THE DESIGNS OF THE Rebels in Kent. At their Rendezvous, the day before the storming of Maidstone. As they were found in a person of qualities pocket, who was taken prisoner, and this day sent up to the House of Commons. Upon which, and other things of note, the Lords and Commons had a Conference this day. With the substance of His Excellency's Letter to both Houses of Parliament, of a more fuller Relation then formerly, having taken so many Arms as to make up 4000 1500 prisoners, and 1500 horse; besides all the Countrymen, whom the General hath discharged, and sent to their own homes. TOGETHER, With an Act of Indemnity passed by the House of Commons for the County of Essex, with their laying down of their Arms, and returning to their own Habitations. Imprimatur June 7th GILBERT MABBOT. LONDON, Printed by J. C. MDCXLVIII. The Designs of the Rebels in Kent, at their Randezvouz the day before the storming of Maidstone, as they were found in a person of qualities pocket, who was taken Prisoner, and this day sent up to the House of Commons. IT was voted and agreed upon by the Kentish Council of War, and the Gentlemen belonging to that Army, that the Earl of Norwich should be General and Commander in Chief, Esquire Hailes voted Lieutenant General, and Sir William Compton Major General, the plotted Design touching the proceed of their Army, is continued as these particulars doth specify. Commanders in Chief to be divided into Brigades, Regiments, and Companies, and to have necessary Commanders & Officers over them. All other Officers, Quartermasters, Scoutmasters, Mustermasters, Engineers, etc. Pioners, and their Commanders, and necessary provisions of Shovels, Spades, Mattocks, Wheelebarrow, Edgerooles, etc. to make defences against Horse, and Breast works for Musketeers, etc. Quaere. D●●kes and Fieldpeeces to fortify the Block-house at Gravesend. And what course shall be taken that we may be supplied out of Essex when need is. And to endeavour supplies out of Sussex. Quaere. Whether not necessary to fortify Rochester with a Line and Forts. To take away all Arms from the adverse party, and to secure the persons of such as are most powerful, and dangerous. If the enemy be stronger than we, then to have a course for recruit beyond Medway. To fortify Bridges, and to break down those Bridges which are not fit to be fortified, and to stop up the Fords. Quaere. Also to fortify Tunbridge Castle, and the Bridge there: And to choose a select Council of War, not of very many, to avoid confusion in debates, and to prevent discovery of secrets. Another Council or Committee to hear and disparch ordinary things that the Council of War be not troubled with over much business. Quaere. How to order all Affairs when we go up with our Petition, and to secure Maidsto●e, etc. When we are gone, to take special Order for Intelligence. To appoint an Officer or Commissary to deliver out Arms, who must not deliver till he is well informed to whom, and to take notice of their names. The Trained Bands of Maidstone have lent to Auxiliaries 80. Arms, who desire to have them again, and that the Auxiliaries be otherwise furnished. To appoint Colonels, Captains, and Officers over all the Trained Bands, and to consider touching Volunteers, and Auxiliaries. By this you may perceive they had a farther intent then to petition; this machivilian plot hath been a contriving this many months, and there hath been a Collection of old Soldiers out of Holland, and all those that have been engaged in the King's Service here in England, hath been privately invited to come into Kent, and then to put all things in a flame, they have had as real an intent to maintain the known Laws of the Land, and the Protestant Religion, as thousands who formerly declared for His Majesty, as for instance, on Sunday last, there was shot at Mile end one Major Hughton, a Grecian, a known Jesuie, that hath been sent over hither by the Pope, to foment mischief in this Kingdom, ever since these unhappy differences hath been, a very fi● instrument to fight in the behalf of the Kentish and Essex men's Petition, to have the Covenant performed. There came on Monday last, a Letter from the Gentlemen of Essex, brought up by Mr. Rich, one of my Lord of Warwick's Sons, a Member of the honourable House of Commons, humbly desiring an Ordinance for Indemnity, so fully and largely as was proffered to the Rebels of Kent, more, there wa● 〈◊〉 Postscript to that letter. from Essex, that there may be an Ordinance of indemonity for the remainder of those forces of Kent, which came from Greenwich on Sunday morning last, to Bowe-bridge, to have joined with the Essex men: which Ordinance is granted to the Gentlemen of Essex, and carried down per Mr. Grimston, Mr. Rich, and other Members of the House of Commons, belonging to that County: Upon which grant, they have enlarged the Committee men they imprisoned at Chelmsford, and submitted to the Ordinance of Parliament, disbanded their forces, and laid down their Arms. An exact Relation concerning the Passages in Kent, since His Excellency my Lord Fairfax, marched over Medway River, AFter my Lord General had stormed Maidstone, and slain near 300 men, for prisoners, horse and arms, you shall have a more full account presently, he marched from Maidstone to Rochester on Saturday in the afternoon, where he found the Rebels fled, and the people very full of discontent, by which means they discovered 1000 arms which was hid privately in that town: the women reviled, with curses in their mouths, against Goring, Hails, and Compton, who had engaged their husbands, and now betrayed them, cursing them for bringing in a company of strange Officers and soldiers, that were not known to the Country, swearing they were not a quarter of them Gentlemen and countrymen of that County, but were strangers, privately invited out of other countries, to make their county a seat of war, this was the loud out cry of all the common people in Rochester. They did report of a most vild prosane wretch, a Knight who hath been a great man for the King ever since these troubles began, his name is, Sir Gamaliel Dudley, who swore, because the Citizens came no faster in to their army, he would come up to London to commit all the sins he could, to draw God's judgements and plagues upon the City and citizens, both men, women and children. There were a great many lofty, desperate, and discontented minded spirits, amongst them at Maidstone, that were taken prisoners in the Town, as for instance, a young fellow, who was sometimes a servant and Clerk to one Best of Kent, his stomach was so great because he was taken prisoner, that he hanged himself with a Bell rope, in the Church where the prisoners were in Maidstone. My Lord Gentrall is in very good health, and went yesterday to Chattham being invited to dine with the Commanders of the N●vy a shipboard. There is taken three times as many Prisoners and Horse, as was by the first true ●i●ence computed, they carry themselves so si●●ently that as yet we do not so fully understand their qualities as we shall hereafter, we have 1500. Prisoners in hold, besides great numbers my Lord Gen. hath discharged and sent to their own homs, which were seduced Countrymen; for all those we pass by. We have taken in all 1400. horse, 4000 Arms, and 1500. Prisoners as I named before, a great many of he Horse are exceeding good ones, Sir john Many was slain, but not discovered so to be until Sunday last, he charged in that Troop which his Excellency killed and took most of them prisoners, when he made the onset on Maidstone. The Troop was said to be Squire Hales, own Troop, advanced by his one particular. From Richmond May the 27. 1648. The Gen. own Regiment of Horse, with Col. harrison's Regiment of horse, with a proportional number of foot, are come in to the assistance of Major Gen. Lambert, so that they are in all 600. and they are able to take the field, and we doubt not but that we shall have very suddenly a good account of their proceed against Langdale and Musgrave. Jmprimatur GILBERT MABBOT. FINIS.