The meffenger of the councell was at Whitelocke's houfe 1653. at Chelfey, to inquire for him, and to deliver the letter to Sept. 3. him; butt the servants answered, that their mafter was not yett come to towne, butt that he was, this night expected there. He came (though late) to his house at Chelsey, where his fervants informed him of the meffenger's having been there, and faying, that he would come again to-morrow. This was unwellcome newes to Whitelocke's wife and friends, who were troubled att it; butt himselfe, fubmitting all to the will of God, was least disquieted. This comming of the messenger occafioned new difcourfes about this buifnes, and renewed the fears and troubles of his nearest relations, fruftrating all their hopes that the buifnes was layd aside. The messenger of the councell kept his word; and this 4. morning (although the Lord's day) before Whitelocke was out of his bed, brought the generall's letter to him; the copy whereof was this. For the Right Honourable the Lord WHITELOCKE, MY LORD, "The councell of ftate, having thoughts of putting your "lordship to the trouble of being extraordinary ambassador "to the queen of Swizland, did think fitt not to impofe "that fervice uppon you, without firft knowing your own "freedome thereunto; wherefore they were pleased to com"maund our fervices in making this addreffe to your lordVOL. I. "fhip, B 1653. “ship, and hereby we can affure you of a very large con"fidence in your honor and abilities for this imployment. Sept. 4. To which we begging your answer, do rest, This letter was all written with Cromwell's own hand; and uppon the communicating of it by Whitelocke to his friends with him, feverall interpretations were made uppon the words of the letter; as those, "not to impose the service,” feemed to allow fome liberty and hopes to gett off from it, more than afterwards he found. Others noted the words of courtship, of "honor and abili"ties," to declare their expectation, that he should undertake what they judged him so fitt for; but Whitelocke thought most proper to know his meaning from himfelfe, and for that end to waite on him the next day. In the evening, collonel Sidney, brother to the lord vif count L'Ifle, came to visit Whitelocke; and (as fome fuppofed) fent by his brother to fift and try whether Whitelocke were like to undertake what he had left. All the averfenefs, that could be to it, was expreffed by Whitelocke, who prayed the collonel ingeniously to declare the reason of his brother's declining this fervice; whether he fcrupeld the authority of those that were to fend him, or doubted doubted the fucceffe of the treaty, or avoided the daungers 1653. of the journey; or what it was, after his having undertaken the fervice, which occafioned him to decline it. The collonel anfwered, that if his brother had fcrupeld the authority, he would not have bin of their councell and parliament; that he held the authority of the last parliament, when they defigned him for this ambassy, and the present powers (as to legality) much alike; that he judged the treaty very probable to have good fucceffe; that the daungers of the journey he confessed to be great, butt much greater to his brother than another, by reason, of his want of health; that when he was appointed to goe, it was in fummer, butt now the winter was coming on; and that he was of fuch a constitution, that he hardly could endure the cold of England, much leffe of Sweden: and he protested seriously, that he thought the employment honourable, not difficult; and that the only cause of his brother's desire to be now excused from it was his want of health, and no other reason. After he was gone, came the lord commiffioner L'Ifle to Whitelocke, to bid him wellcome home; he most earnestly perfwaded Whitelocke to undertake the fervice, as that which would be a very great honor and advantage to him and his family, and to his profeffion, whereas his refusall of it would extreamly indaunger him and his fortune; that those in power would be highly offended att it, and all clamours of perfons discontented att any thing that he had done would be lett loose uppon him, and favoured against him; and though he were free from the least corruption, yet in these times, it was not prudent to put a man's felfe uppon the daunger of complaints, and to judges not his friends; but his accepting the service would be honourable, fafe, and mightily B 2 obliging Sept. 4. 1653. obliging thofe in power, and prove the greatest good that could be to him and his. Sept. 4. 5. Some fuppofed that L'Ifle had a further reach than he mentioned, in his perfwafion of Whitelocke: he feared the prefent parliament would strike att the chancery to take it away, which had been moved among them; and he thought Whitelocke undertaking this fervice, might be a good means to prevent that prejudice to him; and that he might be the greater man in Whitelocke's abfence. Many other arguments and discourses they had about it, till the lateness of the evening parted them. Early in the morning Whitelocke went to Pickering, who told him, that he was named nullo contradicente; that it was intended for his honor, would not be forced uppon him, butt well taken, if accepted by him. Whitelocke acquainted him with his objections, and his wife's present condition; of which Pickering feemed very fenfible: they went together to the generall, who presently came to them, and they had this difcourfe. Wh. My lord, I received your excellent letter butt yefterday, and am now come to waite uppon you to return my humble thankes for the great honor done me, in being judged worthy of fo high a truft; but I begge your excellency's confideration of my want of abilities, both of body and mind for this fervice, and the feafon of the year; befides, there are fome things relating to my private family, wherewith I have acquainted Sir Gilbert Pickering, which are of no finalle concernment to me. Pick. That is, my lord, that his lady is neer her time of 1653. being brought to-bed. Wh. My lord, I am very free to ferve the commonwealth in any thing within my capacity; and hope they will not expect from me what will be fo great prejudice to me and my family, as this imployment now would be. Cromwell. I am very sorry that the letter came no fooner to you. Pick. I confes, it was my fault. Crom. Sir Gilbert Pickering would needs write a very fine letter; and when he had done, did not like it himselfe. I then took pen and ink, and straightway wrote that letter to you. And the buifies is of exceeding great importance to the common-wealth, as any can be; that it is: and there is no prince or state in Christendome, with whom there is any probability for us to have a friendship, butt only the queen of Sweden. She hath sent severall times to us, but we have returned no ambaffy to her, only a letter by a young gentleman; fhe expects an ambaffador from us, and if we should not fend a man of eminency to her, she would thinke herselfe flighted by us: and fhe is a lady of great honor, and stands much uppon ceremonies. Wh. The buifnes being of fo great concernement (as indeed it is) there is the more need of a perfon qualifyed with abilities for fo great a charge which I have not, as your excellency and all that know me will conclude; and I know best my own defects. I want experience in forein affayres, and matters of state; in language and ceremony, of which the queen is fo great a judge, and a lady that will foon dif cerne Sept. 5. |