A Journal of the Swedish Embassy in the Years 1653 and 1654 Part 37

At this collation Whitelocke ate very little, and drank only one gla.s.s of Spanish wine, and one gla.s.s of small beer, which was given him by a stranger, whom he never saw before nor after, and the beer seemed at that instant to be of a very bad taste and colour; nor would he inquire what it was, his own servants being taken forth by the Resident's people in courtesy to entertain them.[371] After he came to his lodging he was taken very ill, and grew worse and worse, extreme sick, with pains like the strokes of daggers, which put him in mind of a former pa.s.sage; and his torment was so great that it was scarcely to be endured, the most violent that he ever felt.

He was not well after his journey from Lubeck to Hamburg, having been extremely jolted in the coach in that way full of holes and sloughs, made by their great carriages in time of the war, and not yet amended: his weariness when he came to Hamburg reprieved his pain, which highly increased this evening; and the last of his ill beer still remained with him.

_June 14, 1654._

[SN: Whitelocke's indisposition.]

The fierce torment continued on Whitelocke above thirteen hours together without intermission. About four o'clock this morning his secretary Earle was called to him, who waited on him with care and sadness to see his torment; nature helped, by vomits and otherwise, to give some ease, but the sharpness of his pain continued. About five o'clock this morning Dr.

Whistler was called to him, who gave him several sorts of physic, and amongst the rest a drink with a powder and a great quant.i.ty of oil of sweet almonds, suspecting, by the manner of his sickness and some of the symptoms, that he might have had poison given him, which was the jealousy of most about him; and whether it were so or not the Lord only knows, who nevertheless in his goodness preserved Whitelocke, and blessed the means for his recovery. The drink working contrary to what was intended, and turning to a vomit, the doctor, perceiving the operation of nature to be that way, followed by giving of vomits, which within two hours gave some ease and brought him to a little slumber, and in a few hours after to recovery. Thus it pleased G.o.d to exercise him, and to cast him down for a little time; and when he had no expectation but of present death in a strange land, G.o.d was pleased suddenly, and above imagination, to restore and recover him; the which, and all other the mercies of G.o.d, he prays may, by him and his, be thankfully remembered.

A doctor of physic, a Jew in this town, hearing of Whitelocke's being sick, came to his lodging, and meeting with Dr. Whistler, told him in Latin, that, understanding the English Amba.s.sador to be dangerously sick, and to have no physician about him but a young inexperienced man, therefore this Jew came to offer his service. Dr. Whistler, smiling, told Whitelocke of this rencounter, who presently sent his thanks and discharge to the Jewish doctor. Several Senators came and sent to inquire of Whitelocke's health, and to know if he wanted anything in their power to supply him for his recovery, and offered the physicians of the town to wait upon him. He returned thanks, but kept himself to the advice and care of his own doctor, whose endeavours it pleased G.o.d to bless, so that in two days Whitelocke was abroad again.

[SN: Feast given by the English Company.]

The English Company had invited divers to bear Whitelocke company at dinner this day, where they had a very great feast, and present at it the four Burgomasters and ten Senators. So many of that number had scarce been seen at any former entertainment; which though purposely made to do Whitelocke honour, yet his sickness had brought him to an incapacity of bearing them company; but whilst they were at the table, Whitelocke sent his secretary to the Resident, praying him to make his apology to the Lords, that extremity of sickness the night before had prevented him of the honour of accompanying them at this meeting; that being now somewhat recovered, he sent now to present his hearty thanks to their lords.h.i.+ps for this great favour they had done him, wished them all health, and entreated them to be cheerful. The Lords returned thanks to Whitelocke for his civility, and about an hour after the Resident came to Whitelocke from the Lords to see how he did, to thank him for his compliment, and to know if, without inconvenience, they might be admitted to come to his chamber to see him. Whitelocke said he should be glad to see them, but privately told the Resident that he hoped they would not stay long with him by reason of his indisposition.

The Senators sat at the table from twelve o'clock at noon till six o'clock in the evening, according to the fas.h.i.+on of Dutchland, and were very merry, wanting no good meat or wine, nor sparing it. About six o'clock they rose from dinner, and came to Whitelocke's chamber to visit him, with many compliments, expressing their sorrow for his sickness, their wishes for his health, and offers of anything in their power which might contribute to his recovery. Whitelocke used them with all civility, and heartily thanked them for this extraordinary honour they had done him, by so many of their lords.h.i.+ps affording him the favour of meeting at this place, and excused by his violent sickness his not bearing them company. After many compliments and a short stay they left his chamber, praying for the recovery of his health again.

Among this company of fourteen senators were no young men, but all grave and comely persons; and every one of them did particularly speak to Whitelocke, either in French or Latin, and some in both, which were hard to be met with in so many aldermen of towns in other countries. Divers of them staid in the English house till nine o'clock at night, making a very long repast of nine hours together; but it was to testify the more particular respect and honour to the English Amba.s.sador, and is according to the usage of these parts, where, at such public entertainments, they eat and drink heartily, and seldom part in less than ten or twelve hours, cheerfully conversing together. Whitelocke took great contentment in the civility and respects of these and other gentlemen to him in this place, and in the affection, care, and attendance of his children, friends, and servants, about him in his sickness.

_June 15, 1654._

[SN: The ecclesiastical state of Hamburg.]

The Lords sent a gentleman to inquire of Whitelocke's health, with compliments as before. He took some physic, yet admitted visits and discourse, from which, and those he formerly had with Senators and others, he learned that as to matter of religion they are here very strict to maintain a unity thereof, being of Plutarch's opinion, that "varietas religionis, dissolutio religionis;" and they permit no other religion to be publicly exercised by their own citizens among them but what in their government they do profess, which is according to the Augsburg confession; and Luther's opinions do wholly take place among them, insomuch that the exercise of religion in any other form or way is not admitted, except to the English Company of Merchants in the chapel of their house, and that by stipulation. Thus every one who differs from them in matters of religion must keep his opinion to himself, without occasioning any disturbance to the Government by practice or publication of such different opinion; and although many are inclined to the tenets of Calvin, yet their public profession is wholly Lutheran; answerable whereunto Whitelocke observed in their churches many images, crucifixes, and the like (not far removed from the practice of the Popish churches); particularly in their great church, which is fair and large, built with brick, are many images, rare tablets of painting, crucifixes, and a perspective of curious workmans.h.i.+p in colours. Their liturgy (as ours in England was) is extracted from the old Ma.s.s-book, and their divine service celebrated with much ceremony, music, and outward reverence.

Their ministers are pensioners, but, as themselves affirm, liberally dealt with, and have bountiful allowances if they are holy men and good preachers; whereof they much satisfy themselves that they are very well provided in this city, to the comfort and blessing of the inhabitants.

[SN: The trade of Hamburg.]

Touching the trade of this place, Whitelocke learnt that as they are very populous, so few are suffered in idleness, but employed in some way or other of trading, either as merchants, artificers, shopkeepers, or workmen. They have an exchange here, though not a fair one, where they daily meet and confer about their affairs and contracts.

The several branches and arms of the river Elbe, which pa.s.s along by their houses, afford them the better means and advantages for bringing in and carrying forth their commodities. There is a part.i.tion between the old and the new town; the old is but a small part of it, and few merchants reside there. The s.h.i.+ps of greatest burden come up within two miles of the city; the lesser s.h.i.+ps, whereof there be a great number, and the great boats, come up within the town to the very doors of their houses, by the branches of the Elbe, to the great advantage of their trading.

This city is much greater than Lubeck, fuller of trade and wealth, and better situated for commerce, being nearer to England, the Netherlands, France, Spain, and all the southern and western parts; and they are not to pa.s.s the Sound in coming home again. The staple of English cloth is here, and the cloths being brought hither for the most part white, it sets on work many hundreds of their people to dress and dye and fit them; and the inhabitants of all Germany and other countries do send and buy their cloth here. At this time of Whitelocke's being here, there lay in the Elbe four English s.h.i.+ps which brought cloth hither; one of them carried twenty-five pieces of ordnance, the least fifteen, all of good force; and the English cloth at this time in them was estimated to be worth 200,000 sterling.

In consideration of this trade and the staple of English cloth settled here, which brings wealth to this city, the Government here hath granted great privileges to the English merchants residing in this place, and they are part of the company or corporation of Merchant Adventurers of England,--an ancient and honourable society, of which Whitelocke had the favour honorarily to be here admitted a member.

_June 16, 1654._

[SN: The judicial inst.i.tutions of Hamburg.]

Whitelocke, being, through the goodness of G.o.d, well recovered of his distemper, went abroad this day, and was shown the Town-house, which is a fair and handsome building, of the like fas.h.i.+on, but more large and beautiful, than that at Lubeck, and much better furnished. Here are many chambers for public councils and tribunals; some of them have their pillars covered with copper, and pavements of Italian marble; they have also rich hangings, and chairs of velvet, blue, and green, and rare pictures. The Chamber of Audience, as they call it, is the court of justice, where the Right-herrs, who are in the nature of sheriffs, do sit to despatch and determine the causes of the citizens; and if the cause exceed the value of a hundred dollars, an appeal lies to the Senate, as it doth also in all causes criminal.

From the Senate there is no appeal in cases of obligations, letters of exchange, contracts, debts, and matters of merchandise, but therein a speedy remedy is given for the advantage of trade; but in all other cases, where the value exceeds a thousand dollars, and in all causes capital, an appeal lies to the Imperial Chamber: and in the judicatories of the city, the proceedings are according to the munic.i.p.al laws and customs thereof, which nevertheless have great affinity with the Imperial civil laws, especially in the forms and manner of proceedings; and in cases where the munic.i.p.al laws and customs are defective, there the proceedings are according to the civil law. They do not proceed by juries of twelve men to try the fact; but the parties contending are heard on both sides, either in person or by their advocates or proctors, as they please, and the witnesses on either side are examined upon oath; after which, the judges taking serious consideration of the whole matter and of all circ.u.mstances and proofs therein, at a set time they p.r.o.nounce their sentence; and commonly the whole process and business is determined in the s.p.a.ce of three weeks, except in cases where an appeal is brought. The judges sit in court usually twice in every week, unless in festival times, when they keep vacations, and with them their holidays are not juridical: their equal and speedy administration of justice is commended both by their own people and by strangers who have occasion to make trial of it.

[SN: Munic.i.p.al Government of Hamburg.]

Their public government, by which their peace is preserved, disorders restrained, and men kept from being wolves to one another, makes them the more to flourish, and consists of four Consuls or Burgomasters and twenty other Senators, of whom twelve were called Overholts, and the other twelve Ricks-herrs. Upon the death or removal of any Senator, the choice of a new one is with the rest of the Senators. The choice of the Overholts is by the people, and they are as tribunes of the people; they have power to control the Senate through the supreme magistracy, but they do it with all respect and tenderness, and no new law is made nor tax imposed without their consent. But the execution of the present laws, and the government of the people, and the last appeal in the city, is left unto the Senate; as also negotiations with foreigners, the entertainments and ceremonies with strangers, and generally the care of the safety of their State.

In cases of extraordinary concernment, as of war and peace, levying of money, making of new laws, and matters of extraordinary weight and consideration, of which the Senate are not willing to take the burden wholly upon themselves, or to undergo the envy or hazard of the consequences thereof; in such cases the Senate causeth the Overholt to be a.s.sembled, and, as the weight of the business may be, sometimes they cause to be summoned an a.s.sembly of the whole body of the burgesses of the city, before whom the business in the general is propounded, and they are desired by the Senate to make choice of some deputies, to be joined to the Senate and to a.s.sist them in the matters proposed. Then the whole body of the freemen do commonly make choice of eight, sometimes more and sometimes fewer, as they please, out of their own number, and these deputies have full power given to them by this a.s.sembly to despatch and determine, together with the Senate and the Overholt, their matters thus proposed to the general consideration of that public a.s.sembly; and what this Council thus const.i.tuted do resolve in these matters, the same is put in execution accordingly, obligeth, and is freely submitted unto by all the citizens, who look upon themselves by this their election of deputies to have their own consents involved in what their deputies determine.

In the evening Mr. Stetkin, with whom Whitelocke had been acquainted in England, when he was there, a servant of the late King for his private music, wherein he was excellent, came to Whitelocke, and with Maylard, one of Whitelocke's servants, made very good music for his diversion.

This day the wind came about reasonable good for Whitelocke's voyage, who thereupon ordered the captains away to their frigates and his people to prepare all things in readiness for his departure tomorrow; his baggage was carried down and put on board the frigates. He gave his most hearty and solemn thanks to the Resident, and to all the gentleman of the English Company of Merchants here, who had very n.o.bly and affectionately entertained Whitelocke at their own charge all the time of his being in this city. He ordered his gratuities to be distributed among their servants and to all who had done any service or offices for him, both of the English house and of the townsmen, and ordered all things to be in readiness to proceed in his voyage.

_June 17, 1654._

[SN: Whitelocke takes leave of the Senate.]

The baggage and inferior servants of Whitelocke being gone down before unto the frigates, and the wind being indifferent good, Whitelocke resolved this day to set forwards in his voyage, and to endeavour, if he could, before night to reach the frigates, which did attend his coming in the Elbe about Gluckstadt. The Resident had provided boats for Whitelocke and his company to go down unto the frigates, and had given notice to some of the Senators of Whitelocke's intention to remove this day; whereupon Monsieur Muller, the chief Burgomaster of the town, came to Whitelocke's lodging in the morning to visit him and to inquire of his health, as one that bare a particular respect to him, and was now come to take his leave of him. He was a wise and sober man, and of good conversation, and testified much respect to the Protector and Commonwealth of England, and much honour to Whitelocke in particular.

Whilst he was with Whitelocke, the two Senators who came first to Whitelocke to bid him welcome hither, came now also to him from the Senate, to bid him farewell. The elder of them spake to Whitelocke to this effect:--

"My Lord Amba.s.sador,

"The Senate hath commanded us in their name to salute your Excellence, and to give you thanks for taking in good part the small testimonies of their respect towards you, which they are ashamed were no better, and entreat your pardon for it.

"They understand that your Excellence is upon your departure from this town, which gives them great cause of sadness, as they had of joy at your arrival here; but since it is your good pleasure, and your great affairs oblige you to depart, all that we can do is to pray to G.o.d for your safe arrival in your own country, and we doubt not but that the same G.o.d who hath hitherto preserved you in a long and perilous voyage, will continue his goodness to you in the remainder of your journey.

"We have a humble request to make to your Excellence, that you will give us leave to recommend our town to your patronage, and that you would be pleased to peruse these papers, which concern some of our citizens; and that your Excellence will be a means to my Lord Protector and to the Court of Admiralty, that justice and favour may be shown to them."

As this gentleman spake of the testimonies of respect from this city to Whitelocke, he looked back to the table, upon which stood a piece of plate covered with sa.r.s.enet. A little after the Senator had done speaking, Whitelocke answered him to this purpose:--

"Gentlemen,

"I have cause to acknowledge that G.o.d hath been very good and gracious to me, and to all my company, throughout our whole voyage unto this place; for which we desire to bless His name, and hope that He will be pleased to continue His goodness to us in the rest of our journey. I desire you to return my hearty thanks to my Lords the Senators, who have honoured me with their very great respects during the whole time of my being with them, and have bestowed n.o.ble testimonies thereof upon me. I shall not fail to inform the Protector, my master, hereof, to whom, and to the Commonwealth of England, this respect is given in my person.

"I have received much contentment in my being here, not only by the sight of so fair and flouris.h.i.+ng a city as this is, so well fortified, and manned, and traded, and governed, but in your civilities, and the honour I have had to be acquainted with your worthy magistrates. And I have had a singular satisfaction to understand from my countrymen living amongst you that their privileges are by you entirely continued to them, which I recommend to you as a thing most acceptable to my Lord Protector, who takes care of the whole Commonwealth, and will expect that I give him an account of what concerns the English merchants and their commerce in this place. The wind being now good, I am obliged, according to the commands of the Protector, my master, forthwith to return for England, and do resolve this day to proceed in my voyage towards my s.h.i.+ps. I hope my G.o.d will conduct me in safety to the place where I would be, and where I shall have the opportunity to testify my grat.i.tude to the Lords and people of this city, and to take care of those affairs wherein they may be concerned, which I esteem as an honour to me."

[SN: Presents of the Senate.]

After Whitelocke had done speaking, the Senators, with the accustomed ceremonies, took their leaves of him. The piece of plate which they now presented to him was a vessel of silver, like a little cabinet, wrought with bosses of beautiful figures, curious and rich, of the value, as some prized it, of about 150 sterling. Whitelocke was somewhat surprised with this present of plate, and doubtful whether he should accept it or not; but considering that it was only a testimony of their respects to the Protector; and as to Whitelocke, he was not capable of doing them service or prejudice, but as their affairs should deserve; and if he should refuse this present, it would be ill taken by the Lords. Upon these considerations, and the advice of the Resident and other friends, Whitelocke took it, and returned his hearty thanks for it.

Another Senator, one Monsieur Samuel, hearing that Whitelocke had a little son at home, sent him a little horse for a present, the least that one hath seen, yet very handsome, and managed to the great saddle, which Whitelocke brought home with him; so full of civility and courtesy were the magistrates of this place.

After much difficulty to get away, and the earnest request of the Resident and English merchants to the contrary, entreating him to stay longer, yet Whitelocke kept his resolution to leave the town; and boats being in readiness, he went down to the water-side, accompanied with a great number of his countrymen and his own people, and took his boats to go down the Elbe to his s.h.i.+ps. The Resident and some others went in his boat with him. Vice-Admiral Clerke would not yet leave him, saying that Wrangel had commanded him to see Whitelocke on board the English frigates, either for a compliment or desiring to see the frigates, which were so much discoursed on in these parts, and thereby to be enabled to give an account to Wrangel of the dimensions and make of them, which he longed to know.

[SN: Whitelocke embarks in boats on the Elbe,]

The boat in which Whitelocke went was large, but not convenient, open, and went only with sails. The streets, as he pa.s.sed to the water-side, and the windows, and on the bridges, were full of people to see him as he went, and gave him courteous salutations at his farewell. In his own boat he had six trumpets, which sounded all along as he pa.s.sed through the city and the haven, which was then very full of s.h.i.+ps, and they also very civil to make way for Whitelocke's boats. Upon the bridges and bulwarks which he went by were guards of soldiers in arms; and the bulwarks on that side saluted him with all their cannon, about twenty-one pieces, though they used not to give strangers above two or three guns. Thus Whitelocke parted from this city of Hamburg, recommending himself and his company to the blessing and protection of the Almighty.

A little below the city they came by a small village called by them _All to nah_ (Altona), that is, "All too nigh," being the King of Denmark's territory, within half a league, which they thought too near their city.

When they came a little lower, with a sudden strong blast of wind the boat in which Whitelocke was, was in great danger of being overset; after which it grew to be a calm; whereupon Whitelocke sent to the English cloth-s.h.i.+ps, which lay a little below, to lend him some of their s.h.i.+p-boats and mariners with oars, to make better way than his boat with sails could do. This they did readily; and as Whitelocke pa.s.sed by them, they all saluted him with their cannon.

[SN: but lands at Stadt.]