Kristina and Ambassador Bulstrode Whitelocke, part 2

Continued from part 1:
https://kingkristina.blogspot.com/2019/05/kristina-and-ambassador-bulstrode.html

Source:
https://archive.org/details/memoirsbiographi00whit/page/346

The anecdotes (the bolded parts my own):

After he had finished his letters to England on the 30th, which was the post-day, the Queen's favourite, Greve Tott, came to fetch him; the Queen, as soon as he entered, offered to send his letters, under her cover, to her commissary Bonnele at London, and to give the latter orders to forward Whitelocke's letters to him at Upsala in her own packet, for which favour he thanked her, but did not think fit to make any serious use of the permission, not wishing his correspondence to be looked into:

QUEEN: I have intelligence by this post, that the treaty between England and the Dutch is broken off. Have you heard so?

WHITELOCKE: I have received no letters, but possibly it may be so. Yet if there should be a peace between them, I do not apprehend any inconvenience from that to the alliance of England and Sweden, which the Dutch could have no pretence to oppose.

QUEEN: As friends to the Dane they must.

WHITELOCKE: Then it will be against their peace with England.

QUEEN: Here are my letters in Dutch; you may have them translated, and take copies of them.

WHITELOCKE: I most humbly thank your Majesty.

QUEEN: I have considered of the discourse between us yesterday, and I think it would be very advantageous to our alliance to take the King of Spain into it. What do you think of that?

It struck him, that the Queen had imparted to Piementelle the conversation of the previous day, and that it was he who put her on this overture.

WHITELOCKE: Madam, I know not how far the Parliament may hold off, in regard that no justice has yet been done upon those who murdered our public minister there.

QUEEN: That is a just exception; but as the Dutch are now making an alliance, and are very near it, between themselves, France, and Denmark, it were good for us also to have a trinity of Sweden, England, and Spain, in an alliance.

WHITELOCKE: Probably some may object the difference in religion.

QUEEN: That will be no hindrance to the force of the union. The Dutch and Danes, being Protestants, unite with the French, though Papists; I pray consider further of it. Methinks the Papists have not equal liberty with others, as they ought to have.

WHITELOCKE: Their tenets do not consist with the public peace of Protestant princes and states, whom they esteem heretics, and that it is a good service to God to cut them off.

QUEEN: This opinion some have vented in former times; but now their interest leads them from it, and they do not hold it.

WHITELOCKE: I doubt they still retain it.

QUEEN: I pray, what religion do you profess in England?

WHITELOCKE: In regard your Majesty does me the honour to catechise me; I shall answer you very freely. We profess the true reformed Protestant Christian religion, &c. &.c.

In the long discourse which followed on sects and the Anabaptists at Munster, Whitelocke gave utterance to many sensible observations, that were far in advance of the age in which his lot was cast. One passage I cannot pass by in silence:

WHITELOCKE: But many with us consider it right for every one to be left to take care of his own soul, which concerns no one but himself; and that the magistrate ought not to confine or persecute another into his judgement for that which concerns the other only, so long as the public peace is preserved, to which the law of England has a strict regard; and whosoever, by his opinion or practice, disturbs that peace, is to be severely punished.

Then the Queen, who indulged in the most rapid transitions and digressions, here suddenly changed the theme:

QUEEN: How do you contrive to write to your superiors, that others may not know what you write, in case your letters should be intercepted; do you write by cyphers?

WHITELOCKE: That is a way that may easily be uncyphered. I write to my General in such a way as no flesh can ever find out, unless by agreement beforehand.

QUEEN: How is that, I pray?

WHITELOCKE: I leave with my General, or with the secretary of the council, two glasses of water. With one of the same waters I write my letters, having two glasses with myself also. The letter thus written no man can possibly read, no more than if it were written with fair water, but wash over this letter with the water in the other glass, and it turns it to black, just as if it had been written with ink.

QUEEN: That is a curious way indeed, and have you of those waters here?

WHITELOCKE: Yes, Madam, I make them myself, and have left some with my General, so that no creature can read his or my letters without them.

QUEEN: What huge dog is this?

WHITELOCKE: It is an English mastiff, which I brought with me, and he has, it seems, broken loose, and followed me even to this place.

QUEEN: Is he gentle and well-conditioned?

WHITELOCKE: The more courageous they are, the more gentle; this is both. Your Majesty may stroke him.

QUEEN: I have heard of the fierceness of these dogs; this is very gentle.

WHITELOCKE: They are very gentle, unless provoked; and are of a generous nature. No creatures have more mettle or faithfulness than they have.

QUEEN: Is it your dog?

WHITELOCKE: I cannot tell; some of my people told me, that one Mr. Peters sent it for a present to the Queen.

QUEEN: Who is that Mr. Peters?

WHITELOCKE: A minister, and great servant to the Parliament.

QUEEN: Did that Mr. Peters send me a letter?

WHITELOCKE: He is a great admirer of your Majesty, but to presume send a letter or a dog for a present to a Queen, I thought above him, and not fit to be offered to your Majesty.

QUEEN: I have many letters from private persons; his letter and the dog belong to me, and are my goods, and I will have them.

WHITELOCKE: Your Majesty commands in chief; all ought to obey you, and so will I, not only as to the letter and dog, but likewise as to another part of his present, a great English cheese of his country making.

QUEEN: I accept them kindly from him, and see that you send my goods to me.

WHITELOCKE: I will not fail to obey your Majesty.

Above: Kristina, year 1650.

Above: Bulstrode Whitelocke. Image courtesy of National Portrait Gallery via Wikimedia Commons.