The HIS T 0 R Y of t!Je PuttiTANs. VoL. II. Oliver over them major-gmera!s, whofe commiilion was to infi>ect the behaviProteEfor f h · c: • ·a· · 1· h · d'fl: · r 1654 . • our o t e lllJ enor comm1 wners Wlt 110 t e1r 1 nets; to commit to pri- ~ fan all fufpeCted perfons; to take care of collecting the public taxes; and to fequefler fuch as did not pay their decimation. They were to enquire after all private affemblies of fufpected perfons, and after fuch as bouoht up arms; after v;;gahonds an<il idle perfons; after fuch as lived at an higher rate than they could afford ; and after fuch as frequented taverns and gam– ing houfes, and after fcandalou s and unlearned miniilers and fchool-maf– ters; and there was no appfal from them but to the proteetor and his council. They were ordered to lift a body of referves both horfe and foot at half. pay, who were to be called together upon any fudden emer– gence, and to attend fo many days at their own expence, but if they were detained l(i)nger to have full pay; by which means the proteCtor had a fecond army in view, if any difafier G1ould befal the firll:; but thefe of– ficers became fo fevere and arbitrary, that his highnefi found it necelfary after fame time to reduce their power, and when affairs were a little more fettled to dilfolve hem. Enter: into Having provided for the fecurity of his government at home, the pro– '"'. ~l;ance teCtor concluded an alliance with France OCiob. 2 3, in which it is re– t<Jlto ranee, markable that Lewis XI V. is not allowed to fl:ile himfelf himfelf ki ng of France, but king of the french, his highnrjs clai ming the proteCtorthip of that kingdom among his other titles; and which is more fu rprizing, the name of 0LJVER !l:ands in the treaty before that of the french tmd fends king. At the fame tine he fent admiral Bloke with a fleet into the Me– !d. Blake diterranean, who fpread the terror of the englifh name over all !tab•, even ~~10 the Me- to Rome itfelf; proceffions being made, and the hofl: expofed for fortv uJterranean. · d f 1 d t: h · ' hours, to avert the JU gments o 1eaven, an pre1erve t e patnmony of the·church. But Blake's commiffion was only to demand fixty thoufand pounds of the duke of Tufcany, for damages fu!l:ained by the eng!ijh mer4i:hants while he harboured prince Rupert, which he paid immediately. T he admiral releafed all the englijb flaves on the coall: of Barbary to the number of four hundred, and obtained fatisfaetion for the lhips ta– ken by the pirates ofAlgiers, Tunis, &c. Upon the whole, he brought home fi xteen {hips laden with booty, which failed up the river 'Ihames to the port of London, as a grateful ipectacle of triumph to the people. Jamaica taWhile Bloke was in the Mediterranean, admiral Pen and Venables with l m from the thirty men of war, and fome land forces, failed to the Weft Indies, with fpamards. a defign to furprize the town of Hijpaniolia; but mifcarrying in the attempt, they re-imbarked and took po1feilion of the i!land .of Jamaica;, which is in fOilefiion of the crown of Great B'l'itain to this day, The
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=