Lagerfeldt told Whitelocke that the Queen was willing to present him with some of this country’s commodities, as copper, to carry with him into England, if it would be as acceptable to him as other presents of diamonds and the like; and he said he hoped there was no order of the Commonwealth of England to forbid the receiving of such presents by their public ministers.  He said, that formerly he asked of Monsieur Chanut, the French Ambassador here, if he would accept a present of copper, and he willingly accepted it, and carried it with him, saying, that he rather desired copper than diamonds or jewels, because he could better sell the copper than jewels, and make money of it.

Whitelocke said, that whatsoever her Majesty pleased to bestow on him should be welcome to him, and that he liked the commodities of this country as well as those of the Indies, and that for Chanut’s reason.  He said that the Protector had not forbid him to receive any testimonies of the Queen’s respect to him, as she used to do to all public ministers; that the order of the Commonwealth forbidding gifts or presents to public ministers was not now in force; that he thought her Majesty’s bounty to him, and his justification of the acceptance of it, might be the more from such valuable presents as her Majesty had done him the honour to receive from him, and his intention to bestow all his horses upon her, and such as she would appoint, which, for the honour of the Commonwealth, he would not sell.

April 30, 1654.

[SN:  Whitelocke accepts a present of copper.]

Berkman and Monsieur Bloome dined with Whitelocke, and took occasion to magnify the respects of the Chancellor and his son, Grave Eric, to the Protector and to Whitelocke, who was not backward to join in those eulogies, and to acknowledge the respects.  Berkman said that Canterstein was to bring some writings to Whitelocke, and that Lagerfeldt had spoken to the Queen to present Whitelocke with some copper; that she had given order for two hundred ship-pound of copper to be brought from the mines to Stockholm, to be put aboard Whitelocke’s ship, ready to be carried away with him; that every ship-pound was here worth forty dollars, and was as much as three hundred English pounds, which he cast up in the whole to the value of about L2500 sterling.  And Whitelocke was satisfied in his own conscience that he might honourably receive it, having given to the Queen as many presents already as were worth L1000, and engaged to her his horses, which were worth about L2000 more, besides the gifts and gratuities which he had liberally given, and intended to give, to the Queen’s servants and officers; and that, in recompense of above L3000 given away, he might well receive a present of the value of L2500.

Grave Leonhough visited Whitelocke, and had much discourse with him, not so proper for this day.

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