“My Lord, I shall detain you no longer, but to tell you that you are heartily welcome home; that we are very sensible of your good service, and shall be ready on all occasions to make a real acknowledgment thereof to you.”
When the Protector had done speaking, Whitelocke withdrew into the outward room, whither Mr. Scobell, Clerk of the Council, came to him with a message from the Protector, that Whitelocke would cause those of his retinue, then present, to go in to the Protector and Council, which they did; and the Protector spake to them with great courtesy and favour, bidding them welcome home, blessing God for their safe return to their friends and native country, and for the great deliverances which He had wrought for them. He commended their care of Whitelocke and their good deportment, by which they had testified much courage and civility, and had done honour to religion and to their country; he gave them thanks for it, and assurance of his affection to them when any occasion should be offered for their good or preferment. They withdrew, full of hopes, every one of them, to be made great men; but few of them attained any favour, though Whitelocke solicited for divers of them who were very worthy of it.
This audience being ended, and with it Whitelocke’s commission, he willingly parted with his company and greatness, and contentedly retired himself with his wife and children in his private family. After his return from the Council, Whitelocke dismissed his company and went to those gentlemen whom he had desired to act as a committee for him before his going out of England; these he desired to examine the state of his accounts with his officers, to satisfy what remained due to any, and to make up his account, to be given in tomorrow to the Council’s committee.
July 7, 1654.
Whitelocke renders a minute account of the negotiation to a Committee of Council. According to the appointment of the Protector and Council, signified to him by a letter from Mr. Jessop, Clerk of the Council, Whitelocke repaired to Whitehall, to the Lord Viscount Lisle and Colonel Nathaniel Fiennes, the Committee of the Council, appointed to peruse and examine his proceedings: to them he produced his commission, orders, credentials, and instructions; and all was sifted into, by virtue whereof he acted throughout by his whole Embassy.
He deduced his negotiation from the beginning of his Treaty to the conclusion of it, with all the reasons and circumstances of his transactions. They took cognizance of all, narrowly searched into and examined everything, comparing all particular passages and actions with the rules and instructions given him; and upon the whole matter they acknowledged that Whitelocke had given them full satisfaction in every point, and all his proceedings were by them, and upon their report to the Protector and Council afterwards, fully approved and commended by them.
July 8, 1654.
The Committee of Council audits his accounts. Whitelocke again solicited the Committee of the Council that his accounts might be examined and stated, and order given for the payment of what remained due to him, which he had expended out of his own purse in their service, and was reasonable for him to expect a reimbursement of it. The Committee were pleased to take great pains in pursuing and examining his papers, books, and accounts, not omitting (with strictness enough) any particular of his actions and expenses; and after all their strait inquisition and narrow sitting, they again acknowledged, which upon their report was confirmed by the Council, that his management of this affair had been faithful and prudent, his disbursements had been just and necessary, his account was clear and honest, and that he ought to be satisfied with what remained upon his accounts due to him. The remainder due to him was above £500, and, notwithstanding all their promises, Whitelocke could never get it of them.
The sum of all was, that for a most difficult and dangerous work, faithfully and successfully performed by Whitelocke, he had little thanks and no recompense from those who did employ him; but, not long after, was rewarded by them with an injury: they put him out of his office of Commissioner of the Great Seal, because he would not betray the rights of the people, and, contrary to his own knowledge and the knowledge of those who imposed it, execute an ordinance of the Protector and his Council as if it had been a law. But in a succeeding Parliament, upon the motion of his noble friend the Lord Broghill, Whitelocke had his arrears of his disbursements paid him, and some recompense of his faithful service allowed unto him.
His hopes were yet higher, and his expectation of acceptance was from a superior to all earthly powers; to whom only the praise is due, of all our actions and endeavours, and who will certainly reward all his servants with a recompense which will last for ever.