Mr. William Metham's letter to secretary John Thurloe, dated November 9/19 (New Style), 1656

Source:

A Collection of the State Papers of John Thurloe, Esq;, volume 5, pages 579 to 580, published by Fletcher Gyles, 1742

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

https://www.british-history.ac.uk/thurloe-papers/vol5/pp572-587#h3-0015

The letter:

RIGHT HONOURABLE,

... I gave you an account of the queen of Swead's returne. She is now at Casale, and by reason of her somewhat scandalous levities in Italie, and more wit then discretion, many cannot believe she comes as an efficacious agitatrix of peace generall, but rather as a curious traveller, who in a whimsie rather intends Venice then Rome; yet as we heare, the Venetians are so employed and charged to mentaine and encrease their late victories against the Turke (who through shame now threatens them more than ever) that they excuse themselves from all publique complement to that queen; yet her journey over the snowie Alpes in winter season argues some business to his holines, concerning which here I can learne little as yet. She was sumptuously receaved in Turino, by surrender of keys, te Deums, and such like solemn entertainments; her intentions, as also the resolutions of the two English in her companie as state informers of cardinal Francisco Barberino. I shall get here little and too stale knowledge, unless I were in Rome. ...

Genoa, 19 Nov. 1656. [N. S.]

With modernised spelling:

Right Honourable,

... I gave you an account of the Queen of Swede's return. She is now at Casale, and by reason of her somewhat scandalous levities in Italy and more wit than discretion, many cannot believe she comes as an efficacious agitatrix of peace general, but rather as a curious traveller who, in a whimsy, rather intends Venice than Rome; yet, as we hear, the Venetians are so employed and charged to maintain and increase their late victories against the Turk (who, through shame, now threatens them more than ever) that they excuse themselves from all public complement to that queen; yet her journey over the snowy Alps in winter season argues some business to His Holiness, concerning which here I can learn little as yet.

She was sumptuously received in Torino, by surrender of keys, Te Deums, and suchlike solemn entertainments; her intentions, as also the resolutions of the two English in her company as state informers of cardinal Francesco Barberino I shall get here little and too stale knowledge unless I were in Rome. ...

Genoa, 19 November 1656. [N. S.]

French translation (my own):

Très honorable sieur,

... Je vous ai raconté le retour de la reine de Suède. Elle est maintenant à Casal, et à cause de ses légèretés quelque peu scandaleuses en Italie et de son plus d'esprit que de discrétion, beaucoup ne peuvent pas croire qu'elle vient comme une agitatrice efficace de la paix générale, mais plutôt comme un voyageur curieux qui, par fantaisie, se tourne plutôt vers Venise que Rome; cependant, comme nous l'entendons, les Vénitiens sont tellement occupés et chargés de maintenir et d'augmenter leurs récentes victoires contre le Turc (qui, par honte, les menace maintenant plus que jamais), qu'ils s'excusent de tout compliment public à cette reine; pourtant, son voyage à travers les Alpes enneigées en hiver suggère qu'elle a des affaires avec Sa Sainteté, sur lesquelles je ne peux encore apprendre ici que peu de choses.

Elle fut somptueusement reçue à Turin par la remise des clés, des Te Deums et d'autres divertissements solennels similaires; de ses intentions, ainsi que des résolutions des deux Anglais en sa compagnie en tant qu'informateurs d'État du cardinal François Barberino, j'aurai ici peu de connaissances et trop périmées à moins d'être à Rome. ...

Gênes, le 19 novembre 1656. [Nouveau style.]

Swedish translation (my own):

Ers Ärevördighet,

... Jag gav Er en redogörelse för drottningen av Sveriges återkomst. Hon är nu i Casale, och på grund av hennes något skandalösa lättsinnigheter i Italien och mer kvickhet än diskretion, kan många inte tro att hon kommer som en verksam agitatrix av allmän fred, utan snarare som en nyfiken resenär som, i en nyckfullhet, snarare avser att resa till Venedig än Rom; ändå, som vi hör, är venetianerna så anställda och laddade för att upprätthålla och öka sina senaste segrar mot turken (som av skam nu hotar dem mer än någonsin) att de ursäktar sig från allt offentligt komplement till den drottningen; ändå hävdar hennes resa över de snöiga Alperna under vintersäsongen att hon har något att göra med Hans Helighet, om vilka jag ännu inte kan lära mig mycket.

Hon mottogs överdådigt i Turin genom överlämnande av nycklar, Te Deums och liknande högtidliga underhållningar; om hennes avsikter, liksom även om resolutionerna av de två engelsmännen i hennes sällskap som statsinformatörer av kardinal Francesco Barberino, kommer jag här få lite och alltför inaktuell kunskap om jag inte var i Rom. ...

Genua, den 19 november 1656. [Nya stilen.]

Above: Kristina.