Union.  Of two new diplomatic appointments that were soon to be made, both above Durie’s mark, we shall hear in time.  The most splendid diplomatic appointment of all in the Protector’s service had, as we already know (ante p. 114), just received an increase of dignity.  The Scottish COLONEL WILLIAM LOCKHART, the husband of Cromwell’s niece, and his Ambassador at the Court of France since April 1656, had been back on a visit in the end of the year to attend Parliament and to consult with Cromwell; and now, knighted by Cromwell, he had returned to France as SIR WILLIAM LOCKHART, with his great allowance of L100 a week, or L5200 a year.[1]

[Footnote 1:  Council Order Books of dates Jan. 1, 27, Feb. 3, 24, March 5, 12, 19, 1656-7, and May 5, 1657; Letter of Durie, dated “Westminster, May 28, 1657,” in Vaughan’s Protectorate (II. 173).]

At no time, indeed, since the beginning of the Protectorate, had there been such activity in that foreign and diplomatic department of the Protector’s service to which Milton belonged.  Cromwell’s alliance offensive and defensive with France against Spain (March 23, 1656-7), leading immediately to the transport of an English auxiliary army under General Reynolds to co-operate with the French in Flanders (ante pp. 140-141), would in itself have caused an increase of such activity; but, in addition to this, and inextricably involved with this in Cromwell’s general Anti-Spanish policy, was that idea of a League or Union of the Protestant States of Europe which had first perhaps been roused in his mind by the Piedmontese massacre of 1655, but had gradually, as so many of Milton’s subsequent State-Letters prove, assumed firmer form and wider dimensions.  The Dutch, the Protestant Swiss, the Protestant German princes and cities, the Danes, the Swedes, the Protestants of Transylvania and other eastern parts, perhaps even the Russians, all, so far as Cromwell’s influence could go, were to be brought to a common understanding for the promotion of Protestant interests throughout the world and the defiance of all to the contrary.  It was Durie’s old dream of Pan-Protestantism redreamt by a man whose state was kingly, and who had the means of turning his dreams into realities.  Now, consequently, in the service of that dream, as in his service generally,

           “Thousands at his bidding speed,
  And post o’er land and ocean without rest.”

While so many were thus coming and going, at L800 a year, L1000 a year, or L5000 a year, blind Milton, with his L200 a year, could only “stand and wait,” the stationary Latin drudge.  The return of his old assistant Meadows from Portugal may again have relieved him of somewhat of the drudgery; for, though Meadows was designated for the new mission to Denmark Feb. 24, 1656-7, he did not actually set out for Denmark till the following August, and there is something like proof that in the interval, envoy though he now was, he resumed secretarial duty at