After many compliments, Whitelocke gave, him precedence into his cabin; and after some discourse there, a servant of the Agent of Holland was brought in to Whitelocke, who said his master desired Whitelocke to appoint a time when the Agent might come on board him to salute Whitelocke and to kiss his hand.  He answered that, at any hour when his master pleased to do Whitelocke that honour, he should be welcome, and that some noble persons being now with him, who, he hoped, would do him the favour to take part of a sea-dinner with him, that if it would please the Agent to do him the same favour, and to keep these honourable persons company, it would be the greater obligation unto Whitelocke.  The Grave, hearing this, began to excuse himself, that he could not stay dinner with Whitelocke, but, upon entreaty, he was prevailed with to stay.

About noon the Dutch Agent came in one of Whitelocke’s boats on board his ship, whom he received at the ship’s side, and saluted with seven guns at his entry.  The Agent spake to Whitelocke to this purpose:—­“That, passing by Glueckstadt towards Hamburg, he was informed of Whitelocke’s being in this place, and thereupon held it his duty, and agreeable to the will of his Lords, not to proceed in his journey without first giving a visit to Whitelocke to testify the respect of his superiors to the Protector and Commonwealth of England, as also to Whitelocke in particular.”  Whitelocke returned thanks to the Agent for the respect which he testified to the Protector, and for the honour done to Whitelocke, and that it would be acceptable so the Protector to hear of this respect from my Lords the States to him, whereof he should not fail to inform his Highness when he should have the opportunity to be near him.

[SN:  Entertainment of Count Ranzau.]

The Grave went first into Whitelocke’s cabin, after him the Agent, and then Whitelocke, who gave these guests a plentiful dinner on ship-board.  The Grave desired that Whitelocke’s sons might be called in to dine with them, which was done, and Whitelocke asked the Grave if he would have any of his company to dine with him.  He desired one of the gentlemen, who was admitted accordingly.

They were served with the States’ plate, which Whitelocke had caused to be taken forth on this occasion; and the strangers would often take up the plates and dishes to look on them, wondering to see so many great and massy pieces of silver plate as there were.  They drank no healths, the Grave telling Whitelocke he had heard it was against his judgement, and therefore he did forbear to begin any healths, for which civility Whitelocke thanked him; and they had no want of good wine and meat, and such as scarce had been seen before on ship-board.  They discoursed of the affairs in Sweden, and of the happy peace between England and Denmark, and the like.  Monsieur De la Marche gave thanks in French, because they all understood it.

After dinner Whitelocke took out his tobacco-box, which the Grave looked upon, being gold, and his arms, the three falcons, engraven on it; whereupon he asked Whitelocke if he loved hawks, who said he was a falconer by inheritance, as his coat of arms testified.  The Grave said that he would send him some hawks the next winter out of his master’s dominions of Iceland, where the best in the world were bred, which he nobly performed afterwards.