General Douglas, the Ricks-Admiral, and Senator Bielke, also visited Whitelocke this evening while Vanderlin was with him; they discoursed of the discontent which the Dutch Resident expressed before his going away, because more respect was shown to Whitelocke by the Queen and Prince, and by the Senators and great men here, than they had shown to the Dutch Resident, who said he was a public minister as well as the English Ambassador.  Whitelocke said it was true, as the Dutch Resident had remembered, that he was a public minister; and it might be supposed, that being so, he should understand the difference between a Resident and an Ambassador Extraordinary; and also between the Commonwealth of the United Provinces of the Netherlands, and that of England, Scotland, and Ireland.  The Swedish Lords replied, that if the Dutch Resident did not understand it, nor himself, that yet it was sufficiently known in this place, and that the Resident was but laughed at for his exceptions, as being without cause, and showing his want of experience in matters of this nature.

After the Ricks-Admiral and Bielke were gone, Vanderlin and Douglas staid with Whitelocke and used great freedom of discourse with him, expressing extraordinary respect to the Protector and Commonwealth of England, and very much affection and kindness to Whitelocke, in whom they expressed great confidence.  They staid with him till past twelve o’clock at night, inconvenient in respect of his intended journey the next day; but their company was very pleasing, and they took leave with great civility and kindness from each to other of them.

May 20, 1654.

[SN:  Whitelocke commences his journey back to England.]

Whitelocke began his longed-for journey of return to England.  He had taken his leave of the Queen, Prince, Senators, and all his friends in Upsal.  His business, through the goodness of God, was successfully despatched; himself and all his people in good health, and exceeding joyful to be on their journey homewards.  He left not a penny of debt to any in this country, nor any unrewarded who had done him service; for his hospitality, wherein no ambassador in this Court ever exceeded him, for his conversation and dealing with all sorts of people, he had gained their love, and left no ill name behind him.  The greatest part of his baggage, and most of his inferior servants, were on board a great hoy of the Queen’s, to go by water to Stockholm; he and the rest of his people went by land, in order to which, upon his desire, the Hof-Stallmaster, by the Queen’s command, had sent yesterday six coach-horses to be ready in the midway from Upsal to Stockholm, and this morning he sent six other horses with Whitelocke’s blue coach to his lodging, to carry him the first half way of this day’s journey, driven by the Queen’s coachman.

Berkman had provided a sufficient number of saddle-horses, if they might be so called, he having forgot to cause saddles to be brought with them for Whitelocke’s people, so that most of them were forced to make shift with straw and cushions instead of saddles; and many of the bits and stirrups were such as they had been acquainted with in their journey from Gothenburg hither; and thus they rode the two first stages.