"I confess that the time of my absence from my relations and concernments in my own country would have seemed very tedious, had I not been in the public service and honoured with admittance into your Majesty's presence, whose favours, answerable to your greatness though above my merit, have been enlarged towards me during the whole time of my residence under the just and safe protection of your Majesty; the which,--with the civilities of those most excellent persons with whom I treated, and of those who have been pleased to honour me with their acquaintance in your Court,--I shall not fail to acknowledge with all respect. "But, Madam, to your Majesty I shall not presume to return any other acknowledgment than by the thanks of my Lord the Protector, who is able to judge of the affection shown to him, and to the Commonwealth whereof he is the head, by the honour done unto their servant. "Madam, it is your great judgement in the public interest, and your desire to advance the good of your own State and that of your neighbours, and the particular respect that you bear to my master, whereby the business trusted to my care by his Highness is brought to such an issue as I hope will be a solid foundation of great and mutual prosperity to both these nations. "I have nothing to add on my part, but to entreat that my failings and errors, not wilfully committed, may be excused; to take my leave of your Majesty, and to assure you that there is no person who honours you more than I do, and who shall be more ready to lay hold on any opportunity whereby I may endeavour, to the utmost of my power, to contribute to the happiness and prosperity of your royal Majesty and of your people." As it was done at Whitelocke's first audience, so he now ordered it, that Monsieur De la Marche, one of his chaplains, did, at the end of every sentence, as Whitelocke spake, interpret the same to the Queen in French. During all the time of his speaking to the Queen she looked him wistly in the face and came up very near unto him, as she had done at his first audience,--perhaps to have daunted him, as she had done others, but he was not daunted; and when he had made an end of speaking, after a little pause the Queen answered him in the Swedish language, which was then interpreted in Latin to Whitelocke, to this effect:-- [SN: The Queen's reply.] "My Lord Ambassador,