1653. Oct. 25. Befides his private and particular fecking to God for his councell and bleffing in this undertaking, he had the joynt prayers of his friends with him; divers of them mett in the evening att his brother Willfon's houfe, feverall members of Mr. Cokain's church, and among them Mr. Taylor expounded a place of fcripture very pertinently, and feverall of them prayed very affectionately for Whitelocke, and the good fucceffe of his buifnes; and divers expounded places of fcripture fuitable to the occafion. Whitelocke's wife was prefent, full of griefe, trouble, and paffion. Whitelocke himselfe fpake to the company to this effect: .66 My very worthy friends, "Such you have fhowed yourselves to be by this meeting; feverall of you have spoken what it hath pleased "God to putt into your hearts, and that with great piety "and affection; and have fought God on my behalfe, and "I fuppofe you may expect to heare fomething from me "likewife on this occafion, wherin I am fo much con"cerned. I fhall not hold you long, and fhall fpeake "from that scripture from which I have taken much com"fort, Gen. xxviii. 15. where God makes this promife to Jacob, in his journey to Padan Aram: "Behold I am "with thee, and will keep thee in all places, whither thou goeft, and will bring thee againe into this land." Jacob was a faithfull fervant of God, and heir of the promise; I am a poor inconfiderable worme; yett God delights to glorify his mercy on the meanest subjects. "God directed this journey of Jacob's, I hope he hath "directed mine, and called me to it; I am fure I did not "feeke it, nor had ever any one a freer call to any fer❝ vice. Methinkes I heare the fame words fpoken by the • fame 66 Oct. 25. "fame God, though to fo worthless a creature as I am: 1653. "Behold I am with thee in all places; whither thou goest, "I will bring thee againe into this land." My confidence ❝is in this mercy of God; and my hopes, that he may ufe "me as an instrument to promote his honor, hath bin my "chiefe motives for this undertaking, and is my only hope "to partake of this gratious promife. Thefe words to "Jacob are spoken to all who fhall be att any time in "God's fervice, and depend on him, "That I have defigned heerby to ferve my countrey, "without expectation of profit to myfelfe, may have the more credit from the fimallenes of my allowances, and "the unlikelyhood of advantage by the imployment. "Nor was there much pleasure to be aimed att in fo "long and daungerous a journey to the northerne countryes, in the depth of winter: nor could much honor be "added by it to my present condition; and if any, it would "be farre fetcht, fhort, and deare bought. 66 "It is the honor of God, the good of his people, the "advantage of my countrey, which are the grounds of this 66 my undertaking; wherin I defire to truft in my God, "who hath bin with me in many former great actions and 66 perills, "in fix troubles and in feven." I hope he will be "till unto me (as he is to all that rest uppon him) a fun to "direct me, to give me light to shine uppon me, and to "comfort me; a fhield to protect and defend me and my company; and an exceeding great reward to me, farre bejond any that the most bountifull ftate or prince can "bestow uppon their.beft deferving fervants. VOL. I. K "I have 1653. 08. 25.66 26. "I have butt one thing more to trouble you with att "this time; it is to returne my moft hearty thankes to you for the favour and comfort of this meeting, for your pious exhortations, and fervent prayers to God on my "behalfe. "O that I might be carryed forth in this action uppon "the winges of prayer; I hope I fhall: and make it my "carneft fuit to you, my chriftian friends, that as now, "and att feverall other times, you and many others have "bin feeking the Lord for me; that your prayers may not "ceafe; that they may not leave me, when I fhall leave you; butt that whileft I am with you, and in my "abfence from you, I may be remembred in your prayers, "and recommended to the protection, guidance, and "bleffing of him, who is the God of prayer and mercy; "who delights in fuch offerings as thefe, and never denyes "his bleffings to those that feeke him with fervent hearts " and prayers.” Mr. Cokain concluded with very patheticall and affectionate prayers to God, on Whitelocke's behalfe, very fuitable, and pertinent to the occafion; and then, it being late, they parted, with all love and hearty expreffions of good wifhes to him. Lagerfeldt and Bonnele had earnestly follicited Whitelocke to procure the discharge of the fwedifh fhips detained as prize, wherby he would ingage the merchants and feamen, and the whole ftate of Sweden. He laboured heartily to doe it, and perfonally with the judges of the admiralty, and with the councell, and chiefely uppon the argument of furthering their fervice by it; yett could could he not obtaine the leaft favour from them on the 1653: Swedes behalfe, butt the buifnes was delayed, and uneffected, to Whitelocke's great difcouragement. Cromwell fent one of his gentlemen with a present to Whitelocke; a fword, and a payre of fpurres, richly inlayed with gould, of a noble work and fashion. An old and faithfull fervant to Whitelocke, who had ferved his father and him forty years, would needs come himselfe to London, to take his leave of his mafter, and in his cart, brought up with him meale and other things for Whitelocke's journey; he would not be perfwaded to stay all night in London; butt, in his returne home, near Maydenhead, he fuddenly fell downe in the highway, not able to speake; his men helped him up into his carte, and there presently, and quietly, he departed out of this world, and became a faint in heaven: he was on earth, a faithfull, difcreet, and loving fervant and friend to Whitelocke, and his family. According to order, Whitelocke fent in to the councell, a lift of all his retinue. Chapleins, Mr. Ingelo, Mr. de la Marche. Phyfitian, doctor Daniel Whistler. Steward, John Walker, efq; Receiver, and chiefe fecretary, Daniel Earle, efq; his meniall fervant. Gentleman of the horse, Mr. Stapleton. Clerk of the ftable, and fewer, captain Crifpe. Second fewer, lieutenant Hughes. Apothecary, Mr. John Preston. K 2 Gentlemen Oct. 26. 1653. Oct. 26. Gentlemen admitted to his table; colonel James White- Of his bed-chamber, William de Vaux, Jo. Taylor, Barber, Mr. Richard Ratcliffe. Messenger, Mr. Richard Meredith. Chiefly for mufick, Mr. Smith, Mr. Maylard. Gentlemen fervitors att Whitelocke's table; Mr. Frye, Lacquays, Robert Dun, Robert Lewis, Thomas Briers, Second cookes, Henry Collington, William Hains. Butlers, Thomas Thoroughton Whitelocke's meniall fer- Coachmen, Edward Ellis, an old menial fervant, and Poftilions, Aur. Newman, Roger Lowe. Groomes, Nicholas Hughes, Thomas Hall, Francis Porter, Thomas Home, meniall fervant. 7 Scullery |