minions, caufed an open war between the two nations. Cromwell, far from being intimidated,

SIR,

You will herewith receive inftructions for the better carrying on of your bufinefs, which is not of ⚫fmall account here, although our difcouragements have ⚫ been many; for which we defire to humble ourselves before the Lord, who hath forely chaftened us. doe commend, in the midst of others mifcarriages, your conftancy and faithfulness to your truft, in every <** where you are, and taking care of a company of poore fheepe left by their fhepherds; and be affured, that as that which you have done hath been good in itself, and becoming an honeft man, so it hath a very good favour here with all good chriftians and all true Englishmen, and will not be forgotten by me, as ⚫ opportunitie shall ferve. I hope you have long before this time received that good fupplye which went from hence in July laft, whereby you will perceive, that . you have not been forgotten heere. I hope also the fhips fent for New England are before this tyme with you; and let me tell you, as an encouragement to you and those with you to improve the utmoft diligence, and to excite your courage in this bufinefs, though not to occafion any negligence in presentinge that affair, nor to give occafion to flacken any improvement of what the place may afford, that you will be followed with what neceffary fupplies, as well for comfortable • fubfistance, as for your fecurity against the Spaniard, this place may afford or you want. And therefore ftudy firft your fecuritie by fortifieing; and although you have not monies for the prefent, wherewith to do it in fuch quantities as were to be wifhed, yet your cafe being as that of a marchinge army, wherein every foldier out of principles of nature and according to the practice of all difcipline, ought to be at the pains to fecure the common quarter; wee hope no man amongst you will be foe wantinge to himself, confi

deringe

midated, fent immediate, orders to Blake, who was then in the Mediterranean, to act

.

against

deringe food is provided for you, as not to be willinge to help to the uttermoft therein; and therefore I require you and all with you for the fafetie of the whole, that this be made your principal intention. The doinge of this will require, that you be verie careful not to scatter, till you have begun a fecuritie in some one place. Next I defire you, that you would confider how to form fuch a body of good horfe, as may, if the Spaniard fhould attempt upon you at the next comeing into the Indies with his gallions, be in a readinefs to march to hinder his landinge, who will hardly land upon a body of horfe; and if he fhall land, be in a pofture to keep the provifions of the country. from him, or him from the provifions, if he fhall endeavour to march towards you. Wee truft wee shall furnish you with bridles, faddles, and horfe-fhoes, and, other things neceflary for that worke, defiring you to the uttermoft to improve what you have already of ⚫ thofe forts. Should it be knowne that you had 500 horfe well appointed, ready to march upon all occafions in that ifland, even that alone might deterre the Spaniard from attemptinge any thing upon you. Wee have fent commiffioners and inftructions into New England, to trye what people may be drawn thence. Wee have done the like to the English windward inlands, and both in England, Scotland, and Ireland, you will, have what men and women we can well transport. Wee thinke, and it is much defigned amongst us, to ftrive with the Spaniard for the maftery of all thofe feas; and therefore wee could heartily wifh, that the ifland of Providence were in our hands againe, believinge that it lyes fo advantagiously in reference to the mayne, and efpecially for the hindrance of the Peru trade and Cartagena, that you would not only have great advantage thereby of intelligence and furprize, but even blocke up the fame. It is difcourfed here,

'that

against Spain.

.

His orders were obeyed, and

that if the Spaniard doe attempt you, it is most likely it will be on the east end of the island towards Cuba, as alfo Cuba upon Cuba is a place eafily attempted, and hath in it a very rich copper mine. It would be good for the first, as you have opportunity, to informe yourself, and if there be need, to make a good work thereupon, to prevent them; and for the other, and all things of that kinde, wee must leave them to your' judgment upon the place, to doe therein as you fhall fee caufe. To conclude, as we have caufe to be humbled for the reproof God gave us at St. Domingo upon "the account of our owne fins, as well as others; foe truly upon the reports brought hither to us of the extreame avarice, pride, and confidence, diforders and debauchednefs, profaneness and wickednefs commonly practifed amongst the army; wee cannot onlie bewail the fame, but defire that all with you may doe fo, and that a very fpecial regard may be had foe to governe for tyme to come, as that all manner of vice 6 may be thoroughly discountenanced and feverely punished, and that fuch a frame of government may be exercised, that virtue and godlineffe may receive due en'couragement.'

6

He lived not indeed to see the beneficial effects of his care. But the English nation has fufficiently experienced it. Jamaica for near a century has returned an immenfe treasure to her mother country, and enabled her to injure Spain when neceffary, in a very fenfible manner. This fhe long has done, and as it is faid, is yet capable of doing much more, if properly cultivated, and improved, and refcued out of the hands of monopolizers. How far this is true, it may become those who have the affairs of our colonies under their infpection to enquire; but whatever be the refult, it will be an indifputable truth that Jamaica is one great fource of wealth to Britain,

wealth,

(p) Milton's Profe

Works, vol.

. p. 273.

wealth (GGG), honor and renown, accrued

to

(GGG) Wealth and honor accrued to his country by Blake's behaviour.] On the King of Spain's feizing the persons and effects of the English by way of retaliation for what had passed in America, Cromwell published a manifesto in Latin, written, as is fuppofed, by Milton, setting forth his reafons for his conduct in that affair. This piece contains a great variety of inftances of the barbarity, cruelty and oppreffion exercised by the Spaniards on the English, which are little known. Ships were taken, men murthered, and the islands of Tortuga and Providence wrefted out of the hands of the English in times of full peace. Befides these abominable deeds in the new world, an account is given of many hoftile acts against the fame nation, by the Spaniards, even in Europe; from all which, fays the manifefto, We are confident, we have made it plain to all, who weigh things fairly and impartially, that neceffity, honor and juftice, have prompted us to undertake this late expedition. Firft, we have been prompted to it by neceffity; it being abfolutely neceffary to go to war with the Spaniards, fince they will not allow us to be at peace with them and then honor and juftice, feeing we cannot pretend to either of thefe, if we fit ftill and fuffer fuch infufferable injuries to be done our countrymen, as those we have shown to be done them in the Weft • Indies (p).' But Cromwell refted not in words. fent orders to Blake to attack the Spaniards in the Mediterranean or elsewhere, and to feize every thing he could lay his hand on belonging unto them. Blake wanted nothing more. Shortly after, cruifing, in conjunction with general Montague, off of Cadiz, to intercept the Spanish Flota, captain Stayner, with three. fhips of the fleet, fell in with eight galleons, with ⚫ which he dealt fo effectually in two or three hours en< gagement, that one was funk, another fet on fire, $ two were forced on fhore, and two he took, having on board in money and plate, to the value of fix • hundred

<

He

to his country by the behaviour of that gal

lant

-P. 395.

hundred thousand pounds, and only two efcaped into Cadiz (q). This action was on the 9th of September, (2) Burchett, 1656. Capt. Stayner, in his letter to the generals of the fleet, written on the day of the engagement, fays, The fhip he took was as good as all the fleet befides,

and the other that capt. Harman took was very rich; (-) Thurloe, though but little filver in her (r). By the calculation vol. v. p. of the Spaniards, there was taken and loft nine millions 399. of pieces of eight, of which about five millions fell to (s) Id. p. the fhare of the English (s). Befides this great fum of 400. money, so useful to Cromwell at this time, advantage was made of the intelligence given by the young marquis of Baydex, a prifoner, who was born in Lima, and understood well the ftate of the West Indies. Montague fpent almost a whole afternoon in difcourfe with him, and obtained such an account from him, as he thought () Id. p. worth tranfmitting to Thurloe (t). So intent was he on 434 procuring all poffible helps for his country. • The next

year admiral Blake went out with a ftrong fquadron on the fame defign of intercepting the Spanish West India fleet, and took his station off of Cadiz, where receiving intelligence that thofe fhips were arrived at Ten riffe, he made the best of his way to that ifland. The Flota lay in the bay of Santa Cruz, drawn up in • form of a half-moon, with a strong barricado before them; the bay itfelf defended by feven forts difposed round the fame, with two cafties at the entrance, which were well furnished with ordnance: in which posture the Spanish admiral thought himself fo fecure, that he sent out word by a Dutch merchant, Blake might come if he durft. The admiral having taken a 'view of the enemy's fituation, fent in captain Stayner with a fquadron to attack them, who foon forcing his paffage into the bay, was presently supported by Blake with the whole fleet. Placing fome of his fhips fo as that they might fire their broadfides into the caftles and forts, himself and Stayner engaged the Spanish feet,