Chapter 15

"His Highness in the beginning of this week was pleased to send for the Great Seal, and kept it in his own custody two days, and now hath disposed it unto your Excellence, Sir Thomas Widdrington, and your confrater my Lord Lisle. His Highness is very much resolved upon a good and solid reformation of the law, and proceedings in the Courts of Equity and Laws: the matter of law he hath committed unto Mr. Justice Hale and Mr. John Vaughan; the reformation of the Chancery to my Lord Widdrington, Mr. Attorney-General, and Mr. Chute,--being resolved to give the learned of the robe the honour of reforming their own profession, and hopes that God will give them hearts to do it; and, that no time may be lost, the next term is adjourned.

"The French Ambassador desires very much to get a despatch of his business. His Highness hath at length appointed him commissioners to treat, but no progress hath been yet made thereupon. The speech that he made at his first audience your Excellence will receive by this.

"The Portugal presseth much now to come to an agreement also, and to close the treaty which hath hanged so long; and so doth the Spaniard.

"I pray for your Excellence's safe return home and rest.

"Your Excellence's humble servant, "JO. THURLOE. "_April 7th, 1654._"

Whitelocke's new instructions from the Protector:

"O. P.

"_Additional Instructions to my Lord Whitelocke, our Ambassador Extraordinary to her Majesty the Queen of Sweden._

"Having considered the particular account you have given by your letters weekly of your negotiation in Sweden, and the delay which hath been on the part of that Court in the treaty you are upon, we might well have given you positive orders for your speedy return.

"But observing that the letters and despatches between this and Sweden are a month in their way, and not knowing how affairs may alter in that time with you, and the pretence of their delay--to wit, the uncertainty of the issue of the treaty between us and the United Provinces--being removed, as you will see by these letters, which will assure you of the full conclusion thereof, we have thought it more convenient to leave you a latitude in that particular, and to give you liberty (as we do hereby) to return home at such time as you shall find it for the service of the Commonwealth.

"2. Whereas, by your letter of the 10th of March, 1654, you have represented the particular debates which you have had upon all the articles of the treaty, and the exceptions taken by the Queen upon the second, fifth, and seventh articles, you are hereby authorized to omit the second and fifth articles out of the treaty, as also the words 'bona à suis cujusque inimicis direpta' out of the seventh article, if the Queen shall still insist thereupon; and as for the comprehending the Dutch in this treaty with the Queen of Sweden, notice shall be given from hence, if it shall be found necessary.

"3. You have hereby power to agree with the Queen of Sweden that she and her subjects may fish freely for herrings in the seas of this Commonwealth, paying the recognition of the tenth herring, or for a lesser recognition, so as it be not less than the twentieth herring, or the value thereof in money.

"_Whitehall, 7th April, 1654._"

The Order of the Council touching the Great Seal sent by Thurloe was this. The title of the order was thus:--

[SN: Whitelocke, Widdrington, and Lisle reappointed of the Great Seal.]

"_Order of the Council approving of the Commissioners of the Great Seal._

"_Tuesday, 4th April, 1654._

"AT THE COUNCIL AT WHITEHALL:

"_Resolved_, That the Council doth approve of the Lord Ambassador Whitelocke to be one of the Lords Commissioners of the Great Seal.

"_Resolved_, That the Council doth approve of Sir Thomas Widdrington, Knight, Serjeant-at-Law, to be one of the Lords Commissioners of the Great Seal.

"_Resolved_, That the Council doth approve of John Lisle, Esquire, to be one of the Lords Commissioners of the Great Seal.

"By the command of his Highness Mr. Serjeant Widdrington and Mr. Lisle were called in, and being come to the table, his Highness declared that the Lord Ambassador Whitelocke and themselves had been nominated by his Highness, and approved by the Council, to be Commissioners for the Great Seal; and his Highness did deliver unto the said Mr. Serjeant Widdrington and Mr. Lisle the said Great Seal; and then the oath appointed by the ordinance was read by the Clerk of the Council, and was taken by each of them.

"Ex^r W. JESSOP, "Clerk of the Council."

The Guinea Company sent by this packet a letter to Whitelocke of thanks for his care of their business, and that they could not buy the Swedes' interest in Guinea, and referred the whole matter wholly to Whitelocke.

The examinations in the Court of Admiralty touching the ship 'Charity,' enclosed in Thurloe's letters, made it appear that the Swedes had not injury done them, as they complained, and that the goods belonged to Hollanders, and not to the Swedes; but only coloured by the Hollanders under the name of Swedish ship and goods, though they were not so. Whitelocke made use of these examinations as he saw cause, and found that Martin Thysen had an interest in these goods.

[SN: Reception of the French Ambassador in London.]

The enclosed speech of the French Ambassador to the Protector was full of compliment, giving him the title of "Serene Altesse," and as much as could be well offered by the French, seeming to desire a league and amity with the Protector. The Ambassador was received with great state and solemnity, answerable to the honour of his master the King of France, with whom the Protector had a good mind to close at this time, the rather to frustrate the hopes of the King of Scots of assistance from thence, where he was now entertained, caressed, and made believe he should have all aid and furtherance for his restitution, which the Protector sought to prevent by the interest of the Cardinal Mazarin, whose creature this Ambassador was.

_May 5, 1654._

[SN: The Queen's presents to Whitelocke and his suite.]

Lagerfeldt acquainted Whitelocke that the Queen intended to gratify him with a gift of as great value as had been bestowed upon any ambassador before; and that she having received from Whitelocke many brave horses and many native goods of England, and Whitelocke having undertaken, at his return to England, to provide for her Majesty several other commodities, she held it reasonable to requite him with some commodities of this country, if Whitelocke thought fit to accept of them. Whitelocke answered that it did not become him to prescribe bounds to her Majesty's favour, but only to refer himself to the Queen's judgement herein. Lagerfeldt replied that the Queen intended to bestow her gift upon him in copper, and gave order that it should be put aboard a ship, to be consigned by him to some of his friends at London, or as he pleased to dispose it.

Whitelocke desired of Lagerfeldt that although the articles were signed, that yet he in the instrument might prefix to the title these words "Serenissimi ac Celsissimi Domini," which words Whitelocke did observe to be in the Protector's title to the Dutch articles, which was not known to Whitelocke before the articles were signed here. Lagerfeldt promised to acquaint the Chancellor herewith, and to bring his answer.

Whitelocke waited upon the Queen, and acquainted her with his news from England, and of the consummation of the treaty of peace between England and the Dutch, whereof she said she was very glad, and thanked Whitelocke for his news. He then entreated her Majesty to appoint a day for his audience to take his leave of her Majesty, which she told him should be shortly done; then she desired his company with her in her coach, to take the air. He waited on her, and besides there was in the coach Grave Tott, Grave Vandone, and the Countess Christina Oxenstiern. The Queen was not very pleasant, but entertained some little discourses, not much of business; and after a short tour, returning to the castle, retired into her chamber, and Whitelocke to his lodging.

_May 6, 1654._

Lagerfeldt returned answer to Whitelocke, of his motion to insert the words "Serenissimi ac Celsissimi Domini" into the Protector's title, that he had acquainted the Chancellor with it, who also had communicated it to her Majesty, and she willingly assented thereunto; and it was inserted accordingly. He brought with him Monsieur Carloe, Governor of the Swedish Company for Guinea, with whom Whitelocke had much discourse upon the same points as he had before with Grave Eric; and Carloe denied all that the English merchants had affirmed, and he continued before and after dinner very obstinate in it.

Secretary Canterstein brought to Whitelocke the Queen's letters of the grant of two hundred ship-pound of copper for a present to him, which letters were thus.[200]

In the afternoon the master of the ceremonies came to Whitelocke's house, and presented to him, from the Queen, a handsome jewel, which was a case of gold, fairly enamelled, and having in the midst of it the picture of the Queen, done to the life, and very like her. It was set round about with twelve large diamonds, and several small diamonds between the great ones. He told Whitelocke that, by command of her Majesty, he presented her picture to him; that she was sorry it was not made up so as might have been worthy of his reception; but she desired, if he pleased, that he would do her the honour to wear it for her sake, and to accept the picture in memory of the friend that sent it. Whitelocke answered that the Queen was pleased to bestow a great honour upon him in this noble testimony of her favour to him, of which he acknowledged himself altogether unworthy; but her Majesty's opinion was otherwise, as appeared by such a present as this. He did with all thankfulness accept it, and should with great contentment give himself occasion, by the honour of wearing it, to remember the more often her Majesty and her favours to him, her servant, for which he desired the master to present his humble thanks unto her Majesty.

After he had been with Whitelocke, the master went to Whitelocke's two sons, and in the Queen's name presented to each of them a chain of gold of five links, and at the end of the chain a medal of gold of the Queen's picture; the chains and medals were valued at four hundred ducats apiece. Then he presented, in the Queen's name, to Colonel Potley, to Dr. Whistler, to Captain Beake, and Mr. Earle, to each of them a chain of gold of four links, and at the end of each chain a medal of gold of the Queen's picture; these chains and medals were valued at two hundred ducats apiece, or thereabouts.

Then he presented, in the Queen's name, to Mr. Stapleton, Mr. Ingelo, and Mr. De la Marche, to each of them a chain of gold of three links, with a medal of gold of the Queen's picture at the end of each chain; the chains and medals were valued at about a hundred and sixty ducats apiece. To Mr. Walker he presented a chain and medal of gold of three links, shorter than the rest, of about the value of a hundred and thirty ducats; to Captain Crispe and to Mr. Swift, to each of them a chain of gold of two links, with a medal of gold to each of them, of about the value of a hundred ducats apiece.

[SN: Disputes caused by the Queen's presents.]

Walker the steward, and Stapleton, gentleman of the horse to Whitelocke, were discontented, because their chains were not of four links apiece; and they and others took exceptions because their chains were not so good and valuable as those given to Potley and Beake,--so seditious a thing is gold. But Whitelocke endeavoured to satisfy them by the reasons why the chains of Potley and Beake were better than theirs: the one having been an ancient servant of this Crown, and the other being commander of the guards of the Protector; and nothing was due to them, but only the Queen's free gift and bounty was in all of them, and therefore not to be excepted against by any of them. Notwithstanding this admonition, they met and discoursed together in discontent about this business, and gave thereby occasion of displeasure to Whitelocke.

Whitelocke being in the mood to take the air, the Holland Resident came thither, where they walked and discoursed together; and in their return the Resident and two of his gentlemen, Vorstius and another, went in Whitelocke's coach, who brought the Resident to his lodging, and there had a civil treatment, and found by discourse that the Resident was not well satisfied with his being in this Court. Whitelocke did not hitherto make a visit to any person since he had received his presents from the Queen, after which, in ceremony, he must first visit her Majesty to give her thanks, and then he is at liberty to visit others.

_May 7, 1654._

_The Lord's Day._--Monsieur Bloome, and Mr. De Geeres, the rich merchant of Sweden, after dinner with Whitelocke, discoursed much about matters not so proper for the day. Walker and Stapleton attending Whitelocke and walking in the evening, he again spake to them about their presents as formerly; but found Stapleton stiff in his opinion, and to intend to send back his present to the master of the ceremonies as refusing it; but Whitelocke required him not to do so, lest it should be taken as an affront to Whitelocke and to the Protector himself, as well as a disdaining of the Queen's present, which was her Majesty's free gift without any obligation.

_May 8, 1654._

[SN: Warrant for the copper.]

The warrant formerly inserted was sent to the officers of the Treasury, who thereupon made their order to the under-officers for the delivery of the copper accordingly, which order was brought to Whitelocke in the Swedish language.

[SN: The Guinea case.]

The master of the ceremonies came to Whitelocke to inform him that the Queen had appointed Wednesday next, the 10th of this month, for his last audience to take his leave. Whitelocke said he was sorry it could not be sooner. The master excused it by reason of the great affairs of the Queen upon the meeting of the Ricksdag. Grave Eric and Lagerfeldt came to Whitelocke and debated with him the business of Guinea.

_Grave Eric._ I shall read to you this paper, which is in Latin and in French,--an answer to the complaints of the English, and denies all their allegations.

_Whitelocke._ The allegations of the English are proved by oath; here are the depositions.

_Gr. Eric._ The answers of the Swedes are upon oath likewise.

_Wh._ But the English are in the affirmative.

_Gr. Eric._ The Swedes have like complaints against the English, which are to be proved by oath in the affirmative also; and in such case the parties or their procurators must appear before the ordinary and competent judges, which will require a great deal of time; but we being to treat with you as an Ambassador, we propose that there may be an abolition of all past injuries of the one side and the other, and that there may be an agreement and friendship, and free trade there for the future.

_Wh._ This will be very proper for the time to come, but it will be no satisfaction for the injuries already done. I have no power from the Protector or Company of English Merchants to make any such agreement; but for what concerns the public, I can make an accord with you, and the satisfaction of damages for wrongs past may be remitted to the determination of the Commissioners.

_Gr. Eric._ I shall show you a project in writing, that all the houses and possessions of the one part and the other may continue in the same estate for the time to come as they are in at present.

_Wh._ To agree to this were to give up the right of the English merchants, and to acknowledge that they have no cause of complaint; whereas I demand in justice a reparation and satisfaction for those injuries whereof they complain.

_Gr. Eric._ Then the business must be decided before the judges, witnesses on both sides must be heard, and we must insist upon it that the houses and possessions continue in the same estate as they now are.

_Wh._ You must pardon me that I cannot assent hereunto.

Thus their debate broke off.

Monsieur Ravius came to Whitelocke in the name of the Bishop of Stregnes, to acquaint him that if he had any English horses which he would bestow upon the Prince, that they would be very acceptable to him, and that Whitelocke would very much gratify himself thereby. Whitelocke said that his saddle-horses were not worth the presenting to his Royal Highness, the best of them being already given away; but he had a set of coach-horses which he intended to reserve and to present unto the Prince, if he pleased to accept them. Ravius said they would be very acceptable to him.

_May 9, 1654._

[SN: Whitelocke compliments the Danish minister on the peace.]

The King of Denmark being included in the treaty between England and the Dutch, and so become a friend, Whitelocke was advised to send first a compliment to the Danish Ambassador now residing in this Court; which, when Whitelocke doubted lest thereby he might diminish the honour of England by sending to the Dane before the Dane had first sent to him, the master of the ceremonies and others instructed him that it was the constant custom for the ambassador that comes last to send first a compliment to him that had been in the Court before; whereupon Whitelocke did send one of his gentlemen to the Danish Ambassador, to visit and compliment him.

Now the secretary of the Ambassador of Denmark came to Whitelocke, in the name of his lord, to give him thanks for the honour he had done him in sending one of his servants to salute him, and to congratulate the good news of the agreement between England and the Dutch, wherein the King his master was comprised. The secretary said that the confirmation thereof was also come to his lord by the way of Holland and of Denmark, for which news his Lordship was very joyful, and would himself have given a visit to Whitelocke but that his want of health detained him in his lodging. Whitelocke told the secretary that he was very sorry for his lord's indisposition of health, and wished his good recovery; that he was heartily glad of the news which gave him occasion to send to his lord to congratulate with him, and that he would take an opportunity to visit him in person when it might be without prejudice to his Excellence's health.

Berkman came to Whitelocke to give him an account of a message wherein he had employed Berkman to the Marshal Wrangel, to desire him, in Whitelocke's name, that the ship appointed to transport him might fall down from Stockholm to the Dollars, for Whitelocke to come on board her there, which would save him a hundred miles by sea from Stockholm thither, there being a nearer way by a third-part from Stockholm to the Dollars for boats to pass. Berkman said he found Wrangel very civil, and ready to do what Whitelocke should desire of him for his accommodation, and that he had ordered the ship forthwith to fall down to the Dollars; for which Whitelocke desired Monsieur Berkman to return his thanks to the Marshal.

The Ricks-Admiral sent to Whitelocke, expressing much civility and readiness to serve him, and desired to know if one ship would be sufficient for his transportation; that, if he pleased, there should be more provided for him. Whitelocke returned thanks, and that he hoped he should not have occasion to put them to the trouble of more ships for his transportation than that already ordered for him.

[SN: Whitelocke invited to the ceremony of abdication.]

The master of the ceremonies came to Whitelocke, by the Queen's command, to know if he and his company pleased to see the meeting of the Ricksdag; that he had provided a place for that purpose, where they might be unknown and unseen, and yet see all the ceremony and hear all the harangues; that if Whitelocke would see it, the master would call him at eight o'clock in the morning and wait upon him to the place; but he said that the Danish Ambassador had some thoughts of being there also, and if he came first to the place he would take the uppermost seat. Whitelocke then desired the master to call him early enough that he might be there first, because he should hardly permit the Danish Ambassador to sit above him. The master said he would be sure to call Whitelocke early enough, but he believed that the Danish Ambassador would not be there because of his ill health.

The master told Whitelocke that Monsieur Bloome had informed him that some of Whitelocke's gentlemen took exceptions to the presents sent them by the Queen. He protested, upon his soul and his honour, that he had no hand in the disposing of these presents, but that all was done by the officers of the Chamber of Accounts, and that the Queen did not meddle with it; but when he showed her a catalogue of the officers of Whitelocke's house, she marked them how she would have the presents bestowed; that how the matter might be altered afterwards he was wholly ignorant, and that he had order, under the hands of the officers, to make the distribution as he had done; and he hoped none of the gentlemen would be offended with him, who had done nothing but as he was ordered by those over him. Whitelocke told him that, in so great a family as his was, it would be difficult to please every one; that these presents were the Queen's favours, which she might distribute as she pleased, and every one ought to be contented therewith; that some of his company had discoursed hereof more than belonged to them, but that he would take order in it himself. They had also this further discourse:--

_Whitelocke._ Do you expect the arrival of the Prince here on Friday next?

_Mast. Cer._ The Queen is not assured of his arrival that day, but she will go out on horseback, accompanied with all her nobility, to meet him.

_Wh._ Will it be expected that I go out likewise to meet him?

_Mast. Cer._ That cannot be, because it will be after your last audience, and when you have taken your leave of the Queen, so that you cannot then appear in public nor in any public action, because it will be to present yourself before those of whom you had taken your leave before.

_Wh._ But after my last audience I may in private see the Queen?

_Mast. Cer._ Yes, for that is but a particular visit; and so you may visit any of your friends after your last audience.

_Wh._ I intend likewise to salute the Prince after my last audience.

_Mast. Cer._ You may do it, because it will be but a particular visit.

_Wh._ I hope his Royal Highness will treat me with the same civility and respect as he useth to any other ambassador.

_Mast. Cer._ That he will infallibly do. Monsieur Chanut, the French Ambassador, when he was in this Court, did always give the right hand to the Prince after the proposal had been made of declaring him Prince-heritier of the crown, though the Ricksdag had not then confirmed it. But Chanut made difficulty of it at the Prince's lodging, because he was not the son of a king, yet afterwards he did it both there and elsewhere.

_Wh._ There is more reason for me now to do it, because the proposal is to be made of investing him with the Crown. What was the manner of the Prince's reception of Chanut, where did he meet Chanut at his coming, and how far did he go with him at his taking leave?