grounds only in making this peace: we have not been beaten or frightened into it; the Dutch have not yet any fleet at sea, nor can have this month, if the war should continue. In the meantime we have a hundred and forty sail at sea, and better ships than we have had at any time heretofore, which gives occasion to all our neighbours to wonder at our intentions thereby. "Since I began my letter I have been with the Dutch Ambassador, and every article is agreed word for word, so that nothing now remains to be done but to write them over and sign, which will be done upon Monday next. It is not possible for me to send unto your Excellence a copy of the articles as they are now agreed; I hope to do it by the next, when you will be satisfied concerning the reports I hear there are in Sweden, concerning the honourable terms the Dutch have gotten by this treaty. I know not what men may expect in matters of honour; I am sure the true interest of the nation, both in point of trade and otherwise, is provided for more fully than ever hath been in any treaty made between these States. "The French Ambassador had a public audience on Monday last. There is joined with him in commission one Monsieur le Baas, in quality of a Commissary, who is a great confidant of the Cardinal's, and a very crafty man. The French doth certainly intend by all means to make a league with his Highness, and offers very frankly and considerably as to our present interest. The Spaniard thinks he saith more to invite the Protector to look that way and embrace an alliance with him; and sure he is the steadier friend, and hath the better and more considerable trade.* "The news I have either from France or Holland this week your Excellence will receive enclosed. The affairs in Scotland do not much alter: Middleton is very active to * [These words show that the contest between the French and Spanish alliance in London was still going on; but they did not convey the truth to Whitelocke, for it was against Spain that the great armament previously mentioned was destined to be used, in the expedition to St. Domingo and the conquest of Jamaica.] get an army, but keeps in the most northerly parts. We never met with any of their forces but we beat them-the last letters being that we fell upon a party and took forty prisoners and sixty horse, which is all we have from thence. "I have done my utmost to get the Swedish ships released; but to say the truth, although some of the Swedes are innocent, yet many of them appear to be deceivers, which makes the rest fare the worse. I endeavoured to get a resolution of the case your Excellence wrote about by your former letters, so as to have sent it by this post, but could not; the orders which have been made about it since my last I have sent, whereof your Excellence may see the care that is had to do justice therein. "What your Excellence is informed concerning the preferring of the Agent of the Swiss to Lagerfeldt in their farewell, is a great mistake. I know no honour done to him at his going away, but the sending the answer of his letter to him by the master of the ceremony; he had neither gift nor entertainment that I know of. "I hope the copy of the articles of the Dutch treaty, which I formerly sent, your Excellence hath received before now. I am sorry to hear that your entertainment in Sweden begins to be like my Lord St. John's in Holland; but I trust the Lord will continue his protection to yourself and family, which is the prayer of "March 31, 1654. "Your Excellence's humble servant, "Monsieur Bonnele, the Queen of Sweden's Commissary, hath desired audience to deliver a letter congratulatory to his Highness from the Queen. The superscription is not very right; besides, your Excellency having writ nothing about it, some difficulty hath been in the delivery of it; but yet at last resolved to receive it as it is." This letter is inserted to show by it the constant way and course of intelligence, and the generality was very and clearness of it, between Thurloe and Whitelocke, whereby his business and reputation in this Court much advanced, and Whitelocke made great use and advantage by it. The papers usually enclosed in Thurloe's letters were many, and contained all particulars of moment touching the Dutch treaty, as also relating to the affairs of England and of most parts of Christendom. One clause in this letter of Thurloe's, that, after the Dutch treaty had concluded, his Highness would send new instructions to Whitelocke, for his direction to proceed in the treaty in Sweden,-this gave much trouble and perplexity of thoughts to Whitelocke. He could not imagine what those new instructions should be. If they should be contrary to what he had already agreed, it would be not only to the dishonour of Whitelocke, but of the Protector likewise and of the English nation, for him to go back from what he had before assented to, and to go out here with a snuff, retracting his former agreement, or else he must proceed contrary to his instructions, which would not be ratified; and both of these mischiefs great enough. He was in suspense whether he should seal the articles here beforehand, or expect the receipt of these instructions before he signed them. He considered that if he should defer the signing of the articles till after the receipt of those new instructions, that then they could not at all be signed by the present Queen, who intended to continue but one week in the government, and if she did not sign in that time she could not sign at all; but the whole must be remitted to a new treaty with the new King, upon new credentials, commission, and instructions, which would require much time and trouble. He thought not fit to communicate his doubts, but resolved with himself to proceed to the finishing of the treaty without staying for new instructions from England, because otherwise all his negotiation would become fruitless; and he held himself obliged, in honour and conscience, to make good what he had already assented unto before any mention of new instructions came to him, and what he had done being pursuant to his former instructions, and in his judgement for the advantage and good of England. He was also willing to persuade himself that the new instructions would extend only to the order of his return, and was so to be taken by Thurloe's letter, and to the close of his whole negotiation; wherein he had done nothing, and resolved not to do anything, but what he believed to be just and honest. He was also troubled lest the Queen should put off the treaty upon some distaste about the secret article, and yet pretend only the absence of her Chancellor; but Whitelocke left all to the providence of God, and His blessing upon honest and diligent means, wherein he resolved not willingly to be wanting. And whether to put it off or to proceed to the despatch of it seemed the more difficult, because of a letter from his wife, wherein she wrote that Thurloe said to her, that it was fit her husband should receive certain instructions what to do before his coming away, because, if he should do anything too suddenly, without good warrant, it might cost him his life. This indeed were a worthy and meet recompense for all the hardships, perils, and faithful services undergone and performed for those who were then in power; but his hope and expectation of reward was from above the highest of them. VOL. II. L Despatches to Thurloe. April 21, 1654. Whitelocke made his despatches for England, and part of his letters to Thurloe was this: "The Queen and Court being out of town, this is a solitary place. The Danish Ambassador and the Dutch Resident are still here. The Spanish, German, and Muscovite Envoys are gone away. My business remains in a readiness to be signed, which is appointed upon the Queen's return; and she is looked for every day. If they be not signed within these few days, it cannot be done by her at all, because she intends to resign the Government the beginning of May, and perhaps the Prince may be crowned in June; and two or three months after that will pass before new credentials can be sent from his Highness, and it may be two or three months in ceremony and despatch of the business, by which time another winter will be here. Upon which considerations I humbly conceive it much more for the service of my Lord to despatch my business here out of hand, and the rather because of the conclusion of the Dutch treaty, which I hope will prove very prosperous to our nation. "My articles had been signed before the Queen's going away but that she was willing to communicate them to the Prince before her Commissioners signed them, which I likewise thought very fit to be done, in regard he is so near the succession; and I likewise intend to salute him from my Lord Protector before my going out of this country. "I am now only in expectation of his Highness's further commands and instructions concerning my return, which I hope for by the next post. "I give you most hearty thanks for the papers, which are not only a comfort but very useful to me here. I received formerly from you a copy of the Dutch articles, and if I did not return you thanks for them, I confess I forgot myself, and likewise if in one of my letters I did not acquaint you that the Queen had an intention (as she told |