We returned 'much unsatisfied with the Lord Protector's Speech,' says the Writer of Burton; it is 'as dark and promiscuous as before;' nobody can know whether he will have the Kingship or not. Sometimes the Contrariants' are up in hope, and sometimes again we,1-and the bets, if betting were permitted under Gospel Ordinances, would fluctuate not a little.

Courage, my Lord Protector! Blake even now, though as yet you know it not, is giving the Spaniards a terrible scorching for you, in the Port of Santa Cruz!-Worth noting: In those very minutes while the Lord Protector is speaking as above, there goes on far off, on the Atlantic brine, under shadow of the Peak of Teneriffe, one of the fieriest actions ever fought by land or water; this action of the Seaking Blake, at the Port of Santa Cruz. The case was this. Blake cruising on the coast of Spain, watching as usual for Plate Fleets, heard for certain that there was a Fleet actually coming, actually come as far as the Canary Isles, and now lying in the Bay of Santa Cruz in Teneriffe there. Blake makes instant sail thither; arrives there still in time this Monday morning early; finds the Fleet fast moored in Santa Cruz Bay; rich silver-ships, strong war-ships, sixteen as we count them; stronger almost than himself,—and moored here under defences unassailable apparently by any mortal. Santa Cruz Bay is shaped as a horse-shoe: at the entrance are Castles, in the inner circuit are other Castles, Eight of them in all, bristling with great guns; war-ships moored at the entrance, war-frigates moored all round the beach, and men and gunners at command: one great magazine of sleeping thunder and destruction: to appearance, if you wish for sure suicide to run into, this must be it. Blake, taking measure of the 1 See Burton, ii. 7 et seqq.

business, runs into it, defying its loud thunder; much outthunders it,mere whirlwinds of fire and iron hail, the old Peak never heard the like;-silences the Castles, sinks or burns every sail in the Harbour; annihilates the Spanish Fleet; and then, the wind veering round in his favour, sails out again, leaving Santa Cruz Bay much astonished at him.1 It is the last action of the brave Blake; who, worn out with toil and sickness and a cruise of three years, makes homewards shortly after; dies within sight of Plymouth.2

On the whole, the Spanish Antichrist finds his Highness a rough enemy. In these same April days, Six-thousand men are getting mustered here, 'furnished with new red coats' and other equipments, to join French Turenne in the Low Countries, and fight the Spaniard by land too. For our French Treaty has become a French League Offensive and Defensive," to last for one year; and Reynolds is to be Land-General, and Montague to help him as Sea-General of whom by and by there may be tidings.-But meanwhile this matter of the Kingship must be settled. All men wish it settled; and the present Editor as much as any! They have to meet tomorrow again, Tuesday 21st, at three o'clock: they for their uncertain airy talking, while so much hard fighting and solid work has to be managed withal.

SPEECH XIII.

His Highness this Tuesday, we find, has deserted the question of the Kingship; occupies himself with the other points

1 Heath's Chronicle, pp. 720, 1.

27 Aug. 1657, in his Fifty-ninth year (Biog. Brit. in voce).
Signed 23 March, 1656-7 (Godwin, iv. 540).

of the New Instrument, what he calls the essentials' of it; leaving that comparatively empty unessential one to hang undecided, for the present. The Writer of Burton's Diary, Nathaniel Bacon or another, is much disappointed. The question of the Kingship not advanced a whit by this long Discourse, one of the most tedious we have yet listened to from his Highness. Nothing but a dark speech,' says he,1 more promiscuous than before!'-A sensible Speech too, in some respects, Mr. Bacon. His Highness once more elucidates as he best can his past conduct, and the course of Providence in bringing us all hither to the very respectable pass we now stand in ;-explains next what are the essential elements of keeping us safe here, and carrying us farther, as checking of Public Immorality, attention wiser and wiser to the Preaching Clergy, and for one indispensable thing, additional Provision of Cash ;-and terminates by intimating with soft diffuseness, That when he has heard their answer as to these essential things (not that he makes them "conditions," that were terribly ill-judged!), he will then be prepared, in regard to unessential things, to King's Cloaks, Titles, and such-like frippery and feathers in the cap, which are not without use say the Lawyers, but which irritate weak brethren, to give such answer as may reasonably be expected from him, as God may set him free to do.-Let us listen, us and Whitlocke who also has to report, the best we can.

MY LORD,

I think you may well remember what the issue was of the last Conference I had with you 'yesterday,' and what the stick" then was. I confess I took liberty at that time,' from the Order of Parliament;

1 Burton, ii. 7.

2

stop.

That is a

whereby they gave me power to speak with you about those things that were in the body of that Instrument and Desire which you have been pleased to speak with me upon;' that I might confer with you about those particulars, and might receive satisfaction from you as to them. Whether there will a good issue be to all these affairs or no, is only in the hands of God. great secret;-and secrets belong to God. To us belong things revealed; -and such things are the subjectmatter of this Instrument of yours: and the course is,' so far as they may have relation to me, That you and I shall consider what may be for the public good therein,' that so they may receive such an impression1 as can humanly be given them.

I would be well understood in that I say, The former Debates and Conferences have been upon the Title and that rests as it did. But seeing, as I said before, your Order of Commitment, 'your Order to Committee,' doth as well reach to the particulars contained in the Instrument generally' as to that of the Title,-I did offer to you that I should desire to speak with you about them also. That so we may come to an understanding one with another, not What the things in their parts are, but What is in the whole conduceable to that end we ought all to aim at,-which is a general Settlement upon good foundations.

Truly, as I have often said to the Parliament itself when they did me the honour to meet me in the Banqueting House, so I may now say to you who are a Committee, a very considerable representation of the 1 impulse and decision.

Parliament: I am hugely taken with the word Settlement; with the thing, and with the notion of it. And indeed' I think he is not worthy to live in England who is not! No; I will do my part, so far as I am able, to expel that man out of the Nation who desireth not that in the general we come to a Settlement. Because indeed it is the great misery and unhappiness of a Nation to be without such: it is like a house (and so much worse than a "house") divided against itself; it "cannot stand" without Settlement! And therefore I hope, so far, we are all at a good point; and the spirit of the Nation, I hope, in the generality of it, is so far at a good point: we are all contending for a Settlement. That is sure. But the question is, De modo, and Of those things' and conditions' that will make it a good Settlement if possible. It's no fault to aim at perfection in Settlement! And truly I have said, and I say it again: That I think this present proposed Form of Settlement' doth tend to the making of the Nation enjoy the things we have 'all along' declared for; and I would come upon that issue with all men, or with any man. The things we have declared for, which have been the ground of our quarrelling and fighting all along,—the securing of these is what will accomplish the general work. Settlement is the general work. That which will give to the Nation to enjoy their civil and religious liberties; that which will conserve the liberties of every man, and not rob any man of what is justly his! I think these two things make up Settlement. I am sure they acquit us before God and man; having endeavoured, as we have done, through some streamings of blood, to attain that end.