The American Colonies 1583 1763

owns, as hostages from allies, as Havre from the Huguenots, Flushing and Ostend from the Dutch Republic, in the time of Elizabeth, and Dunkirk under Cromwell; the succession to the throne brought a long connection with Hanover; the vicissitudes of politics forced the armies of England to fight in all parts of the continent; islands have been taken, ceded, or lost, as Heligoland and Minorca : but there has been no serious attempt to build up a second empire in Europe, after the disastrous failure of the first. At the beginning of the reign of Elizabeth, nothing indeed seemed more improbable than that England should develop into a great power, especially into a great colonial power. The whole of the new world was claimed by Spain and Portugal ; they were in actual possession of a large part of it. They were secured in their possessions by decrees from Rome, which were respected by the greater part of Europe, and by a very large number of people in England itself. Both Spaniards and Portuguese had shown themselves invincible on sea and land. The names of Vasca da Gama, Albuquerque, Columbus, Cortes, and Pizarro, were justly world-famous. The treasures of the new lands poured into Madrid and Lisbon. By diplomacy and marriage Portugal was brought under the rule ofSpain. Internal dangers to the state there seemed none. Civil liberties had been crushed by Charles v. Heresy was stamped out by the Inquisition. The sentiment of the people, loyal, brave, and generous, wit...