h a
walk in the gallery.[1]

This treaty with the United Provinces was the first which engaged the
attention of the protector, and was

[Footnote 1: Clarendon Papers, iii. 240. Thurloe, i. 50, 69, 154, 257. It
appears from the Council Book that the quarterly expense of the protector's
family amounted to thirty-five thousand pounds. 1655, March 14.]

not concluded till repeated victories had proved the superiority of the
English navy, and a protracted negotiation had exhausted the patience
of the States. In the preceding month of May the hostile fleets, each
consisting of about one hundred sail, had put to sea, the English commanded
by Monk, Dean, Penn, and Lawson; the Dutch by Van Tromp, De Ruyter, De
Witte, and Evertsens. While Monk insulted the coast of Holland, Van Tromp
cannonaded[a] the town of Dover. They afterwards met each other off the
North Foreland, and the action continued the whole day. The enemy lost two
sail; on the part of the English, Dean was killed by a chain-shot. He fell
by the side of Monk, who instantly spread his cloak over the dead body,
that the men might not be alarmed at the fete of their commander.

The battle was renewed the next morning.[b] Though Blake, with eighteen
sail, had joined the English in the night, Van Tromp fought with the
most determined courage; but a panic pervaded his fleet; his orders were
disobeyed; several captains fled from the superior fire of the enemy; and,
ultimately, the Dutch sought shelter within the Wielings, and along the
shallow coast of Zeeland. They lost one-and-twenty sail; thirteen hundred
men were made prisoners, and the number of killed and wounded was great in
proportion.[1]

Cromwell received the news of this victory with transports of joy. Though
he could claim no share in the merit (for the fleet owed its success to the
exertions

[Footnote 1: Whitelock, 557. Ludlow, ii. 27. Heath, 344. Le Clerc, i. 333.
Basnage, i. 307. It appears from the letters in Thurloe, that the English
fought at the distance of half cannon-shot, till the enemy fell into
confusion, and began to fly, when their disabled ships were surrounded, and
captured by the English frigates.--Thurloe, i. 269, 270, 273, 277, 278.]

[Sidenote a: A.D. 1653. June 2.]
[Sidenote b: A.D. 1653. June 3.]

of the government which he had overturned), he was aware that it would shed
a lustre over his own administration; and the people were publicly called
upon to return thanks to the Almight