iness and resolution against the enemies of his government, he was no less generous and bountiful to those of all parties who submitted to it; for as he would not declare himself of any particular sect, he gave out, that it was his only wish that all would gather into one sheepfold,under one shepherd, Jesus Christ, and love one another. He respected the clergy in their places, but confined them to their spiritual function. Nor was he jealous of any who did not meddle in politics, and endeavor to raise disturbances in the state: even the prejudice he had against the episcopal party, (says bishop Kennet) was more for their being royalists, than being of the church of England. But when one party of the clergy began to lift up their heads above their brethren, or to act out of their sphere, he always found means to take them down. He had a watchful eye over the royalists and republicans, who were always plotting against his person and government; but his erecting a house of lords, or upper house, so quickly after his instalment, roused the malecontents, and had like to have subverted his government in its infancy.

The protector was in high reputation abroad, and carried victory with his armies and navies wherever they appeared. There had been a negotiation with France concerning an alliance against Spain, begun at London 1655, but not concluded till March 13, 1657, by which the protector obliged himself to join six thousand men with the French army, and to furnish fifty men of war to conquer the maritime towns belonging to Spain in the Low Countries,on this condition, that Dunkirk and Mardyke should be put into his hands, and the family of the Stuarts depart the territories of France. That which determined him to join with France rather than Spain, was the numerous parties that were against him at home; for if the young king, assisted by France, should have made a descent upon England with an army of French protestants, it might have been of Eachard and Kennet: whose authority Dr. Grey does not attempt to invalidate. He refers principally, to a speceh of Cromwell, 25 Jan. 1657, complaining that the army was unpaid, and that Ireland and Scotland were suffering by poverty. For a review of the administration of Cromwell, the reader is referred to Dr Harris' Life of Cromwell, p. 412-75: and Mrs. Macaulay's History of England, vol. 5, 8vo. p. 194, 203, who is by no means partial to the protector. Ed.

fatal consequence to his infant government; whereas the Spaniards were at a distance, and having no protestant subjects, were less to be feared. Upon the conclusion of this treaty, King Charles entered into an alliance with the Spaniards, who allowed him a small pension, and promised him the command of six thousand men, as soon as he was possessed of any sea-port in England. In consequence of this treaty, most of the royalists inlisted in the Spanish service. But the protector's six thousand men in Flanders behaved with undaunted bravery, and took St. Venant, Mardyke, and some other places from the Spaniards this summer.*

Admiral Blake was no less successful at sea, for having received advice of the return of the Spanish West-India fleet, he sailed to the Canaries with twenty-five men of war, and on the 20th of April arrived at the Bay of Sancta Cruz, in the island of Teneriff, where the galleons, to the number of sixteen, richly laden, lay close under a strong castle, defended by seven forts mounted with cannon; the admiral, finding it impossible to make them prize, had the good fortune to burn and destroy them all, only with the loss of one ship, and one hundred and sixty men. When the news of this success arrived in England, a day of thanksgiving was appointed, and a rich present ordered the admiral upon his return; but this great sea-officer, having been three years at sea, died as he was entering Plymouth sound Aug. 17, in the sixty-seventh year of his age.† He was of the ancient family of the Blakes, of Planchfield, Somersetshire, and was educated in Wadham college, Oxford. He was small of stature, but the bravest and boldest sailor that England ever bred, and consulted the honor of his country beyond all his predecessors. When some of his men being ashore at Malaga, refussed to do honor to the host as it passed by, one of the priests raised the mob upon them. Üpon which Blake sent a trumpet to the viceroy to demand the priest, who saying he had no authority to deliver him up, the admiral answered, that if he did not send him aboard in three hours, he would burn the town about their ears; upon which he came, and begged pardon: the admiral,

* Burnet, p. 73.

Other accounts say in the 59th year of his age. Ed.

Eachard, p. 725.

after a severe reprimand, told him, that if he had complained to him of his sailors he would have punished them, but he would have all the world know, that an Englishman was only to be punished by an Englishman, and so dismissed him, being satisfied with having struck terror into the priest, and had him at his mercy. When OLIVER read this passage of Blake's letter in council, he said, he hoped to make the name of an Englishman as great as ever that of a Roman had been. The admiral preserved an exact discipline in the fleet, and taught his men to despise castles on shore, as well as ships at sea.§ Valor seldom missed its reward with him, nor cowardice its punishment. He had a noble public spirit, for after all his services for his country, and opportunities of acquiring immense riches from the Spaniards, he died not five hundred pounds richer than his father left him. His body was brought by water to Greenwich, and deposited in a most magnificent manner, in a vault made on purpose in King Henry seventh's chapel, at the public expence; but at the restoration his body was taken out of the grave, and flung with others into a common pit; and his brother, being a dissenter, suffered so many hardships for religion in King Charles the second's reign, that he was obliged to sell the little estate the admiral left him, and transport himself and children to Carolina.

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Burnet, vol. i. p. 113, 14.

§ It is remarkable, that Blake did not take the command of the fleet till he was above fifty years of age. "His want of experience," says Mr. Granger, seems to have been of great advantage to him; he followed the light of his own genius only, and was presently seen to have all the courage, the conduct, and precipitancy of a good sea-officer." Ed.

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Bishop Kennet, whom Dr. Grey quotes here, being ashamed, it is probable, of the base contempt with which the body of Blake was treated, says, it was taken up and buried in the church-yard." But Wood plainly says, that his body with others, by his majesty's express command sent to the dean of Westminster, was taken up and buried in a pit in St. Margaret's church-yard. The other bodies treated thus ignominiously were admiral Deau's, a brave man, who lost his life in the service of his country; Col. Humphrey Mackworth's; sir W. Constable's; Col. Boscawen's, a Cornish gentleman of a family distinguished by its constant attachment to liberty; and many others too long to be here mentioned. Such," observes Dr. Harris, "was the politeness and humanity introduced by the restoration!" Life of Cromwell, p. 490. Wood's Athen. Oxon. vol. i. p. 825. 26. Ed.

By the second article of the humble advice, which appoints all future parliaments to consist of two houses, the form of the present government began to change in favor of the ancient constitution. The protector, pursuant to the powers given him, made several promotions of knights, and lords, and in the month of December issued out writs, by advice of his council, to divers lords and gentlemen, to sit as members of the other house, at the next session of parliament, Jan. 20. His intention was to have this house considered as a house of peers, though he declined giving it that name till a more favorable conjuncture. Some declined the honor, and chose to sit in the lower house, but between fifty and sixty appeared, among whom were seven or eight of the ancient peers, divers knights and gentlemen of good families, and some few chief officers of the army. They met in the house of lords, whither his highness came at the time of their meeting, and according to ancient custom, sent the usher of the black rod to bring up the commons, to whom he made a short speech from the throne, beginning with the usual form, My lords, and you the knights, citizens, and burgesses, &c. and then as our kings used to do, he referred them to the lord commissioner Fiennes, who tired them with a long and perplexed harangue before they entered upon business.

This hasty resolution of the protector and his council had like to have subverted the infant government, for ma. ny of the protector's best friends being called out of the lower house to the upper, the balance of power among the commons was changed; whereas, if he had deferred the settling of the upper house till the present parliament had been dissolved, they would have gone through their business without interruption; but the lower house was now in a flame, some being disappointed of their expectations, and others envied for their advancement, insomuch that as soon as they returned to their house, they called for the third article of the humble advice, which says, that no memhers legally chosen, shall be excluded from performing their duty, but by consent of the house of which they are members; and then to strengthen their party, they order

Dr. Grey gives a catalogue of the names of the persons whom the writ summoned ; with degrading anecdotes of some of them. Ed.

ed all those who had been excluded last sessions, because they would not recognize the new government to return to their places; which was no sooner done, than they began to call in question the authority and jurisdiction of the other house, though themselves had advised it, and though there was almost as good reason for their being an upper, as for the other being a lower house; but these gentlemen were determined to erect an absolute commonwealth, on the ruins of the present family. Many degrading speeches were made in the lower house against the persons who had been thus promoted, who were no less resolute in defending their honors and characters; so that there was no prospect of an agreement, till the protector himself appeared, and having sent for them to Whitehall, spoke with such an accent in favor of the other house, that they returned and acknowledged it; but then they went on to re-examine the validity of the whole instrument of government, as being made when many members were excluded. Upon which the protector, being out of all patience, went to the house and dissolved them, after they had sat about fifteen days.

The protector's speech upon this occasion will give the reader the best idea of the state of the nation: "I had comfortable expectations that God would make the meeting of this parliament a blessing for the improvement of mercy, truth, righteousness and peace. I was drawn into this office of protector by your petition and advice; there is not a man living that can say I sought it; but after I was petitioned and advised to take the government upon me, expected that the same men that made the frame, should make it good to me.-I told you at a conference, that I would not accept the government, unless there might be some persons to interpose between me and the house of commons, and it was granted I should name another house, which 1 did, of men of your own rank and quality, who will shake hands with you while you love the interest of England and religion.-Again, I would not have accepted the government, unless mutual oaths were taken to make good what was agreed upon in the petition and advice; and, God knows, I took the oath upon the condition expressed, and thought we had now been upon a foundation VOL. IV. ? 26