the peace with the Dutch, and that
the Protector had appointed Commissioners to treat with the French,
Spanish, and Portugal Ambassadors, but had not yet declared himself to
any of his neighbours.

"That the business in Scotland was well; that the Protector had
taken away Colonel Rich's commission, whereof the officers of his
regiment were glad; that many congratulatory petitions to his
Highness came from divers counties, one from Bucks; that the
Protector proceeded to reformation of the law and ministry, and I
hope he will merit as well in that as in the military affairs. I
return your Excellence my humble thanks for your acceptance of my
endeavours to serve you; I can say they come from an honest heart,
which very really embraceth every opportunity wherein I may manifest
myself

"Your Excellence's faithful humble servant,
"JO. THURLOE.
"_Whitehall, 13th April, 1654._"

Whitelocke received several letters in these packets from Mr. Cokaine;
one, dated the 2nd of April, saith thus:--

"You will have leave from his Highness to take your first
opportunity to come away, and I hope it will not be without bringing
your business to a happy and an honourable issue, which is the
constant subject of our requests to the Lord for you, and I doubt
not but we shall have a comfortable answer. In the meantime I think,
as I have hinted to your Excellence in former letters, it will not
be amiss if you draw good store of bills upon us, though but _pro
forma_, that we may get as much money for you as we can before your
return, and that you may have a sufficient overplus to pay all
servants' wages off, which I believe will amount to a considerable
sum; and upon this peace I hope it will be no hard matter to get
your bills paid, especially if your Excellence please withal to
write to my Lord Protector and Mr. Thurloe and some of the Council
about it. I could wish that you would make what haste you can home,
for I am informed by a special hand that there is great labouring to
make a Chancellor whilst you are absent, and to take that
opportunity to put you by, whom I believe they doubt to be too much
a Christian and an Englishman to trust in their service; but I hope
God will give you a heart to submit to His will, and to prize a good
conscience a