NEW PROPOSITIONS FROM THE NAVY TO The Kingdom of England, and the Army; concerning the Kings Majeſty, and the Impeached Members of Parliament, now under reſtraint and power of the ſword.
VVHen we beheld the glorious ſplendor of Juſtice and Righteouſneſs, beaming forth it ſelf in your Remonſtrance to the Houſe of Commons, we were filled with joy and ſatisfaction, that the divine preſence had again overſhadowed you, and appered thereby to us with ſmiles of love, and pledges of favour, when with the night of ruine we were almoſt overwhelmed1 For which, as we kiſſe the footſtool of that glorious Majeſty who thus rarely brings forth our deliverance; ſo wee cheerfully confeſſe you to be his glorious Inſtrument, wherby he hath ſtilled the enemy and the avenger. For, 1. Wee muſt ſeriouſly profeſſe, that though your former proceedings againſt that Generation were exceedingly proſpered, beyond the parallell of former ages, and had engraven upon them the kindneſſe of God to a diſtreſſed people; yet they had but ſerved to make us more exquiſitly miſerable, if your former Conqueſts ſhould have acquieſced in the actions of that Houſe; who were bringing your conquered priſoner with honour and ſafety to ſit upon his Throne of power, Majeſty, and Greatneſſe, without ſatisfaction for the bloud that hath been ſpilt both by Sea and Land, or ſufficient proviſion made for the ſecurity of the liberties of England.
2 We were filled with ſorrow when we ſaw the abominable Apoſtacy, and degenerated actings of the majority of the Houſe of Commons, who after we had bought their ſecurity with our moſt precious bloud and treaſure, ſhould by treating with the King, ſo cruelly ſell us into the bloud and revenge of him, and his confederats, ſo contrary to their firſt principles and Declarations; the conſideration whereof, as it filled us with amazement, ſo it drew from us thereof a mutual Remonſtrance, to live and dy, and ſtand and fall with your Excellency, for the eſtabliſhing of peace and righteouſneſſe, in our native, bleeding, and languiſhing Kingdome.
A Declaration of the Prince of Wales.
THe Prince of Wales, with his Councel, hath had ſome conſultation touching the affairs of England, and the pr•ſent ſtate and condition of the King, and are reſolved to2 make ready the Fleet, to put to Sea, having taken an oath & proteſtation, to hazard life and fortune for the reſcuing of his Royall Father (the King) from the power of the Army. Moſt of the Braſſe Guns that were in the revolted ſhips are taken out and ſold, all but ſuch as were fit for the field, and put iron ones in their roome, which ſhips are to be commanded by Prince Rupert, the Prince is to return to his Mother, the Duke goes to a Univerſity, this Fleet of ſhips are to go firſt for Garnſey, Garſey, and Silly, and ſettle thoſe Iſlands, then to Ireland, to ſettle the Marq. of Ormond, for reducing that Kingdome to the obedience of his Majeſty, and then comes an Army over into Wales, and ſo for England, That ſuch prizes as ſhall be taken, or other kind of Marchandizing Trade given, Agents are diſperſed to the ſeverall Princes and States of Chriſtendom, for freedom, as formerly with his Majeſty of England. This Meſſage is ſaid to be ſent from the Prince to the aforeſaid kingdoms.
For augmentation of this Fleet, and to make it more formidable againſt the Engliſh, all undone, deeayed, and diſcontented Gentlemen, are invited to joyn and provide ſhips, which is in part done, divers being gone out of the Weſt parts already to Silly and Ireland.
There goes with Prince Rupert 1000. Souldiers, beſides Saylors, alſo very many Gentlemen or Reformadoes, whoſe purſes are emptied in Holland: the Inhabitants of the Iſland of Garnſey its ſaid, muſt be moulded into Regiments, and employed by Sea or Land, as being like to prove more advantageous then there livelyhood here: beſides, other notable deſigns on foot, for the raiſing of new Forces againſt the Engliſh Army.
4HIs, Highneſſe the Prince of Wales, having received ſeverall informations & complaints from the Engliſh Marchants, of their great loſſes which they have lately ſuſtaind at Sea by a pretended Fleet for the King under the conduct of Sir William Mucknell, who (with a with a Squadron of Iriſh ſhips (conſiſting of about 11 in number) lies hovering up and down the narrow Seas, ſeizing on divers Marchants ſhips, and others, to the great retarding and obſtructing of the Trade and Commerce at Sea. In conſideration whereof, his Highneſſe forthwith called a Councel, aboard the Reformation, and after ſome conſultation, came to theſe reſults, and reſolved.
That a Meſſage ſhould be forthwith ſent to the Marchants of London, and others, purporting, That his Highneſſe would take a ſpeedy courſe, for prevention of future injuries, and that he had ſent an expreſſe command to the ſaid Vice Admirall Mucknell, to deſiſt from acting any thing whatſoever, that may rend to the obſtructing or hindering of Commerce at Sea, proteſting, That he is ſo far from harboring the leaſt thought of violence or oppreſſion, either to the Citizens of London, or any other of his Majeſties liege people of England, that he would rather ſacrifice his life then be guilty of the leaſt action of tyranny. And therefore deſires that theſe his reſentments may be communicated to the Citizens of London, and all others whom it may concern; to the end, that traffique and commerce both by Sea and Land may be maintained and preſerved throughout all his Majeſties Realms and Dominions.
But notwithſtanding all their faire preretices whatſoever, none are more active and inveterate againſt the peace of England,5 than thoſe who are in higheſt eſ••em with the Prince, Divers forces are raiſing in ſeveral parts of theſe Provinces, another Army in Denmark, and great proviſion making for War; but what their Deſign is, we cannot as yet diſcover, but it is ſuppoſed for England.
Brillthe 15. of Decemb. 1648.
The Officers and Souldiers in Dover Caſtle have humbly declared their ſenſe and reſolution to his Excellency the Lord Gen. Fairfax, deſiring that his Excellency would bee pleaſed to proceed in what is juſtly propoſed, that the Kingdom may not bee beguiled with the ſpecious pretences of our ſubtile adverſaries, but that Delinquents may be puniſhed, our liberties confirmed, and the Kingdom ſetled, to the glory of God, and for his people; for the effecting of which without reſpect to our private intereſts, we ſhall willingly with our lives in our hands, encounter with the great difficulties, which really ingage in what may manifeſt our ſelves,
Your Excellencies and the Kingdoms faithfull ſervants, Decemb. 18. Letters further from Windſor, that his Majeſty is expected there this night, and that ſeveral Roomes in the Caſtle are appointed for his accommodation. Divers of the Gentry are gone to meet Him. But whether his reſidence will be there, or at London, is yet uncertain. It is ſaid that his Majeſty will be ſuddainly brought to a faire and legall tryal, and that the Generall and Lieut. Gen. are reſolved o act nothing againſt his Majeſties perſon but what ſhalbe agreeable to the known Laws of the Realm, and the common Rights of the people. And upon Tueſday Decemb. 19. the Councel of the Army are reſolved to inſiſt on the buſineſſe, and ſpeedily to proſecute the ſame; and it is given out, that the ſentence will paſſe againſt Major Gen. Laughorn, Col. Poyer, and Col. Powell, to be ſhot to death at VVindſor,6 who being told by an Officer of the Army, that they muſt prepare themſelves to dye, they replied, Gods will be done, we thank God, we have made our peace with him, and ſhall without fear, undergo what he ſhall be pleaſed to ſuffer men to doe vnto them.
The right Honorable the Lord Admiral VVarwick hath declared his ſenſe and reſolution, touching the tranſaction of affairs between the King, Parliament, City, and Army, and is reſolved to joyn with his Excellency and the Army, for the impartiall executing of Juſtice, and ſetling of the peace of the Kingdom. His Lordſhip hath alſo ſomething to offer from the Councell of Sea Officers, in reference to the King and the peace and tranquility of this Nation. And the Army hath alſo ſomething to propoſe to them concerning the Navie.
The Lord Gen. Fairfax, and Lieut Gen. Crumwell, hath given the Lord Admirall a viſit, where they congratulated each others good ſucceſſes, and at a Conference, profeſſed joynt concurrence, in what might make the kingdome happy: ſome diſputation hapned, in reference to the King, and ſetling of the Kingdom.
Decemb. 21. Letters from the Navy ſay, That there hath bin a bloudy Fight at Sea between the Engliſh & the Iriſh, and that the Iriſh have obtained the Conqueſt, and taken 14 Marchants ſhips, and others, 40 piece of Ordnance, and other rich booty and prize. A ſpeedy courſe will be taken for ſubduing the ſaid Rebels.