iscussion. Amid the minor or more private business one
notes a great many _naturalizings_ of foreigners resident in
England, or of persons of English descent born abroad or otherwise
requiring to be naturalized. Theodore Haak and his family, Dr. Lewis
Du Moulin, a number of Lawrences and Carews, and a daughter of the
poet Waller, are among the scores included in such Naturalization
Bills. Through all this, hardly a week, of course, without an order
to Dr. Owen, Dr. Thomas Goodwin, Caryl, Nye, Sterry, Manton, or some
other leading divine, to preach a special sermon, with thanks after
for his "great pains," and generally a request that the sermon should
be printed. On the whole, Speaker Widdrington had no light post.
Indeed, in January 1656-7, the House, perceiving him to be very ill
and weak, insisted on his taking leave of absence, and appointed
Whitlocke as his substitute. Whitlocke acted as pro-Speaker, he tells
us, from January 27 to Feb. 18, with great acceptance and rapid
despatch of business. On the last of these days, however,
Widdrington, though at the risk of his life, reappeared and resumed
duty. A fee of L5, it seems, was due to the Speaker from every person
naturalized by bill, and all such fees would have gone to Whitlocke
had Widdrington remained absent. The loss to Whitlocke was made up
handsomely by the House in a vote of L2000, besides repayment of L500
he had expended over his allowance in his Swedish embassy, and thanks
for his many eminent services.[1]

[Footnote 1: Commons Journals over period and for dates named;
Whitlocke, IV. 280-286.]

About a fortnight after the Parliament had met (Oct. 2), there had
come splendid news from Blake and Montague. A Spanish fleet from the
West Indies, with the ex-Viceroy of Peru and his family on board, and
a vast treasure of silver, had been attacked in Cadiz bay by six
English frigates under the command of Captain Stayner. Two of the
ships had been taken, two burnt and sunk (the ex-Viceroy, his wife,
and eldest daughter, perishing most tragically in the flames), and
there had been a great capture of silver. The rejoicing in London was
great, and it was renewed a month afterwards by the actual arrival
of the silver from Portsmouth, a long train of waggon-loads through
the open streets, on its way to the Mint, Admiral Montague himself
had come with it. He was in the House Nov. 4, welcomed with thanks
and applauses to his place for a while among the legislators.[1