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Oct. 15.

paft, to disobey or difpute commaunds of fuperiors; he 1653. faw no other way butt to conforme: and ftill refolving to truft God for his protection and bleffing, he determined to buckle himfelfe to his buifnes with diligence, and to indeavor the speedy preparation of things neceffary for his voyage, and that with all diligence.

The Lord's day. Whitelocke was at the french church, 16. and had one of his chapleins in the afternoone to officiate in his house, his wife not being well; and he had leisure to retire himselfe to private meditations on the holy word.

Whitelocke was invited to meet Cromwell, and the land and fea officers, att a publique dinner and intertainment at Grocers Hall.

The councell tooke vett no further order about the reft of his money, nor for his commiffions and inftructions; nevertheles sent to him, fpeedily to take his journey. He, to prevent any cenfure of his negligence, directed the hiring of one merchant's ship to carry his baggage, and another for his horfes he ordered no goods to be taken on board any of his fhips, nor as belonging to his company, unleffe they had uppon the packett or tronke Whitelocke's coate of armes in a smalle escutcheon of a print properly made for it; and with this marke the officers paft all goods without fearche. He fealed writings for the felling of his eftate, and to prevent controversies after his death, and to raise portions for his younger children; he appointed fervants to manage his affayres in the countrey; and to his wife he left the commaund of all.

17.

Whitelocke made correfpondents to anfwer all his bills of 18. exchange; his brothers-in-law, Mr. John Carleton, and Mr.

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1653. Samuell Willfon, merchants, of good value and credit, and his kind friends.

Oct. 18.

19.

For private letters he chiefly defired his old friend Mr. Hall, and Mr. Cokaine, now living in his house, and well acquainted in the army, and with many in power, to receive and anfwere fuch letters; and Mr. Cokaine constantly to fend to him, and to act for his affayres heer as there should be occafion.

And for more publique letters, he fettled a correfpondence with his friends, Mr. Thurloe, fecretary to the councell, Sir Charles Oulfey, and others.

Uppon advice and incouragement of Cromwell, Whitelocke fent to Lagerfeldt; "that if he pleafed to accompany Whitelocke, as his friend, to a dinner in the citty, where he fhould meet the lord generall Cromwell, the generalls att fea, and many of the land and fea officers, that his company would be acceptable to them all, as it was to Whitelocke att all times."

Lagerfeldt came willingly to Whitelocke, and they went togither to Grocers Hall, where the feaft was; and this Whitelocke defigned, that Lagerfeldt might be a wittnes of the folemnity, and of the unity of that company, being

three hundred officers.

Before dinner, Mr. Peters prayed, and expounded a place of fcripture, and a pfalme was fung; Lagerfeldt being prefent, and very attentive.

Att dinner, Lagerfeldt fate by Cromwell, att the board's end; Whitelocke on the right hand bench uppermoft; the

generall

general difcourfed a little in latin with Lagerfeldt, White- 1653. locke more: there were three very long tables full in the hall; thofe at each table feverally, and with ceremony, first Oct. 19. dranke to Cromwell, then to Lagerfeldt; and they afterwards, feverally, dranke to each table; then all the tables togither dranke to Whitelocke, wifhing him a good voyage, and their respects to the queen of Sweden; with which ceremonies Lagerfeldt feemed much pleased, and that he was admitted to this meeting.

After the folemnities were paft, every one parted to their feverall lodgings, and occafions. Lagerfeldt had much difcourse with Whitelocke in their returne from this meeting, wondering att the civility and good order of fo great a company, and that there was not a health drunke, nor the leaft rudeneffe among any of them. Whitelocke told him, this was their conftant demeanor, which Lagerfeldt highly commended; and, after ceremonies, they alfo parted..

By appointment, Whitelocke mett Lagerfeldt att the Doctors Commons, to fpeake with the judges of the admiralty about the fwedish fhips detained for prize. In the difcourfe with the judges Lagerfeldt betrayed much choller and paffion; Whitelocke preffed to the judges the release of thofe fhips, and had good words; butt little effect thereof could be obtained.

Whitelocke received 1000 l. more in part of his allowance for his expences.

20

After much protraction of time, the councell att length 21. reported to the parlement a commiffion, credentiall letters, and inftructions for Whitelocke, as ambaffador extraordinary to the queen of Sweden.

They

1653.

They found worke enough this day to reade, debate, and paffe them in the houfe; and difputes were raysed in Oct. 21. fome of the particulars, and most from those who had leaft understanding and experience in affayres of this nature: butt att length they paffed as they were reported.

22.

23.

24.

The cuftody of the library att St. James's had bin formerly committed to Whitelocke, wherin were many rare manuscripts, and choice bookes of the king's, wherof Whitelocke was a lover, and a carefull preferver, otherwife they had all bin fold and imbeaziled. Uppon Whitelocke's going out of England, Mr. Lawrence procured an order for Whitelocke to deliver up the keyes of that library to the committee of the councell appointed to take care of it, which Whitelocke obeyed; and to Mr. Lawrence gott the cuftody of it to himselfe *.

This Lord's day, Whitelocke was att Mr. Cokain's church, where was a christian mention, and recommendation of him in their prayers to God, that he would be a protection and bleffing to him in his journey. In the afternoone he flayed att home, his wife not being well, and he not long to flay with her.

The wind came about very fayre for Whitelocke's voyage; and att this time of the yeare, it was hard for one that must goe, yett to loofe fuch opportunities; but the councell were not ready, and Whitelocke must goe when they command, and yett attend their leifure.

The general att fea gave forth this order for Whitelocke's

voyage.

* Concerning the prefent fituation of this valuable library, vid. note to our author's comment upon the king's writ, &c. vol. ii. p. 279. "After

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Oct. 24.

*After you have received on board the lord Whitelocke, 1653. "with his retinue, and fuch goods as he fhall thinke fitt to "fend on board you; you are then, wind and weather permitting, to fett fayle with the fhip under your com"mand, (in company with the Elizabeth frigott, and fuch "other veffells as are appointed to attend uppon the faid "ford Whitelocke, ambassador extraordinary for Sweden ; "who are heerby required to obferve your orders,) and yourfelfe, to observe such inftructions and directions, as you fhall receive from the faid lord ambaffador, whom you are to land att fuch porte as he fhall thinke fitt; "which done, you are to make your repayre to Portef mouth, there to receive further orders: and this fhall be 66 your warrant. Given under our hands and feales, att "Whitehall, the 24th of October, 1653.

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To Captain Nicholas Fofter, commander of the Phoenix frigott.

"Jo. BLAKE..
"GEO. MONCK."

The copy of this order was brought to Whitelocke, as a teftimony of the high respect to him, by giving him the commaund of the frigotts, and other veffells, which were to transport him; and that knowing his power, he might make the better use of it.

Whitelocke fate in the chancery; and after he had given 25. the rule in two or three motions, he rofe and tooke his leave of his brethren, and of the gentlemen att the barre, and of the officers, who gave him all teftimonies of civility and respect, as is ufually done to men in authority: he had the like courtefy from the other courts in Westminster-hall, whom he faluted as he paffed by them.

Befides

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