Within this island is the office of the Admiralty, in a fair brick house built for that purpose; in another building there are the forges for all the iron-work belonging to the ships; there also are the timber yards, well stored, and places for the workmen and ship-carpenters.  They were shown there likewise the magazine of powder, bullet, match, grenadoes, with other fire instruments; also the bake-houses, where they make provision of biscuit for the ships; it is a great room paved with stone, wherein are three ovens for baking, and a large cellar in which they store the biscuit.  There be also stores for pork, peas, and other ship provisions, all in very good order, and carefully looked unto.

Whitelocke went on board divers of the ships, taking notice of their strength and furniture, and among them he went on board several great ships which Wrangel had taken in fight from the King of Denmark, which at present were not serviceable; but his commendation of that action, and of these ships of war lying here, was due to them, and not unpleasing to those who showed them to him.  They returned by boat, making the tour of the island; and as they passed by the ships of war, they all saluted Whitelocke with two guns apiece, which number they do not exceed.  As they passed along, Whitelocke was desired to go on board the ‘Hercules,’ a great and good ship lying there, which carried eighty pieces of ordnance, all brass; and being brought into the captain’s cabin, he found there the table covered, and a banquet set upon it of sweetmeats of divers sorts, with which, and with plenty of excellent Rhenish wine, they did with great respect and civility entertain Whitelocke and his company.  From thence they brought him to his lodging, weary enough with his voyage and the extreme heat of the weather.

[SN:  Position of Stockholm.]

The island which Whitelocke viewed this day, and many other greater and smaller islands, upon which are buildings, do make up this city, which by some is resembled for the situation of it unto the city of Venice, which stands as this doth, upon several islands in the sea.  The waters are great and deep about this city, which is compassed with mountains, except only where they give way to the passage of the waters.  The town, in the prospect of it, seems to be as in the midst of the circuit of the mountains, and as it were composed of divers pieces, each of them apart making a good town, and so appear as several villages separated by the many arms of water, or by the Lake Maelaren, which come hither to meet one another, and make the large and deep water; and it seems to be the diameter of the mountains, and now all plain, by carrying away the earth of a hill within it, and the stones therewith filling up ditches and uneven grounds, and serving for foundations for their buildings, and to make their streets even and handsome; so that now it is all level, as if no hill had ever been.  One of their authors saith that it is “loco et situ commodissimo, inter eximium dulcem lacum Maeler ipsumque Balticum mare in insula fundatum.”