or
of Dunkirk, had come to London to assist Cardenas in the negotiations
for Spain; but Mazarin was indefatigable in his offers, through M. de
Bordeaux and otherwise.[1]

[Footnote 1: Council Order Books _passim_; Guizot, II. 203.]

While the Parliament was still sitting, Cromwell had sent out two
fleets, one under the command of Blake (Oct. 1654), the other under
that of Penn (Dec. 1654). There was the utmost secrecy as to the
destination and objects of both, but the mystery did not last long
about Blake's. He had received instructions to go into the
Mediterranean, make calls there on all powers against which the
Commonwealth had claims, and bring them to account. Blake fulfilled
his mission with his usual precision and success. His first call of
any importance was on the Grand Duke of Tuscany, formerly so much in
the good graces of the Commonwealth (Vol. IV. pp. 483-485), but whom
Cromwell, after looking more into matters, had found culpable.
Blake's demands were for heavy money-damages on account of English
ships taken by Prince Rupert in 1650, and sold in Tuscan ports, and
also on account of English ships ordered out of Leghorn harbour in
March 1653, so that they fell into the hands of the Dutch. There was
the utmost consternation among the Tuscans, and the alarm extended
even to Rome, inasmuch as some of Rupert's prizes had been sold in
the Papal States. A disembarcation of the English heretics and even
their march to Rome did not seem impossible; and Tuscans and Romans
were greatly relieved when the Grand Duke paid L60,000 and the Pope
20,000 pistoles (L14,000), and Blake retired. His next call was at
Tunis, where there were accounts with the Dey. That Mussulman having
pointed to his forts, and dared Blake to do his worst, there was a
tremendous bombardment on the 3rd of April, 1655, reducing the forts
to ruins, followed by the burning of the Dey's entire war-squadron of
nine ships. This sufficed not only for Tunis, but also for Tripoli
and Algiers. All the Moorish powers of the African coast gave up
their English captives, and engaged that there should be no more
piracy upon English vessels. Malta, Venice, Toulon, Marseilles, and
various Spanish ports were then visited for one reason or another;
and in the autumn of 1655 Blake was still in the Mediterranean for
ulterior purposes, understood between him and Cromwell.[1]

[Footnote 1: Guizot, II. 186-198, with, documents in Appendix;
Godwin, IV. 187-188; Whitlo