Chap. XXXIV. from the I, os James Ijo the

CHAP. XXXIV.

A Particular Relation of the Expedition to the West-Indies, under the Com-mand of Vice-Admiral Penne, and General Venables., with the Conquest ofJamaica.

pj 6 54*

y nne andrubles\ ntt o the

h '-^-Indies,h a pin.

c u , rchett -

b'Sna

fi strata -

A^-P- 1n^erica,

H II o

r«8. P -

fe offfldes

C ROMWELL, soon after hisAdvancement to the Protector-ship, resolved to break withSpain, and several Pretences weredevised to serve as Occasions for it; Butthe most probable Motive was hisDesire of acquiring Fame. ( a ) He there-fore fitted out a strong Squadron, underthe Command of Vice-Admiral Penne ,with a considerable Body of Land-forceson Board, commanded by Colonel (up-on this Account called General) Vena-bles,to make some profitable Attempt inthe Spanijh Wef-Indies, (b) This Expe-dition was what the Protector had verymuch at Heart, being induced to hope,that, with this Fleet and Army, he

should be able not only to make him-self Master of the Islands, but of greatPart of the Continent also, with theRiches thereof; But by the Sequel, theReader will fee he was deceived, andthat this Expedition, from the Beginningto the End, proved fruitless, in all it’sCircumstances, still the Land Forceswere taken on Board from Hifpaniola ,and with the Fleet, proceeded to J a*maica, and took that Island, (c)

Before I proceed to a particular Ac-count of thisTranfaction, it may be pro.per to acquaint the Reader what In-structions Oliver thought fit to give theGeneral Vgnables (d) for his Govern-ment in this Affair j And that he may

havs

(a) To this we may likewise add a Design ofgetting Rid of some of his Military Men, whoseSwords he feared, as they had now no Employ-ment at Home, might be turned against himself;And his Desire of furnishing his Treasury withthe Riches of Spain , that he might be the betterable to pay such other Troops as he was obligedto maintain; And that his Government might beestablished, before he should need to have anyRe.course to a Parliament for Mony. The pretend,ed Reasons were partly some late Affronts andCruelties exercised upon the English in the Weft .Indies , and partly the Unchristian Severities of theInquisition,

(h) Among other Officers of Note, who ac-companied them, on this Expedition, were theColonels Doyly , Haynes, Butler and Raymund.

As the most particular Account I have seen ofthis Expedition is in Mr. Secretary Burchett, Ishall beg Leave to follow him chiefly, adding how.ever some Circumstances from other Authors, ei-ther in my Notes, or in the Text, as OccasionA shall offer.

Gurnet. (y) " The Preparations for this Expedition" were kept very private, and when the Time of“ setting out the Fleet came on, all were in a“ Gaze whither it was to go: Some fancied it■ c yvas to rob the Church of Loretto , which occa-il stoned a Fortification to be drawn round it ;{c Others talked of Rome itself; For Cromwell's" Preachers had this often in their Mouths, that," if it were not for the Divisions at Home , hef ‘ would go and sack Babylon. Others talked offf Cadiz , tho’ he had not yet broke with the Spa-" niards. The French could not penetrate into" the Secret. Cromwell had not finished his Al.stance with them : So he was not bound to givethem an Account of the Expedition, All heu said upon it was, that he sent out the Fleet to^ guard the Seas, and to restore England to itsDominion on that EltzihMt,

(J) Instructions to General Robert Venables. Bur chefsGiven by his Highness, by Advice of bis Council,upon the Expedition to the West-Indies,

" TT7Hereas we have, by our Commission,

VV “ constituted and appointed you Cons-“ mander in Chief of the Land-Army and Troopsu raised, and to be raised, as well in England ,

" as in the Parts of America , for the Ends and* c Purposes ip the said Commission j you shallff therefore,

I. " Immediately, upon the Receit of these“ Instruction?, repair, with the Forces aforesaid,

" unto Portsmouth , where we have appointed the" Fleet, designed for the aforesaid Service, un.

“ der the Command of General William Penne ,

“ to take you, with the said Army and Land.

“ Forces, on Board, and tg transport you unto{c the Parts aforesaid.

II. "VVhereas some additional Forces, as theService shall require, are to be raised in. the

" Hand of Barbadoes , and other the English I.

* c stands and Plantations, you shall, upon yourf‘ Arrival there, and upon Consideration had" with the Commissioners appointed to attend thisf‘ Service, or any two of them, (wherein also,

“ if you think fit, you may advise with some off‘ the most experienced Men in those Parts) con-ff cerning the present Design, and the Nature .

" thereof, to use your best Endeavours, by suchis Means and Measures, as you, with the Adviceff of the said Commissioner/, or any two pf th-em,ff shall judge most convenient and expeditious, toff levy and raise such Numbers of Soldiers, asf‘ shall be found necessary for the better carrying.if on of this Design, the said Soldiers to be' pi.ff ther takes with yon, upon your first Aftempt,ff or to follow you, a? shall be, by the Advjc®

ff afyWfM,