Her countenance was fprightly, butt fomwhat pale; he had much of majefly in her demeanor, and though her perfon were of the fmaller fize, yett her mienne and carryage was very noble.

• Whitelocke made his three congees, came up to her and kiffed her hand, which ceremony all ambaffadors used to this Queen; then the putt on her cappe, making a ceremony to Whitelocke, who alfo putt on his hatte, then calling to his fecretary, tooke of him his credentialls, and putting off his hatte (at which the Queen alfo pulled off her cappe) Whitelocke told her in English (which Mr. de la Marche interpreted in French) that the parlement had commaunded him to prefent thofe letters to her majefty: fhe took them with great civility, and read their fuperfcription, butt did not then open

them.

After fome pawze, Whitelocke began and fpake to the Queen in English, Mr. de la Marche, by his appointment, interpreting every fentence as he fpake it, in French, which was defired from Whitekocke, and alledged to be the conftant practice of that court.'

Although the Queen was very attentive to the Ambaffador's fpeech, yet he did not forget to play off her majeftic airs upon him, as her custom was, in order to dazzle and daunt those who addreffed her, by the dignity of her afpect and carriage. While he fpake, the came close to him, and, by her looks and gestures, as the journal expreffes it, would have daunted him; but, fays this fine old fteady republican, those who have been converiant with the late great affairs in England, are not fo foon as others appaled with the presence of a young lady and her fervants.'

Whitelocke's fpeech, upon this occafion (which was 'delivered in English) is a curious one; but we have not room to infert it. He gave the Queen a brief recital of the late troubles in England; fet forth the fignal manner in which it had pleafed God to give fuccefs to the caufe of the people, struggling to preferve their rights and liberties; and concluded by tendering to her Majefty the friendship of the Commonwealth: at the fame time fignifying their defire not only to renew that amity and good correspondence which hath hitherto been between the two nations, but their further willingness to enter into a more ftrict alliance and union than hath as yet been, for the good of both,' &c.

The Queen flood ftill, fome time, after the Ambaffador had done fpeaking, and thenftepping near to him, with a countenance and gefture full of confidence, fpirit and majefty (as Whitelock well expreffes it) yet mixed with great civility, and a good grace, the anfwered him prefently, in Swedifb.' Every fentence, as the fpake it, being interpreted to him in Latin: in like manner as his fpeech had been interpreted to her in French. The Queen exprefled the greateft approbation of his Excellency's perfon and commiffion; frankly declaring the affection which the bore to the Commonwealth of England,' and her • defire

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not only to renew former alliances between the two nations, but to enter into a nearer union than heretofore.'

In the courfe of his many audiences, and fome very free and familiar converfations which our Ambaffador had with Chriftina, many curious and entertaining particulars are recited. In one of his private audiences, her Majefty made very particular enquiries concerning the Lord General Cromwell, who about this time attained the title of PROTECTOR; but the news of that circumftance, and the important change in England, by which it was brought about, had not reached Sweden. The following dialogue, relating to that Great Man will, we doubt not, be acceptable to most of our Readers:

Queen. Your Generall is one of the gallanteft men in the world; never were fuch things done as by the English in your late war. Your Generall hath done the greatest things of any man in the world; the Prince of Conde is next to him, butt fort of him. I have as great a refpect and honor for your Generall, as for any man alive; and I pray, lett him know as much from me.

Whitelocke. My Generall is indeed a very brave man; his actions fhow it and I fhall not fayle to fignify to him the great honor of your Majesty's refpects to him; and I affure your Majefty, he hath as high honor for you as for any prince in Chriftendome.

Q. I have bin told that many officers of your army will themfelves pray and preach to their foldiers; is that true?

Wh. Yes, Madame, it is very true. When ther ennemies are fwearing, or debauching, or pillaging: the officers and foldiers of the parlement's army ufe to be incouraging and exhorting one another out of the word of God, and praying togither to the Lord of Hofts for his bleffing to be with them; who hath fhowed his approbation of this military preaching, by the fucceffes he hath given them. Qu. That's well. Doe you ufe to doe fo too?

Wh. Yes; uppon fome occafions, in my own family and thinke it as proper for me, being the mafter of it, to admonish and speake to my people when there is caufe; as to be beholding to another to doe it for me, which fometimes brings the chaplein into more credit then his lord.

Qu. Doth your Generall, and other great officers do fo?

Wb. Yes, Madame, very often, and very well. Nevertheless they maintaine chapleins and minifters in their houfes, and regiments; and fuch as are godly and worthy minifters have as much refpect, and as good provifion in England, as in any place of Chriftendome. Yett 'tis the opinion of many good men with us, that a long caffake, with a filke girdle, and a great beard, do not make a learned or good preacher; without gifts of the spirit of God, and labouring in his vineyerd: and whofoever ftudies the holy fcripture, and is inabled to doe good to the fouls of others, and indeavours the fame, is no where forbidden by that word, nor is it blameable.

The officers and foldiers of the parlement held it not unlawfull, when they carryed their lives in their hands, and were going to adventure them in the high places of the field, to incourage one another Rev. June 1772.

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out of his word who commaunds over all: and this had more weight and impreflion with it than any other word could have; and was never denyed to be made ufe of butt by the popish prælats, who, by no meanes would admit lay people (as they call them) to gather from thence that instruction and comfort which can no where else be found.

Qu. Methinks you preach very well, and have now made a good fermon. I affure you I like it very well.

Wh. Madame, I fhall account it a great happines if any of my words may please you.

Qu. Indeed, Sir, thefe words of yours doe very much please me; and I fhall be glad to heare you oftener on this firayne. Batt I pray tell me, where did your Generail, and you his officers learne this way of praying and preaching yourselves?

Wh. We learnt it from a neer friend of your Majefty, whofe memory all the Proteftant intereft hath caufe to honor.

Qu. My friend! who was that?

Wh. It was your father, the great King Guftavus Adolphus, who, uppon his first landing in Germany (as many then prefent have tefifyed) did himfelfe in perfon uppon the hoare, on his knees, give thanks to God for his fafe landing, and before his foldiers himfelfe prayed to God for his blefling uppon that undertaking; and he would frequently exhort his people out of God's word: and God teflifyed his good liking thereof, by the wonderfull fucceffes he was pleafed to vouchsafe to that gallant King.'

In another of thofe intimate converfations with which Chriftina honoured the English Ambaffador,-now become a great favourite with her Majefty,-fhe took occafion to impart to him the important fecret of her design to abdicate the crown. After difcourfing with him upon the articles of the treaty, then under confideration between the two nations, fhe drew a foot clofe to Whitelocke, and this converfation paffed:

Qu. I shall furprife you with fomething which I intend to communicate to you; but it must be under fecrecy.

Wb. Madame, we, that have bin verfed in the affayres of Engfand, doe not ufe to be furprized with the difcourfe of a young lady; whatf ever your Majefty fhall thinke fitt to impart to me, and comraund to be under fecrecy, fhall be faithfully obeyed by me.

2. I have great confidence of your honor and judgement, and therefore, though you are a firanger, I fhall acquaint you with a Buifnes of the greatet confequence to me in the world, and which I have not communicated to any creature; nor would I have you to tell any one of it, no not your Generall, till you come to fee him; and in this buifnes I delire your counfell.

Wb. Your Majefly doth me in this the greatest honor imaginable, and your confidence in me, I fhall not (through the help of God) deceive in the leaft menfure, nor relate to any perfon (except my Generall) what you fhall impart to me; and wherin your MaJeily fhall judge my counfell worthy your receiving, I thall give it you with all incerity, and according to the best of my poore capacity.

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Qu. Sir, this it is: I have it in my thoughts and refolution to quit the crowne of Sweden, and to retire myfelfe unto a private life, as much more fuitable to my contentment, then the great cares and troubles attending uppon the government of my kingdome: and what thinke you of this refolution?

Wh. I am forry to heare your Majefty calle it a refolution; and if any thing would furprise a man, to heare fuch a refolution from a lady of your parts, power, and judgement, would doe it; butt [ fuppofe your Majefty is pleafed only to drolle with your humile fervant.

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Qu. Ispeake to you the trueth of my intentions; and had it not bin for your coming hither, which caufed me to deferre that refolution, probably it might have bin done before this time.

Wh. I beseech your Majefty deferre that refolution still, or rather wholly exclude it from your thoughts, as unfitt to receive any intertainment in your royal breast; and give me your pardon, if I fpeake my poore opinion with all duety and plainnefs to you, fince you are pleafed to require it: can any reafon enter into a mind, fo full of reafon as yours is, to caufe fuch a refolution from your Majelly?

Q. I take your plainnefs in very good part, and defire you to ufe fredome with me in this matter. to fuch a refolution are; bicaufe I am a woman, and therefore the The reasons which conduct me more unfitt to governe, and fubject to the greater inconveniencies; that the heavy cares of governement doe out-weigh the glories and pleasures of it, and are not to be imbraced in comparison of that contentment, which a private retirement brings with it.

Wh. As I am a ftranger, I have an advantage to fpcake the more freely to your Majesty, especially in this great buifnes; and as I am one who have bin acquainted with a retired life, I can judge of that; butt as to the cares of a crowne, none but thofe that weare it can judge of them: only this I can fay, that the higher your ftation is, the more opportunity you have of doing service to God, and good to the worlde.

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Qu. I defire that more fervice to God, and more good to the world may be done, then I, being a woman, am capable to performe; and as foon as I can fettle fome affayres for the good and advantage of my people, I think I may, without feandall, quitt myfelfe of my continuall cares, and injoy the pleasure of a privacy and retirement.

Wb.. Butt, Madame, you that injoy the kingdome by right of defcent, you that have the full affections and obedience of all forts of your fubjects, why should you be difcouraged to continue the. reines in your own hands? how can you forfake thofe, who testify fo much love to you, and likeing of your governement?

Q. It is my love to the people which caufeth me to thinke of providing a better governor for them then a poor woman can be; and it is fomwhat of love to myfelfe, to pleafe my own fancy, by iny private retirement.

Wh. Madame, God hath called you to this eminent place and power of Queen: doe not act contrary to this call, and difable yourielfe from doing him fervice, for which end we are all heer; and

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your Majefty, as Queen, hath farre greater opportunities, then you can have as a private perfon, to bring honor to him.

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Qu. If another pcrfon, who may fucceed me, have capacity, and better opportunity, by reafon of his fexe and parts, to doe God and his countrey fervice then I can have; then my quitting the governement, and putting it into better hands, doth fully anfwer this objection.

Wh. I confeffe my ignorance of better hands then your owne, ia which the governement may be placed.

Qu. My coufen, the Prince Palatin, is a perfon of excellent parts and abilities for governement, bendes his valour and knowledge in military affayres: him I have caused to be declared my fucceffor; it was I only that did it. Perhaps you may have heard of the paffages between him and me; but I am refolved never to marry. It will be much more for the advantage of the people, that the crown be on his head then on mine; none fitter then he for it.

Wh. I doe believe his royall highness to be a person of exceeding great honor and abilities for governement: you have caufed him to be declared your fucceffor; and it will be no injury to him to stay his time, I am fure it may be to your Majefty, to be perfwaded (perhaps defignedly) to give up your right to him whileft you live and ought to injoy it.

Qu. It is no defigne, butt my owne voluntary act, and he being more active and fitt for the governement then I am, the fooner he is putt into it the better.

Wh. The better for him indeed. With your Majefty's leave, I fhall tell you a flory of an old English gentleman, who had an active young man to his fon, that perfwaded the father to give up the management of the eftate to the fon, who could make greater advantage by it then his father did he confented, writings were prepared, and friends mett to fee the agreement executed to quitt all to the fon, referving only a penfion to the father. Whileft this was doing, the father (as is much ufed) was taking tobacco in the better roome, the parlour, where his rheum caufed him to spitt much, which offended the fon; and bicaufe there was much company, he defired his father to take the tobacco in the kitchin, and to fpitt there, which he obeyed.

All things being ready, the fon calles his father to come and feale the writings: the father fayd his mind was changed; the fon wondered att it, and, afking the reafon, the wife old man faid, the reafon was, bicaufe he was refolved to fpitt in the parlour as long as he lived; and fo I hope will a wife young lady.,

Qu. Your story is very apt to our purpofe, and the application proper, to keep the crown uppon my head as long as I live; butt to be quitt of itt, rather then to keep it, I fhall think to be to spitt in the parlour.

Wh. What your Majefty likes beft, is beft to you; butt doe you not thinke that Charles V. had as great hopes of contentment by his abdication, as your Majefty hath, and yett repented it the fame day he did it.

Qu. That was by reafon of his fon's unworthinefs; butt many other princes have happily, and with all contentment, retired them