with the Prince about this treaty, whereunto Whitelocke showed no averseness.

Treacherous reports to England. Whitelocke received his packet of two weeks from England. In a letter from his wife he was advertised that the Protector had spoken of his voyage to Sweden as if Whitelocke had not merited much by it, though he so earnestly persuaded it; and his wife wrote that she believed one of Whitelocke’s family was false to him; and upon inquiry she suspected it to be ——, who gave intelligence to the Protector of all Whitelocke’s words and actions in Sweden, to his prejudice, and very unbeseeming one of his family. This Whitelocke, comparing with some passages told him by his secretary of the same person, found there was cause enough to suspect him; yet to have one such among a hundred he thought no strange thing, nor for the Protector to alter his phrase when his turn was served. And though this gave ground enough of discontent to Whitelocke, yet he thought not fit to discover it, nor what other friends had written to him, doubting whether he should be honourably dealt with at his return home; but he was more troubled to hear of his wife’s sickness, for whose health and his family’s he made his supplication to the great Physician; and that he might be as well pleased with a private retirement, if God saw it good for him, at his return home, as the Queen seemed to be with her design of abdication from the heights and glories of a crown.

Part of the letters to Whitelocke were in cipher, being directions to him touching the Sound. He had full intelligence of all passages of the Dutch treaty, and a copy of the articles, from Thurloe; also the news of Scotland, Ireland, France, and the letters from the Dutch Resident here to his superiors in Holland, copies whereof Thurloe by money had procured. He wrote also of the Protector’s being feasted by the City, and a full and large relation of all passages of moment. The Protector himself wrote also his letters to Whitelocke under his own hand, which were thus:—

March 3, 1653.

The son of Oxenstiern formerly sent to England. Grave John Oxenstiern, eldest son of the Chancellor, came to visit Whitelocke; a Ricks-Senator, and had been Ricks-Schatz-master, or High Treasurer, a place next in honour to that of his father. He had been formerly ambassador from this Crown to England; but because he was sent by the Chancellor his father, and the other Directors of the affairs of Sweden in the Queen’s minority, which King Charles and his Council took not to be from a sovereign prince; and because his business touching the Prince Elect’s settlement, and the affairs of Germany relating to Sweden, did not please our King; therefore this gentleman was not treated here with that respect and solemnity as he challenged to be due to him as an ambassador; which bred a distaste in him and his father against the King and Council here, as neglecting the father and the good offices which he tendered to King Charles and this nation, by slighting the son and his quality.

The discourse between this Grave and Whitelocke was not long, though upon several matters; and he seemed to be sent to excuse the delay of the treaty with Whitelocke, for which he mentioned former reasons, as his father’s want of health, multiplicity of business, the expected issue of the Dutch treaty, and the like; and the same excuses were again repeated by Lagerfeldt, who came to Whitelocke from the Chancellor for the same purpose.

Whitelocke had occasion to look into his new credentials and instructions from the Protector, which were thus.

The following instructions were under the hand and private seal of the Protector:—