Swiss to Lagerfeldt in their farewell, is a great mistake.  I know no honour done to him at his going away, but the sending the answer of his letter to him by the master of the ceremony; he had neither gift nor entertainment that I know of.

“I hope the copy of the articles of the Dutch treaty, which I formerly sent, your Excellence hath received before now.  I am sorry to hear that your entertainment in Sweden begins to be like my Lord St. John’s in Holland; but I trust the Lord will continue his protection to yourself and family, which is the prayer of

“Your Excellence’s humble servant,
“JO.  THURLOE.
“March 31, 1654.

“Monsieur Bonnele, the Queen of Sweden’s Commissary, hath desired audience to deliver a letter congratulatory to his Highness from the Queen.  The superscription is not very right; besides, your Excellency having writ nothing about it, some difficulty hath been in the delivery of it; but yet at last resolved to receive it as it is.”

This letter is inserted to show by it the constant way and course of intelligence, and the generality and clearness of it, between Thurloe and Whitelocke, whereby his business and reputation in this Court was very much advanced, and Whitelocke made great use and advantage by it.  The papers usually enclosed in Thurloe’s letters were many, and contained all particulars of moment touching the Dutch treaty, as also relating to the affairs of England and of most parts of Christendom.  One clause in this letter of Thurloe’s, that, after the Dutch treaty had concluded, his Highness would send new instructions to Whitelocke, for his direction to proceed in the treaty in Sweden,—­this gave much trouble and perplexity of thoughts to Whitelocke.  He could not imagine what those new instructions should be.  If they should be contrary to what he had already agreed, it would be not only to the dishonour of Whitelocke, but of the Protector likewise and of the English nation, for him to go back from what he had before assented to, and to go out here with a snuff, retracting his former agreement, or else he must proceed contrary to his instructions, which would not be ratified; and both of these mischiefs great enough.  He was in suspense whether he should seal the articles here beforehand, or expect the receipt of these instructions before he signed them.  He considered that if he should defer the signing of the articles till after the receipt of those new instructions, that then they could not at all be signed by the present Queen, who intended to continue but one week in the government, and if she did not sign in that time she could not sign at all; but the whole must be remitted to a new treaty with the new King, upon new credentials, commission, and instructions, which would require much time and trouble.

He thought not fit to communicate his doubts, but resolved with himself to proceed to the finishing of the treaty without staying for new instructions from England, because otherwise all his negotiation would become fruitless; and he held himself obliged, in honour and conscience, to make good what he had already assented unto before any mention of new instructions came to him, and what he had done being pursuant to his former instructions, and in his judgement for the advantage and good of England.