dealt with the master of the ship for a little stay, he soon found out a pretence to go on shore, and neglected not to hasten back again with his provision of cherries, and to find out a way of distributing a large share of them to her that longed for them.  After which they happily set sail and arrived in Sweden, where, by articles between the two Crowns, those in his condition have sanctuary and protection.”

In the afternoon Whitelocke went to Court, where he met with Canterstein, who excused himself that he had not yet brought to Whitelocke the Queen’s letters of full power to her Commissioners, which he said the Queen had signed two days before, and that he had been sick, otherwise he had delivered them before this time.  Whitelocke asked him if his recredentials were prepared.  He said they were ready for the Queen to sign when she pleased, and that nothing in his charge concerning Whitelocke should receive any delay by his occasion.  Whitelocke gave him thanks for his care, and promised his remuneration.

[SN:  Whitelocke entertains the Queen on May-day.]

This being May-day, Whitelocke, according to the invitation he had made to the Queen, put her in mind of it, that, as she was his mistress, and this May-day, he was, by the custom of England, to wait upon her to take the air, and to treat her with some little collation, as her servant.  The Queen said the weather was very cold, yet she was very willing to bear him company after the English mode.  With the Queen were Woolfeldt, Tott, and five of her ladies.  Whitelocke brought them to his collation, which he had commanded his servants to prepare in the best manner they could, and altogether after the English fashion.

At the table with the Queen sat “la Belle Comtesse,” the Countess Gabrielle Oxenstiern, Woolfeldt, Tott, and Whitelocke; the other ladies sat in another room.  Their meat was such fowl as could be gotten, dressed after the English fashion and with English sauces, creams, puddings, custards, tarts, tansies, English apples, bon chretien pears, cheese, butter, neats’ tongues, potted venison, and sweetmeats brought out of England, as his sack and claret also was.  His beer was also brewed and his bread made by his own servants in his house, after the English manner; and the Queen and her company seemed highly pleased with this treatment.  Some of her company said she did eat and drink more at it than she used to do in three or four days at her own table.

The entertainment was as full and noble as the place would afford and as Whitelocke could make it, and so well ordered and contrived that the Queen said she had never seen any like it.  She was pleased so far to play the good housewife as to inquire how the butter could be so fresh and sweet, and yet brought out of England.  Whitelocke, from his cooks, satisfied her Majesty’s inquiry, that they put the salt butter into milk, where it lay all night, and the next day it would eat fresh and sweet as this did,