Anecdotes about Kristina in an intelligence letter, year 1655

Source:

A Collection of the State Papers of John Thurloe, Esq;, volume 4, page 89, published by Thomas Birch, 1742; original at Indiana University

https://books.google.com/books?id=70EqAQAAMAAJ&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&dq=state+papers+of+john+thurloe+1656&source=gbs_navlinks_s

https://www.british-history.ac.uk/thurloe-papers/vol4/pp79-96#h3-0022

The letter:

Frankfort.

... As for the queen of Sweden, that day the prince elector came to Francfort, she was come to Konigstein in the bishopric of Mentz, 3 German miles from this city; and there she tarried all next day, and received several visits, as that of the Scottish king, which indeed proved the longest for time, but shortest and meanest for discourse; to supply which the queen soon co-admitted the King's younger brother. Some time after the prince elector performed his visit, and was with her half an hour, with whom she had much discourse of general matters, avoiding all occasions of touching her design. The prince invited her to Heidelberg, for which she kindly thanked him, alledging she had lost much time, and would fain make all the haste she could not to be overtaken by the winter in her intended journey. All that day being spent in visits of that nature by her, the next she came to Francfort, only passing through the same with seven coaches and some of her lifeguards; the rest of her train, about 200 persons most horsed, were dispatched, and advanced another way the day before, consisting most of Spaniards, Italians, Frenchmen, Brabanders, she having scarce two persons left about her of those, whom she brought along with her out of Sweden. The chiefest of her company are Piemontelli, Don de la Cueva, and his lady, Don Antonio, a Portuguese, some jesuits and capuchins. And truly a body can hardly look otherwise upon it, but that these fellows purposely lead her triumph thus through all Germany. The magistrates of Francfort would gladly have bestowed some entertainment upon her, but she refusing it, they only saluted her from their works with the canon, and she barely passed through over the bridge. In her passing through the multitude, she made several strange grimaces and faces, and was not able to keep her countenance long. When she approached the forts, she sat in the right boot of the coach in a black velvet coat, and a hat with feathers, whereof the people getting notice, they all got on that side to have the better view of her; but she coming nearer to the city itself, she suddenly changed her black coat, and put on a grey with a black hood about her head, and got to the left boot. That night she dispatched a courier to the prince elector, returning him thanks for his visit and invitation. And now she being on her journey again, in regard she was to touch yet upon one of the bordering towns of the Palatinat, (Boxberg,) his highness, together with the lady electress, and both his sisters, who were very desirous to see this wandering queen, did there once more attend her, but she hasted on, and the visit proved very short. A person of note and quality, that waited upon her when she was about Francfort, doth relate he heard her say, "The people talk, that I am going to Loretto, to offer up a scepter and crown to the lady Mary there. I laid down these regalities in Sweden, and if I had another crown to dispose of, I would rather bestow it on the good poor king of England." And when it was told by some, that there was a rumour abroad as if she intended to put herself into a cloister, she is said to have answered, smilingly pointing at Piemontelli, "He there likely may know, what cloister-flesh I have about me."

With modernised spelling:

Frankfurt.

... As for the Queen of Sweden, that day the Prince-Elector came to Frankfurt, she was come to Königstein in the bishopric of Mainz, 3 German miles from this city; and there she tarried all next day and received several visits as that of the Scottish King, which indeed proved the longest for time, but shortest and meanest for discourse, to supply which the Queen soon co-admitted the King's younger brother. Sometime after, the Prince-Elector performed his visit and was with her half an hour, with whom she had much discourse of general matters, avoiding all occasions of touching her design.

The Prince invited her to Heidelberg, for which she kindly thanked him, alleging she had lost much time and would fain make all the haste she could not to be overtaken by the winter in her intended journey.

All that day being spent in visits of that nature by her, the next she came to Frankfurt, only passing through the same with seven coaches and some of her lifeguards; the rest of her train, about 200 persons, most horsed, were dispatched and advanced another way the day before, consisting most of Spaniards, Italians, Frenchmen, Brabanters, she having scarce two persons left about her of those whom she brought along with her out of Sweden.

The chiefest of her company are Pimentelli, Don de la Cueva and his lady, Don Antonio, a Portuguese, some Jesuits and Capuchins. And truly a body can hardly look otherwise upon it, but that these fellows purposely lead her triumph thus through all Germany. The magistrates of Frankfurt would gladly have bestowed some entertainment upon her, but, she refusing it, they only saluted her from their works with the cannon, and she barely passed through over the bridge.

In her passing through the multitude, she made several strange grimaces and faces and was not able to keep her countenance long. When she approached the forts, she sat in the right boot of the coach in a black velvet coat and a hat with feathers, whereof the people getting notice, they all got on that side to have the better view of her; but, she coming nearer to the city itself, she suddenly changed her black coat and put on a grey with a black hood about her head and got to the left boot.

That night she dispatched a courier to the Prince-Elector, returning him thanks for his visit and invitation. And now, she being on her journey again, in regard she was to touch yet upon one of the bordering towns of the Palatinate (Boxberg), His Highness, together with the Lady Electress and both his sisters, who were very desirous to see this wandering Queen, did there once more attend her, but she hasted on, and the visit proved very short.

A person of note and quality that waited upon her when she was about Frankfurt doth relate he heard her say: "The people talk that I am going to Loreto to offer up a scepter and crown to the Lady Mary there. I laid down these regalities in Sweden; and if I had another crown to dispose of, I would rather bestow it on the good poor King of England."

And when it was told by some that there was a rumour abroad as if she intended to put herself into a cloister, she is said to have answered, smilingly pointing at Pimentelli: "He there likely may know what cloister-flesh I have about me."

French translation (my own):

Francfort.

... Quant à la reine de Suède, le prince-électeur se rendit ce jour-là à Francfort. Elle était arrivée à Königstein, dans l'évêché de Mayence, à trois milles d'Allemagne de cette ville. Elle y resta toute la journée suivante et reçut plusieurs visites, dont celle du roi d'Écosse, qui se révéla certes la plus longue, mais la plus courte et la plus courte en conversation. La reine y accepta bientôt le frère cadet du roi. Quelque temps après, le prince-électeur effectua sa visite et resta une demi-heure avec elle. Elle s'entretint longuement de questions générales, évitant toute occasion de toucher à son dessein.

Le prince l'invita à Heidelberg, ce dont elle le remercia aimablement, prétextant qu'elle avait perdu beaucoup de temps et qu'elle souhaitait se hâter au maximum pour ne pas être surprise par l'hiver dans son voyage.

Après avoir passé toute la journée en visites de ce genre, elle arriva le lendemain à Francfort, n'y passant qu'avec sept diligences et quelques-uns de ses gardes du corps; le reste de son convoi, environ 200 personnes, la plupart à cheval, avait été expédié et avancé par un autre chemin la veille, composé en majorité d'Espagnols, d'Italiens, de Français, de Brabançons, n'ayant plus que deux personnes parmi celles qu'elle avait amenées avec elle de Suède.

Les principaux de sa compagnie sont Pimentel, don de la Cueva et sa dame, don Antoine, un Portugais, quelques jésuites et capucins. Et il est difficile de ne pas voir d'un mauvais œil que ces individus mènent ainsi son triomphe à travers toute l'Allemagne. Les magistrats de Francfort auraient volontiers voulu lui offrir un festin, mais, comme elle refusait, ils se contentèrent de la saluer avec le canon, et elle traversa de justesse le pont.

En traversant la foule, elle fit d'étranges grimaces, et ne put garder longtemps sa contenance. Lorsqu'elle approcha des forts, elle s'assit à droite du carrosse, vêtue d'un manteau de velours noir et coiffée d'un chapeau à plumes. Remarquée par les passants, elle se plaça de ce côté pour mieux la voir. Mais, s'approchant de la ville, elle troqua soudain son manteau noir et enfila un manteau gris avec une capuche noire sur la tête, puis se dirigea vers la gauche.

Cette nuit-là, elle dépêcha un courrier auprès du prince-électeur, le remerciant de sa visite et de son invitation. Reprenant son voyage, elle devait encore faire escale dans une ville limitrophe du Palatinat (Boxberg). Son Altesse, accompagnée de Madame l'électrice et de ses deux sœurs, très désireuses de revoir cette reine errante, s'y rendit une fois de plus. Mais elle se hâta, et la visite fut de courte durée.

Un personnage de marque et de qualité qui la servait lors de son séjour à Francfort raconte l'avoir entendue dire: «On dit que je vais à Lorette pour offrir un sceptre et une couronne à la Dame Marie. J'ai déposé ces régalia en Suède; et si j'avais une autre couronne à me défaire, je la donnerais plutôt au pauvre roi d'Angleterre.»

Et quand certains racontèrent qu'il y avait une rumeur selon laquelle elle avait l'intention de s'enfermer dans un cloître, on dit qu'elle répondit en souriant en désignant Pimentel: «Il sait probablement quelle chair de cloître j'ai sur moi.»

Swedish translation (my own):

Frankfurt.

... Vad gäller Sveriges drottning, så kom kurfursten till Frankfurt den dagen hon kom till Königstein i Mainz biskopsdöme, 3 tyska mil från denna stad; och där stannade hon hela nästa dag och mottog flera besök av den skotske konungen, vilket visserligen visade sig vara det längsta i tid, men det kortaste i samtal, och för att fylla dessa besök tog drottningen snart med sig in konungens yngre bror. Någon tid därefter genomförde kurfursten sitt besök och var hos henne i en halvtimme, med vilken hon hade många samtal om allmänna frågor och undvek alla tillfällen att beröra hennes dessäng.

Prinsen bjöd in henne till Heidelberg, för vilket hon vänligt tackade honom och påstod att hon hade förlorat mycket tid och gärna ville skynda sig för att inte bli överrumplad av vintern på sin planerade resa.

Hela den dagen tillbringade hon med besök av det slags, och nästa dag kom hon till Frankfurt, endast genom densamma med sju vagnar och några av sina livvakter; resten av hennes följe, omkring 200 personer, de flesta till häst, hade skickats iväg och fortsatt på en annan väg dagen innan, bestående mestadels av spanjorer, italienare, fransmän och brabantare, och hon hade knappt två personer kvar av dem som hon hade med sig från Sverige.

De främsta i hennes sällskap är Pimentel, don de la Cueva och hans hustru, don Antonio, en portugis, några jesuiter och kapuciner. Och sannerligen kan ingen se det annorlunda än att dessa karlar avsiktligt leder hennes triumf på detta sätt genom hela Tyskland. Magistraterna i Frankfurt skulle gärna ha skänkt henne lite underhållning, men eftersom hon vägrade det, hälsade de henne bara med kanonen, och hon kom nätt och jämnt över bron.

När hon gick genom folkmassan gjorde hon flera märkliga grimaser och miner och kunde inte hålla sitt kontenans länge. När hon närmade sig fästningarna satte hon sig på höger sida av vagnen i en svart sammetskappa och en hatt med fjädrar, och när folket märkte detta gick de alla över till den sidan för att få bättre utsikt över henne; men när hon kom närmare själva staden bytte hon plötsligt sin svarta kappa och tog på sig en grå med en svart huva över huvudet och gick över till vänster.

Samma natt skickade hon en kurir till kurfursten och tackade honom för hans besök och inbjudan. Och nu, då hon återigen var på resa, och skulle besöka en av Pfalz angränsande städer (Boxberg), besökte Hans Höghet henne återigen, tillsammans med fru kurfurstinnan och båda hans systrar, som var mycket angelägna om att se denna vandrande drottning, men hon skyndade sig vidare, och besöket visade sig vara mycket kort.

En människa av anseende och kvalitet som betjänade henne när hon var i Frankfurt berättar att han hörde henne säga: »Folket talar om att jag ska till Loreto för att offra en spira och krona till Frun Maria där. Jag avlade dessa regalier i Sverige; och om jag hade en annan krona att förfoga över, skulle jag hellre skänka den till den gode stackars kungen av England.«

Och när det berättades av några att det gick ett rykte om att hon tänkte gå in i ett kloster, sägs hon ha svarat och leende pekat på Pimentel: »Han där kanske vet vilket klosterkött jag har omkring mig.«

Above: Kristina.