Part 42

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.

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 repute a grand bonheur l'opportunite qui m'est presentee de baiser les mains de votre Altesse Royale, et la saluer de la part de Monseigneur le Protecteur de la Republique d'Angleterre, d'Ecosse, et d'Irelande, avant mon depart de ce royaume; ce que j'eusse fait plus tot et en autre lieu, sinon que la necessite d'attendre l'issue de ce qui m'a ete donne en charge m'en avait empeche: mais depuis sa conclusion, j'ai tarde expres pour ajouter a ma satisfaction celle d'avoir rendu mes devoirs a votre Altesse Royale, et lui temoigner l'amitie et les respects de sa Serenissime Altesse mon maitre."

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 ete un grand trouble si, apres la conclusion de vos affaires en cette cour, vous aviez ete dans l'inconvenience d'attendre mon arrivee en cette place; je suis bien aise de me trouver ici devant votre depart de ce pays, qui m'a donne le contentement de vous connaitre, et l'occasion de temoigner le grand respect que j'ai a Monseigneur le Protecteur et a la Republique que vous servez, et je recois beaucoup de satisfaction qu'une amitie et alliance soit contractee entre ce royaume et votre Republique, de laquelle j'espere et crois qu'elle sera pour le bien des deux nations, et pour l'interet des Protestants.

"Il n'y a personne qui a plus d'estime de Monseigneur le Protecteur que moi, et de votre Republique; et j'ai tant entendu de votre honorable et prudent maniement des affaires que vous aviez ici, que ce m'a fait desirer de vous connaitre et d'avoir l'opportunite de converser avec vous, que vous m'avez presentement alloue, et je vous en remercie, et pour les respects de Monseigneur le Protecteur, qu'il vous a plu me presenter en son nom, et qui me sont fort agreables."

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.

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.

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.