Aug. 23.

1653. family, as well as to the publique; yett he fhewed not much difturbance att the letter, butt communicated it to his wife, and fome few friends then with him, whoe were unwilling to believe it: butt his wife was much difquieted, whom Whitelocke fought to comfort, and perfwade to a conftant fubmiffion to the will of God, and not to be troubled att this or any other ill newes; fince none could doe any thing against them, or to the leaft prejudice of them, butt what God fhould permit, who would cause all things to worke togither for their good.

24.

The letter was often read and paraphrafed uppon, and feverall meanings of it collected: butt Whitelocke faw it to be positive in the relation and newes, that he was named by the councell of state to go ambassador to Sweden; and the fence thereof was plaine, and too eafy to be underftood, though the grounds and occafions of this nomination were not expreffed.

Much discourse was between Whitelocke, and his wife and friends, uppon yesterdayes newes; and how it fhould come to paffe, that he should be named for this imployment, when another had bin named for it before, the lord viscount L'Ifle, L'Ifle, eldeft fon to the earle of Leycester, who had undertaken it. Whitelocke told them, that it was true, that in the long parlement, before it was invaded and broken by Cromwell's forces, (which was an act of no leffe imprudence and rashnes, than of infolence,) that the lord viscount L'Ifle was named by that parlement, and voted to goe ambaffador to Sweden; that he accepted of the imployment, and had begun to make some preparations for it. Butt Whitelocke told them withall, which they remembered, that before the lord viscount L'Ifle was named, Whitelocke was named in that parlement to goe ambassador

to

to Sweden; butt he was not then, nor is now, ambitious 1653. of that honor, but follicited against it; and it was not then Aug. 24. profecuted, butt the lord viscount L'Ifle named afterwards, who undertook the fervice, received money in part for the defraying of his expences and how it fhould come to paffe fince, that he should be excufed, and Whitelocke to be nominated for it, was hard to be apprehended. Whitelocke and his friends ftill expected to have further intelligence from London about this buifnes, butt none came: it being ufuall for those gentlemen who voted his going to Sweden, to lett affayres remaine in fufpence till called uppon by fuch as are more particularly concerned in them. Whitelocke held it not convenient for him (as yet) to take any notice of this vote of the councell, nor to haften to London, butt continued in his retirement; though not a little interrupted therein by the letter from Mr. Earle, yett he injoyed his privacy and recreations.

Letters were written this day by Whitelocke to Earle, 25. that if he heard any thing further touching the buifnes of Sweden, he should informe his mafter thereof: yett not to be inquifitive about it, nor to fpeake with any of the councell (except Sir Charles Oulfey) concerning it; least therby, the buifnes might be reminded and revived, which Whitelocke much rather defired, as to himfelfe, might for ever dye and be forgotten.

The cautions which he gave to his old fervant were fully and punctually observed by him; and, the longer it was before Whitelocke heard further touching this buifnes, the more his hopes were increased that he might have the good fortune never to heare more of it.

1653.

Aug. 26.

27.

No further newes yett came of the buifnes of Sweden; and Whitelocke, wife, and friends, were willing to per fwade themselves, that a buifnes of this confequence could not be fo long neglected, and nothing to be done in it, butt that (as to Whitelocke) the fame was layd afide, and that they fhould heare no more of it, which they promised themselves; nevertheleffe, they were not without fome dayly feare and expectation of that which they defired not to know and, in the meane time, the gentlemen, who managed all att London, for a time forgatt this buifnes, as a fmalle matter fcarfe worthy their remembrance; although themselves often acknowledged, that the fafety and good of this common-wealth, and of the whole proteftant intereft, did depend uppon it.

Still were Whitelocke, wife, and friends pleased, that no further newes came of the Swedish buifnes, though they heard of it too foon afterwards; and, in the meane time, they were full of thoughts and difcourfes, why the lord viscount L'Ifle fhould be excufed from this fervice, which before he had undertaken; and, on the other hand, why Whitelocke fhould be the man pitched uppon for this service, whom they imagined not to be in so much favour with Cromwell and his friends, as to be preferred to any honorable imployment by them he was left out of Cromwell's councell, and out of that affembly which now fate and called themselves a parlement; and he made no fuit to be of either of thofe councells.

To this it was faid, that the lord viscount L'Ifle might be ufefull heer in Cromwell's affayres, and was of the councell and little parlement, and therfore could not fo well be fpared as Whitelocke, who, (although he were not much in their favour who governed, whom he had oppofed in their

4

their exorbitant courfes,) was the more likely to be fent 1653. abroad, that they might therby be quit of his further oppofing them.

Aug. 27.

The Lord's day, after publique exercifes of religious 28. worship, Whitelocke retired himselfe to his private meditations 'uppon the holy word of trueth, the greatest and highest comfort to a foul. He confidered the vanity of earthly honours and preferments in this world, the incertainty, toyle, and daunger in them. He confulted his own heart, and found not the leaft inclination to accept of the high imployment, and honor, to which he heard the councell had voted him; butt much rather wished a continuance of his pracy, and an exemption from publique charge and offices, from which he expected rather a further and totall difimiffion, which would have bin more contentment and fatisfaction to his thoughts, then the intended imployment, or any preferrement which Cromwell and the prefent powers could putt uppon him. His wifhes and prayers were, that he might be excufed therof (if God faw it good) and might continue in the private injoyment of the ordinances of God, and of the comfort of his wife and family.

The lord viscount L'Ifle, more particularly concerned in the buifnes of Sweden then others, and to gett himselfe wholly excufed from it, about this time (as Whitelocke was afterwards informed) did putt Cromwell in mind, that the councell had ordered letters to be written by his excellency, and by Sir Gilbert Pickering, to Whitelocke, to fignify to him the councell's vote in this buifnes; and that the letters were not yett written.

Wheruppon

29.

1653.

Aug. 29.

30.

3I.

Wheruppon Cromwell and Pickering conferred togither about it: and Cromwell's fecretary was appointed to draw up a letter to Whitelocke for that purpose, to be sent to him if he were in town; or into the countrey if he were there, as fome informed he was. In the meane time Whitelocke neglected not to ride abroade, and take the fresh aier in the countrey; a pleasure much bejond the infinuating cringes of cappes and knees, and more valuable than the deare earned fees and falaries.

The proceedings att Whitehall were flowe in the Swedish buifnes, and Whitelocke had no caufe to haften them, butt to wish them yett flower; he was not grieved that there came hitherto noe further intelligence about them, nor any fummons for his repayre to London, which he every day expected: butt whileft he had the liberty, tooke the pleafure of riding forth into the open fields, and inclosed grounds, contemplating on the goodnes of God, who had bestowed on Englishmen so pleasant, healthfull, and fruitfull a countrey as this ifland; and, the inconfideratenes of those who will leave fuch a countrey to please their fond humors of travayling to fee forrein countreys, when they have a better att home; and the unhappines of those who are fent abroad uppon publique errands, and instead of recompence for their hazards and fervice, are more likely to incurre displeasure, and perhaps diftruction.

According to directions, Cromwell's fecretary brought to his master, and Sir Gilbert Pickering, the draught of a letter to be fent from them to Whitelocke; butt the frame of the letter did not please Cromwell, fo that he caft it by, and faid he would write a letter himfelfe to be fent to Whitelocke.

All