A. D. iC39-> 409 



Martinico, though difowned by the French governor. Neither did the 

 French at that time, nor for many years after, form any pretenfions 

 to that ifland. But, during the civil wars of England betvVeen King 

 Charles I and his parliament, Mr. Parquot fent 40 Frenchmen front 

 Martinico to take poiTeflion of St. Lucia ; but the Caribs being as much 

 at enmity with the French as with the Englifli, killed two of their go- 

 vernors and many of their people, and maintained their independency, 

 till after the refloration of King Charles II. 



Amongft the ojffices filled up in the year 1639 by King Charles, there 

 is one, ' for furveying of gamefters ufing the exercife of wreftling in 



* any place or places within the compafs or diflance of three miles of 



• the city of London,' [Fa\iera, F. xx, p. 381] which v,-e only note 

 for its feeming fmgularity. Every age has its peculiar diverlions and 

 cuftoms ; and though this may appear ftrange in our age, it was pro- 

 bably in great vogue at that time, even, perhaps, as much as cricket late- 

 ly was by perfons of high rank. 



Between the years 1630 and 1640, while there were no parliaments 

 in England, the Dutch carried on a moll: profitable commerce to the 

 Engllfh American plantations, there not being then any 1-egal prohibi- 

 tion of foreign fliipping reforting thither. 



1640 The year 1640 was propitious to the commerce of England 



and other nations, on account of the great revolution in Portugal, when 

 John duke of Braganza drove out the Spaniards, and afcended the throne 

 of Portugal, by the name of King John IV. For, while Spain was able 

 to fupply her American provinces with the filk, fpices, calicoes, &c. of 

 the Portuguefe fettlements in Eaft-India, (he thereby not only had more 

 of her own American treafure left in her hands, but, moreover, Eng- 

 land and other itates liad not till now fo great a call for their merchan- 

 dize, for the fupply of Spain and her American provinces. But fince 

 Spain lofl Portugal,' and confequently the Portuguefe fettlements in the 

 Eaft-Indies, having few or no manufactures, and but little producl of 

 her own (wines excepted) for fupplying her American provinces, the 

 Englifh, Dutch, and Hamburghers, and, lateft of all, the French, have, 

 more abfolutely than formerly, fupplied Spain with the great bulk of 

 their commodities and manufactures, both for her home confumption 

 and the much greater one of her vafl American territories. Ceuta, 

 however, having a Spaniili garriion, did not revolt to the duke of Bra- 

 ganza, as the reil of the Portuguefe territories had done; but remains 

 to this day in the poflclTion of Spain. 



It has not proved fo f ivourable to the commerce and other interefts 

 of the reft of Europe, that France gained at this time lb much -.he 

 afcendant over Spain, by protecting the revolted Catalans, and by tak- 

 ing from her the city of Arras, the capital of the province of Artois, 

 bv the Flemings till then deemed impregnable. 

 ' Vol. n. 3 F 



