13. To this article she read in Latin an objection to the proviso, and
said it was reasonable that, if they did break bulk, they should pay
custom for so much only as they sold. Whitelocke told her that objection
showed that there were great men merchants in Sweden, and that the
objection was more in favour of the merchants than of herself. She said
the merchants were crafty indeed; and she did not much insist upon it.
14. The last article which Whitelocke had given in. To this she said it
was fit that the men-of-war that should come into the other ports should
be to a number ascertained, to avoid suspicion. Whitelocke said he would
agree thereunto, with a caution, as in the first article, to be added: if
they should be driven by tempest, force, or necessity, then to be
dispensed with.
Whitelocke desired her Majesty to give him a copy of her objections. She
told him, they were only a few things which she had written with her own
hand, upon her apprehension of the articles, and that he should have them
in writing; but she desired him not to acquaint any person here with this
conference.
_March 10, 1653._
[SN: Whitelocke's despatches to England.]
Upon yesterday's conference with the Queen, Whitelocke wrote the passages
thereof at large to Thurloe, to be communicated to the Council in
England, and to pray their direction in some points which are set down
thus in his letters:--
"I shall desire to know the pleasure of my Lord Protector and
Council, whether, in case I shall conclude those articles of amity
and commerce, omitting the second, fifth, and seventh articles, if
his Highness will be pleased to approve thereof. I confess my humble
opinion is (unless I receive commands to the contrary) that in case
the peace be concluded between us and Holland, and Denmark included,
it will be no disadvantage to us to conclude the alliance here,
omitting the second, fifth, and that part of the seventh article
against which her Majesty objected, if she shall insist upon it.
"Another point wherein I pray direction is upon the sixteenth
article of your treaty with the Dutch, that either Commonwealth
shall be comprehended, if they desire it, in treaties with other
Princes, and notice to be given of such treaties; whether in case
your treaty with the Dutch shall be agreed, that then notice ought
to be given to them of the treaty with the Queen of Sweden, and the
Dutch to be offered to be comprehended therein; or whether, the
treaty here being begun before that with the Dutch concluded, there
will be any cause to give such notice to them, or to give notice to
the Queen of your treaty with the Dutch; which you will be pleased
to consider.
"I am very willing to hasten homewards when I may obtain my Lord's
order; and that it will be no prejudice here to your service, as I
conceive such a conclusion would not at all be.
"I presume you have heard of the news at Antwerp, which is very
fresh here this week, that the Archduke hath imprisoned the Duke of
Lorraine in the castle of Antwerp, which caused the gates of the
town to be shut; and that hath occasioned to your friends here the
loss of the comfort of this week's letters from England, the post
being stayed there, as I was certified from your Resident at
Hamburg."
Many despatches were made by Whitelocke to his friends in England, as his
constant course was.
_March 11, 1653._
[SN: Admiral Oxenstiern visits Whitelocke.]
The Ricks-Admiral visited Whitelocke. He discoursed of the treaty here,
and said that the Queen had not yet informed the Council of it in
particular. He much inquired of the nobility of England, of the Earls and
Barons, and of their privileges, and what rank their children had, and of
the several orders of knights, and of their original; in which matters
Whitelocke was able to give him some satisfaction. He told Whitelocke
that the Duke of Lorraine was imprisoned for conspiring with the Count de
Bassigni to betray three strong towns to the King of France.
[SN: Interview with Prince Adolphus.]
Whitelocke visited Prince Adolphus, who also discoursed of his business,
as others did. Whitelocke told him of his long being here without any
answer. The Prince said, the Queen's designs to introduce a mutation
might cause it. Whitelocke said he believed that the amity of England
deserved so much regard as to be embraced; and that it would be all one
whether the treaty should be agreed upon by the Queen or by her
successor, for it concerned the people and State of both nations; and he
presumed that if the Queen should consent to it, that his Highness's
brother would have the like good opinion of it. The Prince said it would
be most agreeable to his brother, who very much respected the English
nation, as generally the Swedish people did. He said that he never was
present at the Council, nor did meddle with any public business; but he
doubted not but that Whitelocke would receive contentment. Whitelocke
said he promised himself so much, being the Protector had sent him hither
to testify his respects to the Queen and to the kingdom of Sweden, and to
offer them the amity of England.
The Prince also discoursed of the late King of England, and of the
proceedings between him and the Parliament, with great dislike thereof;
to which Whitelocke gave him an account, and a modest answer declining
that argument with the Prince, and telling him that every nation had
their particular rights and laws, according to which they were governed.
He testified great respect to Whitelocke; and when he took his leave the
Prince conducted him as far as the great court, which he used not to do
to others of Whitelocke's quality.
_March 12, 1653._
[SN: The treaty delayed by reason of the Queen's abdication.]
Mr. Bloome--who had been formerly a servant to the old Duke of Buckingham
in England, and after that coming to Sweden, was entertained by the
Chancellor, and his great creature, and had been employed by him as a
public minister--did the honour to Whitelocke to be often with him, and
now, after dinner, discoursed much of the revolution which was likely to
happen in this country by the Queen's resignation; upon which subject
Whitelocke thought not fit to speak much in company.
Afterwards in private Whitelocke asked Mr. Bloome if he had heard the
Chancellor speak of deferring his business till the Prince were crowned.
Bloome confessed he heard the Chancellor say that he thought it would be
more convenient to have Whitelocke's business resolved after the King
should be crowned than at present. Whitelocke told him (which he supposed
Bloome would again relate to the Chancellor) that all acts of such nature
concluded by the Queen before her resignation would be held authentic by
her successor. Bloome said he believed so, but, being the change would be
so soon, he thought it might be better to have the business put into the
hands of the new King. Whitelocke said it would require a long time to
expect the new King's settlement, before which he believed his return
home might be commanded. Bloome said the business would be soon done
after the meeting of the Ricksdag, which did not use to sit long. By this
and other discourses Whitelocke found that there was a purpose in some to
defer the conclusion of his treaty to the King, which he therefore
prepared to prevent.
La Belle Comtesse made a great entertainment and ball for Montecuculi and
the rest of the gallants this night, though it were the Lord's Day; but
Whitelocke nor none of his company were present at it.
_March 13, 1653._
[SN: Whitelocke confers with Count Eric Oxenstiern on the articles.]
Grave Eric came to Whitelocke to confer about his treaty, and said to
him.
_Grave Eric._ The Queen hath commanded me to come to you and to have some
conference with you about your proposals, wherein she is pleased to make
use of my service, because at this time my father is very ill of an ague,
and is not able himself to meet with you; and his former indisposition of
health and extraordinary affairs hath been some occasion of hindrance of
the despatch of your business, as have also the uncertainty of the issue
of your treaty with Holland, and our great business of the Queen's
intentions here.
_Whitelocke._ I have long expected some answer to be given in my
business, the greatest part whereof hath no dependence upon the treaty
with Holland, and the Queen's intentions here have been but lately made
known. I have been three months in this place without any answer to my
business, although I presume that the amity of England is grateful to
this nation, and may merit the acceptance.
_Gr. Eric._ So is the friendship of Sweden.
_Wh._ My Lord Protector hath testified that by sending me hither.
_Gr. Eric._ The Queen hath likewise sent several public ministers to
England, and Mr. Lagerfeldt was a long time there without effecting
anything.
_Wh._ He had answers to his proposals very often, and it was on his part
that a conclusion was not had with him. But if you please to proceed to a
conference upon my proposals, I am ready to treat with you, as I have
always been to treat with my Lord Chancellor, your father, for whose
ill-health I am heartily sorry.
_Gr. Eric._ I am ready in the same way of secresy as it hath been carried
with my father, so that Mr. Beningen in his letters to his superiors
saith that the English Ambassador did treat with none but the Queen
alone, and sometimes alone with the Chancellor, whereby he could not
possibly give any account of those transactions; for he thought that not
one person in Sweden, except the Queen and the Chancellor, knew what they
were.
_Wh._ The gentleman hath done me an honour in that expression.
_Gr. Eric._ My coming to your Excellence is to proceed in your business;
and I desire a consideration may be had of the great losses which the
Queen's subjects have sustained by the seizing and detaining of their
ships by the English.
_Wh._ This is a new objection, and I am neither empowered nor have
ability to cast up such accounts or to take such examinations; but there
is a court of justice in England, which I presume has done, and will do,
right to any who have cause to complain; and I know that my Lord
Protector will command that justice shall be done to all the Queen's
subjects; and if any of them have received any injury, they ought to
receive a just satisfaction from the parties that did them wrong; and, if
you please, I shall mention these things in my letters to England, and
when I come thither myself I will personally endeavour that the same may
be had fully.
_Gr. Eric._ I hope a just satisfaction will be given herein, without
which there can be no solid foundation of amity between the two nations
and their people.
_Wh._ The same is reasonably and mutually to be expected; and I make no
question but my Lord Protector will order right to be done therein.
_Gr. Eric._ The Queen's subjects have received great losses under colour
of contraband goods, when the same hath not been proved.
_Wh._ And many of our allies have been found to colour our enemies' goods
to the damage of England; but these matters will be proper for an
examination elsewhere.
They proceeded to the particular articles.