t of
enemies again around him; and the question, just before Oliver's
death, was whether Oliver would consider himself disobliged by the
rupture of the Peace with Denmark, which had been mainly of his own
making, or whether he would stand by his brother of Sweden and
think him still in the right. That the second would have been
Oliver's course there can be little doubt. The question had now
descended to Richard and his Council. They were anxious to adhere
to the foreign policy of the late Protector in the Swedish as in
all other matters; but there were difficulties.

(CXXXVI. AND CXXXVII.) To CHARLES GUSTAVUS OF SWEDEN, _Oct._
1659:--Two more letters to his Swedish Majesty, following close on
the last:--(1) In the first, dated "Oct. 13," Richard acknowledges
a letter received from the King of Sweden through his envoy in
London, and also a letter from the King to Philip Meadows, the
English Resident at the Swedish Court, which Meadows has
transmitted. He is deeply sensible of his Swedish Majesty's kind
expressions, both of sorrowing regard for his great father's
memory, and of goodwill towards himself. There could not be a
greater honour to him, or a greater encouragement in the beginning
of his government, than the congratulations of such a King. "As
respects the relations entered into between your Majesty and Us
concerning the common cause of Protestants, I would have your
Majesty believe that, since I succeeded to this government, though
our Affairs are in such a state as to require the extreme of
diligence, care, and vigilance, chiefly at home, yet I have had and
still have nothing more sacredly or more deliberately in my mind
than not to be wanting, to the utmost of my power, to the Treaty
made by my father with your Majesty. I have therefore arranged for
sending a fleet into the Baltic Sea, with those commands which our
Internuncio [Meadows], whom we have most amply instructed for this
whole business, will communicate to your Majesty." This was the
fleet of Admiral Lawson, which did not actually put to sea till the
following month, and was then wind-bound off the English coast. See
ante p. 428; where it is also explained that Sir George Ayscough
was to go out with Lawson, to enter the Swedish service as a
volunteer.--(2) The other letter to Charles Gustavus, though dated
"Oct." merely in the extant copies, was probably written on the
same