Reports to England. Whitelocke despatched a great number of letters to his friends in England: in those to Secretary Thurloe he gave a full account of all transactions of his negotiations and passages here since his last letters.
This day, though the post-day, Woolfeldt again visited Whitelocke, to his no little interruption in his despatches; yet from him Whitelocke learned many things in relation to Denmark, for the advantage of England, and Woolfeldt testified great affection and respect to the Protector and Commonwealth. He was also interrupted by his attendance upon the Queen, according to her appointment. The Chancellor came forth from her as Whitelocke went in, and he told Whitelocke that the Queen, hearing of his being without, had sent to desire him to come in to her. Whitelocke read some of his news to the Queen, and the paper which the Protector had caused to be given to her Commissary Bonnele at London; upon which Whitelocke took the boldness a little to paraphrase, and her Majesty was well pleased with it. They fell into discourse of the treaty, much to the same effect as formerly; but Whitelocke staid the less time with her Majesty, because he presumed that the Chancellor and his son waited without to speak with her about his business. She promised Whitelocke to send him an answer of his business the next day, and that one of her ships should be ready at the Dollars (the mouth of the haven of Stockholm) to transport him to Lübeck when he should desire it; which was acceptable to Whitelocke to think on, and he thanked her Majesty for it.
Thus was March passed over, full of trouble, yet nothing effected in his business.
[41] [The Ambassador’s verses I have ventured to omit, as alike destitute of elegance, point, or metre.]
[71] “Ad Illustrissimum et Excellentissimum Dominum, Dominum Whitelocke, Legatum Angliæ Extraordinarium apud Serenissimam Sueciæ Reginam. Ode.
“Vitloce, Martis deliciæ, decus
Gentis legatæ; te sine, languidum
Mœret tribunal, et cubili
In viduo Themis ingemiscit.
Denso cientes agmine cursitant,
Et sempiternas te sine consuunt
Lites, neque hic discordiarum
Finis erit, nisi tu revertas.
Sed te nivosum per mare, per vias
Septentrionum, per juga montium,
Inhospitales per recessus
Duxit amor patriæ decorus.
Legatus oras jam Sueonum vides
Bruma sepultas; mox quoque Galliam,
Hispaniam mox cum Britannis
Fœdere perpetuo ligabis.
Sic pacis author, sic pius arbiter
Gentes per omnes qua sonuit tuba
Dicere; cancellariusque
Orbis eris simul universi.
Christina, dulcis nympha, diutiùs
Ne te moretur: qui merito clues
Prudens Ulysses, sperne doctæ
Popula deliciasque Circes.
Te casta tentum Penelope vocat,
Vocant amici, teque aliæ vocant
Legationes, te requirunt
Ardua multa domi forisque.
Custos Sigilli tu dirimes cito
Pugnas forenses, bellaque principum
Legatus idem terminabis:
Tu (sera candida) claude fanum.”
[73] [This change was probably the consequence of the negotiations then going on between Louis XIV. and Cromwell in London, which had excited the jealousy of the Spanish Court, as is stated by Thurloe in the next page.]
APRIL.
April 1, 1654.
A capital execution in Sweden. In the morning, in the market-place, near Whitelocke’s lodging, was an execution of one adjudged to die for a murder. The offender was brought into the midst of the market-place, which was open and spacious, and a great multitude of people spectators. The offender kneeled down upon the ground, a great deal of sand being laid under and about him to soak up his blood, and a linen cloth was bound about his eyes: he seemed not much terrified, but when the company sang a psalm, he sang with them, holding up his hands together, and his body upright, his doublet off. He prayed also with the company, but made no speech to them; nor did any other speak to the people. The executioner stood behind him, with a great naked sword in his hand and a linen apron before him, and while the offender was praying the headsman in an instant, at one back-blow, cut off his head, which fell down upon the sand; and some friends took it from the executioner, and carried it away with the body to be buried. Presently after this execution was past, two other offenders for smaller crimes were brought to the same place, to suffer the punishment of the law, which they call running the gauntlet,—a usual punishment among soldiers.