rogue with the ship and cargo and never return.  It is believed that within two months he may put in at Leghorn; and the Protector requests the Grand Duke to give the merchants, in that case, facilities for the recovery of their property. (2) A James Modiford, merchant, complains to the Protector that certain goods of his, taken to Leghorn about 1652 by another English trader, Humphrey Sidney, were there seized by some Italian creditors of Sidney.  Modiford has been unable to obtain redress; and the Grand Duke is now prayed to see his goods restored and any claims Sidney may have upon him referred to the English Courts.

(CXLVI.) To ALFONSO V., KING OF PORTUGAL, April 1659:[1]—­A Francis Hurdidge of London complains that a ship of his, called The Mary and John, cargo valued at 70,000 crowns, employed in the Brazil trade in 1649 and 1650, was seized by the Portuguese.  The ship was afterwards taken from the Portuguese by the Dutch.  The Treaty between the English Commonwealth and Portugal provides for such cases; and his Portuguese Majesty is requested to make compensation to Hurdidge to the extent of 25,000 crowns.  The man is in great straits.

[Footnote 1:  “Joanni Portugallioe Regi” is the heading in Mr. Hamilton’s copy from the Skinner Transcript; but this is a mistake (see ante p. 576, note).]

(CXLVII.) To CHARLES GUSTAVUS, KING OF SWEDEN, April 1659:—­David Fithy, merchant, informs the Protector that, about a month ago, he contracted to supply to the Navy 150 sacks of hemp.  He has the hemp now at Riga, and a ship ready to bring it thence for the use of the fleet—­“part of which,” the Protector skilfully adds, “has just sailed for the Baltic for your protection” (i.e.  Montague’s fleet, despatched this very month:  see ante p. 435).  It appears, however, that his Swedish Majesty has forbidden the exportation of hemp from his port of Riga without special permission.  His Majesty is requested to give Fithy this permission, that he may be able to fulfil his contract.  The Protector will consider himself much obliged by the kindness.

No more letters was poor Richard to write to crowned heads.  On the very day on which the two first of the foregoing were written, he appeared in Wallingford House, and ordered the dissolution of the Council of Officers according to the edict of the Parliament.  Next day it was known through all London that the question was between a dissolution of this Council of officers and a dissolution of the Parliament itself.  The day after, Thursday, April 21, there was the famous double rendezvous of the two masses of soldiery round Whitehall to try the question, the rendezvous for Richard and the Parliament utterly failing, while that for Fleetwood, Desborough, and the other rebel chiefs, flooded the streets and St. James’s Park.  That night, quailing before the rough threats of Desborough, Richard and his Council yielded; and on Friday, the 22nd, the indignant Parliament knew itself to be dissolved, and Richard’s Protectorate virtually at an end.  Nominally, it dragged on for a month more.