After Whitelocke had walked a tour in the Norden Mallum,—that is, the north suburbs of this city,—Sir George Fleetwood came to him, with whom he had much conversation in the latter time of his being in Sweden, both at Upsal and in this town, who showed much kindness and respect to Whitelocke. He informed Whitelocke that by letters from Upsal he understood that the Ricksdag had given leave to the Queen to go to Colmar, which signified that she could not go without their leave, and that she would find much difference between commanding as a Queen and obeying as a subject, and that, by the law of this kingdom, no Queen can depart out of it without leave of the Ricksdag, on forfeiture of all her estate.
Whitelocke’s shipment of copper sent to London. A ship called the ‘Swart Hundt’ was by the Queen’s command appointed and fitted to carry Whitelocke’s copper and other goods from hence to England. By advice of friends, Whitelocke under his hand and seal desired Sir George Fleetwood to consign the copper to Whitelocke’s brother-in-law, Mr. Wilson. The desire was thus:—
“I Bulstrode Whitelocke, Constable of the Castle of Windsor, one of the Lords Commissioners of the Great Seal of England, and Ambassador Extraordinary from his Most Serene Highness the Lord Protector of the Commonwealth of England, Scotland, and Ireland, unto her Majesty the Queen of Sweden, do hereby desire my honourable friend, Sir George Fleetwood, Knight, General-Major under the Crown of Sweden, to ship and consign unto Mr. Samuel Wilson, merchant in London, in Bishopsgate-street, two hundred ship-pound, Swedish weight, of gore copper; the which the said Mr. Samuel Wilson is to receive and dispose of according to my order. Dated at Stockholm, in Sweden, the 26th day of May, 1654.
“B. Whitelocke.“
According to which warrant, the copper was put on board the ‘Swart Hundt,’ fitted and victualled for England. Of Whitelocke’s ship, Whitelocke gave the command and charge, and of his goods therein, to one of his servants, Taylor, by commission under his hand and seal, and to bring his copper and goods in her from hence to London, as soon as he could, wind and weather favouring. Wrangel procured this ship for Whitelocke, and a pass from the Admiralty of Sweden for her to go through the Sound; and Whitelocke thought it better to see this ship on her voyage, than to leave the sending of her away to the care of others after his departure.
His goods embarked in the Amarantha. Whitelocke sent the rest of his goods and baggage on board the ’Amarantha,’ which weighed yesterday, and he hoped might by this time be within four leagues of the Dollars; but the wind came contrary for her advance any further, and Whitelocke must continue here till he could understand that his ship was gotten to the Dollars, which is fourteen Swedish leagues from this city, but may be gone in six or seven hours by boats in a shorter passage. His stay here seemed tedious to Whitelocke. This day the wind coming about a little towards the east, increased his hopes of getting away, for which they were in daily expectation.
The trade of Stockholm. By some merchants and others of this city, Whitelocke learned what was the commerce of this town, and by his own view he found it to be commodiously seated for trade and to receive all the commodities of the country’s growth, which are brought hither by water; and it is the more convenient because the greatest ships may come up to the very houses and there load and unload their merchandises, never wanting water, which there is always deep, and equal in the height of it. But this city is somewhat far distant from the sea by water, so that before the ships can go between the sea and the town, they must fetch a compass of about one hundred English miles, with the danger of many rocks and islands in the way; and they must have also divers winds which are hindrances to their commerce.
The present Queen hath been curious to invite hither and to entertain many good artists, yet everything here is very dear, except the native commodities; and now Gothenburg, growing up in trade, being situate without the Sound, a more open and easy place for access of strangers,—some believe that by the growth of that, this port may be diminished. It is the better supported by the Court being commonly kept here, and consequently being the residence of the principal nobility and officers. Some courts of justice constantly, and the Ricksdag generally, being held in this city, increase the trade of it; and this being a good road for ships to defend them from injuries of weather or other dangers, makes it the more frequented.
Plenty of provisions are brought to this town for the supply of it; and most of their native commodities, as copper, iron, pitch, tar, deal, masts, and the rest, are brought hither and here shipped and transported into foreign parts; from whence their merchants and strangers do bring to this northern market all manner of merchandise here vendible; and from hence again they are vended to all the northern and eastern parts of this country, whereby their trade and wealth is also increased, so that one of their authors calls it, “Celeberrimum ac nobilissimum Septentrionis emporium.” The trade of this place hath brought and settled here as inhabitants,—besides Swedes, Goths, Fins, and Laplanders,—divers of Germans, of Pomerland, Mecklenburg, Westphalia, etc.; also English, Scotch, French, Dutch, and almost of every country of Europe. Some are here now become citizens, and are treated with justice and civility by the natives, to the end that they and others may be the more encouraged to add to the riches, strength, and trade of this place.