The town is not great nor well-built, but of brick, and some of the houses very fair; chiefly one which they call the King’s house, which might fit an English knight to dwell in.  The town seems decaying, and the fortifications also in some places.  The late King designed to have made this a great town of trade, and by that means to have diminished, if not ruined, his neighbours the Hamburgers; to whom this King having done some injuries, and endeavouring to build a bridge over the Elbe near to Hamburg, to hinder the ships coming up thither, and their trade, the citizens pulled it down again, and came with about twenty vessels to Glueckstadt upon a design against that town; but the King’s ships of war being there, the Admiral of Hamburg cut his anchors and returned home in haste.  The King’s men got up the anchors, and at this time Whitelocke saw them hung up in their church as great trophies of a small victory thus easily gained.  At Whitelocke’s return, Glueckstadt saluted him with three pieces of cannon.

When he was come back to his ships he found all his people and baggage come up to him, whereupon he resolved to weigh anchor the first opportunity of wind serving, and gave orders accordingly to his captains.  The Resident Bradshaw, Vice-Admiral Clerke, the treasurer and secretary of the English Company at Hamburg, who accompanied Whitelocke to his ships, now the tide serving, took their leaves of him, with much respect and wishes of a happy voyage to him; and so they parted.

The wind came to north-east, flat contrary to Whitelocke’s course, and rose high, with violent storms and much rain, so that it was not possible for Whitelocke to weigh anchor and proceed in his voyage; but he had cause to thank God that he was in a safe and good harbour.

June 19, 1654.

The wind continued very tempestuous and contrary to Whitelocke’s course, so that he could not budge, but lay still at anchor.  The mariners, in their usual way of sporting, endeavoured to make him some pastime, to divert the tediousness of his stay and of the bad weather.  He learned that at Glueckstadt the Hamburgers pay a toll to the King of Denmark, who submit thereunto as other ships do, rather than enter into a contest or war with that King.

[SN:  Whitelocke writes to the Queen of Sweden.]

Whitelocke thought it becoming him in civility and gratitude to give an account by letters to the Queen of Sweden of his proceeding thus far in his voyage, for which purpose he had written his letters at Hamburg, and now having too much leisure, he made them up and sent them to Vice-Admiral Clerke to be presented to the Queen.  The letters were to this effect:—­

    “A sa Serenissime Majeste Christine, Reine de Suede.

    “Madame,