demnation given against her as belonging to the enemies of this State, his Highness does not conceive that it can be expected from him to interpose in matters belonging to the decision of that Court; besides, the law having in the ordinary course provided a remedy, by way of appeal, in case of wrong or injustice done by that Court.

"For the goods of Mr. Alexander Cecconi, supposed to be taken by a ship belonging to this State, orders have been given by the Council concerning them, and some return made upon those orders; and the said Commissary may rest assured that speedy and effectual justice will be done in that particular.

"March 10th, 1653."

"Jo. THURLoe.

These orders of the Council Whitelocke caused to be translated into Latin, that he might communicate them as he saw occasion.

March 31, 1654.

England.

Whitelocke despatched a great number of letters to Reports to his friends in England: in those to Secretary Thurloe he gave a full account of all transactions of his negotiations and passages here since his last letters.

This day, though the post-day, Woolfeldt again visited Whitelocke, to his no little interruption in his despatches; yet from him Whitelocke learned many things in relation to Denmark, for the advantage of England, and Woolfeldt testified great affection and respect to the Protector and Commonwealth. He was also interrupted by his attendance upon the Queen, according to her appointment. The Chancellor came forth from her as Whitelocke went in, and he told Whitelocke that the Queen, hearing of his being without, had sent to desire him to come in to her.

Whitelocke read some of his news to the Queen, and the paper which the Protector had caused to be given to her Commissary Bonnele at London; upon which Whitelocke took the boldness a little to paraphrase, and her Majesty was well pleased with it. They fell into discourse of the treaty, much to the same effect as formerly; but Whitelocke staid the less time with her Majesty, because he presumed that the Chancellor and his son waited without to speak with her about his business. She promised Whitelocke to send him an answer of his business the next day, and that one of her ships should be ready at the Dollars (the mouth of the haven of Stockholm) to transport him to Lübeck when he should desire it; which was acceptable to Whitelocke to think on, and he thanked her Majesty for it.

Thus was March passed over, full of trouble, yet nothing effected in his business.

79

APRIL.

April 1, 1654.

execution

In the morning, in the market-place, near Whitelocke's A capital lodging, was an execution of one adjudged to die for a in Sweden. murder. The offender was brought into the midst of the market-place, which was open and spacious, and a great multitude of people spectators. The offender kneeled down upon the ground, a great deal of sand being laid under and about him to soak up his blood, and a linen cloth was bound about his eyes: he seemed not much terrified, but when the company sang a psalm, he sang with them, holding up his hands together, and his body upright, his doublet off. He prayed also with the company, but made no speech to them; nor did any other speak to the people. The executioner stood behind him, with a great naked sword in his hand and a linen apron before him, and while the offender was praying the headsman in an instant, at one back-blow, cut off his head, which fell down upon the sand; and some friends took it from the executioner, and carried it away with the body to be buried. Presently after this execution was past, two other offenders for smaller crimes were brought to the same place, to suffer the punishment of the law,

which they call running the gauntlet,—a usual punishment among soldiers.

The people stood in length in the market-place about a hundred yards, leaving an open space or lane between them of about five yards' distance; then the offender, being naked to the waist, was brought to one end of the lane or open place. The people had rods or switches of birch given to as many as would take them; the offender was to run or go, as he pleased (and one of them walked but a Spanish pace), from one end of the lane of people to the other, twice or thrice forward and backward; and all the way as he went, the people who had the switches lashed the of fender as he passed by them, harder or softer, as they favoured him. These are the most usual ways of executions which they have for criminal offences, and they do not execute men by hanging, which they say is only fit for dogs; but in cases of great robberies and murders sometimes they execute justice by breaking the offenders upon the wheel, and leave the quarters of the body upon it; some whereof were in the way as Whitelocke passed in his journey by the great wilderness.

In the afternoon Senator Schütt came to Whitelocke and invited him to take the air to see the town of old Upsal, about a mile off; and being there, Schütt showed him three great mounts of earth, cast up by the hands of men, for monuments in memory of their ancient famous kings, whose seat had been here, and the place of their coronation. These mounts had been dedicated to three of their Pagan gods: the one to the god whom they call Teuo, who was Mars, and from him they have the name of the day of the week Tenos

dag, which we call Tuesday, and the Germans Tuisconsdæg, and the Latins Dies Martis; the second mount was dedicated to their god Woden, so they called Mercury, and from thence their day of the week is named Wodensdag, which we also call Wednesday, the Germans Wodensdæg, and the Latins Dies Mercurii ; the third mount was dedicated to their goddess Freya, so they called Venus, and from thence comes the name of their Friedsdag, which we call Friday, the Germans Frigdag, and the Latins Dies Veneris.

There were also other relics of decayed mounts, which Whitelocke guessed to have been dedicated to their other gods, from whom they gave the names of the other days of the week: as, to Thor, whom they called Jupiter, and from whence the day Thoresdag, which we call Thursday, the Germans say Thorsdag, and the Latins Dies Jovis; another mount dedicated to their god Setorn, from whence they call Setornsdag, as we say Saturday, the Germans Sæternsdag, and the Latins Dies Saturni; another mount dedicated to Sunnan, as they call the Sun, and from thence that day Sunnandag, as we say Sunday, the Germans Sunnandæg, and the Latins Dies Solis; the last mount dedicated to Monan, that is the Moon, and from thence the name of their Monandag, which we call Monday, the Germans Monandæg, and the Latins Dies Lunæ, In discourse upon the way, Schütt informed White- The war locke of the matter of the embassy from the Great Muscovy Duke of Muscovia to the Queen of Sweden, which was to acquaint her Majesty that the Great Duke had begun a war against the King of Poland, because in a letter of his to the Great Duke he had omitted one of his great titles,—a heinous offence, and held by the

VOL. II.

G

between

and Poland.