mewhat dead" and the Council of Trade,
which the Dutch at first feared might be "very prejudicial" to their
state, was declared "only nominal," so that the Dutch hoped that in time
those of London would "forget that they ever were merchants." In fact,
however, the Council of Trade had come to an end more than four months
before this report was made.

That the Council of Trade, notwithstanding its carefully worded
instructions, had no part in looking after the affairs of the colonies
is probably due to the activity of the Council of State, which itself
exercised the functions of a board of trade and plantations. According
to article 5 of the Act of February 13, 1649, appointing a Council
of State, it was to use all good ways and means for the securing,
advancement, and encouragement of the trade of England and Ireland
and the dominions to them belonging, and to promote the good of all
foreign plantations and factories belonging to the Commonwealth.
It was also empowered "to appoint committees of any person or persons
for examinations, receiving of informations, and preparing of business
for [its] debates or resolutions." The members chosen February 14, 1649,
were forty-one in number and were to hold office for one year.[11]
February 12, 1650, a second council was elected, of which twenty were
new members and the remaining twenty-one taken over from the former
body.[12] On November 24, 1651, a third council was chosen under the
same conditions.[13] The same was true of the fourth council of
November 24, 1652.[14] Many of the "new" members were generally old
members dropped for a year or more. On July 9 and 14, 1653, the number
of members was reduced to thirty-one, and this council was designed to
last only until the following November.[15] Two councils, the fifth
and sixth were, therefore, elected in the same year, each composed of
fifteen old and fifteen new members. The sixth council, elected November
1, 1653, was chosen for six months, but after six weeks was supplanted
by the body known as the Protector's Council, elected December 16,
1653, under the provisions of the _Instrument of Government_.[16]
This council was to consist of not more than twenty-one nor less than
thirteen members, and according to the method of election provided for
in that instrument, was practically controlled by Cromwell himself. The
membership varied from time to time, rarely numbering more than sixteen,
with an average attendance of about te