A PROCLAMATION OR ACT BY THE Parliament of Scotland, FOR The Proclaiming of CHARLES Prince of Wales, King of great Britain, France and Ireland, through all the Market Places in that Kingdom. Also the Remonstrance of the navy to the supreme Power of the Kingdom, the Commons assembled in the Parliament of England, and to his Excellency the Lord general Fairfax. royal blazon or coat of arms C R C R HONI SOIT OVI MAL Y PENSE Febr. 12. 1648. Imprimatur GILBERT MABBOTT. Printed at Edinburgh by Evan Tyler, and Reprinted at London by John Clowes. To his excellency, THOMAS Lord FAIRFAX Lord general of the Parliaments Forces of all England and Wales: And the Honourable council of the ARMY. The Humble Petition, and tender, of captain RICHARD BROOK●, and Divers Sea captains, and others. Whereas the Blessing is universal, such aught the gratulation to be, upon which account, We in the place, as the principal Agent, give God the praise; and next as the happy Instrument to your excellency and your Army, for our present Liberty Redeemed, (not without much Colingtation, and loss of precious blood) from a long insolent, Arbitrary, and oppressing Tyranny, and since one of the sweetest flowers in the Chaplet of Liberty (made, as by your late Remonstrance it appeareth, the only Garland of your many and wonderful Victory) and is jus suffragii. We are encouraged to present, as our sense of our hoped approaching happiness, for our best conceptions and endeavours to complete, and then conserve it. And since to your excellency as Captain General of the forces of all England, and the Dominions thereof, both Militias are united as well of the Sea as Land, than which an ampler expedient for public, safety cannot be; It is humbly desired between Army and Navy a happy correspond may be commenced and maintained, by means whereof all jealousies and misapprehensions in both, or either, (Maugre the most close and subtle fomentations of all malignant Spirits) may be prevented, or soon annulled; And to this end, we shall humbly propose, that some Agent, or Agents, may be mutually and reciprocally in the behalf of each, taken and received into each others Debates, Transactions, and Conclusions; that so upon all occasions, we may by undoubted Intelligence, crave and have mutual assistance and be impowered unanimously to engage against the Common Enemy. And because they but vainly pretend health, who only fortify against the Evils without, and not expel the peccant humours within; With a better providence, but confining it to our own Sphere, humbly desire, that the dangerous practices, and abuses (of longtime, and yet) acted, and suffered, in, and about the navy, to the infinite dishonour and prejudice of the whole Nation; may in this happy Juncture of Reformation, speedily be ●●ken into Consideration and redress. To England's supreme Power & Judicature. The Commons assembled in Parliament. The humble Petition, and Tender, of Captain Richard Brooke, and divers Sea Captains, and others. Right Honourable, THe Commonality of a Kingdom, though a great body, hath a quick sense, Tyranny and oppressions presently felt, private aims and self ambitions easily discerned; whence true patriots, whose affections square only with their trusts, redeeming general freedom, and improving public interest, cannot lose their deserved Plaudit. And we no inconsiderable part of this kingdom's commonalty (our vocation, as to use, reflected on) in our sense of your late renownfull resolutions overcoming all obstructions and difficulties) to settle the Nation in a blessed posture of liberty and safety, humbly commensurate with the blessing: present this acknowledgement of our great thankfulness; And whereas rumour not able to belie their desperate and implacable malice: loudly speaketh the common enemy, busy in soliciting and inciting foreign Princes and States to an Invasion, We with much joy resent your vigilance and timely circumspection for their repulsion and our defence, and more especially in your present preparation of a numerous and well appointed Fleet; whereunto moved by common piety and duty of devotion, we became thus bold to obtrude zeal, and in this glorious cause of restored freedom, against all malignant opposers, make this hearty dedication of our lives and services. And because they but vainly pretend perfect health, who only fortify against the evils without, and not expel the pecan humours within, We with a better providence, but confining it to our own sphere, humbly desire that the dangerous practices and abuses (of long time, and yet) acted and suffered in and about the Navy, to the infinite dishonour and prejudice of the whole Nation, may in this happy juncture of Reformation speedily be taken into consideration and redress. 1. And first the improper and dangerous mode and custom in electing all sorts of Officers, but more especially of Captains and chief Commanders of Ships and pinnaces in former times, by Court favour and parasitism, and under pretence of estate (and indeed more frequently pretended then real) whence issued much disservice to the State in general, and no public pay stated (excepting merely allowance for the table, many subsequent cheats too many here) but upon further discuss and opportunity (to be enumerated in these latter times, by corrupt or indirect means, as bribing and insinuating into the secretary's clerks, and the like Ministers of Committees, whence disaffected persons that would submit to such dishonest contracts accepted, and well-affected that would not, excluded, have succeeded many defaults in our Seas, and that the last years so foul defection and perilous Revolt. 2 That all, or most places and Offices, in, or belonging to the Navy, are by ancient Custom tenanted, as it were, and to be possessed for life, whereby much supineness, neglect, and disservice hath, and cannot but accrue, for then a consciousness of being strictly observed, and if faulty, displaced; a more notable both reign to dissoluteness and spur to duty cannot be. 3 The great want of time, and consequently detriment to service, occasioned by the present Custom in victualling the Navy, every Ship defaulking fix weeks of the six months, she is bound forth, and not seldom lying, as many more wind-bound. 4 The most injurious, and no less pernicious engrossing, committed by the former Committees and Commissioners of the Navy, of all the employment at Sea, and impropriating it to their own shipping; for thereby at far greater rates than otherwise would have been, hath the State been long served with Ships less serviceable, and undoubtedly, the will and power of the owners (to bear all out reflicted on) unexposeable to any hardship of fight and weather. 5. And lastly, the Exiguity of pay for all sorts of persons engaged in, and attending on this kind of service, whereby much impoverishment to many particular Families, and general decay of the Service itself, hath followed; many otherwise able, for want of a competent support, either wholly declining or deserting it. And forasmuch as we conceive, it is no less eminently our duties, than our observations of defaults and grievances, to represent our judgements for their redresses, we humbly subjoin as followeth. To the First. That the Commanders of Ships and Pinnaces, be from henceforth made choice of, rather than a vain pretence of estate (Bribery, parasitism, or Lordly favour) by their abilities in Navigation and Sea service, in case they be, as only then apt, for so great Trust, of Religious life, and honest conversation; whereby will ensue a greater compliance and love between them and the commanded seamen; and more service done in one year, then before this Parliament in one and twenty. And in regard also that many enormities have been, and will be probably continued, without a timely and powerful suppression in the Trinity House, and all Officers thereto belonging. We humbly move, that a free and uninterrupted liberty be granted (and a Declaration, if needful, to signify the same to all manner of persons to come and exhibit their Complaints, and without any long tiresome attendance (cousin German to injustice) have a day certain given them for producing their Attestations, And that all such impartially, and without respect of persons) as shall be found guilty of indirect and fraudulent practices, as selling of places, extortion of Fees, Bribery, or any other Misdemeanours, in their respective Offices and Charges, May be with open disgrace (as a happy caution to them that shall succeed them) forthwith dismissed of their respective places, and be ordered to make due compensation for the wrongs and damages which in any kind have been sustained by them. And that the Committee now constituted, may take order and provide, that no secretary's clerk, or any other Minister whatsoever, officiating in the said Trinity house, or to the Committee, or Commissions of the Navy, be permitted to hold or execute any place, or charge, that hath in any sort been an abettor to the said Revolt, or shall be lawfully proved guilty of apparent malignancy. 1. Neither here will it be a muse to request indemnity be not so far allowed to any person guilty of the late Revolt, as others by their impunity may be animated to undertake like treasonable Acts, and of so high a degree of treason, make an umbrage or protection for all their precedent delinquencies. And whereas the Grandees of Trinity house, gave so clear a display of their embosom malignancy, and how strongly they were biased with affection to the said Revolt, by not only delaying, and in a manner refusing their assistance to their reducement; but by discountenancing that pious and so needful devotion in others, and traducing them for it. We humbly move, that a due caution for (non est bis erare in Polemicis) of all such insincere, and so obviously disaffected persons, and that not any of the said house, which cannot give an evident, manifest, or testimonial of their good affection to, and cordial compliance with, the reformed government, and present power on foot, be entrusted with any power or jurisdiction whatsoever, But that it be forthwith wholly transferred on, such as shall too securely stand on their own integrities & upright dealings, to need protection from great Personages to that end sued unto; and accordingly admitted into their fraternity, a course frequently practised, and but lately, though not successfully (as on some Lords which we could instance in) attempted on some colonels in the Army, for as we hope they have refused it. And whereas Charity inciteth us to take care, that the same good use be made of the Chest-money for which it was intended, we can no longer content ourselves with an implicit faith; but (having more than probable grounds to suspect the contrary. We desire that for future, what receipts and disbursements thereof, shall happen weekly be weekly printed, and on some place of the Exchange and custom house affixed for the view and satisfaction of all. To the Second. That from henceforth all places in and about the Navy, of what nature or quality whatsoever, be subjected to a yearly Election; that so fidelity and vigilance in their several charges and duties, may be in a better capacity to be preferred, to the great encouragement and advancement of the same, and the contraries, through the fear of an infamous displacing, be prevented, or the subjects of them for examples sake justly expelled. That no Commander or other Officer whatsoever, be permitted to enjoy at one time any more than one place, either in his own name or clandestinely in any others: by receiving all or any of the portion of the salary thereto belonging; And whosoever shall be truly detected of the same, be forthwith discharged of his proper place, and otherwise Musted as the nature of the crime shall deserve. And if the tenor hereof extend to all offices, and places Military and civil on the Land, it will we conceive be of excellent use in itself, and very grateful to the public; but we shall not digress, being so highly satisfied with the army's Remonstrance, and Petition of the 11. Sept. last, that our hope to see all those provisions for the people's freedom happiness therein contained; and wherein, we profess our concurrence shortly brought into act, we totally acquiesce. To the Third. That every captain who is appointed for Command of ships for convoys, may have the victualling the ship he so Commands, having the same proportionable allowance that the victuallers now, or in consideration of the advance of price in comodities should have; and that all other ships who are ●●●ly appointed for guarding of the Coast, may have their provisions provided in Magazines in the several Ports, or some of them most convenient along the Coast. And therefore it is desired, the certainty thereof occasioning no small inconveniency that these duties of guard and convoy be distinguished, and certain ships be more particularly named, to have the charge of the convoy in and out of merchant's ships and goods; That so trade may be as highly advanced by this means with us, as it is by the same with the Hollanders, to our long impoverishment through default thereof. To the Fourth. That no Committee, or Commissioners of the Navy hereafter, be permitted to engross, or impropriate service (to their own ships, but that the proffers of others (when as much or more conducing to the public good) according to common equity and liberty, may be accepted and preferred; and that for future all Committees of the Navy may be admonished to let the doors stand open to receive all proffers and Petitions Sans fraud, or other sinister practices. To the Fifth. That for the several pay every Captain thus employed for the convoying of ships, being suffered to victual his own ship as aforesaid, be allowed 10 l. per mensem for his pay. And that every Captain guarding the Coast have also 10 l. per mensem and some allowance for his table, for the entertainment of strangers occasioned by counsels, or the like, and that every Master have 6 l. per mensem, and every chief Mate have 4 l. per mensem, and the other Mates 3 l. 10 s. per mensem, the Gunner boatswain, Carpenter, have 4 l. per mensem, and the cook be allowed 3 l. per mensem, and no other Officer belonging to the Gunner, gun-room or boatswain, except each a Mate be allowed above four Mast men's pay from the State; but what the Gunner or boatswain shall allow out of their own means. That the Steward, quartermaster, gunner's Mate, Boateswain● Mate, carpenter's mate, be allowed 40 s. per mensem, fore mast men clear of all charges have 20 s. per mensem which several sums though to some, as to ourselves may seem to large, yet if granted may prevent the multiplicity of cheats formerly amounting to much more, and induce those Seamen fallen off to return to your service. That the Minister and chirurgeon have such allowance as the State shall think fit. That every captain with the approbation of the power electing him, may make choice of all his Officers in the respective ships. That all captains or Masters of merchant men ships being Commanders in chief, may have to the full value of twenty pounds of his own adventure, and his bill of Portage, free of custom and excise. That all Master's mates have 15 l. of their own adventure upon the said account. That all chirurgeons, Pursers, Gunners, boatswains Carpenters and cooks, have ten pounds upon the same account. That all their mates with Quarter-masters and of their quality have eight pounds upon the same account. That all fore Mast-men have five pounds upon the same accounts. That all such as by sufficient testimony shall make it appear, they are not of ability either by charge of Children, or loss otherwise, to make good their abovesaid adventurers accordingly, may be enabled to sell the same at the end of the voyage to him that will buy it, That thereby men may be encouraged to fight for defence of Ships and merchant's goods, (this being but in lieu of our tun custom free, formerly allowed, and since taken away. That the names of the several Captains, Masters, Mates, Gunners, Boat-waynes, Carpenters, cooks, Quartermasters Ministers, and chirurgeon, and four Mast-men, with all other inferior seamen be with the names of the several Ships and Pinnaces they serve in, enrolled, and the Pay established, respectively paid them in whole, when in service, and half pay in the vacation thereof provided, they take no other employment, whereby as they shall not be occasioned through the apprehension of want by fraud to provide in time of service for maintenance, when out of it: So upon the setting forth of any summers, or winter's fleet, men in every degree fit for employment, will be always ready to man them. And if any in what place soever maimed or dying in this service of the State, shall leave, or have a wife and Children, or either of them to slenderly provided for to give them convenient sustenance for their subsistence, aliment & education, And the State in a blessed imitation of the most flourishing commonwealths of old, and the Netherlands at this instant, shall ordain some certain provision for such maimed persons Relict, or Orphans suitable to their several respective conditions and exigencies. It will be an act not only well pleasing to God, and worthy our profession of Religion; but for many demonstrable reasons of great utility in the main, such donatives being in effect, but as a scattering before a harvest, or as Saloman hath it, a casting of bread upon the waters repayable in a little time with greater abundance. And whereas it is, and may be falsty suggested, that all disaffected persons being excluded. A sufficient number of common Seamen for the service of the Navy, cannot be raised or found; We are confident these our humble desires granted to the satisfaction of all well-affected persons: there shall be no such necessity to endanger so principal a defence of the kingdom's peace and safety, as is the Navy in the trust of such inveterate Enemies to it; but that it may be supplied (and had; had we our desires on the 5. of July last in our first proposals formerly) with men of known affections and integrity to the State. In sum since shipping is of greatest concernment to this Nation, one of whose, if not chief Royalities, hath ever been the dominions of the Seas, as deriving to it wealth and defence, either by letter of mart or Trade, and we ourselves double obliged by public interest, as English, and particul●r vocation, as Seamen, to our utmost abilitles to advance the same, have with as much brevity as we could, presented to this Honourable Assembly this expedient, humbly imploring as time and affairs shall admit maturity and seasonableness, freedom of enlargement. Right Honourable IT hath been heard at least in Parable, That a poors Man by his wisdom hath preserved a City; Sure I am that it incomb● every one, of what capacity soever, to intend public Safety and the contribution of a Mite, adds to the common Treasury, So that encouraged, by the integrity of my aim at general good (which is able to screen all other defects, and render my undertakings benignly accepted; I humbly present this small body of Observations: Whence as from a Perspective set to blear eyes, may be upon your maturer and more Judicious scanning, deduces some more advantageous expediences for constituting and preserving a navy to the Nations unspekable good, in securing it, and its Trade, than hath yet been happily explored) and the late Act, touching Regulating the officers of the navy, and customs, hath greatly incited me here, to while in many thing● concurring therewith, it hath Anticipated the presentment though (as it is well known to many) not the draught of this humble Petition, and tender, which hath past the discuss, and received the approved vogae of the most expert in my vocation, seamen, of whom upon Command, I can give a competent List, for any Service at Sea, the State can, or shall require; but though all met in the Centre yet (Selfishness, that bane to the public, reigning in most, I found some descriptions in running of their lines to the Circumference of particular Interest, not being impatient of longer obstructions by the want of Harmony in circumstantials only. I have presumed, declining the Ostentation of their Subscriptions, to personate a public part, and (without injury to them, whilst in a zealous right to our Common Parent, our country) in their names made this humble presentment. Rich: Brooke. That captain Richard Brooke, the presenter hereof, may not be suspected to overshoot in his Suggestions: We whose Names are Subscribed (in our mutual affections to the Common Government, which we conceive the precedent Animadversions may notably advance; Humbly for ourselves, and number of our friends, and fellow seamen, address our desires, that they may be forthwith taken into consideration, thereupon, an exceeding advance of Service to the State, Whereto we shall faithfully, with our lives and fortunes, ever adhere against all opposers. Richard Haddoke, vice-admiral. Capt. Richard Fermes. Capt. Henry West. Capt. William Bunducke. Capt. Thomas Merryott. Capt. George Dakins. Capt. Thomas Spalding. Capt. Richard Ingle. Capt. Ionas Reeve. Capt. Joseph Jordaine. Capt. William Tadnall. Mr. John Jussif. Mr. Francis Floyd. Mr. William Darkis. Mr. John Kent. Mr. William Beale. Mr. William Bunduck. Junior. Mr. John Ewell. Mr. Deubers Southern. Mr. Humphrey Morris. Mr. Thomas Downton. Mr, John field. William Godfrey. Mr. Jeremiah Trevise. Mr. Robert Hudson. William Simkleere. GOD save the KING. At Edinburgh the fifth day of February, 1649. THE Estates of Parliament presently convened in this second Sessions of the second Triennall Parliament, by virtue of an Act of the Committee of Estates, who had power and authority from the last Parliament, for convening the Parliament, considering; that for as much as the King's Majesty who lately reigned, is contrary to the Dissent and Protestation of this Kingdom now removed by a violent death and that by the Lord's blessing there is left unto us a righieous Heir & lawful successor, Charles Prince of Scotland, and Wales, now King of Great Britain, France, and Ireland; We the Estates of Parliament of the Kingdom of Scotland, do therefore most unanimously and cheerfully in recognizance and acknowledgement of his just Right, Title, and Succession to the Crown of these Kingdoms, hereby proclaim and declare to all the World, that the said Lord and Prince Charles is by the Providence of God, and by the lawful right of undoubted Succession and dissent, King of Great Britain, France, and Ireland, whom all the Subjects of this Kingdom are bound humbly and faithfully to obey, maintain, and defend according to the national Covenant, and the Solemn League and Covenant, betwixt the kingdoms, with their lives and goods, against all deadly, as their only righteous sovereign Lord and King; and because his Majesty is bound by the Law of God, and fundamental laws of this kingdom, to rule in righteousness and equity, for the honour of God the good of Religion, and the wealth of his People: It is hereby declared, That before He be admitted to the Exercise of His royal Power, He shall give satisfaction to this kingdom in these things that concern the security of Religion, the union betwixt the kingdoms, and the good and peace of this kingdom, according to the national Covenant, and the solemn League and Covenant; for the which end, we are resolved with all possible expedition to make our humble and earnest Addresses unto His Majesty: For the Testification of all which, We the Parliament of the kingdom of Scotland publish this our acknowledgement of His just Right; Title, and Succession to the Crown of these kingdoms at the market cross of Edinburgh, with all usual Solemnities in the like Cases, and ordain His Royal Name, portrait and Seal, to be used in the public Writings and Judicaturies of the kingdom, and in the Mint-house, as was usually done to His royal predecessors, and command this Act to be proclaimed at all the Market Crosses of the royal Burghs within this kingdom, and to be printed, that none may pretend ignorance. GOD save King CHARLES the second. FJNJS.