Whitelocke made many despatches this day to England.
March 4, 1653.
The Queen talks of visiting the Protector. Whitelocke waited on the Queen and showed her part of the letters which he received from England, whereupon she again asked him if the Protector were sacré? Whitelocke said, No, and that his letters mentioned only a solemnity of entertaining the Protector by the City of London. Whitelocke also communicated to her Majesty the Protector’s letter to him, and the expression that Whitelocke should assure her Majesty of the Protector’s constant and real intentions to settle a firm alliance with the Queen; which, she said, she was also most ready to make with the Protector.
Whitelocke then said it might be fit to make some progress in his treaty upon his articles, and particularly in those which concerned amity and commerce, and had no dependence on the issue of the treaty with Holland, and therefore might be had in consideration before the other were fully concluded, and the rest of the articles might be considered afterwards; which the Queen said should be done, and that she would send an ambassador to the Protector. She was very inquisitive concerning London and our Universities; by her discourse gave him to imagine she had thoughts of travelling into France, Spain, Italy, and into England; and asked Whitelocke if he thought the Protector would give way to her coming thither. Whitelocke answered, that the Protector would bid her Majesty very welcome thither.
He was alone with her near two hours, and at his taking leave she desired him to come to her again on Monday next, and that then she would read over with him his articles, both in Latin and English, which they would consider together; and such things as she could consent unto she would tell him, and what she could not consent unto he should then know from her, and they might mark it in the margin as they went along. Yet she said she would have him to proceed in his conference with her Chancellor as before, and that nobody should know of that conference between her and Whitelocke; but she would so order the business that what they consented unto should be effected afterwards, and that in two hours they might go over all the articles. Whitelocke told her Majesty he presumed that she would admit of a free debate upon any of them. She said, by all means, that was reasonable; and in case the peace between England and Holland did not take effect, that then the ambassador, whom she intended howsoever to send into England, might conclude upon such other articles as should be thought fit. Whitelocke asked her if she had any thoughts of being included in the Dutch treaty. She said, No, for she had not meddled with the war, and therefore desired not to be included in the peace with them.
Reports of the Dutch Resident adverse to Whitelocke. From the Queen Whitelocke went and visited Piementelle, who showed him a letter he received from a great person in Flanders, mentioning that Beningen had written to his superiors that the English Ambassador and the Spanish Resident were often together, and had showed great respect to each other, which his Highness the Archduke liked very well, and gave Piementelle thanks for it; and though Monsieur Beningen did not like of their being so friendly, yet his superiors endeavoured all they could to have amity with England. When Whitelocke told him of the English fleet at sea, he said it was great pity the same was not employed. He then showed Whitelocke a letter from Beningen to his superiors, wherein he taxed Whitelocke with omitting the ceremony of meeting Prince Adolphus at his door. Whitelocke repeated to Piementelle the carriage of that business as before; and Piementelle said, that neither the Queen nor himself had ever heard the Prince express any dislike of Whitelocke’s carriage; and that the Queen, seeing Beningen’s letter, said there were many things in it concerning Whitelocke which upon her knowledge were not true. It was also said in the letter that the English Ambassador had many long audiences with her Majesty, and conferences with the Chancellor, but that he could not in the least learn what passed between them; with which Whitelocke had no cause to be displeased.
March 5, 1653.
The Lord’s Day.—Whitelocke had two good sermons in his house, at which divers English and Scots, besides those of his family, were present. In the evening the Queen passed through the streets in her coach, with divers other coaches and her servants waiting on her, to take the air, though upon this day; and in the night, many disorderly drunkards were committing debaucheries and insolences in the town, and at Whitelocke’s door.
March 6, 1653.
Further excuses for delay. Whitelocke visited Senator Schütt, who spake in excuse of the delay of his business. Whitelocke said—