Mar. 39. 1654. dered by the spanish resident heer, more then by any other: wherunto Whitelocke faid little pofitively, butt compared his wordes with the late carryage of Piementelle, efpetially fince Whitelocke did not fo heartily intertaine the queen's motion (which probably Piementelle putt her uppon) to have the Spanyard included in the league with England and Sweden, which Whitelocke was not impowred to treate uppon; and Whitelocke also remembred the deferring of his audiences lately defired. Butt these things he was to keep to himfelfe, and to court Woolfeldt, which he did, and Piementelle likewife, who came to vifit Whitelocke whileft Woolfeldt was with him, and made the fame excufe as he had done for his long abfence: they had much generall discourse, butt nothing (as ufually before) touching Whitelocke's buifnes. Piementelle fayd, he purposed to depart from Ubsale within seven or eight dayes; that yesterday he had taken his leave of the queen, and came, in the next place, to take his leave of Whitelocke; who who gave him thankes for this honor, and faid, he was forry for the departure of Piementelle, wherby he should have a very great loffe, in being deprived of the acceptable converfation of fo honorable a friend. Whitelocke received many letters from England; in.thofe from Thurloe, he faith: "I am forry your last letters give us no greater hopes of that which we fo much long for, to wit, your excellence's speedy returne home; it feeming by them, that the treaty was not much advanced fince your last before, notwithstanding the great care and diligence used by your excellency for the promoting therof, as also the great acceptance you have with the queen and court, as is acknowledged by other publique minifters refiding there. It is now more then probable, they will expect the issue of the dutch buifnes before they will come to. any Mar. 30. any conclufion; as also to see what termes we are like to 1654. be uppon with France, that fo the queen may manage her treaty with England accordingly, which, I suppose, she may not be long ignorant of: in the mean time, his highnes thinkes, he is fomwhat delayed on her part." Then Thurloe relates all the paffages of the dutch ambaffadors, and that, in effect, they had agreed to the articles; of the indeavors of the french to have a league with the protector, and no leffe of the spanyard. And he writes, att large, the newes of the arch-duke, as also that of Scotland and Ireland, and confutes the rumor of a discontent in the army of the protector. In another letter from Thurloe, of a later date, received: by the fame poft, he faith thus : "His highnes understands, by your excellence's last letters, that the treaty with the queen of Sweden will much depend uppon the treaty with the dutch heer, and, untill the iffue of that be knowne, no great matter is to be expected from your negotiation; concerning which, it being very probable that, before the next ordinary, it will be feen what iffue the dutch treaty will be brought unto, his highnes will referre his further directions to you till then; leaving it to your excellency to proceed uppon the former inftructions, as you fhall find it convenient, and for his fervice, according as affayres now ftand." The claufe in this letter, of referring further directions till after the issue of the dutch treaty, was fome trouble to Whitelocke's thoughts, fearing it might delay his returne home; butt he layd hold uppon the latter part of this let ter, wherby it is left to Whitelocke to proceed uppon the former Mar. 30. 1654. former instructions, as he should find it convenient, and for his highness's fervice; which, as it repofed a great truft in Whitelocke, fo it gave him warrant to conclude his treaty, and obliged him to the more care to performe that truft which they had fo fully putt in him. Mnr. Bonnele reprefenting to the protector the loffes which the Swedes fuffered by the ships of England, the protector caused an anfwear therunte to be returned, the coppy wherof was fent by Thurloe to Whitelocke, and was thus: "Wheras Mnr. Bonnele, refident of the queen of Sweden, hath, by a paper of the fourth of March, remonftrated to his highnes, that feverall fhips and goods, belonging to the faid queen and her fubjects, are taken att fea by the ships of this state, and brought into these parts, contrary to the declaration of the councell of ftate, 1ft April, 1653; wherby they did declare, that, for preventing the prefent obstruction of trade, all fhips truely belonging to the queen, or her fubjects, of Sweden, that should bring with them certificates from her faid majefty, or the chiefe magistrate of the place from whence they come, grounded uppon the respective oaths of the magiftrates and loaders, that the faid ship and lading doe belong, bonâ fide, to the faid queen, or her fubjects, and to no ftranger whatsoever, fhould and might freely paffe without interruption or difturbance. His highnes hath commaunded, that it be returned in anfwear to the faid refident, that although the faid declaration was to be in force for the space of three months, in which time a forme of paffe-port and certificates was to be thought of for preventing fraud and collufion, yett no provilion of that nature having bin yett agreed uppon, and it being Mar. 30. being contrary to his intention, that the goods and fhips, 1654. belonging to her faid majefty, or fubjects (with whom he defires to conferve all good correfpondence), fhould, in the meane time, suffer inconvenience or prejudice by the ships of this ftate, hath renewed, as he doth heerby renew, the faid declaration, with refpect to the present treaty now on foot between the two nations, wherin fome courfe may be provided for preventing the said fraudes. "And to the end there may be the better effect of this declaration, his highnes hath given order to the judges of the admiralty, that if any fhips or goods be brought into these parts, belonging to her majefty, or fubjects, that the producing of certificates, according to the faid declaration, in open court, and uppon oath made by them, that doe produce fuch certificates, that they are good and authentique, and obtained without fraud or deceipt, that the judges fhall theruppon (there being no proofe before them to the contrary) difcharge the faid fhips or goods without further delay. Provided, that fuch fhips were not bound with contrabanda goods to the ports or harbours of any of the united provinces. "For the herring buffe, there having bin proceedings theruppon in the court of admiralty, and a fentence of con-demnation given against her, as belonging to the ennemies of this ftate, his highnes doth not conceive, that it can be expected from him to interpofe in matters belonging to the decision of that court; befides, the law having, in the ordinary courfe, provided a remedy, by way of appeale, in cafe of wrong or injustice done by that. 1654. "For the goods of Mr. Alexander Cecconi, fuppofed to be taken by a fhip belonging to this ftate, orders have bin Mar. 30. given by the councell concerning them, and fome returne made uppon thofe orders; and the faid commiffary may rest affured, that fpeedy and effectuall juftice will be done in that perticular. Jo. THURLO E." 31. March 10th, Thefe orders of the councell Whitelocke caused to be tranflated into latin, that he might communicate them as he faw occafion. Whitelocke dispatched a great number of letters to his friends in England: in thofe to fecretary Thurloe, he gave a full account of all tranfactions of his negotiations, and paffages heer, fince his laft letters. This day (though the post day) Woolfeldt againe vifited Whitelocke, to his no little interruption in his difpatches; yett from him Whitelocke learned many things in relation to Denmarke, for the advantage of England; and Woolfeldt testifyed great affection and respect to the protector and common-wealth. He was alfo interrupted by his attendance uppon the queen, according to her appointment: the chancellor came forth from her, as Whitelocke went in, and he told Whitelocke, that the queen, hearing of his being without, had fent to defire him to come in to her. Whitelocke read some of his newes to the queen, and the paper which the protector had caufed to be given to her commiffary Bonnele att London; uppon which Whitelock tooke the boldnes a little 7 A |