Kristina's letter to Carlo Emanuele Madruzzo, the Prince-Bishop of Trento, dated November 7/17 (New Style), 1655

Sources:

Historia della Sacra Real Maestà di Cristina Alessandra Regina di Svetia, page 125, by Count Galeazzo Gualdo Priorato, 1656

https://archive.org/details/historiadellasac00gual/page/n157/mode/2up

Mémoires concernant Christine, volume 1, page 494, Johan Arckenholtz, 1751

https://books.google.com/books?id=KgtcAAAAcAAJ&dq=reine+christine+de+suède+ferrario+savant+d%27italie+1653+lettre&source=gbs_navlinks_s

The history of the sacred and Royal Majesty of Christina Alessandra Queen of Swedland, &c., book 4, translated by John Burbury, 1658

https://quod.lib.umich.edu/e/eebo/A85757.0001.001/1:20?rgn=div1;view=fulltext

The letter:

Mon Cousin

Ie me sens si obligee de vos ciuilitez, e du bon accueil, que Vous me auez faict, que Ie n'ay pas voulu lasser retorner les gens de Monsieur l'Arciduc sans vous en faire ancor mes remerciemens, e sans' Vous asseurer, que Ie souhaisterois fort de trouer le moyens de pouuoir vous testimoigner, ma recognoissance, e vous donner de marques de la sincerite auec la quelle Ie suis.

Mon Cousin.

Vostre affectione Cousine, & Amie

Christine.

A Hal 17. Nouemb. 1655.

With modernised spelling:

Mon cousin,

Je me sens si obligée de vos civilités et du bon accueil que vous m'avez fait que je n'ai pas voulu laisser retourner les gens de Monsieur l'archiduc sans vous en faire encore mes remerciements, et sans vous assurer que je souhaiterais fort de trouver le moyens de pouvoir vous témoigner ma reconnaissance et vous donner de marques de la sincérité avec laquelle je suis,

mon cousin,

votre affectionnée cousine et amie

Christine.

A Halle, 17 novembre 1655.

Arckenholtz's transcript of the letter:

Mon Cousin,
Je me sens si obligée de vos civilités, & du bon accueil, que vous m'avez fait, que je n'ai pas voulu laisser retourner les gens de Monsieur l'Archiduc sans vous en faire encore mes remerciemens, & sans vous assurer, que je souhaiterois fort de trouver le moïen de pouvoir vous témoigner ma reconnoissance, & vous donner des marques de la sincérité, avec laquelle je suis
Mon Cousin
Votre affectionnée Cousine & Amie
CHRISTINE.
à Hal 17 Novembre 1655.

English translation (by Burbury):

Dear Cosen,

Your civilities and the noble entertainment you gave me, have obliged me in that manner, that I would not let the Arch-Dukes men return without again thanking you for them, and assuring you how much I desire the occasion to be able to acknowledge my gratitude to you, and give you some testimony of the sincerity, with which I am

Dear Cosen,

Your most affectionate Cosen

and Friend, Christina.

From Hall the 17th of

November 1655.

English translation (my own):

My cousin,
I feel so obliged by your civilities and the warm welcome you have given me that I have not wanted to let the Archduke's people return without once again giving you my thanks and without making sure that I would very much wish to find the means of being able to show you my gratitude and to give you marks of the sincerity with which I am,

my cousin,
your affectionate cousin and friend
Kristina.
Halla, November 17, 1655.

Above: Kristina.

Above: Carlo Emanuele Madruzzo, the Prince-Bishop of Trento.

Notes: In accordance with the nobility's ideals in the early modern era, kings and queens considered themselves siblings; when talking to someone of a lower rank than their own, they would refer to that person as "my cousin", regardless of whether or not they were related.

Halla is the old German name for the Italian town of Ala, which is on the border with Austria and was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire until the First World War.