Source:
A journal of the Swedish ambassy, in the years M.DCC.LIII. and M.DCC.LIV., volume 1, pages 408 to 409, Bulstrode Whitelocke, 1772
The anecdote:
The queen had desired Whitelocke to instruct her in the english tounge, which she had a desire to learne; and Whitelocke brought her the beginning of an english grammer, which he had caused one of his chapleins, Mons. de la Marche, to frame, and was fayrely written in english and french by Mr. Moreland. Her majesty was much pleased with it, and took paynes att this, and other times, to understand it.
Whitelocke told her, that, according to her commaund, he had brought his doctor of physick to attend her majesty; who presently sent for him into her bed-chamber, and discoursed a great while with him in french, touching physick, and touching her own indisposition of health. She also propounded two questions to the doctor: 1. Whither physitians did know any thing by their art, or whither they were guided by adventure and chance? 2. Whither good philosophers were good christians? To both which the doctor's answears were full of ingenuity and learning. They discoursed long, and Whitelocke did not interrupt them; and, uppon the point of circulation of the blood, the doctor gave her more then ordinary satisfaction: and in all matters, she said, she never received more from any person, and gave him the character of a learned able scholler and physitian.
The doctor being gone forth, the queen told Whitelocke, she was sorry that her chancellor had used him with so much incivility, as she had understood by Piementelle; and she prayed Whitelocke to excuse it, and offered to send to the chancellor about it, and to cause him to make his own excuse for it: butt Whitelocke intreated her majesty to take no notice of it; and she assured him of a speedy dispatch of his treaty.
She gave Whitelocke great thankes for the present of horses which he had sent her, and perticularly for his son's mare.
Above: Kristina.
Above: Bulstrode Whitelocke.
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