Relation of the Prosecution of Nathaniel Fiennes, To the reader
To the Courteous Reader.
IT is the juſt hand of God many times ſo farre to dementate the very wiſeſt Polititians, as to make themſelves the principall Contrivers of their owne Infamy and Ruine: Quos vult perdere, hos dementat Iupiter.
A viſible Demonſtration of this verity, thou mayeſt here behold in Nathaniel Fiennes, the late unhappy Governour of Briſtoll: who not content to have ſurrendred this Noble City and Caſtle to the Enemy, to the ineffable danger, dammage, prejudice of the whole Realme (almoſt wholly loſt and ruined thereby) which grand capitall crime, might probably have been paſſed over in ſilence, had he not audaciouſly juſtified it in a high degree, both by an over-confident ſpeech in the Houſe of Commons, and a more bold Relation, Letter, and Anſwer to Maſter Walkers Reply to his Relation, in Print: the unadviſed publication whereof, drew on his Proſecutors (as ſparingly as might be) to cleare the truth of that ignoble action. At which this man of Armes (who might have ſlept in a whole skin) truſting more to the might of his friends, then to the right of his Cauſe, was ſo highly diſpleaſed, that nothing would ſatisfie him, but either an open Recantation of the truth by his Antagoniſts; or, a publike judiciall proceeding and cenſure againſt them before a Councell of Warre, to repaire him in his decayed honour.
But his Antagoniſts having too good a cauſe to recant, and too magnanimous ſpirits to cry peccavi, where they had done no injury to the offended party, and nought but right to verity and their abuſed countrey; this man at Armes (notwithſtanding many adviſes to the contrary) would needs engage them (againſt their wils) to become his proſecutors before a Councell of Warre; whereby inſtead of repairing his reputation, and gaining an expected triumph over his Oppoſites, he loſt both his Honour & Head to boot, by a judiciall ſentence, which he had formerly forfeited, onelyonly by a popular Vote. * O the depth of the riches both of the wiſedome and knowledge of God, how unſearchable are his Iudgements, and his wayes paſt finding out. Yet this ſucceſleſſe, ſhameleſſe, obdurate Delinquent perſevering in his former obſtinacy, hath in his late Checke to the Checker, ever ſince his cenſure and pretended pardon, judged his Judges, ſentenced his very ſentence, yea, * the Laws of Warre, eſtabliſhed by his Excellency, by which he was condemned, ſtiling them ſummum jus, and ſo by conſequence, extreame injustice; Phariſaically proclaimed himſelfe, A juſt, innocent perſon, a valarous Gentleman enabled with excellent gifts and endowments, &c. Branded his Proſecutors for blood-hunters, men void of charity, though they have ſuffered Pillowrings; Lawyers bribed by Aulicus to write againſt Britannicus; the ſad fatall inſtruments of Malignants, willingly or ignorantly put on by ſome Malignant or Ieſuiticall spirit to foment diviſions, &c. Juſtified his Innocency, Integrity, Valour, even out of his very ſentence of condemnation, Proclaiming moſt ſcandalouſly to the world, * That he was condemned onelyonly for not burning the ſecond city in the Kingdome to the ground; and for not doing evill that good might come of it, a diviner Law having a greater influence on his ſoule at that time, then the Law of war. (An unparalleld affront againſt Laws and publike juſtice, which patience it ſelf cannot endure) and withall drawes Argumentative princiciples both of his Innocency and Valour out of his Pardon, which himſelf (in all likelihood) thruſt firſt into it, the Pardon ſavouring of his owne expreſsions.
Theſe extravagant proceedings of this impudent, incorrigible, desperate Delinquent, have neceſsitated the compiling and publiſhing of the enſuing Relation, to vindicate Truth, and publike Iuſtice, with the Proſecutors and Iudges of this capitall Malefactor, from thoſe falſe calumnies and asperſions he hath hitherto caſt upon them; which if it actually bring his condemned head to the block; after ſo long a reprieve, and perpetuate his Infamy, Treaſon, judgement, ſlanders to poſterity, he muſt only blame himſelf, not us. The loſſe of Briſtoll being ſuch a fatall blow to England; and the Protestant party in Ireland, that the preſent and all after ages ſhall for ever execrate his memory, & his obſtinate juſtifying this ignoble actiō after a capitall judgment for it, ſuch a Monſter, as will make a nullity of all pretended or reall Pardons which might ward off his execution. The God of mercy will not be mercifull to any impenitent Tranſgreſſors, but will * wound the hairy ſcalpe of ſuch who perſevere in their trespaſſes. It can therefore be no cruelty but juſtice for men to deny mercy, where God himſelfe will ſhew none, and to take the head of an obſtinate condemned Traitor, who will neither acknowledge, nor lament, but ſtill defend his Treaſon.
Have therefore a charitable opinion of his Proſecutors (kinde Reader) till thou haſt peruſed this Relation, with the Teſtimonies brought againſt him at the Tryall; and if the Parliament, Kingdome, and thine owne conſcience, after due conſideration thereof, ſhall pronounce him worthy the indulgence hitherto granted him, we ſhall not repine at his good fortune, in ſcaping better then any other Delinquent, for doing more miſchiefe to the State, then all others put together; But if they all pronounce him guilty, & his judgement juſt, though for the preſent we may ſay of him as Tully once did of that grand Traitor Cateline; Abiit, exceſsit, evaſit, erupit; Damnatus inani judicio; having loſt nothing but his honour, in which part he is all dead fleſh; yet it can be no uncharitablenes in us,When ſo many joyntly Petition both Houſes for undelayed Iuſtice againſt grand Delinquents. now (*) to call for ſpeedy execution after ſo long delayes, which have not bettered, but depraved this capitall Offender. Who having been a ſpectator of the late ſiege of York, wch held out many moneths againſt two puiſſant armies, & near a fortnight after P. Ruperts, with moſt of their Garriſons totall rout; till they had but five barrells of powder left, and yet then departed by compoſition, with all their Armes, their Colours flying, Matches lighted, Powder in their Bandileers, Bullets in their mouthes, bag and baggage in their Carriages, like Souldiers, and upon a thouſand times more honourable termes then he quitted Briſtoll, in leſſe then 3. daies ſiege, before any Out-fort taken, (wherein he left all his Canon, Armes, Ammunition, Colours, Magazines to the enemy;) will now, wee preſume, pronounce his ſurrender of it moſt diſhonourable, Cowardly, Traiterous, and his Iudgment juſt; at leaſt all others will repute, and Gloceſters former, Limes late moſt heroick defences againſt their long furious ſieges, will proclaim, reſolve them ſuch, & him unworthy any favour. Vale.