with a violent fit of illness, which obliged him, in 1652, to have recourfe to the bath for his recovery. Returning from whence, he fet out again for Scotland, as one of the commiffioners for uniting that kingdom with the new-erected English commonwealth; which having brought to a fuccefsful conclufion, he returned with the others again to London.

The Dutch war having now been carried on for fome months, lieutenant-general Monk, on the death of colonel Popham, was joined with the admirals Blake and Dean in the command at fea; in which fervice he had made his first military effay, as has been before related; and, on the fecond of June, 1653, he, by his courage and conduct, contributed. greatly to the defeat then given to the Dutch feet, and likewise to the next obtained on the thirty-firft of July following.

While general Monk, and the other admirals, were thus triumphing over the nation's enemies, and encreafing the honour of the commonwealth abroad, Cromwell was paving his way to the fupremacy at home; which, on the fixteenth of December, 1653, he obtained. under the title of protector.

In this capacity he foon concluded a peace with the Dutch, who obtained much more favourable terms from him than what the coun-cil of ftate and parliament had appeared willing to grant. General Monk, who lay with,

his fleet on the Dutch coaft, remonftrated fo warmly against this peace, and thofe remon-. frances were fo well received by Oliver's own (called the Little, or Barebones) parliament; and Monk, on his return, was treated fo kindly by them, that Oliver is said to grow jealous of him to that degree, that he clofeted him, to find whether he was inclined to any other intereft; but, on receiving fatisfaction from the general on this head, he not only took him into favour, but, on breaking out of fresh troubles in the north of Scotland, where the marquis of Athol, the earl of Glencairne, major-general Middleton, and feveral more of the nobility and others, had raised forces on the behalf of king Charles II. fent him down there commander in chief, for which poft he fet out in April, 1654.

Arriving at Leith, he fent colonel Morgan with a large detachment against the Royalifts; and, having affifted in proclaiming the protector at Edinburgh, on the fourteenth of May, followed himself with the reft of the forces. Through the general's prudent management, this war was finished by Auguft, when he returned from the Highlands, and fixed his abode at Dalkeith, a feat belonging to the countess of Buccleugh, within four or five miles of Edinburgh; where he conftantly refided during the time, which was five years, that he ftayed in Scotland; amusing himself with the pleasures of a rural life, and beloved by the people, though his government was B 5

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more abfolute than any of their princes had dared to practife.

The war in Scotland being put an end to thus fpeedily and happily for the protector, he appointed a council of ftate for that part of his government; confifting of the lord Broghill; general Monk; colonel Howard, created earl of Carlifle after the restoration; colonel William Lockhart; colonel Adrian Scroop; colonel John Whetham; and majorgeneral Defborough; who came to Scotland in September, 1655, and began to exercife their authority, which was very extenfive.

The majority of these commiffioners (three of whom, lord Broghill, colonel Howard, and colonel Whetham, were afterwards very inftrumental in the restoration) concurred with general Monk in almoft every thing he propofed; by which means the government of Scotland till remained chiefly in his hands; which, together with his affable behaviour towards the better fort of all parties, made Cromwell begin to entertain fome fufpicions of him; and, in order to prevent his influence from growing too powerful, the protector ufed to make frequent changes in the forces under his. command, by recalling fuch regiments as were most truffed by the general, and fending in their room thofe who were moft violent and sefractory at home; who gave him much trouble to bring them into order, and make them fubmit to that difcipline which he obliged. all under him ftrictly to observe..

Nor was this diftruft entirely without fome appearance of foundation. It is certain that the king entertained good hopes of him, and to that purpose wrote to him from Colen on the twelfth of Auguft, 1655. However, the general made no fcruple of difcovering every step taken by the Cavaliers which came to his knowledge, even to the fending the protector this letter, and joined in promoting addreffes to him from the army in Scotland; one of which was moft graciously received by the protector on the nineteenth of March, 1657; and the fame year he received a fummons to Oliver's house of lords.

About this time George, fecond fon of general Monk died in his infancy, which was a great affliction to his father, who was doatingly fond of him. From this period, to the death of Oliver, the general maintained Scotland in fubjection, and lived free from all difturbance, not intermeddling further with the mad politicks of thofe times, than to put what orders he received from England punctually into execu tion; in pursuance of which plan he proclaimed Richard Cromwell protector there after his father's death, Richard having dif patched Dr. (afterwards Sir Thomas) Clarges then commiffioner of the Scotch and Irish forces, whofe fifter the general had some time before owned for his wife, with letters to him ; to which he returned a fuitable and respect. ful, answer, aiming only at fecuring his own command; at the fame time joining with the B 6

reft

more abfolute than any of their princes had dared to practife.

The war in Scotland being put an end to thus speedily and happily for the protector, he appointed a council of ftate for that part of his government; confifting of the lord Broghill; general Monk; colonel Howard, created earl of Carlifle after the restoration; colonel William Lockhart; colonel Adrian Scroop; colonel John Whetham; and majorgeneral Defborough; who came to Scotland in September, 1655, and began to exercise their authority, which was very extenfive.

The majority of these commiffioners (three of whom, lord Broghill, colonel Howard, and colonel Whetham, were afterwards very inftrumental in the restoration) concurred with general Monk in almost every thing he propofed; by which means the government of Scotland till remained chiefly in his hands; which, together with his affable behaviour towards the better fort of all parties, made Cromwell begin to entertain fome fufpicions of him; and, in order to prevent his influence from growing too powerful, the protector ufed to make frequent changes in the forces under his. command, by recalling fuch regiments as were most trusted by the general, and fending in their room thofe who were most violent and #efractory at home; who gave him much trouble to bring them into order, and make them fubmit to that discipline which he obliged all under him ftrictly to observe.