Piementelle sent to Whitelocke an atlas, in four great volumes, in acknowledgment of a vessel of Spanish wine which Whitelocke had before sent to him for a present.

March 7, 1653.

The Governor of Upsal, Monsieur Bannier, presented to Whitelocke three Latin books:—­1.  The Story of Sweden; 2.  Of the Laws of Sweden; 3.  Of Sea Affairs; which were not ordinarily to be had.

[SN:  Whitelocke takes the air with the Queen.]

The Queen sent one of her servants to invite Whitelocke to take the air with her in the fields; and being come to the castle, she excused her not being yet ready to confer with him upon his articles, as she had promised, but told him that she had ordered something to be written down on that subject to show to him.  She took him into her coach, where was the “Belle Comtesse,” the Countess Gabriel Oxenstiern, Prince Adolphus, Piementelle, Montecuculi, Tott, and Whitelocke.  The Queen was very merry, and they were full of cheerful discourse.  Being returned to the castle at night, she desired to hear Whitelocke’s music, whom he sent for to the castle; and they played and sang in her presence, wherewith she seemed much pleased, and desired Whitelocke to thank them in her name.  She said she never heard so good a concert of music, and of English songs; and desired Whitelocke, at his return to England, to procure her some to play on those instruments which would be most agreeable to her.

[SN:  The Chancellor falls ill.]

Lagerfeldt came to Whitelocke in the Court, and told him that the Chancellor intended to have had a meeting with him this day, but was hindered by falling sick of an ague; but in case his health would not permit him to meet, that then his son Eric Oxenstiern, by the Queen’s appointment, would meet and confer with Whitelocke about the treaty in place of his father.  But Whitelocke was not glad of this deputation, wishing much rather to confer with the old man upon this subject, who was good-natured, civil, and affectionate to Whitelocke, than with the son, Grave Eric, who was of a more rugged and self-conceited humour, and not so soon gained by reason and convinced by arguments as the good old man his father used to be.

March 8, 1653.

[SN:  The Chancellor’s son resumes the negotiation.]

Grave Eric Oxenstiern visited Whitelocke, and spake much to excuse the delay of his treaty; and said that his father was very sick of an ague, and he believed the Queen would depute some other to confer with him, in case his father’s health would not permit him that liberty.

Whitelocke. I am very sorry for the indisposition of your{1} father, and for the delay of my business.  I have been here about three months, and nothing is yet concluded.

Gr.  Eric. The uncertainty of your Dutch affair, and the Queen’s desire to know the issue of it, hath occasioned this delay.

Wh. As the points of amity and commerce, they concern not our Dutch treaty.