Prot. I shall heartily thank them for it.  Is the Court of Sweden gallant, and full of resort to it?

Wh. They are extreme gallant for their clothes; and for company, most of the nobility and the civil and military officers make their constant residence where the Court is, and many repair thither on all occasions.

Prot. Is their administration of justice speedy? and have they many law-suits?

Wh. They have justice in a speedier way than with us, but more arbitrary, and fewer causes, in regard that the boors dare not contend with their lords; and they have but few contracts, because they have but little trade; and there is small use of conveyances or questions of titles, because the law distributes every man’s estate after his death among his children, which they cannot alter, and therefore have the fewer contentions.

Prot. That is like our gavelkind.

Wh. It is the same thing; and in many particulars of our laws, in cases of private right, and of the public Government, especially in their Parliaments, there is a strange resemblance between their law and ours.

Prot. Perhaps ours might some of them be brought from thence.

Wh. Doubtless they were, when the Goths and Saxons, and those northern people, planted themselves here.

Prot. You met with a barren country, and very cold.

Wh. The remoter parts of it from the Court are extreme barren; but at Stockholm and Upsal, and most of the great towns, they have store of provisions; but fat beef and mutton in the winter-time is not so plentiful with them as in the countries more southerly; and their hot weather in summer as much exceeds ours, as their cold doth in winter.

Prot. That is somewhat troublesome to endure; but how could you pass over their very long winter nights?

Wh. I kept my people together and in action and recreation, by having music in my house, and encouraging that and the exercise of dancing, which held them by the ears and eyes, and gave them diversion without any offence.  And I caused the gentlemen to have disputations in Latin, and declamations upon words which I gave them.

Prot. Those were very good diversions, and made your house a little academy.

Wh. I thought these recreations better than gaming for money, or going forth to places of debauchery.

Prot. It was much better.  And I am glad you had so good an issue of your treaty.

Wh. I bless God for it, and shall be ready to give your Highness a particular account of it, when you shall appoint a time for it.

Prot. I think that Thursday next, in the morning, will be a good time for you to come to the Council, and to make your report of the transactions of your negotiation; and you and I must have many discourses upon these arguments.