prospect of
reaping, at a small cost, an abundant harvest of wealth and glory, and the
opportunity of

[Footnote 1: Thurloe, i. 760, 761; ii. 54, 154, 570. Ludlow, ii. 51, 105.
The article of the treaty of 1630, on which Cromwell rested his claim of a
free trade to the Indies, was the first, establishing peace between _all
the subjects_ of the two crowns (subditos quoscumque); that which, the
Spaniards alleged, was the seventh, in which as the king of Spain, would
not consent to a free trade to America, it was confined to those countries
in which, such free trade had been exercised before the war between
Elizabeth of England and Philip of Spain--words which excluded America as
effectually as if it had been named.--See Dumont, iv. part ii. p. 621.]

engaging in foreign service the officers of whose fidelity at home he had
good reason to be jealous.

The Spanish cabinet, arguing from circumstances, began to suspect his
object, and, as a last effort, sent[a] the marquess of Leyda ambassador
extraordinary to the court of London. He was graciously received, and
treated with respect; but, in defiance of his most urgent solicitations,
could not, during five months, obtain a positive answer to his proposals.
He represented to the protector the services which Spain had rendered to
the commonwealth; adverted to the conduct of De Baas, as a proof of the
insidious designs of Mazarin; maintained that the late insurrection had
been partially instigated by the intrigues of France; and that French
troops had been collected on the coast to accompany Charles Stuart to
England, if his friends had not been so quickly suppressed; and concluded
by offering to besiege Calais, and, on its reduction, to cede it to
Cromwell, provided he, on his part, would aid the prince of Conde in his
design of forcing his way into Bordeaux by sea. At length, wearied with
delays, and esteeming a longer residence in England a disgrace to
his sovereign, he demanded[b] passports, and was dismissed with many
compliments by the protector.[1]

In the mean while, Blake, who commanded one of the expeditions, had sailed
to the Straits of Gibraltar, where he received many civilities from the
Spanish authorities. Thence he proceeded up the Mediterranean, capturing,
under pretence of reprisals, the French vessels, whether merchantmen or
men-of-war, and seeking, but in vain, the fleet under the duke of Guise.
Returning to the south, he appeared before

[Footnote 1: Th