[SN:  Oxenstiern’s advice to Cromwell.]

Chan. I would counsel the Protector to take heed of those dangerous opinions in matters of religion which daily increase among you, and, if not prevented and curbed, will cause new troubles, they never resting till themselves may domineer in chief.

Wh. Will not the best way to curb them be to slight them, and so they will fall of themselves?

Chan. I doubt they have taken too much root to fall so easily; but if they be not countenanced with preferments, they will the sooner wither and decay.

Wh. That will surely lessen them.

Chan. The Protector must also be careful to provide money and employment for his soldiers, else he will hardly keep them in order.

Wh. That is very requisite; and for money there is good provision already made.

Chan. He must likewise be watchful of the King’s party, who will be busy at work, especially upon the new change.

Wh. The care thereof is the life of our affairs, and his Highness is most vigilant.

Chan. It behoves him to be so, for they that could not vanquish him by arms will endeavour to do it by craft and treachery of your own party, which you must look to.

Wh. He hath good intelligence of their plots.

Chan. It will also be prudence in him to let the people see that he intends not to rule them with an iron sceptre, nor to govern them by an army, but to give them such a liberty and enjoyment of the benefit of their laws that the continuance of his government may become their interest, and that they may have no cause to desire a change; else, though they must bear the yoke for a time, yet as soon as they meet with an opportunity they will shake it off again.

Wh. This is counsel proper to come from such a mind and judgement as yours is, and I shall not fail to report it to his Highness; and your Excellence hath rightly stated the disposition of my countrymen, who love peace and liberty, and will hardly brook slavery longer than they are forced to it by necessity; and the best way to govern them is to let them enjoy their laws and rights, which will rule them better than an iron sceptre.

Chan. It is the disposition of all generous and free people, as the English are, whom I truly respect, and him that is their head, that gallant person the Protector.

They had much other discourse; and after being together till six o’clock, the father and son, and the Chancellor and Whitelocke, called one another, and all the company parted.

April 11, 1654.

[SN:  The Queen proposes a secret article.]

The Chancellor had promised to procure Whitelocke his despatch in a few days.  He sent Canterstein to communicate to him the articles drawn in form, with the amendments, to see if there were any mistake in them.  Whitelocke and the secretary perused them together, and agreed on all except two or three points, in which was some small difference; and Canterstein promised to hasten the engrossing of them.