nto England and have them
sent to you.

_Wh._ That will require more time than I have to stay in this place. I
believe the new King will not be crowned yet these two or three months;
and it will be two months from this time before I can receive new
credentials from England, and two or three months after that before I can
return home; by which account I shall be abroad yet eight months longer,
which will be till the next winter; and that would be too long a time for
me to be absent from my family and affairs in England.

_Mast. Cer._ I shall speak with the Queen in this business, and shortly
return to you.

It was imagined by Whitelocke that the master of the ceremonies was
purposely sent to him to sound him touching the deferring of the treaty;
and the like errand Mr. Bloome came to him about; and Whitelocke fully
declared to them his distaste of any thought thereof, and the more at
large and positively because he knew what he said would be reported to
the full to her Majesty and to the Chancellor.

_March 29, 1654._

The master of the ceremonies came to Whitelocke from the Queen to excuse
Whitelocke's not having had audiences when he desired them; which he said
was because her Majesty had been so full of business, which had hindered
her, and particularly because of the holidays; but he said, if Whitelocke
pleased to have his audience tomorrow, the Queen would be glad to see
him. Whitelocke desired the master to return his thanks to her Majesty
for her favours, and to let her know that he should be ready to attend
her at such time as she should appoint. The master said he would acquaint
her Majesty herewith, and so went away in the midst of dinner.

[SN: Lord Douglas visits Whitelocke.]

The Lord Douglas, a Scotsman, came to visit Whitelocke. He is an ancient
servant to this Crown; he was a page to King Gustavus Adolphus, and by
him preferred to military command, wherein he quitted himself so well
that he was promoted to be General of the Horse, and was now a Baron and
Ricks-Stallmaster, or master of the horse, in Sweden. He excused himself
that he had not oftener visited Whitelocke, being hindered by his
sickness of an ague, which had held him thirty weeks, and had not yet
left him. He said that the next day after his arrival here the Queen
asked him if he had been to see the English Ambassador, and that
Whitelocke was much obliged to the Queen for her good opinion of him:
whereof Whitelocke said he had recei