Excursion April 15, 1654. The Resident of France having desired Whitelocke that when he went abroad to take the air he would give him leave to accompany him, Whitelocke sent to him, this fair day inviting and leisure not hindering it. They went together in Whitelocke's coach to a wood, about an English mile from Upsal, full of pines, fir-trees, and juniper, and very fair and pleasant walks in it. The beauty of the day and place had also invited thither at this time the Ambassador of Denmark and the Holland Resident, who, perceiving Whitelocke's coaches and company, crossed out of the way where they were, and betook themselves to another walk; but Whitelocke kept on in his, and with the French Resident had much general discourse, but little of matters of state, because they could not trust one the other; yet Whitelocke learnt from him. the condition of several persons in principal credit in the Court of France, and the way of their management of affairs. This gentleman was very civil and courteous and good company, desiring the conversation of Whitelocke, which he afforded him both going himself, his servant, and necessaries into Sweden upon his occasions, and, having despatched his business, he hath made his request to me, being Ambassador from his said Highness the Lord Protector to her Majesty the Queen of Sweden, to grant him my pass for his return into Scotland: These are therefore to desire all commanders by sea or land, and all officers and others of the said Commonwealth whom it may concern, to suffer him, the said Lieutenant-Colonel Halsall, quietly to pass into Scotland, he acting nothing prejudicial to the Commonwealth aforesaid; and further I desire that the Commanderin-Chief in Scotland will be pleased to show unto him, the said Lieutenant-Colonel, such favour at all times as he shall there deserve. Given under my hand and seal, at Upsal, in Sweden, this 14th of April, 1654. B. WHITELOCKE." abroad and in his house, to which the Resident did him the favour to be no stranger. Whitelocke told him he purposed to go by Nordköping, and by the way to visit the Queen-mother and the Prince, and to have his ship meet him there. The Resident said the ship could not easily come to Nordköping, being no good harbour; but his best way would be to go from thence to Calmar, and his ship to meet him there, the haven being open and the ship may come near the town; and that Nordköping was the midway between Stockholm and Calmar, and the ship might be as soon at Calmar as at Nordköping; that the passage to Lübeck was much easier from Calmar than from Nordköping, and with a good wind might be made from Calmar in two days. But hereof Whitelocke intended to have the advice of some Swedes. April 16, 1654. Great wealth of stiern Monsieur Bloome this Lord's Day dined with Whitelocke, and told him that the Chancellor had left him the Oxenin town to keep Whitelocke company in the absence family. of the Chancellor, and to assure him that the Chancellor would return again in a very few days. Whitelocke made much of him, and had good informations from him. He said that Grave John Oxenstiern, the Chancellor's eldest son, had at that time, whilst his father was alive, above £20,000 sterling of yearly revenue, which he had from his father and by his wife, an inheritrix; and that Grave Eric, the second son, had in his father's lifetime near £10,000 sterling of yearly revenue, besides what both of them might expect from their father: and therefore both father and A serenade to Whitelocke. sons might, as they did, live in great state and with attendance of much port and ceremony. Grave Leonhough bestowed a visit on Whitelocke. He is a senator and one of the College of War, a person of great esteem and good parts; his conversation was full of civility; his discourse (in French) was rational, and for the most part upon matter of war, history, and the mathematics. In his company was an officer, his brother-in-law, who had served the King of Portugal in his late wars, and was a civil person, and seemed a gallant man. This Grave had been long bred up in the wars, and was now a MajorGeneral; and his discourse showed him to be knowing and modest. He demanded of Whitelocke many questions touching the affairs of England, and particularly of the late civil dissensions there, and had a full account thereof from Whitelocke, by which he seemed to receive much satisfaction, and acknowledged that he had not heard the truth before, and that this relation justified the proceedings of the Parliament. He spake nothing to Whitelocke touching his business of the treaty, nor did Whitelocke mention it to this Grave, whom he never saw before, and because it was a day for other duties. April 17, 1854. Upsal being very empty, by the absence of the Queen and all the great Lords, who were retired to their country-houses, but most of them to Stockholm, it was given out that her Majesty would not return to this place, but remain at Stockholm, and that the General Assembly should be held there; which was not believed by Whitelocke, because the Queen had assured him that she would return to Upsal within eight or ten days, and she never brake her word with him. Her absence, and the leisure which they had thereby, gave opportunity to some of her musicians (Italians and Germans) to pass a compliment on Whitelocke, to come to his house, and with great ceremony to entertain him with their vocal and instrumental music, which was excellent good; and they played many lessons of English composition, which the gentlemen who were musical of Whitelocke's family brought forth unto them. April 18, 1654. army. Whitelocke returned a visit to the Grave Leon- The Swedish hough, whose lodgings were but mean, such as the town would afford, but his treatment was with great civility. Amongst other discourse he inquired touching the discipline of war and ordering the soldiery in England, who, he said, must be well paid, or else they could not be kept in good order. Whitelocke acknowledged that to be very true, and said that in England special care was taken for the constant and due pay of the armies much beyond other countries, by which means they were kept in the best and strictest discipline of any armies in the world; that violence or plunder, contrary to the articles of war, was severely punished. The Grave acquainted Whitelocke that he was to go out of town the next day to a general muster, about four leagues from hence, within the province where he had the government; which occasioned Whitelocke to inquire of him, and to be informed that this was the standing militia of the country, and that the manner of it was thus : : The whole militia of Sweden in the country, besides the standing forces of their armies in service, doth consist of 50,000 horse and foot, whereof 12,000 horse and 38,000 foot in the several provinces are constantly in a readiness to be drawn forth in fourteen days' time. In Sweden are about 5000 horse and 20,000 foot, and in Finland and the other provinces about 8000 horse and 20,000 foot in all, above 50,000. That the Crown is not at any charge for the pay of these militia forces, unless they are drawn forth into actual service, and then they are paid as their other army forces are, which is not very much or constant; but when they are in an enemy's country they live upon the country, and take contribution, if not plunder; and somewhat is allowed them by the Crown, as so much in money (which is a very small proportion) and such a weekly quantity of bread, butter, and cheese for every footsoldier, and a like proportion for the horsemen; whose charge may be guessed at by that of their officers, of whom it was affirmed that the allowance to a captain of horse was his stove and his stable, and twenty rixdollars a year. His stove they call his fire, candle, and entertainment for himself; his stable, that is horsemeat, and room, and shoeing; and for himself from the Crown (besides what he gets from the country) but twenty rix-dollars a year, with the like proportion for other officers and soldiers. The manner of maintaining their militia forces in the country was said to be this:-A horseman was quartered in the house of a boor, or husbandman; if the |