▁stand ▁for ▁election ▁to ▁Parliament . ▁ ▁In ▁politics ▁In ▁ 1 6 4 0 ▁Bla ke ▁was ▁elected ▁as ▁the ▁Member ▁of ▁Parliament ▁for ▁Br id g water ▁in ▁the ▁Short ▁Parliament . ▁When ▁the ▁English ▁Civil ▁War ▁broke ▁out ▁during ▁the ▁period ▁of ▁the ▁Long ▁Parliament , ▁and ▁having ▁failed ▁to ▁be ▁re - elect ed , ▁Bla ke ▁began ▁his ▁military ▁career ▁on ▁the ▁side ▁of ▁the ▁parliament ari ans ▁despite ▁having ▁no ▁substantial ▁experience ▁of ▁military ▁or ▁naval ▁matters . ▁ ▁He ▁would ▁later ▁return ▁to ▁recover ▁from ▁an ▁injury ▁sust ained ▁in ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁Port land . ▁During ▁that ▁time ▁he ▁represented ▁Br id g water ▁in ▁the ▁B are bone ' s ▁Parliament ▁of ▁ 1 6 5 3 ▁and ▁First ▁Prote ctor ate ▁Parliament ▁of ▁ 1 6 5 4 ▁and ▁Ta un ton ▁in ▁the ▁Second ▁Prote ctor ate ▁Parliament ▁of ▁ 1 6 5 6 ▁before ▁returning ▁to ▁sea . ▁ ▁On ▁land ▁After ▁joining ▁the ▁New ▁Model ▁Army ▁as ▁a ▁captain ▁in ▁Alexander ▁P oph am ' s ▁regiment , ▁Bla ke ▁distinguished ▁himself ▁at ▁the ▁Sie ge ▁of ▁Br istol ▁( J uly ▁ 1 6 4 3 ) ▁and ▁was ▁promoted ▁to ▁lieutenant ▁colon el . ▁After ▁his ▁leading ▁role ▁in ▁holding ▁L yme ▁Reg is ▁in ▁the ▁Sie ge ▁of ▁L yme ▁Reg is ▁( A pril ▁ 1 6 4 4 ) ▁he ▁was ▁promoted ▁to ▁colon el . ▁He ▁went ▁on ▁to ▁hold ▁the ▁Parliament ary ▁enc