prepared for secret service. In 1655, both expeditions sailed, one under Blake to the Mediterranean, the other under Penn and Venables to the West Indies. The cause of a rupture with Spain was declared to be, the depredations committed on English commerce in the West Indies; and as an additional reason it was stated, that the conquest of the Spanish territories in America would tend to the spread of the Gospel, and cramp the resources of popery in Europe. The expedition to the West Indies was intended to capture Hispaniola; the attempt failed because of bad generalship on the part of Venables. Better success attended them at Jamaica, which readily capitulated in May, but the Protector was mortified that they had failed in the main object of the expedition, and on their return sent the commanders to the Tower. Blake with his ships was to capture the Spanish plate fleet; he was unsuccessful the first year, but in 1656, one of his captains captured a Spanish galleon, having on board two million dollars. In the year following, Blake destroyed the fleet of treasure ships at Santa Cruz.

(4). RELATIONS WITH THE MEDITERRANEAN STATES. When Blake sailed to the Mediterranean, he appeared first before Algiers, and obtained, on demanding it, a promise to respect the English flag. The Dey of Tunis defied the English admiral, who thereupon silenced his castles and burnt his fleet. From the Duke of Tuscany, he enforced a payment of £60,000 for damages done to English commerce. To the Duke of Savoy, the Protector sent Morland as ambassador, to demand a stop to be put to the prosecution of the protestant Vaudois. The duke did not relish this interference, but at the recommendation of the King of France, he gave way. To these oppressed Protestants, the English sent £40,000, besides making an offer to settle part of them in Ireland.

SECTION VII. THE PROTECTORATE OF RICHARD CROMWELL. 1658-1659.

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1. Richard Cromwell becomes Protector. Sept. 3, 1658. The Humble Petition and Advice" gave to the Protector the power of nominating a successor, whether Cromwell did so is a matter of dispute. It was however given out that he had named his son Richard, and he was at once proclaimed by the council. The people generally received him with favor, but the military officers were displeased at the elevation of a man who had never drawn his sword in the good cause. Fleetwood, brother-in-law to Richard, headed the malcontents. A petition was drawn up and presented to the new Protector, demanding that no officer should be deprived, but by a court-martial, and that all commissions

should be placed at the disposal of some person, whose attachment to the cause was undoubted. To this Richard replied, that he had appointed Fleetwood lieutenant-general, but the Petition and Advice required that he should retain the chief command, as well as the disposal of commissions. The army was dissatisfied with this answer, and more than half passed over to the opposition. 2. Richard calls a parliament: he resigns his office. 1659. It was hoped that a parliament would counteract the hostility of the army. When it met, Jan. 29, 1659, a majority of the new-made peers were absent. The opening was unpropitious, nearly half of the members of the Commons refused to attend the Protector in the House of Peers, on the plea that they had doubts of the legality of the "other House". When the Commons met, it soon appeared that the republicans, though only about fifty in number, were superior to the other parties in energy, readiness in debate, and skill in the forms of the House. At the head of this party were Vane, Haslerig, Lambert, Ludlow, and Bradshaw; Fairfax though a royalist at heart voted with them. The contest began on a bill for recognising Richard Cromwell, as the rightful successor to his father. It was objected by the republicans, that there was no proof of his nomination, such as was required by the "Petition and Advice"; that the "Petition itself was of no force, because passed in a House from which a hundred members had been unlawfully excluded; and that the Commons could not admit a negative voice, either in another House, or in a single person. After the debate had lasted eight days, the whole matter was compromised, so as to leave the question open for future discussion. In the "other House", special care was taken to avoid all subjects likely to bring them into collision with the Commons, yet the latter as soon as opportunity offered, opened a debate in which it was contended that though Cromwell had authority to call another House, his successor had none. Ultimately, the "other House" was acknowledged as a House of Parliament for the present, but the members were held not to be peers, or to have a negative voice, or a right to sit in subsequent parliaments.

Among the neutrals or moderate party, were several secret royalists. These individuals, acting upon instructions received from Hyde, took every opportunity to embarrass the existing government, and to inflame the republican party, by showing instances of tyranny, extortion, and embezzlement. An order to impeach Boteler, one of the major-generals, because of oppression in the execution of his office, alarmed the army, and councils were held which the parliament voted illegal. On this, Desborough in the name of the officers, intimated to Richard that he must dis

solve the parliament, or the army would do it for him. The parliament was therefore dissolved, April 22, after a session of three months. The "Cabal of Wallingford House", as this knot of insurgent officers was called, was now triumphant, and though Richard was nominally the Protector for a month longer, his authority entirely ceased when he dissolved the parliament. Richard Cromwell expressed his willingness to resign on the 25th May; provision was made for his future support, but he was ordered to quit Whitehall in six days.

PERIOD III. ANARCHY AND THE RESTORATION.

SECTION VIII. THE STRUGGLE OF CROMWELL'S LIEUTENANTS FOR SUPREMACY.

1. Recall of the Rump Parliament, May 7, 1659. After the dissolution of Richard's parliament, the supreme authority may be said to have rested in Fleetwood, who having come to an agreement with the republican party, invited the Rump Parliament to resume its sittings. Of the Presbyterian members excluded in 1848, nearly two hundred were yet alive; many of them made an effort to take their seats, but the doors were guarded by a company of soldiers. The supreme authority was now in the parliament, and a declaration informed the public that the government would be without a "single person, kingship, or house of peers, and that all writs, &c., should again run in the name of the Keepers of the Liberties of England". A Committee of Safety was appointed, most of them soldiers; and a Council of State of thirty-one members, including Fairfax, Lambert, Desborough, and other officers; among the civilians appear Sir Ashley Cooper, Bradshaw, and Whitelock. This revolution in the government soon received the adhesion of the fleet, and of the armies in Ireland, Scotland, and Flanders. It was however soon evident that the officers proposed to rule through the parliament, for demands were sent in from Wallingford House, which the House could not consent to, without acknowledging in the councilof officers an independent authority. The parliament therefore proceeded to remodel the army, by doing which they lost its support.

Encouraged by these dissensions, the royalists determined on a general insurrection, the details of which were arranged by a council called "The Sealed Knot", at the head of which was Sir Richard Willis. But Willis was a traitor; the council of state was in possession of all the plans, and every precautionary measure taken. Sir George Booth unfurled the royal standard and surprised Chester, but Lambert was soon upon him, and defeated

the insurgents at Nantwich, Aug. 19. On Lambert's return to London, the officers sent in another paper to the House, filled with complaints and demands having reference to the army. Haslerig, a stern republican, denounced this paper, and moved that Lambert be committed to the Tower. The Cabal now held daily meetings, and presented another petition, threatening with condign punishment those who cast scandalous imputations upon them. In this struggle the parliament was not without support; Monk from Scotland and Ludlow from Ireland wrote to say that their armies were with the House. Having passed a resolution that it was treason to levy money without the previous consent of parliament, they next voted that Lambert, Desborough, and others, be deprived of their commissions for signing the petition, and that Fleetwood be dismissed from his post as commander-inchief. In consequence of these votes, Lambert the day following, Oct. 13, mustered his men, and the Rump Parliament was again expelled.

2. The government in a Committee of Safety, Oct. 23, 1659. After a lapse of ten days, a new council or committee was formed to carry on the government, and as it consisted nearly altogether of officers, the government was for the second time in the army. One of the first things done, was to annul the late votes of the Rump. In a publication called "The Army's Plea", they vindicated their conduct on the ground that it was lawful to rise against the parliament, when it did not preserve the just rights and liberties of the people. The people indeed were dissatisfied, but it was chiefly from fear of the arbitrary rule of the army. Much discontent existed even among the officers, several of whom at this time made their peace with Charles by the promise of their services. Of Monk, the cabal of Wallingford House were in great doubt. When that general heard of the expulsion of the Rump, and that Lambert was made major-general, he took the title of "assertor of the ancient laws and liberties of the country". A general council being called of Monk's officers, they agreed to stand by him. Trusty garrisons were placed in the principal Scotch fortresses, and letters announcing their determination forwarded to Lenthall the Speaker, the council at Wallingford House, and the commander of the fleet. All this was threatening, and Lambert was dispatched with a force to act against Monk, whose real intention began to be suspected. During his absence, riots broke out in the city; the cry was for a free parliament, and no taxes by any other authority. Admiral Lawson with the fleet sailed up to Gravesend and declared against the army; the fidelity of the soldiers was now shaken, and presenting themselves before the house of Lenthall, they saluted the Speaker

with three volleys of musketry. Desborough fled, and Fleetwood resigned his commission to the Speaker. The Rump was again in the ascendant, and constituted themselves a House, Dec. 26.

3. Monk marches to London, and restores the expelled members, Feb. 21, 1660. As soon as Monk found that Lambert was marching against him, he opened negotiations; this gave him time to weed his regiments, and to call a convention of the Scottish estates to meet at Berwick. Monk had fixed his headquarters at Coldstream, and while there made arrangements to support Fairfax, who had undertaken to surprise York. On the first day of the year, Monk crossed the Tweed; the gates of York were opened to Fairfax by the cavaliers on the same day. As he advanced, Lambert's forces received an order from the parliament to retire. Monk had now an open road, but his wariness never forsook him. Fairfax persuaded him to proclaim Charles at York, but he refused; at Leicester, in answer to a petition from Devonshire, he stated it as his opinion, that the monarchy could not be re established; and several times subsequently, he declared in the strongest terms his devotion to the parliament. Reaching St. Albans, with a force of only five thousand men, he wrote to the Speaker to request that five regiments might be ordered to leave the capital, alleging the danger of quarrels arising between the different armies. When Monk had reached Whitehall, Feb. 3, he was invited to attend the House; after receiving its thanks, he addressed the Speaker with a warning against cavaliers and fanatics. The general however evaded the oath to abjure the house of Stuart, on the ground that others of the council had not taken it, and he would wait to know their reasons.

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London had declared for "a full and free parliament", but as no representative from the city was then in the existing parliament, the taxes imposed were not paid. It was therefore proposed to send Monk to arrest several of the principal citizens this it was thought would put the sincerity of the general to the test, and open a breach between him and the opponents of the existing parliament. The order was executed with reluctance, and to the annoyance of the citizens, for the posts and chains in the streets were removed, and the gates and portcullises demolished. Monk was mortified, and reflecting on the whole of the circumstances, concluded there was a design against him, and the more so, as in the meantime the House had graciously received a petition praying that no man might sit in parliament, or hold any public office, unless he had abjured the pretensions of Charles Stuart. A letter was at once prepared, and being approved by a council of Monk's officers, forwarded to the Speaker; it complained that they had been employed against the citizens, to gratify