JULY.

1654.

July 1.

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BOUT three a'clocke this morning, good store of boates came from Gravefend to Whitelocke's fhips, to tranf port him, his company, and goods to London : by the help of the mariners, without much delay, the baggage was putt on board the boates; and Whitelocke's people, after a perilous and tedious voyage, were not backward to leave their fhips, and to set forwards for London.

Earle was fent before to Greenwich to acquaint Whitelocke's wife with his coming; left fudden joy and apprehenfions might furprize her to her prejudice.

Whitelocke having diftributed his rewards to the officers and feamen of both the frigotts, much to the fame proportion as when he went forth, and given them all his hearty thankes, he went into a boate of fix oares, his two fons and fome of the gentlemen with him, the reft in other boates; when they were gone about a muskett shott from the fhips, both the frigotts and the fort fired their cannon for a parting falutation.

The weather was cold, wett, and windy, as if it had bin ftill winter, butt it was chearfully indured, being the conclusion of a bad voyage: neer Greenwich Earle mett them, and informed Whitelocke that his family was att Chelsey, whither he had fent advertisement of his comming.

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Many of the company being much tyred, fick, and want- 1654. ing fleep, by their defire, and for their refreshment, he July 1. stayed a little time att the Beare on the Bridge foot, and from thence to Whitehall, where, not finding the protector, who was gone to Hampton Court, yett, many of his friends meeting him there, he was imbraced by them with much fliew of joy, and heartily bid wellcome home, bleffing God for his fafe returne, and good fucceffe in his buifnes.

From Whitehall Whitelocke went to his own house att Chelsey, where he found his wife and family in good health; butt in no smalle paffion, furprised with the great and suddein joy, which oft-times brings no leffe disturbance to the tempers of people, efpecially of the more tender and affectionate sexe, then other furprises doe : fuddein feare, griefe, and joy, are often equall in their operation uppon conftitutions and affections; nor was Whitelocke's wife alone in this furprize, another with her, att the returne of her husband, could not forbeare in all that company, her extraordinary expreffions of joy att the happy meeting of her own most neer relation.

From the time of Whitelocke's departure from hence, to his entry into Ubfale, Whitelocke spent forty-feven dayes ; five moneths he stayed there, and in his returne from Ubfale to this place, coft him forty-three dayes: and, in all these eight moneths time of his abfence from his deare relations and countrey, the Lord was pleafed fo to owne him and his, and fo gratiously to preserve and profper them, that himfelfe and a hundred perfons in his company, after fo long a journey, fo great a change of climate and accommodations, fuch hardfhips indured, fuch daungers furmounted through his goodnes, the buifnes effected beyond the expectation of those who imployed him; Whitelocke and all his company were,

through

June 22.

1654. through mercy, returned to their countrey and relations, in as good condition and health as when they went forth; not one of them left behind dead or ficke, or impayred in their health, butt fome improved and bettered therin. Only Whitelocke, being antient, will have caufe to remember the decay of his strength and health by the hardships and difficulties of this fervice; butt more caufe hath he to remember the wonderfull goodnes of God to him and his company abroad, and to his wife and family att home, in his bleffing and preservation of them, and in the comfort and fafety of their meeting, after fo long and perilous a feparation, for which, he is obliged to prayfe the name of God for ever.

After ceremonies paft att his comming to his own house, Whitelocke fent captain Beake to Hampton Court, to acquaint the protector with his returne, to present his duety, and to receive his commaunds when Whitelocke fhould waite uppon his highnes, to kiffe his hand, and to give him an account of his negotiation.

Beake returned this evening from Hampton Court to Whitelocke, with this anfwear; that the protector expreffed much joy att the newes of the fafe arrivall of Whitelocke and of his company in England; that he looked that he looked uppon it as a mercy, and blest God for it, and that he much defired to fee Whitelocke; and hoped, on Monday next att Whitehall, to have his company, who fhould be very wellcome to laim.

A little while after this meffage returned, there came two of the protector's gentlemen, fent by him to Chelfey, in his name, to vifit Whitelocke, and to bid him wellcome home, to inquire of his health, and to teflify the contentment the

protector received by Whitelocke's happy returne home, and 1654. that he hoped on Monday next to see him.

Whitelocke defired the gentlemen to present his humble thankes to the protector for this great favour, to inquire after fo meane a fervant, who hoped to have the honor to waite uppon his highnes att the time appointed by him.

The Lord's day. Whitelocke began to injoy fome more privacy and retirement then he had bin lately accustomed unto, and was at the publique church with his wife and family, and courteously faluted and bid wellcome home by

many.

In the evening, the protector sent another complement to Whitelocke by Mr. Strickland, one of his councell, who came to Whitelocke's house and told him, that he was fent by the protector to falute him, and to inquire of his health after his long and dangerous voyage, and to assure him of the great joy his highnes received by Whitelocke's safe arrivall in England, and the defire he had to see him, and perfonally to intertain him. Whitelocke defired his most humble thankes might be returned to his highnes for this great favour, giving him the opportunity of feeing fo honorable a person as Strickland was, and for taking fuch care of so poor a servant as Whitelocke, and to lett his highnes know, that he fhould obey his highnes's commaunds in waiting on him the next day as he appointed.

Whitelocke came to Whitehall about nine a'clock this morning, where he vifited Mr. Secretary Thurloe, who brought him to the protector; and he received Whitelocke with great demonstration of affection, and carryed him into VOL. II. his

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July.

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1654. his cabbinet, where they were togither about an hower, and
had this among other difcourfes.

July 3.

Pro. How have you injoyed your health in your long
journey, both by fea and land; and how could
and how could you indure
thofe hardships you were putt unto in that barren and cold
countrey?

Wh. Indeed, Sir, I have indured many hardships, for an old crazy carcas as mine is; butt God was pleased to flow much mercy to me, in my fupport under them, and vouchfafing me competent health and strength to indure them.

Pro. I have heard of your quarters and lodging in ftrawe, and of your diett in your journey: we were not fo hardly nor so often putt to it in our service in the army.

Wh. Both my company and myselfe did cheerfully indure all our hardships and wants, being in the fervice of our God and of our countrey.

Pro. That was also our fupport in our hardships in the army; and it is the best support; indeed it is; and you found it fo in the very great preservations you have had from daungers.

Wh. Your highnes hath had great experience of the goodnes of God to you; and the fame hand hath appeared wonderfully in the prefervation of my company and myfelfe from many imminent and great daungers both by fea and land.

Pro. The greatest of all other, I heare, was in your returne home uppon our coaft.

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