rrival Captain Stayner, with a squadron of
frigates, fell in[g] with a Spanish fleet of eight sail from America. Of

[Footnote 1: Thurloe, iv. 571. See also 582, 589, 594. Carte's Letters, ii.
87, 90, 92, 95.]

[Footnote 2: Thurloe, v. 67, 133.]

[Footnote 3: Ibid. i. 726-730; v. 68, 113, 257, 286. Vaughan, i. 446.]

[Sidenote a: A.D. 1657. March 5.]
[Sidenote b: A.D. 1657. March 15.]
[Sidenote c: A.D. 1657. April 15.]
[Sidenote d: A.D. 1657. May 29.]
[Sidenote e: A.D. 1657. June 10.]
[Sidenote f: A.D. 1657. July 10.]
[Sidenote g: A.D. 1657. Sept. 10.]

these he destroyed four, and captured two, one of which was laden, with
treasure. Montague, who came home with the prize, valued it in his despatch
at two hundred thousand pounds; the public prints at two millions of
ducats; and the friends of Cromwell hailed the event "as a renewed
testimony of God's presence, and some witness of his acceptance of the
engagement against Spain."[1]

The equipment of this fleet had exhausted the treasury, and the protector
dared not impose additional taxes on the country at a time when his right
to levy the ordinary revenue was disputed in the courts of law. On the
ground that the parliamentary grants were expired, Sir Peter Wentworth had
refused to pay the assessment in the country, and Coney, a merchant,
the duties on imports in London. The commissioners imposed fines, and
distrained; the aggrieved brought actions against the collectors. Cromwell,
indeed, was able to suppress these proceedings by imprisoning the counsel
and intimidating their clients; but the example was dangerous; the want of
money daily increased; and, by the advice of the council, he consented to
call a parliament to meet on the 17th of September.[2]

[Footnote 1: Thurloe, 399, 433, 509, 524. Carte's Letters, ii. 114. It
appears from a letter of Colonel White, that the silver in pigs weighed
something more than forty thousand pounds, to which were to be added some
chests of wrought plate.--Thurloe, 542. Thurloe himself says all was
plundered to about two hundred and fifty thousand pounds, or three hundred
thousand pounds sterling (557). The ducat was worth nine shillings.]

[Footnote 2: Carte's Letters, ii. 96, 103, 109. Ludlow, ii. 80-82. Clar.
Hist. iii. 649. See also A Narrative of the Proceedings in the case of
Mr. G. Coney, by S. Selwood, gent., 1655. The Jews had offered Cromwell
a considerable sum for permission to settle and trade in England.
Commi