Qu. England is a noble country, and your master is a gallant man. I desire you to assure him, on my part, of all affection and respect towards him.
Wh. Your Majesty may be confident of the like from his Highness; and your humble servant will heartily pray for your Majesty’s prosperity, wherever you are.
Qu. I wish you a happy voyage and return to your own country.
After he came from the Queen, Whitelocke met with the Baron Steinberg, Master of her Horse, whom he acquainted with what he had moved to her Majesty, and he was very forward to accommodate Whitelocke.
Discourse with Grave Eric on the customs of Swedish nuptials. From hence he went and visited Grave Eric Oxenstiern, who discoursed with him about the solemnity of the nuptials at Court, and asked him how he liked it.
Wh. They were very noble; but I pray, my noble brother, instruct me what the meaning was of the dowry given by the bridegroom to the bride the next morning; and what do you call that dowry?
Gr. Eric. By the ancient custom of this country, the next morning after the wedding-night the husband bestows upon his wife a gift of money according to his estate, to show how he is pleased with the cohabitation, and to make some provision, in case of his death before her, for the wife, and children which he shall have by her; and this we call a morgen-gaven—a morning’s gift.
Wh. The same word morgen-gaven is in the old terms of our English laws, and expounded to signify a second dowry, and hath much affinity with this of yours and in that of your twelve witnesses who testified the contract of marriage and the morgen-gaven; to which our trials by twelve men, whom we call juries because they are sworn, are somewhat like, and they are so many witnesses as well as judges of the fact.
Gr. Eric. I believe your customs and ours had the same original.
Wh. I find much resemblance between them and yours. What do you call the twelve that laid their hands on the spear?