MAY. (continued 3)

Legend of Stockholm. Whitelocke having been at the island where the ships lie, and observed it to be called the Holm, and other islands to have the same name of Holm, and Holm to be the same which we call an island, and this city named Stockholm, caused his inquiry of the original of this name of Stockholm; he was informed, in a kind of pleasant story, which is not without some probability, and the earnest affirmations of the inhabitants, who from tradition may be supposed best to know it, that the original of the name Stockholm was thus:—That there was a certain great and rich town called Bieurkoo, situate upon the lake between Upsal and this place, whereof some ruins are yet to be seen. The number of the people in that town increasing so much that the inhabitants could not be therein contained, they held a council what was fit to be done; they also consulted their idol gods, to whom they offered sacrifices and prayers for their direction. The issue was this: they came to a resolution that part of their people should go forth from them, as a colony, to seek for a new habitation, as is usual in these northern countries; that they should find out a place, and build them a new city to dwell in; and how to find out and agree upon this place was thus determined: they took a great block or piece of wood, to which they fastened some gold, and set the block a-swimming in the water, and agreed that there they would build the new town where their gods (to whom they had committed this affair) should cause the block to stay; this block floated, and, descending down the lake, at length staid at a little island about the midst of this city.

Such an island here (as in our north parts) is called Holm, and such a great block or piece of wood is by them (as with us) called a stock; and because this stock staid at this Holm, therefore here they built their city, and called it Stockholm; which, by degrees, and adding one holm or island to another, became of its present greatness.

May 23, 1654.

The Magistrates of Stockholm address Whitelocke. Berkman brought to Whitelocke’s lodging this morning two of the magistrates of this city, deputed by their body, and in their name, to salute Whitelocke and bid him welcome to this place. One of them made a speech to Whitelocke, which was interpreted out of the Swedish by Berkman into French, to this effect:—

“My Lord Ambassador,

“The Senate of this city have deputed us in their name to salute your Excellence, and to bid you welcome to this place, where the magistrates and citizens are desirous to embrace any occasion presented to them, whereby they may testify the great respect and honour which they bear to his most Serene Highness the Lord Protector, and to the Commonwealth of England.

“They are likewise very glad of the occasion given them to express their joy for the happy alliance and friendship concluded between this kingdom and the Commonwealth of England, which we hope will be to the advantage and good of both nations, and of the Protestant interest, which is heartily wished by us. We look upon it as a very great comfort and blessing to this city, that after the misery in which we have lately been, when it pleased God to visit us with the pestilence, that the same is now so well and fully removed through Divine mercy, that we have the happiness to see a person of your condition vouchsafe his presence with us.

“Whilst the occasions of your Excellence shall stay you here, we most freely offer our services for your accommodation with whatsoever this place will afford, which your Excellence may command; and as a small testimony of the respects of our superiors, they have caused us to present a vessel of wine unto your Excellence, whereof they entreat your favourable acceptance.”

Whitelocke presently answered them in English, which Berkman interpreted to them in Swedish, to this effect:—

“Gentlemen,

“I rejoice with you in the mercy and goodness of God to this city, who hath caused to cease that contagious disease which lately raged among you, so that your friends (of which number I take the honour to reckon myself) may freely and safely resort to you, and converse with you as formerly. I have also some share in your joy for the friendship and alliance contracted between my Lord the Protector of the Commonwealth of England, and the Queen and kingdom of Sweden; wherein I doubt not but, through the blessing of God, both nations and the whole Protestant interest will have cause to rejoice likewise: and as my poor endeavours have not been wanting, so my hearty prayers to God shall be put up that it may come to this issue; and I shall pray for the continuance of health and prosperity to this noble city.

“I return you many thanks for your respects to my Lord the Protector and the Commonwealth whom I serve, whereof I shall not fail (when it shall please God to give me a return to my own country) to acquaint them, and to do all offices of respect in my power for your city; and I desire my thanks may be presented to your honourable Senate for their particular favour to me, and for their salutation, which I receive with all gratitude.”

Whilst the citizens were with Whitelocke, Wrangel, Vice-Admiral Thysen, Vice-Admiral Clerke, Sinclair, captain of the ‘Amarantha,’ and others, came and did Whitelocke the honour to dine with him, and in the afternoon carried him to see the cannon which the Swedes had taken from their enemies, now laid up in a magazine for themselves; there were of them brass cannon 1100; among them were two pieces taken from the Muscovites, each of them weighing 18,000 lbs. weight, and carrying a bullet of 96 lbs. weight, as much more as the greatest whole cannon carries. There was also a basilisk of nineteen feet in length, very extraordinary, and a great mortar-piece of brass of a fathom and three fingers in diameter at the mouth of it; with many other pieces of brass ordnance taken from the Poles in their wars with them, which were now but of little use; nor were those huge pieces capable to be drawn into the field for any service there.

May 24, 1654.

Monuments and public buildings of Stockholm. Whitelocke walked abroad, to see the great church where the late King Gustavus Adolphus lies interred; but as yet there is no monument erected to his memory, nor are there others of magnificence or much antiquity in this or in the other great church, but store of images and crucifixes in all their churches; their building is of brick, and all their churches are covered with copper.

Whitelocke went to Wrangel’s lodging to requite his visits, but found him not at home, not having sent beforehand to him. He fetched a little turn in the city, and they showed him a new building for the Ricksdag, which they call the Ruder-house, that is, the house of the Knights; it is a fair building, and the name of it remembers somewhat of the knights of our Parliament.

In this walk, Whitelocke viewed in the fair street near his lodging the monument set up to the honour of Queen Christina at her coronation, which is beautiful to the view. It is a triumphant arch, of the height of the highest houses, raised upon three arches, which give three passages; those on each side the more strait and low, the middle arch of twice the height and wideness of the other two. The frontispiece unto the tops of the arches is adorned with pillars of a fair work, between which, in the front of the building, are figured the wars, battles, and victories of Gustavus the Great: above the pillars are divers images, and above the middle of the porch is a large tablet, containing in letters of gold the original of Christina, her virtues, and the occasion of this monument. The whole building seems fair and stately, and as of stone, but in truth is only wood plastered over; rather a show, to please for a few years, than lasting. He also viewed many houses of stone and brick, some whereof were very fair and adorned with towers and figures, as those of Grave Magnus de la Gardie, Grave Gustavus Horne, General Bannier, and others, and many of them beautifully covered with copper.

In the afternoon Wrangel conducted Whitelocke to see the castle, which is also covered with copper; and that having lain there long, some Dutchmen are reported to have offered to give £10,000 for the copper, and to cover the castle again with new copper; the reason whereof they hold to be, because the copper which hath lain there so long with the sun upon it, is so refined thereby, and would yield so much gold, that it will yield what the Dutchmen bid for it and more, besides the charge of new covering it with copper as before.

This castle is the principal house in this principal city, belonging to the crown of Sweden; it is a large castle, more for conveniency of a Court than for stateliness of structure. It is almost four-square, one way longer than the other, all of brick, plastered over to make it seem as if it were of freestone, whereof there is not much in these parts fit for building; the entry into the castle is upon the north quarter; the south and east side is of fair building, four stories high, the windows not large. On the west of the quadrangle is the chapel, about a hundred and thirty feet in length, with the breadth proportionable; it is divided into three arches, upon two ranges of pillars of marble of this country, of divers colours, most in red streaks, handsome and polished. On the windows and walls are several pictures and images, after the manner of the Lutheran churches. The rooms in the castle are many, some of them large enough for the state of a Court, and most of those are two stories high, after the use of this country. The situation of the castle is pleasant and noble, by the side of the great water, upon which part of it is built, and the other part upon the island where it stands; and though of itself it be not of great strength, yet the situation, prospect of the waters, ships, vessels, islands, and buildings, on the one side, and of the country to the mountains on the other side, give it the repute of a princely palace.

In the castle Whitelocke was carried up to a room, a magazine, where were a very great number of muskets, pikes, swords, and other foot arms, excellent good, made in this country, of their own iron and steel, and kept exceeding clean, bright, and well fixed, and were said to be sufficient to arm ten thousand men completely. On the other side of the court they brought him to another room, where was a magazine of horse-arms, cuirassiers, with pistols, bright, well kept, and of an excellent make; there were also more foot-arms: in all, in this magazine, two thousand horse-arms, and five thousand foot-arms; and in the other magazine, ten thousand foot-arms. There were likewise colours, ensigns, and standards, taken from their enemies, to the number of about eight hundred; among them one taken by King Gustavus in person, and another, which Wrangel showed, that he had taken from the Duke of Saxony.

This city is doubtless as well provided of arms and all sorts of ammunition for war as any place in these parts of Europe, here being, besides the Queen’s stores in the public Arsenal, arms sufficient for fifty thousand men.

Here also they showed to Whitelocke the lance of the quintain, and, according to their description of it and its use, it seems to be the same with the exercise and recreation used anciently in England, and yet retained in some counties at their marriages, which they likewise call the running at the quintain. In a great hall they showed to Whitelocke the skin, stuffed out and standing in the full proportion, of the horse which the late King Gustavus rode when he was slain; also his bloody shirt which he then wore, which is carefully preserved in a chest; where they also keep the jewel which King Gustavus wore at his coronation, and many rich swords, battle-axes, and other spoils taken from their enemies.

May 25, 1654.

The launch of the ‘Falcon.’ Wrangel came to Whitelocke, and invited him to see the launching of one of their ships newly built for a man-of-war; and Whitelocke was the more curious to see the manner of it, and how they could do it, in regard they have no docks, nor ebbing and flowing of the water, which here is constantly even, and affords no advantage by flowing tides for the launching of their ships.

When Whitelocke came to the holm where the ship was to be launched, he found her with the keel set upon great planks of timber, the ship tied upright with cables, as if she were swimming; the planks upon which she stood lay shelving towards the water, and were all thick daubed with grease all along from the poop of the ship, and under her keel, to the water’s side, which was within the ship’s length of her head, and there the water was very deep. One strong cable held the ship from moving; and she lying thus shelving upon the planks, the cable which held her from sliding down was cut, and then the weight of the ship upon the sloping greased planks carried her with great violence down upon the planks into the sea, near a slight shoot, by force of the weight and swing wherewith she fell down. In the sea were boats ready, which came to her, and put men aboard her; and as she went off, a great shout of a multitude of people, standing by as spectators, was sent after her.

Wrangel, as an honour and compliment to Whitelocke, desired him to give the name to this ship. Whitelocke would have called her the ‘Wrangel,’ but the master of that name entreated it might not be so, possibly to avoid the envy of it at Court; but he desired it might be called the ’Whitelocke,’ which Whitelocke thought not expedient, lest it might argue too much height in himself; nor would he call her ‘Cromwell,’ or the ’Protector,’ because she carried but thirty guns; but seeing the mark of her guns to be the falcon, and asking whether they had any other ship of that name, they said, No; whereupon, the falcon being Whitelocke’s coat of arms and the mark of the ship’s guns, and she being built swifter of sail than ordinary, Whitelocke gave her the name of the ‘Falcon.’ This pleased Wrangel very much, and the seamen and workmen were most pleased with the gratuity which Whitelocke bestowed on them; and this ceremony and compliments being passed, Whitelocke gave many thanks to Wrangel for this honour, and so they parted.

The packet from England was brought to Whitelocke. Thurloe wrote thus:—

“I have acquainted his Highness with your Excellence’s letters received yesterday, wherein he takes little content, more than that he did on his part sincerely intend a peace and union with that Crown and Kingdom, and committed the management of it to a person who hath performed his trust with honour, wisdom, and fidelity. We hope that your instructions, giving you liberty to return, are by this time arrived, etc.”

By this packet Whitelocke also received letters from his wife, full of affection and piety, and from Colonel Bulstrode, his brother Wilson, Mr. Attorney Hall, Mr. Cokaine, Mr. Eltonhead, especially from his great friend Dr. Winston; and all of these letters, and several others which he received, were so many testimonies of the affection and hearty kindness of these his worthy friends.

May 26, 1654.

After Whitelocke had walked a tour in the Norden Mallum,—that is, the north suburbs of this city,—Sir George Fleetwood came to him, with whom he had much conversation in the latter time of his being in Sweden, both at Upsal and in this town, who showed much kindness and respect to Whitelocke. He informed Whitelocke that by letters from Upsal he understood that the Ricksdag had given leave to the Queen to go to Colmar, which signified that she could not go without their leave, and that she would find much difference between commanding as a Queen and obeying as a subject, and that, by the law of this kingdom, no Queen can depart out of it without leave of the Ricksdag, on forfeiture of all her estate.

Whitelocke’s shipment of copper sent to London. A ship called the ‘Swart Hundt’ was by the Queen’s command appointed and fitted to carry Whitelocke’s copper and other goods from hence to England. By advice of friends, Whitelocke under his hand and seal desired Sir George Fleetwood to consign the copper to Whitelocke’s brother-in-law, Mr. Wilson. The desire was thus:—

“I Bulstrode Whitelocke, Constable of the Castle of Windsor, one of the Lords Commissioners of the Great Seal of England, and Ambassador Extraordinary from his Most Serene Highness the Lord Protector of the Commonwealth of England, Scotland, and Ireland, unto her Majesty the Queen of Sweden, do hereby desire my honourable friend, Sir George Fleetwood, Knight, General-Major under the Crown of Sweden, to ship and consign unto Mr. Samuel Wilson, merchant in London, in Bishopsgate-street, two hundred ship-pound, Swedish weight, of gore copper; the which the said Mr. Samuel Wilson is to receive and dispose of according to my order. Dated at Stockholm, in Sweden, the 26th day of May, 1654.

“B. Whitelocke.“

According to which warrant, the copper was put on board the ‘Swart Hundt,’ fitted and victualled for England. Of Whitelocke’s ship, Whitelocke gave the command and charge, and of his goods therein, to one of his servants, Taylor, by commission under his hand and seal, and to bring his copper and goods in her from hence to London, as soon as he could, wind and weather favouring. Wrangel procured this ship for Whitelocke, and a pass from the Admiralty of Sweden for her to go through the Sound; and Whitelocke thought it better to see this ship on her voyage, than to leave the sending of her away to the care of others after his departure.

His goods embarked in the Amarantha. Whitelocke sent the rest of his goods and baggage on board the ’Amarantha,’ which weighed yesterday, and he hoped might by this time be within four leagues of the Dollars; but the wind came contrary for her advance any further, and Whitelocke must continue here till he could understand that his ship was gotten to the Dollars, which is fourteen Swedish leagues from this city, but may be gone in six or seven hours by boats in a shorter passage. His stay here seemed tedious to Whitelocke. This day the wind coming about a little towards the east, increased his hopes of getting away, for which they were in daily expectation.

The trade of Stockholm. By some merchants and others of this city, Whitelocke learned what was the commerce of this town, and by his own view he found it to be commodiously seated for trade and to receive all the commodities of the country’s growth, which are brought hither by water; and it is the more convenient because the greatest ships may come up to the very houses and there load and unload their merchandises, never wanting water, which there is always deep, and equal in the height of it. But this city is somewhat far distant from the sea by water, so that before the ships can go between the sea and the town, they must fetch a compass of about one hundred English miles, with the danger of many rocks and islands in the way; and they must have also divers winds which are hindrances to their commerce.

The present Queen hath been curious to invite hither and to entertain many good artists, yet everything here is very dear, except the native commodities; and now Gothenburg, growing up in trade, being situate without the Sound, a more open and easy place for access of strangers,—some believe that by the growth of that, this port may be diminished. It is the better supported by the Court being commonly kept here, and consequently being the residence of the principal nobility and officers. Some courts of justice constantly, and the Ricksdag generally, being held in this city, increase the trade of it; and this being a good road for ships to defend them from injuries of weather or other dangers, makes it the more frequented.

Plenty of provisions are brought to this town for the supply of it; and most of their native commodities, as copper, iron, pitch, tar, deal, masts, and the rest, are brought hither and here shipped and transported into foreign parts; from whence their merchants and strangers do bring to this northern market all manner of merchandise here vendible; and from hence again they are vended to all the northern and eastern parts of this country, whereby their trade and wealth is also increased, so that one of their authors calls it, “Celeberrimum ac nobilissimum Septentrionis emporium.” The trade of this place hath brought and settled here as inhabitants,—besides Swedes, Goths, Fins, and Laplanders,—divers of Germans, of Pomerland, Mecklenburg, Westphalia, etc.; also English, Scotch, French, Dutch, and almost of every country of Europe. Some are here now become citizens, and are treated with justice and civility by the natives, to the end that they and others may be the more encouraged to add to the riches, strength, and trade of this place.

May 27, 1654.

Detained by contrary winds. Whitelocke visited Sir George Fleetwood at his lodging in Stockholm, and finding with him Vice-Admiral Thysen and Peterson, both Hollanders and in service of the Crown, Whitelocke brought them all home with him to dinner, and advised with them about his voyage. The wind came more contrary to Whitelocke this day than yesterday, but he knew no other way but a patient submission to the will and time of God. Here he bestowed on a German clock sixty-two rix-dollars.

The government of Stockholm. From some of the magistrates and others of this city Whitelocke learned that the government thereof is by four Councils, and a Senate of the citizens, as their Common Council, consisting of twenty-four chosen yearly in this month by suffrage of the inhabitants, and justice is administered to the people by them in like manner as in other cities. Besides these officers there is a Castellan, or governor of the castle of Stockholm, who, by a peculiar authority over the city, takes care of the walls and buildings thereof, as he doth of the castle and other the King’s buildings there. He is to defend the privileges of the town, and is chief in their political administration. He also orders and keeps up the revenue and trade, and suffers not the royalties of the Crown to be diminished, nor any of the public treasure, without the license of the King, to be expended. He is always one of the Ricks-Senators, and hath joined to him a Vice-Castellan, of the equestrian order, who is chief in the judgements of the city within the Senate and Councils, and is intent to the execution of justice.

The defence of Stockholm. The strength of this city is chiefly in the situation of it among the waters, which are no small defence, and in the bodies of their inhabitants, who make a considerable number of the soldiery, many of whom have been in foreign service. The Castellan commandeth them, sees their musters, and that they be provided with arms and in a posture of defence; and under the Castellan is a captain, who hath the military charge next under him. The main body of the town hath somewhat of a wall about it, but the suburbs and other islands are encircled with the waters, with bridges for communication.

The castle is of indifferent strength, and notably provided of arms and ammunition, as is before remembered, which adds to the strength and safety as well as command of the city. They have not a formed garrison in the town; but divers companies of the King’s guards, when the Court is there, and sometimes of other regiments of the army, are quartered there, as occasions do require. The castle commands a good part of the town, and may be as a citadel upon any emergent business; and in case of any troubles at sea, the ships of war lie here in readiness forthwith to be manned, are provided with ammunition, provisions, and all things necessary for the defence and safeguard of this port and city from any attempts which may by sea be made against it.

Whitelocke made up his despatches for England, and now dated his second letters from Stockholm, attending for a wind.

May 28, 1654.

The Lord’s Day.—Whitelocke, according to his custom, had a good sermon in his lodging preached by one of his chaplains in the morning, and another good sermon preached there in the afternoon by Mr. Biger, a Scotch minister, and chaplain to Sir George Fleetwood, then with him. In this city Whitelocke observed the inhabitants very orderly to frequent their parish churches, and not so much profanation of this day in this place as he had seen at Upsal, and other places in the country.

May 29, 1654.

Sir G. Fleetwood returns to the King’s coronation at Upsal. Whitelocke with longing desires attended the coming about of the wind for his voyage; but he must stay God’s time, which is always best. He could not persuade Sir George Fleetwood to stay longer with him. He thought it necessary for him to go to Upsal, to be present at the King’s coronation; and at his request Whitelocke sent by him to Wrangel this letter:—

“A son Excellence le Feld-Maréchal Wrangel à Upsale.

“Monsieur,

“Je n’ai pu retenir plus longtemps le Général Major Fleetwood avec moi, son désir le portait si fort de se trouver à Upsale, au couronnement, de crainte qu’il ne semblerait négligent, et manquer à son devoir envers son Altesse Royale; mais la raison de ce qu’il a présenté ma requête à votre Excellence est qu’il vous plaise moyenner envers son Altesse Royale, afin qu’il retourne à Stockholm; et que je puisse jouir de sa compagnie jusqu’à mon départ, qui en apparence sera différé plus longtemps que je ne le souhaiterais, à raison de la contrariété des vents.

“Je supplie votre Excellence de me faire la faveur de baiser en mon nom les mains de sa Majesté et de son Altesse Royale, et d’accepter, pour tant de faveurs que votre Excellence m’a faites, tant à Upsale qu’en ce lieu, les actions de grâce de celui qui est,

“Monsieur, à votre Excellence

“Très-humble serviteur,

“B. Whitelocke.

“Stockholm, May 29, 1654.”

Berkman went from hence 17th May at night, and returned this morning hither, and brought to Whitelocke this letter:—

Lagerfeldt’s letter on the Swedish prizes. “Illustrissimo Domino Domino Bulstrode Whitelocke, Extraordinario Reipublicæ Angliæ in Sueciam Legato, officiocissimè.

“Illustrissime et Excellentissime Domine Legate,

“Quanquam valde dubitem, an Excellentiam vestram hæ litteræ in Sueciam inveniant, nolui tamen, accepta hac occasione, vel meo officio deesse, vel refragari quorundam Suecorum petitioni, nam cum naves duæ Suecicæ, quarum naucleri Bonders et Sibrand follis vocantur, nuper ceptæ et in Angliam delatæ sint, sperant fore, ut, per hanc meam intercessionem, cum primis autem per benevolam Excellentiæ vestræ commendationem, quantocius dimittantur. Nisi igitur mihi satis perspecta esset Excellentiæ vestræ integritas, pluribus ab ea contenderem, ut dictarum aliarumque detentarum in Anglia Suecicarum navium liberationem, atque per se æquam ac amicitiæ fœderique mutuo conformem sibi haberet commendatam; sufficit nunc saltem indicâsse Excellentiæ vestræ, quippe cui nihil jucundius esse scio, quam ut amicæ confœderatæque gentes, sancta fidei justitiæque observantia, inter se strictius colligentur. De cætero Excellentiæ vestræ felicem in patriam reditum exopto, ut me nostrumque Barkmannum officiose commendo. Dabam Upsaliæ, 27 Maii, anno 1654.

“Excellentiæ vestræ

“Ad quævis officia paratissimus,

“Israel Lagerfeldt.”

In the evening Whitelocke walked abroad to take the air, the time of his stay here being very tedious to him, attending for a good wind, that he might proceed in his longed-for return to his native country and relations; but he submitted to the good pleasure of God, who orders all times and seasons and all things for the best. At night the wind came about a little towards the east, favouring his voyage.

May 30, 1654.

Preparations for departure. The wind continued this morning, as it was last night, easterly, but not sufficing for Whitelocke to go on his voyage. The Vice-Admiral Clerke coming to Whitelocke, he advised with him touching his voyage, and asked him if he thought the ‘Amarantha’ might with this wind be gotten to the Dollars. He answered that there could be no assurance thereof, but that possibly it might be so; whereupon Whitelocke replied, that he had a great desire to go down himself to the Dollars, before the news came of the ‘Amarantha’s’ arrival there, because the wind might come good, and within six hours carry them out to the open sea, which, if neglected, might retard their voyage fifteen days or more. Clerke said that if Whitelocke desired to do so, that he would not advise him to the contrary, but he believed that this might expedite his voyage; only he said that Whitelocke must be content to lie on board the ship till the wind should come fair, because there was no accommodation to be had for him and his company at the Dollars. Whitelocke said he should be well contented to lie on ship-board, and prayed Clerke to cause boats to be provided for his passage to the Dollars the next day, and ordered his officers and servants to prepare all things in readiness for his departure accordingly. Wrangel came back this night from Upsal, and several other persons, though very late, having staid the solemnity of the Queen’s resignation and the coronation of the new King, which they related to Whitelocke to be done this day, and in this manner and solemnity.

Relation of the ceremony of the Queen’s resignation. About nine o’clock this morning the Queen, being attired in her royal apparel and robes of purple velvet, with her crown upon her head, and attended by all her officers and servants, came into the room prepared for that occasion, where was set a table with a rich carpet, and five great cushions laid upon it. Most of the grandees and officers were present.

Upon one of the cushions was laid the sword of state; upon the second cushion was laid the sceptre; upon the third cushion was laid the ball; and upon the fourth cushion were laid the keys.

The Queen being come into the room, after a little pause made a short speech to the company, to this effect:—

“My Lords and Gentlemen,

“You have before this time been acquainted with my resolution to resign the crown and government of this kingdom into the hands of my most dear cousin the Prince, here present with me, upon my earnest request to the Ricksdag, now convened. After long debates and much solicitation to dissuade me from it, yet at length, though unwillingly, they have assented to this my resolution; and I am now come to put the same in execution before all these honourable witnesses here present; and to you, my most dear cousin, I do heartily wish all happiness and good success in the management of the public affairs of this kingdom.”

Having thus spoken, the Queen desired that some of them would take the crown from off her head, but none would do it; she then called to Grave Tott and the Baron Steinberg, expressly commanding them to do it, but they refused, till again earnestly commanded by her; they then took the crown from off her Majesty’s head, and laid it down upon the fifth cushion on the table. After that was done, some others, by her command, took off the royal robes with which she was clothed and laid them down upon the table. Then the Queen, having thus divested herself of these ensigns of royalty and resigned her crown, being now in her private habit, made courtesy to the Prince and to the rest of the company, and retired into her own chamber,—an act of a strange constancy and fixedness of resolution, going through with this great work of her own abdication without the least outward show of reluctancy for what she had done, but with the same behaviour and confidence as at all other times in her particular and private affairs.314

For this act of the Queen’s resignation they had no precedent; for the solemnity of the King’s coronation they had many; and the same is at large, with all the circumstances and ceremonies thereof, set down by one of their authors, Wexionius (Epit. Descriptionis Sueciæ, lib. v. c. 6), from which the ceremonies of this Coronation were not much different, and thus shortly related unto Whitelocke.

Ceremony of the King’s coronation. After the Queen was withdrawn to her private chamber, the Ricks-officers and senators humbly desired the Prince that he would be pleased to walk to the Cathedral Church, where the Archbishop and other prelates were ready to attend his Royal Highness, and to perform the solemnities of his coronation. The whole company went thither in this order. The officers and servants of the Court went first in a very great number, together with many officers of the army and other gentlemen. After them came the nobility, the gentlemen, barons, and earls, members of the Ricksdag; then followed the Ricks-Senators, two and two, in rank. After them came the five Ricks-officers: first, the Ricks-Schatzmaster, or High Treasurer, who carried the keys; next to him, the Ricks-Chancellor, who carried the globe; after him came the Ricks-Admiral, who carried the sceptre; then one in the place of the Feldherr, or General, who carried the sword; and lastly the Ricks-Droitset, or Chief Justice, who carried the crown. After the Chief Justice came the King himself, in his ordinary habit, with a huge troop following him, and the windows and streets crowded with multitudes of people. The guards and soldiers stood in their arms as the company passed by.

Being thus come to the Cathedral, at the door stood the Archbishop with a horn of oil in his hand, accompanied with other bishops, superintendents, and many clergymen. He received the Prince at the church door, and conducted him up to the high altar, where they had prayers, and then the Archbishop anointed the Prince with the oil. They put upon him the royal apparel, put the crown upon his head, the sceptre in his right hand, and the ball into his left hand, and so he was invested into the royal dignity, and declared, with all his titles, King of Swedes, Goths, and Vandals, etc.; drums, trumpets, and loud acclamations of the people adding to the proclaiming of their new King. Not many days past they laboured to hinder the doing of it; now they shout for joy that it is done. Thus are the minds and practice of the multitude, whom nothing pleaseth long,—nothing more than novelty.

The ceremonies being performed at the Cathedral, the new King, with all his new subjects and servants, returned from thence into the castle in the same order as he came hither. By the way he was saluted with the loud acclamations of the people, “God save the King!” Thus coming to his Court as he entered it, the abdicated Queen looks out of her window, and with a cheerful countenance and voice heard by the company she wished her cousin joy of his crown and government. The King retires for a while to his private chamber, then is called forth to a sumptuous feast, where most of the nobility and senators did attend upon him and rejoice with him, and afterwards did swear fealty, homage, and allegiance to him.

But this relation was not so pleasing to Whitelocke as the thoughts of his departure from this place, and his longing to proceed in his voyage homewards.

May 31, 1654.

Whitelocke takes boat and leaves the shore; The ‘Swart Hundt’ set sail this morning with Whitelocke’s goods and copper, Taylor commanding her, and Swedes mariners in her; the wind was come about indifferent good, for his and for his master’s voyage. Wrangel and Clerke affording Whitelocke their company at dinner, he advised with them what time of the day would be best for him to go from hence. Clerke said that the boats would be ready after dinner to transport him from hence to the Dollars, whither he hoped that by this time the ‘Amarantha’ might be come. He and Wrangel advised Whitelocke not to go on board the boats till six or seven o’clock in the evening, to avoid the heat of the day, and to enjoy the benefit of the cool of the night, which was better to be endured than the extremity of the heat of the day, especially upon the water; and the heat some affirmed to be at this time as violent in this country as it is in Spain or Italy. Whitelocke found it now as much hotter than England as it is colder in the winter.

About seven o’clock in the evening Whitelocke left his lodging, where they made him pay as an Ambassador Extraordinary. For the use of the house, only for eleven days, they made him pay a hundred and sixty rix-dollars; for his victuals, but one meal a day, without any dainties, they exacted above a thousand rix-dollars. Such is their unconscionable exaction upon strangers. It was time to leave them, and Whitelocke being called by Wrangel and Clerke, he went to prayers with his company, recommending themselves to the protection and blessing of God; and presently after prayers he and all his people went to the water-side, multitudes by the way saluting him with respect as he passed by, and crowding to see him take boat.

He went into a galley of the Queen’s attending for him. Most of his gentlemen and Clerke were with him in the galley; the rest of his company went in a great boat provided for them. This galley had two masts bearing the Queen’s colours in silk. In the hinder part of it was a room with a table and benches round about it, the table covered with crimson velvet, the benches with red cloth, and tapestry upon the floor. The room held about ten persons; the outward room about twelve men, besides the watermen for sixteen oars. At her head she carried two small pieces of ordnance, which they fired at loosing from the harbour, and the ships of war fired as they passed by. They went on in a great deep water, sometimes very broad, sometimes more narrow, on the sides whereof were huge rocks, and here and there little trees growing out of the clefts of them, with small heaps of earth lying on them, but they increase not much in that soil.

Many rocks all along on the shores, and islands of rocks, with the smell of the fir-trees on them, was a variety for strangers; and the water being calm, they made use only of their oars. The trumpets sounding where the rocks were most uneven and made concavities, gave much delight by the resounding of seven or eight echoes to one sound. Yet the multitudes of craggy rocks of vast greatness and huge tallness, with their uneven heads and ragged sides, filling all the shores and making many islands, and those causing no small danger in the passage, appeared, especially at first and to the younger seamen, very dreadful and amazing; but after a little acquaintance with them, and constant being in their company, and the seamen knowing the passage, caused the less fear, and the sevenfold answering echoes, as if they had been so many trumpets, gave delight to the hearers, with some admiration of that multiplying sound. But their cheerfulness was increased by meeting with a boat about two Swedish miles from Stockholm, whose men informed Whitelocke that the ‘Amarantha’ was that day come into the Dollars, which good news added hopes and spirit to the company of advancing in their voyage towards their longed-for country; and the night seemed the less tedious by discoursing of this providence, that, the same day that Whitelocke came away, his ship should fall down to be ready to meet him, and not sooner, and whereof he knew nothing beforehand.

Clerke informed Whitelocke of the places by which they passed, and the condition of the country. They came into a very narrow way and straits, about a bow-shot in length, where a great vessel could not pass, both for want of breadth and depth of water, the greater boat with Whitelocke striking the sands as she passed over. This way was to get into the road and channel for the ships from Stockholm to the Dollars, which is near twenty Swedish miles for the ships to go about. From this strait they came again into deep water, environed as before with rocks, and full of islands.

and reaches his ship at the Dollars. When they were within a mile of the Dollars, the wind came about to east and north-east, very fair and good to carry them out to sea, whereas before it was flat against them. Hereupon Whitelocke took occasion, the wind being now good, to order his galley to make way forthright to the ’Amarantha’ without going on shore at all, which was done, although it seemed long at the latter end of the way, the company weary, and the watermen tired with rowing, though they did not at all row with that nimbleness and mettle as the English use to do.

When Whitelocke departed from Stockholm the wind was contrary to him; after he was certified by the boat which he met that the ‘Amarantha’ was in the Dollars, the wind suddenly changed and was fair for him, and after this providence they came in good time to the ship, the tedious passage of the night being over, wherein Whitelocke slept upon the boards and in the open air,—hardship enough for one of his age and condition, but God was his protection.