Letter to the Kings Fleet, Letter 1 – Letter 2
THE Earle of VVarwicks SƲMMONS To the KINGS Fleet at Gowry, and Prince Charles his Anſwer.
With His Lordſhips REPLY.
And a Declaration by the Hollanders, concerning the Prince and his Lordſhip.
Alſo the taking of the Lord Jermin his ſhip, and another ſhip of the Iriſh Rebels, by the Earle of WARWICKE.
And a great VICTORY againſt the SCOTS.
London Printed for R. Smithurſt, neer Pye-corner, 1648.
HONI SOIT QVI MAL Y PENSE
THE EARLE of VVARVVICKES SUMMONS TO The KINGS Fleet at GOWRY: AND Prince Charles His Anſwer.
Sir,
THe Lord Admirall with his fleet conſiſting of about 20 ſhips, hath now alarumed the revolted ſhips, and is labouring to reduce them, the particulars are thus.
His Lordſhip called a Councell of Warre of his Officers, (upon receite of the Ordinance for giving Indempnity to the revolted ſhips, the Officers and Seamen) And it was reſolved to ſend them a ſummons, and therewith to offer them Indempnity accordingly.
And we attended his Lordſhip hither for the reducing of them, And comming within 4 leagues of them, a ſummons was ſent to them, they being then in Gowry and we alſo within thoſe limits, offering to them that if they would come in, and ſurrender themſelves, they or any of them and their Veſſells, they ſhould have Indempnity and favour, if not to expect none.
But Prince Charles, Prince of Wales being newly come, they were all commanded to ſhips, and the ſhips to readineſſe, for the Prince had heard before that we were comming hither againſt them.
The Prince ſent us anſwer of a poſitive denyall to come in, or doe any thing in order to that ſummons, ſleighting the Indempnity offered. And declared reſolution and thoſe with him, for the reſtoration of the King his father to His Rights.
In the meane time the Seamen of the Princes ſhips drew off ſome Ordnance, out of their ſhips to plant them on the ſhoare, to play againſt us, but the Hollanders declared a very great dislike of that, not thinking it fit to give any way to them to fortifie upon their land. But this diſpute reached not far, for the Prince of Orange, and his Councell had ſo ordered it, that ſome were ſent thither to act more ſubtlely for the defence of Prince Charles and the ſhips, and Officers, and Seamen under him, and a Councell ſat for the effecting thereof. In the interim my Lord Admiral ſent a reply to the Prince to let His Highnes know the dangerous courſes he is in, and thoſe with him, and what an hopefull way the Kingdome of England, is now in to be ſettled, and all differences compoſed, and very good invitation to His Highneſſe, and thoſe with him to hearken to an agreement, and comply with the Parliament of England.
But there is as yet no ſatisfactory anſwer, nothing viſible but a countenance to ſtand out, and oppoſe, and addreſſes are made to the Prince of Orange, and the Eſtates, that they may be protected by them.
Divers Hollanders are troubled, and vext to ſee it, fearing that it may not be conducing to their Intereſt in their Liberties, to let ſuch things be done. And there were many that did ſtirre in it, and made ſome demurre in the Declaration. But at laſt it was thought fit by the Prince of Orange and his Councell, that the Agreement between the Nations of 1622. ſhould be conſidered of, and in that one branch, that between England, Scotland, and Ireland, &c. there ſhould be no Acts of Hoſtility, by, and in the others territories. And it was inſtanced that it was ſo Acted by England, when the Hollanders, chaſed the Spaniards about 10 yeares ſince, and they ſayled to the Coaſts of England, and there ſecured, ſo that the Hollanders were not admitted to act any hoſtility againſt them.
Indeed that was a ſtrange action, and ſo is this: for thoſe Spaniards by all probability came to invade England, and had a deſign by conjunction with the Engliſh Papiſts, who had Collections, and good ſtore of Treaſure ready for them from all parts of the Kingdome. And had not the Hollanders met with them, and prevented it, they had (no doubt) attempted to have made a ſurprizall of England, and deſtroyed the Proteſtants. And yet for all that, when the Hollanders had falne upon them, and cut off, and ſpoyled ſome, and likely to give them an utter defeat, yet the Spaniards were by authority from England protected, and the Hollanders not ſuffered to doe further execution upon them.
And the Spaniards lay ſeverall dayes recruting their proviſions in the Downes, many of them walking up and down the Country in Kent and other places to ſpye out the Country.
And this for ought I know is as madde a buſineſſe of the Hollanders to doe any thing by way of protection to the revolted ſhips, whoſe principles are ſo poſitive againſt their intereſt.
Yet it is carried by the major party (who at preſent prevail) that no act of hoſtility (according to the Articles aforeſaid) bee done here on either part. And ſo wee (at preſent) prevented from doing what wee would by the Hollanders meanes.
They Declare themſelves Newters, and that they will not meddle at all, neither on the one ſide nor on the other, between the King and the Parliament of England.
And they have a fleet of ſhips put in (now) between our ſhips and the Princes, that ſo no hoſtile act may be done on either ſide.
But the Officers and Sea-men have differences amongſt them, with the Prince, and that very great; only at preſent upon a little moneys paid to them, they are not ſo unruly altogether, ſince the Prince came, as they were before, and yet I doe not heare that Prince Charles is aboard them.
It is thought his Highneſſe will not goe aboard any of the ſhips, for feare that they ſhould have ſome deſigne to carry him away.
Wee have juſt now intelligence that the Warwick Frigot hath had a fight with one of the Iriſh ſhips, and taken her, with ten piece of Ordnance, five barrels of Gun-powder, and good ſtore of Merchandize, divers hundreds of Hides, and many thouſand weight of Tallow. And there is alſo a little veſſell taken that was (by the Lord Jermins order) going with reliefe to his Iſlands, and all the Ammunition therein taken.
Gowry this 24 of Septemb. 1648.
Sir,
MAy it pleaſe you, at preſent being arrived into Cheſter water, having been to the Northward, and came on yeſterday out of the Bay of Carrickfergus, where upon Saturday was ſevennight Col. Monke did ſurprize the Town and Caſtle of Carrickfergus, and the ſame day did ſurprize Belfaſt: I have brought over with mee the Generall Major Monro Priſoner unto your Honours: Upon Thurſday laſt when I received him aboard, Colonell Monke did march away toward Colrane, I pray God give him good ſucceſſe, he is in great want of men and money; here is one Captain Browf come over in charge with the Generall Major, to whom I referre you to further relation at his comming to you. Thus with my humble ſervice preſented unto you, I take leave and remaine.
From aboard the Swan Frigot in CheſterRiver 24 Sep. 1648. Your Honours Servant to command, ROBERT CLARKE.
FINIS.
End of the text · Robert Rich, Letter to the Kings Fleet (1648)