1653. lations, butt can doe neither; nor gaine a confent, and I fhould be very unworthy and ungratefull to goe against it.

Sept. 13.

Crom. You know that no relations use to fway the ballance in fuch matters as this. I know your lady very well, and that she is a good woman, and a religious woman; indeed I think fhe is: and I durft undertake, in a matter of this nature, wherin the interest of God and of his people is concerned, as they are in your undertaking of this buifnes, I dare fay my lady will not oppose it.

Wh. Truely, fir, I thinke there is no woman alive defires more the promoting of that intereft; butt fhe hopes it may be done as much, if not more, by fome other perfon.

Crom. Really I know not in England so fitt a person as you are for it.

Wh. Your excellence cannot butt know my want of breeding and experience in matters of this nature, and of language.

Crom. I know your education, travayle, and language, and experience have fitted you for it; you know the affayres of Christendome as well as most men, and of England, as well as any man, and can give as good an account of them. I think no man can ferve his countrey. more then you may herein; indeed I think fo, and therfore I make it my particular fuit, and earnest request to you to undertake it and I hope you will show a little regard to me in it; and I affure you that you shall have no cause to repent it.

Wb.

Wh. My lord, I am very ready to testify my duety to 1653. your excellency. I acknowledge your many favours to me, Sept. 13.

and myselfe an officer under your command, and to owe you obedience. Butt your excellency will not expect it from me in that wherin I am not capable to ferve you: and, therfore, I make it my most humble fuit to be excufed from this fervice.

Crom. For your abilities I am fatisfyed; I know no man fo fitt for it as yourselfe; and if you should decline it (as I hope you will not) the common-wealth would fuffer extremely by it, your own profeffion perhaps might fuffer likewife, and the proteftant intereft would fuffer by it: indeed you cannot be excufed, the hearts of all the good people in this nation are fett uppon it, to have you undertake this fervice, and if you should waive it, being thus, and att fuch a time when your going may be the most likely means to fettle our buifnes with the Dutch and Danes, and matter of trade, (and none, I fay again, can doe it better then you); the common-wealth would be att an extreame prejudice by your refufall. Butt I hope you will hearken to my request, and lett me prevayle with you to undertake it neither you nor yours, I hope, fhall ever have any caufe to wifh you had not done it.

Wh. My lord, when a man is out of fight he is out of mind. Though your excellency be just and honorable; yett your greater affayres calling you off, thofe to whom matters of correfpondence and fupplyes must be referred, will perhaps forget one who is afarre of, and not be fo fenfible of extreamities in a forein countrey as thofe who fuffer under them.

Vol. I.

E

Crom.

1653.

Sept. 13.

Crom. I will ingage to take particular care of those matters myfelfe, and that you shall neither want fupplyes nor any thing that is fitt for you: you fhall be fett out with as much honor as ever any ambaffador was from England. I fhall hold myfelfe particularly obliged to you if you will undertake it; and will ftick as clofe to you as your fkin is to your flesh. You shall want nothing either for your honor and equipage, or for power and trust to be reposed in you, or for correspondence and supplyes when you are abroade; I promise you, my lord, you fhall not. I will make it my buifies to fee it done. The parlement and councell, as well as myfelfe, will take it very well, and thankfully from you to accept of this imployment; and all people, especially the good people of the nation, will be much fatisfyed with it: and, therfore, my lord, I make it againe my earnest request to you to accept this honorable imployment.

This extraordinary earneftnes of Cromwell, fo that he would not be fatisfyed unles Whitelocke did accept the imployment, nor by any means be prevayled with to excufe him; and Whitelocke feeing plainly that he could not decline it, without making Cromwell, the parlement, and councell highly diftafted against him, and to be his covert, if not open ennemies, for neglecting and flighting them, who had opportunity, and power, and will, to be even with him.

He came to this refolution, (which, uppon prayer to God and advice of his friends, he had formerly taken) that if he fhould find it with Cromwell as he did, then to confent rather to goe the journey in great daunger, then to stay att home in greater; and to hope to doe fome fervice for

7

the

the proteftant people and interest. Therfore, after fome 1653. pawfe, Whitelocke fpake againe to Cromwell thus: Sept. 13.

Wh. I fee your excellence is inexorable for my excufe; and much fett uppon it, with more then ordinary earnestnefs, for me to undertake this fervice, for which, (though I judge myfelfe infufficient) yett your judgement and the councell's is, that I am capable to doe fome service to the common-wealth, and to the protestant interest herin, and to the honor of God, which is above all other motives: and hoping that it may be fo; and to teftify my regard and duety to your excellence, who have honored me with your perfonall request for it, and the councell having unanimously pitched uppon me; and to manifeft that I am not felfe-willed, and how much I value your excellence's commands, and can fubmitt my own to better judgements, I am resolved to lay afide further confideration of wife, children, friends, fortune, and all objections and feare of daungers, and to conforme myselfe to your excellence's defires, and to the votes of the councell, by accepting this difficult and hazardous imployment; and doe rest confident of your excellence's care and favour towards me, who undertake it by your command: and hope that fuch allowances and fupplyes will be afforded me, and fuch memory had of me in my abfence, as fhall be agreeable to the honor of the nation, and of yourfelfe, and the buifnes, as alfo of your fervant.

Crom. My lord, I doe moft heartily thanke you for accepting the imployment, wherby you have testifyed a very great refpect and favour to me, and affection to the common-wealth, which will be very well taken by them; and I affure you, that it is fo gratefull to me, who, uppon my particular request have prevayled with you, that I fhall

1653. never forgett this favour, butt endeavor to requite it to you and yours; really, my lord, I fhall: and I will acquaint the councell with it, that we may desire further conference with you.

Sept. 13.

14.

He went away well pleafed; and Whitelocke's friends thought what he had done to be rationall; butt tender affection was full of paffion and weeping.

The confent of Whitelocke to accept this imployment was reported from the councell to the parlement, with the councell's opinion, that Whitelocke was a fitt perfon to be fent ambaffador extraordinary to the queen of Sweden; which they fubmitted to the parlement's confideration.

In the debate therof in the house, one of the members, (who had an opinion of himselfe to be more godly then others) did object, that they knew not whether Whitelocke were a godly man or not; and though he might be otherwayes qualifyed, yett, if he were not a godly man, it was not fitt to fend him ambaffador.

Mr. Taylor, another member, who was known not to be inferior in godlines to the objector, anfwered (with other friends) in Whitelocke's behalfe: that godlinefs was now in fashion, and taken up in forme and words for advantage-fake, more then in fubftance for the trueths fake; that it was difficulte to judge of the trees of godlinefs, or ungodliness, otherwife then by the fruit; and that thofe who knew Whitelocke, and his converfation, were fatisfyed that he lived in practice, as well as in a profeffion of godlinefs; and that it was more becomming a godly man to looke into his own heart, and to cenfure himfelfe, than to take uppon him the attribute of God alone, to know the

heart