Denmark and the Holland Resident, who, perceiving Whitelocke’s coaches and company, crossed out of the way where they were, and betook themselves to another walk; but Whitelocke kept on in his, and with the French Resident had much general discourse, but little of matters of state, because they could not trust one the other; yet Whitelocke learnt from him the condition of several persons in principal credit in the Court of France, and the way of their management of affairs.  This gentleman was very civil and courteous and good company, desiring the conversation of Whitelocke, which he afforded him both going abroad and in his house, to which the Resident did him the favour to be no stranger.

Whitelocke told him he purposed to go by Nordkoeping, and by the way to visit the Queen-mother and the Prince, and to have his ship meet him there.  The Resident said the ship could not easily come to Nordkoeping, being no good harbour; but his best way would be to go from thence to Calmar, and his ship to meet him there, the haven being open and the ship may come near the town; and that Nordkoeping was the midway between Stockholm and Calmar, and the ship might be as soon at Calmar as at Nordkoeping; that the passage to Luebeck was much easier from Calmar than from Nordkoeping, and with a good wind might be made from Calmar in two days.  But hereof Whitelocke intended to have the advice of some Swedes.

April 16, 1654.

[SN:  Great wealth of the Oxenstiern family.]

Monsieur Bloome this Lord’s Day dined with Whitelocke, and told him that the Chancellor had left him in town to keep Whitelocke company in the absence of the Chancellor, and to assure him that the Chancellor would return again in a very few days.  Whitelocke made much of him, and had good informations from him.  He said that Grave John Oxenstiern, the Chancellor’s eldest son, had at that time, whilst his father was alive, above L20,000 sterling of yearly revenue, which he had from his father and by his wife, an inheritrix; and that Grave Eric, the second son, had in his father’s lifetime near L10,000 sterling of yearly revenue, besides what both of them might expect from their father:  and therefore both father and sons might, as they did, live in great state and with attendance of much port and ceremony.

Grave Leonhough bestowed a visit on Whitelocke.  He is a senator and one of the College of War, a person of great esteem and good parts; his conversation was full of civility; his discourse (in French) was rational, and for the most part upon matter of war, history, and the mathematics.  In his company was an officer, his brother-in-law, who had served the King of Portugal in his late wars, and was a civil person, and seemed a gallant man.  This Grave had been long bred up in the wars, and was now a Major-General; and his discourse showed him to be knowing and modest.  He demanded of Whitelocke many questions touching the affairs of England, and particularly of the late civil