After the Resident was gone, Lagerfeldt discoursed with Whitelocke about the treaty, particularly of the new proposals showed him by Grave Eric.  Whitelocke gave the same answers to Lagerfeldt as he had done to Eric:  then Lagerfeldt said, that by command of the Queen, he was to tender to Whitelocke a copy of articles.  Whitelocke asked if they were the same that Grave Eric yesterday imparted to him, and whether Lagerfeldt had any speech with the Queen this day about them.  Lagerfeldt said they were altered in some part, so as to make them the more acceptable to Whitelocke, and that he had a few words with the Queen about them.

This caused Whitelocke to marvel that the Queen should pretend to him that she was sick, and therefore put off the audience which he desired this day, and yet her Majesty found herself well enough to peruse and debate with Lagerfeldt these articles; but he said nothing thereof to others, only made thereof his own observations and use, as he saw occasion.  Lagerfeldt and he perused these new articles, and had much discourse upon them, and in effect the same as with Grave Eric.

[SN:  Whitelocke’s amusements in his household.]

In the long winter-nights here, Whitelocke thought fit to give way to some passages of diversion to please his people, and to keep them together in his house, and from temptations to disorder and debauchery in going abroad, besides the danger of the streets in being late out.  He therefore had music, both instrumental and vocal, in concert, performed by those of his own family, who were some of them excellent in that art, and himself sometimes bore his part with them.  He also gave way to their exercise and pleasure of dancing in his great chamber, that he might be present at it, and admitted no undecent postures, but seemly properties of habits in their shows.  He encouraged public disputations in Latin among the young men who were scholars, himself present in the great chamber, and appointing a moderator; and this exercise they found useful and pleasant, and improving their language.  To this end likewise they had public declamations in Latin, himself giving them the question, as “an quodcunque evenerit sit optimum,” etc., so that his house was like an academy.

March 23, 1653.

[SN:  Whitelocke again negotiates with the Queen.]

Whitelocke attended the Queen; and after some discourses of pleasantries, they fell upon the treaty, and Whitelocke said to her:—­

Whitelocke. My business, Madam, is now brought to a conclusion.

Queen. Is it to your liking?

Wh. Pardon me, Madam, if I say it is not at all to my liking; for in the articles which Grave Eric sent me there were many particulars to which I could not agree, and I much wondered to receive such articles from him, being persuaded that your Majesty was before satisfied by me in most of the particulars in them.