Such rapid progress in so many directions ardently preoccupied the two great Catholic powers which were contending amongst themselves for the empire of the Continent. Don Alonzo de Cardeñas, the Spanish ambassador, and M. de Bordeaux, the French ambassador, treated the Protector with great consideration and made many overtures to him. {253} The Long Parliament inclined towards the Spanish alliance. Cromwell, with higher sagacity, inclined, on the contrary, towards France. But Cromwell was in no hurry to declare what he thought, and he caused Cardeñas and Bordeaux in turn to conceive a hope of his preference, and thus became every day more the object of their jealous eagerness. Thus sought after abroad by every Government, and conqueror at home of all parties, the Protector at length deemed himself in a position to confront a Parliament. He ordered therefore, for the 3d of September, 1654, the anniversary of his victories of Dunbar and Worcester, the assembly of a Parliament freely elected. It was the first time for fourteen years that there had been in England a general election. No one was excluded except the Cavaliers and the Roman Catholics. Four hundred and sixty deputies, amongst whom the Presbyterians and sectarians were numerous, were present on the day mentioned at the opening sitting. All had accepted the condition commemorated on the writ of their elections: "The persons elected shall not have the power to alter the government as it is settled, in one single person and a Parliament."