Whitelocke give an account of his Embassy to the Council. Whitelocke went in the morning early to Whitehall. At Secretary Thurloe’s lodging he found most of his company, the gentlemen in their habits, the others in their liveries; and in a short time they were all come together, to attend their Ambassador to his last audience, who was put to the patience of staying an hour and a half at Master Secretary’s lodging before he was called in to his Highness; then, being sent for, he went, attended in the same manner as he used to go to his audiences in Sweden. Being come to the outward room, he was presently brought into the Council-chamber, where the Protector sat in his great chair at the upper end of the table, covered, and his Council sat bare on each side of the table. After ceremonies performed by Whitelocke, and great respect shown him by the Protector and his Council, Whitelocke spake to this effect:—
“May it please your Highness,
“I attend, by your command, to give an account of the discharge of that great trust and weighty burden which, through the assistance of God, I have undergone in my employment to Sweden, and with the success of that negotiation, wherein I shall not waste much of your time, for which you have other great affairs; but, in as few words as I can, I shall with clearness and truth acquaint your Highness and your Honourable Council with those matters which I apprehend most fit and worthy of your knowledge.
“After the receipt of my commission and instructions from the Parliament then sitting, to go Ambassador to Sweden, I neglected no time, how unseasonable soever, to transport myself to that country. Upon the 5th of November I embarked at the Hope, and after ten days’ voyage, through many storms, enemies, and dangers, it pleased God on the 15th of November to bring me in safety, with all my company, into the port of Gothenburg. The next day I despatched two of my servants to the Court with letters to Prince Adolphus, the Grand Master, and to the Ricks-Chancellor of Sweden, to advertise them of my arrival, and to desire their advice whither to direct my journey to attend the Queen.
“In this city I received many civilities and testimonies of respect to your Highness and this Commonwealth from the magistrates, officers, and others there; and a small contest I had with a Dutchman, a Vice-Admiral of her Majesty’s, about our war with his countrymen, and about some prizes brought in by me, wherein I took the liberty to justify the proceedings of this State, and ordered, upon submission, the release of a small Dutch prize taken by me.
“Having refreshed myself and company some days, I began my land journey the last day of November. The military officers accompanied me out of town; the citizens and garrison-soldiers stood to their arms, and with many volleys of great and small shot (the bullets passing somewhat too near for compliments) they gave me an honourable farewell.
“In our journey we met with extreme hardships, both in the weather and in want of necessary accommodations. The greater towns where we quartered showed much respect to your Highness and this Commonwealth; only in one town a little affront was given in words by a prætor, who acknowledged his fault, and it appeared to proceed more from drink than judgement. In all places the officers took great care, with what the country would afford, to furnish what I wanted; the ways were prepared, waggons and horses brought in, and all things requisite were done by the country, upon command of her Majesty.
“After twenty-one days in our land-journey, near four hundred miles from Gothenburg up into the country, in that climate in December, it pleased God through all our difficulties to bring us safe to Upsal the 20th of December. About half a league from the town, the Master of the Ceremonies, and after him two Senators with two coaches of the Queen’s, and those of the Spanish Resident and of divers grandees, met me, and with more than ordinary ceremony conducted me to a house in the town, by the Queen’s order taken up and furnished for me. Divers compliments passed from the Queen herself and many of her Court, expressing much respect to your Highness and this Commonwealth, in the person of your servant.
“By favour I obtained my first audience from the Queen the 23rd of December, the particular passages whereof (as of most other matters which I have to mention) were in my letters imparted, as they arose, to Mr. Secretary Thurloe, and by him, I presume, to your Highness and the Council. Two or three days after this I procured a private audience from her Majesty, when I showed her my commission, and took time to wait on her with my proposals.
“The Spanish Resident, Don Piementelle, now in this Court, expressed high respects for your Highness and this Commonwealth, and particular affection to me; and I, knowing his great favour with the Queen and his own worth, contracted an intimacy of friendship with him, as I had also with M. Woolfeldt, the King of Denmark’s brother-in-law, with Field-Marshal Wrangel, Grave Tott, the Queen’s favourite, and with divers senators and great men, but especially with the old Chancellor.