Buck letter to Sir Ralph Verney

Buck letter to Sir Ralph Verney
James Buck

James Buck to Sir Ralph Verney of Claydon, Bucks. Sent from Caen, 8 November 1649

There are two copies of the letter on this page. The first is a Victorian copy with the original spellings; the second is a Victorian copy with the spellings modernised.

References

Verney, Frances Parthenope (1892), Memoirs of the Verney family during the Civil War, vol. 2, London and New York, pp. 344, 345.
Browne & nolan, limited, The Irish ecclesiastical record, vol. 30, p. 482, <http://archive.org/details/irishecclesiasti30dubl>. Notes that The Historical Manuscripts Commission discovered the following letter in 1879.

1411976Buck letter to Sir Ralph Verney — James Buck to Sir Ralph Verney of Claydon, Bucks. Sent from Caen, 8 November 16491649James Buck

your Brother and my deare freind, Sir Edmund Varny, who behaved himselfe w^th the greatest gallentry that could be—he was slaine at Drahoda three dayes after quarter was given him as he was walkinge w^th Crumwell by way of protection. One Ropier who is brother to the Lord Ropier, caled him aside in a pretence to speake w^th him, beinge formerly of acquaintance, and insteade of some frendly office wich Sir Ed: might expect from him, he barberously rann him throw w^th a tuck, but I am confident to see this act once highly revenged, the next day after, one L^t. Col. Boyle, who had quarter likewise given him, as he was at dinner w^th my Lady More, sister to the Earle of Sunderland, in the same Towne, one cf Crumwell's souldiers came and whispred him in the eare to tell him he must presently be put to deth. who risinge from the table, the lady aske him whither he was goeinge, he answered, Madam to dye, who noe sooner steped out of the roome but hee was shott to deth. These are cruelties of those traitors, who noe doubt will finde the like mercie when they stand in neede of it.

Victorian-period copy with the spellings modernised

Your brother and my dear friend, Sir Edmond Verney, who behaved himself with the greatest gallantry that could be, he was slain at Drogheda three days after quarter was given him, as he was walking with Cromwell by way of protection. One Ropier, who is brother to the Lord Ropier, called him aside in a pretence to speak with him being formerly of acquaintance, and instead of some friendly office which Sir Edmond might expect from him he barbarously ran him through with a tuck, but I am confident to see this act once highly revenged. The next day after one Lt.-Col. Boyle, who had quarter likewise given him, as he was at dinner with my Lady More, sister to the Earl of Sunderland, in the same town, one of Cromwell's soldiers came and whispered him in the ear, to tell him he must presently be put to death; who, rising from the table, the lady asked him whither he was going, he answered, "Madam, to die," who no sooner stepped out of the room but he was shot to death. These are cruelties of these traitors; who, no doubt, will find the like mercy when they are in need of it.