[1] In 1646 he received a naval command, In August 1647 he was appointed Governor of Scilly Isles a post he held until January 1647.

[1] In July 1648, during the Civil War, while serving as a captain in the navy of the English Parliament, he was recognized as restoring sailors' allegiances at sea[2] and later in the year given command of two vessels and promoted to Rear Admiral.

[1] In 1651, he served with General at Sea Robert Blake in the capture of the Scilly Isles from Sir John Granville, 1st Earl of Bath.

[citation needed] In February 1666, he was appointed Admiral of the Blue and at the start of the Four Days' Battle in June 1666 he was elevated to the rank of Admiral of the White,[1] his flagship, Prince Royal, ran aground on the Galloper Shoal and he was forced to surrender his ship to Lieutenant-Admiral Cornelis Tromp, earning the unfortunate distinction of being the highest-ranking English naval officer to have been captured by the enemy.

[4] In December 1671, he was the President of the Court Martial of Rear-Admiral Sir William Jennings, held on board Monmouth.