A Journal of the Swedish Embassy in the Years 1653 and 1654, Vol II.
John Locke · en
This garden was distinguished into walks not well kept nor gravelled, but
most of them green; few flowers were to be seen there, though more than
at Upsal, and most of these were tulips not extraordinary. The sides of
the walks were set with elm-trees and the like, but no fruit-trees were
there, nor are they common in this cold country, only, as they informed
Whitelocke, in some places they have a few trees of plums, and small
cherries, and of apples; but he saw none in regard of the season, nor do
many persons in these parts delight in gardens or in planting fruits or
flowers, this climate not encouraging thereunto; yet here were great
boxes of wood with orange-trees, citron-trees, and myrtle-trees, very
young, planted in them; how they thrived was not much visible.
At Whitelocke's lodging some of his people made the greater fires to air
the rooms, because the plague had been lately in this city, and in that
house the chimneys, it seems, being foul, and full of soot, were the
sooner set on fire; and when Whitelocke came from walking in the garden
he found his lodging on fire. It was a stack of chimneys which took fire;
a multitude of people were ready about the house to help to quench the
fire, and the officers of the city were there to order the people.
Whitelocke was surprised with this unexpected accident and danger,
amongst such houses; but after an hour's flame, the soot being spent and
burnt, the fire went out of itself; and it was a mercy that the wind set
to carry the flame towards a house which was tiled, whereas, if it had
set the other way, it had carried the flame upon houses all built and
covered with wood, to the extreme danger of Whitelocke's lodging and the
whole city.
_May 22, 1654._
[SN: The harbour of Stockholm and Swedish fleet.]
In the morning Berkman conducted Whitelocke to the haven, where lay many
boats and vessels great and small, and much iron upon the quay, which is
convenient, but not much stored. They passed by many fair houses
belonging to the great Lords.