He inquired much of the Commonwealth and affairs of England, and
government of it, and seemed well pleased by Whitelocke's relation of it.
He informed Whitelocke of the Swedish Government, and particularly of
his own office. He discoursed much of the Prince of Sweden, which
Whitelocke judged the fitter for him to approve, because Prince
Adolphus's lady was this Grave's daughter. He told Whitelocke that he had
been Governor of Finland ten years together, which province he affirmed
to be greater than France, and that the Queen's dominions were larger
than France, Spain, Italy, all together. Whitelocke asked him if those
countries were well peopled, and flourished with corn and good towns. He
answered that Finland was well peopled, and had store of corn, and good
towns; but that it was not so with Lapland and other countries further
off. But he said that no part of Sweden had such towns as were in
England, where he had been when he was a young man, which country he much
praised; and Whitelocke had no cause to gainsay it.

Piementelle sent to Whitelocke an atlas, in four great volumes, in
acknowledgment of a vessel of Spanish wine which Whitelocke had before
sent to him for a present.


_March 7, 1653._

The Governor of Upsal, Monsieur Bannier, presented to Whitelocke three
Latin books:--1. The Story of Sweden; 2. Of the Laws of Sweden; 3. Of Sea
Affairs; which were not ordinarily to be had.

[SN: Whitelocke takes the air with the Queen.]

The Queen sent one of her servants to invite Whitelocke to take the air