Excerpt from Charles Longland's letter to secretary John Thurloe describing Kristina, dated November 9/19 (New Style), 1655

Source:

A Collection of the State Papers of John Thurloe, Esq;, volume 4, page 172, published by Thomas Birch, 1742

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/pp172-186#h3-0002

The description:

RIGHT HONORABLE,

... Here is some talk, as if the pretended duke of York wer at Venis, intending thence from Rom, to see the great solemnity in the queen of Sweds entertainment, which is now the great affair in discourse throh al Italy. 'Tis said she travils a hors-back lyk a man, being clad so from middle upwards with doublet, cassack, band, hat, fether, in so much that the Italians say she is an hermofrodyt. Either her country or sex are very little beholden to her, for she ads reputation to neither. ... I am,

Right honorable,

Your most faithful servant,

CHARLES LONGLAND.

Leg. Nov. 19. 1655. [N. S.] ...

With modernised spelling:

Right Honourable,

... Here is some talk as if the pretended Duke of York were at Venice, intending thence from Rome to see the great solemnity in the Queen of Swedes' entertainment, which is now the great affair in discourse through all Italy. 'Tis said she travels a-horseback like a man, being clad so from middle upwards with doublet, cassock, band, hat, feather, insomuch that the Italians say she is an hermaphrodite. Either her country or sex are very little beholden to her, for she adds reputation to neither. ... I am,

Right Honourable,

your most faithful servant,

Charles Longland.

Leghorn, November 19, 1655. [N. S.] ...

French translation (my own):

Très honorable seigneur,

... On raconte ici que le prétendu duc d'York se trouvait à Venise, avec l'intention de quitter Rome pour assister à la grande solennité du festin de la reine de Suède, qui est maintenant le grand sujet de conversation dans toute l'Italie. On dit qu'elle voyage à cheval comme un homme, vêtue de la taille jusqu'en haut d'un pourpoint, d'une soutane, d'un bandeau, d'un chapeau et d'une plume, à tel point que les Italiens disent qu'elle est hermaphrodite. Son pays ou son sexe lui importent peu, car elle n'ajoute de réputation à aucun des deux. ... Je suis,

Très honorable seigneur,

votre plus fidèle serviteur

Charles Longland.

Livourne, le 3 décembre 1655. [Nouveau style.]

Swedish translation (my own):

Ers Ärevördighet,

... Här talas det som om den pretenderade hertigen av York befann sig i Venedig och ämnade bege sig därifrån från Rom för att se den stora högtidligheten i drottningen av Sveriges underhållning, som nu är den stora affären i diskurs genom hela Italien. Man säger att hon reser på hästryggen som en man, klädd så från midjan och uppåt med dubblett, kassock, band, hatt, fjäder, så att italienarna säger att hon är en hermafrodit. Antingen hennes land eller kön är väldigt lite viktigt för henne, för hon ger ingen av dem rykte. ... Jag är,

Ers Ärevördighets

trognaste tjänare

Charles Longland.

Livorno, den 19 november 1655. [Nya stilen.]

Above: Kristina on horseback.

Above: James Stuart, the Duke of York, future king of England and Scotland.

Note: Leghorn is the traditional English name for the Italian port city of Livorno.