Europe, the Spaniards
declared war against England, and seized all the ships and goods of
English merchants, of which they could make themselves masters. The
commerce with Spain, so profitable to the English, was cut off; and near
fifteen hundred vessels, it is computed,[*] fell in a few years into the
hands of the enemy. Blake, to whom Montague was now joined in command,
after receiving new orders, prepared himself for hostilities against the
Spaniards.

Several sea officers, having entertained scruples of conscience with
regard to the justice of the Spanish war, threw up their commissions,
and retired.[**]

* Thurloe, vol. iv. p. 135. World's Mistake in Oliver
Cromwell in the Harl. Miscel. vol. i.

** Thurloe. vol. iv. p. 670, 688.

No commands, they thought, of their superiors could justify a war which
was contrary to the principles of natural equity, and which the civil
magistrate had no right to order. Individuals, they maintained, in
resigning to the public their natural liberty, could bestow on it only
what they themselves were possessed of, a right of performing lawful
actions, and could invest it with no authority of commanding what
is contrary to the decrees of Heaven. Such maxims, though they seem
reasonable, are perhaps too perfect for human nature; and must be
regarded as one effect, though of the most innocent and even honorable
kind, of that spirit, partly fanatical, partly republican, which
predominated in England.

Blake lay some time off Cadiz, in expectation of intercepting the Plate
fleet, but was at last obliged, for want of water, to make sail towards
Portugal. Captain Stayner, whom he had left on the coast with a squadron
of seven vessels, came in sight of the galleons, and immediately set
sail to pursue them. The Spanish admiral ran his ship ashore: two others
followed his example: the English took two ships, valued at near two
millions of pieces of eight. Two galleons were set on fire; and the
marquis of Badajox, viceroy of Peru, with his wife, and his daughter,
betrothed to the young duke of Medina Celi, were destroyed in them. The
marquis himself might have escaped; but seeing these unfortunate women,
astonished with the danger, fall in a swoon, and perish in the flames,
he rather chose to die with them, than drag out a life imbittered with
the remembrance of such dismal scenes.[*] When the treasures gained by
this enterprise arrived at Portsmouth, the protector, from a s