Bernelow. I desire your Excellence to excuse me that I cannot express myself in French or Italian, but, with your leave, I desire to speak to you in Latin.

Whitelocke. Your Excellence is welcome to me; and if you choose to express yourself in Latin, you have your liberty, and I shall understand something of it.

Bern. When I heard of your Excellence’s arrival in this city, though I purposed to have gone from hence, yet I deferred my journey, to the end I might see you, because I have heard in the Emperor’s Court, as well by letters from her Most Serene Majesty of Sweden as from the Chancellor and other senators of that kingdom, what great satisfaction they had in the English Ambassador, etc.  Now the league of friendship being concluded between the two nations, I hold myself obliged to make this salutation to your Excellence.

Wh. I have very many thanks to return to your Excellence for the honour you have done me by this visit, and for these expressions of affection and respect to the Protector, my master.  I do acknowledge myself much engaged to the Ricks-Chancellor and senators of Sweden, and in the first place to her Majesty the Queen, for their favourable respect towards me whilst I was in my negotiation with them, whom I found full of honour, wisdom, and justice, in their transactions with me.

Bern. I have been for some time in the service of the Queen, my mistress, in Germany.

Wh. You met some of my countrymen in the Court of the Emperor, particularly a noble lord, whom I have the honour to know.

Bern. I met there the Earl of Rochester, who was at the Diet at Ratisbon.

Wh. What proposals did he make there?

Bern. He made a kind of precarious proposal in the name of the King, his master.

Wh. Did he obtain what he desired?

Bern. He did not much prevail in it, only he obtained a verbal promise of some money, but had no performance.

Wh. What occasion hath drawn your General Koningsmark with his forces at this time before Bremen?

Bern. It was thus by mistake occasioned.  The Earl of Lueneburg had covenanted with the Spanish Ambassador to levy some soldiers for the service of the King of Spain, which levies he began without acquainting the Governor of that Circle with it, who taking this occasion, and bearing ill-will to the Earl, drew out some forces to oppose those levies.  Koningsmark understanding this, and jealous that the Governor of the Circle designed to fall upon the fort of the Queen of Sweden in those parts, he drew out some forces to oppose the Governor.  Those of Bremen, being informed that Koningsmark drew out his forces against them, sent some troops, who forced the Queen’s subjects to a contribution and built a fort upon the Queen’s land, which coming to the knowledge of Koningsmark, and that the Governor of the Circle of Westphalia intended only to suppress the levies of the Duke of Lueneburg, and not to oppose the Queen of Sweden, Koningsmark thereupon marched with his forces to the new fort built by those of Bremen, took it in and finished it, and left there a garrison for the Queen, not disturbing the trade of that city.