Oliver Cromwell might seem like a strange foe for godly Calvinists. Yet the Scottish Covenanters come to be at war with the great English puritan. They fought on the same side (give or take some disagreement over church government), until Cromwell and his comrades executed the king. Scots might have waged war on Charles I (without actually declaring it), but when the English decided to execute him that was a different matter. Charles I had been born in Dunfermline and was still technically a Scot. This was too much for national pride in the monarchy. Charles II was instantly proclaimed king in Scotland and Cromwell felt himself left with no option but to invade.
He did so successfully. Never had there been so much infighting amongst Scots. The religious bigots at the top who saw this war as amounting to a presbyterian 'jihad' started to purge the army on the grounds that only the godly were good enough to fight Cromwell's army of puritan 'saints'. The godly started to dominate the army councils too. War by religious committee - the outlook was not good. On 3 September 1650 Cromwell took apart his bickering enemies. Thousands of Scots perished, either on the field of Dunbar or afterwards as prisoners, or were transported to the colonies or pressed into English service. This account relates the fate of hundreds of these men.
A Letter From Sir Arthur Hesilrige, To the Honorable Committee Of The Councel Of State For Irish and Scotish Affairs at White Hall, Concerning the Scots Prisoners
Gentlemen,
I Received your Letter dated the Twenty sixth of October, in that you
desire me, That Two thousand three hundred of the Scotch Prisoners now
at Durham or elswhere, able and fit for Foot Service, be selected, and
marched thence to Chester and Liverpool, to be shipped for the South and
West of Ireland, and that I should take special care not to send any Highlanders.
I am necessitated upon the receipt of this, to give you a full accompt
concerning the Prisoners: After the Battel at Dunbar in Scotland, my Lord
General writ to me, That there was about Nine thousand Prisoners, and
that of them he had set at liberty all those that were wounded, and, as
he thought, disabled for future Service, and their Number was, as Mr Downing
writ, Five thousand one hundred; the rest the general sent towards Newcastle,
conducted to Berwick by Major Hobson, and from Berwick to Newcastle by
some Foot out of that Garison, and the Troop of Horse; when they came
to Morpeth, the Prisoners being put into a large walled Garden, they eat
up raw Cabages, Leaves and Roots, so many, as the very seed and the labor,
at Four pence a day, was valued by sufficient men at Nine pounds; which
Cabage, as I conceive, they having fasted, as they themselves said, near
eight days, poysoned their Bodies; for as they were coming from thence
to Newcastle, some dyed by the way-side, and when they came to Newcastle,
I put them into the greatest Church in the Town, and the next morning
when I sent them to Durham, about Sevenscore were sick, and not able to
march, and three dyed that night, and some fell down in their march from
Newcastle to Durham, and dyed; and when they came to Durham, I having
sent my Lieutenant Colonel and my Major, with a strong Guard both of Horse
and Foot, and they being there told into the great Cathedral Church, they
could not count them to more then Three thousand; although Colonel Fenwick
writ to me, That there were about Three thousand five hundred, but I believe
they were not told at Berwick and most of those that were lost, it was
in Scotland, for I heard, That the Officers that marched with them to
Berwick, were necessitated to kill about Thirty, fearing the loss of them
all, for they fell down in great Numbers, and said, They were not able
to march; and they brought them far in the night, so that doubtless many
ran away. When I sent them first to Durham, I writ to the Major, and desired
him to take care, that they wanted not any thing that was fit for Prisoners,
and what he should disburse for them, I would repay it. I also sent them
a daily supply of bread from Newcastle, and an allowance equal to what
had been given to former Prisoners: But their Bodies being infected, the
Flux encreased amongst them. I sent many Officers to look to them, & appointed
that those that were sick should be removed out the cathedral Church into
the Bishops Castle, which belongs to Mistris Blakiston, and provided Cooks,
and they had Pottage made with Oatmeal, and Beef and Cabages, a full Quart
at a Meal for every Prisoner: They had also coals daily brought to them;
as many as made about a hundred Fires both day and night, and Straw to
lie upon; and I appointed the Marshal to see all these things orderly
done, and he was allowed Eight men to help him to divide the coals, and
their Meat, Bread and Pottage equally; They were so unruly, sluttish and
nasty, that it is not to be believed; they acted rather like Beasts then
Men, so that the Marshal was allowed Forty men to cleanse and sweep them
every day: But those men were of the lustiest Prisoners, that had some
small thing given them extraordinary: And these provisions were for those
that were in health; and for those that were sick, and in the Castle,
they had very good Mutton Broth, and sometimes Veal Broth, and Beef and
Mutton boild together, and old Women appointed to look to them in the
several Rooms: There was also a Physitian which let them Blood, and dressed
such as were wounded, and gave the sick Physick and I dare confidently
say, There was never the like care taken for any such Number of prisoners
that ever were in England. Notwithstanding all this, many of them dyed,
and few of any other Disease but the Flux; some were killed by themselves,
for they were exceeding cruel one towards another. If a man was perceived
to have any Money, it was two to one but he was killed before morning,
and Robbed; and if any had good clothes, he that wanted, if he was able,
would strangle him, and put on his clothes: And the Disease of the Flux
still encreasing amongst them, I was then forced, for their preservation,
if possible it might be, to send to all the next Towns to Durham, within
four ot five miles, to command them to bring in their Milk, for that was
conceived to be the best Remedy for stopping of their Flux, and I promised
them what Rates they usually sold it for at the Markets, which was accordingly
performed by about Threescore Towns and places, and Twenty of the next
Towns to Durham continue still to send daily in their Milk, which is boiled,
some with Water, and some with Bean flower, the Physitians holding it
exceeding good for recovery of their health.
Gentlemen, You cannot but think strange this long preamble, and to wonder what the matter will be; in short its this, Of the Three thousand prisoners that my Officers told into the Cathedral Church at Durham, Three hundred from thence, and Fifty from Newcastle of the Sevenscore left behinde, were delivered to Major Clerk by order from the Councel, and there are about Five hundred sick in the Castle, and about Six hundred yet in health in the Cathedral, the most of which are in probability Highlanders, they being hardier then the rest, and other means to distinguish them we have not, and about Sixteen hundred are dead and buried, and Officers about Sixty, that are at the Marshals in Newcastle. My Lord General having released the rest of the Officers, and the Councel having given me power to take out what I thought fit, I have granted to several well-affected persons that have Salt-works at Sheels, and want Servants, Forty, and they have engaged to keep them to work at their salt-pans; and I have taken out more about Twelve Weavers, to begin a Trade of Linnen cloth like unto the Scotch-cloth, and about Forty Laborers. I cannot give you on this sudden a more exact Accompt of the prisoners, neither can any Accompt hold true long, because they still dye daily, and doubtless so they will, so long as any remain in Prison. And for those that are well, if Major Clerk could have believed that they had been able to have marched on foot, he would have marched them by Land; for we perceive that divers that are seemingly healthy, and have not all been sick, suddenly dye, and we cannot give any reason of it, onely we apprehend they are all infected, and that the strength of some holds it out till it seize upon their very hearts. Now you fully understand the condition and the number of the Prisoners, what you please to direct, I shall observe, and intend not to proceed further upon this Letter, until I have your Answer upon what I have now written. I am,
Gentlemen,
Your affectionate Servant,
Art: Hesilrige
Octob, 31, 1650
A Letter from Sir Arthur Hesilrige, to the Honorable Committee of the Councel of State for Irish and Scotish Affairs at White Hall, Concerning the Scots Prisoners, London, 1650.