A Journal of the Swedish Embassy in the Years 1653 and 1654 Part 43

_Wh._ I have cause to bless G.o.d with all thankfulness for it as long as I live.

_Prot._ I pray, my Lord, tell me the particulars of that great deliverance.

Thereupon Whitelocke gave a particular account of the pa.s.sages of that wonderful preservation; then the Protector said:--

_Prot._ Really these pa.s.sages are full of wonder and mercy; and I have cause to join with you in acknowledgment of the goodness of the Lord herein.

_Wh._ Your Highness testifies a true sense thereof, and your favour to your servant.

_Prot._ I hope I shall never forget the one or the other,--indeed I hope I shall not; but, I pray, tell me, is the Queen a lady of such rare parts as is reported of her?

_Wh._ Truly, Sir, she is a lady excellently qualified, of rare abilities of mind, perfect in many languages, and most sorts of learning, especially history, and, beyond compare with any person whom I have known, understanding the affairs and interest of all the States and Princes of Christendom.

_Prot._ That is very much; but what are her principles in matters of religion?

_Wh._ They are not such as I could wish they were;[435] they are too much inclined to the manner of that country, and to some persuasions from men not well inclined to those matters, who have had too much power with her.

_Prot._ That is a great deal of pity; indeed I have heard of some pa.s.sages of her, not well relis.h.i.+ng with those that fear G.o.d; and this is too general an evil among those people, who are not so well principled in matters of religion as were to be wished.

_Wh._ That is too true; but many sober men and good Christians among them do hope, that in time there may be a reformation of those things; and I took the boldness to put the Queen and the present King in mind of the duty inc.u.mbent upon them in that business; and this I did with becoming freedom, and it was well taken.

_Prot._ I think you did very well to inform them of that great duty which now lies upon the King; and did he give ear to it?

_Wh._ Yes truly, Sir, and told me that he did acknowledge it to be his duty, which he resolved to pursue as opportunity could be had for it; but he said, it must be done by degrees with a boisterous people, so long accustomed to the contrary. And the like answer I had from the Archbishop of Upsal, and from the Chancellor, when I spoke to them upon the same subject, which I did plainly.

_Prot._ I am glad you did so. Is the Archbishop a man of good abilities?

_Wh._ He is a very reverend person, learned, and seems very pious.

_Prot._ The Chancellor is the great wise man.

_Wh._ He is the wisest man that ever I conversed with abroad, and his abilities are fully answerable to the report of him.

_Prot._ What character do you give of the present King?

_Wh._ I had the honour divers times to be with his Majesty, who did that extraordinary honour to me as to visit me at my house; he is a person of great worth, honour, and abilities, and not inferior to any in courage and military conduct.

_Prot._ That was an exceeding high favour, to come to you in person.

_Wh._ He never did the like to any public minister. But this, and all other honour done to me, was but to testify their respects to your Highness, the which indeed was very great, both there, and where I pa.s.sed in Germany.

_Prot._ I am obliged to them for their very great civility.

_Wh._ Both the Queen, and the King, and his brother, and the Archbishop, and the Chancellor, and most of the grandees, gave testimony of very great respect to your Highness, and that not only by their words, but by their actions likewise.

_Prot._ I shall be ready to acknowledge their respects upon any occasion.

_Wh._ The like respects were testified to your Highness in Germany, especially by the town of Hamburg; where I endeavoured, in your Highness's name, to confirm the privileges of the English merchants, who, with your Resident there, showed much kindness to me and my company.

_Prot._ I shall heartily thank them for it. Is the Court of Sweden gallant, and full of resort to it?

_Wh._ They are extreme gallant for their clothes; and for company, most of the n.o.bility and the civil and military officers make their constant residence where the Court is, and many repair thither on all occasions.

_Prot._ Is their administration of justice speedy? and have they many law-suits?

_Wh._ They have justice in a speedier way than with us, but more arbitrary, and fewer causes, in regard that the boors dare not contend with their lords; and they have but few contracts, because they have but little trade; and there is small use of conveyances or questions of t.i.tles, because the law distributes every man's estate after his death among his children, which they cannot alter, and therefore have the fewer contentions.

_Prot._ That is like our gavelkind.

_Wh._ It is the same thing; and in many particulars of our laws, in cases of private right, and of the public Government, especially in their Parliaments, there is a strange resemblance between their law and ours.

_Prot._ Perhaps ours might some of them be brought from thence.

_Wh._ Doubtless they were, when the Goths and Saxons, and those northern people, planted themselves here.

_Prot._ You met with a barren country, and very cold.

_Wh._ The remoter parts of it from the Court are extreme barren; but at Stockholm and Upsal, and most of the great towns, they have store of provisions; but fat beef and mutton in the winter-time is not so plentiful with them as in the countries more southerly; and their hot weather in summer as much exceeds ours, as their cold doth in winter.

_Prot._ That is somewhat troublesome to endure; but how could you pa.s.s over their very long winter nights?

_Wh._ I kept my people together and in action and recreation, by having music in my house, and encouraging that and the exercise of dancing, which held them by the ears and eyes, and gave them diversion without any offence. And I caused the gentlemen to have disputations in Latin, and declamations upon words which I gave them.

_Prot._ Those were very good diversions, and made your house a little academy.

_Wh._ I thought these recreations better than gaming for money, or going forth to places of debauchery.

_Prot._ It was much better. And I am glad you had so good an issue of your treaty.

_Wh._ I bless G.o.d for it, and shall be ready to give your Highness a particular account of it, when you shall appoint a time for it.

_Prot._ I think that Thursday next, in the morning, will be a good time for you to come to the Council, and to make your report of the transactions of your negotiation; and you and I must have many discourses upon these arguments.

_Wh._ I shall attend your Highness and the Council.

_July 4, 1654._

[SN: Whitelocke's friends celebrate his return.]

This day was spent in visits, very much company resorting to Whitelocke's house to bid him welcome into England, so that, by the mult.i.tude of company, he had not any opportunity of recollecting himself and his thoughts, touching the matters which he was to communicate to the Council the next day; but it could not be avoided, and he must take such time as would be afforded him.

_July 5, 1654._

[SN: A solemn thanksgiving for his safe return.]

By Whitelocke's appointment, all his company who were with him in Sweden, came this day to his house at Chelsea, where divers others of his good friends met them, to the intent they might all join together in returning humble and hearty thanks to G.o.d for his great mercy and goodness to them, in their preservation and wonderful deliverances in their voyage, in blessing them with health and with success in their business, and bringing all of them in safety and comfort to their native country and most dear relations.