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All this time Whitelocke heard no further intelligence 1653.

from London about this Swedish journey, notwithstanding Aug. 31. that he had written againe to Mr. Earle to make a wary inquiry about it; which it feems was fo wary, that he gained no more intelligence concerning this matter than what he had firft fent unto his master: who had enough therby to exercise his thoughts, and to give a disturbance to the pleasing retirement which he before that injoyed, and which he had both before and fince that time learned, by too fad experience, to be the best and safeft condition for any man in his earthly pilgrimage and labours of this life; and that there is no reft, no abiding place, to be mett with heer below.

SEPTEMBER.

SEPTEMBER.

1653. TH

HE buifnes of Sweden was ftill deferred: butt it be

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ing intimated to Whitelocke, that the counsell had Septemb. ordered letters to be written to him about that buifnes, and I. to require his repayre to London; he and his friends tho't it

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now fitt for him to returne thither, and to indeavor if he could to prevent any further progreffe in that affayre, as it related to himfelfe.

He therefore appointed within a day or two to begin his journey; which being taken notice of, divers perfons of quality of the neighbourhood came to take their leaves of him, expreffing (as they had often done before) much civility and respect to him. Some of them, in difcourfe, feemed to have heard of his being defigned to goe ambassador; butt Whitelocke held it not fitt, nor delighted to take any notice therof, nor to owne it.

The lord viscount L'Ifle againe reminded Cromwell of the letter to be sent to Whitelocke; and Cromwell theruppon, himfelfe drew a letter, and fhewed it to Pickering, who feldome difliked what was done by Cromwell: they both figned the letter; and it, being fealed, was delivered to a meffenger with commaund to find out Whitelocke, and to deliver the letter to him; who was yett in the pleasant and healthful countrey aier, and injoyment of the recreations there, butt he must prepare for his journey to London the next day.

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The meffenger of the councell was at Whitelocke's houfe 1653. at Chelley, to inquire for him, and to deliver the letter to Sept. 3. him; butt the fervants anfwered, 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 Chelley, 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 leaft difquieted.

This comming of the meffenger 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 afide.

The meffenger 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.

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For the Right Honourable the Lord WHITE LOCKE,
One of the Commissioners of the Seale. Thefe.

MY LORD,

"The councell of state, having thoughts of putting your lordship to the trouble of being extraordinary ambaffador "to the queen of Swizland, did think fitt not to impofe "that fervice uppon you, without first knowing your own "freedome thereunto; wherefore they were pleased to com"maund our fervices in making this addresse to your lordVOL. I.

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1653. "ship, and hereby we can affure you of a very large con"fidence in your honor and abilities for this imployment. "To which we begging your answer, do rest,

Sept. 4.

SEPTEMBER 2,
1653.

"My lord,

your humble fervants,

"O. CROMWELL.
"GIL. PICKERING."

This letter was all written with Cromwell's own hand; and uppon the communicating of it by Whitelocke to his friends with him, severall 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 fo fitt for; but Whitelocke thought most proper to know his meaning from himselfe, and for that end to waite on him the next day.

In the evening, collonel Sidney, brother to the lord vifcount L'Ifle, came to vifit 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 reafon of his brother's declining this fervice; whether he fcrupeld the authority of those that were to fend him, or

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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 ambaffy, 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 confeffed 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 refufall of it would extreamly indaunger him and his fortune; that those in power would be highly offended att it, and all clamours of perfons difcontented att any thing that he had done would be lett loofe 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

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obliging

Sept. 4:

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