Part 28

After this message, and when Whitelocke saw that his letters of this week were not come, he sent to the Chancellor to let him know that he feared it might be troublesome to him for Whitelocke to come to him this evening, and that, if he pleased, Whitelocke would come to him the next morning. To which the Chancellor willingly agreed, and appointed their meeting tomorrow, betwixt eight and nine o'clock in the morning. The Chancellor inquired whether Whitelocke had yet received his letters from England. The servant of Whitelocke said that the letters were not yet come, but that by the last week's letters the news came that the peace between England and Holland was certainly concluded; to which the Chancellor said, I desire to be excused.

By these passages Whitelocke perceived that their little design was, notwithstanding all he had endeavoured, that before they would sign the articles they desired to see this week's letters; which he took as directed by the good hand of Providence, in regard that by this means he should be the more excused in what he intended to do, having staid for this week's letters and received none, and the politicians here would be deceived in their expectation. He wondered at the Queen's going out of town before she sealed the commission to her deputies: some thought the reason to be, because her intended presents were not yet ready.

Whitelocke received a letter from the Protector's Resident at Hamburg, wherein this was part:--

"For his Excellence my Lord Ambassador Whitelocke, Extraordinary Ambassador from England with the Queen of Sweden. Humbly these.

"The English letters are not yet come, but from Holland they write that two expresses were come on the 21st instant, with letters assuring that the peace was concluded and mutually signed, and that, as soon as the ratification could arrive in England from the States General, hostility should cease.

"I am, my Lord, "With tender of my humble service, "Your Excellence's most humble servant, "RI. BRADSHAWE. "Hamburg, 15th April, 1654."

Whitelocke made use of this intelligence as far as it would go; and some others in this town had the same news from Holland.

April 28, 1654.

At the time appointed Whitelocke and his company came to the Chancellor's lodging, with whom was his son Grave Eric and Secretary Canterstein. Whitelocke's son James and his secretary Earle were admitted into the room. All the time of their being there Secretary Canterstein was uncovered and did not sit. Whitelocke's son James was also bare, as became him, but was admitted to sit down at the lower end of the table, on the same side with his father, who sat at the upper end, and the Chancellor over-against him, and Grave Eric by his father.

The Chancellor acquainted Whitelocke that the Queen had shown the articles to the Prince, who did well approve of them, and desired to have a strict league and friendship with the Protector, and that the Prince was ready in what should appertain to him to contribute to that end. Whitelocke answered that the Protector would esteem the friendship of the Prince a great honour to him; and to show his desire of it, that Whitelocke intended to salute the Prince from the Protector. The Chancellor and his son said that it would be very necessary for Whitelocke to do so, and that the Prince intended to come nearer to this city, and then Whitelocke might have the better passage to his Court by water by the lake Meter, than to go to him by a land-journey; and that from the Prince he might, by the same lake, be transported to Stockholm.

After many ceremonies and compliments, with apologies for the delay of the sealing of the articles, they fell to their business. Grave Eric read the articles prepared by Whitelocke, and his father overlooked them; Whitelocke's son James read the articles prepared by the Chancellor, and Whitelocke overlooked them; and some mistakes being amended, Whitelocke asked whether the Queen's commission to give them power were sealed. They answered, it was prepared, and that the Queen would seal it, and it was usual to be done at any time after the sealing of the articles; that yesterday it was not fully ready for the Queen before her going out of town, but that she intended to be here again this day, and all would be ready for her sealing.

The Chancellor directed Canterstein to read the copy of the instrument for giving power to the Queen's Commissioners, and desired Whitelocke to give to him the commission of the Protector to Whitelocke, who said that he had formerly delivered to them a copy of it, which was then read; and the Chancellor took exception to it, because there was no mention in it of ratifying what should be here agreed upon by Whitelocke; who answered that this clause of ratification was in his first commission under the Great Seal of England, unto which the commission and powers given him since by the Protector do refer; and he offered to deliver into their hands that commission under the Great Seal. And if they should require that Whitelocke might yet have a larger power, whereof he thought there was no need, (they might perceive by the Protector's letters that he would not scruple to give it,) Whitelocke said that he would take it upon him, at his return to England, to procure it to be done; but he said he could not leave with them the Protector's letters and instructions to him, because part of them was secret.

The Chancellor said it was the custom to deliver the original letters of power into the hands of the other party, that they might be registered in the public acts of the Chancery, and that Whitelocke should receive their commissions to carry with him into England; that if he would pass his word that, at his return to England, he would procure new and larger powers, and take care to send the letters of them hither from the Protector, they should be satisfied therewith: which Whitelocke promised to do, and desired that the Queen would ratify all that should be done here before her resignation, and keep the ratification by her until the Protector should seal letters of ratification on his part, and then they might be exchanged and mutually delivered. The Chancellor consented hereunto, and asked what seal the Protector used in these public businesses. Whitelocke said he used his own seal. The Chancellor asked if he did not use the seal of the Commonwealth, in regard that this league was between the Queen and kingdom of Sweden and the Protector and Commonwealth of England. Whitelocke said that the Protector might, if he pleased, command the seal of the Commonwealth to be affixed to the letters of ratification, which he believed would be done if they desired it; and that, by the same reason, it was fit that the letters of ratification here should be under the Great Seal of Sweden.

The Chancellor said that in Sweden, when the Government was in the hands of Commissioners, the King or Queen not being crowned, it was usual for some chief men, of alliance to the deceased King, to make use of his private seal, and of no other; that if this treaty were with the Poles or Danes, or others, that being wanting in their letters which was in Whitelocke's, he would not proceed any further with them until they should procure a fuller power and commission; and he said he had been present at many treaties which had been broken off upon a less defect than appeared in Whitelocke's letters. But in regard their business was with the Protector, whom the Queen and himself did so much honour and had so great a confidence in him, and upon Whitelocke's promise to procure such a power as they desired to be enlarged to him from the Protector, the Chancellor said they were ready to confirm the articles with their seals. Whitelocke took upon him what they desired, and then the Chancellor and his son Eric sealed that part of the articles which Whitelocke had prepared, and Whitelocke sealed the other part of the articles which had been prepared by the Chancellor and his son Grave Eric.

The Queen's Commissioners insisted to have the date of these articles 11th of April, because then they were fully agreed, and the time after was for engrossing and preparing them to be signed and sealed; and Whitelocke did not oppose their desire herein.

Thus, after a long and intricate (it might be said vexatious) transaction of this great affair for near five months together, all bitter oppositions, cunning practices, and perplexed difficulties being removed and overcome, through the goodness and assistance of the only wise Counsellor, the Prince of Peace, it pleased Him to give a good issue and happy success in the conducting of this treaty by him who accounts his great labour and hazards in this transaction well bestowed, and humbly prays that this treaty may prove to the honour of God, the interest of the Protestant cause, and the good of both nations therein concerned.

April 29, 1654.

Though Whitelocke received no letters this week from England, yet he had some from Hamburg and from Flanders, among which was one from Don Piementelle full of civility and compliment, giving Whitelocke notice of his safe arrival in Flanders, and advising him to take that way in his return; and in it was a letter in Spanish from Piementelle to the Prince of Mamines in Flanders, to be made use of by Whitelocke if he should have occasion there, for the more safety and accommodation of his journey. This letter Whitelocke caused to be translated:--

"Most excellent Sir,

"My Lord Whitelocke, the Lord Ambassador Extraordinary of England, having finished his embassy in this Court, is resolved to return through this province, having passed from Hamburg to Cologne, and that he may go to Brussels with better security, he desires a passport from your Highness to the Lord Archduke. I, having written that it may be despatched, and added that it may be remitted to your Excellence, do entreat you to order that the said despatch may be delivered to the party whom the said Lord Ambassador shall send from Cologne for it; and that, he passing through this town, his Lordship, by his civil entertainment, may understand the favour your Excellence doth afford me, I owing to this honourable person many and singular respects, which I desire to manifest and acknowledge. I am confident your Excellence will assist me herein, and will be disposed to employ me in many services of yours in Madrid, whither I am commanded to go, by order from my Lord the King, and shall begin my journey within three or four days, by way of Brussels, where I hope to find your Excellence's commands, which I assure you I shall esteem in all places and obey with the highest punctuality. God preserve your Excellence the many years of my desires.

"Your Excellence's greatest servant, "ANT^O PIMENTEL."

In the letter which Whitelocke wrote to Thurloe, after an account of the passages since his last, he wrote thus:--

"Having received no letters by the post yesterday from England, I was contented to seal the articles of our treaty; for if but a few days should be intermitted, they could not have been signed at all, because upon Tuesday next the Ricksdag, or Parliament here, is appointed to meet, and within two or three days after their meeting the Queen intends to resign her Government, and it will be some time after before the Prince be crowned. I shall have much to do to despatch the necessary ceremonies here of my public audience, to take my leave of the Queen, with the many visits I am to perform, according to the custom to which I am to conform, in regard of the honour of his Highness and our nation; for he who neglects these ceremonies here is censured for a mechanic or a boor. I intend from hence to go to the Prince of Sweden, to salute him from my Lord Protector, as I am advised that the Prince expects and desires it. From thence I purpose to go to Stockholm, where I am to take ship for Luebeck; and from thence to Hamburg, where I shall attend his Highness's further commands, or some ships to be sent for my transport into England, which I earnestly entreat you to procure in time.

"I hope, before my going from hence, to receive his Highness's order, which I long since wrote for, concerning my return; but however, my business being effected here, I presume I may, without displeasure to his Highness, be upon my return homewards; the rather, because upon the change which is shortly to be here my commission will be at an end.

"The Queen intends, shortly after her resignation, to go to the Spa, which I have cause to believe. In those parts they say the King of the Romans will wait upon her, but that I doubt.

"Her Majesty hath showed extraordinary affection and respect to my Lord Protector; so hath the Chancellor and his son Grave Eric, and my Lord Lagerfeldt, etc."

Whitelocke waited on the Queen, and gave her an account of the signing and sealing of his articles; whereupon she said:--

Queen. I am glad that this business is done to your satisfaction.