members to sign a recognition of his authority, and an engagement not to propose or cor sent to any alteration in the government, as settled in a single person and a parliament; but, finding that conspiracies had been entered into between the members and some malcontent officers, he hastened to dissolve this dangerous assembly.

A. D.

1655

After this, the protector exerted himself against the adherents of Charles, who had appointed a day of general rising throughout England; and in order to draw off the attention of the nation from himself, he extended his enterprises to every part of Europe. compelled the French to comply with every proposal which he thought fit to make, and to submit to the greatest indignities.

He

The extensive but feeble empire of Spain in the West Indies, excited the ambition of the protector; and, in order to humble that power, he equipped two squadrons; one under Blake entered the Mediterranean, and spread terror every where. To the other, under Pen and Venables, Jamaica surrendered without a blow; and that island has ever since remained in the hands of the English, the chief acquisition which they owe to the enterprising spirit of Cromwell.

Blake, being informed that a Spanish fleet of sixteen ships had taken shelter in the Canaries, sailed thither, and found them in the bay of Santa Cruz. This bay was strongly fortified; but nothing could daunt the spirit of Blake. In spite of the Spanish forts and batteries, the English admiral steered into the bay; and, after a resistance of four hours, the enemy abandoned their ships, which were set on fire and consumed.

cer.

This was the last and greatest action of that gallant offiBeing almost worn out with a dropsy and scurvy, he hastened home, that he might die in his native country; but he expired as he came within sight of land. Never was a man more sincerely respected, even by those of opposite principles. He was an inflexible republican, and the late changes were thought to be no way grateful to him; but he remarked to the seamen, "It is still our duty to fight for our country, into whose hands soever the government may fall."

The conduct of the protector in foreign affairs, though often rash, was full of vigour. The great mind of Crom

well was intent on spreading the fame of the English na tion; and it was his boast, that he would render the name of an Englishman as much feared and revered as ever was that of a Roman. In his civil and domestic administration, he paid great regard both to justice and clemency. All the chief offices in the courts of judicature were filled with men of integrity; and amidst the virulence of faction, the decrees of the judges were unwarped by partiality.

Cromwell now judging that he had sufficiently established his authority, summoned another parliament; but, though he had used every art to influence the elections, he soon found that it was necessary to employ the most violent measures to procure an ascendancy in the house. He placed guards at the door, who permitted only such to enter as produced a warrant from the council. The parliament voted a renunciation of all titles in Charles Stuart, or any of his family; and colonel Jephson, in order to sound the inclinations of the house, ventured to move, that they should bestow the crown on Cromwell. When the protector afterwards affected to ask what could induce him to make such a motion: "As long," said Jephson, as I have the honour to sit in parliament, I must follow the dictates of my own conscience, whatever offence I may be so unfortunate as to give you.' "Get thee gone," said Cromwell, giving him a gentle blow on the shoulder, "get thee gone for a mad fellow as thou art."

At length, a motion in form was made by alderman Pack, one of the city members, for investing Cromwell with the royal dignity. The chief opposition came from the usual adherents of the protector, the general officers, particularly Lambert, who had long entertained hopes of succeeding him. However, the bill was carried by a considerable majority; and a committee was appointed to reason with Cromwell, and to overcome the scruA. D. ples which he pretended against such a liberal of1657 fer. The conference lasted several days; but the opposition which Cromwell dreaded was not that which came from Lambert and his adherents; it was that which he met with in his own family, and from men the most devoted to his interests. Fleetwood had married his daughter, and Desborow his sister; yet these men told him, that if he accepted of the crown, they would instantly throw up their commissions, and render it impossible for

them to serve him. In short, it is said that a general inu tiny of the army was justly dreaded, if this ambitious project had been carried into execution; and therefore Cromwell, after long doubt and perplexity, was at last obliged to refuse the crown. The parliament, however, gave him the power of nominating his successor, and assigned him a perpetual revenue for the payment of the fleet and army, and the support of the civil government.

A. D.

The parliament was again assembled, and the protector endeavoured to maintain the appearance 1658 of a civil magistrate, by placing no guards at the door of either house; but he soon found how incompatible liberty is with a military usurpation. The commons assumed the power of re-admitting those members whom the council had formerly excluded; and an incontestible majority declared themselves against the protector. Dreading combinations between the members and the malcontents in the army, Cromwell determined to dissolve the parliament without delay; and when urged by Fleetwood and others of his friends not to precipitate himself into so rash a measure, he swore by the living God that they should not sit a moment longer.

These distractions at home, however, did not render the protector inattentive to foreign affairs. The Spaniards were defeated at Dunes by the combined armies of France and England; and Dunkirk being soon after surrendered, was delivered to Cromwell. He committed the government of that important place to Lockhart, who had married his niece, and was his ambassador at the court of France.

These successes abroad were more than counterbalanced by his inquietudes at home. The royalists and presbyterians entered into a conspiracy, which being discovered, numbers were thrown into prison, and sir Henry Slingsby and Dr. Huett were condemned to be beheaded. The army was ripe for a mutiny; and Fleetwood and his wife, who had adopted republican principles, began to estrange themselves from Cromwell. His other daughters were no less prejudiced in favour of the royal cause; and the death of Mrs. Claypole, his peculiar favourite, destroyed all his enjoyments.

All composure of mind seemed now for ever fled from the protector. He saw nothing around him but treache