A LETTER From Sandwich in KENT:
FOr the prevention of falſe informations, I ſhall communicate to you the moſt certain intelligence we have in theſe parts. On Fryday laſt Vice-admirall Rainsborough came aſhore at his owne Caſtle at Deale, the occaſion was, becauſe ſome of the Kentiſh men had endeavoured to get the poſſeſſion of the Earl of Warwicks Caſtle of Sandon, the caſtle of Warbrough, and this Caſtle, which are all three2 within a mile and a half one of the other. And when the Vice Admirall had done his endeavour to ſecure them he went in a ſmall Pinace to his command again at Sea; and when he came to the ſhip which was under his immediate command, thoſe which were in her forbad him to come aboard, ſaying they would obey him no longer, but would have the King brought to London, &c and told him if he came aboard, it was at his perill, but if he pleaſed, he might depart in the Veſsel hee was in, and after many threats, and other uncivil carriages towards him, he came for London; when hee was gone, they hung forth a flag, which ſignified, that there ſhould be a Councel held, and the reſpective Captaines in all other ſhips, were to appear aboard on the Vice admiral, and divers of them met accordingly, but Captain Penroſe came not. Whereupon they ſent him three or four Canon ſhot, and afterwards ſent a meſsage to him, commanding him, in the name of the Vice admirall, to come to the Councell: whereupon he returned anſwer that he knew the Vice-admirall was not there, and therefore conceived, they had not power to call a Councell, or command him to come thither, and therefore hee was reſolved not to go.
This Meſsage was carryed back, and upon the receit thereof, about 40. men went with their ſwords drawne,3 and other weapons of war, came to him in another ſhip, and told him, that they were ſent by the Admirall to fet him. Captain Penroſe asked who was that Vice admirall, they replyed, that his name was Lenoall: then captain Penroſe ſaid, he knew ſuch a man to bee a Boſtons Mate, but no otherwiſe, and was reſolved not to go with them; then ſaid they, we muſt force you: the captain now addreſſed his ſpeech to his owne men in the ſhip ſaying, Gentlemen, will you ſtick to me, and we will defend our ſelves, and not obey this illegall command; but contrary to his expectation, hee found a diviſion amongſt his own men, and many of them cryed out, Go, go, this being ſo, captaine Penroſe for the better prevention of further miſchief, went along with them, and when he came aboard the Vice admiral, he was d••i•ed to ſign a Petition, which he refuſed to do, and finding him whom they for the preſent, h•d choſen to be Vice Admirall, to be this inferiour man, which was but a Bostons mate.
Capt. Penroſe ſaid, I will not joine with you in this Petition no•approve of your courſe in refuſing to be commanded by the Vice-Admirall which was put in by the Parliament.
And, I pray, do you quite caſt off all ſubjection to them.
to which they generally replyed no, they were for King and Parliament: then ſaid he, it were fit that you ſhould mrke choice of ſome honourable perſon, that is true to both, for this is a place not fit for any other, &c. hee had no ſooner ſpoken this, but one of them named the Earl of Warwick, and all the reſt cryed out preſently, a Warwick, a Warwick: then they agreed to ſend a Letter to his Lordſhip, & another to the Speaker of the houſe, ſetting forth their proceedings, and that if the E. of Warwick came to them, they would live and dy with him, in defence of the cauſe for King and Parliament, according to the firſt principles; and they made choice of capt. Penroſe to bring theſe Letters, & before his coming away, he told them, that it might be when he was gone, they would make choice of ſome other; and to give ſatisfaction to the contrary, they all took an oath, not to receed from this choice untill the E. of Warwickcame to them, &c.
On Fryday laſt the Kentiſh men took the Fort neer Dover Caſtle, whereof capt. Bethel, a very deſerving Gentleman, had the command, they ſhot many pieces againſt the Caſtle, but finding no probability of doing any good againſt it, they gave it over, which is all at preſent, from
May 29, the Parliament taking into conſideration this buſines of the Navy, and voted the E. of Warwick to be Admiral; wherevpon his Lordſhip took his journy thither on Tueſday morning: the Parl. debated on a letter which they received out of Kent, and paſſed a vote, that the buſines concerning their taking up of arms ſhould bee referred to the L. Gen. and as for that part of their petition, concerning the King, the houſe will doe that therein, which ſhall ſatisfy them and the whole Kingdom: whereupon his Excellency with a body of horſe and foot, marched this 30. of May to Black-heath, where the Kentiſh-men ſaid they intended to keep their Randevouz, who at ſight retreated to a Village, lining the hedges with muſquetiers, and preſently after ſent a trumpeter to the Gen. deſiring a teeaty; but the anſwer was, he would ſend an anſwer by a meſſeng•r of his owne. About 12. of the clock the ſame day ca•e letters to the Parl. that 1000. of the Kentiſh men were come in to the Gen. with their arms, which they laid down to him, and declared, that they were deeply ſenſible of the errours they had committed, &c. the re•t of the Kentiſh men are retreated back to Rocheſter, and deſire a treaty by way of pacification.
A Capt. brought Letters to the houſe the 29 of May, certifiing that Chepſtow Caſtle was taken on Thurſday laſt the manner thus, thoſe in the Caſtle Wedneſday, the 26 of May, hung forth a white flag deſired a parley which was granted, at which parley thoſe in the Caſtle, ſtood for conditions, and upon tearms, which were denied on the other part So the parley was ſoone over and when it was taken of Lievtenant Generall Cromwells men ſtormed it, and by their batteries made a large breach at which they entred and upon their for approach the ſouldiers called quarter which was granted, but Sir Nicolas Kemiſh the Governour refuſed to take any, and by that meanes ended his dayes there. There were 21 priſoners taken about, 20 Officers, and 150 Armes, the Capt. which brought the newes, and did good ſervice in the action had 50 l. given him for his paines and charges in this journey.
Tueſday May 30 A Petition was preſented to the Common councell of the City of London, ſubſcribed by many perſons of quallity, the ſaid City deſiring the approbation of that honourable Court to a Petition to the honourable houſes of Parliament, praying that there may be a preſent treaty with the kings Majeſty, and that for the better ſafety of the Parliament City and peace of the Kingdome there may be an aſſociation of the City and ſeverall Counties adjacent, which petition was approved of and, ordered to be preſented to the Parliament at the next opportunity.