Intelligence letter on Kristina's emotional reaction to seeing a place her father had been to and her lack of outward piety, dated October 17/27 (New Style), 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:

From the Rhine, Oct. 27.

... The queen of Sweden passing by Augsburg in her way to Italy, she made no stay there, but only viewed the town-house, the structure and accommodation whereof seemed to have much pleased her. A friend writes from thence, that when the table was shewed her there, where her father had been entertained at, her eyes were on a sudden full of water. Passing by the new Lutheran church there of the holy cross, she held likewise still there, and took some view of the building from without, she having herself not many years ago contributed a pretty round sum to the setting up thereof. The elector of Bavaria invited her solemnly to Munchen, but she thanked him with promise to visit him in her return out of Italy. No body is able to tell as yet how she stands disposed for matters of religion, she sheweth every where such an indifference, and no devotion at all. What his holiness may work upon her, time will shew.

With modernised spelling:

From the Rhine, October 27.

... The Queen of Sweden, passing by Augsburg in her way to Italy, she made no stay there, but only viewed the townhouse, the structure and accommodation whereof seemed to have much pleased her. A friend writes from thence that when the table was shewed her there where her father had been entertained at, her eyes were on a sudden full of water.

Passing by the new Lutheran Church there of the Holy Cross, she held likewise still there and took some view of the building from without, she having herself not many years ago contributed a pretty round sum to the setting up thereof.

The Elector of Bavaria invited her solemnly to München, but she thanked him with promise to visit him in her return out of Italy. Nobody is able to tell as yet how she stands disposed for matters of religion; she sheweth everywhere such an indifference and no devotion at all. What His Holiness may work upon her, time will shew.

French translation (my own):

Du Rhin, le 27 octobre.

... La reine de Suède, de passage à Augsbourg en route pour l'Italie, n'y fit pas de séjour, se contentant d'admirer l'hôtel particulier, dont la structure et l'aménagement semblaient lui avoir beaucoup plu. Un ami raconte de là-bas que, lorsqu'on lui montra la table où son père avait été entretenu, ses yeux se remplirent soudain de larmes.

Passant devant la nouvelle église luthérienne de la Sainte-Croix, elle s'arrêta également là et jeta un coup d'œil à l'édifice de l'extérieur, ayant elle-même contribué il n'y a pas longtemps à sa construction pour une jolie somme.

L'électeur de Bavière l'invita solennellement à Munich, mais elle le remercia en lui promettant de lui rendre visite à son retour d'Italie. Personne ne sait encore quelle est son attitude en matière de religion; elle fait partout preuve d'une telle indifférence et d'une absence totale de dévotion. Ce que Sa Sainteté pourra faire sur elle, le temps le dira.

Swedish translation (my own):

Från Rhen, 27 oktober.

... Sveriges drottning passerade Augsburg på sin väg till Italien. Hon stannade inte där, utan tittade bara på radhuset, vars byggnad och boende tycktes ha glatt henne mycket. En vän skriver därifrån att när hon fick se bordet där hennes far hade blivit serverad, var hennes ögon plötsligt fyllda med vatten.

När hon passerade den nya lutherska kyrkan vid det Heliga Korset där, stod hon likaså stilla där och tog en titt på byggnaden utifrån, efter att hon själv för inte så många år sedan bidragit med en ganska stor summa till dess uppförande.

Kurfursten av Bayern inbjöd henne högtidligt till München, men hon tackade honom med löfte om att besöka honom när hon återvände från Italien. Ingen kan ännu säga hur hon är inställd till religiösa frågor; hon visar överallt en sådan likgiltighet och ingen andakt alls. Vad Hans Helighet kan åstadkomma med henne får tiden utvisa.

Above: Kristina.

Above: Kristina's father, Gustav Adolf, who was killed in battle in 1632. Although Kristina was not yet six at the time of her father's death and due to that barely remembered him, she loved him very much and greatly admired him.