1653.

When he putt off from floare, the Tower faluted him with eleven pieces of ordinance; as he paffed by the ships Nov. 3. of warre in the river, they gave him the like refpect of their great gunnes; fo did the fort at the Hope.

He went directly to the Phoenix frigott riding in that road, whofe captain Fofter received him with as much honor as he could expreffe; his pennons all hung out, his waftclothes to the cabbin doore, and he fired twenty-one gunnes for his welcome: his men were in good order, and feemed ftout and able marriners; the captain and officers not inferiour to any of the fea commaunders; the fhip as well built and fitted for fayling and fight as any in the fleet : heer were fourteen cabbins for his company, of whom he left fome in her to prepare against his returne to them.

From thence he vifited the Elizabeth frigott, whofe captain Minnes wellcomed him with his gunnes, and all enfignes of refpect as Fofter did, and fett out thirteen cabbins for his gentlemen: heer alfo Whitelocke left fome of his company, and in his returne to Gravefend, the marriners of the Elizabeth gave a great shoute, and were answered by thofe of the Phoenix, to teftify their being pleased with the ambaffador's being on board of them, and with the voyage.

In his way, the men of warre faluted him with their gunnes; and particularly and unexpectedly a Holland frigott, which lately brought over their ambassador, and now wore her white flagge (though both common-wealths were now in actuall warre) yett fhe faluted Whitelocke with three gunnes as he paffed by her.

Berkman met him att Gravefend, fo did moft of his company; where he caufed the best provifions that could be had

to be made for them; himselfe lay at a private house, Mr. 1653Woodcoke's, who civilly treated him.

Two of Whitelocke's fhips not being yett fallen downe, after he had given out his orders for all things to be ready, he returned backe to London, and had a darke and daungerous paffage; butt God preferved him he came about eight a'clocke att night to his brother Willfon's houfe, to fee his fad wife once more, and to comfort her, who was much furprised and pleased with his unexpected comming, and kindnes, to stay with her rather than att Gravesend, till the wind should be fayre, and all his ships be ready.

He kept his returne as private as he could, that the councell might not have notice of it: yett now he mett with objections from fome, that he ought not to leave his country and relations to goe into the northern parts of Europe in the midst of winter, to putt to fea in the middest of stormes and ennemies; to forfake thefe dearest relations and fixed comforts; to passe over the raging billows of the rough northerne and easterne feas; to tranfport his aged fickly body eight degrees to the northward of the place of his birth and habitation, about affayres made up of difficulty and incertainty.

Butt most of these objections had bin more seasonably made, and answered formerly: he was now ingaged, and told by no meane perfons, that the peace with the Dutch, the fafety of the common-wealth, the good of the proteftant intereft, depends uppon his going.

Cromwell, who commaunds in chiefe, earnestly intreats (that is, requires) his fpeedy departure; the councell urge it, and alledge that the publique intereft and affayres will

not

L

Nov. 3.

4.

Νον. Α.

1653. not difpence with his longer ftay; he had taken poffeffion of his fhips, made all his preparations and provisions, and now to object against his going, was fomewhat too late yett this short time of his present stay, he injoyes the best of fociety, with his wife and children and nearest of his friends and relations.

5.

His wife was now in leffe paffion then before, hoping that God would be pleased to make her husband instrumentall to advance his honor, for which, fhe and his friends putt up their hearty and constant prayers to the Almighty; and then they acknowledged that they should rejoyce in his journey, and not doubt butt that God would restore him to all these relations and comforts, with the addition of the fullfilling his gratious promifes to thofe that defire to serve him.

Whitelocke heard that the Fortune was fallen downe, and now the wind was come fayre for his voyage; therfore he muft agayne leave his deare wife and relations and although fhe restrained her paffion as much as poffibly fhe could, yett no creature ever showed a more perplexed grieved condition than she did att parting with him; when fome of their difcourfe was this.

Wife. I have one thing more earnestly to beg of you, which is, that you would make it your chiefeft care, to honor God in all your actions; and to watch over yourselfe and all your company, that none of you difhonor him; and often pray to him for his bleffing uppon you and them, and on us whom you leave behind; which will be the best way to inlarge our hopes of a happy meeting agayne, which I fhall dayly pray for.

Wh. I looke uppon this as my duety, and thanke you 1653. for putting me in mind of it. I hope I shall not be wanting in my prayers to God, for his protection and blessing, Nov. 5. both on you that stay, and on us that travayle; and that he will not give us over to dishonor him, which I fhall be most carefull to prevent, both in myselfe and in every one of my company; and I prefume you are affured that had it not bin the hopes of doing fome honor to the name of God by this my undertaking and hazard, I should scarce have bin perfwaded to have undergone it.

Wife. I know, and am glad that this was the chiefe motive that perfwaded you to it, and which prevayled with me, for giving fuch confent as I did therunto; and by this we both may have the more peace and fatisfaction in our own hearts, and the more hopes of the bleffing of God uppon it. I fhall fpeake butt this more, and I pray God that it be not my laft word to you; that for my fake, and for our poor childrens fake, you would have a fpeciall care of your own health, and not to hazard your perfon in any daunger.

Wh. My owne confcience and duety to you and my children, and to my buifnes, ingageth me to this care; and I shall promise thee to take speciall care of my health, and not to hazard my perfon unneceffarily and I pray God to keep you and all our children, and to blesse you, and to give us in his due time a meeting agayne with comfort and fafety.

Wife. The Lord graunt it, if it be his bleffed will, and goe along with you in all your way.

Then tears agayne concluded their discourse; her fighing, weeping, trembling, fhrieking, were teftimonies of her fad VOL. I.

troubled

1653. troubled mind; nor was her husband without his share of ~much anxiety: butt they must part.

Nov. 5.

6.

In his paffage by water, his fecretary Earle only attended him; he overtook the Fortune, and himselfe gave her charge to hasten to the Hope, which she did accordingly.

He came to Gravefend about three a'clocke in the afternoone, and finding his horfes not shipped, though it were fo late ; and the master of the Adventure not willing to take the horses on board that night; yett because the wind was fayre, and not high, Whitelocke ordered all his horfes to be shipped that evening, which he saw done, above thirty horfes hoyfed on board in leffe than four howres time, though most of them were ftoned horfes, and very unquiet: the gentleman of his horfe tooke great paynes and care in the doing of it.

The Lord's Day. The wind was fayre, and all things ready, and no opportunity must be loft; therfore, about two howers before high water, Whitelocke ordered all his people to goe on board: a light-horse-man, and some with him in the fhip boate, they went directly to the Hope, where the ships attending his coming were,

1. The Phoenix frigott, a man of war, carrying fortyfour gunnes, one of the best ships for fayling and for fighting in Europe; in her were two hundred feamen well. chofen, and well commaunded; in her went Whitelocke and his fons, his chapleins, Dr. Whistler, and most of the gentlemen, and the women.

2. The Elizabeth frigott, with forty gunnes, ftore of ammunition, two hundred marriners; and in her went more of the gentlemen.

3

3. The