Part 34

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.

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.

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.

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.