home; but he was more troubled to hear of his wife's sickness, for whose
health and his family's he made his supplication to the great Physician;
and that he might be as well pleased with a private retirement, if God
saw it good for him, at his return home, as the Queen seemed to be with
her design of abdication from the heights and glories of a crown.

Part of the letters to Whitelocke were in cipher, being directions to
him touching the Sound. He had full intelligence of all passages of the
Dutch treaty, and a copy of the articles, from Thurloe; also the news of
Scotland, Ireland, France, and the letters from the Dutch Resident here
to his superiors in Holland, copies whereof Thurloe by money had
procured. He wrote also of the Protector's being feasted by the City, and
a full and large relation of all passages of moment. The Protector
himself wrote also his letters to Whitelocke under his own hand, which
were thus:--

[SN: Letter from the Protector.]

"_For the Lord Ambassador Whitelocke._

"My Lord,

"I have a good while since received your letters sent by the ship
that transported you to Gothenburg, and three other despatches
since. By that of the 30th of December, and that of the 4th instant,
I have received a particular account of what passed at your first
audience, and what other proceedings have been upon your
negotiation; which, so far as they have been communicated to me, I
do well approve of, as having been managed by you with care and
prudence.