"--Sagredo, MS.]
From domestic occurrences, we may now turn to those abroad. During the last
year, the two armaments which had so long engaged the attention of the
European nations, had sailed from the English ports. Their real, but
secret, destination was to invade the American colonies and surprise
the Plate fleet of Spain, the most ancient and faithful ally of the
commonwealth. To justify the measure, it was argued in the council that,
since America was not named in the treaties of 1604 and 1630, hostilities
in America would be no infraction of those treaties; that the Spaniards had
committed depredations on the English commerce in the West Indies, and were
consequently liable to reprisals; that they had gained possession of these
countries by force against the will of the natives, and might, therefore,
be justly dispossessed by force; and, lastly, that the conquest of these
transatlantic territories would contribute to spread the light of the
gospel among the Indians and to cramp the resources of popery in Europe.[1]
That such flimsy pretences should satisfy the judgment of the protector is
improbable; his mind was swayed by very different motives--the prospect of
reaping, at a small cost, an abundant harvest of wealth and glory, and the
opportunity of
[Footnote 1: Thurloe, i.
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