Whitelocke waited on the Queen, and gave her an account of the conference between Grave Eric and him. The Queen said that Grave Eric had told her the same things. Whitelocke replied, that her Majesty should never find other than truth from him. Upon the point of damages she seemed satisfied, though she were informed that those matters were remitted to Whitelocke's negotiation. To which he answered as he had done before to Eric; and she was contented, and said she would send an ambassador to England, by whom the affairs touching the herring-fishing and the erection of a staple and the trade in America might be concluded; and she told Whitelocke that she had ordered those things which she judged fit to be added to his articles, to be written down and given to him. She asked Whitelocke by what way he purposed to return to England. He said he was doubtful of going by land, and thought the passage from Stockholm to Luebeck would be the shortest and most convenient for him. She replied, that would be his best way, and that she would give order for some of her ships to be ready to transport him; for which Whitelocke thanked her Majesty. She discoursed much of England, and asked many questions about the Thames and other rivers of England, and of their havens and armies; whereof Whitelocke gave her a full account. She asked him in how many days one might go from Plymouth to St. Sebastian, and many other things on that subject. They also discoursed of religion and the worship and service of God; wherein Whitelocke spake plainly and freely to her Majesty, and told her that those who made a mock at religion, and were Atheists in their opinion, were not only most miserable in their own condition, but brought others likewise into misery; and all of them would find that God would not be mocked, nor such conversation be excused, but would be brought into a sad account in the end; and that there was no foundation in any such people, or in their opinions, but what was sandy and would fail, and all building thereupon would totter and fall down and become rubbish; that the only solid comfort and true wisdom lay in the sincere worship and service of God, which was not only agreeable to the doctrine of truth, but to reason itself. To this, and much of the like discourse, the Queen was very attentive, and seemed pleased with it. _March 16, 1653._ [SN: Despatches from England.] Whitelocke received his letters from England, and in those from Thurloe he writes thus:--