“For the Right Honourable his dear Father the Lord Commissioner
    Whitelocke, at Chelsea, these.  Haste, haste.

    “Dear Sir,

“I held it my duty, upon the instant of the conclusion of the elections at this place, to acquaint you that I am chosen one of the knights for the county in the next Parliament.  I am told that the number of voices might justly have given the first place to me; but I freely resigned it to Lieutenant-General Fleetwood, not suffering it to be brought to trial by the poll, which many of the country desired.  The persons elected are Lieutenant-General Fleetwood, Mr. Robert Jenkinson, Colonel Nathaniel Fynes, Mr. Lenthall, Master of the Rolls, and myself.

“Many of your friends appeared really for me, amongst which I can experimentally say none acted more effectually than my cousin Captain Crooke, his father, and brother.  The city of Oxford was prepared very seasonably for me, wherein my cousin Richard Crooke’s affections did particularly appear; and I conceive that if you shall be pleased to waive the election for the city of Oxford, no truer friend could be commended by you for their choice than my cousin Richard Crooke, in regard of his interest there, if you think it fit.  I shall say no more at present in this haste, but expect your commands in all things, who am

                                    “Your most obedient son,
                                                  “J.  WHITELOCKE.
    “Oxford, July 12, 1654.”

The gentlemen of Oxfordshire did generally manifest great civility and respect to me in this business of my son; so did the citizens of Oxford; and the scholars were not behindhand in the expression of their favour and good opinion of me and my son, and they stood stoutly and generally for my son to be one of the knights for the county.  Thus was my interest at this time sufficient to make another to be knight of the shire; yet when my condition fell, my interest fell with it, and I was looked upon as a stranger among them.  Such is the course and vicissitude of worldly things; therefore put no trust in them.

July 13, 1654.

[SN:  Whitelocke summoned to resume the Commissionership of the Great Seal.]

This Order of the Council was brought unto me:—­

“Thursday, the 13th of July, 1654.

“AT THE COUNCIL AT WHITEHALL:  Ordered, by his Highness the Lord Protector and the Council, that the Lord Commissioner Whitelocke do attend the Council tomorrow morning, to take his oath as one of the Lords Commissioners for the Great Seal, and that the rest of the Lords Commissioners do then also attend with the Seal.

“HENRY SCOBELL,
“Clerk of the Council.”

Some of my friends thought it very long before this order was made, and looked upon it as some neglect to me, whereof I was likewise sensible, but had no remedy; only it seemed hard that after so perilous an undertaking, performed, through the blessing of God, faithfully and successfully on my part, my requital should be a neglect of me and my services.  Yet it pleased God to give me much patience and temperance to bear this slighting and ingratitude, and I knew the condition of him from whom it came, who, when his turn was served, usually forgot the instruments.