March 29, 1654. The master of the ceremonies came to Whitelocke from the Queen to excuse Whitelocke's not having had audiences when he desired them; which he said was because her Majesty had been so full of business, which had hindered her, and particularly because of the holidays; but he said, if Whitelocke pleased to have his audience tomorrow, the Queen would be glad to see him. Whitelocke desired the master to return his thanks to her Majesty for her favours, and to let her know that he should be ready to attend her at such time as she should appoint. The master said he would acquaint her Majesty herewith, and so went away in the midst of dinner. Whitelocke. The Lord Douglas, a Scotsman, came to visit Lord Douglas Whitelocke. He is an ancient servant to this Crown; visits he was a page to King Gustavus Adolphus, and by him preferred to military command, wherein he quitted himself so well that he was promoted to be General of the Horse, and was now a Baron and Ricks-Stallmaster, or master of the horse, in Sweden. He excused himself that he had not oftener visited Whitelocke, being hindered by his sickness of an ague, which had held him thirty weeks, and had not yet left him. He said that the next day after his arrival here the Queen asked him if he had been to see the English Ambassador, and that Whitelocke was much obliged to the Queen for her good opinion of him: whereof Whitelocke said he had received many testimonies, and of her respects to the Protector and Commonwealth as well as to their servant. Douglas said, that besides her respect to the Protector, she had a particular Further excuses for delay. respect for Whitelocke; with much discourse of that nature. He then went to visit his old comrade Colonel Potley, who was ill and kept his chamber. He fell upon the discourse that it would be convenient for Whitelocke to stay here till the coronation of the new King, that the treaty might be concluded by him: to which the same answers were given by Whitelocke as he had before given to the master of the ceremonies. Whilst the Lord Douglas was in Whitelocke's house, Grave Eric came to Whitelocke by command of the Queen, to excuse the delay of his business, and that some of his audiences had been remitted. He said, her Majesty had been informed by the master of the ceremonies that Whitelocke should say he had demanded audiences three times, and could not obtain one. Whitelocke answered, that there was a little mistake therein, though there was something near it, and said, it was not his desire to occasion trouble to her Majesty. Eric answered, that the Queen desired Whitelocke would excuse her by reason of the holidays, during which time they did not use in this country to treat of any business, and that the Queen had likewise many other hindrances; but that whensoever it should please Whitelocke to come to her Majesty, he would be very welcome. He said he was going out of town to his father to conduct him hither, and that within a day or two he would visit Whitelocke, and that his business would have a speedy despatch. Whitelocke wished him a good journey, and that he and his father might have a safe and speedy return hither. Piementelle sent to Whitelocke to move the Queen to grant her pardon to a Swede who had killed another, for which by the law he was to die; and Piementelle offered to second Whitelocke, if he would entreat the Queen for her pardon to the homicide. Whitelocke desired to be excused herein, alleging that he, being a public minister, it was not proper for him nor for Piementelle to interpose with her Majesty in a matter of this nature, and particularly touching her own subjects, and in a matter of blood; but this denial Piementelle seemed to take ill, and to be more strange to Whitelocke afterwards. The holidays being past, Piementelle had his audience appointed this day to take his leave of the Queen. Whitelocke sent his son James and some others of his gentlemen to be present at it, who reported to Whitelocke that Piementelle spake to the Queen in Spanish, and that she answered him in Swedish, which was interpreted by Grave Tott; that Piementelle observed very much ceremony, and when he made his public harangue to the Queen he grew very pale and trembled, which was strange for a man of his parts, and who had been so frequent in his conversation with her Majesty. But some said it was a high compliment, acted by the Spaniard to the life, to please the Queen, who took delight to be thought, by her majesty and presence, to put a dread and daunting upon foreigners; which in a truth she was noted often to do when public ministers had their audiences in solemnity with her Majesty. March 30, 1654. view with One of the Queen's lacqueys came to Whitelocke's An interhouse in dinner-time, to desire him, from the Queen, the Queen. to come to her at two o'clock. Whitelocke was a little sensible of the quality of the messenger, and therefore himself would not speak with him, but sent his answer by one of his servants, and accordingly waited on the Queen. He was met at the guard-chamber by Grave Tott and divers of the Queen's servants, with more solemnity than ordinary, and presently brought to the Queen. After her excuse of his not having had audiences she fell into discourse of his business. Whitelocke presented to her a form of articles, according to his own observations upon those articles he had formerly given in, and upon those he received from Grave Eric. Thereupon the Queen said to him, " You will not consent to any one of my articles, but insist upon all your own." Whitelocke showed her wherein he had consented to divers of her articles, and for what reasons he could not agree to the rest. They had discourse upon the whole, to the same effect as hath been before remembered. The Queen told Whitelocke, that if those articles should not be concluded, that nevertheless the amity between the two nations might be continued. Whitelocke answered, that it would be no great testimony of amity, nor proof of respect to the Protector and Commonwealth, to send back their servant after so long attendance, without effecting anything. The Queen said she would despatch his business within a few days, and, she hoped, to his contentment. Whitelocke told her it was in her Majesty's power to do it; that he could not stay until the change whereof people discoursed, and that he had her Majesty's promise for his despatch, which he knew she would not break. Then the Queen fell into other discourses, and in particular of poetry; which occasion Whitelocke took to show her a copy of Latin verses made by an English gentleman, a friend of Whitelocke's, and sent over to him hither, and which he had now about him, and knew that such diversions were pleasing to the Queen.* 66 *"Ad Illustrissimum et Excellentissimum Dominum, Dominum Whitelocke, Legatum Angliæ Extraordinarium apud Serenissimam Sueciæ Reginam. Ode. "Vitloce, Martis delicia, decus Gentis legatæ; te sine, languidum In viduo Themis ingemiscit. Lites, neque hic discordiarum Sic pacis author, sic pius arbiter Te casta tentum Penelope vocat, Legationes, te requirunt Custos Sigilli tu dirimes cito Pugnas forenses, bellaque principum Tu (sera candida) claude fanum." |