A. D. 1656. 471 



Upon this treaty and fome prior ones we may here briefly remark, 

 tliat Cromwell and the parliament afFeded to be as punctilious and pe- 

 remptory, in refpedl to their dominion in the four feas lurrounding 

 Great Britain and Ireland, as even the mofl pofitive and determined of 

 the Englifh monarclis. 



1657 — All that part of Pruflia lying eafl of the Viftula, which till 

 lately was called ducal (in contradiflindion from the other part called 

 royal, as being immediately under fubjedion to the crown of Poland) 

 had, ever fmce the year 1525, been vefted in the houfe of Brandenburg, 

 with the title of a dukedom, though fliU owning fome kind of vailalage 

 to the king and republic of Poland, till the year 1657, when the later 

 gave up all kind of claim on it; and the eledor of Brandenburg was 

 now veiled with fovereign and independent dominion over that duchy, 

 fince erefted into a kingdom in the perfon of Frederic I. 



In this lafh year of the renowned Admiral Blake's life, he deftroyed a 

 fecond Spanifh plate fleet, (faid to be much richer than that of the pre- 

 ceding year) at Tenerif, one of the Canary ifles, burning, finking, &c, 

 every (hip of that fleet. This great admiral's death was reckoned an ir- 

 reparable lofs to the protedor and to his country. Amongfl; feveral other 

 great things- faid of him, even by the earl of Clarendon, his following 

 encomium on him is well worth our notice, viz. ' that he was the firfl:' 

 ' man who brought (hips to coiitemn cafties on fliore, which had been 

 ' ever thought very formidable, and were diicovered by him to make a 

 ' noife only, and to frighten thofe who could rarely be hurt by them. 

 '■ He was the firfl; that infufed that proportion of courage into the fea- 

 ' men, by making them fee by experience what mighty things they 

 ' could do if they they were refolved, and taught them to fight in fire 

 ' as well as- upon water. And although he had been very well imitated' 

 ' and followed, he v/as the firft that gave the example of that kind of 

 ' naval courage, and bold and refolute achievements.' 



From March 1638 to May 1657, (according to the author of the 

 Happy future (late of England) there was coined in the tower of Lon- 

 don, in gold and filver, the fum of £7,733,521 : 13 : 4 ; ' En^^^land alone 

 ' (fays that author) having, till the peace of Munfter, in 1648, enjoyed 

 ' almoft the whole manufacture, and the befl: part of the trade, of Eu- 

 ' rope.'' 



In a letter written by General Monk from Scotland, to Secretary 

 Thurloe, in September 1657, there is the following memorable para- 

 graph: ' I underfliand the Portugal amballador is come to London ; and 

 ' I make no queftion but he will be defirmg fome favour from my lord. 



* protedor. There is a caflle in the ftraits mouth which the Portugals 

 ' have, called Tanger, on Barbary fide, and which if they would part 



• withal, it would be very ufeful to us ; and they make little ufe of it, 

 - unlefs it be for getting of blackamoors j for which his highnefs may. 



