A Journal of the Swedish Embassy in the Years 1653 and 1654 Part 31

In the afternoon Wrangel came to Whitelocke, and conducted him to see the Queen's s.h.i.+ps, which lie round about an island called by them the Holm, into which island none are permitted to enter without special license.

This is a good harbour for the s.h.i.+ps there to anchor safely. There lay about fifty s.h.i.+ps of war, some of them carrying eighty pieces of cannon, some sixty, some fifty, some forty, some thirty, and all of them well fitted and useful, strongly built, but not so nimble and serviceable for fight as our English frigates. Wrangel was now in his element, and discoursed much with Whitelocke about the make and force and goodness of these s.h.i.+ps, their force and bra.s.s cannon, which were commended by Whitelocke, who showed the difference in the make between these s.h.i.+ps and the English frigates; that these, for strength to endure an a.s.sault and make defence, were very good, but that the English frigates had much advantage in their nimble tacking about, their fleet sailing to fetch up another s.h.i.+p, and the lying of their guns for use of fighting; with which discourse Wrangel seemed much pleased, and he preferred their bra.s.s cannon before those of iron, which Whitelocke a.s.sented unto as not so soon hot with firing, nor so apt to break and splinter, and do harm to their own men as the iron ordnance are.

Within this island is the office of the Admiralty, in a fair brick house built for that purpose; in another building there are the forges for all the iron-work belonging to the s.h.i.+ps; there also are the timber yards, well stored, and places for the workmen and s.h.i.+p-carpenters. They were shown there likewise the magazine of powder, bullet, match, grenadoes, with other fire instruments; also the bake-houses, where they make provision of biscuit for the s.h.i.+ps; it is a great room paved with stone, wherein are three ovens for baking, and a large cellar in which they store the biscuit. There be also stores for pork, peas, and other s.h.i.+p provisions, all in very good order, and carefully looked unto.

Whitelocke went on board divers of the s.h.i.+ps, taking notice of their strength and furniture, and among them he went on board several great s.h.i.+ps which Wrangel had taken in fight from the King of Denmark, which at present were not serviceable; but his commendation of that action, and of these s.h.i.+ps of war lying here, was due to them, and not unpleasing to those who showed them to him. They returned by boat, making the tour of the island; and as they pa.s.sed by the s.h.i.+ps of war, they all saluted Whitelocke with two guns apiece, which number they do not exceed. As they pa.s.sed along, Whitelocke was desired to go on board the 'Hercules,' a great and good s.h.i.+p lying there, which carried eighty pieces of ordnance, all bra.s.s; and being brought into the captain's cabin, he found there the table covered, and a banquet set upon it of sweetmeats of divers sorts, with which, and with plenty of excellent Rhenish wine, they did with great respect and civility entertain Whitelocke and his company. From thence they brought him to his lodging, weary enough with his voyage and the extreme heat of the weather.

[SN: Position of Stockholm.]

The island which Whitelocke viewed this day, and many other greater and smaller islands, upon which are buildings, do make up this city, which by some is resembled for the situation of it unto the city of Venice, which stands as this doth, upon several islands in the sea. The waters are great and deep about this city, which is compa.s.sed with mountains, except only where they give way to the pa.s.sage of the waters. The town, in the prospect of it, seems to be as in the midst of the circuit of the mountains, and as it were composed of divers pieces, each of them apart making a good town, and so appear as several villages separated by the many arms of water, or by the Lake Malaren, which come hither to meet one another, and make the large and deep water; and it seems to be the diameter of the mountains, and now all plain, by carrying away the earth of a hill within it, and the stones therewith filling up ditches and uneven grounds, and serving for foundations for their buildings, and to make their streets even and handsome; so that now it is all level, as if no hill had ever been. One of their authors saith that it is "loco et situ commodissimo, inter eximium dulcem lac.u.m Maeler ipsumque Baltic.u.m mare in insula fundatum."

The inhabitants (who should best know it) affirm that the situation of this town is very healthful, and that notwithstanding the vast quant.i.ty of waters that do surround it, yet they are not troubled with agues, or other diseases, so much as other parts of the country. It is too, in the view of it, pleasant and n.o.ble for the situation; and the grounds about it are dry and wholesome, yet fruitful. The streets are some of them large, others more narrow; most of them are straight, the houses being equally advanced and set together. In the heart of the city they are for the most part built of stone or brick, making the fairer show by their height of four or five stories. From the North Holm or suburbs to the east is a bridge of wood, very long; from the island where the s.h.i.+ps lie they pa.s.s another bridge to another island, both small ones, and at the mouth of the harbour for the s.h.i.+ps of war, extending about half a league, between which and the continent are the waters of the lake and of the rivers which pa.s.s through the town from the west; from the north to the east is a park of deer, pleasant with trees and shade, contributing to the delight and health of the inhabitants; and, taken altogether, from the prospect of the mountains upon the churches, castle, houses, waters, and s.h.i.+ps, the town appears n.o.ble and beautiful.

[SN: Legend of Stockholm.]

Whitelocke having been at the island where the s.h.i.+ps lie, and observed it to be called the Holm, and other islands to have the same name of Holm, and Holm to be the same which we call an island, and this city named Stockholm, caused his inquiry of the original of this name of Stockholm; he was informed, in a kind of pleasant story, which is not without some probability, and the earnest affirmations of the inhabitants, who from tradition may be supposed best to know it, that the original of the name Stockholm was thus:--That there was a certain great and rich town called Bieurkoo, situate upon the lake between Upsal and this place, whereof some ruins are yet to be seen. The number of the people in that town increasing so much that the inhabitants could not be therein contained, they held a council what was fit to be done; they also consulted their idol G.o.ds, to whom they offered sacrifices and prayers for their direction. The issue was this: they came to a resolution that part of their people should go forth from them, as a colony, to seek for a new habitation, as is usual in these northern countries; that they should find out a place, and build them a new city to dwell in; and how to find out and agree upon this place was thus determined: they took a great block or piece of wood, to which they fastened some gold, and set the block a-swimming in the water, and agreed that there they would build the new town where their G.o.ds (to whom they had committed this affair) should cause the block to stay; this block floated, and, descending down the lake, at length staid at a little island about the midst of this city.

Such an island here (as in our north parts) is called Holm, and such a great block or piece of wood is by them (as with us) called a stock; and because this stock staid at this Holm, therefore here they built their city, and called it Stockholm; which, by degrees, and adding one holm or island to another, became of its present greatness.

_May 23, 1654._

[SN: The Magistrates of Stockholm address Whitelocke.]

Berkman brought to Whitelocke's lodging this morning two of the magistrates of this city, deputed by their body, and in their name, to salute Whitelocke and bid him welcome to this place. One of them made a speech to Whitelocke, which was interpreted out of the Swedish by Berkman into French, to this effect:--

"My Lord Amba.s.sador,

"The Senate of this city have deputed us in their name to salute your Excellence, and to bid you welcome to this place, where the magistrates and citizens are desirous to embrace any occasion presented to them, whereby they may testify the great respect and honour which they bear to his most Serene Highness the Lord Protector, and to the Commonwealth of England.

"They are likewise very glad of the occasion given them to express their joy for the happy alliance and friends.h.i.+p concluded between this kingdom and the Commonwealth of England, which we hope will be to the advantage and good of both nations, and of the Protestant interest, which is heartily wished by us. We look upon it as a very great comfort and blessing to this city, that after the misery in which we have lately been, when it pleased G.o.d to visit us with the pestilence, that the same is now so well and fully removed through Divine mercy, that we have the happiness to see a person of your condition vouchsafe his presence with us.

"Whilst the occasions of your Excellence shall stay you here, we most freely offer our services for your accommodation with whatsoever this place will afford, which your Excellence may command; and as a small testimony of the respects of our superiors, they have caused us to present a vessel of wine unto your Excellence, whereof they entreat your favourable acceptance."

Whitelocke presently answered them in English, which Berkman interpreted to them in Swedish, to this effect:--

"Gentlemen,

"I rejoice with you in the mercy and goodness of G.o.d to this city, who hath caused to cease that contagious disease which lately raged among you, so that your friends (of which number I take the honour to reckon myself) may freely and safely resort to you, and converse with you as formerly. I have also some share in your joy for the friends.h.i.+p and alliance contracted between my Lord the Protector of the Commonwealth of England, and the Queen and kingdom of Sweden; wherein I doubt not but, through the blessing of G.o.d, both nations and the whole Protestant interest will have cause to rejoice likewise: and as my poor endeavours have not been wanting, so my hearty prayers to G.o.d shall be put up that it may come to this issue; and I shall pray for the continuance of health and prosperity to this n.o.ble city.

"I return you many thanks for your respects to my Lord the Protector and the Commonwealth whom I serve, whereof I shall not fail (when it shall please G.o.d to give me a return to my own country) to acquaint them, and to do all offices of respect in my power for your city; and I desire my thanks may be presented to your honourable Senate for their particular favour to me, and for their salutation, which I receive with all grat.i.tude."

Whilst the citizens were with Whitelocke, Wrangel, Vice-Admiral Thysen, Vice-Admiral Clerke, Sinclair, captain of the 'Amarantha,' and others, came and did Whitelocke the honour to dine with him, and in the afternoon carried him to see the cannon which the Swedes had taken from their enemies, now laid up in a magazine for themselves; there were of them bra.s.s cannon 1100; among them were two pieces taken from the Muscovites, each of them weighing 18,000 lbs. weight, and carrying a bullet of 96 lbs. weight, as much more as the greatest whole cannon carries. There was also a basilisk of nineteen feet in length, very extraordinary, and a great mortar-piece of bra.s.s of a fathom and three fingers in diameter at the mouth of it; with many other pieces of bra.s.s ordnance taken from the Poles in their wars with them, which were now but of little use; nor were those huge pieces capable to be drawn into the field for any service there.

_May 24, 1654._

[SN: Monuments and public buildings of Stockholm.]

Whitelocke walked abroad, to see the great church where the late King Gustavus Adolphus lies interred; but as yet there is no monument erected to his memory, nor are there others of magnificence or much antiquity in this or in the other great church, but store of images and crucifixes in all their churches; their building is of brick, and all their churches are covered with copper.

Whitelocke went to Wrangel's lodging to requite his visits, but found him not at home, not having sent beforehand to him. He fetched a little turn in the city, and they showed him a new building for the Ricksdag, which they call the Ruder-house, that is, the house of the Knights; it is a fair building, and the name of it remembers somewhat of the knights of our Parliament.

In this walk, Whitelocke viewed in the fair street near his lodging the monument set up to the honour of Queen Christina at her coronation, which is beautiful to the view. It is a triumphant arch, of the height of the highest houses, raised upon three arches, which give three pa.s.sages; those on each side the more strait and low, the middle arch of twice the height and wideness of the other two. The frontispiece unto the tops of the arches is adorned with pillars of a fair work, between which, in the front of the building, are figured the wars, battles, and victories of Gustavus the Great: above the pillars are divers images, and above the middle of the porch is a large tablet, containing in letters of gold the original of Christina, her virtues, and the occasion of this monument.

The whole building seems fair and stately, and as of stone, but in truth is only wood plastered over; rather a show, to please for a few years, than lasting. He also viewed many houses of stone and brick, some whereof were very fair and adorned with towers and figures, as those of Grave Magnus de la Gardie, Grave Gustavus Horne, General Bannier, and others, and many of them beautifully covered with copper.

In the afternoon Wrangel conducted Whitelocke to see the castle, which is also covered with copper; and that having lain there long, some Dutchmen are reported to have offered to give 10,000 for the copper, and to cover the castle again with new copper; the reason whereof they hold to be, because the copper which hath lain there so long with the sun upon it, is so refined thereby, and would yield so much gold, that it will yield what the Dutchmen bid for it and more, besides the charge of new covering it with copper as before.

This castle is the princ.i.p.al house in this princ.i.p.al city, belonging to the crown of Sweden; it is a large castle, more for conveniency of a Court than for stateliness of structure. It is almost four-square, one way longer than the other, all of brick, plastered over to make it seem as if it were of freestone, whereof there is not much in these parts fit for building; the entry into the castle is upon the north quarter; the south and east side is of fair building, four stories high, the windows not large. On the west of the quadrangle is the chapel, about a hundred and thirty feet in length, with the breadth proportionable; it is divided into three arches, upon two ranges of pillars of marble of this country, of divers colours, most in red streaks, handsome and polished. On the windows and walls are several pictures and images, after the manner of the Lutheran churches. The rooms in the castle are many, some of them large enough for the state of a Court, and most of those are two stories high, after the use of this country. The situation of the castle is pleasant and n.o.ble, by the side of the great water, upon which part of it is built, and the other part upon the island where it stands; and though of itself it be not of great strength, yet the situation, prospect of the waters, s.h.i.+ps, vessels, islands, and buildings, on the one side, and of the country to the mountains on the other side, give it the repute of a princely palace.

In the castle Whitelocke was carried up to a room, a magazine, where were a very great number of muskets, pikes, swords, and other foot arms, excellent good, made in this country, of their own iron and steel, and kept exceeding clean, bright, and well fixed, and were said to be sufficient to arm ten thousand men completely. On the other side of the court they brought him to another room, where was a magazine of horse-arms, cuira.s.siers, with pistols, bright, well kept, and of an excellent make; there were also more foot-arms: in all, in this magazine, two thousand horse-arms, and five thousand foot-arms; and in the other magazine, ten thousand foot-arms. There were likewise colours, ensigns, and standards, taken from their enemies, to the number of about eight hundred; among them one taken by King Gustavus in person, and another, which Wrangel showed, that he had taken from the Duke of Saxony.

This city is doubtless as well provided of arms and all sorts of ammunition for war as any place in these parts of Europe, here being, besides the Queen's stores in the public a.r.s.enal, arms sufficient for fifty thousand men.

Here also they showed to Whitelocke the lance of the quintain, and, according to their description of it and its use, it seems to be the same with the exercise and recreation used anciently in England, and yet retained in some counties at their marriages, which they likewise call the running at the quintain. In a great hall they showed to Whitelocke the skin, stuffed out and standing in the full proportion, of the horse which the late King Gustavus rode when he was slain; also his b.l.o.o.d.y s.h.i.+rt which he then wore, which is carefully preserved in a chest; where they also keep the jewel which King Gustavus wore at his coronation, and many rich swords, battle-axes, and other spoils taken from their enemies.

_May 25, 1654._

[SN: The launch of the 'Falcon.']

Wrangel came to Whitelocke, and invited him to see the launching of one of their s.h.i.+ps newly built for a man-of-war; and Whitelocke was the more curious to see the manner of it, and how they could do it, in regard they have no docks, nor ebbing and flowing of the water, which here is constantly even, and affords no advantage by flowing tides for the launching of their s.h.i.+ps.

When Whitelocke came to the holm where the s.h.i.+p was to be launched, he found her with the keel set upon great planks of timber, the s.h.i.+p tied upright with cables, as if she were swimming; the planks upon which she stood lay shelving towards the water, and were all thick daubed with grease all along from the p.o.o.p of the s.h.i.+p, and under her keel, to the water's side, which was within the s.h.i.+p's length of her head, and there the water was very deep. One strong cable held the s.h.i.+p from moving; and she lying thus shelving upon the planks, the cable which held her from sliding down was cut, and then the weight of the s.h.i.+p upon the sloping greased planks carried her with great violence down upon the planks into the sea, near a slight shoot, by force of the weight and swing wherewith she fell down. In the sea were boats ready, which came to her, and put men aboard her; and as she went off, a great shout of a mult.i.tude of people, standing by as spectators, was sent after her.

Wrangel, as an honour and compliment to Whitelocke, desired him to give the name to this s.h.i.+p. Whitelocke would have called her the 'Wrangel,'

but the master of that name entreated it might not be so, possibly to avoid the envy of it at Court; but he desired it might be called the 'Whitelocke,' which Whitelocke thought not expedient, lest it might argue too much height in himself; nor would he call her 'Cromwell,' or the 'Protector,' because she carried but thirty guns; but seeing the mark of her guns to be the falcon, and asking whether they had any other s.h.i.+p of that name, they said, No; whereupon, the falcon being Whitelocke's coat of arms and the mark of the s.h.i.+p's guns, and she being built swifter of sail than ordinary, Whitelocke gave her the name of the 'Falcon.' This pleased Wrangel very much, and the seamen and workmen were most pleased with the gratuity which Whitelocke bestowed on them; and this ceremony and compliments being pa.s.sed, Whitelocke gave many thanks to Wrangel for this honour, and so they parted.

The packet from England was brought to Whitelocke. Thurloe wrote thus:--

"I have acquainted his Highness with your Excellence's letters received yesterday, wherein he takes little content, more than that he did on his part sincerely intend a peace and union with that Crown and Kingdom, and committed the management of it to a person who hath performed his trust with honour, wisdom, and fidelity. We hope that your instructions, giving you liberty to return, are by this time arrived, etc."

By this packet Whitelocke also received letters from his wife, full of affection and piety, and from Colonel Bulstrode, his brother Wilson, Mr.

Attorney Hall, Mr. c.o.kaine, Mr. Eltonhead, especially from his great friend Dr. Winston; and all of these letters, and several others which he received, were so many testimonies of the affection and hearty kindness of these his worthy friends.

_May 26, 1654._

After Whitelocke had walked a tour in the Norden Mallum,--that is, the north suburbs of this city,--Sir George Fleetwood came to him, with whom he had much conversation in the latter time of his being in Sweden, both at Upsal and in this town, who showed much kindness and respect to Whitelocke. He informed Whitelocke that by letters from Upsal he understood that the Ricksdag had given leave to the Queen to go to Colmar, which signified that she could not go without their leave, and that she would find much difference between commanding as a Queen and obeying as a subject, and that, by the law of this kingdom, no Queen can depart out of it without leave of the Ricksdag, on forfeiture of all her estate.

[SN: Whitelocke's s.h.i.+pment of copper sent to London.]

A s.h.i.+p called the 'Swart Hundt' was by the Queen's command appointed and fitted to carry Whitelocke's copper and other goods from hence to England. By advice of friends, Whitelocke under his hand and seal desired Sir George Fleetwood to consign the copper to Whitelocke's brother-in-law, Mr. Wilson. The desire was thus:--

"I Bulstrode Whitelocke, Constable of the Castle of Windsor, one of the Lords Commissioners of the Great Seal of England, and Amba.s.sador Extraordinary from his Most Serene Highness the Lord Protector of the Commonwealth of England, Scotland, and Ireland, unto her Majesty the Queen of Sweden, do hereby desire my honourable friend, Sir George Fleetwood, Knight, General-Major under the Crown of Sweden, to s.h.i.+p and consign unto Mr. Samuel Wilson, merchant in London, in Bishopsgate-street, two hundred s.h.i.+p-pound, Swedish weight, of gore copper; the which the said Mr. Samuel Wilson is to receive and dispose of according to my order. Dated at Stockholm, in Sweden, the 26th day of May, 1654.

"B. WHITELOCKE."

According to which warrant, the copper was put on board the 'Swart Hundt,' fitted and victualled for England. Of Whitelocke's s.h.i.+p, Whitelocke gave the command and charge, and of his goods therein, to one of his servants, Taylor, by commission under his hand and seal, and to bring his copper and goods in her from hence to London, as soon as he could, wind and weather favouring. Wrangel procured this s.h.i.+p for Whitelocke, and a pa.s.s from the Admiralty of Sweden for her to go through the Sound; and Whitelocke thought it better to see this s.h.i.+p on her voyage, than to leave the sending of her away to the care of others after his departure.