The Earl of Warwick's LETTER To the Right Honourable, The Committee of Lords and Commons AT DERBY-HOUSE, CONTAINING A NARRATIVE OF His Proceed in Pursuit of the Revolted Ships, And their declining the Engagement: And of the Conjunction of the PORTSMOUTH Fleet with the Lord Admirals.  

ORdered by the Commons assembled in Parliament, That this Letter be forthwith printed and published.  
H: Elsing, Cler. Parl. D. Com.   
London, Printed for Edward Husband, Printer to the Honourable House of Commons, Septemb. 6. 1648.   

To the Right Honourable, The Committee of Lords and Commons at Derby-house.  
My Lords and Gentlemen,  
BY my Letter of Thursday last I gave your Lordships a brief account of our condition.  
I shall take leave now to trouble your Lordships with a more particular representation of our proceed.  
On Tuesday morning 29 August, the Fleet with me proceeded down as low as the Shoe, where the Tide of Flood coming in, we anchored.  
In the Forenoon of the same day we discovered a great Fleet of Ships coming up into the River; and by a signal from the Adventure Frigate (sent out the 28 for advice) we found them to be the Revolted Ships: at their coming nearer we saw their three Flags, and made them to be (small and great) at least twenty in number.  
We had by this time a very great experiment of the Mariner's affection, those aboard my Ship applying themselves to a preparation for fight with the greatest alacrity that ever I saw, there being not one of them that discovered the least averseness to engage, or unwillingness to lay down his life for the Enemy's reduction; which (as the Captians informed me) was likewise the general temper of the rest of the Fleet: And truly the special influence of God upon their Spirits was visible to admiration, and (which I value as no small Privilege and Honour to this undertaking) their eyes, hearts and prayers were so advanced to Heaven (as the place only from whence they expected their help) that it was a great engagement to our faith, that God would manifest and engage his sp●cial presence and power amongst us and for us, in the issue of this Service.  
The place where we that day anchored was full of Sands, and the Channel narrow; therefore about Noon we began to ply up towards the Buoy of the Oze-Edge, endeavouring to keep the advantage that God had given us, of being to the windward of the Enemy. That night we anchoring off the Buoy of the Oze-Edge, and the Enemy at about a League distance from us, the Prince sent me a Summons by Mr. Henry Seymour about eight of the clock, which I received, and answered, as I gave account in my last to your Lordships; wherein, of the Summons, and of my Answer, I enclosed a Copy.  
The same Tuesday night I consulted with a Council of War, where we determined how to manage the next days action; the sum of our Resolution being, That every Ship should weigh, and be lose at the windward tide, and get and keep the wind of the Enemy if possible, and assist each other to the best advantage, if engaged; but not on that day to begin the Engagement on our part, we being every hour in expectation of the Portsmouth Ships, and the Channel where God's Providence had cast us being so narrow, that in case of Engagement some of the Ships would have been necessarily forced upon the Sands, and so destroyed (which inconvenience we considered might be prevented by the Portsmouth Ships falling upon the Rear, while we fell upon the Van of the Enemy's Fleet) yet withal to keep our ground about the Oze-Edge, being a place of more advantage than many others thereabouts.  
That night and the next day, viz. the 30 of Aug. till about Noon, all was quiet (the Mariners retaining their former Spirit of Courage, Unanimity and Resolution) and then the Tide of flood coming on, the Enemy weighed; I also weighed with the Fleet under my Command, which plying up and down some hours according to the Resolutions of the Council of War, maintained the advantage of being to the windward of the Enemy, and expected, without scruple, a sudden Engagement, the weather also being fair, and a Calm expected rather than otherwise: But about four in the Afternoon there fell so great a Gale of wind (amounting to no less than a Storm) that the Admiral of the Revolted Ships, with his whole Fleet, was forced to come to anchor, and so were we, there being no action the remainder of that Afternoon, nor the night following, during which the Admirals of the two Fleets road about a League each from other.  
That day I sent forth a Vessel to inquire after the Portsmouth Fleet.  
On Thursday morning 31 Aug. I called a Council of War; and than it was again considered, That the Portsmouth Fleet was not yet come in, nor heard of; That some Ships of this Fleet (specially the great ones) would in all probability be forced on the Sands, if we should here engage; which would also produce the like effect as to some of the Revolted Ships, whereby the strength of the Navy would be much impaired; That a few hours expectance might bring in the Portsmouth Fleet, whereby we might not only proportion the Enemy's strength, but also by God's blessing disable their return: We considered withal, That on the miscarriage of this Fleet depended the miscarriage of the Portsmouth Fleet, and the putting of very high advantages into the Enemy's hand, further to prejudice the Trade of the Kingdom, and to make their strength at sea much more considerable: Upon which, and some other grounds then offered, it was (amongst other things) unanimously Resolved upon the Question by myself, the Commissioners of Parliament, and the rest of the Council of War (consisting of twelve in number) not one voice contradicting it, That the Ships of this Fleet should observe the Enemy's motion, and if he ply up, then to ply up before him, keeping as much as might be to the windward, and declining at present an Engagement, unless it should be unavoidable; and that in case the Enemy should weigh, and fall downwards, this Fleet should follow them, yet at such a distance, that there might be room enough with conveniency to anchor, and to secure the Portsmouth Fleet, in case they should be in sight; and so we prepared ourselves, in expectation of an Engagement that Afternoon.  
But by the time that these and some other Resolutions of the Council of War were digested, and ready to be signed, the Viceadmiral of the Revolted Ships did, about ten in the Forenoon, weigh, and shortly after so did the rest; and forthwith their whole Fleet stowed away: I did thereupon give order to the Fleet with me to weigh; and as soon as my Letter to your Lordships of that day was dispatched, we gave them chase, some of our Ships keeping at a small distance: Of which, the Adventure Frigate espying a Fleet a head of the Enemy, shot a Gun, in token they were the Portsmouth Ships: Whereupon I made all the Sail I could, to the end this Fleets conjunction with the Portsmouth Ships might be improved to the more effectual engaging of the enemy, though the Fleet supposed by Captain Ball to be from Portsmouth, proved other Ships.  
Afterwards night being come, and the Pilot conceiving it dangerous further to proceed so near the Sands, I anchored near the middle of the Gunfleet, about a League and a half short of the enemy (who by shooting off a Gun, and haling up their Sails, gave cause of confidence that they were also coming to anchor) purposing to weigh early next morning to pursue them, and appointing some Ships of this Fleet to lie near to observe their motion.  
The next morning the first of Septemb. we found that the Revolters had withdrawn themselves in the night▪ and about six of the clock we discovered the Portsmouth Ships (conceived to be those, by the many Guns that passed by way of salute (as was interpreted) betwixt them and some of this Fleet that went up to them) whereupon I gave order to weigh, but the wind grew so high, that the Pilot delivered his opinion, This Ship would not in such weather be able to sail, without danger of siding upon Gunfleet Sands; whereupon we remained there at anchor all that day, the wind continuing to night very high.  
This day being the second of September, we weighed from the middle of Gunfleet, and about ten in the Forenoon met with all the Portsmouth Fleet (other than some of the smaller Vessels that retired into Harwich for shelter against the yesterdays Storm) and so we proceeded together to Albrough Road, to inquire after the Revolted Fleet; where anchoring, I spoke with the Captains that came from Portsmouth, who represent their several Companies to be as cordial and resolute for the enemy's reduction as could be desired.  
Since my coming hither, I have endeavoured to inform myself which way the Revolters are gone, and find it most probable that they are retired to Goree, there being not the least intimation in these parts, that they are gone Northwards: Therefore I shall (God willing) repair to morrow morning towards the Downs, where I shall expect your Lordships further Commands; intending in the mean time to send an Express to Holland, for a certain account whether the Ships are in G●rce, that I may be in a quicker capacity to put in execution such Orders as shall be given me in charge concerning them. I shall add no more, but to commend it to your Lordship's consideration, whether it may not be necessary, That the Order be renewed for indemnity to the Revolters, upon their submission to the Parliaments Obedience, and to rest,  
Your Lordships, etc. affectionate and humble Servant, WARWICK. Aboard the St. George in Albrough Road, 2. Sept. 1648.  
I have written to Colonel Temple to take off the restraint of Ships passage by Tilbury Fort, Any Order or Desire from me notwithstanding.   
FINIS.