THE DECLARATION AND PROPOSITIONS OF THE NAVY With the Oath which they have taken, concerning an Admiral for the Seas, and who they made choice of for the present.  
A Message from the Kentish-men to the Lord General, and his Answer thereunto. A thousand of them come in, and Dover Fort taken.  
With the taking of Chepstow Castle by storm, the Governor Sir Nicholas Kemish, and others slain; with the number of Officers and prisoners taken.  
As also another Petition to the Parliament, from the City of London, and what is desired therein.  
London, Printed by B. Alsop, 1648.   

A LETTER From Sandwich in KENT:  
SIR,  
FOr the prevention of false informations, I shall communicate to you the most certain intelligence we have in these parts. On Friday last Vide-admiral Rainsborough came ashore at his own Castle at Deal, the occasion was, because some of the Kentish men had endeavoured to get the possession of the Earl of Warwick's Castle of Sandon, the castle of Warbrough, and this Castle, which are all three within a mile and a half one of the other. And when the Vice Admiral had done his endeavour to secure them he went in a small Pinnace to his command again at Sea; and when he came to the ship which was under his immediate command, those which were in her forbade 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 peril, but if he pleased, he might departed in the Vessel he was in, and after many threats, and other uncivil carriages towards him, he came for London; when he was gone, they hung forth a flag, which signified, that there should be a Council held, and the respective Captains 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 admiral, to come to the Council: whereupon he returned answer that he knew the Vide-admiral was not there, and therefore conceived, they had not power to call a Council, or command him to come thither, and therefore he was resolved not to go.  
This Message was carried back, and upon the receipt thereof, about 40. men went with their swords drawn, and other weapons of war, came to him in another ship, and told him, that they were sent by the Admiral to fet him. Captain Penrose asked who was that Vice admiral, they replied, that his name was Lenoall: then captain Penrose said, he knew such a man to be 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 own men in the ship saying, Gentlemen, will you stick to me, and we will defend ourselves, and not obey this illegal command; but contrary to his expectation, he found a division amongst his own men, and many of them cried out, Go, go, this being so, captain 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 Admiral, to be this inferior man, which was but a Bostons' mate.  
Capt. Penrose said, I will not join with you in this Petition no● approve of your course in refusing to be commanded by the Vice-admiral which was put in by the Parliament.  
And, I pray, do you quite cast off all subjection to them.  
to which they generally replied 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, etc. he had no sooner spoken this, but one of them named the Earl of Warwick, and all the rest cried 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 proceed, and that if the E. of Warwick came to them, they would live and die with him, in defence of the cause for King and Parliament, according to the first principles; and they made choice of captain. 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 receded from this choice until the E. of Warwickcame to them, etc.  
On Friday last the Kentish men took the Fort near 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  
Sandwich 28 May, 1648. Your assured friend, M. D.  
May 29, the Parliament taking into consideration this business of the Navy, and voted the E. of Warwick to be Admiral; whereupon his Lordship took his journey thither on Tuesday morning: the Parl. debated on a letter which they received out of Kent, and passed a vote, that the business concerning their taking up of arms should be referred to the L. Gen. and as for that part of their petition, concerning the King, the house will do 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 Rendezvous, 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 messenger of his own. 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 errors they had committed, etc. 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 terms, which were denied on the other part So the parley was soon over and when it was taken of Lieutenant General Cromwell's men stormed it, and by their batteries made a large breach at which they entered and upon their for approach the soldiers called quarter which was granted, but Sir Nicolas Kemish the Governor refused to take any, and by that means ended his days there. There were 21 prisoners taken about, 20 Officers, and 150 Arms, the Capt. which brought the news, and did good service in the action had 50 l. given him for his pains and charges in this journey.  
Tuesday May 30 A Petition was presented to the Common council of the City of London, subscribed by many persons of quality, 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 king's Majesty, and that for the better safety of the Parliament City and peace of the Kingdom there may be an association of the City and several Counties adjacent, which petition was approved of and, ordered to be presented to the Parliament at the next opportunity.   

Imprimatur  
Gilbert Mabbott.   
FINIS.