g out of town hath occasioned it, and the
great business touching her resignation, which hath so taken up all men's
thoughts and counsels, that there hath been hardly room left for any
other matter; and when the Queen goes away, those of the Council also
take the liberty to go into the country; and upon such extraordinary
changes as these are, it is no strange thing for public ministers to be
retarded; and the same thing hath been practised upon your changes in
England.

_Wh._ I have not observed, either in England or elsewhere, that after an
agreement upon a treaty, and nothing remaining but to sign and seal, that
they have used afterwards to delay it three weeks together; yet I am
willing to promise myself that the servant of the Protector may expect
from this Crown as much respect as any other public minister.

_Gr. Eric._ There hath been more respect showed to you than hath been
accustomed to any other. I believe your business may be despatched in
half an hour; and if my father return this evening time enough to do it,
it may be done this night; if not, then without fail tomorrow morning.

_Wh._ I am the more earnest herein, looking upon it as my duty to the
Protector and my respect to this Crown, to avoid any occasion of
discontent between the two nations; and therefore I shall freely tell you
that it will be very material to have the articles signed this day or
tomorrow, before I receive this week's letters, by which I expect to
understand that the articles between England and Holland are signed;
among which articles one is, that neither the one nor the other
confederate shall make any alliance with any other prince or state,
without first giving notice thereof to the other confederate. Now if the
articles between the Protector and the Queen be signed before I have
notice of this by the Dutch articles being signed, the signing of our
articles here first will be without exception in this point; but if I
receive this information from England before the articles be signed here,
it will be doubtful whether then I shall be in a capacity afterwards to
sign the articles here, whereupon sundry inconveniences will ensue, which
I would willingly prevent.

_Gr. Eric._ This is indeed a material point, and I am much startled at
it. I shall go and see if my father be come to town, that I may acquaint
him with it, and doubtless the business may be finished tomorrow.

_Wh._ What do you resolve to do in the matter I proposed t