aid he promised himself so much, being the Protector had sent him hither
to testify his respects to the Queen and to the kingdom of Sweden, and to
offer them the amity of England.

The Prince also discoursed of the late King of England, and of the
proceedings between him and the Parliament, with great dislike thereof;
to which Whitelocke gave him an account, and a modest answer declining
that argument with the Prince, and telling him that every nation had
their particular rights and laws, according to which they were governed.
He testified great respect to Whitelocke; and when he took his leave the
Prince conducted him as far as the great court, which he used not to do
to others of Whitelocke's quality.

_March 12, 1653._

[SN: The treaty delayed by reason of the Queen's abdication.]

Mr. Bloome--who had been formerly a servant to the old Duke of Buckingham
in England, and after that coming to Sweden, was entertained by the
Chancellor, and his great creature, and had been employed by him as a
public minister--did the honour to Whitelocke to be often with him, and
now, after dinner, discoursed much of the revolution which was likely to
happen in this country by the Queen's resignation; upon which subject
Whitelocke thought not fit to speak much in company.

Afterwards in private Whitelocke asked Mr. Bloome if he had heard the
Chancellor speak of deferring his business till the Prince were crowned.
Bloome confessed he heard the Chancellor say that he thought it would be
more convenient to have Whitelocke's business resolved after the King
should be crowned than at present. Whitelocke told him (which he supposed
Bloome would again relate to the Chancellor) that all acts of such nature
concluded by the Queen before her resignation would be held authentic by
her successor. Bloome said he believed so, but, being the change would be
so soon, he thought it might be better to have the business put into the
hands of the new King. Whitelocke said it would require a long time to
expect the new King's settlement, before which he believed his return
home might be commanded. Bloome said the business would be soon done
after the meeting of the Ricksdag, which did not use to sit long. By this
and other discourses Whitelocke found that there was a purpose in some to
defer the conclusion of his treaty to the King, which he therefore
prepared to prevent.

La Belle Comtesse made a great entertainment and ball for Montecuculi and
the