nd by the
number of guns at his going away, and that this was the greatest honour
he ever received, with much to the like purpose; and he gave to the
Lieutenant for his pains two pieces of plate of silver gilt, and ten
rix-dollars to the boat's company, and twenty rix-dollars more to the
ship's company.

_June 23, 1654._

This was the seventh day that Whitelocke had lain on the Elbe, which was
tedious to him; and now, fresh provisions failing, he sent Captain Crispe
to Glueckstadt to buy more, whose diligence and discretion carried him
through his employments to the contentment of his master. He brought good
provisions at cheap rates.

[SN: Whitelocke agrees to convoy four English cloth ships.]

The four captains of the English cloth-ships came on board Whitelocke to
visit him; they were sober, experienced sea commanders; their ships lay
at anchor close to Whitelocke. After dinner they told Whitelocke that if
their ships had been three leagues lower down the river, they could not
have anchored in this bad weather without extreme danger, the sea being
there much higher, and the tide so strong that their cables would not
have held their ships; and that if they had been at sea in this weather,
they had been in imminent peril of shipwreck, and could not have returned
into the river, nor have put into the Weser nor any other harbour.
Whitelocke said that they and he were the more bound to God, who had so
ordered their affairs as to keep them, during all the storms wherein they
had been, in a safe and good harbour; he wished them, in this and all
their voyages, to place their confidence in God, who would be the same
God to them as now, and in all their affairs of this life.

The captains desired Whitelocke's leave to carry their streamers and
colours, and to be received by him as part of his fleet in their voyage
for England, and they would acknowledge him for their Admiral. Whitelocke
told them he should be glad of their company in his voyage, and would
willingly admit them as part of his small fleet, but he would expect
their observance of his orders; and if there should be occasion, that
they must join with him in fight against any enemies of the Commonwealth
whom they should meet with, which they promised to do; and Whitelocke
mentioned it to the captains, because he had received intelligence of a
ship laden with arms coming out of the Weser for Scotland, with a strong
convoy, with whom Whitelocke resolved to try h