being intimidated, sent immediate orders to Blake, who was then in the Mediterranean, to act against Spain. His orders were obeyed, horse; and if he shall land, be in a posture to keep the provisions of the country from him, or him from the provisions, if he shall endeavour to march towards you. Wee trust wee shall furnish you with bridles, saddles, and horse-shoes, and other things necessary for that worke, desiring you to the uttermost to improve what you have already of those sorts. Should it be knowne that you had 500 horse well appointed, ready to march upon all occasions in that island, even that alone might deterre the Spaniard from attemptinge any thing upon you. Wee have sent commissioners and instructions into New England, to trye what people may be drawn thence. Wee have done the like to the English windward islands, and both in England, Scotland, and Ireland, you will have what men and women we can well transport. Wee thinke, and it is much designed amongst us, to strive with the Spaniard for the mastery of all those seas; and therefore wee could heartily wish, that the island of Providence were in our hands againe, believinge that it lyes so advantagiously in reference to the mayne, and especially for the hindrance of the Peru trade and Cartagena, that you would not only have great advantage thereby of intelligence and surprize, but even blocke up the same. It is discoursed here, that if the Spaniard doe attempt you, it is most likely it will be on the east end of the island towards Cuba, as also Cuba upon Cuba is a place easily 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 shall see cause. To conclude, as we have cause to be humbled for the reproof God gave us at St. Domingo upon the account and wealth", honour and renown, accrued to of our owne sins, as well as others; soe truly upon the reports brought hither to us of the extreame avarice, pride, and confidence, disorders and, debauchedness, profaneness and wickedness commonly practised amongst the army; wee cannot onlie bewail the same, but desire that all with you may doe so, and that a very special regard may be had soe to governe for tyme to come, as that all manner of vice may be thoroughly discountenanced and severely punished, and that such a frame of government may be exercised that virtue and godlinesse may receive due encourage ment." care. He lived not indeed to see the beneficial effects of his But the English nation has sufficiently experienced it. Jamaica for near a century has returned an immense treasure to her mother country, and enabled her to injure Spain when necessary, in a very sensible manner. This she long has done, and as it is said, is yet capable of doing much more, if properly cultivated, and improved, and rescued out of the hands of monopolizers. How far this is true, it may become those who have the affairs of our colonies under their inspection to enquire; but whatever be the result, it will be an indisputable truth that Jamaica is is one great source of wealth to Britain. 55 Wealth and honour accrued to his country by Blake's behaviour.] On the king of Spain's seizing 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 supposed, by Milton, setting forth his reasons for his conduct in that affair. This piece contains a great variety of instances of the barbarity, cruelty and oppression exercised by the Spaniards on the English, which are little known. Ships were taken, men murthered, and the islands of Tortuga and Providence wrested out of the hands of the English in times of full peace. Besides these abominable deeds in the new world, an account is his country by the behaviour of that gallant a given of many hostile acts against the same nation, by the Spaniards, even in Europe; from all which, says the manifesto, "We are confident, we have made it plain to all, who weigh things fairly and impartially, that necessity, honour and justice, have prompted us to undertake this late expedition. First, we have been prompted to it by necessity; it being absolutely necessary to go to war with the Spaniards, since they will not allow us to be at peace with them and then honour and justice, seeing we cannot pretend to either of these, if we sit still and suffer such insufferable injuries to be done our countrymen, as those we have shown to be done them in the West Indies "." But Cromwell rested not in words. He sent orders to Blake to attack the Spaniards in the Mediterranean or elsewhere, and to seize every thing he could lay his hand on belonging unto them. Blake wanted nothing more. "Shortly after, cruising, in conjunction with general Montague, off of Cadiz, to intercept the Spanish Flota, captain Stayner, with three ships of the fleet, fell in with eight galleons, with which he dealt so effectually in two or three hours engagement, that one was sunk, another set on fire, two were forced on shore, and two he took, having on board in money and plate, to the value of six hundred thousand pounds, and only two escaped into Cadiz." This action was on the 9th of September, 1656. Capt. Stayner, in his letter to the generals of the fleet, written on the day of the engagement, says, "The ship he took was as good as all the fleet besides, and the other that capt. Harman took was very rich; though but little silver in her." By the calculation of the Spaniards, there was taken and lost nine millions of pieces of eight, of which about five millions fell to the share of the English. Besides this great sum of money, so useful to Cromwell at this time, advantage was made * Milton's Prose Works, vol. II. p. 273. vol. V. p. 399. d Id. p. 400. Thurloe, b · Burchett, p. 395. admiral. Very few commanders ever shewed of the intelligence given by the young marquis of Baydex, a prisoner, who was born in Lima, and understood well the state of the West Indies. Montague spent almost a whole afternoon in discourse with him, and obtained such an account from him, as he thought worth transmitting to Thurloe." So intent was he on procuring all possible helps for his country. "The next year admiral Blake went out with a strong squadron on the same design of intercepting the Spanish West India fleet, and took his station off of Cadiz, where receiving intelligence that those ships were arrived at Teneriffe, he made the best of his way to that island. 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 itself defended by seven forts disposed round the same, with two castles at the entrance, which were well furnished with ordnance: in which posture the Spanish admiral thought himself so secure, that he sent out word by a Dutch merchant, Blake might come if he durst. The admiral having taken a view of the enemy's situation, sent in captain Stayner with a squadron to attack them, who soon forcing his passage into the bay, was presently supported by Blake with the whole fleet. Placing some of his ships so as that they might fire their broadsides into the castles and forts, himself and Stayner engaged the Spanish fleet, and in few hours obtaining a compleat victory, possessed himself of all the ships; but being not able to bring them off, he set them on fire, and they were every one burnt b" Sixteen galleons were destroyed, besides others. Most of them had a great part of their loading aboard, which perished all with the ships. "The last intelligence from Cadiz (says Mr. Maynard, the English consul at Lisbon, in a letter to Mr. Thurloe, dated June 6, 1657, N. S.) saies, that the losse of those ships in the * Thurloe, vol. V. p. 434. p. 312. Burchett, p. 396. Thurloe, vol. VI. like conduct and bravery. Nor were the Eng Canaries goes near their hearts; they thinking it a greater losse to them than the galleons with the plate taken formerly; for the consequence of this losse will be greate, in respect they are wholly disappointed of furnishing the West India, with such necessaries as they wante; for those ships were designed to have gone from thence in few days, if general Blake had not prevented them; so now they are driven to their laste shifte to freight Hollanders, and send them some, and some for the India"."Such were the naval exploits under the protector! Exploits, which Mr. Waller has celebrated in more than one of his poems. -Britain, looking with a just disdain To the rich troublers of the world's repose. They that the whole world's monarchy design'd, And again, The sea's our own: and now all nations greet He has not used too much poetical licence. Blake, "after this glorious atchievement, returned to the coast of Spain, and having cruised there some time, was coming home with the fleet to England, when he fell ill of a scorbutic fever, of which he died just as he was entring Plymouth sound. Cromwell's parliament, upon the news of his exploit at Santa Cruz, had ordered him a jewel of five hundred pound, and now upon his death |
