The Resident invited Whitelocke and several Senators to a collation this evening, whither came the four Burgomasters, and five other Senators; a thing unusual for so many of them to meet a foreign public minister, the custom being in such case to depute two or three of their body, and no more; but they were willing to do more than ordinary honour to Whitelocke.  And of these nine Senators every one spoke French or Latin, and some both, a thing rare enough for aldermen of a town; but the reason of it was given, because here, for the most part, they choose into those places doctors and licentiates of the laws, which employments they willingly accept, being for life, attended with great authority, and a salary of a thousand crowns yearly, besides other profits.  They had a banquet and store of wine; and the Senators discoursed much with Whitelocke touching England, and the successes of the Parliament party, and the many thanksgivings for them; of which they had heard with admiration, and commended the return of thanks to God.

Upon this occasion, Whitelocke gave them an account of many particulars, and of God’s goodness to them, and exhorted these gentlemen, in all their affairs, to put their trust in God, to be thankful for his mercies, and not to do anything contrary to his will.  They asked how the Parliament could get money enough to pay their forces.  Whitelocke told them that the people afforded money sufficient to defray the public charges both by sea and land; and that no soldiers were paid and disciplined, nor officers better rewarded, than those who have served the Parliament.

Whitelocke asked them concerning the religion professed among them, and of their government and trade, wherein they gave him good information; and he told them he hoped that the agreement made by this city with the merchants, his countrymen, would be carefully observed, and the privileges accorded to them be continued, which would be acceptable to the Protector.  They answered, that they had been very careful, and should be so still, that on their part the agreement should be exactly observed.  They desired Whitelocke to speak to the Protector in favour of a ship belonging to this town, in which were some moneys belonging to Hollanders, and taken by the English two years since.  Whitelocke promised to move the Protector in it, and assured them that his Highness would cause right to be done to them.

At this collation Whitelocke ate very little, and drank only one glass of Spanish wine, and one glass of small beer, which was given him by a stranger, whom he never saw before nor after, and the beer seemed at that instant to be of a very bad taste and colour; nor would he inquire what it was, his own servants being taken forth by the Resident’s people in courtesy to entertain them.[371] After he came to his lodging he was taken very ill, and grew worse and worse, extreme sick, with pains like the strokes of daggers, which put him in mind of a former passage; and his torment was so great that it was scarcely to be endured, the most violent that he ever felt.