A Journal of the Swedish Embassy in the Years 1653 and 1654 Part 29

_Wh._ In England we have of late obtained great reformation in many things, particularly touching the observation of the Lord's Day; and pardon me, Sir, if I wish the like reformation in this kingdom, and that the Lord's Day were not so much neglected, nay profaned, as I have seen in this place. I hope and humbly advise your Royal Highness that, when G.o.d shall place you in the sovereignty over this people, you will take care to provide a remedy and reformation herein, and also of that sin of excessive drinking and swearing with which the people are so much infected, and which may cause a fear lest the anger of G.o.d should go forth against this nation; but it will be very much in your power to apply a fit remedy to these evils, and doubtless G.o.d will require it at your hands, as his vicegerent.

_Pr._ I have not heard many soldiers discourse in this strain; but I like it well, and it becomes you; and I hope G.o.d will a.s.sist me, if He shall call me to the government of this people, to acquit my duty to Him and to His people for the restraining of these sins, which I acknowledge are too common among us.

_Wh._ In doing so, you will render service to G.o.d, and find His blessing to accompany such most pious, most honourable, and truly royal endeavours; and I hope your Highness will not think amiss of this liberty which your servant hath taken, to speak to you of these things.

_Pr._ I am so far from thinking amiss of it or taking in ill part what you have said to me, that I do most heartily thank you for it, and do promise that I shall be mindful to put in practice the good counsel you have given me, as soon as it shall please G.o.d to give me an opportunity for it, and that the temper of this people will bear it; being convinced of the duty which lies upon me herein, and the service and honour which will thereby be done to G.o.d and to the people of this kingdom, both in respect to their temporal and eternal estate.

_Wh._ I am very glad to find your Royal Highness so sensible hereof, and shall humbly and earnestly leave it to your thoughts.

_Pr._ I hope I shall not forget it.[268]

They had other discourse touching the princes and states of Christendom, particularly of the House of Austria, and of the design of the Papists against the Protestants, the which, and the increase of the interest of Rome, Whitelocke said could not be better prevented than by a conjunction of the Protestants; to which the Prince fully agreed. The Prince took his leave of Whitelocke with very great respect and civility.

After the Prince was gone, there came to Whitelocke Grave Eric Oxenstiern and Lagerfeldt, to take their leaves of Whitelocke, they being to go to Stockholm by command of the Ricksdag; and Grave Eric gave unto Whitelocke a paper, in French, of damage sustained by a Swedish s.h.i.+p taken and brought into London, which he recommended to Whitelocke to be a means that satisfaction might be procured.

[SN: Whitelocke goes to a running at the ring.]

Whitelocke being informed that now at the Court, among other solemnities and entertainments to welcome the Prince, the gallants used the exercise and recreation of running at the ring, a pleasure n.o.ble and useful as to military affairs, improving horsemans.h.i.+p, and teaching the guidance of the lance, a weapon still used by hors.e.m.e.n in these parts of the world; this generous exercise having been in use in England in Whitelocke's memory, who had seen the lords, in presence of the King and Queen and a mult.i.tude of spectators, in the tilt-yards at Whitehall and at St.

James's House, where the King, when he was Prince, used also that recreation: it made Whitelocke the more desirous to see the same again, and whether, as they used it here, it were the same with that he had seen in England. He went _incognito_ in the coach of General Douglas, without any of his train, to the place where the running at the ring was.

He would not go into the room where the Queen and Prince and great lords were, but sat below in a room where the judges of the course were, with divers other gentlemen, who, though they knew Whitelocke very well, yet seeing him cast his cloak over his shoulder, as desiring not to be known, they would take no notice of him--a civility in these and other countries usual.

The Senator Vanderlin, Grave Tott, and the Baron Steinberg were the challengers to all the rest; and of the other part were Marshal Wrangel, Grave Jacob de la Gardie, and nine or ten others. All were well mounted; Wrangel upon an English horse, given him by Whitelocke. Their clothes, scarfs, feathers, and all accoutrements, both of men and horse, were very gallant. They ran for a prize which the Queen had ordained, and they comported themselves with much activeness and bravery; and it was the same exercise which Whitelocke had formerly seen in his own country.

_May 19, 1654._

[SN: The Sound Dues.]

Woolfeldt visited Whitelocke in the morning, and brought with him a paper concerning the Sound, written in French with his own hand, wherein he showed much affection to the Protector and to England, and as much distaste to his own country. The paper Whitelocke laid up, and transcribed in a larger treatise.

[SN: Effect of the Prince's visit.]

Woolfeldt acquainted Whitelocke that the public ministers in this Court discoursed much of the extraordinary respect showed by the Prince to the English Amba.s.sador, both in his reception and the Prince's visit to him.

And particularly the Danish Amba.s.sador was greatly discontented, and said that never any amba.s.sador had that honour done him before, and it was so far beyond what he had received that he knew not how to bear it; that the entertainment of public ministers of the same character ought to be with the same ceremony, and not one to be preferred so much as the English Amba.s.sador had been before others of equal quality with him, and much matter of complaint of that nature; which being reported to the Prince, he said that neither the Danish Amba.s.sador nor any other public minister had cause to complain that he had not given them the respect due to their several qualities; and if he, out of a particular affection to the English Protector and Amba.s.sador, had a mind to express more than ordinary particular respects to them, it was no wrong or cause of complaint to any other public minister, who had what was due to him, because another had perhaps more than was due to him; and he said he understood not why his condition should render him less capable than other gentlemen to show particular respects where they did bear a particular affection.

General Douglas, a Scottish gentleman in great favour and honour in this country, came late this year to the Court, being hindered by a violent ague upon his coming hither. He made frequent visits to Whitelocke, and expressed much of respect and civility to him as his countryman.

[SN: Whitelocke dines with General Douglas.]

This day Whitelocke was to dine with Douglas by a solemn invitation; and during the whole time of his residence in this Court he never was invited to any of their tables, but now to Douglas, and before to Grave Eric, notwithstanding the freedom of his table to most of them. With Whitelocke were invited his two sons, Potley, Beake, and Croke. There they met Grave John Oxenstiern, Wrangel, Wittenberg, Bundt, Horne, Vanderlin, Colonel Bannier, and one of the Prince's servants. Of these that thus met, nine had been in commission as generals, two of the English and of the Swedes seven, which was noted as very observable. They sat at table in the same manner as they did at Grave Eric's entertainment, Whitelocke in the midst of the table, the company in their ranks on either side, and all the dinner they sat bare.

The entertainment was very high and n.o.ble, as could be had in this place, and four courses very full, which made a long dinner, in which time Whitelocke was solicited often to begin and pledge healths, which he would not do, but left others to their liberty, as he desired his. The healths they drank among themselves were in large beer-gla.s.ses of sack, which made them discourse the more freely; and most of it was of England and the late troubles there, of particular pa.s.sages of the war, of Scotland, of the fleet now at sea, and the Dutch treaty; in all which Whitelocke gave them some satisfaction, as they did to him touching the Queen's resignation, the present Ricksdag, and the new King's coronation.

[SN: Whitelocke receives a jewel from the Prince.]

The same gentleman who had been before from the Prince with Whitelocke, a Baron of great account, first gentleman of the Prince's bedchamber, a proper, well accomplished person, came to Whitelocke by command of the Prince, with remembrance of his Highness's hearty respects and affection to Whitelocke. After some compliments pa.s.sed, the Baron took out of his pocket a little box of crimson velvet, and told Whitelocke that his Royal Highness had commanded him to present to Whitelocke that token of the Prince's love and respects to him, and, opening the box, showed to Whitelocke a n.o.ble jewel, a case of gold enamelled, the one side of it set thick all over with diamonds, some of them fair ones, and on the other side was the Prince's picture, lively and well taken.

The Baron said to Whitelocke that the Prince desired his excuse because in so short a time he could not procure a better present, but he desired Whitelocke to accept of this as a testimony of his affection to him.

Whitelocke answered, that he had not merited so much favour from his Royal Highness, but desired the Baron to return his hearty thanks to the Prince, which he would also do himself when he had the honour to come in his presence.

[SN: Account of presents made by Whitelocke.]

Upon this occasion Whitelocke took account of the presents which he had in this Court, besides the several and many gratuities and rewards which he had formerly bestowed on many of the Queen's inferior servants, as musicians, guards, pages, lacqueys, trumpets, coachmen, wardrobe men, and others; to whom he had been liberal, to a considerable sum, necessary in his judgement to be done for the honour of his nation, and agreeable to what had been constantly by amba.s.sadors there before him.

Besides these smaller matters, first he sent to the Queen eight black English horses, very handsome, large, brave, and useful horses for the coach, and now in good case; four saddle-horses he had formerly presented to her, all of them were in this place worth to be sold 1000.

The looking-gla.s.s which he gave the Queen when she was his Valentine was worth 100, besides an English Bible richly bound, English stuffs, a cabinet of spirits, and other smaller presents. The Queen's officers gave no reward to Whitelocke's gentleman of his horse, the clerk of his stable, or to his coachman and people that carried them, though it was presumed that the Queen had ordered it, as she had done upon other the like occasions.

To the Prince Whitelocke presented seven bay English horses, very handsome and serviceable for the coach; for which the Prince returned many thanks, being most acceptable to him, as he expressed, and sent a chain of gold of the value of two hundred ducats to Captain Crispe, yeoman of Whitelocke's stables, and twenty-five ducats to the servants of Whitelocke's stable. To the Prince, Whitelocke also presented a young English gelding of Fenwicke's breed, very handsome and mettlesome; the more esteemed by Whitelocke, and afterwards by the Prince, when he heard that it had been given to Whitelocke by his General.

To the old Chancellor Whitelocke presented a hogshead of good Canary wine, and a sober, handsome, strong, well-paced English pad nag, and one of his richest saddles. To Wrangel he gave an English gelding; to Tott another; to Wittenberg another; to Steinberg another; to Douglas another; and to such of the great men as the Queen directed. To Lagerfeldt he gave a clock, excellently made, which he used to have constantly with him.

To Secretary Canterstein he sent his secretary Earle with a silver standish, curiously wrought; at sight of which Canterstein seemed much discontented, till Earle showed him the manner of opening the standish, and in it forty pieces of English gold, of jacobuses, which made the present very acceptable. In like manner Whitelocke sent to the master of the ceremonies an English beaver hat, with a gold hatband, and a pair of rich English gloves; at which the Master seemed offended, saying that amba.s.sadors used to send better presents to the master of ceremonies; but being desired to try if the gloves would fit him, he found therein forty twenty-s.h.i.+lling pieces of English gold, and thereby much satisfaction in the present.

To Grave Eric's lady Whitelocke presented a clock of the new make, to hang by the wall, set in ebony, with rich studs of silver. To "la Belle Comtesse," the Lady Jane Ruthven and other ladies, he presented English gloves, ribbons, silk stockings, and the like, which are of great account with them.

All the presents given away by Whitelocke in this court were estimated above 3000, and the jewels and copper bestowed on him were near the same value; so that none could accuse him to be a receiver of rewards, or that he had enriched himself by this employment.

[SN: Whitelocke takes leave of the Prince and exhorts him.]

Whitelocke had desired this day another audience of the Prince to take his leave; and towards the evening the master of the ceremonies came with two of the Queen's coaches and brought Whitelocke to the Prince's lodging, who received him with the like or greater respect than he had done before. They went directly together to the Prince's cabinet, where two chairs were set. They discoursed about half an hour upon the same subjects as their last discourse was; and now also Whitelocke earnestly advised the Prince to those things which would tend to the honour of G.o.d and to the reformation of disorders, drunkenness, swearing, and profanation of the Lord's Day, which Whitelocke told him G.o.d would require at his hands to see reformed when he should be called to the government of this kingdom, with much to the like effect; esteeming it seasonable for him to take this opportunity of pressing these things to the Prince, as he also did liberty of conscience, and what he hoped was for promoting the interest of Christ in these countries. The Prince gave good ear to these things, and seemed sensible of what was said to him; and by his answers gave hopes that when he should come to the opportunity he would endeavour the reformation of those great reigning sins in his country, whereof he professed his own detestation.

Whitelocke going to take his leave, the Prince desired him to stay longer, as pleased with the discourse on this subject; but Whitelocke was desired by the master of the ceremonies not to continue longer with the Prince, because the Queen staid within purposely for Whitelocke's coming to her. At his parting the Prince desired Whitelocke to testify his respects to the Protector and Commonwealth of England; and told Whitelocke that he might a.s.sure himself of a most entire affection to his person from the Prince, who wished him a happy return to his own country.

[SN: Visits the Queen, to take leave;]

From the Prince Whitelocke made a visit to the Queen. Grave Tott conducted him to her bedchamber, where they discoursed about half an hour touching her Majesty's affairs. She again mentioned her purpose of going to the Spa, and to go thither by land; she desired Whitelocke not to speak much of it; she said that perhaps she might yet see him at Stockholm, but, if she did not, that she would write a letter to the Protector, and send it thither to Whitelocke, upon the subject of which they had formerly spoken.

Whitelocke advised her, as he had done before, and promised to take care of her letter to the Protector, and to improve his interest the best he could for effecting what her Majesty desired, in case there should be occasion for it. She thanked Whitelocke for his advice, wherewith she seemed to be pleased, and resolved to observe it; and expressed very great respect and affection to the Protector and to Whitelocke, whom she desired to a.s.sure the Protector in her Majesty's name of the sincere affection and honour which she did bear him, and which she should continue, in whatsoever condition she should be. She wished Whitelocke a happy voyage, and with many compliments, full of great respect and civility, but not so cheerful as formerly; she twice gave him her hand to kiss, and so took leave of him.

[SN: and the Chancellor.]

From the Court Whitelocke went and visited the Chancellor, and delivered to him (what he had before promised and was put in mind to do) an engagement under his hand to procure a supply of the defect of power, which they excepted to in his commission. The engagement was thus:--

"Polliceor plenam me mihi potentiam ac facultatem procuraturum a sua Serenissima Celsitudine Domino meo, Domino Protectore Reipublicae Angliae, Scotiae, et Hiberniae, intra trimestre spatium, ab appulsu meo in quemlibet portum Angliae, ad supplendum qualemcunque defectum facultatis ac potentiae mihi antehac datae, ad tractandum c.u.m Serenissima Majestate sua Regina Sueciae aut commissariis suis, et ad rata habenda omnia, quae inter Majestatem suam vel suos commissarios et me conclusa fuerint. Datum Upsaliae 18^o Maii, anno Domini 1654.

"BULSTRODE WHITELOCKE."

The Chancellor and Whitelocke fell into discourse touching their Ricksdag; part whereof follows.

[SN: The Swedish Diet and Const.i.tution.]

_Whitelocke._ I received much satisfaction in the favour of being admitted to see the manner of the meeting and proceedings of your Ricksdag, and shall be glad to be instructed by you touching some of the pa.s.sages of it.

_Chancellor._ I shall be ready to inform you the best I can in these matters, and I have had some experience in them.

_Wh._ In that and all other matters touching the government of this kingdom, I believe no man's experience or judgement will be opposed to yours. I pray, Father, let me know the ground of proposals being made by the Queen to the Ricksdag, and whether it be as I have heard, that they consult of nothing but what is first proposed to them by the Queen.

_Chan._ That is very true, and is the ground of our quiet and of avoiding factions among us; for where a Council consists of seven or eight hundred men, as our Ricksdag doth, and they hold themselves to have an equal liberty and power, and are most of them active spirits; if every one amongst them might move and propound what he pleased according to his own fancy, there would never be an end of proposals and debates, and they would break out into several factions and the greater affairs of the kingdom be r.e.t.a.r.ded, and many times thrust out to make way for lesser matters for the most part but of private interest. Therefore the wisdom of our Government hath so ordered it that nothing is to be consulted upon or debated by the Ricksdag, but what is first proposed to them in writing by the King, who hath the advice of the Senators therein; and such matters as are by them judged necessary for the good of the kingdom are by the King proposed to the Ricksdag for their counsel in them.