SIR, To General Blake at Sea.' Whitehall, 13th June, 1655. I have received yours of the 25th of March, which gives account of the late Transactions between yourself and the Governors of Tunis, concerning the losses which the English have sustained by the piracies of that place; and' of' the success it pleased God to give in the attempt you made upon their shipping, after their positive refusal to give you satisfaction upon your just demands. And as we have great cause to acknowledge the good hand of God towards us in this Action,-who, in all the circumstances thereof, as they have been represented by you, was pleased to appear very signally with you; so I think myself obliged to take notice of your courage and good conduct therein; and do esteem that you have done therein a very considerable service to this Commonwealth. I hope you have received the former Despatches which were sent unto you by the way of Legorne, for your coming into Cadiz Bay with the Fleet; as also those which were sent by a Ketch immediately from hence; whereby you had also notice of three-months provisions then preparing to be sent,-which have since been sent away, under convoy of the Frigates the Centurion and Dragon: and 'I' hope they are safely arrived with you, they sailing from hence about the 28th of April. With this come farther Instructions concerning your disposing of the Fleet for the future; whereunto we do refer you. Besides which, we, having taken into consideration the present Design we have in the West Indies, have judged it necessary, That not only the King of Spain's Fleets coming from thence be intercepted (which as well your former Instructions as those now sent unto you require and authorize you to do), but that we endeavor also, as much as in us lies, to hinder him from sending any relief or assistance thither. You are therefore, during your abode with the Fleet in those seas, to inform yourself, by the best means you can, concerning the going of the King of Spain's Fleet for the West Indies; and shall, according to such information as you can gain, use your best endeavors to intercept at sea, and fight with and take them, or otherwise to fire and sink them; as also any other of his ships which you shall understand to be bound for the West Indies with provisions of War, for the aid and assistance of his subjects there; carrying yourself towards other of his ships and people as you are directed by your general Instructions. 'I rest, 'Your loving friend, * Thurloe, iii., 547. 'OLIVER P."* The Sea-Armament was for the West Indies, then: good news of it were welcome! Here is a short Letter of Blake's to the Protector, dated just the day before; in cipher;-which the reader, having never perhaps seen another Letter of Blake's, will not be displeased with Unimportant; but bringing the old Seas, with their Puritan Seakings, with their Plate Fleets,' and vanished populations and traffics, bodily before us for moments. by your Highness, referring me to a former Instruction, touching the Silver Fleet of Spain coming from America, I have received; and shall carefully observe the same. We had information at Cadiz that the Fleet was expected about a month or five weeks hence. We are now off Cape Mary's; intending to spread with our Fleet what we can, and to range this sea, according to the wind and the information we can get plying likewise over towards Cape Sprat, it being their most likely and usual course. They of Cadiz are very distrustful of us; and there being four Galeons designed for the Mediterranean, and six for New Spain, it is doubtful how they may be employed. "We shall use our best endeavors to put the Instructions in execu tion, as God shall afford an opportunity; desiring your Highness to rest assured of our diligence, and of the integrity of,-your most humble and faithful servant, 6 "ROBERT BLAKE."* June 13th is Wednesday. On the morrow is universal FastDay, Humiliation and Prayer, and public Collection of Money for the Protestants of Piedmont. A day of much pious emotion in England; and of liberal contribution, which continued on the following days. Clerks come to every man's house,' says a disaffected witness; come with their papers, and you are forced to contribute.' The exact amount realized I never could very authentically learn. The Dutch Ambassador says 100,0007. The disaffected witness says, 'London City itself gave half-a-million,' -or seemed as it would give. The Ministers played their part to the full,'-the Ministers and the People and their Ruler. No * Thurloe, iii., 541. French Treaty signed or signable till this thing be managed. At length the French were obliged to manage it; 9th September of this same year the thing was got managed ;*—and by and by was got improved and still better managed, the Protector continuing all his days to watch over it, and over other similar things as they occurred, and to insist on seeing justice done respecting them. LETTER CXXXVII. THE scheme of Major-Generals for England is not yet come to maturity; but it is coming: new occasional arrests and barbadoesings continue, as the threads of old Plots are traced farther and farther. Monk keeps Scotland quiet; the hydra is for the present well under foot. Meanwhile Henry Cromwell is despatched for Ireland, to see with his own eyes how matters stand there. A reverend godly Mr. Brewster, hardly known to us otherwise, is also proceeding thither; with whom the Lord Protector thinks good to salute his Son-in-law, Fleetwood, the Lord Deputy, Ireton's successor in Ireland. Henry Cromwell was there once before, on a some. what similar mission, and acquitted himself well. His title, this second time, is Major-General of the Army in Ireland. He is to command the forces in Ireland; one easily believes farther, he is to observe well and report faithfully how affairs are; and do his best to assist in rectifying them. Lord Deputy Fleetwood is by some thought to be of too lax temper for his place: he, with his Ludlows, Axtels and discontented Republicans, not to speak of other businesses, would need energy, if he have it not. Rumor has even risen that Henry Cromwell is now sent to supersede him; which, however, the Protector expressly contradicts. The rumor nevertheless proved, if not true, yet prophetic of the truth. Henry Cromwell acquitted himself well this second time also; being, as we judge, a man of real insight, veracity and resolution; very fit for such a service. Many of his Letters, al1 * See Thurloe, iii., 549, 623, 745, &c + March, 1653-4 (Thurloe, ii., 149). creditable to him, are in Thurloe: 'Petitions' from certain frish parties come likewise to view there, that he might be appointed Deputy; which Petitions are, for the present, carefully 'suppressed, yet have in the end to be complied with ;-they and the nature of the case, we suppose, require compliance. Some fifteen months hence, Henry is appointed Lord Deputy ;* Fleetwood, in some handsome way, recalled. In which situation Henry continues till the end of the Protectorate, making really an honorable figure; and then, the scene having altogether changed, retires from it into total obscurity, still in a very manful, simple and noble way.† My dear Biddy,' in this Letter, is Bridget Fleetwood, whom we once saw as Bridget Ireton ; who, for her religious and other worth, is a joy to my heart.' Of 'Mr. Brewster,' and the other reverend persons, Spiritual Fathers, held in such regard by the Lord Protector as is due to Spiritual Fatherhood, and pious nobleness of Intellect under whatever guise, I can say nothing: they are Spiritual Great-grandfathers of ours, and we have had to forget them! Some slight notices of Brewster, who I think was a Norfolk man, and more of Cradock, who was Welsh,-zealous Preachers both,-are in the Milton State-Papers :§ they prove the fervent zeal, faith and fearlessness of these worthies ;-not necessary to extract in this place. Cradock writes to Cromwell in 1652 that his heart overflows with prayers and praise to God for sending such a man; that he has often stept aside to pray for him, in some thicket or ditch by the wayside, while travelling along, and thinking of him ;-which Dryasdust Nicols, the Editor of these Milton State-Papers, considers a very ludicrous proceeding. Godly Mr. Tillinghurst,' so noble a phenomenon to Oliver and Fleetwood, is to us fallen altogether silent :—seemingly some godly Preacher, of very modest nature; who, in his old days, being brought once before the Lord Protector, cried it was a 'shame' to trouble any Lord Protector, or Sovereign Person, with the like of him! The venerable hoary man. And godly Mr. Troughton or ، * 21 November, 1657 (Thurloe, vi., 632) His Letter to Clarendon, in Thurloe. § Pp. 85, 158, &c. 'Throughton,' too, was there. O Tillinghurst, O Troughton, how much lies buried! "To the Lord Fleetwood, Lord Deputy of Ireland.' DEAR CHARLES, • Whitehall,' 22d June, 1655. I write not often: at once I desire thee to know I most dearly love thee; and indeed my heart is plain to thee as thy heart can well desire: let nothing shake thee in this. The wretched jealousies that are amongst us, and the spirit of calumny turn all into gall and wormwood. My heart is for the People of God: that the Lord knows, and will in due time manifest; yet thence are my wounds ;which, though it grieves me, yet through the grace of God doth not discourage me totally. Many good men are repining at everything though indeed very many good' are' well satisfied, and satisfying daily. The will of the Lord will bring forth good in due time. It's reported that you are to be sent for, and Harry to be Deputy; which truly never entered into my heart. The Lord knows, my desire was for him and his Brother to have lived private lives in the country: and Harry knows this very well, and how difficultly I was persuaded to give him his commission for his present place. This I say as from a simple and sincere heart. The noise of my being crowned, &c., are similar malicious figments. Use this Bearer, Mr. Brewster, kindly. Let him be near you: indeed he is a very able holy man; trust me you will find him so. He was a bosom-friend of Mr. Tillinghurst; ask him of him; you will thereby know Mr. Tillinghurst's spirit. This Gentleman brought him to me a little before he died, and Mr. Cradock-Mr. Throughton, a godly minister being by, with Mr. Tillinghurst' himself, who cried "Shame!" Dear Charles, my dear love to thee; 'and' to my dear Biddy, who is a joy to my heart, for what I hear of the Lord in her. Bid her be cheerful, and rejoice in the Lord once and again: if she knows the Covenant, she cannot but do so.' For that Transaction is without her; sure and steadfast, between the Father and the Mediator in His blood: therefore, leaning upon the Son, or looking to Him, thirsting 'like' in orig. † Covenant of Grace; much expounded, and insisted on, by Dr. Owen, among others; and ever a most fundamental point of God's Arrangement, according to the theory of Oliver. Independent of her |