May 22, 1654.
The harbour of Stockholm and Swedish fleet. In the morning Berkman conducted Whitelocke to the haven, where lay many boats and vessels great and small, and much iron upon the quay, which is convenient, but not much stored. They passed by many fair houses belonging to the great Lords.
In the afternoon Wrangel came to Whitelocke, and conducted him to see the Queen’s ships, which lie round about an island called by them the Holm, into which island none are permitted to enter without special license. This is a good harbour for the ships there to anchor safely. There lay about fifty ships of war, some of them carrying eighty pieces of cannon, some sixty, some fifty, some forty, some thirty, and all of them well fitted and useful, strongly built, but not so nimble and serviceable for fight as our English frigates. Wrangel was now in his element, and discoursed much with Whitelocke about the make and force and goodness of these ships, their force and brass cannon, which were commended by Whitelocke, who showed the difference in the make between these ships and the English frigates; that these, for strength to endure an assault and make defence, were very good, but that the English frigates had much advantage in their nimble tacking about, their fleet sailing to fetch up another ship, and the lying of their guns for use of fighting; with which discourse Wrangel seemed much pleased, and he preferred their brass cannon before those of iron, which Whitelocke assented unto as not so soon hot with firing, nor so apt to break and splinter, and do harm to their own men as the iron ordnance are.
Within this island is the office of the Admiralty, in a fair brick house built for that purpose; in another building there are the forges for all the iron-work belonging to the ships; there also are the timber yards, well stored, and places for the workmen and ship-carpenters. They were shown there likewise the magazine of powder, bullet, match, grenadoes, with other fire instruments; also the bake-houses, where they make provision of biscuit for the ships; it is a great room paved with stone, wherein are three ovens for baking, and a large cellar in which they store the biscuit. There be also stores for pork, peas, and other ship provisions, all in very good order, and carefully looked unto.
Whitelocke went on board divers of the ships, taking notice of their strength and furniture, and among them he went on board several great ships which Wrangel had taken in fight from the King of Denmark, which at present were not serviceable; but his commendation of that action, and of these ships of war lying here, was due to them, and not unpleasing to those who showed them to him. They returned by boat, making the tour of the island; and as they passed by the ships of war, they all saluted Whitelocke with two guns apiece, which number they do not exceed. As they passed along, Whitelocke was desired to go on board the ‘Hercules,’ a great and good ship lying there, which carried eighty pieces of ordnance, all brass; and being brought into the captain’s cabin, he found there the table covered, and a banquet set upon it of sweetmeats of divers sorts, with which, and with plenty of excellent Rhenish wine, they did with great respect and civility entertain Whitelocke and his company. From thence they brought him to his lodging, weary enough with his voyage and the extreme heat of the weather.
Position of Stockholm. The island which Whitelocke viewed this day, and many other greater and smaller islands, upon which are buildings, do make up this city, which by some is resembled for the situation of it unto the city of Venice, which stands as this doth, upon several islands in the sea. The waters are great and deep about this city, which is compassed with mountains, except only where they give way to the passage of the waters. The town, in the prospect of it, seems to be as in the midst of the circuit of the mountains, and as it were composed of divers pieces, each of them apart making a good town, and so appear as several villages separated by the many arms of water, or by the Lake Mälaren, which come hither to meet one another, and make the large and deep water; and it seems to be the diameter of the mountains, and now all plain, by carrying away the earth of a hill within it, and the stones therewith filling up ditches and uneven grounds, and serving for foundations for their buildings, and to make their streets even and handsome; so that now it is all level, as if no hill had ever been. One of their authors saith that it is “loco et situ commodissimo, inter eximium dulcem lacum Mæler ipsumque Balticum mare in insula fundatum.”
The inhabitants (who should best know it) affirm that the situation of this town is very healthful, and that notwithstanding the vast quantity of waters that do surround it, yet they are not troubled with agues, or other diseases, so much as other parts of the country. It is too, in the view of it, pleasant and noble for the situation; and the grounds about it are dry and wholesome, yet fruitful. The streets are some of them large, others more narrow; most of them are straight, the houses being equally advanced and set together. In the heart of the city they are for the most part built of stone or brick, making the fairer show by their height of four or five stories. From the North Holm or suburbs to the east is a bridge of wood, very long; from the island where the ships lie they pass another bridge to another island, both small ones, and at the mouth of the harbour for the ships of war, extending about half a league, between which and the continent are the waters of the lake and of the rivers which pass through the town from the west; from the north to the east is a park of deer, pleasant with trees and shade, contributing to the delight and health of the inhabitants; and, taken altogether, from the prospect of the mountains upon the churches, castle, houses, waters, and ships, the town appears noble and beautiful.
Legend of Stockholm. Whitelocke having been at the island where the ships lie, and observed it to be called the Holm, and other islands to have the same name of Holm, and Holm to be the same which we call an island, and this city named Stockholm, caused his inquiry of the original of this name of Stockholm; he was informed, in a kind of pleasant story, which is not without some probability, and the earnest affirmations of the inhabitants, who from tradition may be supposed best to know it, that the original of the name Stockholm was thus:—That there was a certain great and rich town called Bieurkoo, situate upon the lake between Upsal and this place, whereof some ruins are yet to be seen. The number of the people in that town increasing so much that the inhabitants could not be therein contained, they held a council what was fit to be done; they also consulted their idol gods, to whom they offered sacrifices and prayers for their direction. The issue was this: they came to a resolution that part of their people should go forth from them, as a colony, to seek for a new habitation, as is usual in these northern countries; that they should find out a place, and build them a new city to dwell in; and how to find out and agree upon this place was thus determined: they took a great block or piece of wood, to which they fastened some gold, and set the block a-swimming in the water, and agreed that there they would build the new town where their gods (to whom they had committed this affair) should cause the block to stay; this block floated, and, descending down the lake, at length staid at a little island about the midst of this city.
Such an island here (as in our north parts) is called Holm, and such a great block or piece of wood is by them (as with us) called a stock; and because this stock staid at this Holm, therefore here they built their city, and called it Stockholm; which, by degrees, and adding one holm or island to another, became of its present greatness.