A journal of the Swedish ambassy, in the years M.DCC.LIII. and M.DCC.LIV., volume 1, pages 282 to 284, Bulstrode Whitelocke, 1772
The meeting:
... [Whitelocke] caused an abstract of his newes to be written in french out of his letters, and carryed it late that night to the queen, who thanked him for it. The frost was so hard and slipperye, that he was faine to walke on foote, and to be supported by two of his servants.
The queen, among other things, fell into discourse with him concerning king James, who, she had heard, was poysoned, and his son prince Henry also; butt Whitelocke declined this discourse, and to speake reproachfully of the dead.
Then the queen discoursed of the great duke of Bucks (as she called him) and of his extraction and favour, wherof Whitelocke gave her a perticular account; and she demanding, how he came to be so fully instructed of the duke, his son, and family; he told her, there was a neere alliance between the duke and Whitelocke's children; wherof she was very inquisitive.
She also inquired concerning the old earle of Arundell, the countess of Kent, and divers of our nobility; and of Mr. Selden, Patrick Young, some of the bishops, and divers others of our learned men, of whom Whitelocke was able to give her an account, and did no injury to any of them; in so much that the queen said, she marvayled to heare one give so full an account of so many, and not to speake reproachfully of any of them, not of an ennemy, butt to give every one his due.
Whitelocke told her, that he held it disingenious to reproach princes, or any others, behind their backes, and more honourable to speake plainly to themselves, then to back-bite any one: the queen sayd, that was honorable, and very becomming a gentleman.
She then commended the library att St. James's, and the rare MSS. there, of some wherof she desired to gett coppyes: Whitelocke told her, he was the more capable to serve her therin, bicause he was keeper of that library; and promised, att his returne to England, to indeavour to doe her majesty that service which she desired.
One would have imagined that England had bin her native countrey, so well was she furnished with the characters of most persons of consideration there, and with the story of the nation, and full of inquiryes touching those matters; wherin Whitelocke found his having bin acquainted with persons and affayres to be a great advantage to him.
The queen spake much for king of Spayne's being taken into the alliance with England and Sweden; and Whitelocke prayed her to putt it into her memoire of proposalls, and he would transmitt it to his superiors.
She told Whitelocke, she wondered that he had no letters from his general, and sayd, she used to write to her forein publique ministers; butt Whitelocke said, his general seldome did so, butt those letters were from the councell of state.
She desired Whitelocke's assistance in a buisnes in England concerning one of her servants, the lady Jane Ruthen, daughter to general Ruthen; wherin Whitelocke promised his service.
He heard there would be a balle to-morrow att the court, and that he should be invited to it; butt, by intimation to Grave Tott, and senator Vanderlin, to excuse him if he were thought on, that neither he nor any of his company could be there, bicause it was the Lord's day, he prevented the invitation, and his denyall of it.
Above: Kristina.
Above: Bulstrode Whitelocke.
Above: Kristina.
Above: Bulstrode Whitelocke.
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