erve in
the armies, these officers and the lords of the boors appoint them; and
if any offend, they are presently written out to send abroad into Russia,
Poland, Germany, and other parts, from whence they do not all return
safe, but are kept in great awe and obedience.

This day here fell a great quantity of snow, and was in one night so hard
frozen that it would bear a cart; the English wondered at it, but not
this country men, the like being here usual at this time of the year and
after.

The Countess of Brahe, wife of the Ricks-Droitset, sent a gentleman to
Whitelocke to acquaint him that there was a parcel of timber, cut and
lying ready within four miles of Gothenburg, which did belong to her
former husband, and was cut for the building of a ship; but by reason of
her husband's death the ship was not built, and she offered the timber to
Whitelocke at a reasonable price. But he, finding that it had been cut
four years, and lay far from the water-side, made an excuse that it would
be necessary to have it viewed, which his hastening away would not now
permit; but he returned thanks to the Countess for her respects in the
offer of it.

_April 19, 1654._

[SN: Preparations for the abdication.]

Monsieur Bloome and divers others, having dined with Whitelocke,
acquainted him that the Chancellor intended to return hither the next day
after the Queen. Whitelocke said he hoped the Chancellor would have been
here before her Majesty; but this was an argument to confute the report
that the Queen would stay at Stockholm and hold the Ricksdag there.
Another argument was, the Queen's officers removing and altering some of
the hangings in Whitelocke's house, being longer and fitter for the rooms
to be furnished in the castle for the Ricksdag than those which they put
up in their places in Whitelocke's lodging.

_April 20, 1654._

[SN: Swedish mines.]

In pursuance of former discourse with Monsieur Bloome, and by the desire
of Mr. Bushel in England to Whitelocke to inquire into it, he received a
paper in French, from a person here employed about the mines, to inform
him by what means this person might be treated with to be brought into
England for improving of our mines there.

[SN: Hawks.]

Whitelocke also, by desire of a worthy friend in England, furnished
himself with a direction how he might procure some hawks out of this
country, and chiefly from the isle of Deulandt, where the best hawks are;
and he had gained