while, in soe muche that I my selfe impatiently demaun: ding of the duke, what he would doe with vs, whether longer enthrall vs, to his owne ignoble pleasure, or sterue vs vp insteed of the defendants, but I could drawe noe other answere from him, but as he was our generall, soe wee should knowe it by the strict hand he would carry over vs, and for our further proceedings against the Forte, we should goe on, in our idleness till wee learne further from him

Wee that were Colonells and prime officers under him, could as hardlye brooke this his vntoward carriage, as rawe meate in our stomakes, yett for quiettnesse sake, and to repell mutynies in the campe, wee smothered our grudes, without anye appearance of harte burning to the multitude, and soe laye expecting a miserable successe of all our vndertakings. Afterwards the duke told vs, that he had secrtlye intelligence out of the Forte, that most of thir best Soldiers had convoyed themselves awaye by night, for feare of a newe supplye, by my Lord of Holland, and that the remnant (if wee laye still intrenched) would shortlye become our vassalls, which newes (being confirmed with as large protestacions as could proceed from the harte of A Christian man) made vs soe farre to creditt him, as to lye secure, and to presume that this (once done) would make vs all as happie, as our confidence in his worde could any wayes make vs miserable by the contrarye. The verye next morning after this consultacion (which fell out to be the daye of doome to most of vs) the duke being sensible of his perfidious dealing, and that, that was the daye the defendants would encounter vs to deathe, (not withstanding what his ingagement for our safeties had formerlye bine to the contrarye) privilye in his Tent by the helpe of some of his Faction attyred on of his owne followers (everye way much resembling himselfe) in his Warlike habitt, and collours with instructions suteable to the deceipt and there disguised (as A fainte and impotent soladior, gott himselfe A Shippboard, and not onlye left vs ignorant, of the bloodye intent towards vs, but allsoe made vs vncapable to prevent it, when wee should

Imediatlye

Imediatlye vpon this (wee suspecting as litle this treacherie as that which came of it) the defendants numberlesse sallyed out, & with such vio= lence & furye assayled vs, in our Trenches, that taking most of vs vnarmed, and daunted with the sight of the multitude, wee were gladd to flye for our lives, which retreate cost most of vs as dearelye as the assault & both fell out in the end, to make vp a conquest to the Frenche, and an absolute overthrowe to vs/

The wildnesse of my Lord Mountioyes horse, was the cause of his surprisall, as well as the deathes of some of our owne men, for that he not onlye avoyded the Enemies charge, but confusedlye ran vpon and beate backe divers of our best horses which otherwise to the verye deathe would haue trode it/ In our flight we aymed at a certaine narrowe bridge of A great River, which if wee could haue recovered and passed, we had bine able to haue resisted, and stopt the persuite of our Enemies, but through their pollicies wee were prevented, by their over turning a loaden Carte thereon aforehand, which wee must either climbe, or leape into the River, or salt Pitts, which most of our compayne being vnable to doe were there hewen in Peeces, as my Lord Cromwell Sir Charles Ritche, and others of great esteeme, whoe in the very dead lye extreemitie, were offered quarter, but would not, chusing rather to dye honorablye, then longer to live with infamie and torment, I my selfe perceaving the follie of resisting anye longer, having one of the best horses in the companye, was forced to take an Infirme salt Pitt, where both my selfe and my horse stucke fast in the ground and where I had suddenielye A gastelye wound in the Legg with a bullett, and soe I laye strugling for liffe, Lord, Lord me thought what paine it was to dye soe, and divers of our Company and comaunders were in the like distresse, but in the end (the French horsemen wanting shott to reach vs in the water) by the valiencie of the poore remain der of our Soldiers that were gotten over the Carte, wee were dragged a shore, and soe being at that time vnpursued, we were con veied out of daunger

During the tyme of the conflict, our counterfeit Generall fought verye resolutelye and gott A gashe or two on his shoulder for his labour, which (before wee knewe the deceipt) made vs (notwithstand ding our losses) to comend him for A vallerous comaunder, but through the dukes backwardnes in rewarding some of those that were trusted with the knowledge of this villanye, wee vnderstood it all in two dayes after, in our comfortlesse Journeye homewards: and wee had therevpon presentlye mortatiized his carkasse for amends but that vpon A more mature deliberacion, wee thought it fitter to lett hom dye at home, by the inquestionable hand of the parliament, soe he himselfe could not take this as his preservacion to a more in famous ende.

And trulye should the revenge of the Parlyament allmost exceed extreemitie, it would bee but Correspondent to his merritts that could finde in his harte, to lye secure himselfe, and all the while see vs (that were his charge) knockt downe and slaughtered like dogges with out mercye. O lett him goe to the grave and lett noe man man stay him, for it is A Sinne to pitty him in his woest estate.

My Lord Mountioye was the onlye man of noate of our partie that excepted quarter, and was since verye honorablye, and Ran= somelesse sent home againe, which proceeded more from the heroyque clemencye of the French Kinge, then for anye deserte either of his owne or ours

One of our French prisoners that we had taken, at our first encounter) confessed to mee in our returne homewards, that had Sir John Burrowes lived but one two dayes longer, the defendants were concluded to haue given vpp the Forte, and all the treasure in it to our disposalls, in respect they had such miserable experience of his vigilant intercepting their convoyes & Stopping of theire passages, & therefore that his reach could not but redowne to their vtter confusion in the end they well foresawe vnlesse they submitted them= selves betimes; but newes of his death was as ioyfull to them as it was grevous to vs, And made them then re solve to dye in theire owne defences, but the mistake at the last cost most of vs our lives/

And this is the whole discription of our misfortunes, which vpon A due consideration I thinke must needs provoke the poorest affected of our nation, to endeavour A reveng vpon the Instrument all they can, but till that be done, in all our future viages he must and will bee still our Generall and then to thrive (at least) after the old fashion wee must assure our selves.

Wee haue not beene A litle Famous in Frances for conquest here tofore, with a fewe/ but God allmightie is omnipotent and iust and wee nowe see it is his pleasure to make vs all suffer for the sinne and lacivious liffe of this owne men his will be done in all. And if we can wee must be content, besides this he hath not onlye bine the deathe of divers of the Nobillitye/ but he hath allsoe bine the Cause of the vnluckie overthrowe of all our late voyges, the vn= knowne consumer of the treasurye, and the vtter confusion of the poore Protestants in France, nowe dalye massacred without all pitty through the needlesse defence of their religion yet notwithstanding it is the kings pleasure still to afford him his wonted grace, and connivencie for all this, & Treason it is apparantlie to denounce him faultie in anye thinge, But let his majesty looke to it, for his longer shiltering of this rich Traytor and false harted man, both to God and his Countrye will be the Ruyne Both of himselfe & this Kingdome/

But at last I hope (out of the integritie of his harte, nowe whilst it was called to daye and before the evill daye come) hee will give him over to the Parlyament whylest it is of Strength to punish him/ and that they for theire parts will send him to hell without any more adoe

If any one hereafter shall maligne or goe about to dis= prove mee in anye one of these Points, (Soe I may be vnquestionable for this presumption ) I will not withstanding my lamenesse, mainetaine all to his face (vpon notice) to his face, to the expence of my dearest blood. In the interin, I expect good newes from the Parlyament, by the next fayre winde

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