Chapter XII: Part 12

After this perilous voyage of eight days' sailing on the angry Baltic Seas,--escaping the dismal, infinite, vast, craggy rocks, seen and unseen, and the covered sands and dangerous coasts, in the highest storms,--it pleased Him who giveth bounds to the deep waters and stilleth the waves thereof, to conduct Whitelocke and all his people in safety to this haven. They were not negligent to prepare for their going on shore, in order whereunto Whitelocke sent Colonel Potley and some of his servants to land, to provide horses for his coach, and waggons for his train and baggage; purposing to go that night to Lübeck, being but two German leagues from Tremon, and the days now at longest.

Potley, according to order, gave notice to the Governor of Tremon of Whitelocke's coming on shore in the territories of his masters, the Lords of Lübeck, and provided boats, horses, waggons, and all things necessary, with diligence and dexterity. Whilst this was doing, Whitelocke calls his company together into his cabin, where they gave thanks to God for their safe arrival in this place, and humbly prayed for the continuance of his blessing and presence with them, the rest of their journey yet to come.

After dinner, Whitelocke sent for Vice-Admiral Clerke and Captain Sinclair into his cabin, where he gave them thanks for the care and pains they had taken for him and his company, and for their particular respects to himself and observance of his desires; whereof he said he would by letters acquaint his Majesty of Sweden, and report to the Protector their respects to him. He desired them to accept a small testimony of his thankfulness for their civilities. He gave the Vice-Admiral sixty dollars, to distribute to the mariners, and sixty dollars more to the officers of the ship,--that is, the master and his mate, the boatswain, the constable (so they call the master gunner), the gunner's mate, and the rest. To Captain Sinclair he gave eighty ducats, and to the Vice-Admiral one hundred ducats, which were the best compliments, and thankfully accepted by them; and Whitelocke was the more liberal in these rewards, being to strangers, and for the honour of his nation.

The boats being gone, with the coaches, baggage, and most of the people, and the rest not unwilling to be on shore, Whitelocke, with most of his gentlemen, went in one of the ship-boats; the Vice-Admiral bare him company, and did him the honour to steer the boat himself; the rest of the company went in the other ship-boat. After Whitelocke was gone off the length of two or three boats, and whilst the other boat lay by the side of the ship, they fired forty pieces of ordnance, which, being so very near, did, with the wind, or fear of the cannon, strike down some that were in the boat, who were more than frighted, insomuch that one of them, after he came to Lübeck, continued very ill with swooning fits; but by the care of Doctor Whistler and good cordials, through the blessing of God, he recovered, and was well again.

They went about half a league by water from the ship to the mouth of the river, where there is a little fort with some great guns mounted, and without that are small towers for lights to direct the seamen, and a village called Tremon, where they landed, all belonging to the city of Lübeck. _Mon_, in High Dutch, signifies a mouth, and _Tre_ is the name of the river; so Tremon is the mouth of the river Tre. At their landing stood, ready to receive them, a tall old man, with a long, white, venerable beard; he wore a broad belt, with a long basket-hilted sword; he was a Colonel, and Governor of that fort. He spake to Whitelocke in High Dutch, which Potley interpreted to this effect:--

"My Lord Ambassador,

"In the name of my masters, the Lords of Lübeck, I bid your
Excellence welcome on shore and to this place."

Whitelocke answered him as shortly:--

"Noble Colonel,

"I heartily thank you for your civility, whereof I hope ere long to
have the opportunity to acquaint your masters the Lords of Lübeck."

As Whitelocke passed by they fired three guns from the fort. The Colonel conducted Whitelocke to his house, near the landing-place, multitudes of people flocking together. The house was not stately, nor very convenient. There they were entertained with great store of very strong beer, which they call _mum_; and the Colonel was exceeding free to call for large flagons of it for Whitelocke and for all his people; which Whitelocke apprehending to have been the generosity of the Governor, yet fearing some disorder by it among the inferior sort, and being whispered by Colonel Potley that the Governor expected to be paid for his drink, which he usually sold to the passengers, Whitelocke ordered the reckoning to be paid, and hasted from this honourable alehouse to his coach.

It was about four o'clock in the afternoon when Whitelocke went from Tremon, from whence to Lübeck is two Dutch miles, that is, eight of our English miles. And coming with such a train, and to pass the usual ceremony in such cases to the Lords of Lübeck, Whitelocke sent Mr. Berkman and one of his servants before, to salute the Lords of Lübeck in the name of the Protector, as friends to the Commonwealth of England, and to advertise them, that the English Ambassador having occasions to pass through this city, and to be there this day, he thought it requisite to give them notice of it. In the midway between Tremon and Lübeck they came to a ferry over the Trave; the boat was large enough to carry at once two coaches and many horses. At each end of the ferryboat such artificial work is made with planks that it serves both at the coming in and going out of the boat, meeting with the planks on each side of the shore. By the weight of coach, horses, waggons, cattle, or men, the planks are so wrought that they rise and fall according to the weight upon them, and so as both those on the shore and the ends of the boat come to be even, and without more trouble in the passing over them than a bridge would be.

The great company, and some mishap of tearing one of his coaches, hindered Whitelocke's journey; but they went on in good time. About an English mile before they came to Lübeck, some company appearing on the road, Whitelocke's lacqueys alighted out of their waggons, and Whitelocke was met upon the way by an ancient person of a good portly carriage, with a great white beard, and a greater ruff. He was attended with four coaches; the first had six good horses in it, and was handsome, but not rich. The gentleman, being alighted, and then Whitelocke also, he came and saluted Whitelocke, and spake to him in the High Dutch, to this effect:--

"My Lord Ambassador,

"My masters, the Lords of Lübeck, have sent me with their coaches to
conduct your Excellence into their city, and to bid you welcome
hither; and to assure you likewise that whatsoever this city will
afford shall be at your Excellence's service."

Whitelocke returned this answer:--

"Sir,

"I esteem it an honour to receive this respect from the Lords of
Lübeck, your masters, for which ere long I hope to have the
opportunity to give them thanks; and in the meantime give me leave
to acknowledge your civility."

This person they call the Marshal of the town, whom the Lords sent to meet Whitelocke, to answer his civility of sending to them, which they took kindly. Then a young gentleman, well mounted and habited, met Whitelocke on the way with a packet of three weeks' letters from England, which he said Mr. Missenden, his father, received from Mr. Bradshaw, the Protector's Resident at Hamburg, with order to send them to Whitelocke to Lübeck.

Whitelocke went into the coach of the Lords of Lübeck; with him were the Marshal, and Colonel Potley to interpret for him. The country through which they passed was pleasant and fruitful, stored with groves, and fields of corn not enclosed, but much like the champaign counties of England, only more woody, and seemed the pleasanter to those who were lately come out of Sweden and from the Baltic Sea. Part of the country was the Duchy of Mecklenburg, and part of it Holstein.

When they drew near the city Whitelocke ordered that his staffiers and lacqueys, in their liveries, should walk by his coach bare, and his pages after them; then his gentlemen and others in the other coaches and waggons, in which equipage they entered the city. At the first fort they saluted Whitelocke with three pieces of ordnance, and at the gates of the city were good guards, with their muskets. The streets were filled with people, and many in the windows--not so many men as women; and those of the best rank and habit were with their bodies and smock sleeves, like the maids in England in hot weather. Here the best women, whose age will bear it, are thus habited, and with it sometimes rich clothes and jewels. When they were come into the city, the Marshal took his leave of Whitelocke, saying that he must go to the Lord, to advertise him of Whitelocke's arrival.

Whitelocke passed through a great part of the town before he came to the inn appointed for his reception, which was fairer without than within doors, the rooms for eating and lodging neither handsome nor well finished. About half an hour after he was come to the inn, the Lords of the town sent one of their officers to him, to know what time he would be pleased to appoint for them to come and salute him. Whitelocke answered, that whensoever they thought fit to do him the honour to visit him they should be welcome, and left to them the time which should be most convenient for their own occasions.

Being settled and at a little quiet, he read his letters from England. Thurloe acquaints him that the issue of his negotiation, and the prudent conduct of it, had very good acceptance in England, whither his return was much wished and prayed for. Then he informs him of all the news both foreign and domestic, and the readiness of the Protector to send ships for him to Hamburg. From Mr. Cokaine he had several letters about his bills of exchange, and other particular affairs. He had also letters from Mr. Taylor, from Resident Bradshaw, from his wife, and from several loving friends in England.

_June 8, 1654._

[SN: Whitelocke receives the Senate of Lübeck.]

In the morning the Lords of Lübeck sent again to Whitelocke, to know what time they might come to visit him. He answered, at their own time, and that they should be welcome to him within an hour. There came to him Martin Bokel, Doctor of the Laws, Syndic of the city, of good reputation for his learning and abilities, Jerome Bilderbeck, and Matthew Rodde, Senators and Lords of the city. The Syndic spake in French to Whitelocke to this effect:--"That, by command of the Lords of this city, those gentlemen, part of their number, and himself, were come in the name of the Lords of Lübeck to salute Whitelocke, and to bid him welcome to their city; that they rejoiced at his safe arrival here, and for the good success of those affairs wherein he had been employed." Whitelocke answered them in French, the same language in which they spake to him, and which is expected in these parts, to this effect:--"That the Lords of Lübeck had testified much respect to the Protector of England by the honour done to his servant, of which he would inform his Highness; and in the meantime he thanked them for the favour of this visit."

After many compliments, Whitelocke gave them the precedence into his lodging, which is the custom here, as in Sweden, and their discourse was in French in these matters of ceremony. Being sat together in his bedchamber, the Syndic told Whitelocke that he had a message to deliver to him from his Lords; and, according to the custom in matters of business, he desired to deliver what he had to say in Latin, and then spake to him in the following oration:--

"Illustrissime et Excellentissime Domine Legate,

"Amplissimus Senatus Lubicensis grato animo recognoscit celeberrimam
nationem Anglicanam multiplici favore à multis retro annis populum
mercatoresque hujus civitatis affecisse, atque etiam sæviente inter
utrasque respublicas durissimo bello, incolas nostras gratiam, et,
ex occasione suarum navium ad mare captarum, justitiam accepisse:
amplissimus Senatus humillimè gratias suas refert, quas melius
testari non potuerunt, quam erga personam illius conditionis
tantæque eminentiæ quantæ Excellentiam vestram esse acceperant, suo
speciali respectu, ad hæc cum etiam Extraordinarii Legati munere à
clarissimo illo statu nunc dignissimè fungatur. Gratulatur
amplissimus Senatus negotiationis ab Excellentia vestra peractæ
felicem successum, ut et tanti viri in suam civitatem adventum. Quod
si apud se in sua civitate aliquid sit Excellentiæ vestræ acceptu
dignum, illud quicquid sit offerre in mandatis habemus.

"Dolore etiam afficitur Senatus, se tam sero de Excellentiæ vestræ
adventu certiorem esse factum, ut rationes unde tantus hospes, et
qui in ipsius comitatu sunt, pro merito exciperentur; melius inire
non potuerit, se tamen sperare à clementia vestra ipsis id crimini
non datum iri. Per nos rogant hujus urbis magistratus, Excellentiæ
vestræ placeat, cervisiæ Lubicensis vinique Rhenani (quod
officiariis Excellentiæ vestræ tradi curaverant) parvulum utut munus
boni consulere.

"Excellentissime Domine, candore vestro freti speramus, non nobis id
vitio datum iri, si etiam hoc temporis articulo paucula ex rebus
nostris vestræ Excellentiæ consideranda proponamus: intempestivè
fatemur importuni sumus, sed certiores facti, non diuturnam fore
vestram in civitate nostra moram, id solliciti timemus, ne
aliquando nobis similis offeratur opportunitas; ideo à dominis
nostris jubemur Excellentiam vestram certiorem facere, quam plures
hujus urbis naves inter navigandum negotii causâ, occurrentes
navibus præliaribus Anglis, ab iisdem examen subiisse, liberatas
tamen extemplò et dimissas, quod nihil suppetiarum hostibus vestris
contulisse deprehendebantur; nihilominus easdem naves à quibusdam
privatis vestris captoribus, _capers_ dictis, non multò post
apprehensas fuisse, et hucusque detentas esse, magno dominorum
detrimento.

"Sperat amplissimus Senatus, intercedente Excellentia vestra, ex
justitia et favore Domini Protectoris, restitutionem earundem
secundum jus et æquum suo populo futuram, quem in finem, tam
magistratus, quem hujusce civitatis populus suppliciter rogat
favorem et amicitiam Celsitudinis suæ Domini Protectoris, et
illustrissimæ reipublicæ Angliæ, in iis, quæ vel commercia vel etiam
alia spectant, posse sibi continuari."

After a little pause Whitelocke made answer in Latin to the Syndic's speech, to the effect following:--

"Spectatissimi viri,

"Rectè à vobis observatum est, antiquam fuisse inter populum
Anglicanum civesque Lubicenses amicitiam et mutuam officiorum
benevolentiam; nec defuisse unquam nobis, data occasione, Domini mei
Domini Protectoris reipublicæ Angliæ, Scotiæ, et Hiberniæ, animum
benevolentissimum, quem integrum adhuc à Serenissima sua Celsitudine
erga vos conservari nullus dubito. Nec suspicio mihi est, quin
amplissimus Senatus, hujusque celeberrimæ urbis liberi cives,
Dominum meum Dominum Protectorem honore omni debito prosequentur, et
benevolo affectu quotquot Anglorum, commercii aut conversationis
causâ, apud vos appellere voluerint.

"Referte, quæso, meo nomine, amplissimo hujus civitatis Senatui,
gratias ob respectum erga Dominum meum Dominum Protectorem
rempublicamque Anglicanam, in honorificâ mei eorum ministri
receptione significatum, tam in appulsu meo ad suum portum, quam ad
civitatem suam aditu, necnon in munere quod mihi offerre ipsis
placuit: honori duco quod per me, in suis negotiis, Dominum
Protectorem compellare ipsis visum est, quod munus in me libenter
recipio præstandum, quamprimum Deo placuerit ad Serenissimam suam
Celsitudinem mihi reditum indulgere, cui id curæ est, ut unicuique
quod est juris uniuscujusque tribuatur. Non equidem dubito, quin
particularia favoris et respectûs erga hanc celeberrimam civitatem
specimina reipsa effecta comperiamini."

The Syndic replied in French, that they did give many thanks to Whitelocke, in that he was pleased to take in so good part the respect of this City to him, and desired that if there were anything here which might do him service, that he would command it. Whitelocke said he came by this City in a desire to see it and the fortifications of it, which, if they pleased to give him leave to do, he should take it as a favour. They said, that even now the Senate had ordered Monsieur Bilderbeck and the commander of their forces to wait upon Whitelocke at such time as he should appoint, to view the city, with their fortifications and magazines, and whatsoever here should be thought by him worthy of his sight. Whitelocke thanked them, and discoursed touching the government of the City, and what laws they used, to which the Syndic answered, that their government was chiefly and generally by the municipal laws and customs of the city.

[SN: The franchises of Lübeck.]

Of these gentlemen and others Whitelocke learned this city is the chief and most ancient of the Hanse Towns of Germany, and a kind of free State; that they have power to send Commissioners as public ministers to any foreign prince or State, to treat and conclude with them about any matters relating to their city, and that without the leave or knowledge of the Emperor.

The people of the city chiefly are the merchants and artificers, most of them tradesmen; and both they who are masters, and their servants, being constantly employed in trades and personal businesses, they are the less troublesome in the government of them; as to the criminal part, idleness, being the mother of mischief, causeth quarrels and debaucheries, from whence pilferings, robberies, fightings, and murders do arise; but where people are kept to occupations, traffic, and employments, as they are here, it breeds civility, peaceableness of disposition, desire of rest and quiet, and a plentiful subsistence, and gives less occasion of proceedings in criminal offences. But as to suits upon bargains and contracts, they are the more, because there be so many contracts as merchants and tradesmen must make; yet those suits are here brought to a speedy determination within themselves by their ordinary judges, which are three, and usually assisted with a doctor or licentiate in the laws, who are in great esteem in this country. These judges commonly sit thrice a week, to determine civil controversies, which they do by their own laws and customs, which also have much affinity to the civil law, especially as to the forms and manners of their proceedings; and where the matter contended for exceeds the value of a thousand rix-dollars, there the party grieved may, if he please, appeal from the sentence of these judges to the Imperial Chamber at Spires, as they also do in capital causes; but civil causes under the value of a thousand dollars are finally determined within themselves, and no appeal lies from them.

They acknowledge the Emperor as their protector, but afford him no gabels or taxes but what their deputies, whom they elect and send to the general Diet of the Empire, do assent unto. Their chief officers are a Burgomaster, like our Mayor, twenty-four Senators, like our Common Council, and a Syndic, as our Recorder. These are the chief Council and Judicatory of the city, and order all the public affairs thereof; only in some extraordinary occasions of making laws or foreign treaties, matters of war and peace, the people of the town make choice of deputies, sometimes forty or fifty,--more or less, as they please,--who sit and consult with the Senate, and by their votes by the people, who willingly submit thereunto.

The town-house of their Guildhall is reasonably fair, not extraordinary. Their Court of Justice is below at the upper end of a large hall, made four-square, with seats like the Court of Exchequer in England; above this is another Court or Council-house, greater than that below, which is for the meeting of the Deputies of the Hanse Towns, who usually all assemble here; they have also several other chambers for the meetings and consultations of their own Senators and officers about the affairs of the city.

[SN: Aspect of the city.]

In the afternoon the Commander or Lieutenant-General of the forces of the town, whom they call Obrist Lieutenant, Monsieur Andreas Keiser, and the Senator Bilderbeck, came, with four of the city coaches, to accompany Whitelocke to see the town and fortifications of it. The Senator spoke only Latin, the Lieutenant spoke good French. They went through most parts of the town, and found the figure of it exactly done in painting in a table in their magazine, with the fortifications of it: upon the view of the whole town, it seemed a pleasant and noble city. It is of great antiquity, freedom, privileges, trade, polity, and strength, few in these parts exceeding it; not unhealthful in the situation, beautiful in the buildings, profitable in the commerce, strong in the fortifications, and rich in the inhabitants.

The streets are large and fair, kept clean and sweet; the houses built of brick, generally uniform, most in the frontispieces, and covered with tile; at the entry into them, usually the first and lower room is largest, paved with Orland stone, full of streaks of red and white, and some with black and white rich marble. In this first room they use to set their best household stuff, as the chief room for entertainment; yet they will also in some part of the room have a partition with boards, above a man's height, for a kitchen, where they dress meat and hang their bacon and other provision{9}, which are not out of sight nor smell; and here also, in this room, some of their goods of merchandise are placed; but the better sort keep their houses more neat, and have kitchens and larders out of view. In the second story are ordinarily the lodging-rooms, and some for entertainment; the third and fourth stories are granaries and storehouses, which they hold better for such uses than cellars and lower rooms, which, they say, cause damage to the commodities.

The country about, for a league, and in some parts two leagues or more, belongs to the city, is within their jurisdiction, and is fruitful and pleasant, sweetly watered by the Trave, adorned by the groves and meadows, and many pleasant summer-houses for the recreation of the citizens.

[SN: Fortifications and arsenal of Lübeck.]

The town is regularly and strongly fortified, the more being situated in a plain and low country, with the rivers and waters about it; the grafts of the works are large and deep, full of water on all sides; between the bulwarks are large places, sufficient to draw together five hundred men in each vacant place; and on the banks of some of the ditches are low thorn hedges, kept cut, as good for defence as palisades. There be many pieces of ordnance mounted on several parts of the works, chiefly on the bulwarks, and divers of them are demi-cannon: the fortifications are about a league in compass; the Trave furnisheth water for all the grafts, and the earth with which the lines are made is of a good sort and well turfed. They are well stored with arms and ammunition, which Whitelocke was admitted to see in their arsenal, which is a large house; in the lower room were twelve mortar-pieces of several sizes, and two hundred pieces of brass ordnance, founded in the town, some of them great culverin, one of an extraordinary length; but there was neither powder nor ball--that was kept elsewhere; but here were the utensils to load and cleanse the guns, hung up in order, and the carriages were strong and good. The story above this was furnished with arms, few for horse or pikemen, but many muskets and swords, disposed in ranks the whole length of the room, with bandoliers between, and cases for bullets beneath; at the upper end of the room hung certain great swords, with which traitors had been beheaded; at the lower end of the room were many halberds; divers of the muskets were firelocks, others for match, and some with double barrels. There was in all, by conjecture, arms for twelve thousand foot, few pikes or horse-arms, but muskets, as most useful for a town, and according to the custom in these parts, where the companies in the town militias are only musketeers, they holding pikes not proper but in the field and against horse.

The forces of this city constantly in pay are fifteen hundred men, besides twenty-five companies of the citizens, each company consisting of two hundred men, and two troops of horse of the citizens. Their chief strength, under God, consisting in the bodies of their citizens, proper and stout men, who, if they come to fight _pro aris et focis_, for religion, liberty, wives and children, and estates, for their all, are full of courage; not like mercenary, unfixed, unfaithful men, whose trade is in blood, and who are pests to mankind.

[SN: Honours paid to Whitelocke.]

At their Guildhall they entertained Whitelocke and his company with wine and sweetmeats, but not profusely. After a long and large tour, they brought Whitelocke back to his inn, and did him the honour to sup with him; and, with much respect and civility, the Obrist-Lieutenant and Senator after supper took their leaves of Whitelocke. Divers men and women of the best quality of the citizens came with their children to Whitelocke's inn to see him, and many of them would stand by whilst he was at meals. He caused his people to show all civility to them, as himself did, saluting the gentlemen and seeming to offer to kiss the women's hands, the salutation of the lip not being in these countries allowed.

The Lords sent a guard of twelve musketeers to attend Whitelocke, which were placed at his door and in the street, and relieved by others during the time of Whitelocke's stay here, as an expression of their respects to him. The town musicians, who were masters, well accoutred and behaved, and played some English lessons, and the town trumpets and drums, came likewise to show their respects to Whitelocke, but the more readily in expectation of some reward from him, which expenses cannot honourably be avoided. Whitelocke's four pages, eight lacqueys, and four grooms, besides the gentlemen's lacqueys, in his livery, walked bare by his coach-side when he went abroad; himself was in his plain grey English cloth suit, with the Queen of Sweden's jewel at his breast. The people were full of respect to him in their salutations as he passed by them.

The secretary of the English company at Hamburg came to Whitelocke from the Resident and company there, to invite him to the English house there, with expression of much ceremony and respect to him as their countryman. Whitelocke was not willing to stay longer than one day in this town, and therefore ordered his officers to make preparations of horses and waggons to remove from hence tomorrow; and understanding that it was forty English miles from hence to Hamburg, and much of the way bad, he thought it too long a journey for him, with so great a train and hired horses, to travel in one day, and therefore ordered to go from hence tomorrow in the afternoon, to lie at a village midway between Lübeck and Hamburg. The Lords of Lübeck, with much courtesy, offered him to lodge in a house of theirs three leagues from hence, and to make use of their horses; but he thought it not convenient, the house not being furnished and their horses not used to travel, and he having sent before to the village midway to take up his quarters; for which reasons he excused it to the Lords, yet with many thanks for their courteous offers.

_June 9, 1654._

[SN: The Lutheran Church at Lübeck.]

Several gentlemen of the English company at Hamburg, and among them his nephew, Sir Humphry Bennett's son, came hither to visit and accompany Whitelocke to Hamburg. The Senators and Syndic and Obrist-Lieutenant, who had been before with Whitelocke, came to take their leaves of him. From them and others Whitelocke learnt, that the religion professed in this city is after the doctrine of Luther and the Augsburg confession; yet some Calvinists are permitted, though not publicly, among them, and some Papists are also connived at, though not publicly tolerated to exercise their worship; yet some of them live in a college of Canons, who have a fair house and good revenues in this city.

They have many images and crucifixes in their churches: one, made of earth, of the Virgin Mary, very exactly, is believed by many goodwives of the town, that, upon worshiping and praying to it, they shall become fruitful. In the same church is a rare tablet of the passion of our Saviour, admired by artists for the rare painting and lineaments of it. Above the altar is a little image of our Lady, so contrived with wires fastened to it, that one, being hid on the other side of it, may make it turn forward and backward, to the admiration of the multitude of spectators, who know, by the motion of the image, whether the offerings which they make, and lay upon the altar, be acceptable or not; if one gives a small offering, the image turns away from it in disdain of it; if it be a fat offering, it turns towards it in token of acceptance; and though they tell these stories themselves, yet still they retain these images and trumperies among them. This church is of a good length and breadth, but the height is not proportionable: it hath few monuments of note, only some of their Bishops and Canons, among which one is indeed remarkable, which they will needs have to be believed, where a Canon was buried some hundreds of years since, yet now sometimes is heard to knock in his grave, whereupon instantly some one or other of his surviving brethren, the Canons, gives up the ghost, and comes to the dead Canon at his call.

From hence Whitelocke went and viewed the other churches, all alike furnished with images and crucifixes, and full of pews, fitted according to the quality of the parishioners. The churches are built of brick, and some of them covered with copper, which they brought from Sweden in older times. They use a liturgy, not much differing from our old Book of Common Prayer; their ministers are grave and formal; they commend them for pious and learned and good preachers; but Whitelocke, not having the favour to see one of them at his lodging, can give the less particular account of them.

[SN: The trade of Lübeck.]

Whitelocke also learnt that the trade of this city is the most of any town on this side the Baltic Sea, having a convenient port or road at Tremon, belonging to this city, from whence they send into all parts of that sea, and have the advantage for the commerce of copper, deal, hemp, flax, pitch, tar, and all the commodities of those parts; and by this port, they save the trouble and charge of going about through the Sound, which southern merchants do.

Before the Swedes had much traffic, and built their own ships, and employed their own mariners, which is not ancient, Lübeck did more flourish, and had the sole trade of Sweden, and of vending their commodities again into all parts of the world; whereby the Lübeckers grew great and rich, especially by the copper and iron which they brought from Sweden hither, and wrought it into utensils and arms, and then carried it back to Sweden for the use of the inhabitants there; who, growing in time more wise, and learning to work their own materials, and to build and employ their own ships in trade, and the city of Hamburg growing up and increasing in trade, and particularly by the staple for English cloth being there settled, and those of Lübeck not admitting strangers among them, their town began to decay, and to lessen in their trade and wealth, and is not now so considerable as in former times, yet still they drive a good trade into the Baltic Sea and other parts, but not with so great ships as others use, which they build at home, of about a hundred and fifty and two hundred tons; and they affirm that they have built here ships of four hundred tons, but there is difficulty for them to go down to the river, by reason of the shallows, which yet serves to bring up their commodities in great boats by the river, from the ships to this town. They find the smaller vessels useful for their trade, and to build them they are provided of good store of timber out of Germany, Denmark, and Sweden; and, by their consent, the King of Denmark doth sometimes make use of their town and carpenters to build ships for himself.

About three o'clock in the afternoon, the baggage and most of Whitelocke's inferior servants went away. The Lords offered Whitelocke a party of their horse for the guard of his person; but he, with thanks for their courtesy, refused it, having store of company well armed of his own retinue, besides some English of Hamburg who were come to him. The Lübeckers commended the sobriety and plainness of Whitelocke and his company; only they said his liveries were very noble; and they wondered that they saw no more drinking among them, and that he had so constant exercises of religious duties in his family.

[SN: Whitelocke proceeds to Hamburg.]

The Senators and Syndic came again to compliment Whitelocke for the Lords, and to wish him a good journey; and, after ceremonies passed, about four o'clock in the afternoon, Whitelocke took his coach for Hamburg; he had another coach and four waggons for his people. As he passed through the streets, multitudes of all sorts stood to see him go by, respectively saluting him. At the gates were guards of soldiers, and having passed the last port, they saluted him with three pieces of ordnance, according to their custom, but with no volleys of small-shot; and so he took his leave of Lübeck. Being come into the road, and his pages and lacqueys in the waggons, he made what haste he could in his journey with hired horses, and so much company.

The country was pleasant and fruitful, groves of wood, fields of corn, pastures, brooks, and meadows adorning it: it is an open champaign; few hedges, but some little ones made with dry wood, like our hurdles, for fencing their gardens and dividing their corn-grounds. The way was exceeding bad, especially for this time of the year, full of deep holes and sloughs in some places and of great stones in others. This Duchy of Holstein seems to take its name from _holt_, which, with them and in Sweden and with us, signifies wood, and _stein_, which is a stone; and this country is very full of wood and stone; yet is it fruitful, and, like England, delightful to the view, but it is not so full of towns, there not being one in the way between Lübeck and this night's quarter, which is five German, twenty English, miles. But a few small houses lie scattered by the way; and about four miles from Kettell, this night's lodging was a fair brick house by the side of a large pond, which is the house belonging to Lübeck, where they offered Whitelocke to be entertained, and he found cause afterwards to repent his not accepting their courtesy.

When they came to the lamentable lodging taken up for him this night, they found in all but two beds for their whole company. The beds were made only of straw and fleas mingled together; the antechamber was like a great barn, wherein was the kitchen on the one side, the stable on the other side; the cattle, hogs, waggons, and coaches were also in the same great chamber together. They made themselves as merry as they could in this posture, Whitelocke cheering and telling them that it was in their way home, and therefore to be borne with the less regret. They of the house excused the want of accommodations, because the war had raged there, and the soldiers had pillaged the people of all they had, who could not yet recover their former happy and plentiful condition; which was not helpful to Whitelocke and his people, who must take things as they were, and make the best shift they could. His officers had provided meat sufficient for them; he caused fresh straw enough to be laid all over the room, which was the more tolerable in this hot season. He himself lay in one of his coaches, his sons and some of his servants in straw, near him; the rest of the company, men and women, on straw, where they chose to lie in the room, only affording place for the horses, cows, sheep, and hogs, which quartered in the same chamber together with this good company.

_June 10, 1654._

[SN: Journey through Holstein.]

In his coach, through God's goodness, Whitelocke slept well, and all his people on the ground on fresh straw, yet not so soundly as to hinder their early rising this morning, when they were quickly ready, none having been put to the trouble of undressing themselves the last night. His carriages, twelve great waggons, went away about four o'clock this morning, some of the gentlemen's servants in the van, one upon each waggon; his porter, butlers, and others, in a waggon in the rear, with store of pistols, screwed guns, swords, and other arms, for their defence. Whitelocke came forth about six o'clock with his own two coaches, and eight waggons for the rest of his followers. In some of their waggons they drive three horses on-breast, and each waggon will hold eight persons. They passed by better houses in this dorf than that where they quartered, which the harbingers excused, coming thither late and being strangers.

The country was still Holstein, of the same nature as yesterday. In the lower grounds they saw many storks, one whereof was killed by one of Whitelocke's company with his gun,--a thing not endured here, where they are very superstitious, and hold it an ill omen where any of them is killed. But Whitelocke, blessed be God! found it not so; yet he warned his people not to kill any of them, to avoid offence to the country, who report that these birds will not resort to any place but where the people are free, as in the United Provinces, where they have many of them, and do carefully preserve them, and near to Hamburg and other Hanse Towns.

About a mile from Kettell is a great gate cross the highway, where they take toll for the Duke of Holstein of all the waggons and carriages, a loup-shilling apiece (that is, little more than an English penny). This gate they shut against Whitelocke, but being informed who he was, they presently opened it again, and a gentleman came to Whitelocke's coach-side, excusing the shutting of the gate, being before they knew who it was that passed by. He told Whitelocke the custom and right of this toll, but that nothing was demanded of ambassadors, who were to pass freely, especially the Ambassador of the Protector and Commonwealth of England, to whom the Duke, his master, he said, was a friend. Whitelocke thanked the gentleman for his civility, acknowledging the Protector to be a friend to the Duke, and so they passed on.

About a mile and a half before they came to Hamburg, Captain Parkes, of the 'President' frigate, and Captain Minnes, of the 'Elizabeth' frigate, met Whitelocke on the way, and told him all was well in England, and that by command of the Protector they had brought those two frigates into the Elbe to transport him into England. Whitelocke told them he was very glad to see them, especially on this occasion. As they were walking and discoursing of the ships and their voyage, a great number of persons and coaches, the Resident Bradshaw, with the treasurer, the doctor, their minister, and almost all the English company, with twenty-two coaches, came to meet Whitelocke on the way, and to bring him with the more respect to Hamburg. All alighted out of their coaches, and, after salutations, the Resident told Whitelocke that the occasion of their coming forth was to testify their respects to Whitelocke, and to desire him to do their company the honour to accept of the English house at Hamburg for his entertainment. Whitelocke gave them hearty thanks for their respects to the Protector and to the Commonwealth whereof they were members, in this honour which they did to their servant. He accepted of their courteous offer, desiring the company and conversation of his countrymen above all others. They walked a little on foot together, where the Lord Resident (so they styled him) showed Whitelocke his last week's letters from Thurloe, mentioning the imprisonment of many upon suspicion that they were engaged in a plot against the Protector, and that the serious considerable malignants discovered it. He also delivered to Whitelocke private letters from his wife and other friends.

About a mile from the place where they met was a fair inn by the wayside, where the Resident moved Whitelocke to make a halt and rest himself, because if he should then go directly to the town, he would come into it just at dinner-time, which would not be convenient. Upon his persuasion, and perceiving that a preparation was here made, Whitelocke went in, where the English company entertained him with a plentiful dinner at a long table holding above sixty persons. From hence, with Whitelocke's approbation, the Resident, as from himself, sent to the Governor of the Militia at Hamburg, as Whitelocke had done before to the Lords, to advertise them of his coming. The Governor returned thanks, and said that two senators were appointed to receive Whitelocke at the Port. After dinner they all took their coaches. With Whitelocke was the Resident and Treasurer; the rest in the other coaches, the pages and lacqueys riding and walking by.

The country is here low and rich, sprinkled with rivers, and adorned with many neat and sweet houses belonging to the citizens of Hamburg, who resort to those houses in the summer-time with their families to have the fresh air.

[SN: Arrival at Hamburg.]

Almost an English mile before they came to the town, the highway was full of people come forth to see Whitelocke pass by. At the port were no Senators to receive him, but great guards of musketeers and multitudes of all sorts of people, there and through all the streets unto his lodging thronging so that the coaches could not pass till the guards made way. The people were very courteous, and Whitelocke answered to the meanest their civility, which is pleasing and not costly. The windows and doors were also crowded, which showed the populousness of the place and their expectation as to the Commonwealth of England. They brought Whitelocke to the English house, which is fair and large, the first room below, according to the fashion of Lübeck; the chambers, especially where Whitelocke lay, handsomely furnished.

[SN: Reception of the Senate of Hamburg.]

Within half an hour after his arrival, an officer of the town, in the nature of a master of the ceremonies, came from the Lords of the town to bid Whitelocke welcome thither, and to know what hour he would appoint for admittance of some of the Lords to visit him. Whitelocke returned thanks to the Lords for their respects, and prayed the gentleman to tell them that whensoever they pleased to give him the honour of a visit, they should be welcome to him. Within half an hour after came two Senators, Herr Jurgen van Holtz and Herr Jacob Silm. After ceremonies passed, Holtz spake in French to Whitelocke, to this effect:--

"Monseigneur, qui êtes Ambassadeur Extraordinaire de sa Sérénissime
Altesse Oliver, par la grâce de Dieu Seigneur Protecteur de la
République d'Angleterre; aussitôt que les Messieurs de cette ville
ont été avertis de votre intention de passer par cette ville-ci, ils
ont été désireux de témoigner leurs très-humbles respects à Monsieur
le Protecteur et à votre personne en particulier, en suite de quoi{10}
nous avons reçu commandement de vous venir saluer, et faire à votre
Excellence la bienvenue en cette ville. Ils sont extrêmement aises
de l'heureux succès que Dieu vous a donné en votre négociation en
Suède, et qu'il lui a plu aussi vous donner un bon passage, et
favoriser votre retour jusqu'en ce lieu, après avoir surmonté
beaucoup de difficultés, et échappé beaucoup de dangers, et nous
prions sa Divine bonté qu'il vous rende en sauveté dans votre pays.
Nous sommes aussi commandés de reconnaître les faveurs que
Monseigneur le Protecteur d'une si grande République a faites à
notre ville et aux habitans d'icelle, et particulièrement durant la
guerre entre l'Angleterre et les Pays Bas, en libérant et
déchargeant nos navires. Nous souhaitons à ce fleurissant état la
continuation et l'accroissement de la faveur Divine pour leur
conservation et accroissement de plus en plus, et nous espérons que
Monseigneur le Protecteur continuera avec la République ses faveurs
envers notre ville, qui sera toujours prête de leur rendre tous
offices et humbles respects."

After a little recollection, Whitelocke answered in French to the Senator's speech thus:--

"Messieurs, j'ai grande occasion de louer le nom de Dieu, de sa
protection de moi et de ma suite, en notre long et périlleux voyage,
et pour l'heureux succès qu'il m'a donné en ma négociation, et ma
sauve arrivée en ce lieu, en mon retour en mon pays. Je vous désire
de remercier Messeigneurs les Sénateurs de cette ville du respect
qu'ils ont témoigné envers sa Sérénissime Altesse mon maître et la
République d'Angleterre, par l'honneur qu'ils ont fait à leur
serviteur, de quoi je ne manquerai d'en informer: j'avais grande
envie de voir cette illustre ville, et mes compatriotes qui par
accord vivent ici, desquels j'ai appris avec beaucoup de
contentement que leurs priviléges ici étaient maintenus par
Messeigneurs les magistrats, lesquels je désire d'être informés que
son Altesse mon maître prendra en fort bon part le respect et la
justice qu'on fera aux Anglais qui se trouvent ici, chose que je
croie tournera en avantage aux uns et aux autres. Je vous rends
grâces aussi de vos bons souhaits pour la prospérité de notre
nation, à laquelle Dieu a donné tant de preuves de sa présence, et
je prie le même Dieu aussi pour l'heureux succès de cette ville, et
de tous les habitans d'icelle."

After Whitelocke had done, the Senator again spake to him, desiring him, in the name of the Lords of the town, to accept a small present which they had sent, in testimony of their respects towards him, and said that it was somewhat for his kitchen and somewhat for his cellar. The present which they sent for his kitchen, and was laid upon the pavement in the hall, was this:--four great whole sturgeons, two great fresh salmons, one calf, two sheep, two lambs. The present for the cellar was a hogshead of Spanish wine, a hogshead of claret wine, a hogshead of Rhenish wine, a hogshead of Hamburg beer, a hogshead of Serbster beer. Whitelocke ordered the men that brought this present to be rewarded with ten rix-dollars. He desired the senators to return his hearty thanks to the Lords for the noble present which they sent him; and after many compliments and ceremonies Whitelocke, giving the Senators the right hand, conducted them to their coach, and so they parted.

The English company entertained, with a great supper, Whitelocke and his company, who had more mind to sleep than to eat. Monsieur Hannibal Schestedt, late Viceroy of Norway, sent a gentleman to Whitelocke to know what time he would appoint for him to come and visit Whitelocke, who gave the usual answer, that whensoever he pleased to come he should be welcome.

_June 11, 1654._

[SN: Divine service at Hamburg.]

_The Lord's Day._--The English company and the Resident Bradshaw desired Whitelocke that one of his chaplains might preach in the chapel belonging to the English in their house, which they said was a respect to the Ambassador of England; and accordingly Mr. Ingelo preached in the morning, and a very pertinent and good sermon. The doctor, minister to the company here, preached in the afternoon, who far exceeded Mr. Ingelo in the strength of his voice and lungs, the which was not necessary for that chapel, not being large, but convenient and handsomely made up with pews and seats fit for their company.

_June 12, 1654._

[SN: Interview with the Swedish Envoy to the Emperor.]

The Resident sent to the Governor to inform him that Whitelocke had a desire to see the fortifications of the town. He answered that he would send one of his lieutenants to wait on Whitelocke for that purpose; but Whitelocke and the Resident took this for no great compliment that himself came not to Whitelocke. Much company did Whitelocke the honour to dine with him; and after dinner Monsieur Bernelow, who was Ambassador from the Queen of Sweden to the Emperor, and was now upon his return home, came to visit Whitelocke, and they had this discourse in Latin.

_Bernelow._ I desire your Excellence to excuse me that I cannot express myself in French or Italian, but, with your leave, I desire to speak to you in Latin.

_Whitelocke._ Your Excellence is welcome to me; and if you choose to express yourself in Latin, you have your liberty, and I shall understand something of it.

_Bern._ When I heard of your Excellence's arrival in this city, though I purposed to have gone from hence, yet I deferred my journey, to the end I might see you, because I have heard in the Emperor's Court, as well by letters from her Most Serene Majesty of Sweden as from the Chancellor and other senators of that kingdom, what great satisfaction they had in the English Ambassador, etc. Now the league of friendship being concluded between the two nations, I hold myself obliged to make this salutation to your Excellence.

_Wh._ I have very many thanks to return to your Excellence for the honour you have done me by this visit, and for these expressions of affection and respect to the Protector, my master. I do acknowledge myself much engaged to the Ricks-Chancellor and senators of Sweden, and in the first place to her Majesty the Queen, for their favourable respect towards me whilst I was in my negotiation with them, whom I found full of honour, wisdom, and justice, in their transactions with me.

_Bern._ I have been for some time in the service of the Queen, my mistress, in Germany.

_Wh._ You met some of my countrymen in the Court of the Emperor, particularly a noble lord, whom I have the honour to know.

_Bern._ I met there the Earl of Rochester, who was at the Diet at Ratisbon.

_Wh._ What proposals did he make there?

_Bern._ He made a kind of precarious proposal in the name of the King, his master.

_Wh._ Did he obtain what he desired?

_Bern._ He did not much prevail in it, only he obtained a verbal promise of some money, but had no performance.

_Wh._ What occasion hath drawn your General Koningsmark with his forces at this time before Bremen?

_Bern._ It was thus by mistake occasioned. The Earl of Lüneburg had covenanted with the Spanish Ambassador to levy some soldiers for the service of the King of Spain, which levies he began without acquainting the Governor of that Circle with it, who taking this occasion, and bearing ill-will to the Earl, drew out some forces to oppose those levies. Koningsmark understanding this, and jealous that the Governor of the Circle designed to fall upon the fort of the Queen of Sweden in those parts, he drew out some forces to oppose the Governor. Those of Bremen, being informed that Koningsmark drew out his forces against them, sent some troops, who forced the Queen's subjects to a contribution and built a fort upon the Queen's land, which coming to the knowledge of Koningsmark, and that the Governor of the Circle of Westphalia intended only to suppress the levies of the Duke of Lüneburg, and not to oppose the Queen of Sweden, Koningsmark thereupon marched with his forces to the new fort built by those of Bremen, took it in and finished it, and left there a garrison for the Queen, not disturbing the trade of that city.

_Wh._ Here were mistakes one upon another, which might have engaged that city and the neighbours, as well as the Crown of Sweden, in a troublesome war.

_Bern._ All is now peaceable and well again.

They had much other discourse touching the right of the Crown of Sweden to the Duchy of Bremen; and after many compliments, the Ambassador took his leave.

[SN: Whitelocke visits the fortifications of Hamburg.]