“A son Excellence Monsieur Whitelocke, Ambassadeur Extraordinaire d’Angleterre vers sa Majesté la Reine de Suède.“Monseigneur,“Nous croyons être obligés de faire connaître à votre Excellence que Monseigneur le Comte de Ranzau, notre maître, nous avait donné commission de venir très-humblement baiser les mains de votre Excellence, et lui faire présenter quelques cerfs, sangliers, lièvres, perdrix, et quantité de carpes; la supplier de s’en rafraîchir un peu, pendant que l’opiniâtreté d’un vent contraire lui empêcherait une meilleure commodité, et d’assurer votre Excellence, de la part de Monseigneur le Comte, qu’il souhaite avec passionde pouvoir témoigner à votre Excellence combien il désire les occasions pour lui rendre très-humbles services, et contracter avec elle une amitié plus étroite; et comme son Excellence s’en allait trouver le Roi, son maître, qu’il ne laisserait point de dire à sa Majesté les civilités que votre Excellence lui avait faites, et que sa Majesté épouserait sans doute ses intérêts, pour l’assister de s’acquitter de son devoir avec plus de vigueur, lorsque la fortune lui en fournirait quelque ample matière.“Mais, Monseigneur, nous avons été si malheureux d’arriver à Glückstadt cinq ou six heures après que votre Excellence avait fait voile et était descendu vers la mer; toutefois avons-nous pris vitement un vaisseau pour suivre, et n’étions guères loin du hâvre où l’on disait que votre Excellence était contrainte d’attendre un vent encore plus favorable, quand notre vaisseau, n’étant point chargé, fut tellement battu par une grande tempête, que nous étions obligés de nous en retourner sans pouvoir executer les ordres de Monseigneur le Comte, notre maître, dont nous avons un déplaisir incroyable. Votre Excellence a une bonté et générosité très-parfaite; c’est pourquoi nous la supplions très-humblement, d’imputer plutôt à notre malheur qu’à la volonté de Monseigneur le Comte, le mauvais succès de cette notre entreprise; aussi bien la lettre ici enfermée de son Excellence Monseigneur le Comte donnera plus de croyance à nos paroles.“Nous demandons très-humblement pardon à votre Excellence de la longueur de celle-ci, et espérons quelque rencontre plus heureuse pour lui témoigner de meilleure grâce que nous sommes passionément,“Monseigneur, de votre Excellence“Très-humbles et très-obéissans serviteurs,“François Louis Van de Wiele.“Balth. Borne.”
“A son Excellence Monsieur Whitelocke, Ambassadeur Extraordinaire d’Angleterre vers sa Majesté la Reine de Suède.
“Monseigneur,
“Nous croyons être obligés de faire connaître à votre Excellence que Monseigneur le Comte de Ranzau, notre maître, nous avait donné commission de venir très-humblement baiser les mains de votre Excellence, et lui faire présenter quelques cerfs, sangliers, lièvres, perdrix, et quantité de carpes; la supplier de s’en rafraîchir un peu, pendant que l’opiniâtreté d’un vent contraire lui empêcherait une meilleure commodité, et d’assurer votre Excellence, de la part de Monseigneur le Comte, qu’il souhaite avec passionde pouvoir témoigner à votre Excellence combien il désire les occasions pour lui rendre très-humbles services, et contracter avec elle une amitié plus étroite; et comme son Excellence s’en allait trouver le Roi, son maître, qu’il ne laisserait point de dire à sa Majesté les civilités que votre Excellence lui avait faites, et que sa Majesté épouserait sans doute ses intérêts, pour l’assister de s’acquitter de son devoir avec plus de vigueur, lorsque la fortune lui en fournirait quelque ample matière.
“Mais, Monseigneur, nous avons été si malheureux d’arriver à Glückstadt cinq ou six heures après que votre Excellence avait fait voile et était descendu vers la mer; toutefois avons-nous pris vitement un vaisseau pour suivre, et n’étions guères loin du hâvre où l’on disait que votre Excellence était contrainte d’attendre un vent encore plus favorable, quand notre vaisseau, n’étant point chargé, fut tellement battu par une grande tempête, que nous étions obligés de nous en retourner sans pouvoir executer les ordres de Monseigneur le Comte, notre maître, dont nous avons un déplaisir incroyable. Votre Excellence a une bonté et générosité très-parfaite; c’est pourquoi nous la supplions très-humblement, d’imputer plutôt à notre malheur qu’à la volonté de Monseigneur le Comte, le mauvais succès de cette notre entreprise; aussi bien la lettre ici enfermée de son Excellence Monseigneur le Comte donnera plus de croyance à nos paroles.
“Nous demandons très-humblement pardon à votre Excellence de la longueur de celle-ci, et espérons quelque rencontre plus heureuse pour lui témoigner de meilleure grâce que nous sommes passionément,
“Monseigneur, de votre Excellence
“Très-humbles et très-obéissans serviteurs,
“François Louis Van de Wiele.“Balth. Borne.”
The enclosed letter from the Count, which they mentioned, was this:—
“Illustri et nobilissimo Domino Bulstrodo Whitelocke, Constabulario Castri de Windsor, et Domino Custodi Magni Sigilli Reipublicæ Angliæ, adque Serenissimam Reginam Sueciæ Legato Extraordinario; amico meo plurimum honorando.“Illustris et nobilissime Domine Legate, amice plurimum honorande,“Quod Excellentia vestra me hesterno die tam magnificè et lautè exceperit, id ut pro singulari agnosco beneficio; ita ingentes Excellentiæ vestræ ago gratias, et nihil magis in votis habeo quam ut occasio mihi offeratur, quâ benevolentiam hanc aliquando debitè resarcire possim.“Cum itaque videam ventum adhuc esse contrarium, adeo ut Excellentia vestra anchoram solvere versusque patriam vela vertere needum possit; partium mearum duxi aliquo modo gratum meum ostendere animum et præsentem ad Excellentiam vestram ablegare, simulque aliquid carnis, farinæ, et piscium, prout festinatio temporis admittere potuit, offerre, Excellentiam vestram obnixè rogans ut oblatum æqui bonique consulere dignetur. Et quamvis ex animo Excellentiæ vestræ ventum secundum, et ad iter omnia prospera exoptem, nihilo tamen minus, si forte fortuna in hisce locis vicinis diutius adhuc subsistere cogatur, ministris meis injungam, ut Excellentiæ vestræ in absentia mea (quoniam in procinctu sum me crastino mane ad regiam Majestatem dominum meum clementissimum conferre) ulterius inservire, et quicquid occasio obtulerit subministrare debeant. De cætero nos Divinæ commendo protectioni, et Excellentiæ vestræ filios dilectissimos meo nomine salutare obnixè rogo.“Dabam in arce mea Breitenburos, 23 Junii, anno 1654.“Excellentiæ vestræ“Observantissimus totusque addictus,“Christianus,Comes in Ranzau.”
“Illustri et nobilissimo Domino Bulstrodo Whitelocke, Constabulario Castri de Windsor, et Domino Custodi Magni Sigilli Reipublicæ Angliæ, adque Serenissimam Reginam Sueciæ Legato Extraordinario; amico meo plurimum honorando.
“Illustris et nobilissime Domine Legate, amice plurimum honorande,
“Quod Excellentia vestra me hesterno die tam magnificè et lautè exceperit, id ut pro singulari agnosco beneficio; ita ingentes Excellentiæ vestræ ago gratias, et nihil magis in votis habeo quam ut occasio mihi offeratur, quâ benevolentiam hanc aliquando debitè resarcire possim.
“Cum itaque videam ventum adhuc esse contrarium, adeo ut Excellentia vestra anchoram solvere versusque patriam vela vertere needum possit; partium mearum duxi aliquo modo gratum meum ostendere animum et præsentem ad Excellentiam vestram ablegare, simulque aliquid carnis, farinæ, et piscium, prout festinatio temporis admittere potuit, offerre, Excellentiam vestram obnixè rogans ut oblatum æqui bonique consulere dignetur. Et quamvis ex animo Excellentiæ vestræ ventum secundum, et ad iter omnia prospera exoptem, nihilo tamen minus, si forte fortuna in hisce locis vicinis diutius adhuc subsistere cogatur, ministris meis injungam, ut Excellentiæ vestræ in absentia mea (quoniam in procinctu sum me crastino mane ad regiam Majestatem dominum meum clementissimum conferre) ulterius inservire, et quicquid occasio obtulerit subministrare debeant. De cætero nos Divinæ commendo protectioni, et Excellentiæ vestræ filios dilectissimos meo nomine salutare obnixè rogo.
“Dabam in arce mea Breitenburos, 23 Junii, anno 1654.
“Excellentiæ vestræ
“Observantissimus totusque addictus,
“Christianus,Comes in Ranzau.”
Whitelocke did the rather insert these letters, to testify the abilities of the gentlemen servants to thisGrave, as also the grateful affection of their master towards him, a stranger to them, upon one meal’s entertainment and acquaintance.
About six o’clock at night Mr. Smith, son to Alderman Smith, of London, and two other young merchants of the English company at Hamburg, came on board to Whitelocke, and brought letters to him from the Resident Bradshaw, with those the Resident received by this week’s post from London; wherein was little news, and no letters came to Whitelocke, because (as he supposed) his friends believed him to be upon the sea. Whitelocke wrote letters of thanks to the Resident, and enclosed in them letters of compliment to the Ricks-Chancellor, and to his son Grave Eric of Sweden, and to Sir George Fleetwood and others, his friends, and entreated the Resident to send them into Sweden.
Whitelocke weighs anchor.The wind not being so high the last night nor this morning as formerly, but the weather promising fair, and Whitelocke longing to advance in his voyage, he weighed anchor about break of day, the ‘Elizabeth’ did the like, and they were under sail about four o’clock this morning. As they came out from Rose Beacon, they told above thirty fisher-boats at sea, testifying the industriousness of this people.
About two leagues from Rose Beacon they passed in sight of another beacon, and of a village which they call Newworke, in which is a small castle like unto that at Rose Beacon. Here the sea began to expatiate, and about three leagues from hence was thelowest buoy of the river. And now Whitelocke was got forth into the open German Ocean, a sea wide and large, oft-times highly rough and boisterous and full of danger, especially in these parts of it, and as Whitelocke shortly found it to be. Suddenly the wind grew high and the sea swelled, and they were fain to take in their topsails; the ship rolled and tossed sufficiently to make the younger seamen sick, and all fearful.
From this place they might see an island on the starboard side of them, called Heligoland, standing a great way into the sea, twelve leagues from Rose Beacon; the island is about six miles in compass. The inhabitants have a language, habit, and laws, different from their neighbours, and are said to have many witches among them; their shores are found very dangerous, and many ships wrecked upon them.
About noon the wind came more to the west, and sometimes it was calm; nevertheless the sea wrought high, the waves raised by the former storms not abating a long while after the storm ceased. When they were gone about two leagues beyond Heligoland, the wind and tide turning against them, they were driven back again near two leagues short of the island; but about four o’clock in the afternoon, the wind being come to south-south-east and a fresh gale, they went on well in their course, running about eight leagues in a watch. Before it was night they had left Heligoland out of sight, and got about eight leagues beyond it; and the ’Elizabeth’ kept up with Whitelocke.
From hence he came in sight of divers small islands upon the Dutch coast, which lie in rank from the mouth of the Elbe unto the Texel. In the eveningthey spied a sail to the leeward of them, but so far off that Whitelocke held it not fit, being almost dark, to go so far as he must do out of his way to inquire after her, and she seemed, at that distance, to stand for the course of England.
At sea.The last night, the wind, having chopped about, had much hindered Whitelocke’s course, and made him uncertain where they were, yet he went on labouring in the main; but the seamen guessed, by the ship’s making way and holding it (though sometimes forward and sometimes backward), that this morning by eight o’clock they had gained thirty leagues from Heligoland, from which to Orfordness they reckon eighty leagues, and the “Fly” to be midway. The ship, which they saw last night, coming near them this morning, they found to be of Amsterdam, coming from the Sound homewards: she struck her sails to Whitelocke, and so passed on her course.
About noon Whitelocke came over-against the Fly, and saw the tower there, about five or six leagues from him. The wind lessened, and the sea did not go so high as before; he went on his course about four or five leagues in a watch. About seven or eight Holland ships made their course by them, as was supposed, towards the Sound, which now they did without fear or danger, the peace between the two Commonwealths being confirmed.
Whitelocke’s fresh provisions beginning to fail, and his biscuit lessened by affording part of it to the ‘Elizabeth,’ which wanted, he was enforced to order thatthere should be but one meal a day, to make his provisions hold out.
The most part of the afternoon they were taken with a calm, till about seven o’clock in the evening, when the wind came fresh again to the east and towards the north, and then would again change; and sometimes they kept their course, and sometimes they were driven back again. The wind was high and variable, and they toiled to and again, uncertain where they were. Divers took the opportunity to recreate themselves by fishing, and the mackerel and other fish they took gave a little supply to their want of victual. About nine o’clock in the evening they lost the ‘Elizabeth,’ leaving her behind about three leagues; she used to keep a distance from Whitelocke’s ship, and under the wind of her, since they began their voyage; and, as a stranger, would not keep company with Whitelocke, being discontented because he went not in that frigate.
Whitelocke’s great deliverance.This Wednesday was the day of Whitelocke’s greatest deliverance. After midnight, till three o’clock in the afternoon, was a great calm, and though the ‘President’ were taken with it, yet the ‘Elizabeth’ had a good wind; and notwithstanding that the day before she was left behind a great distance, yet this morning she came up near to him, and got before him; so great is the difference sometimes, and at so small a distance, at sea, that here one ship shall have no wind at all, and another ship a few yards from her shall have her sails filled. Notwithstanding the calm, yet the wind being by flashes large, they went the lastnight and the day before twenty leagues up and down, sometimes in their course and sometimes out of it. In the morning, sounding with the plummet, the pilot judged that they were about sixteen leagues from the Texel, and twenty-four from Orfordness, but he did not certainly know whereabouts they were. Between three and four o’clock in the afternoon the wind came to north-north-west, which gave them hopes of finishing their voyage the sooner, and it blew a fresh gale.
About five o’clock in the evening rose a very great fog and thick mist, so that it was exceeding dark, and they could not see their way a ship’s length before them. Whitelocke came upon the decks, and seeing the weather so bad and night coming on, and that all their sails were spread, and they ran extraordinary fast, he did not like it, but called together the captain, the master, the pilot, and others, to consult what was best to be done. He asked them why they spread all their sails, and desired to make so much way in so ill weather, and so near to night. They said they had so much sail because the wind favoured them, and that notwithstanding the bad weather they might safely run as they did, having sea-room enough. Whitelocke asked them if they knew whereabouts they were. They confessed they did not, because they had been so much tossed up and down by contrary winds, and the sun had not shined, whereby they might take the elevation. Whitelocke replied, that, having been driven forward and backward as they had been, it was impossible to know where they were; that the ship had run, and did now run, extraordinary fast, and if she should run so all night, perhaps they might be in danger of the English coast or of the Holland coast;and that by Norfolk there were great banks of sand, by which he had passed at sea formerly, and which could not be unknown to them; that in case the ship should fall upon those sands, or any other dangers of that coast, before morning, they should be all lost; and therefore he thought fit to take down some of their sails and slacken their course till, by daylight, they might come to know more certainly in what part they were.
The officers of the ship continued earnest to hold on their course, saying they would warrant it that there was running enough for all night, and that to take down any sail, now the wind was so good for them, would be a great wrong to them in their course. But Whitelocke was little satisfied with their reasons, and less with their warranties, which among them are not of binding force. His own reason showed him, that, not knowing where they were, and in such weather as this to run on as they did, they knew not whither, with all their sails spread, might be dangerous; but to take down some of their sails and to slacken their course could be no danger, and but little prejudice in the hindrance of their course this night, which he thought better to be borne than to endanger all.
He orders sail to be taken in.But chiefly it was the goodness of God to put it strongly upon Whitelocke’s heart to overrule the seamen in this particular, though in their own art, and though his own desires were sufficiently earnest to hasten to his dear relations and country; yet the present haste he feared might hinder the seeing of them at all. Upon a strange earnestness in his own mind and judgement, he gave a positive command to the captain to cause all the sails to be taken down exceptthe mainsail only, and that to be half-furled. Upon the captain’s dispute, Whitelocke with quickness told him that if he did not presently see it done he would cause another to do it, whereupon the captain obeyed; and it was a great mercy that the same was done, which God directed as a means to save their lives.
After the sails were taken down, Whitelocke also ordered them to sound and try what water and bottom they had. About ten o’clock in the evening sounding, they found eighteen fathom water; the next sounding they had but fifteen fathom, and so lessened every sounding till they came to eight fathom, which startled them, and made them endeavour to tack about. But it was too late, for within less than a quarter of an hour after they had eighteen fathom water,The ship strikes.the ship struck upon a bank of sand, and there stuck fast. Whitelocke was sitting with some of the gentlemen in the steerage-room when this happened, and felt a strange motion of the frigate, as if she had leaped, and not unlike the curveting of a great horse; and the violence of the striking threw several of the gentlemen from off their seats into the midst of the room. The condition they were in was quickly understood, and both seamen and landsmen discovered it by the wonderful terror and amazement which had seized on them, and more upon the seamen than others who knew less of the danger.
It pleased his good God to keep up the spirits and faith of Whitelocke in this great extremity; and when nothing would be done but what he in person ordered, in this frightful confusion God gave him extraordinary fixedness and assistance, a temper and constancy of spirit beyond what was usual with him. He orderedthe master-gunner presently to fire some pieces of ordnance, after the custom at sea, to signify their being in distress. But the gunner was so amazed with the danger, that he forgot to unbrace the guns, and shot away the main-sheet; and had not the ship been strong and staunch, the guns being fired when they were close braced, they had broke the sides of her. Whitelocke caused the guns to be unbraced and divers of them fired, to give notice to the ‘Elizabeth,’ or any other ship that might be within hearing, to come in to their assistance; but they heard no guns again to answer theirs, though they longed for it, hoping that the ‘Elizabeth,’ or any other ship coming in to them, by their boats might save the lives of some of them. Whitelocke also caused lights to be set up in the top-gallant, used at sea by those in distress to invite help; but the lights were not answered again by any other ship or vessel; particularly they wondered that nothing was heard or seen from the ‘Elizabeth.’
Whitelocke then ordered the sails of the ship to be reversed, that the wind, being high, might so help them off; but no help was by it, nor by all the people’s coming together to the stern, then to the head, then to the sides of the ship, all in a heap together; nothing would help them. Then Whitelocke ordered the mariners to hoist out one of the boats, in which some of the company would have persuaded Whitelocke to put himself and to leave the rest, and seek to preserve his own life by trusting to the seas in this boat; and they that advised this, offered willingly to go with him.
But Whitelocke knew that if he should go into the boat, besides the dishonour of leaving his people in this distress, so many would strive to enter into theboat with him (a life knows no ceremony) that probably the boat would be sunk by the crowding; and there was little hope of escaping in such a boat, though he should get well off from the ship and the boat not be overladen. He therefore ordered the captain to take a few of the seamen into the boat with him, and to go round the ship and sound what water was on each side of her, and what hopes they could find, and by what means to get her off, himself resolving to abide the same fortune with his followers.
The captain found it very shallow to windward, and very deep to leeward, but no hopes of help; and at his return the master advised to lighten the ship by casting overboard the goods in her. Whitelocke held it best to begin with the ordnance, and gave order for it. Mr. Earle was contriving how to save his master’s jewels, which were of some value; his master took more care to save his papers, to him more precious jewels; but there was no hope of saving any goods or lives. Whitelocke put in his pocket a tablet of gold of his wife’s picture, that this, being found about his dead body when it should be taken up, might show him to have been a gentleman, and satisfy for his burial. One was designing to get upon a plank, others upon the masts, others upon other fancies, any way to preserve life; but no way was left whereby they could have the least shadow or hopes of a deliverance.
The captain went up to the quarter-deck, saying, there he lived and there he would die. All the officers, sadly enough, concluded that there was not the least show of any hopes of preservation, but that they were all dead men, and that upon the return of the tidethe ship would questionless be dashed in pieces. Some lay crying in one corner, others lamenting in another; some, who vaunted most in time of safety, were now most dejected. The tears and sighs and wailings in all parts of the ship would have melted a stony heart into pity; every swelling wave seemed great in expectation of its booty; the raging waves foamed as if their prey were too long detained from them; every billow threatened present death, who every moment stared in their faces for almost two hours together.
Exhorts his sons.In this condition Whitelocke encouraged his two sons to undergo the pleasure of God with all submission. He was sorry for them, being young men, who might have lived many years to do God and their country service, that they now should be snatched away so untimely; but he told them, that if father and sons must now die together, he doubted not but they should go together to that happiness which admits no change; that he did not so much lament his own condition, being an old man, in the course of nature much nearer the grave than they: but he besought God to bless them and yet to appear for their deliverance, if it were His will, or else to give him and them, and all the company, hearts willing to submit to His good pleasure.
Discourse with the boatswain.Walking on the decks to see his orders executed for throwing the ordnance overboard, the boatswain met him and spake to him in his language:—
Boatswain.My Lord, what do you mean to do?
Whitelocke.Wherein dost thou ask my meaning?
Bo.You have commanded the ordnance to be cast overboard.
Wh.It is for our preservation.
Bo.If it be done, we are all destroyed.
Wh.What reason have you to be of this opinion? Must we not lighten the ship? and can we do it better than to begin with the ordnance?
Bo.It may do well to lighten the ship, but not by throwing overboard the ordnance; for you can but drop them close to the ship’s side, and where the water is shallow they will lie up against the side of the ship and fret it, and with the working of the sea make her to spring leaks presently.
Wh.I think thou speakest good reason, and I will try a little longer before it be done.
Bo.My Lord, do not doubt but God will show Himself, and bring you off by His own hand from this danger.
Wh.Hast thou any ground to judge so, or dost thou see any probability of it?
Bo.I confess there is no probability for it; but God hath put it into my heart to tell your Excellence that He will appear our Deliverer when all other hopes and helps fail us, and He will save us by His own power; and let us trust in Him.
Upon this discourse with the honest boatswain, who walked up and down as quite unconcerned, Whitelocke forbade the throwing of the ordnance overboard; and as he was sitting on the deck, Mr. Ingelo, one of his chaplains, came to him, and said that he was glad to see him in so good a temper.
Whitelocke.I bless God, who keeps up my spirit.
Ingelo.My Lord, such composedness, and not being daunted in this distress, is a testimony of God’s presence with you.
Wh.I have cause to thank God, whose presencehath been with me in all my dangers, and most in this greatest, which I hope and pray that He would fit us all to submit unto.
Ing.I hope He will; and I am glad to see your sons and others to have so much courage left in so high a danger.
Wh.God hath not suffered me, nor them, nor yourself, to be dejected in this great trial; and it gives me comfort at this time to observe it, nor doth it leave me without some hopes that God hath yet a mercy in store for us.
Ing.There is little hopes of continuance in this life, it is good to prepare ourselves for a better life; and therefore, if you please that the company may be called together into your cabin, it will be good to join in prayer, and recommending our souls to Him that gave them; I believe they are not to remain long in these bodies of clay.
Wh.I hope every one doth this apart, and it is very fit likewise to join together in doing it; therefore I pray send and call the people into my cabin to prayer.
Whilst Mr. Ingelo was gone to call the people together, a mariner came from the head of the ship, running hastily towards Whitelocke, and crying out to him, which caused Whitelocke to suspect that the ship had sprung a leak or was sinking. The mariner called out:—
The ship moves,Mariner.My Lord! my Lord! my Lord!
Whitelocke.What’s the matter, mariner?
Mar.She wags! she wags!
Wh.Which way doth she wag?
Mar.To leeward.
Wh.I pray God that be true; and it is the best news that ever I heard in my life.
Mar.My Lord, upon my life the ship did wag; I saw her move.
Wh.Mr. Ingelo, I pray stay awhile before you call the people; it may be God will give us occasion to change the style of our prayers. Fellow-seaman, show me where thou sawest her move.
Mar.My Lord, here, at the head of the frigate, I saw her move, and she moves now,—now she moves! you may see it.
Wh.My old eyes cannot discern it.
Mar.I see it plain, and so do others.
and rights.Whilst they were thus speaking and looking, within less than half a quarter of an hour, the ship herself came off from the sand, and miraculously floated on the water. The ship being thus by the wonderful immediate hand of God, again floating on the sea, the mariners would have been hoisting of their sails, but Whitelocke forbade it, and said he would sail no more that night. But as soon as the ship had floated a good way from the bank of sand, he caused them to let fall their anchors, that they might stay till morning, to see where they were, and spend the rest of the night in giving thanks to God for his most eminent, most miraculous deliverance.
Being driven by the wind about a mile from the sand, there they cast anchor, and fell into discourse of the providences and goodness of God to them in this unhoped-for preservation. One observed, that if Whitelocke had not positively overruled the seamen, and made them, contrary to their own opinions, to take down their sails, but that the ship had run with all hersails spread, and with that force had struck into the sand, it had been impossible for her ever to have come off again, but they must all have perished. Another observed, that the ship did strike so upon the bank of sand, that the wind was on that side of her where the bank was highest, and so the strength of the wind lay to drive the ship from the bank towards the deep water.
Another supposed, that the ship did strike on the shelving part of the bank of sand, and the wind blowing from the higher part of the bank, the weight of the ship thus pressed by the wind, and working towards the lower part of the shelving of the bank, the sand crumbled away from the ship, and thereby and with the wind she was set on-float again. Another observed, that if the ship had struck higher on the bank or deeper, when her sails had been spread, with the force of her way, they could not in the least probability have been saved.
Another observed, that through the goodness of God the wind rose higher, and came more to that side of the ship where the bank of sand was highest, after the ship was struck, which was a great means of her coming off; and that, as soon as she was floated, the wind was laid and came about again to another quarter. Another observed, that it being at that time ebbing water was a great means of their preservation; because the ship being so far struck into the sand, and so great a ship, a flowing water could not have raised her; but upon the coming in of the tide she would questionless have been broke in pieces.
The mariners said, that if God had not loved the landmen more than the seamen they should never havecome off from this danger. Every one made his observations. Whitelocke concluded them to this purpose:
Whitelocke orders a thanksgiving to God.“Gentlemen,“I desire that we may all join together in applying these observations and mercies to the praise of God, and to the good of our own souls. Let me exhort you never to forget this deliverance and this signal mercy. While the love of God is warm upon our hearts, let us resolve to retain a thankful memory of it to our lives’ end, and, for the time to come, to employ those lives, which God hath now given to us and renewed to us, to the honour and praise of Him, who hath thus most wonderfully and most mercifully revived us, and as it were new created us. Let us become new creatures; forsake your former lusts in your ignorance, and follow that God fully, who hath so eminently appeared for us, to save us out of our distress; and as God hath given us new lives, so let us live in newness of life and holiness of conversation.”
Whitelocke orders a thanksgiving to God.“Gentlemen,
“I desire that we may all join together in applying these observations and mercies to the praise of God, and to the good of our own souls. Let me exhort you never to forget this deliverance and this signal mercy. While the love of God is warm upon our hearts, let us resolve to retain a thankful memory of it to our lives’ end, and, for the time to come, to employ those lives, which God hath now given to us and renewed to us, to the honour and praise of Him, who hath thus most wonderfully and most mercifully revived us, and as it were new created us. Let us become new creatures; forsake your former lusts in your ignorance, and follow that God fully, who hath so eminently appeared for us, to save us out of our distress; and as God hath given us new lives, so let us live in newness of life and holiness of conversation.”
Whitelocke caused his people to come into his cabin, where Mr. Ingelo prayed with them, and returned praises to the Lord for this deliverance: an occasion sufficient to elevate his spirit, and, meeting with his affections and abilities, tended the more to the setting forth His glory, whose name they had so much cause more than others to advance and honour.
Many of the seamen came in to prayers, and Whitelocke talked with divers of them upon the mercy they had received, who seemed to be much moved with the goodness of God to them; and Whitelocke sought to make them and all the company sensible of God’s gracious dealings, and to bring it home to the hearts of them. He also held it a duty to leave to his own family this large relation, and remembrance of the Lord’s signal mercy to him and his; whereby they might beinduced the more to serve the God of their fathers, to trust in Him who never fails those that seek Him, and to love that God entirely who hath manifested so much love to them, and that in their greatest extremities; and hereby to endeavour that a grateful acknowledgment of the goodness and unspeakable love of God might be transmitted to his children’s children; that as God never forgets to be gracious, so his servants may never forget to be thankful, but to express the thankfulness of their hearts by the actions of their lives.
Whitelocke spent this night in discourses upon this happy subject, and went not to bed at all, but expected the return of day; and, the more to express cheerfulness to the seamen, he promised that as soon as light did appear, if they would up to the shrouds and top, he that could first descry land should have his reward, and a bottle of good sack advantage.
They make the coast of Norfolk.As soon as day appeared, the mariners claimed many rewards and bottles of sack, sundry of them pretending to have first discovered land; and Whitelocke endeavoured to give them all content in this day of rejoicing, God having been pleased to turn their sorrow into joy, by preserving them in their great danger, and presently after by showing them their longed-for native country; making them, when they were in their highest expectation of joy to arrive in their beloved country, then to disappoint their hopes by casting them into the extremest danger—thus making them sensible of the uncertainty of this world’s condition, and checking perhaps their too much earthly confidence, to let themsee His power to control it, and to change their immoderate expectation of joy into a bitter doubt of present death. Yet again, when He had made them sensible thereof, to make his equal power appear for their deliverance when vain was the help of man, and to bring them to depend more on him, then was He pleased to rescue them by his own hand out of the jaws of death, and to restore them with a great addition to their former hopes of rejoicing, by showing them their native coast,—the first thing made known to them after their deliverance from perishing.
The day being clear, they found themselves upon the coast of Norfolk, and, as they guessed, about eight leagues from Yarmouth, where they supposed their guns might be heard the last night. The wind being good, Whitelocke ordered to weigh anchor, and they sailed along the coast, sometimes within half a league of it, until they passed Orfordness and came to Oseley Bay, where they again anchored, the weather being so thick with a great fog and much rain that they could not discern the marks and buoys to avoid the sands, and to conduct them to the mouth of the river. A short time after, the weather began to clear again, which invited them to weigh anchor and put the ship under sail; but they made little way, that they might not hinder their sounding, which Whitelocke directed, the better to avoid the danger of the sands, whereof this coast is full.
Near the road of Harwich the ‘Elizabeth’ appeared under sail on-head of the ‘President,’ who overtaking her, Captain Minnes came on board to Whitelocke, who told him the condition they had been in the last night, and expostulated with him to this purpose.
Whitelocke.Being in this distress, we fired divers guns, hoping that you, Captain Minnes, could not but hear us and come in to our relief, knowing this to be the order of the sea in such cases.
Minnes.My Lord, I had not the least imagination of your being in distress; but I confess I heard your cannon, and believed them to be fired by reason of the fog, which is the custom of the sea in such weather, to advertise one another where they are.
Wh.Upon such an occasion as the fog, seamen use to give notice to one another by two or three guns, but I caused many more to be fired.
Minnes.I heard but four or five in all, and I answered your guns by firing some of mine.
Wh.We heard not one of your guns.
Minnes.That might be by reason we were to windward of you three leagues.
Wh.Why then did you not answer the lights which I caused to be set up?
Minnes.My Lord, those in my ship can witness that I set up lights again, and caused squibs and fireworks to be cast up into the air, that you might thereby discern whereabouts we were.
Wh.It was strange that we could neither see yours nor you our lights.
Minnes.The greatness of the fog might occasion it.
Wh.The lights would appear through the fog as well as in the night.
Minnes.My Lord, I did all this.
Wh.It was contrary to my orders for you to keep so far off from me, and to be on-stern of me three leagues; but this hath been your practice since we first came out to sea together; and if you had been underthe command of some others, as you were under mine, they would have expected more obedience than you have given to my orders, or have taken another course with you, which I can do likewise.
Minnes.My Lord, I endeavoured to get the wind of you, that I might thereby be able to keep in your company, which otherwise I could not have done, you being so much fleeter than the ‘Elizabeth;’ but in the evenings I constantly came up to your Excellence.
Wh.Why did you not so the last night?
Minnes.The fog rose about five o’clock, and was so thick that we could not see two ships’ length before us. In that fog I lost you, and, fearing there might be danger in the night to fall upon the coast, I went off to sea, supposing you had done so likewise, as, under favour, your captain ought to have done; and for my obedience to your Excellency’s commands, it hath been and shall be as full and as willing as to any person living.
Wh.When you found by my guns that you were so far from me to the windward, you might fear that I was fallen into that danger which you had avoided by keeping yourself under the wind more at large at sea.
Minnes.If I had in the least imagined your Excellence to have been in danger, we had been worse than Turks if we had not endeavoured to come in to your succour; and though it was impossible, as we lay, for our ship to come up to your Excellence, yet I should have adventured with my boats to have sought you out. But that you were in any danger was never in our thoughts; and three hours after your guns fired, sounding, I found by the lead the red sand, whichmade me think both your Excellence and we might be in the more danger, and I lay the further off from them, but knew not where your Excellence was, nor how to come to you.
After much more discourse upon this subject, Captain Parkes pressing it against Minnes, who answered well for himself, and showed that he was the better seaman in this action and in most others, and in regard of the cause of rejoicing which God had given them, and that they now were near the end of their voyage, Whitelocke held it not so good to continue the expostulation as to part friends with Captain Minnes and with all his fellow-seamen, and so they proceeded together lovingly and friendly in their voyage.
The wind not blowing at all, but being a high calm, they could advance no further than the tide would carry them, the which failed them when they came to a place called Shoe, about four leagues from the mouth of Thames. Having, through the goodness of God, passed by and avoided many banks of sands and dangerous places, the wind failing them and the tide quite spent, they were forced about seven o’clock in the evening to come to an anchor, Captain Minnes hard by the ‘President,’ where, to make some pastime and diversion, he caused many squibs and fireworks to be cast up into the air from the ‘Elizabeth,’ in which Minnes was very ingenious, and gave recreation thereby to Whitelocke and to his company.
Reach the Nore and Gravesend.Friday, the last of this month, was the fifth and last day of Whitelocke’s voyage by sea from the mouth ofthe Elbe to the mouth of the Thames. About twelve o’clock the last night the wind began to blow very strong in the south-west, and by daybreak they had weighed anchor; and though the wind was extreme high and a great tempest, yet such was their desire of getting into the harbour, that, taking the benefit of the tide and by often tacking about, they yet advanced three leagues in their course; and when the tide failed, they were forced to cast anchor at the buoy in the Nore, the same place where Whitelocke first anchored when he came from England. The pilots and mariners had much ado to manage their sails in this tempestuous weather; and it was a great favour of God that they were not out at sea in these storms, but returned in safety to the place where the kindness of God had before appeared to them.
In the afternoon the wind began to fall, and they weighed anchor, putting themselves under sail and pursuing their course, till for want of day and of tide they were fain to cast anchor a little above Gravesend, and it being very late, Whitelocke thought it would be too troublesome to go on shore; but to keep his people together, and that they might all be the readier to take the morning tide, he lay this night also on ship-board, but sent Earle and some others that night to shore, to learn the news, and to provide boats against the morning for transportation of Whitelocke and his company the next day to London.
Thus, after a long, most difficult, and most dangerous journey, negotiation, and voyage from south to north in winter, and from north to south in summer, after the wonderful preservations and deliverances which the Lord had been pleased to vouchsafe tothem, He was also pleased, in His free and constant goodness to His servants, to bring them all in safety and with comfort again to their native country and dearest relations, and blessed with the success of their employment, and with the wonderful appearances of God for them.
May it be the blessed portion of them all, never to forget the loving-kindness of the Lord, but by these cords of love to be drawn nearer to Him, and to run after Him all the days of their lives! To the end that those of his family may see what cause they have to trust in God and to praise his name for his goodness, Whitelocke hath thought fit, hereby in writing, and as a monument of God’s mercy, to transmit the memory of these passages to his posterity.
371[Another instance of the fear of assassination or of death by poison, which at that time haunted the Envoys of the Commonwealth abroad.]
371[Another instance of the fear of assassination or of death by poison, which at that time haunted the Envoys of the Commonwealth abroad.]
371[Another instance of the fear of assassination or of death by poison, which at that time haunted the Envoys of the Commonwealth abroad.]
Whitelocke lands, and proceeds to his house at Chelsea.About three o’clock this morning good store of boats came from Gravesend to Whitelocke’s ships, to transport him, his company, and goods to London. By the help of the mariners, without much delay the baggage was put on board the boats; and Whitelocke’s people, after a perilous and tedious voyage, were not backward to leave their ships and to set forward to London. Earle was sent before to Greenwich, to acquaint Whitelocke’s wife with his coming, lest sudden joy and apprehensions might surprise her to her prejudice.
Whitelocke having distributed his rewards to the officers and seamen of both the frigates, much to the same proportion as when he went forth, and giving them all his hearty thanks, he went into a boat of six oars, his two sons and some of the gentlemen with him, the rest in other boats. When they were gone about a musket-shot from the ships, both the frigates and the fort fired their cannon for a parting salutation. The weather was cold, wet, and windy, as if it had been still winter, but it was cheerfully endured, being the conclusion of a bad voyage. Near Greenwich Earle met them, and informed Whitelocke that his family was at Chelsea, whither he had sent advertisement of his coming.
Many of the company being much tired, sick, and wanting sleep, by their desire and for their refreshment he staid a little time at the ‘Bear’ on the bridge-foot, and from thence to Whitehall, where not finding the Protector, who was gone to Hampton Court, yet many of his friends meeting him there, he was embraced by them with much show of joy, and heartily bid welcome home, blessing God for his safe return and good success in his business.
From Whitehall Whitelocke went to his own house at Chelsea, where he found his wife and family in good health, but in no small passion, surprised with the great and sudden joy, which ofttimes brings no less disturbance to the tempers of people, especially of the more tender and affectionate sex, than other surprises do; sudden fear, grief, and joy, are often equal in their operation upon constitutions and affections. Nor was Whitelocke’s wife alone in this surprise; another with her, at the return of her husband, could not forbear, in all that company, her extraordinary expressions of joy at the happy meeting of her own most near relation.
From the time of Whitelocke’s departure from hence, to his entry into Upsal, Whitelocke spent forty-seven days; five months he staid there, and in his return from Upsal to this place cost him forty-three days; and in all these eight months’ time of his absence from his dear relations and country the Lord was pleased so to own him and his, and so graciously to preserve and prosper them, that himself and a hundred persons in his company, after so long a journey, so great a change of climate and accommodations, such hardships endured, such dangers surmounted through His goodness, the business effected beyond the expectation ofthose who employed him, Whitelocke and all his company were through mercy returned to their country and relations, in as good condition and health as when they went forth, not one of them left behind dead or sick or impaired in their health, but some improved and bettered therein. Only Whitelocke, being ancient, will have cause to remember the decay of his strength and health by the hardships and difficulties of this service; but more cause hath he to remember the wonderful goodness of God to him and his company abroad and to his wife and family at home, in His blessing and preservation of them, and in the comfort and safety of their meeting after so long and perilous a separation, for which he is obliged to praise the name of God for ever.
After ceremonies past at his coming to his own house, Whitelocke sent Captain Beake to Hampton Court, to acquaint the Protector with his return, to present his duty, and to receive his commands when Whitelocke should wait upon his Highness to kiss his hand, and to give him an account of his negotiation. Beake returned this evening from Hampton Court to Whitelocke with this answer:—that the Protector expressed much joy at the news of the safe arrival of Whitelocke and of his company in England; that he looked upon it as a mercy, and blessed God for it; and that he much desired to see Whitelocke, and hoped, on Monday next, at Whitehall, to have his company, who should be very welcome to him.
A little while after this message returned, there came two of the Protector’s gentlemen, sent by him to Chelsea in his name, to visit Whitelocke and to bid him welcome home, to inquire of his health, and to testifythe contentment the Protector received by Whitelocke’s happy return home, and that he hoped on Monday next to see him. Whitelocke desired the gentlemen to present his humble thanks to the Protector for this great favour to inquire after so mean a servant, who hoped to have the honour to wait upon his Highness at the time appointed by him.
The Protector compliments Whitelocke on his return.The Lord’s Day.—Whitelocke began to enjoy some more privacy and retirement than he had been lately accustomed unto, and was at the public church with his wife and family, and courteously saluted and bid welcome home by many. In the evening the Protector sent another compliment to Whitelocke by Mr. Strickland, one of his Council, who came to Whitelocke’s house, and told him that he was sent by the Protector to salute him, and to inquire of his health after his long and dangerous voyage, and to assure him of the great joy his Highness received by Whitelocke’s safe arrival in England, and the desire he had to see him, and personally to entertain him. Whitelocke desired his most humble thanks might be returned to his Highness for this great favour, giving him the opportunity of seeing so honourable a person as Strickland was, and for taking such care of so poor a servant as Whitelocke, and to let his Highness know that he should obey his Highness’s commands in waiting on him the next day as he appointed.
His audience of the Protector.Whitelocke came to Whitehall about nine o’clockthis morning, where he visited Mr. Secretary Thurloe, who brought him to the Protector, and he received Whitelocke with great demonstration of affection, and carried him into his cabinet, where they were together about an hour, and had this among other discourses:—
Protector.How have you enjoyed your health in your long journey, both by sea and land? and how could you endure those hardships you were put unto in that barren and cold country?
Whitelocke.Indeed, Sir, I have endured many hardships for an old crazy carcase as mine is, but God was pleased to show much mercy to me in my support under them, and vouchsafed me competent health and strength to endure them.
Prot.I have heard of your quarters and lodging in straw, and of your diet in your journey; we were not so hardly nor so often put to it in our service in the army.
Wh.Both my company and myself did cheerfully endure all our hardships and wants, being in the service of our God and of our country.
Prot.That was also our support in our hardships in the army, and it is the best support, indeed it is, and you found it so in the very great preservations you have had from dangers.
Wh.Your Highness hath had great experience of the goodness of God to you, and the same hand hath appeared wonderfully in the preservation of my company and myself from many imminent and great dangers both by sea and land.
Prot.The greatest of all other, I hear, was in your return home upon our coast.
Wh.That indeed, Sir, was very miraculous.
Prot.I am glad to see you safe and well after it.
Wh.I have cause to bless God with all thankfulness for it as long as I live.
Prot.I pray, my Lord, tell me the particulars of that great deliverance.
Thereupon Whitelocke gave a particular account of the passages of that wonderful preservation; then the Protector said:—
Prot.Really these passages are full of wonder and mercy; and I have cause to join with you in acknowledgment of the goodness of the Lord herein.
Wh.Your Highness testifies a true sense thereof, and your favour to your servant.
Prot.I hope I shall never forget the one or the other,—indeed I hope I shall not; but, I pray, tell me, is the Queen a lady of such rare parts as is reported of her?
Wh.Truly, Sir, she is a lady excellently qualified, of rare abilities of mind, perfect in many languages, and most sorts of learning, especially history, and, beyond compare with any person whom I have known, understanding the affairs and interest of all the States and Princes of Christendom.
Prot.That is very much; but what are her principles in matters of religion?
Wh.They are not such as I could wish they were;435they are too much inclined to the manner of that country, and to some persuasions from men not well inclined to those matters, who have had too much power with her.
Prot.That is a great deal of pity; indeed I have heard of some passages of her, not well relishing with those that fear God; and this is too general an evil among those people, who are not so well principled in matters of religion as were to be wished.
Wh.That is too true; but many sober men and good Christians among them do hope, that in time there may be a reformation of those things; and I took the boldness to put the Queen and the present King in mind of the duty incumbent upon them in that business; and this I did with becoming freedom, and it was well taken.
Prot.I think you did very well to inform them of that great duty which now lies upon the King; and did he give ear to it?
Wh.Yes truly, Sir, and told me that he did acknowledge it to be his duty, which he resolved to pursue as opportunity could be had for it; but he said, it must be done by degrees with a boisterous people, so long accustomed to the contrary. And the like answer I had from the Archbishop of Upsal, and from the Chancellor, when I spoke to them upon the same subject, which I did plainly.
Prot.I am glad you did so. Is the Archbishop a man of good abilities?
Wh.He is a very reverend person, learned, and seems very pious.
Prot.The Chancellor is the great wise man.
Wh.He is the wisest man that ever I conversed with abroad, and his abilities are fully answerable to the report of him.
Prot.What character do you give of the present King?
Wh.I had the honour divers times to be with his Majesty, who did that extraordinary honour to me as to visit me at my house; he is a person of great worth, honour, and abilities, and not inferior to any in courage and military conduct.
Prot.That was an exceeding high favour, to come to you in person.
Wh.He never did the like to any public minister. But this, and all other honour done to me, was but to testify their respects to your Highness, the which indeed was very great, both there, and where I passed in Germany.
Prot.I am obliged to them for their very great civility.
Wh.Both the Queen, and the King, and his brother, and the Archbishop, and the Chancellor, and most of the grandees, gave testimony of very great respect to your Highness, and that not only by their words, but by their actions likewise.
Prot.I shall be ready to acknowledge their respects upon any occasion.
Wh.The like respects were testified to your Highness in Germany, especially by the town of Hamburg; where I endeavoured, in your Highness’s name, to confirm the privileges of the English merchants, who, with your Resident there, showed much kindness to me and my company.
Prot.I shall heartily thank them for it. Is the Court of Sweden gallant, and full of resort to it?
Wh.They are extreme gallant for their clothes; and for company, most of the nobility and the civil and military officers make their constant residence where the Court is, and many repair thither on all occasions.
Prot.Is their administration of justice speedy? and have they many law-suits?
Wh.They have justice in a speedier way than with us, but more arbitrary, and fewer causes, in regard that the boors dare not contend with their lords; and they have but few contracts, because they have but little trade; and there is small use of conveyances or questions of titles, because the law distributes every man’s estate after his death among his children, which they cannot alter, and therefore have the fewer contentions.
Prot.That is like our gavelkind.
Wh.It is the same thing; and in many particulars of our laws, in cases of private right, and of the public Government, especially in their Parliaments, there is a strange resemblance between their law and ours.
Prot.Perhaps ours might some of them be brought from thence.
Wh.Doubtless they were, when the Goths and Saxons, and those northern people, planted themselves here.
Prot.You met with a barren country, and very cold.
Wh.The remoter parts of it from the Court are extreme barren; but at Stockholm and Upsal, and most of the great towns, they have store of provisions; but fat beef and mutton in the winter-time is not so plentiful with them as in the countries more southerly; and their hot weather in summer as much exceeds ours, as their cold doth in winter.
Prot.That is somewhat troublesome to endure; but how could you pass over their very long winter nights?
Wh.I kept my people together and in action and recreation, by having music in my house, and encouraging that and the exercise of dancing, which heldthem by the ears and eyes, and gave them diversion without any offence. And I caused the gentlemen to have disputations in Latin, and declamations upon words which I gave them.
Prot.Those were very good diversions, and made your house a little academy.
Wh.I thought these recreations better than gaming for money, or going forth to places of debauchery.
Prot.It was much better. And I am glad you had so good an issue of your treaty.
Wh.I bless God for it, and shall be ready to give your Highness a particular account of it, when you shall appoint a time for it.
Prot.I think that Thursday next, in the morning, will be a good time for you to come to the Council, and to make your report of the transactions of your negotiation; and you and I must have many discourses upon these arguments.
Wh.I shall attend your Highness and the Council.
Whitelocke’s friends celebrate his return.This day was spent in visits, very much company resorting to Whitelocke’s house to bid him welcome into England, so that, by the multitude of company, he had not any opportunity of recollecting himself and his thoughts, touching the matters which he was to communicate to the Council the next day; but it could not be avoided, and he must take such time as would be afforded him.
A solemn thanksgiving for his safe return.By Whitelocke’s appointment, all his company whowere with him in Sweden, came this day to his house at Chelsea, where divers others of his good friends met them, to the intent they might all join together in returning humble and hearty thanks to God for his great mercy and goodness to them, in their preservation and wonderful deliverances in their voyage, in blessing them with health and with success in their business, and bringing all of them in safety and comfort to their native country and most dear relations.
Being for this end met together in a large room prepared for them, they began the duty; and first, Mr. Peters acquainted them with the occasion of the meeting, recommending all to the direction and assistance of the Lord. He spoke to them upon the Psalm pertinent to the occasion, and to the mention of the voyage, hardships, dangers, and difficulties, wherein God had delivered them; and what sense these things ought to work upon their hearts, and what thankfulness they ought to return to God for his mercies.
After a psalm sung, Mr. Ingelo, one of Whitelocke’s chaplains, prayed with them, and then amplified the favours and deliverances which God had wrought for them, the great difficulties and dangers wherein He had preserved them, and their unworthiness of any mercy; he exhorted them to all gratitude to the Author of their mercies: in all which he expressed himself with much piety, ingenuity, and with great affection. Mr. George Downing, who had been a chaplain to a regiment in the army, expounded a place of Scripture very suitable to the occasion, and very ingeniously and pertinently. After him, Mr. Stapletonprayed very well, and spake pertinently and feelingly to the rest of the company, his fellow-travellers. Then they sang another psalm; and after that, Mr. Cokaine spake very well and piously, and gave good exhortations on the same subject.
Whitelocke’s address to his company.When all these gentlemen had ended their discourses proper for the occasion, Whitelocke himself spake to the company to this effect:—