t that I know of.

"I hope the copy of the articles of the Dutch treaty, which I
formerly sent, your Excellence hath received before now. I am sorry
to hear that your entertainment in Sweden begins to be like my Lord
St. John's in Holland; but I trust the Lord will continue his
protection to yourself and family, which is the prayer of

"Your Excellence's humble servant,
"JO. THURLOE.
"_March 31, 1654._

"Monsieur Bonnele, the Queen of Sweden's Commissary, hath desired
audience to deliver a letter congratulatory to his Highness from the
Queen. The superscription is not very right; besides, your
Excellency having writ nothing about it, some difficulty hath been
in the delivery of it; but yet at last resolved to receive it as it
is."

This letter is inserted to show by it the constant way and course of
intelligence, and the generality and clearness of it, between Thurloe
and Whitelocke, whereby his business and reputation in this Court was
very much advanced, and Whitelocke made great use and advantage by it.
The papers usually enclosed in Thurloe's letters were many, and contained
all particulars of moment touching the Dutch treaty, as also relating to
the affairs of England and of most parts of Christendom. One clause in
this letter of Thurloe's, that, after the Dutch treaty had concluded, his
Highness would send new instructions to Whitelocke, for his direction to
proceed in the treaty in Sweden,--this gave much trouble and perplexity
of thoughts to Whitelocke. He could not imagine what those new
instructions should be. If they should be contrary to what he had already
agreed, it would be not only to the dishonour of Whitelocke, but of the
Protector likewise and of the English nation, for him to go back from
what he had before assented to, and to go out here with a snuff,
retracting his former agreement, or else he must proceed contrary to his
instructions, which would not be ratified; and both of these mischiefs
great enough. He was in suspense whether he should seal the articles here
beforehand, or expect the receipt of these instructions before he signed
them. He considered that if he should defer the signing of the articles
till after the receipt of those new instructions, that then they could
not at all be signed by the present Queen, who intended to continue but
one week in the government, and