was manifestly a main part of his design in forwarding the mission. Whitelocke, who zealously seconded the General's intent, became immediately "Lord Ambassador," and sat with the Committee of Council, covered, discoursing with them touching coaches, liveries, clothes for himself, table-linen, hangings, household stuff, and bedding, the provision and allowances for which were the subject of more apparent anxiety than the preparation of the envoy's commission, which was referred to the Committee for Foreign Affairs. The retinue finally approved of was a noble following, numbering about one hundred persons. It included two chaplains, a physician, steward, receiver and chief secretary, gentleman of the horse, clerk of the stable, first and second sewers, apothecary, twelve "gentlemen admitted to his table," among whom were the ambassador's two sons. These gentlemen had of their servants about twenty-five, and all their lacqueys in Whitelocke's livery. There were, besides three gentlemen of the ambassador's bedchamber, a barber, messenger, two gentlemen "chiefly for music," a purveyor, four troopers, gentlemen servitors at Whitelocke's table, with a host of pages, lacqueys, trumpets, cooks, butlers, coachmen, postilions, grooms, and laundresses, When all was ready, Cromwell sent one of his gentlemen to Whitelocke with a farewell presenta sword and a pair of spurs richly inlaid with gold, of a noble work and fashion. He also received a noble present from Mr. Bushell, an ingenious gentleman who had been a servant to the Lord Chancellor Bacon, being a curious rich cabinet of green velvet, with silver lace; in it were two dozen of the most rare and best distilled spirits of hot waters, after the direction of his lord; and every glass had its screws, and cover of Welsh silver, chiefly found out by himself. Finally, the good old English character of the transaction was vindicated by a public dinner at Grocers' Hall, whereat the ambassador met the Lord - General Cromwell, the generals at sea, and many of the land and sea officers-the company being three hundred in number. Before dinner, Mr. Peters prayed and expounded a place of Scripture, and a psalm was sung, after which Mr. Lagerfeldt, the Swedish resident, being set by Cromwell at the board's end, and Whitelocke on the right hand

bench uppermost, we are bound to believe that a very jovial evening was commenced, and non obstante Mr. Peters, the wicked custom of cuphealth drinking seems to have been to some extent indulged in. "There were three very long tables full in the hall; those at each table severally, and with ceremony, first drank to Cromwell, then to Lagerfeldt, and they afterwards, severally, drank to each table; then all the tables together drank to Whitelocke, wishing him a good voyage, and their respects to the Queen of Sweden."

The Phoenix and Elizabeth frigates were appointed to convey the ambassador and his suite, special instructions being issued to their commanders under the hands of Blake and Monk. A vast deal of praying and expounding of places in Scripture then took place, both in private and in the chapel at Whitehall. Leave was taken of brethren in the Court of Chancery, of gentlemen at the bar, and of the officers. The commission, credentials, and public instructions were formally delivered to Whitelocke at the table of the House of Commons. He received his private instructions in two papers from the Council; and upon the 30th of October, being the Lord's day, dined privately with Cromwell at the Cockpit, where they two talked above an hour together. Amongst the topics discussed at this tête-à-tête was the subject of one of the papers of private instructions, in which the ambassador was directed to sound the Queen of Sweden as to her willingness to join with England in "gaining the Sound, and against the Dutch and Danes," respecting which Cromwell declared "no business can be of greater consequence to us and our trade, wherein the Dutch will endeavour to overreach us; and it were good to prevent them and the Danes, and first to serve our own interest. The second private paper contained an order which would have seemed strange a year or two since, before the rapid course of events forced us to supply the armouries of manufacturing England from the forges of Belgium. In it the ambassador was commissioned to buy 550 pieces of brass or copper ordnance to carry bullets from twelve to thirty-six pounds weight. Had this fact been thought of when we set out to fight the Russians with a train of nine and eighteenpounders, believing all the while that

our mechanical appliances for war were unrivalled in the world, England might have been spared some loss and a great deal of ridicule. The reminiscence would have been still more instructive and to the point, if it had included an observation made by Whitelocke in the arsenal of Stockholm, where he saw two pieces taken from the Muscovites, each of them weighing 18,000 pounds, and carrying a bullet of ninety-six pounds; also a great mortar-piece, of brass, of a fathom and three fingers in diameter at the mouth of it. But we were too much occupied in boasting of our thirteen-inch shells and ninety-five hundred-weight guns, to allow of our looking back to old stories either of war or diplomacy.

On the 3rd of November, 1653, Whitelocke tore himself from his wife and ten of his children, amidst a great outpouring of their tears and lamentations; the sorrow of parting being somewhat enlivened by the splendour of his embarkation.

"At the Tower wharf, multitudes of people crowding about him, he enters the barge of ten oars. When he put off from shore, the Tower saluted him with eleven pieces of ordnance. As he passed by the ships of war in the river, they gave him the like respect of their great guns; so did the fort at the Hope. He went directly to the Phoenix frigate, riding in that road, whose captain, Foster, received him with as much honour as he could express; his pennons all hung out, his waste clothes to the cabin door, and he fired twenty-one guns for his welcome. From thence he visited the Elizabeth frigate, whose captain, Minnes, welcomed him with his guns, and all ensigns of respect, as Foster did; and in his return to Gravesend, the mariners of the Elizabeth gave a great shout, and were answered by those of the Phoenix, to testify their being pleased with the ambassador's being on board of them, and with the voyage. In his way the menof-war saluted him with their guns, and particularly and unexpectedly a Holland frigate, which lately brought over their ambaesador, and now wore her white flag. Though both Commonwealths were now in actual war, yet she saluted Whitelocke with three guns as he passed by her."

The voyage to Gottenburg was tedious and stormy; but we must not pause over the amusing record of its incidents. The discomforts of the sea were deeply felt by some of the company, who "solemnly repented that they had left good colleges, and kind mothers and friends, full and whole.

some diet, and safety on firm land, to come to stinking water, salt and bad meat boiled in it, such as they could not eat; from good beds and warm chambers, to cold, close cabins, and to be dashed all over with water; for security on shore, to be lost in the deep sea." Nevertheless, the evil hour passed away, and, between preaching and drolling, the hearts of those luxurious slaves were kept from utterly sinking. When the chaplains were prostrated with sea-sickness, one Percall, a kind of master's mate, prayed before Whitelocke and his company, and preached very well and honestly; while Whitelocke himself lost no opportunity of encouraging his followers, and persuading them to put their confidence in Him who could still the raging of the seas. He was much on the decks, drolling and discoursing with the officers and mariners, "especially by affording them now and then a douse in the neck, or a kick, in jest, seeing them play, and then giving them some of his own tobacco, wine, and strong waters, as there was occasion, which demeanours please these kind of people." At length the port of Gottenburg was gained; and the Swedish court being then at Upsala, the ambassador, after a short rest, proceeded thither. The journey occupied twenty days, and was not finished until the 20th of December, although a land transport corps of one hundred saddle-horses, and as many wagons, drawn by horses or oxen, and driven by women, was provided by the Swedish authorities for his ser

Vice.

From the moment of his landing, the first thought of Whitelocke was to assert and sustain the honour of England by a magnificent hospitality, and by the most rigid exaction of the compliments and ceremonies customarily paid to the ambassadors of kings of the highest rank; and in this course he followed on consistently to the last. Scarcely had he set foot on shore, when he gave a taste of his quality to one Martin Thysen, a Dutchman, and Viceadmiral in the Swedish service, who, being "roundly answered by Whitelocke," when, falling into discourse, he magnified the actions and successes of the Dutch, and undervalued the English," was much displeased, and took advantage of every opportunity that offered to raise questions calculated to embarrass the ambassador. Thanks to

the activity of the naval commanders in his suite, an occasion of this kind was soon offered; for scarcely was the convoy placed in safety, when the Elizabeth took a Dutch prize, and brought her into Gottenburg; and Captain Welch, a bold fighting seaman, who commanded a stout private man-of-war, with a crew of eighty men of his own temper, proceeded to do a little business on his own account. Against these proceedings the Viceadmiral, bringing with him the magistrates of the town, expostulated angrily; but finding that Whitelocke was not to be vapoured or threatened into a conformity to their desires, they soon fell into a way of more respect and civility. My Lord then consented to receive a petition from the Dutch skipper, praying for the release of his ship; and his sly design being thereby to try if the Dutchman would acknowledge the Commonwealth of England in his person, he was with difficulty induced to be satisfied with the phraseology of a document, intituled "Nobilissime et Excellentissime Domine, my Lord Whitelocke, patrone devenerande." He did, however, suffer his dignity to be appeased; and in the end, gave orders for the restoration of the poor fisherman's boat. The landshere, or chief magistrate of the town, he astounded by visiting him in state, with about fifty of his gentlemen walking bare before him, some of the first rank following close after him, his pages and lacqueys after them, and with their swords by their sides. Martin Thysen he subdued by a splendid dinner, with abundance of sack and claret, where they made it dark before they rose from table, the company then taking their leaves with many thanks and compliments. Throughout the entire period of the mission the same line of conduct was pursued, Whitelocke being, upon all occasions, ready to fight or drink though he would pledge no healths for the honour of his General and the Commonwealth. The grand object of the embassy was manifestly to impress upon the public mind of Europe a high notion of the prosperity, power, generosity, and especially of the gentility of England, and of her ruler and leading men; and the means adopted were well suited to the end desired to be obtained. The first audience of the ambassador at court was truly a splendid affair. It took place at two o'clock

in the afternoon, dinner being hastened because of it.

"At his going out, Whitelocke was in this equipage: At his gate stood his porter in a gown of grey cloth, laced with gardes of blue velvet between edges of gold and silver lace, two in a seam; his long staff, with a silver head, in his hand. The liveries of his coachmen and postilions were buff doublets, laced with the same lace; the sleeves of their doublets thick and round laced; their breeches and cloaks of grey cloth, with the like laces. His twelve lacqueys, proper men, had their liveries of the same with the coachmen; and the wings of their coats very thick laced with the like laces. The liveries of his four pages were blue satin doublets and grey cloth trunkbreeches laced with the same lace very thick; the coats up to the cape, and lined with blue plush; their stockings long, of blue silk. His two trumpets in the like liveries. The gentlemen-attendants, officers, and servants of his house were handsomely accoutred, and every man with his sword by his side. The gentlemen of the first rank were nobly and richly habited, who spared for no cost, in honour to their country and to their friend; and their persons, and most of the others, were such as graced their habiliments. His secretary, for the credit of his master, had put himself into a rich habit. Whitelocke was plain, but extraordinarily rich in his habit, though without any gold or silver lace or embroidery. His suit was of black English cloth, of an exceedingly fine sort; the cloak lined with the same cloth, and that and the suit set with very fair rich diamond buttons; his hat-band of diamonds answerable; and all of the value of £1,000."

Thus arrayed, the chief persons of the cortege were conveyed to Court in the Queen's coaches; and Whitelocke, passing across the great court of the Castle through a line formed by one hundred musketeers, was received at the foot of the stairs by Count Gabriel Oxenstiern, nephew to the great Chancellor, with his marshal's staff of silver in his hand. This civil and well-fashioned gentleman having complimented Whitelocke in French, they went up two pair of stone stairs in this order:

"First the gentlemen and officers of the Queen, bareheaded; after them, Whitelocke's gentlemen-attendants and of his bedchamber, with the inferior officers of his house; then followed his gentlemen of the first rank; after them his two sons; then the master of the ceremonies; after him the two senators; then the Hof-Marshal; after him Whitelocke, whom his secretary and chaplains followed; and then his pages, lac

queys, and other liverymen. The Queen's lacqueys carried torches; and when they had mounted many stairs, they came into a large hall, many people being in the way; from thence into a great chamber, where Prince Adolphe, brother to the Prince-heritier of the Crown, then Grand Master or High Steward of Sweden, met Whitelocke; and it was observed that he had not done that honour to any ambassador before. After many compliments and ceremonies, they passed on, Whitelocke upon the right hand of the Prince, who conducted him to another chamber, where stood a guard of the Queen's partisans in livery coats, richly embroidered with gold. In the next room beyond that, which was large and fair, was the Queen herself. The room was richly hung with cloth of arras; in the midst of it great candlesticks full of wax-lights, besides a great number of torches. He perceived the Queen sitting at the upper end of the room, upon her chair of state, of crimson velvet, with a canopy of the same over it. Some ladies stood behind the Queen, and a very great number of lords, officers, and gentlemen of the Court filled the room. Upon the footcarpet, and near the Queen, stood the senators and other great officers, all uncovered; and none but persons of quality were admitted into that chamber. Whitelocke's gentlemen were all let in, and a lane made by them for him to pass through to the Queen. As soon as he came within this room, he put off his hat, and then the Queen put off her cap, after the fashion of men, and came two or three steps forward upon the footcarpet. This, and her being covered, and rising from her seat, caused Whitelocke to know her to be the Queen, which otherwise had not been easy to be discerned, her habit being of plain grey stuff; her petticoat reached to the ground; over that a jacket, such as men wear, of the same stuff, reaching to her knees. On her left side, tied with crimson ribbon, she wore the jewel of the order of Amaranta; her cuffs ruffled à la mode; no gorget or band, but a black scarf about her neck, tied before with a black ribbon, as soldiers or mariners sometimes used to wear. Her hair was braided, and hung loose upon her head. She wore a black velvet cap, lined with sables, and turned up after the fashion of the country, which she used to put off and on as men do their hats."

A speech was made by Whitelocke in French, and answered by the Queen in Swedish, both being uncovered at the time of speaking, and Whitelocke carefully putting on his hat whenever, in the course of the ceremonies, her Majesty assumed her cap. The point of the speech was a tender of the friendship of the Commonwealth of England, and an offer not only to renew and preserve inviolably that

All

amity and good correspondence which had hitherto been between the two nations, but further to enter into a more strict alliance and union for the good of both, such as the affairs of Christendom, and especially with the neighbouring princes and states, laid obligations upon them to entertain. this was spoken out boldly, without diplomatic blind or artifice, and in the face of the world; for a public reception of an envoy at the Court of Sweden, in that day, was a matter of European notoriety. And the same manly we regret that with the Vienna conferences fresh in our minds we cannot say the same English-tone characterised the negotiations that followed, whether these were carried on with the Queen herself, or more formally with Oxenstiern. Throughout, Whitelocke held steadily in view the general object of the establishment of an offensive and defensive league between the two nations, with a particular article guaranteeing the freedom of trade and navigation to the two confederates in the European seas, and especially in the Sound, and mutually pledging them to a defence of the same against all disturbers who would interrupt it, and force it to their own will and the common injury. Throughout, Christina and her Chancellor met these demands fairly yet cautiously. Both parties stated freely what they desired to have, and what they would not consent to: where the necessity for an appeal to the sword was foreseen and thought justifiable, the willingness to make the appeal was simply affirmed, and where prudence seemed to prescribe peaceful counsels, the dislike to engage in an opposite course was frankly acknowledged. Thus :

"What do you judge (asked the Queen) the best means to procure free navigation through the Sound?

"WHITELOCKE-I know no other means but force; the King of Denmark denying it.

"QUEEN-That is the way indeed; but what shall then be done with the castles upon the Sound, and the King of Denmark's land there?

"WH.-If it shall please God to give a blessing to the design, the castles must either be razed, or they and the islands put into good hands, such as both may trust. "Qu.-That is to the purpose."

So indeed it was; and, perhaps, our readers may discover a practical ap

plication of the argument that would be no less to the purpose in our own times. Again, when the sagacious Chancellor propounded the doctrine of "free ships, free goods," and when the Queen suggested that the proposed freedom of navigation should be extended to America, Whitelocke used no circumlocution in peremptorily declaring that he would consent to neither:

"Why (asked Oxenstiern) may not our merchants, being your friends, and friends to your enemies, carry any goods to either of you, without being, as we are, taken and endamaged.

"Our enemies (replied Whitelocke) though perhaps seeming friends to you, yet will not suffer your ships, nor any other, to bring us any goods, imperiously forbidden by them; and it is but equal, if not necessary, that we do the like."

To the Queen's proposition, which, in fact, included in it à nullification of the famous Navigation Acts, Whitelocke simply said he could not consent. The precedent, we may suppose, was known to Lord John Russell; had its simplicity influenced his diplomatic practice upon a recent occasion, the character of that distinguished stateman might still have remained a valuable possession to his country.

It is not within our present plan either to review "Whitelocke's Jour nal," or to discuss the special merits of the diplomatic transaction of which it supplies a valuable record. Our object, in truth, is no other than to give our readers a glimpse of Old English diplomacy, as it was conducted under the guidance of the powerful hand of Cromwell; and another instance or two of Whitelocke's spirit will show how competent service seldom fails a strong-willed master. We have seen my lord putting on and off his hat in the royal presence whenever the honour of England required or permitted these rites. He was not less exact in reciprocating acts of munificence with the Queen, presenting her with costly gifts, and entertaining her and her court with princely splendour. On May day Her Majesty honoured him with her company, when he treated her, as his mistress, after the English fashion, with some little collation:

"Their meat was such fowl as could be gotten, dressed after the English fashion,

and with English sauces, creams, puddings, custards, tarts, tansies, English apples, bon chrétien pears, cheese, butter, neat's tongues, potted venison, and sweetmeats brought out of England, as his sack and claret also was. His beer was also brewed, and his bread made by his own servants in his house, after the English manner; and the Queen and her company seemed highly pleased with this treatment. Some of her company said she did eat and drink more at it than she used to do in three or four days at her own table. The entertainment (he continues) was as full and noble as the place would afford and as Whitelocke could make it, and so well ordered and contrived, that the Queen said she had never seen any like it. She was pleased so far to play the good housewife as to inquire how the butter could be so fresh and sweet, and yet brought out of England. Whitelocke, from his cooks, satisfied her Majesty's inquiry, that they put the salt butter into milk, where it lay all night, and the next day it would eat fresh and sweet as this did, and any butter new made; and commended her Majesty's good housewifery, who to express her contentment in this collation, was full of pleasantness and gaiety of spirit, both in supper-time and afterwards. Among other frolics, she commanded Whitelocke to teach her ladies the English salutation, which, after some pretty defences, their lips obeyed, and Whitelocke's most readily."

Upon this auspicious occasion the ambassador was all amiability and humble courtesy towards his illustrious guest; but the case was different when, in his visits to the court, any question arose touching his personal or national dignity. Thus, when the Danish ambassador claimed precedence at a masque, by virtue of his being the representative of an anointed king, whereas Whitelocke's master was but the Protector - a new name, and not sacré-my lord plainly intimated that he would assert his claim vi et armis. He represented the nations of England, Scotland, and Ireland; and though they were under a constable, he would not suffer any diminution of their honour by his person to please any whatsoever :

"But (pleaded the master of the ceremonies) when you come into the room and find the Danish Ambassador set, you cannot help it, though he have the upper place.

"WHITELOCKE-I shall endeavour to help it, rather than sit below the Danish Ambassador.

"MAST. CER.-I presume you will not use force in the Queen's presence.

WH.-Master, it is impossible for me, if it were in the presence of all the queens and