BEfore these shall come to your hand, I make no doubt but Master Nicholls of the House of Commons, hath made both Houses a Rela­tion of what hath passed here since I received his Majesties Letters for the dis­charging me of the command of the Fleet, whereby I was entrusted; Now I called a Counsell of Warre, and acquainted them with his Majesties Letters, and likewise with the Ordinance of Parliament sent from the Houses for mee to continue my charg, I confesse it was a great streight that I was put in betweene two commands that have so much power over mee, but when [Page 4]I consider the great care which I have ever observed in the Parliaments of this King­dome, for the good and safety of the King and Kingdome, and every mans particular in them, and that they are that great coun­sell by whose authority the Kings of Eng­land have ever spoken to their Subjects; And likewise that the trust of this Fleete for the defence of his Majesty, and the Kingdomes was committed to me, by them, and knowing the integrity of my owne heart to his Majesty, and Parliament, I re­solved not to desert that charge commit­ted to my trust wherein God (blessed be his Name for it) hath made mee hitherto so successefull; but to continue it untill I shall bee revoked by that authority that hath entrusted mee with it; which having declared to my Captaines at the Coun­sell of Warre, all of them unanimous­ly and cheerefully tooke the same reso­lution excepting five, which was the Reare Admirall, Captaine Fogge, Captaine Bur­ley, Captaine Slingsby and Captaine Wake: All which five refused to come upon my [Page 5]Summons, as having no authority over them, and got together round that night to make their defence against mee, onely Captaine Burley came in, and submitted to me, whereupon in the morning I weigh­ed my Anchors, and caused the rest of my Ships so to doe, and came to an Anchor round about them, and besieged them, and when I had made all things ready I summoned them, Sir Iohn Mennes and Cap­taine Fogge came in to mee, but Captaine Slingsby, and Captaine Wake stood out, whereupon I let fly a Gun over them, and sent them word I had turned up the Glasse upon them, if in that space they came not in they must looke for mee aboard them, I sent to them by my Boat, and most of the Boats in the Fleete, their answer was so peremptory that my Masters, and Saylors grew so impatient on them, that although they had no Armes in their Boates, at all yet God gave them such courage, and resolution, as in a moment they entred them, tooke hold on their shrouds and sei­zed upon these Captaines being armed [Page 4]with their Pistols and Swords, and strooke their Yards and Top-masts and brought them both to me; the like courage and resolution was never seene amongst unar­med men, so as all was ended without effu­sion of blood, which I must attribute to the great God of Heaven and Earth onely, who in the moment that I was ready to give fire on them, put such courage into our men to act it, and so saved much blood. I hope the Parliament will thinke of some course for all our Indempnities, and espe­cially for the officers of the Navy, and principall for the Surveyour of the Navy, my Vice-Admirall, a very able and good man; For my selfe I doubt not but they that put me in this imployment will pre­serve me for serving them faithfully.

I pray you Sir, be a meanes to Sir Robert Pie, and Mr. Greene, that some money may be sent us, for it hath beene often promised but we heare not of it. The weather con­tinuing stormy so long together, that we spend our Masts and Top-masts, or some determent or other fals upon us daily, so [Page 5]that we are in great extremity for want of money. Thus having nothing else to trou­ble you for the present, onely that you will be pleased to acquaint your House of Commons with our proceedings, here I bid you farewell, and rest,