Source:
A journal of the Swedish ambassy, in the years M.DCC.LIII. and M.DCC.LIV., volume 1, pages 288 to 289, Bulstrode Whitelocke, 1772
The description:
... Whilst Pimentelle and Whitelocke were discoursing, the queen came by through the town in her sledde, with divers of her ladyes and servants waiting on her in sleddes to take the aier.
These sleddes are neatly made, most of them curiously wrought and carved, some richly painted and guilded; the shape of them is not unlike a little ship boate, butt shorter: they are fastened uppon two pieces of timber, one uppon each side, which carry them up, and smoothly slide uppon the ice and frozen snow. They are made generally butt for one person to sitt in: behind the sledde, uppon one of the pieces of timber, he stands that guides the sledde horse by a long reine. When the queen rides, commonly some earle or other great gallant guides the sledde: the ladyes have their gallants also, to whom they allow the like honor.
The sledde is drawn by one horse, whose harness they covet to have very rich, according to their qualityes; many of them are sett with studdes of silver, and thicke with little belles of silver or of brasse, which make a cheerfull and great noise and jingle, being shaken by a large trotting horse, and when a dozen or twenty of them passe togither; yett they goe easier than our wherryes.
The inside of the sledde is usually lined, the bottom and sides of it with bears skin, or some other furre: the ladyes take the aier in them in the winter time, when they are only usefull in the mid-day, the sun then generally shining clear and warme, and no wind stirring, which makes it pleasant; butt if there be the least wind, it cuttes so sharpe, that there is no pleasure to goe abroade.
The ladyes and their sleddiers are very gallant, with great plumes in their hatts; and the horses have the like on their heads and buttockes.
Above: Bulstrode Whitelocke.
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