s.

[SN: Conversation of a Danish gentleman who betrays his country.]

This day Whitelocke had discourse about Norway and the Sound with a
Danish gentleman of great quality and experience whom he had obliged, who
desired to have his name concealed;[91] but part of this discourse
follows:--

_Dane._ Now is a good time for the Protector to send some ships towards
these parts.

_Whitelocke._ What places are there in Norway considerable as to the
interest of England?

_Dane._ There are two places in Norway not far from Gothenburg which are
easy to be taken, and are excellent harbours, wherein England might keep
some ships constantly, and command all that pass by to the Baltic Sea.

_Wh._ What are the names of those places?

_Dane._ The one of those havens is called Marstrang; but that I do not
like so well because of the Paternoster Rocks, which are very dangerous
for coming out if the wind sit northerly, and the fort there is commanded
by the hills near it. But the other place, called Flecker Town, is an
island, and hath a going-in and coming-out two ways; it is an excellent
harbour, and ships may ride in it at such a distance from the land (being
a broad water) that none from the land can hurt them. There is a little
fort in this island which may easily be taken, not having above forty or
fifty men in it, and the works decayed. Those who assail it must land
their men on the south-east side of the island, the fort being on the
other side, and they may easily be masters of it; and from thence having
some ships, they may go in and out at their pleasure, and command all
passing by; and none can come into the harbour to them if they make up
the fort, which is soon done, and the passage not above musket-shot to be
commanded, and there are no guns there of any consideration at this time.

_Wh._ How shall they do for victuals there to get fresh from the land?

_Dane._ There is plenty of butter and cheese, sheep and hogs; and the
poor country people will be no trouble to you, but be willing to be
commanded by you.

_Wh._ What towns are there near it?

_Dane._ Higher in the country is Bergen, the chief town for trade there,
and rich enough. Your ships may easily come into that harbour, and
plunder the town and get a great booty, and return to Fleckeren Town
again.

_Wh._ Is there anything to be done at Iceland?

_Dane._ I wonder you do not send, in August or September, four or five
ships to Iceland, being men-of-war