"I have acquainted his Highness with your Excellence's letters
received yesterday, wherein he takes little content, more than that
he did on his part sincerely intend a peace and union with that
Crown and Kingdom, and committed the management of it to a person
who hath performed his trust with honour, wisdom, and fidelity. We
hope that your instructions, giving you liberty to return, are by
this time arrived, etc."
By this packet Whitelocke also received letters from his wife, full of
affection and piety, and from Colonel Bulstrode, his brother Wilson, Mr.
Attorney Hall, Mr. Cokaine, Mr. Eltonhead, especially from his great
friend Dr. Winston; and all of these letters, and several others which he
received, were so many testimonies of the affection and hearty kindness
of these his worthy friends.
_May 26, 1654._
After Whitelocke had walked a tour in the Norden Mallum,--that is, the
north suburbs of this city,--Sir George Fleetwood came to him, with whom
he had much conversation in the latter time of his being in Sweden, both
at Upsal and in this town, who showed much kindness and respect to
Whitelocke. He informed Whitelocke that by letters from Upsal he
understood that the Ricksdag had given leave to the Queen to go to
Colmar, which signified that she could not go without their leave, and
that she would find much difference between commanding as a Queen and
obeying as a subject, and that, by the law of this kingdom, no Queen can
depart out of it without leave of the Ricksdag, on forfeiture of all her
estate.
[SN: Whitelocke's shipment of copper sent to London.]
A ship called the 'Swart Hundt' was by the Queen's command appointed and
fitted to carry Whitelocke's copper and other goods from hence to
England. By advice of friends, Whitelocke under his hand and seal desired
Sir George Fleetwood to consign the copper to Whitelocke's
brother-in-law, Mr. Wilson. The desire was thus:--
"I Bulstrode Whitelocke, Constable of the Castle of Windsor, one of
the Lords Commissioners of the Great Seal of England, and Ambassador
Extraordinary from his Most Serene Highness the Lord Protector of
the Commonwealth of England, Scotland, and Ireland, unto her
Majesty the Queen of Sweden, do hereby desire my honourable friend,
Sir George Fleetwood, Knight, General-Major under the Crown of
Sweden, to ship and consign unto Mr. Samuel Wilson, merchant in
London, in Bishopsgate-street, two hundred ship-pound, Swedish
weight, of gore copper; the which the said Mr. Samuel Wilson is to
receive and dispose of according to my order. Dated at Stockholm, in
Sweden, the 26th day of May, 1654.
"B. WHITELOCKE."
According to which warrant, the copper was put on board the 'Swart
Hundt,' fitted and victualled for England. Of Whitelocke's ship,
Whitelocke gave the command and charge, and of his goods therein, to one
of his servants, Taylor, by commission under his hand and seal, and to
bring his copper and goods in her from hence to London, as soon as he
could, wind and weather favouring. Wrangel procured this ship for
Whitelocke, and a pass from the Admiralty of Sweden for her to go through
the Sound; and Whitelocke thought it better to see this ship on her
voyage, than to leave the sending of her away to the care of others after
his departure.
[SN: His goods embarked in the Amarantha.]
Whitelocke sent the rest of his goods and baggage on board the
'Amarantha,' which weighed yesterday, and he hoped might by this time be
within four leagues of the Dollars; but the wind came contrary for her
advance any further, and Whitelocke must continue here till he could
understand that his ship was gotten to the Dollars, which is fourteen
Swedish leagues from this city, but may be gone in six or seven hours by
boats in a shorter passage. His stay here seemed tedious to Whitelocke.
This day the wind coming about a little towards the east, increased his
hopes of getting away, for which they were in daily expectation.
[SN: The trade of Stockholm.]
By some merchants and others of this city, Whitelocke learned what was
the commerce of this town, and by his own view he found it to be
commodiously seated for trade and to receive all the commodities of the
country's growth, which are brought hither by water; and it is the more
convenient because the greatest ships may come up to the very houses and
there load and unload their merchandises, never wanting water, which
there is always deep, and equal in the height of it. But this city is
somewhat far distant from the sea by water, so that before the ships can
go between the sea and the town, they must fetch a compass of about one
hundred English miles, with the danger of many rocks and islands in the
way; and they must have also divers winds which are hindrances to their
commerce.
The present Queen hath been curious to invite hither and to entertain
many good artists, yet everything here is very dear, except the native
commodities; and now Gothenburg, growing up in trade, being situate
without the Sound, a more open and easy place for access of
strangers,--some believe that by the growth of that, this port may be
diminished. It is the better supported by the Court being commonly kept
here, and consequently being the residence of the principal nobility and
officers. Some courts of justice constantly, and the Ricksdag generally,
being held in this city, increase the trade of it; and this being a good
road for ships to defend them from injuries of weather or other dangers,
makes it the more frequented.
Plenty of provisions are brought to this town for the supply of it; and
most of their native commodities, as copper, iron, pitch, tar, deal,
masts, and the rest, are brought hither and here shipped and transported
into foreign parts; from whence their merchants and strangers do bring to
this northern market all manner of merchandise here vendible; and from
hence again they are vended to all the northern and eastern parts of this
country, whereby their trade and wealth is also increased, so that one of
their authors calls it, "Celeberrimum ac nobilissimum Septentrionis
emporium." The trade of this place hath brought and settled here as
inhabitants,--besides Swedes, Goths, Fins, and Laplanders,--divers of
Germans, of Pomerland, Mecklenburg, Westphalia, etc.; also English,
Scotch, French, Dutch, and almost of every country of Europe. Some are
here now become citizens, and are treated with justice and civility by
the natives, to the end that they and others may be the more encouraged
to add to the riches, strength, and trade of this place.
_May 27, 1654._
[SN: Detained by contrary winds.]
Whitelocke visited Sir George Fleetwood at his lodging in Stockholm, and
finding with him Vice-Admiral Thysen and Peterson, both Hollanders and in
service of the Crown, Whitelocke brought them all home with him to
dinner, and advised with them about his voyage. The wind came more
contrary to Whitelocke this day than yesterday, but he knew no other way
but a patient submission to the will and time of God. Here he bestowed on
a German clock sixty-two rix-dollars.
[SN: The government of Stockholm.]
From some of the magistrates and others of this city Whitelocke learned
that the government thereof is by four Councils, and a Senate of the
citizens, as their Common Council, consisting of twenty-four chosen
yearly in this month by suffrage of the inhabitants, and justice is
administered to the people by them in like manner as in other cities.
Besides these officers there is a Castellan, or governor of the castle of
Stockholm, who, by a peculiar authority over the city, takes care of the
walls and buildings thereof, as he doth of the castle and other the
King's buildings there. He is to defend the privileges of the town, and
is chief in their political administration. He also orders and keeps up
the revenue and trade, and suffers not the royalties of the Crown to be
diminished, nor any of the public treasure, without the license of the
King, to be expended. He is always one of the Ricks-Senators, and hath
joined to him a Vice-Castellan, of the equestrian order, who is chief in
the judgements of the city within the Senate and Councils, and is intent
to the execution of justice.
[SN: The defence of Stockholm.]
The strength of this city is chiefly in the situation of it among the
waters, which are no small defence, and in the bodies of their
inhabitants, who make a considerable number of the soldiery, many of whom
have been in foreign service. The Castellan commandeth them, sees their
musters, and that they be provided with arms and in a posture of defence;
and under the Castellan is a captain, who hath the military charge next
under him. The main body of the town hath somewhat of a wall about it,
but the suburbs and other islands are encircled with the waters, with
bridges for communication.
The castle is of indifferent strength, and notably provided of arms and
ammunition, as is before remembered, which adds to the strength and
safety as well as command of the city. They have not a formed garrison in
the town; but divers companies of the King's guards, when the Court is
there, and sometimes of other regiments of the army, are quartered there,
as occasions do require. The castle commands a good part of the town, and
may be as a citadel upon any emergent business; and in case of any
troubles at sea, the ships of war lie here in readiness forthwith to be
manned, are provided with ammunition, provisions, and all things
necessary for the defence and safeguard of this port and city from any
attempts which may by sea be made against it.
Whitelocke made up his despatches for England, and now dated his second
letters from Stockholm, attending for a wind.
_May 28, 1654._
_The Lord's Day._--Whitelocke, according to his custom, had a good sermon
in his lodging preached by one of his chaplains in the morning, and
another good sermon preached there in the afternoon by Mr. Biger, a
Scotch minister, and chaplain to Sir George Fleetwood, then with him. In
this city Whitelocke observed the inhabitants very orderly to frequent
their parish churches, and not so much profanation of this day in this
place as he had seen at Upsal, and other places in the country.
_May 29, 1654._
[SN: Sir G. Fleetwood returns to the King's coronation at Upsal.]
Whitelocke with longing desires attended the coming about of the wind
for his voyage; but he must stay God's time, which is always best. He
could not persuade Sir George Fleetwood to stay longer with him. He
thought it necessary for him to go to Upsal, to be present at the King's
coronation; and at his request Whitelocke sent by him to Wrangel this
letter:--
"_A son Excellence le Feld-Maréchal Wrangel à Upsale._
"Monsieur,
"Je n'ai pu retenir plus longtemps le Général Major Fleetwood avec
moi, son désir le portait si fort de se trouver à Upsale, au
couronnement, de crainte qu'il ne semblerait négligent, et manquer à
son devoir envers son Altesse Royale; mais la raison de ce qu'il a
présenté ma requête à votre Excellence est qu'il vous plaise
moyenner envers son Altesse Royale, afin qu'il retourne à Stockholm;
et que je puisse jouir de sa compagnie jusqu'à mon départ, qui en
apparence sera différé plus longtemps que je ne le souhaiterais, à
raison de la contrariété des vents.
"Je supplie votre Excellence de me faire la faveur de baiser en mon
nom les mains de sa Majesté et de son Altesse Royale, et d'accepter,
pour tant de faveurs que votre Excellence m'a faites, tant à Upsale
qu'en ce lieu, les actions de grâce de celui qui est,
"Monsieur, à votre Excellence
"Très-humble serviteur,
"B. WHITELOCKE.
"_Stockholm, May 29, 1654._"
Berkman went from hence 17th May at night, and returned this morning
hither, and brought to Whitelocke this letter:--
[SN: Lagerfeldt's letter on the Swedish prizes.]
"_Illustrissimo Domino Domino Bulstrode Whitelocke, Extraordinario
Reipublicæ Angliæ in Sueciam Legato, officiocissimè._
"Illustrissime et Excellentissime Domine Legate,
"Quanquam valde dubitem, an Excellentiam vestram hæ litteræ in
Sueciam inveniant, nolui tamen, accepta hac occasione, vel meo
officio deesse, vel refragari quorundam Suecorum petitioni, nam cum
naves duæ Suecicæ, quarum naucleri Bonders et Sibrand follis
vocantur, nuper ceptæ et in Angliam delatæ sint, sperant fore, ut,
per hanc meam intercessionem, cum primis autem per benevolam
Excellentiæ vestræ commendationem, quantocius dimittantur. Nisi
igitur mihi satis perspecta esset Excellentiæ vestræ integritas,
pluribus ab ea contenderem, ut dictarum aliarumque detentarum in
Anglia Suecicarum navium liberationem, atque per se æquam ac
amicitiæ foederique mutuo conformem sibi haberet commendatam;
sufficit nunc saltem indicâsse Excellentiæ vestræ, quippe cui nihil
jucundius esse scio, quam ut amicæ confoederatæque gentes, sancta
fidei justitiæque observantia, inter se strictius colligentur. De
cætero Excellentiæ vestræ felicem in patriam reditum exopto, ut me
nostrumque Barkmannum officiose commendo. Dabam Upsaliæ, 27 Maii,
anno 1654.
"Excellentiæ vestræ
"Ad quævis officia paratissimus,
"ISRAEL LAGERFELDT."
In the evening Whitelocke walked abroad to take the air, the time of his
stay here being very tedious to him, attending for a good wind, that he
might proceed in his longed-for return to his native country and
relations; but he submitted to the good pleasure of God, who orders all
times and seasons and all things for the best. At night the wind came
about a little towards the east, favouring his voyage.
_May 30, 1654._
[SN: Preparations for departure.]
The wind continued this morning, as it was last night, easterly, but not
sufficing for Whitelocke to go on his voyage. The Vice-Admiral Clerke
coming to Whitelocke, he advised with him touching his voyage, and asked
him if he thought the 'Amarantha' might with this wind be gotten to the
Dollars. He answered that there could be no assurance thereof, but that
possibly it might be so; whereupon Whitelocke replied, that he had a
great desire to go down himself to the Dollars, before the news came of
the 'Amarantha's' arrival there, because the wind might come good, and
within six hours carry them out to the open sea, which, if neglected,
might retard their voyage fifteen days or more. Clerke said that if
Whitelocke desired to do so, that he would not advise him to the
contrary, but he believed that this might expedite his voyage; only he
said that Whitelocke must be content to lie on board the ship till the
wind should come fair, because there was no accommodation to be had for
him and his company at the Dollars. Whitelocke said he should be well
contented to lie on ship-board, and prayed Clerke to cause boats to be
provided for his passage to the Dollars the next day, and ordered his
officers and servants to prepare all things in readiness for his
departure accordingly. Wrangel came back this night from Upsal, and
several other persons, though very late, having staid the solemnity of
the Queen's resignation and the coronation of the new King, which they
related to Whitelocke to be done this day, and in this manner and
solemnity.
[SN: Relation of the ceremony of the Queen's resignation.]
About nine o'clock this morning the Queen, being attired in her royal
apparel and robes of purple velvet, with her crown upon her head, and
attended by all her officers and servants, came into the room prepared
for that occasion, where was set a table with a rich carpet, and five
great cushions laid upon it. Most of the grandees and officers were
present.
Upon one of the cushions was laid the sword of state; upon the second
cushion was laid the sceptre; upon the third cushion was laid the ball;
and upon the fourth cushion were laid the keys.
The Queen being come into the room, after a little pause made a short
speech to the company, to this effect:--
"My Lords and Gentlemen,
"You have before this time been acquainted with my resolution to
resign the crown and government of this kingdom into the hands of my
most dear cousin the Prince, here present with me, upon my earnest
request to the Ricksdag, now convened. After long debates and much
solicitation to dissuade me from it, yet at length, though
unwillingly, they have assented to this my resolution; and I am now
come to put the same in execution before all these honourable
witnesses here present; and to you, my most dear cousin, I do
heartily wish all happiness and good success in the management of
the public affairs of this kingdom."
Having thus spoken, the Queen desired that some of them would take the
crown from off her head, but none would do it; she then called to Grave
Tott and the Baron Steinberg, expressly commanding them to do it, but
they refused, till again earnestly commanded by her; they then took the
crown from off her Majesty's head, and laid it down upon the fifth
cushion on the table. After that was done, some others, by her command,
took off the royal robes with which she was clothed and laid them down
upon the table. Then the Queen, having thus divested herself of these
ensigns of royalty and resigned her crown, being now in her private
habit, made courtesy to the Prince and to the rest of the company, and
retired into her own chamber,--an act of a strange constancy and
fixedness of resolution, going through with this great work of her own
abdication without the least outward show of reluctancy for what she had
done, but with the same behaviour and confidence as at all other times in
her particular and private affairs.[314]
For this act of the Queen's resignation they had no precedent; for the
solemnity of the King's coronation they had many; and the same is at
large, with all the circumstances and ceremonies thereof, set down by one
of their authors, Wexionius (Epit. Descriptionis Sueciæ, lib. v. c. 6),
from which the ceremonies of this Coronation were not much different, and
thus shortly related unto Whitelocke.
[SN: Ceremony of the King's coronation.]
After the Queen was withdrawn to her private chamber, the Ricks-officers
and senators humbly desired the Prince that he would be pleased to walk
to the Cathedral Church, where the Archbishop and other prelates were
ready to attend his Royal Highness, and to perform the solemnities of his
coronation. The whole company went thither in this order. The officers
and servants of the Court went first in a very great number, together
with many officers of the army and other gentlemen. After them came the
nobility, the gentlemen, barons, and earls, members of the Ricksdag; then
followed the Ricks-Senators, two and two, in rank. After them came the
five Ricks-officers: first, the Ricks-Schatzmaster, or High Treasurer,
who carried the keys; next to him, the Ricks-Chancellor, who carried the
globe; after him came the Ricks-Admiral, who carried the sceptre; then
one in the place of the Feldherr, or General, who carried the sword; and
lastly the Ricks-Droitset, or Chief Justice, who carried the crown. After
the Chief Justice came the King himself, in his ordinary habit, with a
huge troop following him, and the windows and streets crowded with
multitudes of people. The guards and soldiers stood in their arms as the
company passed by.
Being thus come to the Cathedral, at the door stood the Archbishop with a
horn of oil in his hand, accompanied with other bishops, superintendents,
and many clergymen. He received the Prince at the church door, and
conducted him up to the high altar, where they had prayers, and then the
Archbishop anointed the Prince with the oil. They put upon him the royal
apparel, put the crown upon his head, the sceptre in his right hand, and
the ball into his left hand, and so he was invested into the royal
dignity, and declared, with all his titles, King of Swedes, Goths, and
Vandals, etc.; drums, trumpets, and loud acclamations of the people
adding to the proclaiming of their new King. Not many days past they
laboured to hinder the doing of it; now they shout for joy that it is
done. Thus are the minds and practice of the multitude, whom nothing
pleaseth long,--nothing more than novelty.
The ceremonies being performed at the Cathedral, the new King, with all
his new subjects and servants, returned from thence into the castle in
the same order as he came hither. By the way he was saluted with the loud
acclamations of the people, "God save the King!" Thus coming to his Court
as he entered it, the abdicated Queen looks out of her window, and with a
cheerful countenance and voice heard by the company she wished her cousin
joy of his crown and government. The King retires for a while to his
private chamber, then is called forth to a sumptuous feast, where most of
the nobility and senators did attend upon him and rejoice with him, and
afterwards did swear fealty, homage, and allegiance to him.
But this relation was not so pleasing to Whitelocke as the thoughts of
his departure from this place, and his longing to proceed in his voyage
homewards.
_May 31, 1654._
[SN: Whitelocke takes boat and leaves the shore;]
The 'Swart Hundt' set sail this morning with Whitelocke's goods and
copper, Taylor commanding her, and Swedes mariners in her; the wind was
come about indifferent good, for his and for his master's voyage. Wrangel
and Clerke affording Whitelocke their company at dinner, he advised with
them what time of the day would be best for him to go from hence. Clerke
said that the boats would be ready after dinner to transport him from
hence to the Dollars, whither he hoped that by this time the 'Amarantha'
might be come. He and Wrangel advised Whitelocke not to go on board the
boats till six or seven o'clock in the evening, to avoid the heat of the
day, and to enjoy the benefit of the cool of the night, which was better
to be endured than the extremity of the heat of the day, especially upon
the water; and the heat some affirmed to be at this time as violent in
this country as it is in Spain or Italy. Whitelocke found it now as much
hotter than England as it is colder in the winter.
About seven o'clock in the evening Whitelocke left his lodging, where
they made him pay as an Ambassador Extraordinary. For the use of the
house, only for eleven days, they made him pay a hundred and sixty
rix-dollars; for his victuals, but one meal a day, without any dainties,
they exacted above a thousand rix-dollars. Such is their unconscionable
exaction upon strangers. It was time to leave them, and Whitelocke being
called by Wrangel and Clerke, he went to prayers with his company,
recommending themselves to the protection and blessing of God; and
presently after prayers he and all his people went to the water-side,
multitudes by the way saluting him with respect as he passed by, and
crowding to see him take boat.
He went into a galley of the Queen's attending for him. Most of his
gentlemen and Clerke were with him in the galley; the rest of his company
went in a great boat provided for them. This galley had two masts bearing
the Queen's colours in silk. In the hinder part of it was a room with a
table and benches round about it, the table covered with crimson velvet,
the benches with red cloth, and tapestry upon the floor. The room held
about ten persons; the outward room about twelve men, besides the
watermen for sixteen oars. At her head she carried two small pieces of
ordnance, which they fired at loosing from the harbour, and the ships of
war fired as they passed by. They went on in a great deep water,
sometimes very broad, sometimes more narrow, on the sides whereof were
huge rocks, and here and there little trees growing out of the clefts of
them, with small heaps of earth lying on them, but they increase not much
in that soil.
Many rocks all along on the shores, and islands of rocks, with the smell
of the fir-trees on them, was a variety for strangers; and the water
being calm, they made use only of their oars. The trumpets sounding where
the rocks were most uneven and made concavities, gave much delight by the
resounding of seven or eight echoes to one sound. Yet the multitudes of
craggy rocks of vast greatness and huge tallness, with their uneven heads
and ragged sides, filling all the shores and making many islands, and
those causing no small danger in the passage, appeared, especially at
first and to the younger seamen, very dreadful and amazing; but after a
little acquaintance with them, and constant being in their company, and
the seamen knowing the passage, caused the less fear, and the sevenfold
answering echoes, as if they had been so many trumpets, gave delight to
the hearers, with some admiration of that multiplying sound. But their
cheerfulness was increased by meeting with a boat about two Swedish miles
from Stockholm, whose men informed Whitelocke that the 'Amarantha' was
that day come into the Dollars, which good news added hopes and spirit
to the company of advancing in their voyage towards their longed-for
country; and the night seemed the less tedious by discoursing of this
providence, that, the same day that Whitelocke came away, his ship should
fall down to be ready to meet him, and not sooner, and whereof he knew
nothing beforehand.
Clerke informed Whitelocke of the places by which they passed, and the
condition of the country. They came into a very narrow way and straits,
about a bow-shot in length, where a great vessel could not pass, both for
want of breadth and depth of water, the greater boat with Whitelocke
striking the sands as she passed over. This way was to get into the road
and channel for the ships from Stockholm to the Dollars, which is near
twenty Swedish miles for the ships to go about. From this strait they
came again into deep water, environed as before with rocks, and full of
islands.
[SN: and reaches his ship at the Dollars.]
When they were within a mile of the Dollars, the wind came about to east
and north-east, very fair and good to carry them out to sea, whereas
before it was flat against them. Hereupon Whitelocke took occasion, the
wind being now good, to order his galley to make way forthright to the
'Amarantha' without going on shore at all, which was done, although it
seemed long at the latter end of the way, the company weary, and the
watermen tired with rowing, though they did not at all row with that
nimbleness and mettle as the English use to do.
When Whitelocke departed from Stockholm the wind was contrary to him;
after he was certified by the boat which he met that the 'Amarantha' was
in the Dollars, the wind suddenly changed and was fair for him, and after
this providence they came in good time to the ship, the tedious passage
of the night being over, wherein Whitelocke slept upon the boards and in
the open air,--hardship enough for one of his age and condition, but God
was his protection.