Gr.  Eric. I believe your customs and ours had the same original.

Wh. I find much resemblance between them and yours.  What do you call the twelve that laid their hands on the spear?

Gr.  Eric. We call them the twelve witnesses (les douze temoins).

Wh. What do you call the spear or pike which the gentleman held?

Gr.  Eric. We call it weppun.

Wh. We have the same word, weapon, for all manner of arms and warlike instruments.  What do you call the laying of their hands upon the spear?

Gr.  Eric. We call it tack,—­weppun-tack, to touch the spear.

Wh. We have also the word tack, for touching; and we have, in the northern parts of England, a particular precinct or territory which we call a Wapentake, and a territorial court of justice there which we call a Wapentake Court; and a very learned gentleman from whom I received letters in my last packet, Selden, derives the name of Wapentake from weapon and tack; and saith they used to come to that court with their weapons, and to touch one another’s weapons, from whence came the appellation of Wapentake.

Gr.  Eric. Tacitus observes that at the public assemblies and councils of the Germans, they used to meet with their weapons, and when anything was said that pleased them they would touch one another’s spears or weapons, and thereby make a noise, to testify their consent and approbation.

Wh. Your ceremony of laying down the spear at the feet of the bride puts me in mind of another passage in Tacitus, ‘De Moribus Germanorum;’ that when a man was married, he used to bring his arms and lay them at the feet of his bride, to signify that he would not take them up nor go forth to war, being newly married, without the leave of his wife, to whom he had now given the command of himself and of his arms.

Gr.  Eric. Our customs and those of the ancient Germans have much resemblance; but I never heard so good observations upon the ceremonies of a wedding as your Excellence hath made.

Wh. I am delighted with these antiquities; but your Excellence shows your opinion to be that of a brother.

From Grave Eric, Whitelocke went to visit the Senator Schuett, and Lynde, who lodged in one house, and met him at the door; and this day he made seven visits, besides his attendance upon the Queen, hastening to get over these matters of compliment and ceremony, that he might be upon his journey to Stockholm.

May 16, 1654.

[SN:  Whitelocke entertains a party of ladies.]

Whitelocke visited General Douglas, who had been to visit him before, and now showed great respect unto him, and gave him many thanks for the English horse which Whitelocke had bestowed on him.  After this, Whitelocke visited the Ricks-Admiral and the Senators Rosenhau and Bundt.