"Mr. Thurloe was pleased to acquaint me that it was his Highness and
the Council's pleasure to make some alteration in the Chancery; that
it was determined that your Lordship and Sir Thomas Widdrington and
my Lord Lisle should have the custody of the Great Seal, and I
believe an Act to that purpose will pass within few hours; but I
perceive this business was not done without some tugging; but my
Lord Protector and John Thurloe are true to you, and now I am out of
all fears that any affront should be offered you in your absence.
Mr. Mackworth deserves a letter from you; but nothing, I pray, of
this business. Indeed Mr. Thurloe hath played his part gallantly and
like a true friend, for which I shall love him as long as I live."
In other letters from Mr. Cokaine in this packet, dated 14th April, he
saith:--
"Your old servant Abel is much courted by his Highness to be his
Falconer-in-Chief; but he will not accept it except your Excellence
had been here to give him your explicit leave to serve his Highness,
and told me, without stuttering, he would not serve the greatest
prince in the world except your Excellence were present, to make the
bargain that he might wait upon you with a cast of hawks at the
beginning of September every year into Bedfordshire. It is pity that
gallantry should hurt any. Certainly it is a noble profession that
inspires him with such a spirit.
"My Lord Protector this week hath expressed great respect to your
Excellence upon the death of the Clerk of the Peace of Bucks. Some
of the justices came up and moved his Highness to put one into his
place, who thereupon asked who was _Custos Rotulorum_. They
answered, the Lord Ambassador Whitelocke. He thereupon replied that
the place should not be disposed of till his return. They urged it
again with many reasons; but he gave them the same answer, only with
this addition, that he was to return sooner than perhaps they were
aware of."
By this packet Whitelocke received letters from Mr. Selden, which were
thus:--
"_For his Excellence the Lord Whitelocke, Lord Ambassador from the
State of England to her Majesty of Sweden._
"My Lord,
"Your Excellence's last of the 3rd of February brought me so
unexpressible a plenty of the utmost of such happiness as consists
in true reputation and honour, as that nothing with me will equal or
come near it. First, that her most excellent Majesty, a Prince so
unparalleled and incomparable and so justly acknowledged with the
height of true admiration by all that either have or love arts or
other goodness, should vouchsafe to descend to the mention of my
mean name and the inquiry of my being and condition with such most
gracious expressions. Next, that your Excellence, whose favours have
been so continually multiplied on me, should be the person of whom
such inquiry was made. All the danger is, that your noble affection
rendered me far above myself. However, it necessitates me to become
a fervent suitor to your Excellence, that if it shall fall out that
her Majesty and you have again leisure and will to speak of any such
trifle as I am, you will be pleased to represent to her Majesty my
most humble thanks, and my heart full of devotion to her, of which I
too shall study to give, if I can, some other humble testimony. God
send her most excellent Majesty always her heart's desires, and the
most royal amplitude of all happiness, and your Lordship a good
despatch and safe and timely return.
"My Lord, your Excellence's most
"obliged and humble servant,
"JO. SELDEN.
"_Whitefriars, March 2nd, 1653._"
Whitelocke had also in this packet letters from his old friends Mr. Hall,
Mr. Eltonhead, the Lord Commissioner Lisle, his brothers Wilson and
Carleton, Mr. Peters, Sir Joseph Holland, and divers others; also letters
from Hamburg, from Mr. Bradshaw, the Protector's Resident there, with
some intercepted letters from the King's party, as Sir Edward Hyde and
several others.
[SN: His audience of leave-taking.]
This day being appointed for Whitelocke's last audience, he was habited
in a plain suit of very fine English cloth of musk-colour, the buttons of
gold, enamelled, and in each button a ruby, and rich points and ribbons
of gold; his gentlemen were in their richest clothes; his pages and
lacqueys, above twenty, in their liveries. In the afternoon two of the
Ricks-Senators, with the master of the ceremonies, came with two of the
Queen's coaches to Whitelocke's house, to bring him to his audience. He
received them with the usual ceremony, and after they had sat a little
while in his bedchamber, one of the Senators said that by the Queen's
command they were come to him to accompany him to his audience which he
had desired this day, and that her Majesty was ready to receive him.
Whitelocke answered, that he was always desirous to wait upon her
Majesty, and not the less now because it was in order to return to his
own country. They made no long compliments, but went down and took their
coaches.
The noblemen's coaches sent thither to accompany him went first, then
followed his two coaches, and last the Queen's coaches. In the last of
them sat the two Senators in the fore-end, Whitelocke in the back-end,
and the master in the boot; the gentlemen in the several coaches, the
pages and lacqueys walking and riding behind the coaches. At the bridge
of the castle was a guard of musketeers more than formerly, of about two
companies, with their officers; they made a lane from the bridge to the
end of the Court. As soon as Whitelocke was alighted out of the coach,
the Ricks-Hofmeister with his silver staff met him at the stairs' foot,
very many of the Queen's servants and courtiers with him very gallant.
Whitelocke's gentlemen went first, two and two up the stairs; after them
the Queen's servants, then the master of the ceremonies, then the
Hof-Marshal, then the two Senators and Whitelocke between them, followed
by his sons, his chaplains, physician, secretaries, and steward, and
after them his pages and lacqueys. In this order they mounted the stairs,
and through the great chamber to the guard-chamber, where the Queen's
partisans stood in their rich coats, with the arms of Sweden embroidered
with gold, their swords by their sides, and rich halberds gilded in
their hands; they stood in a fixed posture, more like images than men.
When they came to the audience-chamber, there was scarce room for any of
Whitelocke's gentlemen to come in; but by the civility of the Queen's
servants room was made for them, and they made a lane from the door of
the chamber to the upper end near the Queen, who was upon a foot-pace
covered with carpets, and a rich canopy over her head. Her habit was
black silk stuff for her coats, and over them a black velvet jippo, such
as men use to wear; she had upon her breast the jewel of the Order of the
Knights of Amaranta; her hair hung loose as it used to do, and her hat
was after the fashion of men. A great number of senators and of civil and
military officers and courtiers,--many more than ordinarily did appear at
any audience,--stood all bare about her, and a few ladies were behind
her. She stood upon the carpets before the state with her hat on; and
when Whitelocke came first into the room, and pulled off his hat, the
Queen presently pulled off her hat; and when Whitelocke made his honours,
she answered him, though at that distance, with a short curtsey. After
his three obeisances, being come up to the Queen, he kissed her hand;
then the Queen put on her hat, and Whitelocke{8} put on his hat, and
after a little pause, with high silence and solemnity in all the company,
Whitelocke took off his hat, and the Queen took off her hat likewise, and
all the time of his speaking both of them were uncovered. Whitelocke,
having made his ceremonies, spake to the Queen thus:--
[SN: Whitelocke's farewell speech.]
"Madam,
"I confess that the time of my absence from my relations and
concernments in my own country would have seemed very tedious, had
I not been in the public service and honoured with admittance into
your Majesty's presence, whose favours, answerable to your greatness
though above my merit, have been enlarged towards me during the
whole time of my residence under the just and safe protection of
your Majesty; the which,--with the civilities of those most
excellent persons with whom I treated, and of those who have been
pleased to honour me with their acquaintance in your Court,--I shall
not fail to acknowledge with all respect.
"But, Madam, to your Majesty I shall not presume to return any other
acknowledgment than by the thanks of my Lord the Protector, who is
able to judge of the affection shown to him, and to the Commonwealth
whereof he is the head, by the honour done unto their servant.
"Madam, it is your great judgement in the public interest, and your
desire to advance the good of your own State and that of your
neighbours, and the particular respect that you bear to my master,
whereby the business trusted to my care by his Highness is brought
to such an issue as I hope will be a solid foundation of great and
mutual prosperity to both these nations.
"I have nothing to add on my part, but to entreat that my failings
and errors, not wilfully committed, may be excused; to take my leave
of your Majesty, and to assure you that there is no person who
honours you more than I do, and who shall be more ready to lay hold
on any opportunity whereby I may endeavour, to the utmost of my
power, to contribute to the happiness and prosperity of your royal
Majesty and of your people."
As it was done at Whitelocke's first audience, so he now ordered it, that
Monsieur De la Marche, one of his chaplains, did, at the end of every
sentence, as Whitelocke spake, interpret the same to the Queen in French.
During all the time of his speaking to the Queen she looked him wistly in
the face and came up very near unto him, as she had done at his first
audience,--perhaps to have daunted him, as she had done others, but he
was not daunted; and when he had made an end of speaking, after a little
pause the Queen answered him in the Swedish language, which was then
interpreted in Latin to Whitelocke, to this effect:--
[SN: The Queen's reply.]
"My Lord Ambassador,
"It may well be that your stay in this place, where you have been so
ill accommodated, and your absence from your near relations and
native country, hath been tedious to you; but I can assure you that
your residence in my Court hath been a contentment to myself and to
those who have had the honour to converse with you in this place;
and it would have been a blemish to me and to all under my
government if in this time anything of injury or danger had fallen
out to your person or to any of your people. I hope I may say that
there hath been no such thing offered to you, and I am glad of it.
"I do not know that your judgement hath deceived you in anything but
this, that you have too great a value of my understanding of public
affairs. It hath been your prudent management of the business
committed to your trust by the Protector, and my particular respects
to him and to your Commonwealth, with the good inclinations of the
people of this country towards you, and the general interests of the
Protestant party, which have brought your business to effect, and
which, I hope, will occasion much good and happiness to these
nations and to all the Evangelical party. And truly, Sir, your
demeanour on all occasions requires from us this testimony, that we
have found much honour and great abilities to be in you; and I
should be very unwilling to part with so good company, were it not
in order to your own satisfaction for your return to England.
"I know no errors committed by you here, but desire your excuse of
the want of those expressions of our respect which this place would
not afford. The thanks are due to you for your patience, and for the
affection which you have testified to me and to this nation, from
whom you may depend upon a firm friendship and amity, with a true
respect to the Protector and Commonwealth of England, and an
honourable esteem of yourself in particular, to whom we wish a safe
and prosperous return to your own country."
After the Queen had done speaking, Whitelocke had some private discourse
of compliment with her in French, to give her Majesty thanks for her
noble treatment of him and many favours to him; then, according to the
usage of this Court, he delivered to Mr. Lagerfeldt, standing by, a copy
of his speech, in English, signed by him with his hand, and another copy
of his speech in Latin, not signed by him, to be presented to the Queen.
Then Whitelocke took his leave, and kissed her Majesty's hand, who gave
him the _adieu_ with great respect and civility. He was conducted back to
his coach with the same ceremony as he was brought to his audience; and
the same two senators, with the master of the ceremonies, returned with
him to his house, and after usual compliments passed between them, they
returned to the Court.
The trouble of the day was not yet ended; but after Whitelocke had come
from the Court, Lagerfeldt brought to him the articles touching Guinea
which were agreed upon and signed and sealed by the Queen's
Commissioners, as the other part of them was by Whitelocke.[240]
After the great toil of this busy day, a yet greater toil must be
undergone by Whitelocke to make his despatches for England. By his
letters to Thurloe he again acquainted the Council with the good
conclusion of his treaty, and with his taking leave of the Queen in his
last audience; and sent him copies of the speeches, and gave an account
of the business of Guinea, with all material passages since his last
letters, and his resolution and way of return home. He also answered the
letters of every one of his friends, which were very many; but that to
his wife, as he was afterwards informed, caused much trouble and passion,
that by this date of the letter, 12th May, she perceived that he was not
removed from Upsal in his journey to return homewards.
_May 13, 1654._
[SN: Whitelocke takes leave of his friends.]
Whitelocke began his visits and compliments to take his leave of his
friends in this Court; and herein he was to be very exact, and not to
omit any one who had given him the honour of former visits. He, to be the
less subject to mistakes, set down in writing the names of those whom he
was to visit, which made a long catalogue; but he must get through it, as
part of the business of an ambassador. And this day he began by visiting
the French and Holland Residents, and the Grave Leonhough, whose
discourses were concerning the peace between England and the Dutch, the
English strong fleet at sea, of the Queen's resignation, and other
general themes not necessary to be repeated.
[SN: The Sound Dues.]
Woolfeldt gave a visit to Whitelocke and discoursed on the same subjects,
but more particularly of the interest of England and the payment of toll
to the King of Denmark at the Sound, wherein Whitelocke had good
information from him, and such as, if it had been hearkened unto, would
have been of great advantage to the Protector and Commonwealth of
England. So great an interest Whitelocke had gained in the affection and
friendship of this gentleman, that he would not conceal from him anything
that he knew, who knew more than any other that Whitelocke met with
concerning the Sound, the King of Denmark, the Court and courtiers here,
or whatsoever related to Whitelocke's business and to England.
_May 14, 1654._
This Lord's Day Sir George Fleetwood did Whitelocke the favour to bear
him company at his house, and told him that the Queen and her Lords were
pleased with his deportment at his last audience, and with his speech
then made, which they commended, but is here omitted. He and others also
acquainted Whitelocke that the Queen took great pleasure at his carriage
at the solemnity of the nuptials at Court, and that he would dance with
them; and both the Queen and her courtiers said that the English
Ambassador knew how to lay aside the gravity of an ambassador when he
pleased, and could play the courtier with as good a grace as any one that
ever they saw, with much to the like effect.
_May 15, 1654._
[SN: A private audience of the Queen.]
Whitelocke visited Marshal Wrangel and General Wittenberg, and went from
thence to the castle to visit Grave Tott, who told him that the Queen had
altered her purpose of sending him into England, and would do him the
honour to retain him with her, but that yet he hoped in a short time to
see England. Whitelocke said he should be glad to meet him, and to do him
service there. They discoursed of the Queen's residence in Pomerland, or
some other place near this country, and of the discommodities and
inconveniences which would arise thereby. Whitelocke told him that if the
Queen had leisure, that he should be glad to wait on her; and Tott went
presently to know her pleasure, and promised to bring word to Whitelocke
if he might see the Queen, and did it at the Lady Jane Ruthven's lodging,
whither Whitelocke was gone to take his leave of that lady; whence he
brought Whitelocke to the traverse of the wardrobe, where her Majesty
came to him and conducted him into her bedchamber, where they thus
discoursed:--
_Whitelocke._ I humbly thank your Majesty for admitting me to be present
at the meeting of the Ricksdag.
_Queen._ How did you like the manner and proceedings of it when you were
there?
_Wh._ It was with the greatest gravity and solemnity that I ever saw in
any public assembly, and well becoming persons of their quality and
interest.
_Qu._ There be among them very considerable persons, and wise men.
_Wh._ Such an assembly requires such men, and their carriage showed them
to be such; but, Madam, I expected that your Chancellor, after he spake
with your Majesty, should, according to the course in our Parliaments,
have declared, by your direction, the causes of the Council's being
summoned.
_Qu._ It belongs to the office of the Chancellor with us to do it; and
when I called him to me, it was to desire him to do it.
_Wh._ How then came it to pass that he did it not, when his place and
your Majesty required it?
_Qu._ He desired to be excused, and gave me this reason, that he had
taken an oath to my father to use his utmost endeavour to keep the crown
on my head, and that the cause of my calling this Diet was to have their
consents for me to quit the Crown; that if he should make this
proposition to them, it would be contrary to the oath which he had taken
to my father, and therefore he could not do it.
_Wh._ Did not your Majesty expect this answer?
_Qu._ Not at all, but was wholly surprised by it; and when the Ricksdag
were met, my Chancellor thus excusing himself, there was nobody appointed
by me to declare to them the cause of their meeting; but rather than the
Assembly should be put off, and nothing done, I plucked up my spirits the
best I could, and spake to them on the sudden as you heard, although much
to my disadvantage.
_Wh._ Indeed, Madam, you were much surprised; and I cannot but wonder
that you should have no intimation given you beforehand of your
Chancellor's resolution; but your Majesty will pardon me if I believe it
proved no disadvantage to you, when I had the honour to see and hear with
how excellent a grace and how prince-like your Majesty, in so great an
assembly and on a sudden, delivered your mind and purpose.
_Qu._ You are apt to make the best construction of it; you see I did
adventure upon it, remembering that they were my subjects, and I their
Queen.
_Wh._ Madam, you spake and acted like yourself, and were highly
complimented by the several Marshals, but above all the rest by the
honest boor.
_Qu._ Was you so taken with his clownery?
_Wh._ It seemed to me as pure and clear natural eloquence, without any
forced strain, as could be expressed.
_Qu._ Indeed there was little else but what was natural, and by a
well-meaning man, who has understanding enough in his country way.
_Wh._ Whosoever shall consider his matter more than his form will find
that the man understands his business; and the garment or phrase
wherewith he clothed his matter, though it was rustic, yet the variety
and plain elegancy and reason could not but affect his auditors.
_Qu._ I think he spake from his heart.
_Wh._ I believe he did, and acted so too, especially when he wiped his
eyes.
_Qu._ He showed his affection to me in that posture more than greater men
did in their spheres.
_Wh._ Madam, we must look upon all men to work according to their present
interest; and so I suppose do the great men here as well as elsewhere.
_Qu._ Here I have had experience enough of such actings; I shall try what
they do in other places, and content myself, however I shall find it.
_Wh._ Your Majesty will not expect to find much difference in the humours
of men, as to seeking themselves, and neglecting those from whom they
have received favours.
_Qu._ It will be no otherwise than what I am armed to bear and not to
regard; but your particular respects I shall always remember with
gratefulness.
_Wh._ Your Majesty shall ever find me your faithful servant. Do you
intend, Madam, to go from hence to Pomerland?
_Qu._ My intentions are to go presently, after my resignation, to the
Spa; but wheresoever I am, you have a true friend of me.
_Wh._ There is no person alive more cordially your Majesty's servant than
I am.
_Qu._ I do believe it, or else I should not have communicated to you such
things as I have done.
_Wh._ Your Majesty hath therein expressed much confidence in me, which I
hope shall never deceive you, however my want of abilities may not answer
your Majesty's favours to me.
_Qu._ I have no doubt of your faithfulness, and you have sufficiently
manifested your abilities. Give me leave to trouble you with the company
of a gentleman, my servant, whom I purpose to send over with you to
England, to take care for those things which I desire to have from
thence.
_Wh._ He shall be very welcome to me and my company, and I shall give him
my best assistance for your Majesty's service.
_Qu._ I shall thank you for it, and command him to obey your directions.
_Wh._ Madam, if you please to accept a set of black English horses for
your coach, I shall take the boldness to send them to your stables; and
pray your Majesty that the Master of your Horse may furnish me for my
journey to Stockholm.
_Qu._ I do thankfully accept your kindness, and all mine are at your
service.
_Wh._ I have interrupted your Majesty too long. I desired the favour of
this opportunity to present my most humble thanks to your Majesty for all
your noble favours to me and my company.
_Qu._ I entreat your excuse for the meanness of my presents. I could not
do therein what I desired, nor after your merit.
_Wh._ Madam, there is nothing of my merit to be alleged; but your Majesty
hath testified much honour to the Protector and Commonwealth whom I
serve.
_Qu._ England is a noble country, and your master is a gallant man. I
desire you to assure him, on my part, of all affection and respect
towards him.
_Wh._ Your Majesty may be confident of the like from his Highness; and
your humble servant will heartily pray for your Majesty's prosperity,
wherever you are.
_Qu._ I wish you a happy voyage and return to your own country.
After he came from the Queen, Whitelocke met with the Baron Steinberg,
Master of her Horse, whom he acquainted with what he had moved to her
Majesty, and he was very forward to accommodate Whitelocke.
[SN: Discourse with Grave Eric on the customs of Swedish nuptials.]
From hence he went and visited Grave Eric Oxenstiern, who discoursed with
him about the solemnity of the nuptials at Court, and asked him how he
liked it.
_Wh._ They were very noble; but I pray, my noble brother, instruct me
what the meaning was of the dowry given by the bridegroom to the bride
the next morning; and what do you call that dowry?
_Gr. Eric._ By the ancient custom of this country, the next morning after
the wedding-night the husband bestows upon his wife a gift of money
according to his estate, to show how he is pleased with the cohabitation,
and to make some provision, in case of his death before her, for the
wife, and children which he shall have by her; and this we call a
_morgen-gaven_--a morning's gift.
_Wh._ The same word _morgen-gaven_ is in the old terms of our English
laws, and expounded to signify a second dowry, and hath much affinity
with this of yours and in that of your twelve witnesses who testified the
contract of marriage and the _morgen-gaven_; to which our trials by
twelve men, whom we call juries because they are sworn, are somewhat
like, and they are so many witnesses as well as judges of the fact.
_Gr. Eric._ I believe your customs and ours had the same original.
_Wh._ I find much resemblance between them and yours. What do you call
the twelve that laid their hands on the spear?
_Gr. Eric._ We call them the twelve witnesses (_les douze témoins_).
_Wh._ What do you call the spear or pike which the gentleman held?
_Gr. Eric._ We call it _weppun_.
_Wh._ We have the same word, weapon, for all manner of arms and warlike
instruments. What do you call the laying of their hands upon the spear?
_Gr. Eric._ We call it _tack_,--_weppun-tack_, to touch the spear.
_Wh._ We have also the word _tack_, for touching; and we have, in the
northern parts of England, a particular precinct or territory which we
call a Wapentake, and a territorial court of justice there which we call
a Wapentake Court; and a very learned gentleman from whom I received
letters in my last packet, Selden, derives the name of Wapentake from
_weapon_ and _tack_; and saith they used to come to that court with their
weapons, and to touch one another's weapons, from whence came the
appellation of Wapentake.
_Gr. Eric._ Tacitus observes that at the public assemblies and councils
of the Germans, they used to meet with their weapons, and when anything
was said that pleased them they would touch one another's spears or
weapons, and thereby make a noise, to testify their consent and
approbation.
_Wh._ Your ceremony of laying down the spear at the feet of the bride
puts me in mind of another passage in Tacitus, 'De Moribus Germanorum;'
that when a man was married, he used to bring his arms and lay them at
the feet of his bride, to signify that he would not take them up nor go
forth to war, being newly married, without the leave of his wife, to whom
he had now given the command of himself and of his arms.
_Gr. Eric._ Our customs and those of the ancient Germans have much
resemblance; but I never heard so good observations upon the ceremonies
of a wedding as your Excellence hath made.
_Wh._ I am delighted with these antiquities; but your Excellence shows
your opinion to be that of a brother.
From Grave Eric, Whitelocke went to visit the Senator Schütt, and Lynde,
who lodged in one house, and met him at the door; and this day he made
seven visits, besides his attendance upon the Queen, hastening to get
over these matters of compliment and ceremony, that he might be upon his
journey to Stockholm.
_May 16, 1654._
[SN: Whitelocke entertains a party of ladies.]
Whitelocke visited General Douglas, who had been to visit him before, and
now showed great respect unto him, and gave him many thanks for the
English horse which Whitelocke had bestowed on him. After this,
Whitelocke visited the Ricks-Admiral and the Senators Rosenhau and Bundt.
In the afternoon he visited Woolfeldt, who brought Whitelocke into the
room where his lady and other ladies of great quality were with her.
Whitelocke imagined some design to be herein, because it was a thing so
unusual to bring gentlemen and strangers into the company of their
ladies; and it fell out to be so, for Whitelocke, discoursing with the
Lady Woolfeldt, who spake perfect French, she complained that she knew
not where to have a place to see the entry of the Prince into Upsal.
Whitelocke knowing his house to be conveniently situate for that purpose,
and understanding the lady's complaint, he, to free her from the danger
of not seeing that solemnity, offered to her and to the rest of the
ladies in her company, to command his house, which if they pleased to
honour with their presence to see the entry of the Prince, he should take
it as a great favour from their Excellencies; and the ladies readily
accepted of his offer.
They presently came to Whitelocke's house. With the Lady Woolfeldt was
the Countess John Oxenstiern, the Countess Eric Oxenstiern, the Countess
Tott, the Baroness Gildenstiern, and seven or eight other ladies of great
quality. Before the Prince came into the town, Whitelocke caused a
collation to be set on the table for the ladies, all after the English
fashion, creams, tarts, butter, cheese, neats' tongues, potted venison,
apples, pears, sweetmeats, and excellent wine. They ate heartily, and
seemed to be much pleased with it and with the Ambassador's discourse,
who strove to be cheerful with the ladies, and found it not unacceptable
to them.
[SN: The entry of the Prince.]
The Prince's entry and reception into Upsal this evening was thus:--The
day before, by the Queen's command, notice was given to all the senators,
the nobility, gentry, and persons of quality about the Court and in town,
to come in their best equipage on horseback, at one o'clock this
afternoon to the castle, to attend the Queen on her going out to meet the
Prince. They accordingly resorted to the Court, a very great number, and
attended the Queen forth in this order, all passing and returning by
Whitelocke's window. First, Major-General Wrangel marched in the head of
four troops of horse of Upland, proper men and well armed, their horses
not tall but strong; every horseman carried ready in his hand one of his
pistols, and his sword by his side, and most of them were well habited.
Then marched Colonel Bengt Horne in the head of the gentlemen and
servants of the senators and other volunteers, marching three and three
abreast. After these rode about six of the Queen's kettle-drums and
twelve trumpets. Then came Mr. Eric Flemming, Governor of Copperberg,
Marshal of the Nobility, followed by the heads of the families of the
nobles in the same order as they are matriculated in the Ricksdag. They
were generally very rich in clothes and well horsed, lords and gentlemen
of principal note and consideration in their country, and members of the
Ricksdag; they also rode three and three abreast. After them rode Mr.
Gabriel Gabrielson, Marshal of the Court, and was followed by all the
senators then in town, being about thirty, riding two and two abreast,
grave in their habits for the most part, and well horsed. Then came the
Ricks-Stallmaster and the Hof-Stallmaster--that is, the Master of the
Horse of the Kingdom, and the Master of the Horse of the Court--riding
bareheaded. After them came the Queen, gallantly mounted, habited in her
usual fashion in grey stuff, her hat on her head, her pistols at her
saddle-bow, and twenty-four of the Gardes-du-Corps about her person.
After the Queen followed the Great Chamberlain, Grave Jacob de la Gardie,
and Grave Tott, Captain of the Guards, both bareheaded. After them the
Grave Donae, Gustavus Oxenstiern, and Gustavus Jean Banier, riding
bareheaded. Then rode all the gentlemen of the Queen's chamber, then the
pages of her chamber. After them, in the last place, marched Colonel
Line, in the head of four companies of the Guards, well armed, and
indifferently well habited.
In this order they marched about half a league out of town, to the place
appointed to meet the Prince, who was there attending. When they came
thither, Major-General Wrangel marched to the left, leaving sufficient
room that the Guards might pass to the right hand, the volunteers and
Queen's servants likewise turned to the left hand, and the Marshal of the
Nobility to the right, with the Hof-Marshals; and all this train kept
excellent order and discipline, as did the Prince's train, which was also
very great.
The Prince was alighted from his horse before the Queen came very near
to him. When the Queen alighted, all the senators likewise alighted from
their horses, but the nobility did not alight from horseback. After his
Royal Highness had kissed the Queen's hand, she discoursed a little with
him, he being bareheaded all the time, and showing great respect to her
as to his Queen. Then the Queen mounted again on horseback, the Prince
waiting on her. The troops marched back to the town in the same order as
they came forth, with great addition to their numbers. The Prince's
gentlemen and servants, who were a great number, fell into the troop
where those of the Queen were, betwixt her gentlemen and the senators'
gentlemen,--his pages after the Queen's. Himself rode after the Queen,
and sometimes she would call him (as she did in the street) to speak with
him, and then he rode even with her, but all the way bareheaded whilst he
rode by the Queen and she talked with him.
The Prince was in a plain grey cloth suit of a light colour, mounted upon
a very brave grey horse, with pistols at his saddle and his sword by his
side. The Queen's lacqueys were in rich yellow liveries; the Prince's
lacqueys in blue liveries, near twenty, walking by them. There were many
led horses of the Queen's and of the Prince's, and seven or eight
sumpter-horses of the Prince's; the sumpter-clothes all of blue velvet,
with the Prince's arms embroidered on them, and rich silver fringe about
them; the grooms and sumpter-men in the same livery, about twenty of
them.
In this equipage they marched through the streets of Upsal, multitudes of
people being spectators of their entry in the ways and windows. When
they came to the Castle court, the nobility and volunteers alighted, and
walked two and two before the Queen up into the great hall and to the
antechamber; and the Queen being come into her withdrawing-room, after
some little discourse there with the Prince and compliments passed, he
went to the lodgings prepared for him, with not a few waiting on him who
was the rising sun.
Whitelocke had spoken to the master of the ceremonies touching the
saluting of the Prince and the manner of his reception, whereof he wished
to know somewhat beforehand, to govern himself accordingly, and to avoid
any indignity or dishonour to be put upon the Protector and Commonwealth
by his person. The master having spoken to the Prince about it, brought
word now to Whitelocke, that when he moved his Royal Highness touching
Whitelocke's reception, the Prince said that the English Ambassador
should have no cause to complain of any want of respect in his reception.
The more to manifest this, about ten o'clock this evening, the Prince
sent one of the gentlemen of his bedchamber, who came attended with three
lacqueys, and spake to Whitelocke in French, that the Prince, his master,
commanded him to salute Whitelocke in his name, and to inform him of the
Prince's arrival in this place, and that it was a great satisfaction to
him to hope that he should have the contentment to see the English
Ambassador, and to entertain him before his departure from Sweden.
Whitelocke desired that his thanks might be returned to his Royal
Highness for this honour, and that he hoped to obtain from him the favour
to give him leave to salute him and to kiss his hand; that to do this on
the part of the Protector, his master, was at present the only occasion
of Whitelocke's continuance in this place; and for this end he had moved
the master of the ceremonies to know the pleasure of his Royal Highness,
and to inform Whitelocke what time might be convenient to wait upon the
Prince. The gentleman replied, that Whitelocke's company would be very
acceptable to the Prince his master, and he doubted not but an account
would be given thereof to Whitelocke to his full contentment.
Whitelocke had sent this day to Grave John Oxenstiern, to know what time
he might give him a visit; and the Grave returned a proud answer, that it
would not yet be convenient.
_May 17, 1654._
The Resident of Holland came to visit Whitelocke near dinner-time, which
gave him occasion to invite his stay; and he and Sir G. Fleetwood, Mr.
Bloome, Colonel Hambleton, Monsieur Lyllicrone, and two Dutch gentlemen,
did Whitelocke the favour to be at his table. Whitelocke gave the
Resident the respect of the upper end of the table, as he had formerly
done to the French and Spanish Residents; and the Dutch gentleman was
well pleased with it, and with the English entertainment.
[SN: Whitelocke's audience of the Prince.]
Whitelocke, having received so great a respect from the Prince, did again
desire the master of the ceremonies to know what time might suit with the
Prince's leisure to give Whitelocke leave to wait on him. This afternoon
the master came to Whitelocke, and informed him that the Prince had
appointed four o'clock this afternoon to give Whitelocke audience, and
the master said that he would come with the Queen's coaches to bring
Whitelocke to the castle when it was time; and accordingly he came
between five and six o'clock this evening. Whitelocke and his company
went with the master to the castle, and as soon as he was alighted out of
his coach, he was received by the Marshal and gentlemen of the Prince, a
great number of them, at the foot of the stairs; some of them were very
richly habited. They walked first up the stairs, and those of
Whitelocke's train followed them; the master of the ceremonies was on
Whitelocke's left hand. When they came to the guard-chamber, the Prince
in person came thither to receive Whitelocke at the door thereof, the
same place where the Captain of the Queen's Guard used to meet and
receive Whitelocke, who was a little surprised, not expecting such a high
favour as to be met by the Prince so far from the room of audience.
The Prince was plain, in his habit of black silk, accompanied by a great
number of the senators, officers, and nobility, which caused Whitelocke
to know him, and with due respect to salute him, as he did Whitelocke;
and after a few compliments between them, the Prince desired Whitelocke
to advance, who excused himself, but the Prince pressed it; the contest
was almost half an hour who should go first, till the master of the
ceremonies, by command of the Prince, whispered to Whitelocke to give way
to the pleasure of the Prince, who was resolved to give Whitelocke the
precedence, thereby to testify the great respect and honour which he had
for the Protector, and for Whitelocke his servant. Thereupon Whitelocke
said to the Prince, that since he understood it to be the pleasure of his
Royal Highness, he would obey his commands; and so they went on
together, the Prince giving Whitelocke the right hand; and there was no
occasion (by reason of the largeness of the doors) for one to go before
the other.
In the third room from the place where the Prince met Whitelocke was the
audience chamber; there were set two rich chairs upon foot-carpets one
against the other under a canopy of state; here was also much ceremony
between the Prince and Whitelocke, who should take the right-hand chair;
but the Prince would have Whitelocke to sit there; and the room was full
of senators, officers, noblemen, courtiers, and others of quality.
Whitelocke had advised in what language to speak to the Prince. He held
it not fit to speak in English, because he came not to him as ambassador,
nor in Latin, there being nothing of treaty between them; but being a
matter of ceremony, he was advised and informed that it was the Prince's
desire that Whitelocke should speak to him in French, the which he
understood very well: and accordingly, being both set, and their hats on,
after a little pause Whitelocke put off his hat, and then the Prince did
so likewise; then both putting on their hats again, Whitelocke spake to
the Prince to this effect:--
"Monseigneur,
"Je répute à grand bonheur l'opportunité qui m'est présentée de
baiser les mains de votre Altesse Royale, et la saluer de la part de
Monseigneur le Protecteur de la République d'Angleterre, d'Écosse, et
d'Irelande, avant mon départ de ce royaume; ce que j'eusse fait plus
tôt et en autre lieu, sinon que la nécessité d'attendre l'issue de ce
qui m'a été donné en charge m'en avait empêché: mais depuis sa
conclusion, j'ai tardé exprès pour ajouter à ma satisfaction celle
d'avoir rendu mes devoirs à votre Altesse Royale, et lui témoigner
l'amitié et les respects de sa Sérénissime Altesse mon maître."
After Whitelocke had done speaking the Prince staid a little time, and
then in French answered him to this purpose:--
"Monseigneur l'Ambassadeur,
"Ce m'aurait été un grand trouble si, après la conclusion de vos
affaires en cette cour, vous aviez été dans l'inconvénience
d'attendre mon arrivée en cette place; je suis bien aise de me
trouver ici devant votre départ de ce pays, qui m'a donné le
contentement de vous connaître, et l'occasion de témoigner le grand
respect que j'ai à Monseigneur le Protecteur et à la République que
vous servez, et je reçois beaucoup de satisfaction qu'une amitié et
alliance soit contractée entre ce royaume et votre République, de
laquelle j'espère et crois qu'elle sera pour le bien des deux
nations, et pour l'intérêt des Protestants.
"Il n'y a personne qui a plus d'estime de Monseigneur le Protecteur
que moi, et de votre République; et j'ai tant entendu de votre
honorable et prudent maniement des affaires que vous aviez ici, que
ce m'a fait désirer de vous connaître et d'avoir l'opportunité de
converser avec vous, que vous m'avez présentement alloué, et je vous
en remercie, et pour les respects de Monseigneur le Protecteur,
qu'il vous a plu me présenter en son nom, et qui me sont fort
agréables."
After the speeches were ended, the Prince spake to Whitelocke to go with
him into his cabinet, which he did, and staid discoursing with him there
above an hour together, all the company staying in the outer room. They
soon fell into a freedom of discourse, but at this time chiefly
concerning the affairs of England, the peace with the Dutch, and the
English fleet now at sea; also somewhat in particular to the Protector,
his management of affairs, and of their late troubles; in all which
Whitelocke endeavoured to give the Prince satisfaction, without doing
injury to any one. The Prince brought Whitelocke back again to the same
place where he met him; and his servants went with him to his coach, and
the Master of the Ceremonies brought him to his own house.
After Whitelocke was returned home, Lagerfeldt came to him, and told him
that the Prince was very much pleased with the discourse between them,
and with Whitelocke's deportment; and Lagerfeldt said he believed that
the Prince would visit Whitelocke tomorrow; who said he could not expect
such an honour, but was glad that anything of his discourse was grateful
to his Royal Highness.
Lagerfeldt informed Whitelocke that Grave Eric and Lagerfeldt were to go
to Stockholm upon some public occasions by command of the Ricksdag.
Whitelocke asked him what the business was; but Lagerfeldt was not
forward to declare it, nor Whitelocke to press it; but he learned from
another that the Ricksdag had deputed two of every State to go to
Stockholm to extract out of the public records and acts the special
privileges granted to the people at the coronation of any king, and of
the present Queen, which they judged fit to be now considered and
ratified before the coronation of their new King. They were also to bring
hither the acts of the Ricksdag when the Prince was declared heir of the
crown, and such other things as pertained to this business. Whitelocke
desired Lagerfeldt to do somewhat for him at Stockholm touching the
sending away of his copper from thence for England.
_May 18, 1654._
[SN: The Ladies' message to Whitelocke.]
The ladies who were at Whitelocke's house to see the entry of the Prince,
sent thanks to Whitelocke for his noble treatment of them, which was done
by Woolfeldt and the master of the ceremonies, whom Whitelocke desired to
make his excuse to the ladies, and to intercede with them to pardon the
affront which Whitelocke had put upon them by entertaining such noble
ladies with so mean a collation. The master said he durst not deliver any
such message to them, who were so well pleased with Whitelocke's
treatment of them; which appeared the more, in that the Lady Woolfeldt
sent to him to bestow upon her, being great with child, some of his
English cheese. Whitelocke sent her all he had left, and to other ladies
what they desired, his English sweetmeats and other cakes, which with
them were of great esteem.
[SN: The Prince visits Whitelocke.]
Whitelocke having this forenoon visited several Senators and great Lords,
and being returned home, a servant of the Prince, a Baron of great
esteem, came to him from the Prince, to know if Whitelocke's leisure
would permit to receive a visit from his Royal Highness in the afternoon.
Whereunto Whitelocke answered, that if the Prince had any service to
command him, he would wait upon his Royal Highness at his Court; the
Baron replied, that the Prince intended a visit to Whitelocke at
Whitelocke's house, who said he could not expect nor admit of such a
condescension in the Prince and high favour to him, but that he would
wait upon the Prince in the afternoon. The Baron said that must not be,
but that it was the resolution of the Prince to testify that
extraordinary respect to the Protector and to Whitelocke, as to come in
person to visit Whitelocke at his own house; who said, that if it were
the pleasure of the Prince to have it so, he should attend the receiving
of that great honour at such a time as his Royal Highness should think
fit to afford it to him.
Woolfeldt, and Douglas, and several others, being with Whitelocke at
dinner, they discoursed of this extraordinary high respect of the Prince
to the Protector and to Whitelocke, and said that it was partly
occasioned by the exceptions taken by the public Ministers in this Court
at the reception which the Prince gave unto Whitelocke yesterday beyond
what he used to afford them of respect and honour; and this coming to the
Prince's ear, he said that if they were offended with him for that, he
would yet give them further cause of being displeased, and thereupon sent
to Whitelocke that he would this afternoon visit him; they also informed
Whitelocke, as Lagerfeldt had done, that the Prince was much satisfied
with the discourse of Whitelocke, and his demeanour.
About three o'clock in the afternoon the Prince came to Whitelocke's
house, attended with a very great train. He was in one of the Queen's
coaches, which was followed by several of his own coaches, all with six
horses apiece, and sundry gentlemen on horseback, with the principal
officers of the Court and of the army, besides his own gentlemen,
officers, servants, pages, and lacqueys to a great number, waiting on
him. It fell out to be on the day of a fair, kept in the open place
before Whitelocke's house, so that, with the people coming to the fair,
and the Prince's train, the streets were exceedingly crowded.
As the Prince alighted out of his coach, Whitelocke was there to receive
him, all the gentlemen of Whitelocke's train attending on him, and his
servants in livery making a lane, about twenty on each hand, from the
Prince's coach to Whitelocke's house, through which the Prince and he
passed, Whitelocke giving the Prince the right hand, which he scrupled
not to take in that place. They went together covered into Whitelocke's
house, sat down in his bedchamber, and fell into much freedom of
discourse for above two hours together. In the meantime the lords and
gentlemen of the Prince's train being in several other rooms, according
to their respective qualities, Whitelocke had taken order to be
entertained by his officers and servants, not only with discourse, but
with good wine brought from England, and such collation as was then to be
had and was pleasing to them.
The Prince and Whitelocke had variety of discourses; and Whitelocke
looking upon this as an opportunity whereby he might speak in such things
as might tend to the honour of God, and which his own subjects perhaps
would not so plainly make known to him, Whitelocke used the more freedom,
and part of their discourse was--
_Prince._ I am very glad that your affairs have permitted you a stay in
this place so long as to give me the opportunity of your company, wherein
I take much contentment.
_Whitelocke._ Your Royal Highness doth very much honour me in esteeming
my company worth your notice, and herein you are pleased to testify great
respect to the Protector, my master, and to the Commonwealth whom I
serve.
_Pr._ I have a very true honour for the Protector, and for England,
where I have been, and account it one of the best countries in the world.
_Wh._ It is indeed, Sir, a very good country, and honoured by your
knowledge of it and having been upon it.
_Pr._ But I doubt that by your late troubles it may be much damaged.
_Wh._ Truly, Sir, God hath so ordered it that those desolations which
usually attend on war, especially a civil war, have not been so much in
our country as others have felt who have been plunged in those miseries.
_Pr._ It is a great blessing to you, especially considering your change
hath been so great and your troubles so lasting.
_Wh._ Our troubles endured a long time, but, blessed be God, at present
we enjoy peace and settlement after our changes. The discourse here is
now altogether of the voluntary change like to be in your Highness's
country.
_Pr._ Her Majesty is pleased to take a resolution to resign her
government, and I am commanded hither upon that occasion, though
altogether unsought for by me.
_Wh._ You are, Sir, every way worthy of it, and the more for not seeking
it; and being the will of God is to bring you to such an increase of
power as to the royal dignity, it will turn most to your own and your
people's good, to employ your power to the honour of Him that gives it,
and to prefer His service by whom kings reign before any other
concernments.
_Pr._ I must acknowledge that throughout the whole course of my life God
hath been very good to me, and I am the more engaged to honour Him and to
do Him service in any station wherein he shall be pleased to set me.
_Wh._ Your Royal Highness will be pleased to pardon my freedom of
speaking to you what I understand may be most for the honour of God and
your service.
_Pr._ Such discourse is most pleasing to me, especially from a person of
such piety and honour as I esteem you to be, and who can have no private
ends thereby.
_Wh._ We have observed in England, and it is so everywhere, that the
blessing of God follows those that serve Him.
_Pr._ That is a true rule; but our service must be in heart, and not in
profession or outward show only.
_Wh._ It is true that the enemies of the Parliament use to reproach them
with hypocrisy in their profession of religion and with their preaching
to their soldiers; yet that our profession is real doth appear somewhat
in this, that the blessing of God hath accompanied our profession and our
practice; and when our enemies are in debauchery and injuring the people,
our officers and soldiers meet together, exhorting one another out of the
Scripture and praying together, and God hath given His blessing
thereupon.
_Pr._ I do very well approve that course, and your profession and
practice in matters of religion; but we hear of too much difference of
opinion among you in those matters.
_Wh._ We have indeed too much difference of opinion among us in matters
of religion; but yet the public peace is not broken, but carefully
preserved.
_Pr._ But if there be not a uniformity among you in those matters, your
peace will be endangered.
_Wh._ We do not yet find that danger; and we look upon it as a liberty
due to all Christians to take what way of worship they think best for the
good of their own souls.
_Pr._ Suppose the way they take be not agreeable to the Word of God?
_Wh._ The consequence thereof will be their own misery.
_Pr._ But should not the magistrate lead them and constrain them in the
right way?
_Wh._ We hold the better way to be, by meek exhortations and instructions
to endeavour to reclaim them from any error, and not by force to compel
men's consciences, as is used in these parts.
_Pr._ What if mild means will not work upon them?
_Wh._ They will have the worst of it; but as long as they do not break
the public peace, it is hard for the magistrate imperiously to command
and force his brethren to worship God after his opinion; and it is not
imaginable that he should take more care of men's souls than they
themselves, whose consciences ought to be free.
_Pr._ We are somewhat strict in this point in our country.
_Wh._ But I have heard that your Royal Highness hath shown moderation,
and indulged this liberty, in other countries where you commanded.
_Pr._ I did not think fit to be so severe in this point in Germany as we
are in Sweden.
_Wh._ I think your Highness did therein according to the mind of God, who
will not have a restraint upon His children in the worship of Him; and I
hope you will in time take off the severity of your laws here in this
particular.
_Pr._ I am no friend to severity of laws upon men's consciences; but
reformation among us is not soon to be brought about, where there hath
been a long usage of the contrary.
_Wh._ In England we have of late obtained great reformation in many
things, particularly touching the observation of the Lord's Day; and
pardon me, Sir, if I wish the like reformation in this kingdom, and that
the Lord's Day were not so much neglected, nay profaned, as I have seen
in this place. I hope and humbly advise your Royal Highness that, when
God shall place you in the sovereignty over this people, you will take
care to provide a remedy and reformation herein, and also of that sin of
excessive drinking and swearing with which the people are so much
infected, and which may cause a fear lest the anger of God should go
forth against this nation; but it will be very much in your power to
apply a fit remedy to these evils, and doubtless God will require it at
your hands, as his vicegerent.
_Pr._ I have not heard many soldiers discourse in this strain; but I like
it well, and it becomes you; and I hope God will assist me, if He shall
call me to the government of this people, to acquit my duty to Him and to
His people for the restraining of these sins, which I acknowledge are too
common among us.
_Wh._ In doing so, you will render service to God, and find His blessing
to accompany such most pious, most honourable, and truly royal
endeavours; and I hope your Highness will not think amiss of this liberty
which your servant hath taken, to speak to you of these things.
_Pr._ I am so far from thinking amiss of it or taking in ill part what
you have said to me, that I do most heartily thank you for it, and do
promise that I shall be mindful to put in practice the good counsel you
have given me, as soon as it shall please God to give me an opportunity
for it, and that the temper of this people will bear it; being convinced
of the duty which lies upon me herein, and the service and honour which
will thereby be done to God and to the people of this kingdom, both in
respect to their temporal and eternal estate.
_Wh._ I am very glad to find your Royal Highness so sensible hereof, and
shall humbly and earnestly leave it to your thoughts.
_Pr._ I hope I shall not forget it.[268]
They had other discourse touching the princes and states of Christendom,
particularly of the House of Austria, and of the design of the Papists
against the Protestants, the which, and the increase of the interest of
Rome, Whitelocke said could not be better prevented than by a conjunction
of the Protestants; to which the Prince fully agreed. The Prince took
his leave of Whitelocke with very great respect and civility.
After the Prince was gone, there came to Whitelocke Grave Eric Oxenstiern
and Lagerfeldt, to take their leaves of Whitelocke, they being to go to
Stockholm by command of the Ricksdag; and Grave Eric gave unto Whitelocke
a paper, in French, of damage sustained by a Swedish ship taken and
brought into London, which he recommended to Whitelocke to be a means
that satisfaction might be procured.
[SN: Whitelocke goes to a running at the ring.]
Whitelocke being informed that now at the Court, among other solemnities
and entertainments to welcome the Prince, the gallants used the exercise
and recreation of running at the ring, a pleasure noble and useful as to
military affairs, improving horsemanship, and teaching the guidance of
the lance, a weapon still used by horsemen in these parts of the world;
this generous exercise having been in use in England in Whitelocke's
memory, who had seen the lords, in presence of the King and Queen and a
multitude of spectators, in the tilt-yards at Whitehall and at St.
James's House, where the King, when he was Prince, used also that
recreation: it made Whitelocke the more desirous to see the same again,
and whether, as they used it here, it were the same with that he had
seen in England. He went _incognito_ in the coach of General Douglas,
without any of his train, to the place where the running at the ring was.
He would not go into the room where the Queen and Prince and great lords
were, but sat below in a room where the judges of the course were, with
divers other gentlemen, who, though they knew Whitelocke very well, yet
seeing him cast his cloak over his shoulder, as desiring not to be known,
they would take no notice of him--a civility in these and other countries
usual.
The Senator Vanderlin, Grave Tott, and the Baron Steinberg were the
challengers to all the rest; and of the other part were Marshal Wrangel,
Grave Jacob de la Gardie, and nine or ten others. All were well mounted;
Wrangel upon an English horse, given him by Whitelocke. Their clothes,
scarfs, feathers, and all accoutrements, both of men and horse, were very
gallant. They ran for a prize which the Queen had ordained, and they
comported themselves with much activeness and bravery; and it was the
same exercise which Whitelocke had formerly seen in his own country.
_May 19, 1654._
[SN: The Sound Dues.]
Woolfeldt visited Whitelocke in the morning, and brought with him a paper
concerning the Sound, written in French with his own hand, wherein he
showed much affection to the Protector and to England, and as much
distaste to his own country. The paper Whitelocke laid up, and
transcribed in a larger treatise.
[SN: Effect of the Prince's visit.]
Woolfeldt acquainted Whitelocke that the public ministers in this Court
discoursed much of the extraordinary respect showed by the Prince to the
English Ambassador, both in his reception and the Prince's visit to him.
And particularly the Danish Ambassador was greatly discontented, and said
that never any ambassador had that honour done him before, and it was so
far beyond what he had received that he knew not how to bear it; that the
entertainment of public ministers of the same character ought to be with
the same ceremony, and not one to be preferred so much as the English
Ambassador had been before others of equal quality with him, and much
matter of complaint of that nature; which being reported to the Prince,
he said that neither the Danish Ambassador nor any other public minister
had cause to complain that he had not given them the respect due to their
several qualities; and if he, out of a particular affection to the
English Protector and Ambassador, had a mind to express more than
ordinary particular respects to them, it was no wrong or cause of
complaint to any other public minister, who had what was due to him,
because another had perhaps more than was due to him; and he said he
understood not why his condition should render him less capable than
other gentlemen to show particular respects where they did bear a
particular affection.
General Douglas, a Scottish gentleman in great favour and honour in this
country, came late this year to the Court, being hindered by a violent
ague upon his coming hither. He made frequent visits to Whitelocke, and
expressed much of respect and civility to him as his countryman.
[SN: Whitelocke dines with General Douglas.]
This day Whitelocke was to dine with Douglas by a solemn invitation; and
during the whole time of his residence in this Court he never was invited
to any of their tables, but now to Douglas, and before to Grave Eric,
notwithstanding the freedom of his table to most of them. With Whitelocke
were invited his two sons, Potley, Beake, and Croke. There they met Grave
John Oxenstiern, Wrangel, Wittenberg, Bundt, Horne, Vanderlin, Colonel
Bannier, and one of the Prince's servants. Of these that thus met, nine
had been in commission as generals, two of the English and of the Swedes
seven, which was noted as very observable. They sat at table in the same
manner as they did at Grave Eric's entertainment, Whitelocke in the midst
of the table, the company in their ranks on either side, and all the
dinner they sat bare.
The entertainment was very high and noble, as could be had in this place,
and four courses very full, which made a long dinner, in which time
Whitelocke was solicited often to begin and pledge healths, which he
would not do, but left others to their liberty, as he desired his. The
healths they drank among themselves were in large beer-glasses of sack,
which made them discourse the more freely; and most of it was of England
and the late troubles there, of particular passages of the war, of
Scotland, of the fleet now at sea, and the Dutch treaty; in all which
Whitelocke gave them some satisfaction, as they did to him touching the
Queen's resignation, the present Ricksdag, and the new King's coronation.
[SN: Whitelocke receives a jewel from the Prince.]
The same gentleman who had been before from the Prince with Whitelocke, a
Baron of great account, first gentleman of the Prince's bedchamber, a
proper, well accomplished person, came to Whitelocke by command of the
Prince, with remembrance of his Highness's hearty respects and affection
to Whitelocke. After some compliments passed, the Baron took out of his
pocket a little box of crimson velvet, and told Whitelocke that his Royal
Highness had commanded him to present to Whitelocke that token of the
Prince's love and respects to him, and, opening the box, showed to
Whitelocke a noble jewel, a case of gold enamelled, the one side of it
set thick all over with diamonds, some of them fair ones, and on the
other side was the Prince's picture, lively and well taken.
The Baron said to Whitelocke that the Prince desired his excuse because
in so short a time he could not procure a better present, but he desired
Whitelocke to accept of this as a testimony of his affection to him.
Whitelocke answered, that he had not merited so much favour from his
Royal Highness, but desired the Baron to return his hearty thanks to the
Prince, which he would also do himself when he had the honour to come in
his presence.
[SN: Account of presents made by Whitelocke.]
Upon this occasion Whitelocke took account of the presents which he had
in this Court, besides the several and many gratuities and rewards which
he had formerly bestowed on many of the Queen's inferior servants, as
musicians, guards, pages, lacqueys, trumpets, coachmen, wardrobe men, and
others; to whom he had been liberal, to a considerable sum, necessary in
his judgement to be done for the honour of his nation, and agreeable to
what had been constantly by ambassadors there before him.
Besides these smaller matters, first he sent to the Queen eight black
English horses, very handsome, large, brave, and useful horses for the
coach, and now in good case; four saddle-horses he had formerly
presented to her, all of them were in this place worth to be sold £1000.
The looking-glass which he gave the Queen when she was his Valentine was
worth £100, besides an English Bible richly bound, English stuffs, a
cabinet of spirits, and other smaller presents. The Queen's officers gave
no reward to Whitelocke's gentleman of his horse, the clerk of his
stable, or to his coachman and people that carried them, though it was
presumed that the Queen had ordered it, as she had done upon other the
like occasions.
To the Prince Whitelocke presented seven bay English horses, very
handsome and serviceable for the coach; for which the Prince returned
many thanks, being most acceptable to him, as he expressed, and sent a
chain of gold of the value of two hundred ducats to Captain Crispe,
yeoman of Whitelocke's stables, and twenty-five ducats to the servants of
Whitelocke's stable. To the Prince, Whitelocke also presented a young
English gelding of Fenwicke's breed, very handsome and mettlesome; the
more esteemed by Whitelocke, and afterwards by the Prince, when he heard
that it had been given to Whitelocke by his General.
To the old Chancellor Whitelocke presented a hogshead of good Canary
wine, and a sober, handsome, strong, well-paced English pad nag, and one
of his richest saddles. To Wrangel he gave an English gelding; to Tott
another; to Wittenberg another; to Steinberg another; to Douglas another;
and to such of the great men as the Queen directed. To Lagerfeldt he gave
a clock, excellently made, which he used to have constantly with him.
To Secretary Canterstein he sent his secretary Earle with a silver
standish, curiously wrought; at sight of which Canterstein seemed much
discontented, till Earle showed him the manner of opening the standish,
and in it forty pieces of English gold, of jacobuses, which made the
present very acceptable. In like manner Whitelocke sent to the master of
the ceremonies an English beaver hat, with a gold hatband, and a pair of
rich English gloves; at which the Master seemed offended, saying that
ambassadors used to send better presents to the master of ceremonies; but
being desired to try if the gloves would fit him, he found therein forty
twenty-shilling pieces of English gold, and thereby much satisfaction in
the present.
To Grave Eric's lady Whitelocke presented a clock of the new make, to
hang by the wall, set in ebony, with rich studs of silver. To "la Belle
Comtesse," the Lady Jane Ruthven and other ladies, he presented English
gloves, ribbons, silk stockings, and the like, which are of great account
with them.
All the presents given away by Whitelocke in this court were estimated
above £3000, and the jewels and copper bestowed on him were near the same
value; so that none could accuse him to be a receiver of rewards, or that
he had enriched himself by this employment.
[SN: Whitelocke takes leave of the Prince and exhorts him.]
Whitelocke had desired this day another audience of the Prince to take
his leave; and towards the evening the master of the ceremonies came with
two of the Queen's coaches and brought Whitelocke to the Prince's
lodging, who received him with the like or greater respect than he had
done before. They went directly together to the Prince's cabinet, where
two chairs were set. They discoursed about half an hour upon the same
subjects as their last discourse was; and now also Whitelocke earnestly
advised the Prince to those things which would tend to the honour of God
and to the reformation of disorders, drunkenness, swearing, and
profanation of the Lord's Day, which Whitelocke told him God would
require at his hands to see reformed when he should be called to the
government of this kingdom, with much to the like effect; esteeming it
seasonable for him to take this opportunity of pressing these things to
the Prince, as he also did liberty of conscience, and what he hoped was
for promoting the interest of Christ in these countries. The Prince gave
good ear to these things, and seemed sensible of what was said to him;
and by his answers gave hopes that when he should come to the opportunity
he would endeavour the reformation of those great reigning sins in his
country, whereof he professed his own detestation.
Whitelocke going to take his leave, the Prince desired him to stay
longer, as pleased with the discourse on this subject; but Whitelocke was
desired by the master of the ceremonies not to continue longer with the
Prince, because the Queen staid within purposely for Whitelocke's coming
to her. At his parting the Prince desired Whitelocke to testify his
respects to the Protector and Commonwealth of England; and told
Whitelocke that he might assure himself of a most entire affection to his
person from the Prince, who wished him a happy return to his own country.
[SN: Visits the Queen, to take leave;]
From the Prince Whitelocke made a visit to the Queen. Grave Tott
conducted him to her bedchamber, where they discoursed about half an hour
touching her Majesty's affairs. She again mentioned her purpose of going
to the Spa, and to go thither by land; she desired Whitelocke not to
speak much of it; she said that perhaps she might yet see him at
Stockholm, but, if she did not, that she would write a letter to the
Protector, and send it thither to Whitelocke, upon the subject of which
they had formerly spoken.
Whitelocke advised her, as he had done before, and promised to take care
of her letter to the Protector, and to improve his interest the best he
could for effecting what her Majesty desired, in case there should be
occasion for it. She thanked Whitelocke for his advice, wherewith she
seemed to be pleased, and resolved to observe it; and expressed very
great respect and affection to the Protector and to Whitelocke, whom she
desired to assure the Protector in her Majesty's name of the sincere
affection and honour which she did bear him, and which she should
continue, in whatsoever condition she should be. She wished Whitelocke a
happy voyage, and with many compliments, full of great respect and
civility, but not so cheerful as formerly; she twice gave him her hand to
kiss, and so took leave of him.
[SN: and the Chancellor.]
From the Court Whitelocke went and visited the Chancellor, and delivered
to him (what he had before promised and was put in mind to do) an
engagement under his hand to procure a supply of the defect of power,
which they excepted to in his commission. The engagement was thus:--
"Polliceor plenam me mihi potentiam ac facultatem procuraturum à sua
Serenissima Celsitudine Domino meo, Domino Protectore Reipublicæ
Angliæ, Scotiæ, et Hiberniæ, intra trimestre spatium, ab appulsu
meo in quemlibet portum Angliæ, ad supplendum qualemcunque defectum
facultatis ac potentiæ mihi antehac datæ, ad tractandum cum
Serenissima Majestate sua Regina Sueciæ aut commissariis suis, et ad
rata habenda omnia, quæ inter Majestatem suam vel suos commissarios
et me conclusa fuerint. Datum Upsaliæ 18^o Maii, anno Domini 1654.
"BULSTRODE WHITELOCKE."
The Chancellor and Whitelocke fell into discourse touching their
Ricksdag; part whereof follows.
[SN: The Swedish Diet and Constitution.]
_Whitelocke._ I received much satisfaction in the favour of being
admitted to see the manner of the meeting and proceedings of your
Ricksdag, and shall be glad to be instructed by you touching some of the
passages of it.
_Chancellor._ I shall be ready to inform you the best I can in these
matters, and I have had some experience in them.
_Wh._ In that and all other matters touching the government of this
kingdom, I believe no man's experience or judgement will be opposed to
yours. I pray, Father, let me know the ground of proposals being made by
the Queen to the Ricksdag, and whether it be as I have heard, that they
consult of nothing but what is first proposed to them by the Queen.
_Chan._ That is very true, and is the ground of our quiet and of avoiding
factions among us; for where a Council consists of seven or eight hundred
men, as our Ricksdag doth, and they hold themselves to have an equal
liberty and power, and are most of them active spirits; if every one
amongst them might move and propound what he pleased according to his own
fancy, there would never be an end of proposals and debates, and they
would break out into several factions and the greater affairs of the
kingdom be retarded, and many times thrust out to make way for lesser
matters for the most part but of private interest. Therefore the wisdom
of our Government hath so ordered it that nothing is to be consulted upon
or debated by the Ricksdag, but what is first proposed to them in writing
by the King, who hath the advice of the Senators therein; and such
matters as are by them judged necessary for the good of the kingdom are
by the King proposed to the Ricksdag for their counsel in them.
_Wh._ This may be a good way to preserve your quiet; but may it not be
ill for the rights and liberty of the people? As to instance in
particular, if it be requisite that a new law be made relating to the
people's liberty, wherein the former laws may be defective, by this
course it rests only in the power of the King and Senate whether this
matter shall ever come to consideration or not; for, unless they will
propound it, no consideration can be had of it; and though it may be
necessary as to the people's rights, yet then probably it may be against
the King's power, and in that case the King will never propose it to the
Ricksdag, because it makes against his power and prerogative; and so the
people are by this course debarred of the means of supplying any defect
as to their rights and liberties, unless the King, to lessen his own
power, will first propose it to them.
_Chan._ This were an inconvenience if the people's rights and liberties
were not already settled; but, by our laws, the boundaries of the King's
power and of the people's rights are sufficiently known and established,
as the King can make no law nor alter or repeal any, nor impose any tax,
nor compel men to go out of the kingdom without the assent of the
Ricksdag; and in that Council, which is supreme in this kingdom, every
man's vote and assent is included by the deputies of the Clergy,
Boroughs, and Boors, which are respectively elected, and by the chiefs of
the Nobility; so that all sorts of people have their share, either in
person or by their deputies, in the Supreme Council of the kingdom, by
whom only those great matters can be done; and this being certain and
settled, any alteration in those points tends but to further uncertainty
and mischief. And if debates might be had of additions to the King's
power, or to the people's liberty, it would but occasion attempts of
encroaching of one upon the other, and bring trouble and uncertainty to
both; whereas they being already clearly defined and known, and that
there is no means of altering either of them, both the King and people
are content with what they have, and endeavour nothing of disquiet unto
either.
_Wh._ But this further debars the people from having any new law at all
made, except such only as the King shall think fit, for he only can
propose them; and it is a necessary thing to supply defects in laws and
to make new ones, according as times and circumstances varying shall
minister occasion.
_Chan._ There is nothing more prejudicial to any government than
multitude of laws, which is prevented by this course of ours; nor is
there any necessity of new laws where both the public rights and private
men's property are provided for by the laws in being, which in all
nations is from the original of their civil settlement taken care of. And
though time and variety of accidents may occasion some defects in old
laws, yet it is better they should be borne with than an inundation of
new laws to be let in, which causeth uncertainty, ignorance, different
expositions, and repugnances in the laws, and are the parents of
contention.
_Wh._ But I suppose your Ricksdag hath liberty to complain of
maladministration and corruption in officers and judges, and to punish
them and cause redress of grievances; else the people are remediless
against those public crimes, without the grace and favour of the Prince
to do it of himself, which every Prince in all times will not do.
_Chan._ The Ricksdag may complain to the King of any offence or
misdemeanour committed by any great officer, and of any public grievance
to the people; whereupon the King and Senate are very ready (as it
behoves them in justice and prudence) to give a remedy, which they are
the more induced to do, because otherwise the people's Deputies, who have
the power of the purse, may be the more backward to supply the King's
occasions with money or men; and this is a good tie upon the Court, to
procure justice and redress of grievances.
_Wh._ Your laws are founded upon great reason and prudence, and in these
and most other main parts and particulars of them, ours are the same in
England; but a liberty of proposing anything in our Parliament belongs to
every member of it.
_Chan._ That hath been a great occasion of all your troubles.
_Wh._ I expected to have heard my father, the Ricks-Chancellor, to have
made an harangue in the Ricksdag, to have acquainted them, as it is with
us, with the causes of their meeting.
_Chan._ I confess it belongs to my place to have done it; but, by reason
of an oath I had taken to my king, to endeavour to keep the crown on his
daughter's head, and this assembly was called that she might resign it;
therefore I desired to be excused from making that proposal.
_Wh._ Indeed her Majesty spake herself with an excellent grace and
spirit, which was a wonder to see it done by a young lady to so great and
grave an assembly; and the matter of her speech, as it was interpreted to
me, was pertinent and full of weight.
_Chan._ Indeed she spake very well and materially, and like a prince.
_Wh._ I am sorry my time calls me away from further enjoyment of my
father's excellent conversation.
_Chan._ I shall be glad if my noble son would afford me more of his
company, in which I take so much contentment.
_Wh._ My journey tomorrow hastens me away, and occasions your less
trouble.
_Chan._ I pray assure the Protector of the respect and high value I have
for him, and of my devoted mind to serve him in anything within my power
in this kingdom.
_Wh._ You have been pleased largely to testify this in my transactions,
and your noble favours and respects to your son.
_Chan._ You may be confident of my affection and love to you; and I
desire you to be a friend to my countrymen in England, and to take upon
you their patronage in all just causes.
_Wh._ I shall be ready upon all occasions to perform all good offices to
your Excellence and to your family, and to all of this nation; and shall
satisfy the Protector of your affections for him, and of your kindness to
his servant.
_Chan._ I am now an old man, and whilst I continue alive I shall do all
that lies in my power to serve the Protector and the Commonwealth of
England, and shall embrace your Excellence with a special bond of
friendship, and will leave it in charge to my sons, when I am dead, to do
the same.
_Wh._ I shall also enjoin my children to continue that obligation of
friendship which I have contracted with your Excellence and your family.
_Chan._ I shall but add this further, to pray to God that of His mercy He
would vouchsafe to you a prosperous return to your own country, and that
you may find there all your family and friends in a comfortable and happy
condition.
[SN: Takes leave of Oxenstiern.]
Thus the Chancellor and Whitelocke took leave of one another with as much
kindness and respect as could be expressed.[283]
Whitelocke being returned to his house, Grave John Oxenstiern came to
visit him; and having heard that Whitelocke took it ill that he had put
off a visit desired by Whitelocke to this high Grave, yet now he was
pleased to descend to excuse it to Whitelocke, because his lodging was
strait and inconvenient, not fit to receive a person of Whitelocke's
quality, and his lady was at that time very much indisposed in health.
The Senator Benk Schütt came in the evening to visit Whitelocke, and
discoursed freely with him touching the Queen's resignation and their
new King, and did not testify much of respect to the Chancellor by
informing Whitelocke that yesterday, at the castle, there was a great
rub, as he called it, given by the Queen to the Chancellor before the
Prince and the rest of the Senators; the occasion whereof was about the
island of Elsey, which the Queen desired as part of her provision, to
which the Chancellor said, that it was worthy the consideration; the
Queen replied, "What! is my integrity then questioned?" The Chancellor
answered, that he did not question her Majesty's integrity, but spake
only for her security and better satisfaction in what she desired. The
Queen said, "I understand Swedish well enough, and it was not becoming
you to question my integrity at all." Schütt said, that at this passage
the rest of the senators were pleased, and that the Prince seemed in
this, and all other occasions, to be of the Queen's mind, and to grant
her more rather than less of what she desired, which was wisdom in him.
Senator Vanderlin visited Whitelocke, and, among other discourses,
acquainted him the passages of the proposal for the Queen to have married
the Prince; that for this purpose the Prince was sent for out of Germany,
and the Queen seemed inclinable to the match; yet, after the Prince was
come, she used him with a strangeness which was occasioned by the
whisperings of Grave Magnus de la Gardie to the Queen, that when the
Prince was in Germany he was too familiar with some ladies; at which
information, he said, the Queen was so enraged that the Prince should go
to other women, that she thereupon resolved not to marry him, but was
otherwise very courteous and full of respect to him. Whitelocke did not
dispute the authenticness of this relation, but wondered at it from a
senator, touching him who was to be a king, and to use so much freedom on
such a subject to a stranger.
General Douglas, the Ricks-Admiral, and Senator Bielke, also visited
Whitelocke this evening while Vanderlin was with him; they discoursed of
the discontent which the Dutch Resident expressed before his going away,
because more respect was shown to Whitelocke by the Queen and Prince, and
by the Senators and great men here, than they had shown to the Dutch
Resident, who said he was a public minister as well as the English
Ambassador. Whitelocke said it was true, as the Dutch Resident had
remembered, that he was a public minister; and it might be supposed, that
being so, he should understand the difference between a Resident and an
Ambassador Extraordinary; and also between the Commonwealth of the United
Provinces of the Netherlands, and that of England, Scotland, and Ireland.
The Swedish Lords replied, that if the Dutch Resident did not understand
it, nor himself, that yet it was sufficiently known in this place, and
that the Resident was but laughed at for his exceptions, as being without
cause, and showing his want of experience in matters of this nature.
After the Ricks-Admiral and Bielke were gone, Vanderlin and Douglas staid
with Whitelocke and used great freedom of discourse with him, expressing
extraordinary respect to the Protector and Commonwealth of England, and
very much affection and kindness to Whitelocke, in whom they expressed
great confidence. They staid with him till past twelve o'clock at night,
inconvenient in respect of his intended journey the next day; but their
company was very pleasing, and they took leave with great civility and
kindness from each to other of them.
_May 20, 1654._
[SN: Whitelocke commences his journey back to England.]
Whitelocke began his longed-for journey of return to England. He had
taken his leave of the Queen, Prince, Senators, and all his friends in
Upsal. His business, through the goodness of God, was successfully
despatched; himself and all his people in good health, and exceeding
joyful to be on their journey homewards. He left not a penny of debt to
any in this country, nor any unrewarded who had done him service; for his
hospitality, wherein no ambassador in this Court ever exceeded him, for
his conversation and dealing with all sorts of people, he had gained
their love, and left no ill name behind him. The greatest part of his
baggage, and most of his inferior servants, were on board a great hoy of
the Queen's, to go by water to Stockholm; he and the rest of his people
went by land, in order to which, upon his desire, the Hof-Stallmaster, by
the Queen's command, had sent yesterday six coach-horses to be ready in
the midway from Upsal to Stockholm, and this morning he sent six other
horses with Whitelocke's blue coach to his lodging, to carry him the
first half way of this day's journey, driven by the Queen's coachman.
Berkman had provided a sufficient number of saddle-horses, if they might
be so called, he having forgot to cause saddles to be brought with them
for Whitelocke's people, so that most of them were forced to make shift
with straw and cushions instead of saddles; and many of the bits and
stirrups were such as they had been acquainted with in their journey from
Gothenburg hither; and thus they rode the two first stages.
Whitelocke took coach between seven and eight o'clock in the morning, Sir
George Fleetwood, Potley, Ingelo, and Andrews, in his coach with him; the
rest on horseback; they came about noon to the place where fresh horses
staid for them, and did not tarry long there, wanting good entertainment,
but, taking fresh horses both for coach and saddle, they proceeded in
their journey. The country through which they passed was better than that
near the sea, less rocky and more fruitful, not so replenished with seats
of the nobility further off, as nearer to Stockholm. By the way they met
General Axy Lyllye, a Senator of Sweden, newly returned out of Germany,
and another Senator with him; they alighted out of their coach when
Whitelocke came near them, who, seeing that, did alight also. The General
had lost one of his legs in the German wars, and now carried one of wood;
he and his companion were very civil in their salutation and discourse
with Whitelocke, and after compliments, and inquiry by Whitelocke of the
German news, they took leave and parted.
Whitelocke and his company arrived between five and six o'clock in the
evening at Stockholm, the journey being seven Swedish leagues, about
forty English miles. As he came in the suburbs, he saw a sad sight of
many houses lately burnt down, and some pulled down to prevent the
further raging of the fire, which had consumed many scores of houses in
that place; and it brought to Whitelocke's remembrance, that one evening
at Upsal, in his chamber window, he saw a great fire in a dorf about half
a league from the town, which he observed, almost in a moment, to flash
from one end of the dorf to the other, consuming all in its way,--and
thus it was said to have been in these suburbs. The reason thereof is the
combustible matter whereof their houses are built, being of fir timber
and boards, which, especially being old, do suddenly take fire, and
violently burn, hard to be quenched, few houses escaping, especially in
the dorfs, where one is on fire; which causeth more than ordinary care in
the inhabitants of all places to prevent that fearful danger.
Berkman conducted Whitelocke to a lodging in the suburbs, over-against
the castle, which was used for an inn. This being post-night, Whitelocke
made up his despatches for England, which he had prepared at Upsal, where
he wrote his letters, but dated them from Stockholm, that his friends in
England might thereby perceive that he was in his journey homewards,
which he knew would be no small contentment to them.
_May 21, 1654._
[SN: Stockholm.]
Being the Lord's Day, divers Scotch merchants, inhabitants of this city,
and some English, came to Whitelocke's lodging to hear the sermon in the
morning, and many of them did him the honour to dine with him; he had
conference with them, and good advice from them, about his voyage to
England and other matters. Lagerfeldt came also to salute Whitelocke,
and to know what service he had for him, before his going from hence
this evening. Whitelocke desired him to speak to the master of the
customs, touching the shipping of his copper and other goods, custom
free; and Whitelocke prayed Lagerfeldt also to speak to Vice-Admiral
Wrangel, that the ship appointed for his transportation (which was now in
the road in view of Whitelocke's lodging) might, with as much speed as
could be, fall down to the Dollars; which he promised to do.
Wrangel sent to invite Whitelocke to go this afternoon to see the ships,
but Whitelocke excused it by reason of the day, and sent word that
tomorrow, if he pleased, he would wait upon him; and desired his advice
touching his voyage. In the evening Lagerfeldt came again to Whitelocke,
to give him an account what he had done by his appointment, and told
Whitelocke that he should have all contentment. With Lagerfeldt came
Monsieur de Geeres to visit Whitelocke, who gave him thanks for a vessel
of claret wine which De Geeres had sent to Whitelocke, who said he hoped
he should not stay long enough to drink it out in this place.
[SN: The Queen's garden at Stockholm.]
At Upsal Whitelocke was carried to see the Queen's garden, which scarce
deserved that name, being only a piece of ground of about four or five
acres, paled in according to the manner of their paling, and had in it a
few hedges which, in the latter end of May, upon the thaw, began to
appear a little green; but for flowers or fruit-trees there were none,
except a few ordinary tulips. This put Whitelocke in mind to inquire if
the Queen had a better garden here at Stockholm, where her residence
usually was. The Swedes excused the meanness of the garden at Upsal
because the Court was seldom there, but here they commended the garden,
and offered Whitelocke the favour to see it. He went about seven o'clock
this evening to view it, and to walk in the Queen's garden here. It was
near unto his lodging, but at a distance from the castle; it is about six
or seven acres of ground, encompassed with a pale, on which they bestow
timber enough in the posts and rails, and the pales are not set upright
one by another, but crosswise one upon another, between two great posts,
with rivets for the pales to be put into, and so to fall down one upon
the other; and the pales are two inches thick or more, made of fir
timber, and the posts and rails of oak.
This garden was distinguished into walks not well kept nor gravelled, but
most of them green; few flowers were to be seen there, though more than
at Upsal, and most of these were tulips not extraordinary. The sides of
the walks were set with elm-trees and the like, but no fruit-trees were
there, nor are they common in this cold country, only, as they informed
Whitelocke, in some places they have a few trees of plums, and small
cherries, and of apples; but he saw none in regard of the season, nor do
many persons in these parts delight in gardens or in planting fruits or
flowers, this climate not encouraging thereunto; yet here were great
boxes of wood with orange-trees, citron-trees, and myrtle-trees, very
young, planted in them; how they thrived was not much visible.
At Whitelocke's lodging some of his people made the greater fires to air
the rooms, because the plague had been lately in this city, and in that
house the chimneys, it seems, being foul, and full of soot, were the
sooner set on fire; and when Whitelocke came from walking in the garden
he found his lodging on fire. It was a stack of chimneys which took fire;
a multitude of people were ready about the house to help to quench the
fire, and the officers of the city were there to order the people.
Whitelocke was surprised with this unexpected accident and danger,
amongst such houses; but after an hour's flame, the soot being spent and
burnt, the fire went out of itself; and it was a mercy that the wind set
to carry the flame towards a house which was tiled, whereas, if it had
set the other way, it had carried the flame upon houses all built and
covered with wood, to the extreme danger of Whitelocke's lodging and the
whole city.
_May 22, 1654._
[SN: The harbour of Stockholm and Swedish fleet.]
In the morning Berkman conducted Whitelocke to the haven, where lay many
boats and vessels great and small, and much iron upon the quay, which is
convenient, but not much stored. They passed by many fair houses
belonging to the great Lords.
In the afternoon Wrangel came to Whitelocke, and conducted him to see the
Queen's ships, which lie round about an island called by them the Holm,
into which island none are permitted to enter without special license.
This is a good harbour for the ships there to anchor safely. There lay
about fifty ships of war, some of them carrying eighty pieces of cannon,
some sixty, some fifty, some forty, some thirty, and all of them well
fitted and useful, strongly built, but not so nimble and serviceable for
fight as our English frigates. Wrangel was now in his element, and
discoursed much with Whitelocke about the make and force and goodness of
these ships, their force and brass cannon, which were commended by
Whitelocke, who showed the difference in the make between these ships and
the English frigates; that these, for strength to endure an assault and
make defence, were very good, but that the English frigates had much
advantage in their nimble tacking about, their fleet sailing to fetch up
another ship, and the lying of their guns for use of fighting; with which
discourse Wrangel seemed much pleased, and he preferred their brass
cannon before those of iron, which Whitelocke assented unto as not so
soon hot with firing, nor so apt to break and splinter, and do harm to
their own men as the iron ordnance are.
Within this island is the office of the Admiralty, in a fair brick house
built for that purpose; in another building there are the forges for all
the iron-work belonging to the ships; there also are the timber yards,
well stored, and places for the workmen and ship-carpenters. They were
shown there likewise the magazine of powder, bullet, match, grenadoes,
with other fire instruments; also the bake-houses, where they make
provision of biscuit for the ships; it is a great room paved with stone,
wherein are three ovens for baking, and a large cellar in which they
store the biscuit. There be also stores for pork, peas, and other ship
provisions, all in very good order, and carefully looked unto.
Whitelocke went on board divers of the ships, taking notice of their
strength and furniture, and among them he went on board several great
ships which Wrangel had taken in fight from the King of Denmark, which at
present were not serviceable; but his commendation of that action, and
of these ships of war lying here, was due to them, and not unpleasing to
those who showed them to him. They returned by boat, making the tour of
the island; and as they passed by the ships of war, they all saluted
Whitelocke with two guns apiece, which number they do not exceed. As they
passed along, Whitelocke was desired to go on board the 'Hercules,' a
great and good ship lying there, which carried eighty pieces of ordnance,
all brass; and being brought into the captain's cabin, he found there the
table covered, and a banquet set upon it of sweetmeats of divers sorts,
with which, and with plenty of excellent Rhenish wine, they did with
great respect and civility entertain Whitelocke and his company. From
thence they brought him to his lodging, weary enough with his voyage and
the extreme heat of the weather.
[SN: Position of Stockholm.]
The island which Whitelocke viewed this day, and many other greater and
smaller islands, upon which are buildings, do make up this city, which by
some is resembled for the situation of it unto the city of Venice, which
stands as this doth, upon several islands in the sea. The waters are
great and deep about this city, which is compassed with mountains, except
only where they give way to the passage of the waters. The town, in the
prospect of it, seems to be as in the midst of the circuit of the
mountains, and as it were composed of divers pieces, each of them apart
making a good town, and so appear as several villages separated by the
many arms of water, or by the Lake Mälaren, which come hither to meet one
another, and make the large and deep water; and it seems to be the
diameter of the mountains, and now all plain, by carrying away the earth
of a hill within it, and the stones therewith filling up ditches and
uneven grounds, and serving for foundations for their buildings, and to
make their streets even and handsome; so that now it is all level, as if
no hill had ever been. One of their authors saith that it is "loco et
situ commodissimo, inter eximium dulcem lacum Mæler ipsumque Balticum
mare in insula fundatum."
The inhabitants (who should best know it) affirm that the situation of
this town is very healthful, and that notwithstanding the vast quantity
of waters that do surround it, yet they are not troubled with agues, or
other diseases, so much as other parts of the country. It is too, in the
view of it, pleasant and noble for the situation; and the grounds about
it are dry and wholesome, yet fruitful. The streets are some of them
large, others more narrow; most of them are straight, the houses being
equally advanced and set together. In the heart of the city they are for
the most part built of stone or brick, making the fairer show by their
height of four or five stories. From the North Holm or suburbs to the
east is a bridge of wood, very long; from the island where the ships lie
they pass another bridge to another island, both small ones, and at the
mouth of the harbour for the ships of war, extending about half a league,
between which and the continent are the waters of the lake and of the
rivers which pass through the town from the west; from the north to the
east is a park of deer, pleasant with trees and shade, contributing to
the delight and health of the inhabitants; and, taken altogether, from
the prospect of the mountains upon the churches, castle, houses, waters,
and ships, the town appears noble and beautiful.
[SN: Legend of Stockholm.]
Whitelocke having been at the island where the ships lie, and observed it
to be called the Holm, and other islands to have the same name of Holm,
and Holm to be the same which we call an island, and this city named
Stockholm, caused his inquiry of the original of this name of Stockholm;
he was informed, in a kind of pleasant story, which is not without some
probability, and the earnest affirmations of the inhabitants, who from
tradition may be supposed best to know it, that the original of the name
Stockholm was thus:--That there was a certain great and rich town called
Bieurkoo, situate upon the lake between Upsal and this place, whereof
some ruins are yet to be seen. The number of the people in that town
increasing so much that the inhabitants could not be therein contained,
they held a council what was fit to be done; they also consulted their
idol gods, to whom they offered sacrifices and prayers for their
direction. The issue was this: they came to a resolution that part of
their people should go forth from them, as a colony, to seek for a new
habitation, as is usual in these northern countries; that they should
find out a place, and build them a new city to dwell in; and how to find
out and agree upon this place was thus determined: they took a great
block or piece of wood, to which they fastened some gold, and set the
block a-swimming in the water, and agreed that there they would build the
new town where their gods (to whom they had committed this affair) should
cause the block to stay; this block floated, and, descending down the
lake, at length staid at a little island about the midst of this city.
Such an island here (as in our north parts) is called Holm, and such a
great block or piece of wood is by them (as with us) called a stock; and
because this stock staid at this Holm, therefore here they built their
city, and called it Stockholm; which, by degrees, and adding one holm or
island to another, became of its present greatness.
_May 23, 1654._
[SN: The Magistrates of Stockholm address Whitelocke.]
Berkman brought to Whitelocke's lodging this morning two of the
magistrates of this city, deputed by their body, and in their name, to
salute Whitelocke and bid him welcome to this place. One of them made a
speech to Whitelocke, which was interpreted out of the Swedish by Berkman
into French, to this effect:--
"My Lord Ambassador,
"The Senate of this city have deputed us in their name to salute
your Excellence, and to bid you welcome to this place, where the
magistrates and citizens are desirous to embrace any occasion
presented to them, whereby they may testify the great respect and
honour which they bear to his most Serene Highness the Lord
Protector, and to the Commonwealth of England.
"They are likewise very glad of the occasion given them to express
their joy for the happy alliance and friendship concluded between
this kingdom and the Commonwealth of England, which we hope will be
to the advantage and good of both nations, and of the Protestant
interest, which is heartily wished by us. We look upon it as a very
great comfort and blessing to this city, that after the misery in
which we have lately been, when it pleased God to visit us with the
pestilence, that the same is now so well and fully removed through
Divine mercy, that we have the happiness to see a person of your
condition vouchsafe his presence with us.
"Whilst the occasions of your Excellence shall stay you here, we
most freely offer our services for your accommodation with
whatsoever this place will afford, which your Excellence may
command; and as a small testimony of the respects of our superiors,
they have caused us to present a vessel of wine unto your
Excellence, whereof they entreat your favourable acceptance."
Whitelocke presently answered them in English, which Berkman interpreted
to them in Swedish, to this effect:--
"Gentlemen,
"I rejoice with you in the mercy and goodness of God to this city,
who hath caused to cease that contagious disease which lately raged
among you, so that your friends (of which number I take the honour
to reckon myself) may freely and safely resort to you, and converse
with you as formerly. I have also some share in your joy for the
friendship and alliance contracted between my Lord the Protector of
the Commonwealth of England, and the Queen and kingdom of Sweden;
wherein I doubt not but, through the blessing of God, both nations
and the whole Protestant interest will have cause to rejoice
likewise: and as my poor endeavours have not been wanting, so my
hearty prayers to God shall be put up that it may come to this
issue; and I shall pray for the continuance of health and prosperity
to this noble city.
"I return you many thanks for your respects to my Lord the Protector
and the Commonwealth whom I serve, whereof I shall not fail (when it
shall please God to give me a return to my own country) to acquaint
them, and to do all offices of respect in my power for your city;
and I desire my thanks may be presented to your honourable Senate
for their particular favour to me, and for their salutation, which I
receive with all gratitude."
Whilst the citizens were with Whitelocke, Wrangel, Vice-Admiral Thysen,
Vice-Admiral Clerke, Sinclair, captain of the 'Amarantha,' and others,
came and did Whitelocke the honour to dine with him, and in the afternoon
carried him to see the cannon which the Swedes had taken from their
enemies, now laid up in a magazine for themselves; there were of them
brass cannon 1100; among them were two pieces taken from the Muscovites,
each of them weighing 18,000 lbs. weight, and carrying a bullet of 96
lbs. weight, as much more as the greatest whole cannon carries. There was
also a basilisk of nineteen feet in length, very extraordinary, and a
great mortar-piece of brass of a fathom and three fingers in diameter at
the mouth of it; with many other pieces of brass ordnance taken from the
Poles in their wars with them, which were now but of little use; nor were
those huge pieces capable to be drawn into the field for any service
there.
_May 24, 1654._
[SN: Monuments and public buildings of Stockholm.]
Whitelocke walked abroad, to see the great church where the late King
Gustavus Adolphus lies interred; but as yet there is no monument erected
to his memory, nor are there others of magnificence or much antiquity in
this or in the other great church, but store of images and crucifixes in
all their churches; their building is of brick, and all their churches
are covered with copper.
Whitelocke went to Wrangel's lodging to requite his visits, but found him
not at home, not having sent beforehand to him. He fetched a little turn
in the city, and they showed him a new building for the Ricksdag, which
they call the Ruder-house, that is, the house of the Knights; it is a
fair building, and the name of it remembers somewhat of the knights of
our Parliament.
In this walk, Whitelocke viewed in the fair street near his lodging the
monument set up to the honour of Queen Christina at her coronation, which
is beautiful to the view. It is a triumphant arch, of the height of the
highest houses, raised upon three arches, which give three passages;
those on each side the more strait and low, the middle arch of twice the
height and wideness of the other two. The frontispiece unto the tops of
the arches is adorned with pillars of a fair work, between which, in the
front of the building, are figured the wars, battles, and victories of
Gustavus the Great: above the pillars are divers images, and above the
middle of the porch is a large tablet, containing in letters of gold the
original of Christina, her virtues, and the occasion of this monument.
The whole building seems fair and stately, and as of stone, but in truth
is only wood plastered over; rather a show, to please for a few years,
than lasting. He also viewed many houses of stone and brick, some whereof
were very fair and adorned with towers and figures, as those of Grave
Magnus de la Gardie, Grave Gustavus Horne, General Bannier, and others,
and many of them beautifully covered with copper.
In the afternoon Wrangel conducted Whitelocke to see the castle, which is
also covered with copper; and that having lain there long, some Dutchmen
are reported to have offered to give £10,000 for the copper, and to cover
the castle again with new copper; the reason whereof they hold to be,
because the copper which hath lain there so long with the sun upon it, is
so refined thereby, and would yield so much gold, that it will yield
what the Dutchmen bid for it and more, besides the charge of new covering
it with copper as before.
This castle is the principal house in this principal city, belonging to
the crown of Sweden; it is a large castle, more for conveniency of a
Court than for stateliness of structure. It is almost four-square, one
way longer than the other, all of brick, plastered over to make it seem
as if it were of freestone, whereof there is not much in these parts fit
for building; the entry into the castle is upon the north quarter; the
south and east side is of fair building, four stories high, the windows
not large. On the west of the quadrangle is the chapel, about a hundred
and thirty feet in length, with the breadth proportionable; it is divided
into three arches, upon two ranges of pillars of marble of this country,
of divers colours, most in red streaks, handsome and polished. On the
windows and walls are several pictures and images, after the manner of
the Lutheran churches. The rooms in the castle are many, some of them
large enough for the state of a Court, and most of those are two stories
high, after the use of this country. The situation of the castle is
pleasant and noble, by the side of the great water, upon which part of it
is built, and the other part upon the island where it stands; and though
of itself it be not of great strength, yet the situation, prospect of the
waters, ships, vessels, islands, and buildings, on the one side, and of
the country to the mountains on the other side, give it the repute of a
princely palace.
In the castle Whitelocke was carried up to a room, a magazine, where were
a very great number of muskets, pikes, swords, and other foot arms,
excellent good, made in this country, of their own iron and steel, and
kept exceeding clean, bright, and well fixed, and were said to be
sufficient to arm ten thousand men completely. On the other side of the
court they brought him to another room, where was a magazine of
horse-arms, cuirassiers, with pistols, bright, well kept, and of an
excellent make; there were also more foot-arms: in all, in this magazine,
two thousand horse-arms, and five thousand foot-arms; and in the other
magazine, ten thousand foot-arms. There were likewise colours, ensigns,
and standards, taken from their enemies, to the number of about eight
hundred; among them one taken by King Gustavus in person, and another,
which Wrangel showed, that he had taken from the Duke of Saxony.
This city is doubtless as well provided of arms and all sorts of
ammunition for war as any place in these parts of Europe, here being,
besides the Queen's stores in the public Arsenal, arms sufficient for
fifty thousand men.
Here also they showed to Whitelocke the lance of the quintain, and,
according to their description of it and its use, it seems to be the same
with the exercise and recreation used anciently in England, and yet
retained in some counties at their marriages, which they likewise call
the running at the quintain. In a great hall they showed to Whitelocke
the skin, stuffed out and standing in the full proportion, of the horse
which the late King Gustavus rode when he was slain; also his bloody
shirt which he then wore, which is carefully preserved in a chest; where
they also keep the jewel which King Gustavus wore at his coronation, and
many rich swords, battle-axes, and other spoils taken from their enemies.
_May 25, 1654._
[SN: The launch of the 'Falcon.']
Wrangel came to Whitelocke, and invited him to see the launching of one
of their ships newly built for a man-of-war; and Whitelocke was the more
curious to see the manner of it, and how they could do it, in regard they
have no docks, nor ebbing and flowing of the water, which here is
constantly even, and affords no advantage by flowing tides for the
launching of their ships.
When Whitelocke came to the holm where the ship was to be launched, he
found her with the keel set upon great planks of timber, the ship tied
upright with cables, as if she were swimming; the planks upon which she
stood lay shelving towards the water, and were all thick daubed with
grease all along from the poop of the ship, and under her keel, to the
water's side, which was within the ship's length of her head, and there
the water was very deep. One strong cable held the ship from moving; and
she lying thus shelving upon the planks, the cable which held her from
sliding down was cut, and then the weight of the ship upon the sloping
greased planks carried her with great violence down upon the planks into
the sea, near a slight shoot, by force of the weight and swing wherewith
she fell down. In the sea were boats ready, which came to her, and put
men aboard her; and as she went off, a great shout of a multitude of
people, standing by as spectators, was sent after her.
Wrangel, as an honour and compliment to Whitelocke, desired him to give
the name to this ship. Whitelocke would have called her the 'Wrangel,'
but the master of that name entreated it might not be so, possibly to
avoid the envy of it at Court; but he desired it might be called the
'Whitelocke,' which Whitelocke thought not expedient, lest it might argue
too much height in himself; nor would he call her 'Cromwell,' or the
'Protector,' because she carried but thirty guns; but seeing the mark of
her guns to be the falcon, and asking whether they had any other ship of
that name, they said, No; whereupon, the falcon being Whitelocke's coat
of arms and the mark of the ship's guns, and she being built swifter of
sail than ordinary, Whitelocke gave her the name of the 'Falcon.' This
pleased Wrangel very much, and the seamen and workmen were most pleased
with the gratuity which Whitelocke bestowed on them; and this ceremony
and compliments being passed, Whitelocke gave many thanks to Wrangel for
this honour, and so they parted.