the consent of parliament. Finally, on his death the place was immediately to be supplied by the council. Thus, in fact, the Sovereign authority of which parliament had deprived the king was transferred to the protector and the general of its armies. With such a power at his back, the authority of the protector was virtually and practically absolute, and the forms of the constitution depended solely on nis will.

§ 9. In spite of these distracted scenes, the military prowess of England was exerted with vigour; and never did it appear more formidable to foreign nations. The English fleet gained several victories over the Dutch, in the last of which Tromp, while gallantly animating his men, was shot through the heart with a musket ball (July 31, 1653). Monk and Penn commanded in

Medal given for service in the action with the Dutch, July 31, 1653. Obv.: a naval battle: above, FOR EMINENT SERVICE IN SAVING Y TRIUMPH FIERED IN FIGHT WH Y DVCH IN IVLY 1653. Rev. arms of the three kingdoms suspended on an anchor.

this engagement, Blake being ill on shore. The States, overwhelmed with the expense of the war, terrified by their losses and defeats, were extremely desirous of an accommodation; and a peace was at last signed by Cromwell (April 5, 1654). A defensive league was made between the two republics, and the honour of the flag was yielded to the English.

§ 10. The new parliament summoned by the protector met on September 3, 1654. The elections had been conducted agreeably to the instrument of government, and precautions were taken to form a house subservient to the wishes of the protector. All persons who had in any way assisted the king, presbyterians, episcopalians, or royalists, were declared incapable of serving. The smaller boroughs were deprived of the franchise. Of 400 members.

which represented England, 250 were chosen by the counties: the rest were elected by London and the more considerable corporations. The lower populace, as easily guided or deceived, were excluded from the elections. An estate of 2007. value was necessary to entitle any one to a vote. Further, in imitation of the old regal practice, Cromwell and his officers nominated 144 of the members for the united knigdoms, including themselves.

But the protector soon found that he did not possess the confidence of this parliament. Having heard his speech, three hours long, and chosen Lenthall for their speaker, they immediately entered into a discussion of the pretended instrument of government, and of that authority which Cromwell, by the title of protector, had assumed over the nation. The greatest liberty was used in arraigning this new dignity; and even the personal character and conduct of Cromwell escaped not without censure. The protector was surprised and enraged at this refractory spirit. On September 12 he had the parliament doors locked and guarded, and sending for the members to the painted chamber, with an air of great authority inveighed against their conduct. He told them that he had received his office from God and the people, and none but God and the people should take it from him—uneonsciously admitting that parliament, though mainly of his own choice, did not represent the people. It was not to be expected, he added, that when he assured them that they were a free parliament, they were free in any other sense than as they should act under that government. He was unwilling to violate their privileges, but necessity had no law. If he had studied to devise a justification for Charles I., it would have been impossible for him to have found words more significant or more appropriate. He then obliged the members to sign an agreement in recognition of his authority. A hundred of the members refused; the rest, after some hesitation, submitted; but retaining the same independent spirit which they had discovered in their first debates, Cromwell dissolved the house in a confused and angry harangue (January 22, 1655).

The discontent discovered by this parliament encouraged the royalists to attempt an insurrection, which was soon put down, and served only to strengthen Cromwell's government. He issued an edict (October, 1655), with the consent of his council, for exacting the tenth penny from the royalists, in order. as he pretended, to make them pay the expenses to which their mutinous disposition continually exposed the nation. To raise this imposition, which commonly passed by the name of decimation, the protector appointed 12 major-generals, and divided the whole kingdom of England into so many military jurisdictions. These men, assisted by com

missioners, had power to subject whom they pleased to decimation, to levy all the taxes imposed by the protector and his council, and to imprison any person who should be exposed to their jealousy or suspicion; nor was there any appeal from them but to the protector himself and his council. In short, they acted as if absolute masters of the property and person of every subject.

Meanwhile the resentment displayed by the English parliament at the protection afforded by France to Charles, induced that court to change its measures. Anne of Austria had become regent of France, in the minority of her son Louis XIV., and cardinal Mazarin had succeeded Richelieu in the ministry. Charles was treated by them with so much neglect and indifference, that he thought it more decent to withdraw, and prevent the indignity of being desired to leave the kingdom. He went first to Spa, thence he retired to Cologne, where he lived two years on a small pension paid him by the court of France, and on some contributions sent him by his friends in England.

The French ministry deemed it still more necessary to pay deference to the protector when he assumed the reins of government. They were now at war with Spain, and wished to defeat the intrigues of that court, which, being reduced to greater distress than the French monarchy, had been still more forward in their advances to the prosperous parliament and protector. Cromwell resolved for several reasons to unite his arms to those of France. The extensive empire and yet extreme weakness of Spain in the West Indies, the vigorous courage and great naval power of England, made him hope that he might, by some gainful conquest, render for ever illustrious that dominion which he had assumed over his country. Should he fail of these durable acquisitions, the Indian treasures, which must every year cross the ocean to reach Spain, were, he thought, a sure prey to the English navy, and would support his military force, without his laying new burthens on the discontented people. These motives of policy were probably seconded by his religious principles; and as the Spaniards were more bigoted papists than the French, and had refused to mitigate on Cromwell's solicitation the rigours of the Inquisition, he hoped that a holy and meritorious war with such idolaters could not fail of protection from Heaven.

§ 11. Actuated by these motives, he concluded a treaty offensive with France (October 24), stipulating that neither Charles nor the duke of York should be suffered to remain in that kingdom. He equipped two considerable squadrons, one of which, consisting of 30 capital ships, was sent into the Mediterranean under Blake, whose fame was now spread over Europe. Blake sailed to Algiers, and

compelled the dey to restrain his piratical subjects from further violences on the English. He then presented himself before Tunis, where, incensed by the insolence of the dey, he destroyed the castles of Porto Farino and Goletta, sent a numerous detachment of sailors in their long-boats into the harbour, and burned every ship which lay there. This bold action filled all that part of the world with the renown of English valour.

The other squadron was not equally successful. It was commanded by Penn, and carried on board 4000 men, under the command of Venables. An attack upon St. Domingo was repulsed with loss and disgrace; but Jamaica surrendered to them without a blow (May, 1655). Penn and Venables returned to England, and were both of them sent to the Tower by the protector, who, though commonly master of his fiery temper, was thrown into a violent passion at this disappointment. He had, however, made a conquest of greater importance than he was himself at that time aware of; and Jamaica has ever since remained in the hands of the English.

As soon as the news of this expedition, which was an unwarrantable violation of treaty, arrived in Europe, the Spaniards declared war against England, and seized all the ships and goods of English merchants of which they could make themselves masters. Blake, with whom Montague was now joined in command, prepared himself for hostilities against the Spaniards, and lay some time off Cadiz in expectation of intercepting the treasure-fleet, but was at last obliged, for want of water, to make sail towards Portugal. Captain Stayner, however, whom he had left on the coast with a squadron of seven vessels, took two ships valued at nearly 2,000,000 of pieces of eight (September 9, 1656).

The next action against the Spaniards was more honourable, though less profitable, to the nation. Blake pursued a Spanish fleet of 16 ships to the Canaries, where he found them in the bay of Santa Cruz, defended by a strong castle and seven forts. Blake was rather animated than daunted with this appearance. The wind seconded his courage, and, blowing full into the bay, brought him in a moment among the thickest of his enemies. After a resistance of four hours, the Spaniards yielded to English valour, and abandoned their ships, which were set on fire, and consumed with all their treasure. The wind, suddenly shifting, carried the English out of the bay, where they left the Spaniards in astonishment at the happy temerity of their audacious visitors (April 20, 1657). This was the last and greatest action of Blake. He was worn out with dropsy and scurvy, and hastened home, that he might yield up his breath in his native country, but expired within sight of land. Never man, so zealous for a faction, was so much respected

and esteemed even by the opposite parties. He was by principle an inflexible republican; and the late usurpations, amidst all the trust and caresses which he received from the ruling powers, were thought to be very little grateful to him. "It is still our duty," he said to the seamen, "to fight for our country, into what hands soever the government may fall." The protector ordered him a pompous funeral at the public charge: but the tears of his countrymen were the most honourable panegyric on his memory.

ance.

§ 12. As the last parliament did not prove more compliant, notwithstanding all the precautions taken by the protector, he dismissed it, waiving all ceremony, with the announcement that its continuance was not for the good of the nation (January 22, 1655), and dispensed with so useless an encumbrance until September 17, 1656, when a deficit of 800,000l. made him anxious to obtain its assistIn summoning this third parliament, he used every art in order to influence the elections, and fill the house with his own creatures; yet, notwithstanding all these precautions, he still found that the majority would not be favourable to him. Accordingly, on their assembling, he set guards at the door, who permitted none to enter but such as produced a warrant from his council; and the council rejected about 100, who either refused a recognition of the protector's government, or were on other accounts obnoxious to him. They protested against so egregious a violence, as subversive of all liberty; but every application for redress was disregarded. The majority, by means of these arts and violences, was friendly to the protector, who now began to aspire to the crown; and in order to pave the way to this advancement, he resolved to sacrifice his major-generals, whom he knew to be extremely odious to the nation. On the 19th of January, 1657, it was moved by one Aske" that his highness would be pleased to take upon him the government according to the ancient constitution." The proposition was not received without murmurs. It was asked whether the house intended to set up again the kingly government it had been so zealous in putting down. But the design was too agreeable to Cromwell to be set aside. Colonel Jephson was employed to sound the inclinations of the house; and the result appearing favourable, a motion in form was made by alderman Pack, one of the city members, for investing the protector with the dignity of king (February 23). This motion excited great disorder, and divided the house. The chief opposition came from the usual adherents of the protector, the major generals, and such officers as depended on them; and particularly from Lambert, a man of deep intrigue, and of great interest in the army, who had long entertained the ambition of succeeding Cromwell in the protectorship. The bill, entitled an