Chapter XV: Part 15

As soon as day appeared, the mariners claimed many rewards and bottles of sack, sundry of them pretending to have first discovered land; and Whitelocke endeavoured to give them all content in this day of rejoicing, God having been pleased to turn their sorrow into joy, by preserving them in their great danger, and presently after by showing them their longed-for native country; making them, when they were in their highest expectation of joy to arrive in their beloved country, then to disappoint their hopes by casting them into the extremest danger--thus making them sensible of the uncertainty of this world's condition, and checking perhaps their too much earthly confidence, to let them see His power to control it, and to change their immoderate expectation of joy into a bitter doubt of present death. Yet again, when He had made them sensible thereof, to make his equal power appear for their deliverance when vain was the help of man, and to bring them to depend more on him, then was He pleased to rescue them by his own hand out of the jaws of death, and to restore them with a great addition to their former hopes of rejoicing, by showing them their native coast,--the first thing made known to them after their deliverance from perishing.

The day being clear, they found themselves upon the coast of Norfolk, and, as they guessed, about eight leagues from Yarmouth, where they supposed their guns might be heard the last night. The wind being good, Whitelocke ordered to weigh anchor, and they sailed along the coast, sometimes within half a league of it, until they passed Orfordness and came to Oseley Bay, where they again anchored, the weather being so thick with a great fog and much rain that they could not discern the marks and buoys to avoid the sands, and to conduct them to the mouth of the river. A short time after, the weather began to clear again, which invited them to weigh anchor and put the ship under sail; but they made little way, that they might not hinder their sounding, which Whitelocke directed, the better to avoid the danger of the sands, whereof this coast is full.

Near the road of Harwich the 'Elizabeth' appeared under sail on-head of the 'President,' who overtaking her, Captain Minnes came on board to Whitelocke, who told him the condition they had been in the last night, and expostulated with him to this purpose.

_Whitelocke._ Being in this distress, we fired divers guns, hoping that you, Captain Minnes, could not but hear us and come in to our relief, knowing this to be the order of the sea in such cases.

_Minnes._ My Lord, I had not the least imagination of your being in distress; but I confess I heard your cannon, and believed them to be fired by reason of the fog, which is the custom of the sea in such weather, to advertise one another where they are.

_Wh._ Upon such an occasion as the fog, seamen use to give notice to one another by two or three guns, but I caused many more to be fired.

_Minnes._ I heard but four or five in all, and I answered your guns by firing some of mine.

_Wh._ We heard not one of your guns.

_Minnes._ That might be by reason we were to windward of you three leagues.

_Wh._ Why then did you not answer the lights which I caused to be set up?

_Minnes._ My Lord, those in my ship can witness that I set up lights again, and caused squibs and fireworks to be cast up into the air, that you might thereby discern whereabouts we were.

_Wh._ It was strange that we could neither see yours nor you our lights.

_Minnes._ The greatness of the fog might occasion it.

_Wh._ The lights would appear through the fog as well as in the night.

_Minnes._ My Lord, I did all this.

_Wh._ It was contrary to my orders for you to keep so far off from me, and to be on-stern of me three leagues; but this hath been your practice since we first came out to sea together; and if you had been under the command of some others, as you were under mine, they would have expected more obedience than you have given to my orders, or have taken another course with you, which I can do likewise.

_Minnes._ My Lord, I endeavoured to get the wind of you, that I might thereby be able to keep in your company, which otherwise I could not have done, you being so much fleeter than the 'Elizabeth;' but in the evenings I constantly came up to your Excellence.

_Wh._ Why did you not so the last night?

_Minnes._ The fog rose about five o'clock, and was so thick that we could not see two ships' length before us. In that fog I lost you, and, fearing there might be danger in the night to fall upon the coast, I went off to sea, supposing you had done so likewise, as, under favour, your captain ought to have done; and for my obedience to your Excellency's commands, it hath been and shall be as full and as willing as to any person living.

_Wh._ When you found by my guns that you were so far from me to the windward, you might fear that I was fallen into that danger which you had avoided by keeping yourself under the wind more at large at sea.

_Minnes._ If I had in the least imagined your Excellence to have been in danger, we had been worse than Turks if we had not endeavoured to come in to your succour; and though it was impossible, as we lay, for our ship to come up to your Excellence, yet I should have adventured with my boats to have sought you out. But that you were in any danger was never in our thoughts; and three hours after your guns fired, sounding, I found by the lead the red sand, which made me think both your Excellence and we might be in the more danger, and I lay the further off from them, but knew not where your Excellence was, nor how to come to you.

After much more discourse upon this subject, Captain Parkes pressing it against Minnes, who answered well for himself, and showed that he was the better seaman in this action and in most others, and in regard of the cause of rejoicing which God had given them, and that they now were near the end of their voyage, Whitelocke held it not so good to continue the expostulation as to part friends with Captain Minnes and with all his fellow-seamen, and so they proceeded together lovingly and friendly in their voyage.

The wind not blowing at all, but being a high calm, they could advance no further than the tide would carry them, the which failed them when they came to a place called Shoe, about four leagues from the mouth of Thames. Having, through the goodness of God, passed by and avoided many banks of sands and dangerous places, the wind failing them and the tide quite spent, they were forced about seven o'clock in the evening to come to an anchor, Captain Minnes hard by the 'President,' where, to make some pastime and diversion, he caused many squibs and fireworks to be cast up into the air from the 'Elizabeth,' in which Minnes was very ingenious, and gave recreation thereby to Whitelocke and to his company.

_June 30, 1654._

[SN: Reach the Nore and Gravesend.]

Friday, the last of this month, was the fifth and last day of Whitelocke's voyage by sea from the mouth of the Elbe to the mouth of the Thames. About twelve o'clock the last night the wind began to blow very strong in the south-west, and by daybreak they had weighed anchor; and though the wind was extreme high and a great tempest, yet such was their desire of getting into the harbour, that, taking the benefit of the tide and by often tacking about, they yet advanced three leagues in their course; and when the tide failed, they were forced to cast anchor at the buoy in the Nore, the same place where Whitelocke first anchored when he came from England. The pilots and mariners had much ado to manage their sails in this tempestuous weather; and it was a great favour of God that they were not out at sea in these storms, but returned in safety to the place where the kindness of God had before appeared to them.

In the afternoon the wind began to fall, and they weighed anchor, putting themselves under sail and pursuing their course, till for want of day and of tide they were fain to cast anchor a little above Gravesend, and it being very late, Whitelocke thought it would be too troublesome to go on shore; but to keep his people together, and that they might all be the readier to take the morning tide, he lay this night also on ship-board, but sent Earle and some others that night to shore, to learn the news, and to provide boats against the morning for transportation of Whitelocke and his company the next day to London.

Thus, after a long, most difficult, and most dangerous journey, negotiation, and voyage from south to north in winter, and from north to south in summer, after the wonderful preservations and deliverances which the Lord had been pleased to vouchsafe to them, He was also pleased, in His free and constant goodness to His servants, to bring them all in safety and with comfort again to their native country and dearest relations, and blessed with the success of their employment, and with the wonderful appearances of God for them.

May it be the blessed portion of them all, never to forget the loving-kindness of the Lord, but by these cords of love to be drawn nearer to Him, and to run after Him all the days of their lives! To the end that those of his family may see what cause they have to trust in God and to praise his name for his goodness, Whitelocke hath thought fit, hereby in writing, and as a monument of God's mercy, to transmit the memory of these passages to his posterity.

FOOTNOTES:

[371] [Another instance of the fear of assassination or of death by poison, which at that time haunted the Envoys of the Commonwealth abroad.]

JULY.

_July 1, 1654._

[SN: Whitelocke lands, and proceeds to his house at Chelsea.]

About three o'clock this morning good store of boats came from Gravesend to Whitelocke's ships, to transport him, his company, and goods to London. By the help of the mariners, without much delay the baggage was put on board the boats; and Whitelocke's people, after a perilous and tedious voyage, were not backward to leave their ships and to set forward to London. Earle was sent before to Greenwich, to acquaint Whitelocke's wife with his coming, lest sudden joy and apprehensions might surprise her to her prejudice.

Whitelocke having distributed his rewards to the officers and seamen of both the frigates, much to the same proportion as when he went forth, and giving them all his hearty thanks, he went into a boat of six oars, his two sons and some of the gentlemen with him, the rest in other boats. When they were gone about a musket-shot from the ships, both the frigates and the fort fired their cannon for a parting salutation. The weather was cold, wet, and windy, as if it had been still winter, but it was cheerfully endured, being the conclusion of a bad voyage. Near Greenwich Earle met them, and informed Whitelocke that his family was at Chelsea, whither he had sent advertisement of his coming.

Many of the company being much tired, sick, and wanting sleep, by their desire and for their refreshment he staid a little time at the 'Bear' on the bridge-foot, and from thence to Whitehall, where not finding the Protector, who was gone to Hampton Court, yet many of his friends meeting him there, he was embraced by them with much show of joy, and heartily bid welcome home, blessing God for his safe return and good success in his business.

From Whitehall Whitelocke went to his own house at Chelsea, where he found his wife and family in good health, but in no small passion, surprised with the great and sudden joy, which ofttimes brings no less disturbance to the tempers of people, especially of the more tender and affectionate sex, than other surprises do; sudden fear, grief, and joy, are often equal in their operation upon constitutions and affections. Nor was Whitelocke's wife alone in this surprise; another with her, at the return of her husband, could not forbear, in all that company, her extraordinary expressions of joy at the happy meeting of her own most near relation.

From the time of Whitelocke's departure from hence, to his entry into Upsal, Whitelocke spent forty-seven days; five months he staid there, and in his return from Upsal to this place cost him forty-three days; and in all these eight months' time of his absence from his dear relations and country the Lord was pleased so to own him and his, and so graciously to preserve and prosper them, that himself and a hundred persons in his company, after so long a journey, so great a change of climate and accommodations, such hardships endured, such dangers surmounted through His goodness, the business effected beyond the expectation of those who employed him, Whitelocke and all his company were through mercy returned to their country and relations, in as good condition and health as when they went forth, not one of them left behind dead or sick or impaired in their health, but some improved and bettered therein. Only Whitelocke, being ancient, will have cause to remember the decay of his strength and health by the hardships and difficulties of this service; but more cause hath he to remember the wonderful goodness of God to him and his company abroad and to his wife and family at home, in His blessing and preservation of them, and in the comfort and safety of their meeting after so long and perilous a separation, for which he is obliged to praise the name of God for ever.

After ceremonies past at his coming to his own house, Whitelocke sent Captain Beake to Hampton Court, to acquaint the Protector with his return, to present his duty, and to receive his commands when Whitelocke should wait upon his Highness to kiss his hand, and to give him an account of his negotiation. Beake returned this evening from Hampton Court to Whitelocke with this answer:--that the Protector expressed much joy at the news of the safe arrival of Whitelocke and of his company in England; that he looked upon it as a mercy, and blessed God for it; and that he much desired to see Whitelocke, and hoped, on Monday next, at Whitehall, to have his company, who should be very welcome to him.

A little while after this message returned, there came two of the Protector's gentlemen, sent by him to Chelsea in his name, to visit Whitelocke and to bid him welcome home, to inquire of his health, and to testify the contentment the Protector received by Whitelocke's happy return home, and that he hoped on Monday next to see him. Whitelocke desired the gentlemen to present his humble thanks to the Protector for this great favour to inquire after so mean a servant, who hoped to have the honour to wait upon his Highness at the time appointed by him.

_July 2, 1654._

[SN: The Protector compliments Whitelocke on his return.]

_The Lord's Day._--Whitelocke began to enjoy some more privacy and retirement than he had been lately accustomed unto, and was at the public church with his wife and family, and courteously saluted and bid welcome home by many. In the evening the Protector sent another compliment to Whitelocke by Mr. Strickland, one of his Council, who came to Whitelocke's house, and told him that he was sent by the Protector to salute him, and to inquire of his health after his long and dangerous voyage, and to assure him of the great joy his Highness received by Whitelocke's safe arrival in England, and the desire he had to see him, and personally to entertain him. Whitelocke desired his most humble thanks might be returned to his Highness for this great favour, giving him the opportunity of seeing so honourable a person as Strickland was, and for taking such care of so poor a servant as Whitelocke, and to let his Highness know that he should obey his Highness's commands in waiting on him the next day as he appointed.

_July 3, 1654._

[SN: His audience of the Protector.]

Whitelocke came to Whitehall about nine o'clock this morning, where he visited Mr. Secretary Thurloe, who brought him to the Protector, and he received Whitelocke with great demonstration of affection, and carried him into his cabinet, where they were together about an hour, and had this among other discourses:--

_Protector._ How have you enjoyed your health in your long journey, both by sea and land? and how could you endure those hardships you were put unto in that barren and cold country?

_Whitelocke._ Indeed, Sir, I have endured many hardships for an old crazy carcase as mine is, but God was pleased to show much mercy to me in my support under them, and vouchsafed me competent health and strength to endure them.

_Prot._ I have heard of your quarters and lodging in straw, and of your diet in your journey; we were not so hardly nor so often put to it in our service in the army.

_Wh._ Both my company and myself did cheerfully endure all our hardships and wants, being in the service of our God and of our country.

_Prot._ That was also our support in our hardships in the army, and it is the best support, indeed it is, and you found it so in the very great preservations you have had from dangers.

_Wh._ Your Highness hath had great experience of the goodness of God to you, and the same hand hath appeared wonderfully in the preservation of my company and myself from many imminent and great dangers both by sea and land.

_Prot._ The greatest of all other, I hear, was in your return home upon our coast.

_Wh._ That indeed, Sir, was very miraculous.

_Prot._ I am glad to see you safe and well after it.

_Wh._ I have cause to bless God 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 passages of that wonderful preservation; then the Protector said:--

_Prot._ Really these passages 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 passages of her, not well relishing with those that fear God; 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 incumbent 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 passed 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 nobility 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 titles, 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 pass 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 God 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 multitude 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 God 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.

Being for this end met together in a large room prepared for them, they began the duty; and first, Mr. Peters acquainted them with the occasion of the meeting, recommending all to the direction and assistance of the Lord. He spoke to them upon the Psalm pertinent to the occasion, and to the mention of the voyage, hardships, dangers, and difficulties, wherein God had delivered them; and what sense these things ought to work upon their hearts, and what thankfulness they ought to return to God for his mercies.

After a psalm sung, Mr. Ingelo, one of Whitelocke's chaplains, prayed with them, and then amplified the favours and deliverances which God had wrought for them, the great difficulties and dangers wherein He had preserved them, and their unworthiness of any mercy; he exhorted them to all gratitude to the Author of their mercies: in all which he expressed himself with much piety, ingenuity, and with great affection. Mr. George Downing, who had been a chaplain to a regiment in the army, expounded a place of Scripture very suitable to the occasion, and very ingeniously and pertinently. After him, Mr. Stapleton prayed very well, and spake pertinently and feelingly to the rest of the company, his fellow-travellers. Then they sang another psalm; and after that, Mr. Cokaine spake very well and piously, and gave good exhortations on the same subject.

[SN: Whitelocke's address to his company.]

When all these gentlemen had ended their discourses proper for the occasion, Whitelocke himself spake to the company to this effect:--

"Gentlemen,

"You have heard from our worthy Christian friends many words of
precious truth, with which I hope all our souls are refreshed, and
do pray that our practice may be conformed. The duty of this day,
and of every person, is _gratiarum actio_: I wish we may all act
thankfulness to our God, whereunto we are all obliged who have
received so great benefits from Him. In a more peculiar manner than
others I hold myself obliged to render thanks--

"1. To our God, who hath preserved us all, and brought us in safety
and comfort to our dear country and relations.

"2. To our Christian friends, from whom we have received such
powerful instructions this day, and prayers all the days of our
absence.

"3. To you, Gentlemen, who have shown so much affection and respect
in bearing me company in a journey so full of hardships and dangers.

"I am of the opinion of the Roman soldier who told Cæsar, 'I have in
my own person fought for thee, and therefore that the Emperor ought
in his own person to plead for the soldier' (which he did); and have
in your own persons endured all the hardships, difficulties, and
dangers with me: and were I as able as Cæsar, I hold myself as much
obliged in my own person to serve you, and, to the utmost of my
capacity, shall do all good offices for any of you, who have, with
so much affection, respect, and hazard, adventured your persons with
me.

"I am obliged, and do return my hearty thanks, to our worthy
friends who have so excellently performed the work of the day, and
shall pray that it may be powerful upon every one of our hearts, to
build us up in the knowledge of this duty; and I should be glad to
promise, in the name of all my company, that we shall give a ready
and constant observance of those pious instructions we have received
from you.

"Some here have been actors with us in our story; have gone down to
the sea in ships and done business in great waters; have seen the
works of God and His wonders in the deep; His commanding and raising
the stormy wind, lifting up the waves thereof, which mount up to the
heavens and go down again to the deep, whose souls have melted
because of trouble, and have been at their wits' end: then have
cried unto the Lord in their distress, and He hath brought them out
of trouble. We have seen Him make the storm a calm, and the waves
thereof still: then were we glad, and He brought us to our desired
harbour. Oh that we would praise the Lord for His goodness, for His
wonderful works! Let us exalt Him in the congregation of the people,
and praise Him in the assembly of the elders.

"These my companions, who have been actors, and others, I hope will
give me leave to make them auditors of some special providences of
the Lord, wherein we may all reap benefit from the relation. The
Apostle saith, 2 Pet. i., 'Wherefore I will not be negligent to put
you always in remembrance of these things, though you know them, and
be established in the present truth.' To all I may say, with the
wise man (Prov. viii.), 'Hear! for I will speak of excellent
things,' free mercies, great deliverances, wonderful preservations:
excellent things to those who were sharers of them in action, and
for the contemplation of those who are hearers of them; therefore I
may shortly recite some of the most eminent of them.

"In the first day of our voyage with a fair wind, at night it
changed, and we were stopped till comfortable letters came to me,
which otherwise could not have come, and were no sooner answered but
the wind came fair again. When we toiled in the open sea with cross
winds and tempests, driven near to our own coast back again, God
sent us then fair weather and a good gale for our voyage. How was He
pleased to bring us so very near great danger on the Riff, and then
bring us safe off from it and hold on our course again!

"When we were in no small danger in the tempestuous seas on the back
of the Skaw, when the anchors dragged a league in one night with the
storm, and every moment _we_ expected to be devoured by the raging
waves, there the Lord was also our deliverer; as He also was upon
the rocky coast of Norway and in the difficult passage to the
harbour of Gothenburg. Throughout our voyage the providence of God
watched over us and protected us. Thus did He in our land journey,
where the extreme hardships we were put unto are sufficiently known
to all of us, and will to our life's end be felt by some of us.

"My particular preservation was wonderful from an intended
assassination by one who thrust himself into my company to have the
better opportunity to execute it; but, overcome with kindness, his
heart relented, and he forsook his purpose and my company.

"If the snow had fallen (as in other years) in the time of our
travel, we could not have passed our journey; but He who rules the
heavens and the earth restrained it till we came within half a day
of our journey's end, and in safety He conducted us to Upsal. The
same Providence kept us there, and when some of our company were
sick and hurt, restored health again.

"It was marvellous and unexpected, that in a foreign country, at
such a distance from friends and acquaintance, God should raise us
up friends out of strangers, namely the Queen, foreign ministers,
and great officers, in whose sight we found wonderful favour, to our
preservation under God and a great means of effecting what we came
about, maugre the labours and designs of our enemies against it, and
their plots and attempts for our destruction, had not our Rock of
Defence secured us.

"I should detain you very long, though I hope it would not be
thought too long, to recite all our remarkable mercies; and it is an
excellent thing that they are so numerous. We are now coming
homewards. How did our God preserve us over the Baltic Sea from
innumerable dangers of the rocks, sands, coasts, islands, fierce
lightnings, storms, and those high-swelling waters! Such was our
preservation in the Elbe, when our countrymen leaped into the water
to bring us off from danger, and when the tempests hurried us up and
down, by Heligoland, then towards Holland, then to the northward,
then to the southward, in the open breaking rough seas, when we had
lost our course and knew not where we were.

"Above all other was that most eminent deliverance near our own
coast, when our ship was stuck upon the sand twelve leagues from any
shore, when no help nor human means were left to save us, when pale
death faced us so long together, when no hopes remained to escape
his fury or the rages of the waves, which we expected every instant
to swallow us; even then, to show where our dependence ought to be,
our God would make it His own work to deliver us. He it was that
raised the wind, and brought it from the higher part of the bank, to
shake our fastened ship, and crumble the loose sands; and no sooner
had we taken a resolution of praying and resigning our souls to God,
but He gave us our lives again, moving our ship by His powerful arm,
making it to float again, none knowing how or by what means, but by
the free act of His mercy, and not a return of ours, but of the
prayers of some here present, and divers others our Christian
friends, who at that very time were met together to seek the Lord
for us and for our safe return.

"Methinks the hearts of us who were partakers of these mercies
should rejoice in the repetition of them, and those that hear them
cannot but say they hear excellent things; and certainly never had
any men more cause than we have of returning humble and hearty
thanks to God who hath thus saved us.

"And having received these mercies, and been delivered out of these
distresses, I may say to you, as Jacob said to his household (Gen.
xxxv.), 'Let us arise and go to Bethel;' let us serve God and praise
His name who answered us in the day of our distress, and was with us
in the way which we went. Let us also keep Jacob's vow: 'The Lord
hath been with us and kept us in our way, and brought us again to
our fathers' house in peace; let the Lord be our God.' Let not any
of our former vanities or lusts, or love of the world, be any more
our God, but let the Lord be our God; let our thanksgiving appear in
owning the Lord for our God, and in walking answerable to our
mercies; let our prayers be according to the counsel of the Apostle
(Eph. v.), 'See then that ye walk circumspectly, giving thanks
always for all things.' How much more are we bound to do it from our
special mercies!

"Gentlemen, give me leave to conclude with my particular thanks to
you who accompanied me in my journey, and have manifested very much
respect, care, diligence, courage, and discretion. You have, by your
demeanour, done honour to our profession of religion, to our
country, to yourselves, to your Ambassador, who will be ready to
testify the same on all occasions, and to do you all good offices;
chiefly in bearing you company to return praises to our God, whose
mercies endure for ever."

After these exercises performed, wherein Whitelocke was the more large in manifesting the abounding of his sense of the goodness of God towards him, and was willing also to recollect his thoughts for another occasion, the company retired themselves; and Whitelocke complimented his particular friends, giving them many thanks who had shown kindness to his wife and family, and had taken care of his affairs in his absence.

[SN: A banquet held in State, as in Sweden.]

He bid them all welcome, and desired them to accompany company him the next day to his audience before the Protector and Council. Then he led them into a great room, where the table was spread, and all things in the same state and manner as he used to have them in Sweden, that his friends might see the fashion of his being served when he was in that condition, and as his farewell to those pomps and vanities.

The trumpets sounding, meat was brought in, and the mistress of the house made it appear that England had as good and as much plenty of provisions as Sweden, Denmark, or Germany. His friends and company sat down to meat as they used to do in Sweden; the attendants, pages, lacqueys, and others, in their liveries, did their service as they were accustomed abroad. Their discourse was full of cheerfulness and recounting of God's goodness; and both the time of the meat and the afternoon was spent in rejoicing together for the present mercy, and for the whole series of God's goodness to them; and in the evening they parted, every one to his own quarters.

_July 6, 1654._

[SN: Whitelocke give an account of his Embassy to the Council.]

Whitelocke went in the morning early to Whitehall. At Secretary Thurloe's lodging he found most of his company, the gentlemen in their habits, the others in their liveries; and in a short time they were all come together, to attend their Ambassador to his last audience, who was put to the patience of staying an hour and a half at Master Secretary's lodging before he was called in to his Highness; then, being sent for, he went, attended in the same manner as he used to go to his audiences in Sweden. Being come to the outward room, he was presently brought into the Council-chamber, where the Protector sat in his great chair at the upper end of the table, covered, and his Council sat bare on each side of the table. After ceremonies performed by Whitelocke, and great respect shown him by the Protector and his Council, Whitelocke spake to this effect:--

"May it please your Highness,

"I attend, by your command, to give an account of the discharge of
that great trust and weighty burden which, through the assistance of
God, I have undergone in my employment to Sweden, and with the
success of that negotiation, wherein I shall not waste much of your
time, for which you have other great affairs; but, in as few words
as I can, I shall with clearness and truth acquaint your Highness
and your Honourable Council with those matters which I apprehend
most fit and worthy of your knowledge.

"After the receipt of my commission and instructions from the
Parliament then sitting, to go Ambassador to Sweden, I neglected no
time, how unseasonable soever, to transport myself to that country.
Upon the 5th of November I embarked at the Hope, and after ten days'
voyage, through many storms, enemies, and dangers, it pleased God on
the 15th of November to bring me in safety, with all my company,
into the port of Gothenburg. The next day I despatched two of my
servants to the Court with letters to Prince Adolphus, the Grand
Master, and to the Ricks-Chancellor of Sweden, to advertise them of
my arrival, and to desire their advice whither to direct my journey
to attend the Queen.

"In this city I received many civilities and testimonies of respect
to your Highness and this Commonwealth from the magistrates,
officers, and others there; and a small contest I had with a
Dutchman, a Vice-Admiral of her Majesty's, about our war with his
countrymen, and about some prizes brought in by me, wherein I took
the liberty to justify the proceedings of this State, and ordered,
upon submission, the release of a small Dutch prize taken by me.

"Having refreshed myself and company some days, I began my land
journey the last day of November. The military officers accompanied
me out of town; the citizens and garrison-soldiers stood to their
arms, and with many volleys of great and small shot (the bullets
passing somewhat too near for compliments) they gave me an
honourable farewell.

"In our journey we met with extreme hardships, both in the weather
and in want of necessary accommodations. The greater towns where we
quartered showed much respect to your Highness and this
Commonwealth; only in one town a little affront was given in words
by a prætor, who acknowledged his fault, and it appeared to proceed
more from drink than judgement. In all places the officers took
great care, with what the country would afford, to furnish what I
wanted; the ways were prepared, waggons and horses brought in, and
all things requisite were done by the country, upon command of her
Majesty.

"After twenty-one days in our land-journey, near four hundred miles
from Gothenburg up into the country, in that climate in December, it
pleased God through all our difficulties to bring us safe to Upsal
the 20th of December. About half a league from the town, the Master
of the Ceremonies, and after him two Senators with two coaches of
the Queen's, and those of the Spanish Resident and of divers
grandees, met me, and with more than ordinary ceremony conducted me
to a house in the town, by the Queen's order taken up and furnished
for me. Divers compliments passed from the Queen herself and many of
her Court, expressing much respect to your Highness and this
Commonwealth, in the person of your servant.

"By favour I obtained my first audience from the Queen the 23rd of
December, the particular passages whereof (as of most other matters
which I have to mention) were in my letters imparted, as they arose,
to Mr. Secretary Thurloe, and by him, I presume, to your Highness
and the Council. Two or three days after this I procured a private
audience from her Majesty, when I showed her my commission, and took
time to wait on her with my proposals.

"The Spanish Resident, Don Piementelle, now in this Court, expressed
high respects for your Highness and this Commonwealth, and
particular affection to me; and I, knowing his great favour with the
Queen and his own worth, contracted an intimacy of friendship with
him, as I had also with M. Woolfeldt, the King of Denmark's
brother-in-law, with Field-Marshal Wrangel, Grave Tott, the Queen's
favourite, and with divers senators and great men, but especially
with the old Chancellor.

"I found very useful for your Highness's service there Mr.
Lagerfeldt, Secretary Canterstein, Mr. Ravius, and others; and I had
good assistance from my countrymen, General-Major Fleetwood, a true
friend to England, my Lord Douglas, Colonel Hamilton, and others.

"And having now given your Highness some account of persons, I come
to the matter of my negotiation, which I laid the best I could.

"By advice I made my applications to the Queen herself, and, as much
as I could, put the business upon her personal determination, which
she liked, and it proved advantageous. I presented to her at once
all my articles, except three reserved. The articles proposed a
league offensive and defensive; whereupon she objected the
unsettledness of our Commonwealth, the present peace of her
kingdoms, and our being involved in a war. To which I answered, that
her kingdoms could not long continue in peace, and would have as
much need of our assistance as we of theirs; and our war and
successes against Holland were arguments that our friendship merited
acceptance; that I hoped our Commonwealth was settled, and that
leagues were between nations, not governments.

"This debate was very large with her Majesty, who seemed satisfied
with my answers, and appointed her Chancellor to treat with me; who
much more insisted upon the unsettledness of our Commonwealth and
upon the same objections which the Queen had made, and received from
me the same answers; which proved the more satisfactory after the
news of your Highness's accession to the Government, which made this
treaty proceed more freely.

"I had often and long disputes with the Chancellor upon the article
touching English rebels being harboured in Sweden; most of all,
touching contraband goods, and about reparation of the losses of the
Swedes by prizes taken from them in our Dutch war by us, besides
many other objections, whereof I have given a former account by
letters. The Chancellor being sick, his son Grave Eric was
commissioned to treat with me in his father's stead, and was much
more averse to my business, and more earnest upon the objections,
than the old man, whom, being recovered, I found more moderate, yet
we could not agree one way or other. And when I pressed for a
conclusion, both the Queen and her Chancellor did ingenuously
acknowledge, that they desired first to see whether the peace would
be made between us and Holland, before they came to a determination
upon my treaty; wherein I could not but apprehend reason: and when
the news came that the peace between your Highness and the Dutch was
concluded, I urged a conclusion of my treaty; and what the
Chancellor and I differed in, the Queen was pleased to reconcile,
and so we came to the full agreement contained in this instrument,
signed and sealed by the Queen's Commissioners, which I humbly
present to your Highness and this Honourable Board; and which I
hope, through the goodness of God, may be of advantage to this
Commonwealth, and to the Protestant interest."

Here Whitelocke, making a little pause, delivered into the Protector's hand the instrument of his treaty, fairly written in Latin, in a book of vellum, with the hands and seals to it of the Ricks-Chancellor and his son Grave Eric, which being done, Whitelocke went on in his speech.

"I cannot but acknowledge the great goodness of God to me in this
employment, in my preservation from attempts against my person,
raising me up such eminent friends, giving me so much favour in the
eyes of strangers, inclining the Queen's heart to an extraordinary
affection and favour towards me, and giving this good success to my
business, notwithstanding the designs and labours of many enemies to
the contrary. The treaty with me being thus finished, the business
came on of the Queen's resignation of the Crown, wherein she was
pleased to express a great confidence in a stranger, by imparting it
to me many weeks before, whereof I took the boldness to certify your
Highness.

"The Prince who was to succeed the Queen was sent for to Upsal, and
their Ricksdag, or Parliament, was to meet there in the beginning of
May. Your Highness will not expect many arguments of your servant's
longing desires of returning, when he had advice that your frigates
sent for him were in the Elbe; yet, judging it might conduce to your
service to salute the Prince, I staid till his entry (which was in
great state) into Upsal, where I saluted him from your Highness, and
acquainted him with my negotiation, which he well approved; and, to
testify his great respect to your Highness and this Commonwealth, he
came in person to visit me at my house, and used me with so much
extraordinary favour and ceremony, that never the like had been done
before to any ambassador. We had several conferences at large, much
discourse of your Highness and of this Commonwealth, with the
particulars whereof I shall acquaint you at your better leisure.

"The time of the Queen's resignation being near, I thought it not
convenient for me to be then upon the place, but removed to
Stockholm; where I was when the resignation and new coronation were
solemnized at Upsal. The magistrates of Stockholm expressed good
respect to your Highness and this Commonwealth. From hence I
embarked the 1st of June, in a good ship of the Queen's, to cross
the Baltic Sea. She sent one of her Vice-Admirals, Clerke, to attend
me; and, after a dangerous voyage and bad weather, the Lord gave us
a safe arrival at Lübeck, on the 7th of June. The magistrates, by
their Syndic, here bid me welcome and expressed some respect, and
made some requests by me to your Highness.

"From Lübeck I travelled over Holstein and Lüneburg, and came the
10th of June to Hamburg; where I was also very civilly saluted by
some of the magistrates and Syndic; and most of the Lords came
afterwards to me, and testified extraordinary respect and service to
your Highness and this Commonwealth. My countrymen, the company of
Merchant Adventurers there, showed very much kindness to me, and I
endeavoured to do them service to the Lords of the town, making use
of your Highness's name therein.

"I departed from Hamburg the 17th of June; Mr. Bradshaw, your
Highness's worthy Resident there, and others of my countrymen,
showing much kindness to me, both whilst I was there and at my
departure from this city. I embarked in your Highness's frigate,
near Glückstadt, but was detained for some days in the Elbe by cross
winds, and in some danger, but in more when we came into the open
sea. But above all, the Lord was pleased to appear for us on the
28th day of June, when our ship stuck upon the sands, above twelve
leagues off from the coast of Yarmouth: and when there was no means
or help of men for our escape, but we expected every moment to be
drowned by the waves, then it pleased God to show his power and free
mercy by his own hand to deliver us, and, after two hours'
expectation of death, to reprieve us, to set our ship on float
again, and to bring us all in health and safety to your Highness's
presence, and to our dear country and relations.

"The Queen and the new King were pleased to honour me with jewels
off their pictures, and a gift of copper, I having bestowed my
horses (of more worth) on them and whom they appointed, and which I
refused to sell, as a thing uncomely for my condition in your
Highness's service.

"Thus, Sir, I have given you a clear and full account of my
transactions; and, as I may justify my own diligence and
faithfulness therein, so I cannot but condemn my many weaknesses and
failings; of which I can only say that they were not wilful, and
make a humble demand to your Highness and this honourable Council,
that I may obtain your pardon."