ページの画像
PDF
ePub

1654.

66

"After the receipt of my commiffion and instructions, "from the parlement then fitting, to goe ambassador to July 6. "Sweden, I neglected no time, how unfeasonable foever, to transport myselfe to that countrey: uppon the fifth of "November I imbarqued att the Hope, and, after ten dayes voyage, through many stormes, enemies, and daungers, "it pleafed God, on the 15th of November, to bring me "in fafety, with all my company, into the port of Gothenbergh.

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

"The next day, I dispatched two of my fervants to the "court, with letters to prince Adolphe, the grand master, "and to the ricks chancellor of Sweden, to advertise them "of my arrivall, and to defire their advice, whither to "direct my journey to attend the queen.

"In this citty I received many civilities and testimonies "of respect to your highnes, and this common-wealth, from "the magiftrates, officers, and others there; and a smalle "conteft I had with a Dutchman, a vice admirall of her

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

majesty's, about our warre with his countreymen, and "about fome prizes brought in by me; wherin I tooke the liberty to justify the proceedings of this state, and order“ed, uppon submission, the release of a finalle dutch prize "taken by me.

[ocr errors]

"Having refreshed myselfe and company fome dayes, I "began my land journey the last day of November: the military officers accompanyed me out of towne, the "cittizens and guarryfon foldiers stood to their armes, and, "with many vollies of great and smalle shot (the bulletts paffing fomwhat too neer complements) they gave me an "honorable farwell,

[ocr errors]

<< In

[ocr errors]

July 6.

"In our journey we mett with extreame hardships, both 1654. "in the weather, and in want of neceffary accomodations: "the greater townes, where we quartered, showed much re"fpect to your highnes and this common-wealth; only in one town a little affront was given in words by a prætor, who acknowledged his fault, and it appeared to proceed more from drinke then judgement.

"In all places the officers tooke great care, with what "the countrey would afford, to furnith what I wanted; the "wayes were prepayred, waggons and horfes brought in, "and all things requifite were done by the countrey, uppon commaund of her majefty.

"After twenty one dayes in our land journey, neer 400 miles from Gothenbergh, up into the countrey, in that "climate in December, it pleased God through all our dif"ficulties to bring us safe to Ubfale the 20th of December.

"About halfe a league from the town, the master of the "ceremonies, and after him two fenators, with two coaches "of the queen's, and those of the spanish resident, and of "divers grandees, mett me, and, with more than ordinary ceremoney, conducted me to a houfe in the towne, by "the queen's order taken up and fúrnifht for me.

"Divers complements paffed from the queen herselfe, "and many of her court, expreffing much respect to your "highnes and this common-wealth, in the person of your

"fervant.

"By favour I obtained my first audience from the queen "the 23d of December, the particular paffages wherof (as "of most other matters which I have to mention) were in

[merged small][ocr errors]

1654.

July 6.

[ocr errors]

my letters imparted, as they arofe, to Mr. Secretary "Thurloe, and by him (I prefume) to your highnes and "the councell.

"Two or three dayes after this, I procured a private an "dience from her majefty, when I showed her my commiffion, and tooke time to waite on her with my propofalls.

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

"The spanish resident, Don Piementele, now in this court, expreffed high refpects for your highnes and this common-wealth, and perticular affection to me; and I, knowing his great favour with the queen, and his own "worth, contracted an intimacy of friendship with him; aş "I had also with Monfieur Woolfeldt, the king of Den"marke's brother-in-lawe, with feldt marshall Wrangell, Grave Tott, the queen's favorite, and with divers fenators " and great men, butt especially with the old chancellor.

[ocr errors]

“I found very usefull, for your highnes's' fervice there, "Monfieur Lagerfeldt, fecretary Canterstein, Monfieur Ravius, and others'; and I had good'affiftance from my countrymen, ‘generall major Fleetwood, a true friend to England, my lord Douglas, collonell Hamilton, and "others. And having now given your highnes fome ac"count of perfons, I come to the matter of my negotiation, "which I layd the best I could! “odia sobre tu sip odi

tr

66

By advice, I made my applications to the queen herfelfe, and, as much as I could, putt the buifnes uppon her "perfonall determination, which fhe liked, and it proved advantageous.

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

I prefented to her att once all my articles, except three

« reserved. The articles propofed a league offenfive, and dean o fenfive';

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

:

[ocr errors]

fenfive; wheruppon fhe objected the unfettlednes of our 1654. common-wealth, the prefent peace of her kingdomes, "and our being involved in a warre: to which I anfweared, July 6. "that her kingdomes could not long continue in peace, “and would have as much need of our affistance as we of "theirs; and our warre, and fucceffes against Holland, "were arguments that our friendship merited acceptance, "that I hoped our common-wealth was fettled, and that leagues were between nations, not governements.

[ocr errors]

66

"This debate was very large with her majefty, who "feemed fatisfyed with my anfwears, and appointed her "chancellor to treat with me; who much more infifted uppon the unfettlednes of our common-wealth, and uppon "the fame objections which the queen had made, and re"ceived from me the fame anfwears; which proved the more fatisfactory after the newes of your highnes's ac"ceffion to the governement, which made this treaty pro"ceed more freely.

66

[ocr errors]

"I had often, and long, difputes with the chancellor uppon "the article touching english rebells being harboured in "Sweden, moft of all touching contreband goods, and "about reparation of the loffes of the Swedes, by prizes "taken from them, in our dutch warre, by us, befides many other objections, wherof I have given a former account by letters.

[ocr errors]

"The chancellor being ficke, his fon Graye Eric was commiffionated to treat with me in his father's stead, and was much more averfe to, my buifnes, and more "earnest uppon the objections then the old man, who, "being recovered, I found more moderate; yett we could

iX

"not

1654.

July 6.

"not

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

not agree one way or other; and when I preft for a conclufion, both the queen and her chancellor did ingeni"ously acknowledge, that they defired first to see whether "the peace would be made between us and Holland, before "they came to a determination uppon my treaty, wherin "I could not butt apprehend reafon : and when the newes came, that the peace between your highnes and the Dutch was concluded, I urged a conclufion of my treaty; and "what the chancellor and I differed in, the queen was pleased to reconcile, and fo we came to the full agreement contained in this inftrument, figned and fealed by "the queen's commiffioners, which I humbly present to "your your highnes and this honorable board; and which, I "hope, through the goodnes of God, may be of advantage to this common-wealth, and to the protestant in"tereft."

[ocr errors]

...

Heer Whitelocke, making a little pause, delivered into the protector's hand the instrument of his treaty, fayrely written in latin, in a booke of velome, with the hands and feals to it of the ricks chancellor and his fon Grave Eric; which, being done, Whitelocke went on in his fpeech.

[ocr errors]

"I cannot butt acknowledge the great goodnes of God "to me in this imployment, in my preservation from attempts against my perfon, rayfing me up fuch eminent "friends, giving me fo much favour in the eyes of strangers, "inclining the queen's heart to an extraordinary affection "and favour towards me, and giving this good fucceffe to my buifnes, notwithstanding the defignes and labours of many enemies to the contrary.

[ocr errors]

"The treaty with me being thus finifhed, the buifnes came on of the queen's refignation of the crown, wher" in

« 前へ次へ »