A Journal of the Swedish Embassy in the Years 1653 and 1654 Part 15

"My Lady was here with me to hasten your return, wherein I should be glad to be instrumental. I pray G.o.d preserve your Excellence, and bless the affairs under your hand. I am,

"Your Excellence's humble servant, "JO. THURLOE.

"_March 24th, 1653._

"I saw a letter to his Highness from Upsal, wherein some expressions were used as if your Excellence were like to be removed from the Seal. His Highness commanded me to a.s.sure you that there are no such intentions, but much the contrary, whereof your Excellence will have real demonstrations upon all occasions."

_April 14, 1654._

[SN: Pa.s.sport given to a Swedish ship.]

Grave Eric desired Whitelocke to give a pa.s.sport to a Swedish ship bound from Stockholm to Portugal. The Chancellor requested the same, and both father and son engaged to Whitelocke that there was nothing aboard the vessel, nor any design in her voyage, against England; that she was freighted for Portugal only, and that they should esteem the favour as done to themselves, because they had a share in the goods on board this ship. Whitelocke, though he were hardly persuaded to give his pa.s.sports to Swedish ships or to any other, yet considering the time when this was desired, and the persons desiring it, he thought not fit to deny it, but gave it in this form.[130]

Whitelocke gave an account in his letters this day to Thurloe of all pa.s.sages of moment since his last, and wrote further:--

[SN: Letters to Thurloe.]

"My letters, I confess, have been tedious heretofore, but I ask your pardon, and do hope that my business is now at such a period that I shall not have occasion to trouble you with the like.

"There is little to do here at this time; almost all the great lords and courtiers are gone out of town, so that here is a lamentable silent place. I shall be heartily glad to receive my Lord's order to authorize my return; but my business being now ended, I presume I may expect his pleasure at any other place. I purpose to visit the Queen-mother and the Prince of Sweden, because other amba.s.sadors have done it, and I have been particularly invited to it. I think it will be a respect from my Lord Protector which they will take very kindly, and may be some strength to the alliance, and is not the less requisite for me, because our enemies report that none but mechanics are of our party; but since our being here the Swedes acknowledge the contrary.

"I hope within two or three weeks to be at sea, and that my G.o.d, who hath hitherto been so good to me, will give me a safe return to my Lord and to my native country, to whom I wish all prosperity.

"Your affectionate friend to serve you, "B. W.

"_Upsal, 14th April, 1654._

"I hope you will pardon the importunity of my wife's solicitation, being for my return. I have been informed this week that some Holland ships are loading here with ordnance and other provisions of war. I hope his Highness hath been pleased to give order for two or three ships to be at Hamburg for my transportation into England, and therein I entreat your favour.

"B. W."

In this letter Whitelocke also gave advice, what he had been informed touching the treaty between King James and the last King of Denmark concerning the Orcades, with his humble opinion what was fit to be done in that business, upon the comprehension of the Dane in the Dutch treaty, yet nothing was done therein; however, Whitelocke was satisfied in the acquittal of himself to have done his duty.

Upon the earnest request of some Scots and English gentlemen on the behalf of Colonel Halsall, now in this town, Whitelocke gave him this pa.s.s.[131]

_April 15, 1654._

[SN: Excursion with the French Resident.]

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 Amba.s.sador 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 princ.i.p.al 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 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 Nordkoping, 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 Nordkoping, 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 Nordkoping was the midway between Stockholm and Calmar, and the ship might be as soon at Calmar as at Nordkoping; that the pa.s.sage to Lubeck was much easier from Calmar than from Nordkoping, 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._

[SN: Great wealth of the Oxenstiern family.]

Monsieur Bloome this Lord's Day dined with Whitelocke, and told him that the Chancellor had left him in town to keep Whitelocke company in the absence of the Chancellor, and to a.s.sure 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 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 Major-General; 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, 1654._

[SN: A serenade to Whitelocke.]

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 a.s.sembly should be held there; which was not believed by Whitelocke, because the Queen had a.s.sured 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 pa.s.s 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._

[SN: The Swedish army.]

Whitelocke returned a visit to the Grave Leonhough, 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 quant.i.ty of bread, b.u.t.ter, and cheese for every foot-soldier, and a like proportion for the hors.e.m.e.n; 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 rix-dollars a year. His stove they call his fire, candle, and entertainment for himself; his stable, that is horse-meat, 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 man will work himself and his horse with the boor, to help him in his husbandry, then the boor gives the man and his horse entertainment freely, and hath their work for it, which is more worth than their meat, and the boor will give the man perhaps some small sum of money besides.

By this way the boor hath an advantage--the work of a man and a horse for their meat only; and the horseman hath an advantage--his own and his horse's meat, besides what the Crown allows him, and himself and horse kept in better condition by it; and without his work, the boor is not compellable to find him but his lodging only.

In like manner it is for the foot-soldier. He is quartered with a boor, and must work for the boor, or have no diet from him; but they do work generally, and by that means the soldier is kept out of idleness. The countryman hath a benefit by his work for his diet only, whereas he must give diet and wages to a servant; and the soldier by his work hath his diet besides what the State allows him, and so he and his landlord are both well pleased. But the Crown hath the greatest advantage, which hereby saves the great pay which otherwise they must allow; and yet these forces are constantly in a readiness when the occasions of the Crown require their service.

The officers of these militia forces have no pay at all but when they are in actual service, neither do they expect any pay, being gentlemen of quality and interest in the country: the chief of whom, who are fit for it, are made colonels; the next to them lieutenant-colonels, majors, captains, and inferior officers, according to their rank of the country gentlemen, known and beloved among their neighbours, with whom their interest and power, increased by their command, makes them the better followed and obeyed. When they write out any from the militia to serve in the armies, these officers and the lords of the boors appoint them; and if any offend, they are presently written out to send abroad into Russia, Poland, Germany, and other parts, from whence they do not all return safe, but are kept in great awe and obedience.

This day here fell a great quant.i.ty of snow, and was in one night so hard frozen that it would bear a cart; the English wondered at it, but not this country men, the like being here usual at this time of the year and after.

The Countess of Brahe, wife of the Ricks-Droitset, sent a gentleman to Whitelocke to acquaint him that there was a parcel of timber, cut and lying ready within four miles of Gothenburg, which did belong to her former husband, and was cut for the building of a ship; but by reason of her husband's death the ship was not built, and she offered the timber to Whitelocke at a reasonable price. But he, finding that it had been cut four years, and lay far from the water-side, made an excuse that it would be necessary to have it viewed, which his hastening away would not now permit; but he returned thanks to the Countess for her respects in the offer of it.

_April 19, 1654._

[SN: Preparations for the abdication.]

Monsieur Bloome and divers others, having dined with Whitelocke, acquainted him that the Chancellor intended to return hither the next day after the Queen. Whitelocke said he hoped the Chancellor would have been here before her Majesty; but this was an argument to confute the report that the Queen would stay at Stockholm and hold the Ricksdag there.

Another argument was, the Queen's officers removing and altering some of the hangings in Whitelocke's house, being longer and fitter for the rooms to be furnished in the castle for the Ricksdag than those which they put up in their places in Whitelocke's lodging.

_April 20, 1654._

[SN: Swedish mines.]

In pursuance of former discourse with Monsieur Bloome, and by the desire of Mr. Bushel in England to Whitelocke to inquire into it, he received a paper in French, from a person here employed about the mines, to inform him by what means this person might be treated with to be brought into England for improving of our mines there.

[SN: Hawks.]