Bulstrode Whitelocke's diary entry, dated August 31/September 10 (Old Style), 1653

Source:

A journal of the Swedish ambassy, in the years M.DCC.LIII. and M.DCC.LIV., volume 1, pages 6 to 7, Bulstrode Whitelocke, published in 1772; original at the National Library of the Netherlands (Het Koninklijke Bibliotheek)

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The diary entry:

According to directions, Cromwell's secretary brought to his master, and Sir Gilbert Pickering, the draught of a letter to be sent from them to Whitelocke; butt the frame of the letter did not please Cromwell, so that he cast it by, and said he would write a letter himselfe to be sent to Whitelocke.

All this time Whitelocke heard no further intelligence from London about this Swedish journey, notwithstanding that he had written againe to Mr. Earle to make a wary inquiry about it; which it seems was so wary, that he gained no more intelligence concerning this matter than what he had first sent unto his master: who had enough therby to exercise his thoughts, and to give a disturbance to the pleasing retirement which he before that injoyed, and which he had both before and since that time learned, by too sad experience, to be the best and safest condition for any man in his earthly pilgrimage and labours of this life; and that there is no rest, no abiding place, to be mett with heer below.

With modernised spelling:

According to directions, Cromwell's secretary brought to his master and Sir Gilbert Pickering the draft of a letter to be sent from them to Whitelocke; but the frame of the letter did not please Cromwell, so that he cast it by and said he would write a letter himself to be sent to Whitelocke.

All this time Whitelocke heard no further intelligence from London about this Swedish journey, notwithstanding that he had written again to Mr. Earle to make a wary inquiry about it; which, it seems, was so wary that he gained no more intelligence concerning this matter than what he had first sent unto his master, who had enough thereby to exercise his thoughts and to give a disturbance to the pleasing retirement which he before that enjoyed, and which he had both before and since that time learned, by too sad experience, to be the best and safest condition for any man in his earthly pilgrimage and labours of this life; and that there is no rest, no abiding place, to be met with here below.

Above: Bulstrode Whitelocke.

Above: Oliver Cromwell.