chair sat the Ricks-Droitset, and in the
left-hand chair the Chancellor. By Whitelocke sat Grave Gabriel
Oxenstiern and Senator Vanderlin in lesser chairs, and by Woolfeldt sat
Whitelocke's sons and Potley. On the other side, in lesser chairs, by the
Droitset, sat the Senators Beilke and Bundt the younger; by the
Chancellor sat Senator Bundt the elder and Baron Douglas; at the upper
end of the table sat Grave Eric, and at the lower end stood the carver.
The dishes were all silver, not great, but many, set one upon another,
and filled with the best meat and most variety that the country did
afford; and indeed the entertainment was very noble--they had four
several courses of their best meat, and fish and fowl, dressed after the
French mode.

They had excellent Rhenish wine, and indifferent good sack and claret;
their beer very thick and strong, after the manner of the country. When
the four courses were done, they took off the meat and tablecloth, and
under it was another clean cloth; then they brought clean napkins and
plates to every one, and set a full banquet on the table, and, as part
thereof, tobacco and pipes, which they set before Whitelocke as a special
respect to him, and he and two or three more of the company took of it as
they sat at table; and they so civilly complied with Whitelocke as not to
observe their own customs, but abstaining from healths or any excess.

They all sat bare at the table, according to their usage, chiefly (though
no occasion were for it at this time) to avoid the trouble of often
putting off and on their hats and caps in healths. They were full of good
discourse, more cheerful than serious. Most at the table spake or
understood somewhat of English, for which reason they were chosen to
accompany Whitelocke here, as a compliment to his nation; they discoursed
also in several other languages, as Swedish, High Dutch, French, and
Latin.

After dinner, which was very long, they sat yet longer at the table,
Whitelocke expecting when they would rise; till Douglas informed him,
that he being the guest, and an ambassador, they used it as a respect to
him, that none of the company would offer to rise till he first arose
from the table. As soon as this was known to Whitelocke, he presently
rose and the rest with him, and the Chancellor and he retired into the
withdrawing-room; where, after compliments and thanks for his noble
treatment (which it was said the father made, though put out in the