Mast.  Cer. I do not doubt but that the new King will observe the alliance which the Queen shall make with England, but perhaps it might better be made with the new King himself; and although you have no letters of credence to him, yet you may write into England and have them sent to you.

Wh. That will require more time than I have to stay in this place.  I believe the new King will not be crowned yet these two or three months; and it will be two months from this time before I can receive new credentials from England, and two or three months after that before I can return home; by which account I shall be abroad yet eight months longer, which will be till the next winter; and that would be too long a time for me to be absent from my family and affairs in England.

Mast.  Cer. I shall speak with the Queen in this business, and shortly return to you.

It was imagined by Whitelocke that the master of the ceremonies was purposely sent to him to sound him touching the deferring of the treaty; and the like errand Mr. Bloome came to him about; and Whitelocke fully declared to them his distaste of any thought thereof, and the more at large and positively because he knew what he said would be reported to the full to her Majesty and to the Chancellor.

March 29, 1654.

The master of the ceremonies came to Whitelocke from the Queen to excuse Whitelocke’s not having had audiences when he desired them; which he said was because her Majesty had been so full of business, which had hindered her, and particularly because of the holidays; but he said, if Whitelocke pleased to have his audience tomorrow, the Queen would be glad to see him.  Whitelocke desired the master to return his thanks to her Majesty for her favours, and to let her know that he should be ready to attend her at such time as she should appoint.  The master said he would acquaint her Majesty herewith, and so went away in the midst of dinner.

[SN:  Lord Douglas visits Whitelocke.]

The Lord Douglas, a Scotsman, came to visit Whitelocke.  He is an ancient servant to this Crown; he was a page to King Gustavus Adolphus, and by him preferred to military command, wherein he quitted himself so well that he was promoted to be General of the Horse, and was now a Baron and Ricks-Stallmaster, or master of the horse, in Sweden.  He excused himself that he had not oftener visited Whitelocke, being hindered by his sickness of an ague, which had held him thirty weeks, and had not yet left him.  He said that the next day after his arrival here the Queen asked him if he had been to see the English Ambassador, and that Whitelocke was much obliged to the Queen for her good opinion of him:  whereof Whitelocke said he had received many testimonies, and of her respects to the Protector and Commonwealth as well as to their servant.  Douglas said, that besides her respect to the Protector, she had a particular respect for Whitelocke; with much discourse of that nature.