March 22, 1653.
Monsieur Lyllicrone informed Whitelocke that Prince Adolphus had taken a solemn leave of the Queen, and was gone into the country. Whitelocke asked if it was upon any discontent; Lyllicrone said he knew not. Whitelocke asked if he would not be at the Ricksdag; Lyllicrone said he believed the Prince did not intend to be at it, but to travel incognito with a few servants into France and Italy.
The French advances resumed. The French Resident visited Whitelocke in the afternoon, and seeing his coaches and horses ready to go abroad to take the air, offered, with many compliments, to bear Whitelocke company, which he could not refuse. The Resident acquainted Whitelocke that Monsieur Bordeaux, now in London, had received a commission from the King of France to be his Ambassador to the Protector, and that Bordeaux had written to this gentleman here, to salute Whitelocke on his part, and to signify to him that Bordeaux would be willing to entertain a correspondence with Whitelocke, and had expressed much affection to his person. Whitelocke answered that he should be ready to testify all respect and service to Monsieur Bordeaux, and desired the Resident to testify the same to him at his next opportunity. Lagerfeldt came to Whitelocke, who had some trouble in discourse with them both together,—the Resident speaking only French, and Lagerfeldt only Latin, and he must answer them in their respective languages.
After the Resident was gone, Lagerfeldt discoursed with Whitelocke about the treaty, particularly of the new proposals showed him by Grave Eric. Whitelocke gave the same answers to Lagerfeldt as he had done to Eric: then Lagerfeldt said, that by command of the Queen, he was to tender to Whitelocke a copy of articles. Whitelocke asked if they were the same that Grave Eric yesterday imparted to him, and whether Lagerfeldt had any speech with the Queen this day about them. Lagerfeldt said they were altered in some part, so as to make them the more acceptable to Whitelocke, and that he had a few words with the Queen about them.
This caused Whitelocke to marvel that the Queen should pretend to him that she was sick, and therefore put off the audience which he desired this day, and yet her Majesty found herself well enough to peruse and debate with Lagerfeldt these articles; but he said nothing thereof to others, only made thereof his own observations and use, as he saw occasion. Lagerfeldt and he perused these new articles, and had much discourse upon them, and in effect the same as with Grave Eric.
Whitelocke’s amusements in his household. In the long winter-nights here, Whitelocke thought fit to give way to some passages of diversion to please his people, and to keep them together in his house, and from temptations to disorder and debauchery in going abroad, besides the danger of the streets in being late out. He therefore had music, both instrumental and vocal, in concert, performed by those of his own family, who were some of them excellent in that art, and himself sometimes bore his part with them. He also gave way to their exercise and pleasure of dancing in his great chamber, that he might be present at it, and admitted no undecent postures, but seemly properties of habits in their shows. He encouraged public disputations in Latin among the young men who were scholars, himself present in the great chamber, and appointing a moderator; and this exercise they found useful and pleasant, and improving their language. To this end likewise they had public declamations in Latin, himself giving them the question, as “an quodcunque evenerit sit optimum,” etc., so that his house was like an academy.