To the Right Honorable the Lord Commiffioner WHITELOCKE, 1653. att his Houfe att Chelfey. "MY LORD, "The councell having commanded myselfe, with Sir "Gilbert Pickering and Mr. Strickland, to waite upon your lordship, to conferre with your lordship about fome things concerning your lordship's ambaffy; we defire to know, "whither your lordship will be att leifure to-morrow at eight a'clocke, which, if your lordship approve of, we shall "be att the time aforefaid att your lordship's house: or if "that be not convenient, that your lordship will lett us "know what other time will most suit with your lordship's oc-"cafions, that we may waite on you. I am, ᄂ Sept. 19. To the Honorable HENRY LAWRENCE, Efqr. a Member of "SIR, "I acknowledge, with humble thanks, the favour from: yourfelfe and the reft of the honorable gentlemen of the committee, by your letters this day brought unto me.. "Sir, I fhall be at leifure to attend when you commaund;, "and knowing your great occafions, and my own duety, 1653. "I defire you would be pleased to give me leave to waite uppon you to-morrow morning att your time, at WhiteSept. 19. hall; when I fhall attend the pleasure of the committee, "and hope to find you neer to the councell chamber. CHELSEY, "Your most humble fervant, "B. WHITELOCKE." 20. This letter rayfed new paffions; and it was urged against Whitelocke, that he ought not to leave his country and relations to goe this journey; butt the matter was determined, and himselfe ingaged and freely called to this service. : Att eight a'clock this morning, Whitelocke was att the committee; but it was too early for the members only the lord viscount L'Ifle came before the reft; and with him Whitelocke had free discourse, touching the grounds of his declining that fervice, to which he protested folemnly and earnestly, that he had no other reafon butt his want of health to undergoe a winter journey into that countrey, the cold whereof he was not by his conftitution able to indure; and this was the caufe of his defire to be excufed from that imployment att this time; that he did not scruple the authority, nor thought the buifnes difficulte, but very honourable, and likely to have good fucceffe; and he expreffed the fame things touching this matter, which his brother collonel Sidney had faid before to Whitelocke. The committee being full, Whitelocke fate with them covered; and they difcourfed together about an hower, touching his ambaffy, particularly of the allowance for his charges, which they faid should be 1000l. a month, befides coaches coaches and livereys already provided; and this the fame 1653. allowance that the lord L'Ifle fhould have had. Whitelocke showed the difference of charge in travyle and refidence in winter, more than if he had gone in fummer; with his reasons why this allowance would be too smalle, and these matters he had fully inquired into and confidered (as behoved him) uppon this occafion; butt the gentlemen of the committee, not fo much concerned heerin as Whitelocke, had not much looked into this, or any other buifnes of this nature, nor did say much to it; but how they might fave fome of their money, although never so neceffary to be expended: they concluded, with a defire, that Whitelocke would putt down his demands in writing, with which they would acquaint the councell, and returne their answer. The letter of Whitelocke to the councell containing his propofalls, was delivered to the prefident, and was as followeth : To the Right Honorable the Lord Prefident of the Councell of "MY LORD, State. Upon confideration and advice concerning the journey "into Sweden, refpect being had unto the manner of the "late ambaffy into the Low Countryes, and of the present ex pectation of the queen of Sweden, and her court, of the "acceffe of cavaliers thither, and chiefly of the honor of "this ftate: I do humbly apprehend, that it will be requi"fite, for the honor of the parlement, and security of their "fervant, that I carry with me neer 100 perfons in my company and retinue. VOL. I. F "The Sept. 21. 1653. Sept. 21. "The expences of the journey will be much increased by "the season of the year, which will cause us to travayle by land, almost 400 miles more than if we had gone in fummer, and confequently to provide and carry with us "more people and horfes. "The expences of the land journey will be very great, " and all provisions, both for men and horfes, in the way "and att Stockholme, att a farre dearer rate in the winter "time, when they have no marketts, than they would have "bin in the fummer, when they might have bin had, att "the best rates; befides the charge of the fuell, which will "not be fmalle in that country. "I may have (if you please) the coaches and liveryes provided; befides which, I must provide clothes for myselfe, "advance monies and falaries for many that are to goe with me, and many neceffary provifions for my table, coach"horfes, faddle-horses, with divers other particulars, which "I trouble not your lordship to recite. Uppon confideration of all these things, I doe humbly apprehend, that it may appear reasonable, to allow me "1500 l. per menfem, for all my preparations and expen"ces: if this fhould be thought too high an allowance, I "then humbly propound 1000 l. advance for my prepara"tions, befide coach and liveryes, and 1 2001. per menfem "for all my charges; being refolved, according to the plea"fure of the councell, to conforme myfelfe and my expences; and shall be ready to give a full account thereof "att my returne, if the councell fhall thinke fitt to order it, "I do humbly propound further, to have from the state, 1653. "table linnen, hangings, houfhold stuffe, and bedding, in Sept. 21. "fuch preportion as they shall thinke fitt, and as hath bin "Fallowed to others their ambaffadors and fervants, to be "received and returned by inventory. "I humbly defire the councell's letter to Mr. Ingelo, to "accompany me as chaplein: and if they fhall thinke fitt "to write to Mr. Duery to the fame purpose, I fhall fub"mit to it. "I humbly defire the councell's order to the judges of "the admiralty, to give dispatches to a Swedish fhip, now "queftioned in that court; in which fhip, if fhe be re"leased, I propose to fend my baggage, to goe with me "to Gothenburgh; and from thence (if it may be) by fea "to Stockholmė. "I humbly defire fuch order for my transportation, and convoy by fea, as the councell fhall think fitt; and, for "all accommodations in my sea voyage to Gothenburgh. My lord, I beg your pardon of this tedioufnefs, from CHELSEY, Sept. 20, 1653. "Your lordships humble fervant, "B. WHITELOCKE.” The prefident, upon receit of this letter, told the meffenger he would communicate it to the councells committee, from whom, in a fhort time, Whitelocke fhould receive an anfwer. F 2 A prin |