Most of the night was spent by Whitelocke in making his despatches for England; neither did he neglect any one friend from whom he had received the favour and kindness of their letters to him here; by which civility he obtained the more advice and intelligence from England, and made good use of it in this Court.  His constant letters from his wife and other private friends he also found of much comfort and advantage to him.

March 25, 1654.

[SN:  New Year’s Day, Old Style.]

This day, by the Swedish computation as well as that of England, is the first day of the year 1654.

Mr. Bloome came to Whitelocke with a compliment from the Chancellor, that he was sorry he could not visit Whitelocke before his going out of town, because he was ill, and retired himself into the country, to be quit from business and to recover his health; and at his return he would come to Whitelocke and confer with him.

This gentleman Whitelocke apprehended to be often sent to him as a spy, to inquire of his intentions, and therefore he thought good to make use of him by telling such things to him as Whitelocke thought and wished might be again reported by Bloome unto the Chancellor.  Therefore, among other discourses, Whitelocke told Bloome that France, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Holland, Switzerland, Denmark, and other princes and states, had sent their public ministers to the Protector, desiring friendship with him; but his Highness having sent his Ambassador into this kingdom, they had testified so little respect to him, that in three or four months’ time they had not vouchsafed to give him an answer to his proposals.

Mr. Symonds, an Englishman, excellent in his art of graving and taking off pictures in little, in wax, for which he had regard in this Court and promises of money, this person often frequented Whitelocke, his countryman, and his house, and after some time made a request to Whitelocke to speak to the Queen in his favour.  Whitelocke, knowing that ambassadors’ offices ought not to be cheap, told Symonds in a kind of drollery that surely he could not expect such a courtesy from him, since, being an Englishman, he had not acquainted the English Ambassador with any matter of consequence, nor done any service to his country, since Whitelocke’s arrival here; that when he should deserve it, Whitelocke would be ready to do him service.

March 26, 1654.

[SN:  Whitelocke reproves the English for disorder on the Lord’s Day.]

The Lord’s Day.—­Divers English and Scots came to the public duties of the day in Whitelocke’s house; and amongst other discourse Whitelocke learnt from them that Waters, one of his trumpets, going late in the evening to his lodging, was set upon by some drunkards with their swords, and wounded, whereof he continued very ill.  Whitelocke examined and reproved some of his company for disorders committed by them on the Lord’s Day and other days, which he told them he would not bear; and it was the worse in their commitment of those crimes, and the less reason for them to expect a connivance thereat, because Whitelocke had so often and so publicly inveighed against the profanation of that day in this place; but among a hundred some will be always found base, vicious, and wicked.