Lag. I much wonder at it; but shall advise your Excellence not to depend much upon this gentleman, nor to be over-free in your discourse with him; for he hath been under a cloud, and is very intimate with the Holland Resident.
Wh. I thank you for your caution; but I have communicated nothing to him but what might be published.
Lag. My Lord Eric Oxenstiern hath, by the Queen’s command, some papers touching your business to be imparted to you.
Wh. Do you remember the effect of them?
Lag. They contain some explanation of the articles given in by your Excellence, and some additions offered to them, but not much differing from those exhibited by you.
They had much discourse about these additions and explanations, whereof Whitelocke endeavoured to get as much knowledge from Lagerfeldt as he could beforehand, that he might be the better prepared to debate upon them when they should be produced; and he declared his sense positively against some of them to Lagerfeldt, which proved an advantage. Some of those additions mentioned by Lagerfeldt, being upon his report to Grave Eric of Whitelocke’s judgement upon them, were left out of Grave Eric’s paper.
Further conference with Grave Eric Oxenstiern. In the afternoon Grave Eric came to Whitelocke, and they had this discourse together:—
Gr. Eric. Here is a paper, which I shall read unto you, containing some matters wherein I desire your consideration, being they relate to the treaty, as touching contraband goods; that there may be such a liberty, that trade be not impeached, that prizes may not be brought into the ports of friends, nor enemies admitted into the havens of the friends and allies of either nations; that the fishing for herrings and the trade in America may be free for the Swedes, and that they may have satisfaction for the wrongs done to them by the English at sea.
Whitelocke. Here is very much in these particulars to which I have formerly given my answer, and can give no other. England hath had no reason to give a liberty of contraband goods when their enemies deny it, and it were hard to forbid friends to bring prizes into the ports of friends, being no prejudice to the owner of the port, but a discourtesy to the friend; neither is it reason to deny a friend to enter into my harbour because he is an enemy to another that is my friend also, whose quarrel I am not bound to wed. For the liberty of herring-fishing, it may be had from our Commonwealth upon reasonable conditions; and for the trade in America, I am not instructed to assent to anything therein, but I supposed it had been intended to send from hence to the Protector about it. And for satisfaction of wrongs, I know none done by the English to the Queen’s subjects, and imagined that her Majesty had been satisfied in these points.
Gr. Eric. I have order to acquaint you with these particulars, and to confer with you about them, being esteemed by us just and reasonable.