MA Y 1654. AGERFELDT, Berkman, and the fyndick of GothenL bergh, after dinner with Whitelocke, difcourfed and May 1. advised him touching his departure.. Lagerfeldt faid, he believed the queen would give Whitelocke audience on Friday next; before which time her prefents would not be ready for Whitelocke and his company he said alfo, that he heard the prince intended to be in this town within a few dayes, and if it fhould be so, then it would be better for Whitelocke to stay heer, and expect his comming hither to falute him heer, then to goe out of his way fo farre as to the prince's court; in which matter, Whitelocke faid, he would intreat the queen's. advice. Lagerfeldt faid further, that the queen had commaunded fome copper to be brought to Stockholme, and to be putt aboard the fhip where Whitelocke was to be imbarqued, or in fome other fhip as he should appoint; it being a pre- . fent intended for him by the queen. The fyndick acquainted Whitelocke, that the citty of Gothenbergh would fend into England, to prepare there for an accord concerning traffique between the english marchants and that town, wherin they hoped to have the affiftance of Whitelocke att his returne to England; wherin he promised his advice and furtherance. A danish A danish gentleman of quality and experience gave a 1654. visit to Whitelocke, advised him the way of his journey, May 1. and gave him good information touching Denmarke, to be communicated to the protector; as that the English marchants might paffe the Sundt, without paying any taxe, if the protector would infift uppon it. Whitelocke, in drollery, asked him, why he would difcover these things to a ftranger, which turne fo much to the prejudice of his owne countrey? He anfweared, that he did this to teftify his respects to the protector; and that he did not betray his countrey, butt his countrey had betrayed him; and that was his countrey where he breathed, and had present nourishment. Monf. Woolfeldt vifited Whitelocke, and, among other difcourfes, related to him the ftory of himselfe and his lady, which was to this effect, by his and other's relation. This gentleman was of a noble family and extraction in Denmarke, grew into great favour with the last king, whose daughter, by a second wife, he marryed; and the prefent king, her brother, made him vice-roy of Norway, governor of the ifle of Zeland, and of the Sundt, and a fenator of the kingdome, and great mafter of Denmarke; and he had bin imployed thirteen times as an ambaffador. His lady, the daughter and fifter of a king, was of excellent comelines of perion and behaviour, humbly knowing her distance; of a fweet difpofition, and of rare parts both of mind and body; efpecially delerving prayfe for her high and entire affection to her husband, who, notwithftanding his great parts and abilities, and the many perils he had undergone in the fervice of his king and countrey, yett, after all, by the whisperings and falfe fuggeftions of Q 2 back May 1. 1654. back-biters, his ennemies, was traduced to the king, for being too much a friend to the peoples liberty, and an oppofer of the king's abfolute power: butt, beyond all (as fome gave it out), that he was too familiar with one of the king's miftreffes; fo it was, that the king tooke high dif pleature against him. Parafites tooke the occafion to please the king, by invectives against one under a clowde; his parts attracted envy, and his merits were too great for any other recompence butt his owne ruine. To avoyd the king's wrath and his ennemies malice, and to preferve his life, which was aymed to be taken away with his fortune, he was compelled to flye from his countrey, and feeke his fecurity in forein parts. His lady, though a tender modeft woman, though the fifter of the king regnant, high in his favour, and the interest of her alliance; though preffingly inticed to caft off“ her affection to her husband; though unacquainted with any hardships; yett fo intire was her conjugall love and piety, that, rather then part with her husband, she would leave all her relations and pleasures of a court, and her deare countrey, and putt herselfe (though with child) into the disguise of a page, to attend him in his flight as his fervant. It may be imagined, that fuch a fervant was not unkindly used; butt the greatest trouble was, that, being on fhip-board to crofle the Baltick fea, the poore page whifpered the master, that fhe had a longing defire to fome cherryes, which fhe faw in the towne as they came to the ship heer was the difficulty, if her lord did not goe on fhore and procure fome cherryes for the page, it might coft her life; if he did goe on shoare, and, in the meane time, the May 1. the hip fhould goe of, he and his page would be parted, 1654. and his own life indaungered. It was reafon and honor that perfwaded him, rather to hazard his own then such a page's life; therfore, having effectually dealt with the mafter of the hip for a little ftay, he foon found out a pretence to goe on fhore, and neglected not to haften back againe with his provifion of cherryes, and to find out a way of diftributing a large fhare of them to her that longed for them. After which, they happily fett fayle and arrived in Sweden, where, by articles between the two crownes, thofe in his condition have fanctuary and protection. In the afternoon Whitelocke went to court, where he mett with Canterstein, who excufed himfelfe, that he had not yett brought to Whitelocke the queen's letters of full power to her commiffioners, which, he faid, the queen had figned two dayes before, and that he had bin ficke, otherwife he had delivered them before this time. Whitelocke afked him, if his re-credentialls were prepared? he faid, they were ready for the queen to figne when she pleased, and that nothing in his charge concerning Whitelocke should receive any delay by his occafion. Whitelocke gave him thanks for his care, and promifed his remuneration. This being May-day, Whitelocke, according to the invitation he had made to the queen, putt her in mind of it, that, as fle was his miftris, and this May-day, he was, by the cuftome of England, to waite uppon her to take the aier, and to treate her with fome little collation, as her fervant. The queen faid, the weather was very cold, yett fhe was very willing to beare him company after the english mode. With 1654. May 1. With the queen were Woolfeldt, Tott, and five of her ladyes. ladyes. Whitelocke brought them to his collation, which he had commanded his fervants to prepare in the best manner they could, and altogither after the english fashion. Att the table with the queen fate La Belle Comteffe, the counteffe Gabriel Oxenftierne, Woolfeldt, Tott, and Whitelocke; the other ladyes fate in another roome. Their meate was such fowle as could be gotten, dreffed after the english fashion, and with english fawces, creames, puddings, custards, tarts, tanfies, english apples, bon chrêtien peares, cheese, butter, neats tounges, potted venison, and fweet meats, brought out of England, as his facke and claret alfo was; his beere was alfo brewed, and his bread made by his own fervants in his houfe, after the english manner; and the queen and her company feemed highly pleased with this treatment: fome of her company faid, fhe did eate and drinke more att it then she used to doe in three or four dayes att her own table. The intertainment was as full and noble as the place would afford, and as Whitelocke could make it, and fo well ordered and contrived, that the queen faid, fhe had never feen any like it: fhe was pleafed fo farre to play the good huswife, as to inquire, how the butter could be fo fresh and sweet and yett brought out of England? Whitelocke, from his cookes, fatisfyed her majefty's inquiry; that they putt the falt butter into milke, where it lay all night, and the next day it would cate freth and fweet as this did, and any butter new made; and commended her majesty's good hufwifry; who, to expreffe her contentment in this collation, was full of pleafantnes and gaity of spirit, both in fupper-time and afterwards: among other frollickes, fhe commaunded Whitelocke to teach her ladyes the english falutation, |