Information of John Van Haesdonck, gent., to
William Earl of Newcastle, Lord General of all his
Majesty's forces in the northern parts, against Captain Antonio Vernatts, or Vernatti, his agents and soldiers.
Informant has had special employment in his Majesty's service for divers months past, and has several tenants by
lease in the Level of Hatfield Chase, viz., Hubert Le Roy, John Wantier, Charles Waterlow, John Le Haire, Edward
Outibrigg, and others all of them in quiet possession when informant entered his Majesty's service. About that
time Vernatts, who was at the suit of informant imprisoned for debt in the King's Bench, escaped, and in malice
against Haesdonck and his tenants, and taking advantage of his absence, did with his agents forcibly enter
the possessions of his tenants, pulled down one of their houses, four children being therein, took most of their
last year's corn and divers cattle, saying there is no law in force, that he would fire their houses, and intended to
raise a troop of horse to take all the rest of their goods. The said tenants receiving such cruel dealing and hard
usage from Vernatts and his agents, did May 16 last at Sheffield, petition your Excellency for
restitution and protection, and you referred their petition to Sir William Savile
and Sir Ralph Hansby, who appointed a time and place
for examination of their complaints, and to hear the parties on both sides;
and the petition and order being shown to Vernatti, nevertheless he still detained their goods from Haesdonck
and his tenants. Upon the said poor tenants' petition you likewise granted them your protection in writing, dated
May 16 last, against plundering or molesting their persons, houses, families, goods, or chattels; howbeit
Captain Vernatts being well acquainted with the protection, hath since, contrary to it, plundered the houses
of the tenants, pillaged their goods, and committed divers barbarous acts upon them, who for prevention therof
showed him the protection, which he not only put in his pocket and detains, and
still keeps slighting it in all his actions and speeches; but he hath since in most wilful contempt thereof acted
many outrages upon the tenants as more fully appears by the following articles against him:
He and his soldiers when Gainsborough was assaulted by the Parliament's forces, of which he had notice, and
wherein he might have done the King better service, broke open Le Roy's house, took out divers household goods, and
carried Le Roy prisoner to his house, where he detained him till he paid 10l, and kept his wife a prisoner also.
He hath since the 5th of August instant, by his agents, threshed and carried away
nearly 14 quarters
of [corn being] Le Roy's goods.
He, against all law, equity, and conscience, gained divers horses into his troop from his poor neighbours, on
pretence of buying them, promising ready money for the same, and having got the possession and price thereof,
detains the horses from the owners without one penny payment. Instances given. And he with seven of his soldiers
did, August 1, forcibly enter Wantier's house, and turned him, his wife and children thereout, and detains it from
them by force.
About July 5 last, four or five of his soldiers came in a very terrifying manner to Waterlow's house, with
their pistols cocked, to take Waterlow, and threatened to drive away all his goods, and burn his house, and then
drove away eight of his beasts; and for safety of his life and the rest of his goods he was forced to ride away
with two horses though newly taken from the plough.
Shortly before that, about 12 of his soldiers took by force from Waterlow, for their captain's use, two mares
with which he was ploughing, and he detains them without payment or promising anything for them. And on July 17
last his soldiers most deperately assaulted Waterlow near his house, and threatened to kill or take him prisoner,
and take two other mares from him, and for preservation of his life he was suddenly enforced to desert his house;
by which unwarrantable acts Waterlow dare neither go to the church, plough, burn his ground, nor manage his
husbandry.
About July 5 last, four, or five of his soldiers came in a very riotous manner to Le Haire's house, and
threatened to take away all his goods and burn his house.
His soldiers, a little before July 5, did by force and arms take from Le Haire, for their captain's use, a
nag and a mare with which he was ploughing, and he yet detains them without any payment; by reason of which acts
Le Haire dare neither go to church, plough, nor attend his husbandry.
Vernatts, about August 5 last, with Christopher Stubbs and nine more soldiers, forcibly broke open Le Haire's
house, and turned his wife and children out of doors.
For the better countenancing these outrages and most illegal acts, Vernatti usually told the tenants that he
had done nothing against them but by direction of Sir Wm. Savile and Sir Ralph Hansby.
For redress of these outrages, continuance of the tenants in their possessions till the law otherwise
determined the same, and for restitution of the poor men's goods, as also for bringing Captain Vernatts and his
agents to condign punishment, Van Haesdonck, August 3 last, petitioned your Excellency at Gainsborough,
and you referred it to a council of war; and Sir Will. Widdrington president thereof,
wrote under the petition, and signed it as follows: Sir, the differences betwixt you and petitioner being referred
by his Excellency to Sir William Savile and Sir Ralph Hansby, it is my Lord General's pleasure that you forbear
to use violence in anything concerning petitioner, and that restitution be made for what
hath been taken by any of your soldiers, your servant, William Widdrington. To Captain Vernatts. Which petition
and order were on August 7 instant showed to Captain Vernatts in the sight of his whole troop, and restitution
demanded, and that no further violence should be offered the poor men. Howbeit he did by his agents on the same
day in contempt of Sir Wm. Widdrington's order, forcibly enter upon Waterlow's possession, and by force took
thence
a quarter
of rape-seed.
On the same day he by force took from Le Haire
two quarters
of rape-seed.
On the same day he with divers of his soldiers took by force from Le Roy over thee quarters of rape-seed;
and on August 9 entered Le Roy's house, turned him and his family out of doors, and detains the same by force. One
Mr. Bradley, who hath been served with the said order, and is one of the Captains agents, still holds possession of
the house from Le Roy, and will not tender any obedience to the said order.