A Journal of the Swedish Embassy in the Years 1653 and 1654 Part 9

In the afternoon Senator Schutt came to Whitelocke and invited him to take the air to see the town of old Upsal, about a mile off; and being there, Schutt showed him three great mounts of earth, cast up by the hands of men, for monuments in memory of their ancient famous kings, whose seat had been here, and the place of their coronation. These mounts had been dedicated to three of their Pagan G.o.ds: the one to the G.o.d whom they call Teuo, who was Mars, and from him they have the name of the day of the week _Teuosdag_, which we call Tuesday, and the Germans _Tuisconsdaeg_, and the Latins _Dies Martis_; the second mount was dedicated to their G.o.d Woden, so they called Mercury, and from thence their day of the week is named _Wodensdag_, which we also call Wednesday, the Germans _Wodensdaeg_, and the Latins _Dies Mercurii_; the third mount was dedicated to their G.o.ddess Freya, so they called Venus, and from thence comes the name of their _Friedsdag_, which we call Friday, the Germans _Frigdaeg_, and the Latins _Dies Veneris_.

There were also other relics of decayed mounts, which Whitelocke guessed to have been dedicated to their other G.o.ds, from whom they gave the names of the other days of the week: as, to Thor, whom they called Jupiter, and, from whence the day _Th.o.r.esdag_, which we call Thursday, the Germans say _Thorsdaeg_, and the Latins _Dies Jovis_; another mount dedicated to their G.o.d Setorn, from whence they call _Setornsdag_, as we say Sat.u.r.day, the Germans _Saeternsdaeg_, and the Latins _Dies Saturni_; another mount dedicated to Sunnan, as they call the Sun, and from thence that day _Sunnandag_{4}, as we say Sunday, the Germans _Sunnandaeg_, and the Latins _Dies Solis_; the last mount dedicated to Monan, that is the Moon, and from thence the name of their _Monandag_, which we call Monday, the Germans _Monandaeg_, and the Latins _Dies Lunae_.

[SN: The war between Muscovy and Poland.]

In discourse upon the way, Schutt informed Whitelocke of the matter of the emba.s.sy from the Great Duke of Muscovia to the Queen of Sweden, which was to acquaint her Majesty that the Great Duke had begun a war against the King of Poland, because in a letter of his to the Great Duke he had omitted one of his great t.i.tles,--a heinous offence, and held by the Great Duke a sufficient ground of war, and of his resolution to sacrifice the blood of his fellow-Christians to satisfy his wicked pride.

Another ground of the war was because a certain Governor of a province in Poland, in a writing, had placed the name of the father of the Great Duke before the name of the present Great Duke; which was so great an indignity, that for the same the now Great Duke demanded of the King of Poland to have the head of that Governor sent to him, and that not being done, was another cause of the begun war. To this the Queen answered, that it did not appertain to her to give her opinion in a matter of this nature, whether she did approve or disapprove of what was done by the Great Duke, but she did presume that the King of Poland would therein give fitting satisfaction to the Great Duke; and that she did wish that there might be peace between these two Princes and all the Princes of Christendom. And with this answer the Envoys of the Great Duke returned as wise as they came.

[SN: Denmark threatens Hamburg.]

Schutt also communicated unto Whitelocke an intelligence that the King of Denmark had levied some forces which he designed against Hamburg,--pretending injuries done to him by that city in relation to his pretensions of dominion there, which probably might occasion a war between Denmark and that free city, which had strength and riches and people and wisdom to defend themselves; and Schutt advised Whitelocke that if this should be so, that then he should take his voyage some other way, and that it would be a great disturbance and danger to him to go by Hamburg and those quarters, which would be infested with soldiers, and that then it would be his best way to return by Gothenburg; but he did persuade Whitelocke by all means to salute the Prince of Sweden by the way of his return. Whitelocke said he thought it not probable that the King of Denmark would at this time engage in a war against Hamburg, and that his levying of soldiers might breed a jealousy in the Crown of Sweden; that the certainty thereof could not be long undiscovered, and accordingly he should govern his own resolutions; that it would be difficult for him to stay in his journey to salute the Prince, but he much desired and intended it before his departure.

_April 2, 1654._

Although the Lord's Day, yet the English and Scots who were in the town, and not of Whitelocke's family, went abroad to take the air, and did not resort, as they used to do, to Whitelocke's house to the exercises of divine wors.h.i.+p, which were duly performed in his private family; and after those _sacra peracta_, Whitelocke retired himself to his private studies and meditations upon the word of truth. This day likewise the Queen went abroad to take the air, and pa.s.sed through the town in her coach, attended by many gentlemen and others in her train, to the ill example of her people, and after the bad custom of this place.

_April 3, 1654._

[SN: Whitelocke takes the air with the Queen.]

The Queen sent to Whitelocke to invite him to accompany her to take the air.

By the way Whitelocke visited Woolfeldt, who had much discourse with him about the English fleet then at sea. From him Whitelocke went to Court, and attended the Queen in her coach to take the air. They had not much discourse about his business, and he thought not fit to interrupt her Majesty's pleasures with serious discourses, but sought to delight her with matters of diversion and mirth. When they were come back to the castle, the Queen said to Whitelocke:--

_Queen._ Tomorrow my Chancellor will present you with the articles drawn up by him, with some alterations which I judge to be reasonable; and that shall be my final resolution about them.

_Wh._ Hath your Majesty commanded any mention in those new articles concerning contraband goods?

_Qu._ There is a specification of them.

_Wh._ Indeed, Madam, I can hardly consent to any alteration upon the subject of contraband goods, whilst the edict of the Hollanders is in force thereupon.

_Qu._ After you have considered these new articles, we will speak together again about them.

Then the Queen retired to her chamber, and Whitelocke being come home, the Secretary Canterstein came to him from the Chancellor to excuse his not coming to visit Whitelocke, and said that, by the Queen's command, the Chancellor had sent a new copy of articles to Whitelocke. He presently read them, and had much discourse with the secretary upon them, who said he did not doubt but that, after communication with the Chancellor, Whitelocke would receive satisfaction.

_April 4, 1654._

Whitelocke visited Piementelle, and they had this discourse:--

_Piementelle._ The Amba.s.sador of Denmark did me the honour to visit me, and we had much discourse together about the English fleet now at sea; he told me that in it were ten thousand foot soldiers embarked for the North, which would occasion great trouble to the King his master, if it should be so, which I acknowledged.

_Whitelocke._ Your Excellence knows that I have not been at the Council of State in England for six months last past, so that I know not the secret designs of my Lord Protector; but I believe it is no very difficult matter to land men in Denmark.

_Piem._ What progress hath the French Amba.s.sador made in the treaty between you and France?

_Wh._ If the Queen will be pleased to give my despatch, I hope to be upon the place before the treaty with the French be concluded. I have somewhat to communicate to the Protector touching a treaty with Spain, which your Lords.h.i.+p very well knows; and it would be to purpose that his Highness should know it before the conclusion of a treaty between England and France.[85]

_Piem._ I am a.s.sured that the Queen will despatch you in good time. But I advise your Excellence in your return not to pa.s.s by Denmark, for it is ill trusting of that King; but your better way will be to Lubeck, and from thence to Hamburg, and if you do not find s.h.i.+ps ready there, you may travel by land to Cologne, and from thence to Dunkirk; which will be much better than to go by Holland, where they do exceedingly exact upon strangers, and your Commonwealth hath more enemies there than in any other place, besides the common people are rude and insolent.

_Wh._ I am engaged to you for your good advice, which I intend to follow.

After their discourse, Whitelocke presented Piementelle his medal in gold very like him, and it was received by Piementelle with much affection.

Then Piementelle entreated Whitelocke to give him a pa.s.sport for his servant, who had the charge of conducting his baggage by sea to Dunkirk, that he might freely pa.s.s the men-of-war of England; the which was willingly done by Whitelocke, under his hand and seal.[86]

_April 5, 1654._

[SN: Conference with the Chancellor.]

In the morning Whitelocke went to the Chancellor's lodging, and found his son Grave Eric with him. The Chancellor made a long apology to excuse the delay of the treaty, and said:--

_Chancellor._ My indisposition of health hath chiefly occasioned the delay, yet was I so solicitous of your business, that I entreated the Queen to appoint some other person in my stead, who might confer with your Excellence; and her Majesty was pleased to appoint my son for that service.

_Whitelocke._ I was very sorry for your Excellence's want of health, both in regard of my affection to your person, and in respect of the protraction of my business; yet I was glad that your son, my Lord Eric, was appointed to confer with me, and had rather have the transaction of my business by yourself or some of your family than by any other. I am now come to you to confer upon those articles which yesterday I received from you.

Then Whitelocke gave the Chancellor a paper of his animadversions upon his articles. The debate began upon the ninth article; and as to the sale of goods taken from enemies and prohibiting the buying of arms, the Chancellor said this would abolish their trade, and would be of no advantage to England, because those arms, and equally as good, might be had from other places; and if the English did light upon them, they would have the benefit by it. Whitelocke said it would be a great inconvenience to furnish the enemies of either nation with arms which could not be had elsewhere than in England or Sweden, and that this clause would put a bridle in the mouths of the enemies of either nation. The Chancellor and his son replied that arms might be had in the province of Liege,[88] and in many other places in Germany; that Sweden scarce afforded any other commodities but arms, or such things as were serviceable for war; and that the Queen would by no means be induced to that clause as Whitelocke would have it.

Then they debated upon the eleventh article, the issue whereof was for Whitelocke to consent to a special designation of prohibited goods.

Whitelocke desired that the catalogue and designation of them might be referred to his return into England, and he would agree that within two months after that there should be a specification of prohibited goods in the name of the Protector.

The Chancellor urged that the specification might be now agreed upon, and produced a paper specifying them, which they alleged was delivered by the Council in England unto Bonnele. Whitelocke said he did not remember the same, and that he was ignorant what goods were prohibited by the Dutch placard, which was fit to be known before any specification made by him.

Upon the twelfth article Whitelocke urged, that as to the form of the letters of safe-conduct, it might also be referred to his return into England. They produced a form exhibited by Lagerfeldt to the Council in England, and desired that the same form might be now agreed upon.

Whitelocke answered that the Council of State had not approved the form given in by Lagerfeldt, and therefore it was not fit for him to consent to it; nor could he apprehend any reason why they should not consent to refer the agreement of a form unto his return to England; and the rather, because in the meantime the subjects of the Queen might enjoy the benefit of an edict made by the Protector in great favour of them, which declaration Whitelocke had caused to be delivered to the Chancellor.

To the thirteenth article, as to satisfaction of damages, their debate was to the like effect as formerly.

Upon the sixteenth article they had also debate. Whitelocke desired that the words "de usu littorum in piscatione" might be altered to these words, "de piscatione et usu littorum." They alleged that this would seem to deny their fis.h.i.+ng upon their own coasts. Whitelocke said, the other would seem as if England had given up their right as to the fis.h.i.+ng, and left all at liberty to those that pleased to take it.

This was the sum of the debate of near three hours. The conclusion was that they would certify the Queen of all these matters, and in short acquaint Whitelocke with her answer; which he desired might be as speedy and positive as they pleased, because if they should reduce him to that necessity, that before he could agree he must send to the Protector to know his pleasure, he could not receive an answer of his letters in less than two months' s.p.a.ce, within which time the Queen purposed to resign her government, and then his commission would be at an end. The Chancellor said he desired Whitelocke should be speedily in England, not only for the sake of his wife and children, but likewise because then they could promise themselves that they had a good friend in England.

[SN: Alarm excited by the English fleet.]

Whitelocke visited the French Resident, who was very inquisitive what might be the design of the English fleet now at sea; whereunto, as to much other of his discourse, Whitelocke did not much study for answers, only he was careful not to let fall any words which might lessen their amus.e.m.e.nt about the fleet.[90]

In the evening Woolfeldt visited Whitelocke and discoursed of the same matter; whereof Whitelocke made some use and of this gentleman, to heighten their jealousies about this fleet. Woolfeldt acquainted Whitelocke that the Amba.s.sador of Denmark had made a complaint against him to the Queen, that Woolfeldt had deceived the late King of Denmark of certain sums of money, which he should have disbursed for the late King of England against the Parliament; and that the present King of Denmark having been informed that Woolfeldt had lost his papers at sea, and so could not produce his acquittances, the King took the advantage thereof against Woolfeldt, and now, by his Amba.s.sador, charged him before the Queen for those moneys: but that he disappointed the Danish Amba.s.sador by producing before the Queen his papers and acquittances, which his enemies believed had had been lost; and so was justified before the Queen, to the great discontent of the Amba.s.sador. Whitelocke said he was very glad that Woolfeldt came so well off, and that he perceived the Queen had, by the the treaty, a capacity, as well as by his residence, to examine and do right in such matters.

[SN: Conversation of a Danish gentleman who betrays his country.]

This day Whitelocke had discourse about Norway and the Sound with a Danish gentleman of great quality and experience whom he had obliged, who desired to have his name concealed;[91] but part of this discourse follows:--

_Dane._ Now is a good time for the Protector to send some s.h.i.+ps towards these parts.

_Whitelocke._ What places are there in Norway considerable as to the interest of England?