him thither, and again
blockaded him for some months. The king of Portugal refusing permission
for Blake to attack his enemy, the latter made reprisals by falling on
the Portuguese fleet, richly laden, returning from Brazil. He captured
seventeen ships and burnt three, bringing his prizes home without
molestation. After revictualling his fleet, he sailed again, captured a
French man-of-war, and then pursued Prince Rupert, who had been asked to
go away by the Portuguese and had entered the Mediterranean. In November
1650 Blake destroyed the bulk of the Royalist squadron near Cartagena.
The thanks of parliament were voted to Blake, and he received a grant of
L1000. He was continued in his office of admiral and general of the sea;
and in May following he took, in conjunction with Ayscue, the Scilly
Islands. For this service the thanks of parliament were again awarded
him, and he was soon after made a member of the council of state.

In 1652 war broke out with the Dutch, who had made great preparations
for the conflict. In March the command of the fleet was given to Blake
for nine months; and in the middle of May the Dutch fleet of forty-five
ships, led by their great admiral Tromp, appeared in the Downs. Blake,
who had only twenty ships, sailed to meet them, and the battle took
place off Dover on the 19th of May. The Dutch were defeated in an
engagement of four or five hours, lost two ships, and withdrew under
cover of darkness. Attempts at accommodation were made by the states,
but they failed. Early in July war was formally declared, and in the
same month Blake captured a large part of the Dutch fishery-fleet and
the twelve men-of-war that formed their convoy. On the 28th of September
Blake and Penn again encountered the Dutch fleet, now commanded by De
Ruyter and De Witt, off the Kentish Knock, defeated it, and chased it
for two days. The Dutch took refuge in Goree. A third battle was fought
near the end of November. By this time the ships under Blake's command
had been reduced in number to forty, and nearly the half of these were
useless for want of seamen. Tromp, who had been reinstated in command,
appeared in the Downs, with a fleet of eighty ships besides ten
fireships. Blake, nevertheless, risked a battle off Dungeness, but was
defeated, and withdrew into the Thames. The English fleet having been
refitted, put to sea again in February 1653; and on the 18th Blake, at
the head of eighty ships, encountered Tromp in th