1653.

Oct. 29. 66

30.

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"tract for, and buy, fo many of the faid number as he can, att the best rates; and the fame to ship and fend for London with the first opportunity; and as many as can "be speedily had, by the ships which attend you thither; charging bills of exchange on the commiffioners of the "cuftomes, or treasurer of the navy, for payment of the "monies due on fuch contracts, within convenient time: "which bills are to be accordingly paid, comming accompanyed with your advise and approbation. And for the "better mannaging heerof in point of privacy, and other advantages, you are to give the party, fo to be imployed, "fuch inftructions as you shall, uppon the place, find most "conducing to the faid fervice. Given att Whitehall, the "28th of October 1653.

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Whitelocke's returning home with these inftruments, and papers, caufed much trouble and passion, att the hastning of him away from his fad wife and family, and from his countrey.

The Lord's day. Whitelocke was att the morning service in the Temple church, where he tooke leave of his friends; he dined att the Cockpitt att the generall's, who treated him with much outward kindnes and civility: he was cheerfull att dinner, and, afterwards tooke Whitelocke into a private roome, where they talked above an hour togither; part of their difcourfe was this.

Wh.

Wh. My lord, I am to take my leave of your excellence, 1653. and probably my last leave; butt while God fhall afford me life, I affure your excellence, I fhall be diligent and faithfull in the truft reposed in me.

Crom. My lord, if we had had the leaft fufpition of your fidelity, you had not bin troubled with this imployment; but we have had fufficient experience therof, and of your diligence, and abilities: and I doubt not, butt God will bleffe you, and give you a fafe and honourable returne to your native countrey; which I heartily wish, and pray for; indeed I doe.

Wh. I doubt not of your excellence's good wishes, uppon whofe account chiefly I have undertaken this fervice; and I affure myselfe of the favour and affiftance of your excellence, in any thing that may concerne me in my absence; wherin I have two or three humble requests to you.

Crom. You fhall find me what I have faid, a faithfull, and affectionate friend to you, both present and abfent. pray, lett me knowe, what you would particularly leave to my care, and I promise you, I fhall not fayle you in any thing of concernment to you.

I

Wh. One of my fuits is, that if, in my abfence, my wife, or friends, fhall have occafion to attend your excellence on my behalfe, that they may have the favour of acceffe to you, and your excellence's affiftance.

Crom. They fhall, att any time, be wellcome to me; and I fhall give order for their admittance, and my best furtherance in any matter which shall concerne you.

Oct. 30.

1653.

Oct. 30.

Wh. I humbly thanke your excellence; and doe further intreate, that my bills of exchange uppon the councell may be answered, and not delayed: your fervant's credit will depend uppon it, and a fayler therin, especially in a forrein country, is a tender thing.

Crom. I confefs that is a tender point; and you may be confident, you fhall not be fayled nor delayed therin; our credit would be wounded therby. I will take particular care for anfwearing your bills fpeedily; nay, I will fay more to you, I know your allowance is butt fmalle, I wish it had bin more, yett, if I live, I will fee that you shall be no loofer by this imployment; and though your occafions shall require the expence of more then your allowance, I will fee that it fhall be paid: butt I would have you to be as good a husband as you can.

Wh. I shall not spend extravagantly, butt the honor of the commonwealth, and fafety of your fervant, requiring it; which I doubt my allowance will not answer.

Crom. I will fee you fhall be no loofer; butt honorably recompenced for your fervice.

Wh. I moft humbly thanke your excellence, and fhall depend uppon your honor; and further intreate, that a conftant intelligence may be given me of your affayres heer, wherby I may be inabled to give a full and clear account therof, and have the more repute abroade by it: and your excellence knowes, that full and frequent intelligence gives live to state affayres, especially forrein.

Crom It is neceffary your lordship should have a conftant correfpondence and intelligence from hence kept with

you,

you, and, for that end, your friend Mr. Thurloe, who is 1653. an able and carefull man, fhall not fayle you.

Wh. I fhall be very glad of his correfpondence; and fince your excellence allowes me this liberty, give me leave to intreate your opinion in fome particulars of my inftructions. If I find the queen willing to joyne with you, for the gaining of the Sundt, and against the Dutch and Danes, and that heartily and hopefully; fhall I putt on that buifnes to the utmoft, and are you willing to enter into fuch. a conjunction?

you

Crom. If find them inclinable to it, putt it on as farre as you can, and lett us heare from you, what you judge best to be done in it. No buifnes can be of greater confequence to us, and our trade, wherin the Dutch will endeavour to over-reache us; and it were good to prevent them, and the Dane, and first to serve our own interest.

Wh. I fhall give your excellence a clear account of it; and I believe it will bring the Dutch to reafon as foon as any thing; and that your excellence will not much depend uppon them, or the Dane, butt where their own interest will be ferved.

Crom. We fhall freely leave that, and the whole buifnes,. to your care and prudent mannaging.

Wh. I shall doe the uttmost in my capacity to serve you; butt must expect to have my actions traduced, and scandalized butt I hope your excellence will give no credit to whisperings, or officious words, or letters of pickthanks, behind my backe.

Crom.

Oct. 30.

Crom. I fhall not eafily give beliefe to fuch backbiters, I hate them; and what I fhall be informed of your actions abroade will hardly create in me an ill opinion of them, before I be certifyed from yourselfe.

Wh. It may be your excellence will heare, that I am great with fome cavaliers when I am abroade, and that I make much of them; and truely that may well be, I love a civility to all, especially to perfons of condition, though ennemies; and have ever ufed it, and perhaps may ufe it more then ordinary when I am abroade; and to thofe of the king's party, and by them I may be the better inabled to fecure myfelfe, and to understand their defignes, which will be no difadvantage to your affayres: nor fhall I ever betray thofe, or any perfons by whom I am truited.

Crom. I thinke fuch a carryage towards them will be prudent, and fitt for you to use; and it will never occafion in me, nor I hope in any other fober men, the leaft jealoufy of your faithfullness; butt it may much tend to your fecurity, and to the good of your buifnes.

Wh. I have butt one thing more to trouble your excellence with; that is, my humble thanks for all your favours, and, particularly, for the noble prefent I received from your hand.

Crom. I pray, my lord, doe not fpeake of fo poore a thing; if there were opportunity for me to doe honor to

your lordship, I affure you, that very few should goe before

you.

Their difcourfe ended, being told that they were ready to goe to the fermon; after which, Whitelocke tooke his