Whitelocke. Do you expect the arrival of the Prince here on Friday next?

Mast.  Cer. The Queen is not assured of his arrival that day, but she will go out on horseback, accompanied with all her nobility, to meet him.

Wh. Will it be expected that I go out likewise to meet him?

Mast.  Cer. That cannot be, because it will be after your last audience, and when you have taken your leave of the Queen, so that you cannot then appear in public nor in any public action, because it will be to present yourself before those of whom you had taken your leave before.

Wh. But after my last audience I may in private see the Queen?

Mast.  Cer. Yes, for that is but a particular visit; and so you may visit any of your friends after your last audience.

Wh. I intend likewise to salute the Prince after my last audience.

Mast.  Cer. You may do it, because it will be but a particular visit.

Wh. I hope his Royal Highness will treat me with the same civility and respect as he useth to any other ambassador.

Mast.  Cer. That he will infallibly do.  Monsieur Chanut, the French Ambassador, when he was in this Court, did always give the right hand to the Prince after the proposal had been made of declaring him Prince-heritier of the crown, though the Ricksdag had not then confirmed it.  But Chanut made difficulty of it at the Prince’s lodging, because he was not the son of a king, yet afterwards he did it both there and elsewhere.

Wh. There is more reason for me now to do it, because the proposal is to be made of investing him with the Crown.  What was the manner of the Prince’s reception of Chanut, where did he meet Chanut at his coming, and how far did he go with him at his taking leave?

Mast.  Cer. The Prince received Chanut at the door of the chamber where he had his audience; and when the Ambassador went away, the Prince brought him to the same place and no further; and I believe he will give the same respect to your Excellence, and as much to you as to any public minister.

Wh. I can desire no more.

May 10, 1654.

[SN:  Whitelocke attends a wedding at Court.]

Lagerfeldt came to Whitelocke and acquainted him that there was a special article to be agreed upon touching the business of Guinea, which the Queen and the Chancellor were willing might proceed for the despatch of Whitelocke, and that Grave Eric would have come to him about it, but that he was ill and had taken physic.  He told Whitelocke that the Queen said he might have his last audience that day if he pleased; but if he would be present at the solemnity of the nuptials which were this evening to be celebrated at Court between the Baron Horne and the Lady Sparre, and if he desired to see the assembling of the Ricksdag tomorrow, then it would be requisite to defer his audience till Friday,