A NARRATIVE Of the PROCEED Of the FLEET: Giving an Account of what hath passed since their Arrival at Graves End, between divers Honourable Members of Parliament and Vice-Admiral Lawson, and the Commissioners sent from White-Hall appointed to Treat on the behalf of the Army.  
Sent in a Letter of the 22. Instant, from the FLEET Riding at Anchor at Graves-End.  
LONDON, Printed by John Streater, 1659.   

A LETTER of the 22. of December, 1659., from the Fleet, Riding at an Anchor at Graves-End, giving an Account of what hath passed there since the 17th present.  
SIR,  
ON Saturday morning 17 Instant at ten of the clock, Mr. Scot, Col. Okey, and Mr. John Streater, controller of the Ordnance, arrived on Board the Bristol, Captain Deakint being Commander of the Ships Riding at an Anchor in Tilbary-Hope; half an hour after, on Board the same Ship, arrived Sir Henry Vain, Major Sa●loway, Mr. Courtney, and Mr. Thankful Owen: Captain Deaki● about two of the Clock commanded the Drake Frigate to weigh Anchor, and set sail either to meet Vice-Admiral Lawson, who then was thought to ride with the Fleet in Margaret's Road; or was sailing towards the Hope: The Gentlemen before mentioned went on Board the Drake Frigate; and after four hours sailing, she met the Fleet: The Gentlemen went on board the James to the Vice-Admiral. Sir Hen. Vain endeavoured to persuade the Vice-Admiral. Sir Hen. Vain endeavoured to persuade the Vice-admiral to come to an Anchor in the place where he met him: The Vice-Admiral refused, and came to an Anchor at 8. in the Evening a little below Graves-End.  
Nothing passed that Night worth the taking Notice of; but on the Sabbath-day the 18. Instant, about two in the Afternoon, the Vice-Admiral called a Council of War, there being present the Gentlemen before mentioned; the three first in behalf of the Parliament; and the latter as Mediators between the Army and the Fleet; unto whose aid came Colonel Salmon, and Col. Barrow.  
The Vice Admiral began, expressing in an excellent Discourse the Reasons and Grounds of the Fleets coming in to the River, and their declaring their Resolutions to endeavour the Restoring of the Parliament to the Exercise of their Authority, they judging them the only means to Restore Peace and Settlement unto these distressed Nations, almost ruined with Changes, decay and loss of Trade occasioned thereby, and the like. After which, he caused the Declaration of the Fleet to be read, together with his Letter to the late Lieutenant General Fleetwood, and the Letter to the Lord Mayor, Court of Aldermen, and Common-council of London: After which, the Vice-admiral gave a Narrative of Colonel Barrow's Negotiations with him in the Downs; as also what past between him, Col. White, and Captain Kingdom, which was to this purpose, viz. they desired him to forbear Declaring, especially in behalf of the Parliament: Likewise, That if he should offer to come out of the Downs, Charles Stuart would immediately Transport Men over to England, who had (as they alleged) 〈◊〉 Sail at Ostend, which were ready.  
To which the Vice-admiral answered; As to the first, He was Resolved, with the whole Fleet, to Declare, and with their Lives and Fortunes to pursue it in all points as become Englishmen, in order to the Restoration of their Liberties: To the Second; He had Intelligence from Ostend, That there were no Ships ready, but some small Pickeroons; and that he should leave at Dunkink and the Coast of Flanders sufficient Force to attend their Motion. And moreover, he should leave 3. or 4. small Frigates in the Downs (as he hath) that should be enough to secure England from any present Danger, that any preparations that were on foot at present could threaten; as also, that he was certain Charles Stuart had no other Forces ready, nor could not in any reasonable time, if He had Ships. Colonel Salmon endeavoured to persuade the Vice-Admiral, and the Council of War, to send five or six more Frigates to the Downs, but could not prevail; They were Resolved to keep Entire, and rather look after the Enemy in the heart of their Country, than those in the Extreme Parts: Colonel Salmon and Colonel Barrow fell both of them upon the Parliament, alleging that they had not done any good to the Nation: to which, it was Replied, That the Reasons were, for that the Army had always been the Obstruction and Hindrance, by their Imposing upon the Parliament such things as not only hindered the Good which they ought in Duty to have done to their Country, but also forced and overawed Them to do those things that gave offence and dislike to the People in General; to which, Barrow and Salmon Replied, That then, if they stood in the dislike of the People, it was Expedient and Rational to compose All to call a Free Parliament, or another Parliament under Qualifications, rather than that Parliament: Unto which it was Answered, That the Parliament was the only Visible Power of the Nation, and that it is really in being by Act of Parliament; and that if they should not meet, and devolve the Supreme Power over to succession of Parliaments, they must receive their Parliaments, whether Free or Limited by Qualifications, from the power of a Committee of Safety, who received their power from the Army, who have nothing to do with giving of Laws to the Nation; and, That it was the Duty of every man to oppose and hinder the carrying on of any such pernicious Designs, which tended to nothing less than the Converting the Supreme Power of the Nation into the Hands of the Army: For that if they should submit to have a Free Parliament, then if they did but harp upon the string of Charles Stuart, they would Dissolve Them, and plead that Parliaments would not do the Work, and that God had a mind to lay aside that Idol of the People, Parliaments, so it would fall into the Hands of a refined Interest, the Army; and if that the Parliament, Elected by the Authority of the Army, should not fall upon a Single Person, in Design to prevent them of their Design against Parliaments: Yet, what would they do when they shall be overruled by the 2● Conservators, whose Judgement and Interest must be put into the Balance with the Judgement and Interest of the Public. To the last, it was Replied by the Madiators, That the Conservators might possibly be laid aside; To which it was answered, That in the room of them, the General Council of the Army would undertake that matter: It was Replied by the Mediators, That the Army had reason so to do, to see that what they had Fought for, should not be lost at a Breath; unto which was answered, That the Parliament were obliged in an higher Nature than the Army, to prevent that; besides, That the Parliament could not do it, in regard that what was Fought for, was the public Interest, and the Parliament must necessarily adhere to the public Interest. That the Army never intended other, then to fortify its Self against the public Interest, by setting itself up as a distinct Corporation over the People and public Interest; the which, was apparent by their present Practices, and therefore it was necessary that the Army should be brought under the Civil Power, above which it had Exalted itself for several years last passed: And that although they promised to sit under that which they now should set Up; all the World knoweth they might pull down what they set up, notwithstanding their Promise; for the World knoweth that yet no Promise, Covenant, Engagement, or Declaration ever held Them. Therefore it is necessary to oppose Them, since They strike at All, especially, when that their present offer of a Parliament, Free, or Qualified, tendeth to nothing but to avoid the present Emergency, of what is threatened by General MONCK and Vice-Admiral LAWSON, and the other Forces of the Commonwealth, who (no doubt) with the blessing of the Almighty, will bring Them to Account for all heir Horrid Perjuries, Breach of Trust, Blast and Abusing of the Nation, by pretending the securing of the Cause, the refined Interest, and the People of God, when nothing was more Destructive thereunto, than their present Proceed, which doth overthrow and endanger all together; and destroy the Trade and Navigation, obstructing of Justice, and discomposing the Harmony of Government, to the dishonour of God, and disquiet of th●se Nations: Besides, there is nothing less to be expected from Them; Nay, some of Them have boasted, that so soon as this Danger is over they will bridle this Nation well enough without Parliaments; therefore the People are to have a care they be not taken by the snare of their specious Pretences, since it is certain, no Parliament can be called that knoweth better how to rid the Nation of these unquiet and dangerous Persons: Moreover, it was largely discoursed and proved, that this Parliament ever did what they could possible (in their sitting before Cromwell's Interruption) to shake of the Yoke of the Army, that thereby they might arrive at the work of Settling the Nation upon the just and honourable Basis of true Freedom, such as might consist with the Preservation of Public Interest: The like they did at their last Sitting, it is evident to the whole World, They made it appear, that they did not intent longer to lend their Authority to be a Mask to the Army's Tyranny: Besides, It was made appear, that when they were admitted the last time to the Exercise of their Authority, it was to no other end than to be a Shield to defend the Ringleaders of mischief in the Army; For some small time, to colour their Act of turning out Richard and his Parliament, until they should find an Occasion or fit Opportunity to turn them our again, so that they might arrive at what they aimed at, viz. The Tyrannising over the Nation: Nay, in their Private Cabals, there are some of them have advised rather to choose a Free Parliament, than a Parliament that shall be chosen with Qualifications, in regard they should have Opportunity administered sooner for their turning out.  
There were many more particulars discoursed of; but my memory, together with my time, preventeth me of giving You the particulars: But, let me assure You, they were the best that ever I heard, in so much that they concurring with the Judgement and Resolution of the honest and gallant Sea-Commanders, 4 or 5 of the dissenting Commanders that stood out at the first were convinced, and signed the Declaration, before the faces of the Mediators. Sir, There being nothing of Action at the present, I forbear to give You any further Account, in regard that what they intent further is under consideration in order to Action; the which no doubt will produce another face upon things, if the Wallingfordians shall still persist in their Folly and Madness, against which and Them God in his providence will witness, to the deliverance of these almost destroyed Nations; in which work, it is the Duty of every Englishman to assist, that Posterity may be happy under a Succession of Parliamentary Authority, derived from a Civil, rather than a Military Fountain, from whence floweth nothing but Absoluteness, Pride, and unlimited, arbitrary, and Tyrannical Streams.  
Sir, I do not question but You will contribute your aid in this Work, and endeavour to undeceive the Nation of the Pretence of the Army, in calling a Parliament together; with the Danger of receiving a Parliament from an Army, in which the Nation doth no less than grant the Army to be the Supreme Authority: Besides, when it is Their Design in Calling them, for no other End than to levy Money, to hold You and your Posterity in Slavery and Bonds not easily to be shaken off.  
Sir, Your Friend, and faithful Servant to the Public, M. H.