After the Ricks-Admiral and Bielke were gone, Vanderlin and Douglas staid with Whitelocke and used great freedom of discourse with him, expressing extraordinary respect to the Protector and Commonwealth of England, and very much affection and kindness to Whitelocke, in whom they expressed great confidence. They staid with him till past twelve o’clock at night, inconvenient in respect of his intended journey the next day; but their company was very pleasing, and they took leave with great civility and kindness from each to other of them.
May 20, 1654.
Whitelocke commences his journey back to England. Whitelocke began his longed-for journey of return to England. He had taken his leave of the Queen, Prince, Senators, and all his friends in Upsal. His business, through the goodness of God, was successfully despatched; himself and all his people in good health, and exceeding joyful to be on their journey homewards. He left not a penny of debt to any in this country, nor any unrewarded who had done him service; for his hospitality, wherein no ambassador in this Court ever exceeded him, for his conversation and dealing with all sorts of people, he had gained their love, and left no ill name behind him. The greatest part of his baggage, and most of his inferior servants, were on board a great hoy of the Queen’s, to go by water to Stockholm; he and the rest of his people went by land, in order to which, upon his desire, the Hof-Stallmaster, by the Queen’s command, had sent yesterday six coach-horses to be ready in the midway from Upsal to Stockholm, and this morning he sent six other horses with Whitelocke’s blue coach to his lodging, to carry him the first half way of this day’s journey, driven by the Queen’s coachman.
Berkman had provided a sufficient number of saddle-horses, if they might be so called, he having forgot to cause saddles to be brought with them for Whitelocke’s people, so that most of them were forced to make shift with straw and cushions instead of saddles; and many of the bits and stirrups were such as they had been acquainted with in their journey from Gothenburg hither; and thus they rode the two first stages.
Whitelocke took coach between seven and eight o’clock in the morning, Sir George Fleetwood, Potley, Ingelo, and Andrews, in his coach with him; the rest on horseback; they came about noon to the place where fresh horses staid for them, and did not tarry long there, wanting good entertainment, but, taking fresh horses both for coach and saddle, they proceeded in their journey. The country through which they passed was better than that near the sea, less rocky and more fruitful, not so replenished with seats of the nobility further off, as nearer to Stockholm. By the way they met General Axy Lyllye, a Senator of Sweden, newly returned out of Germany, and another Senator with him; they alighted out of their coach when Whitelocke came near them, who, seeing that, did alight also. The General had lost one of his legs in the German wars, and now carried one of wood; he and his companion were very civil in their salutation and discourse with Whitelocke, and after compliments, and inquiry by Whitelocke of the German news, they took leave and parted.
Whitelocke and his company arrived between five and six o’clock in the evening at Stockholm, the journey being seven Swedish leagues, about forty English miles. As he came in the suburbs, he saw a sad sight of many houses lately burnt down, and some pulled down to prevent the further raging of the fire, which had consumed many scores of houses in that place; and it brought to Whitelocke’s remembrance, that one evening at Upsal, in his chamber window, he saw a great fire in a dorf about half a league from the town, which he observed, almost in a moment, to flash from one end of the dorf to the other, consuming all in its way,—and thus it was said to have been in these suburbs. The reason thereof is the combustible matter whereof their houses are built, being of fir timber and boards, which, especially being old, do suddenly take fire, and violently burn, hard to be quenched, few houses escaping, especially in the dorfs, where one is on fire; which causeth more than ordinary care in the inhabitants of all places to prevent that fearful danger.
Berkman conducted Whitelocke to a lodging in the suburbs, over-against the castle, which was used for an inn. This being post-night, Whitelocke made up his despatches for England, which he had prepared at Upsal, where he wrote his letters, but dated them from Stockholm, that his friends in England might thereby perceive that he was in his journey homewards, which he knew would be no small contentment to them.
May 21, 1654.
Stockholm. Being the Lord’s Day, divers Scotch merchants, inhabitants of this city, and some English, came to Whitelocke’s lodging to hear the sermon in the morning, and many of them did him the honour to dine with him; he had conference with them, and good advice from them, about his voyage to England and other matters. Lagerfeldt came also to salute Whitelocke, and to know what service he had for him, before his going from hence this evening. Whitelocke desired him to speak to the master of the customs, touching the shipping of his copper and other goods, custom free; and Whitelocke prayed Lagerfeldt also to speak to Vice-Admiral Wrangel, that the ship appointed for his transportation (which was now in the road in view of Whitelocke’s lodging) might, with as much speed as could be, fall down to the Dollars; which he promised to do.
Wrangel sent to invite Whitelocke to go this afternoon to see the ships, but Whitelocke excused it by reason of the day, and sent word that tomorrow, if he pleased, he would wait upon him; and desired his advice touching his voyage. In the evening Lagerfeldt came again to Whitelocke, to give him an account what he had done by his appointment, and told Whitelocke that he should have all contentment. With Lagerfeldt came Monsieur de Geeres to visit Whitelocke, who gave him thanks for a vessel of claret wine which De Geeres had sent to Whitelocke, who said he hoped he should not stay long enough to drink it out in this place.