Source:
Christine de Suède et le cardinal Azzolino: Lettres inédites (1660-1668), Carl Bildt, 1899
Kristina wrote this letter to Cardinal Decio Azzolino on December 23, 1666.
The letter:
quarantiesme lestre
du 23. Xbr. 1666 —
pour ne pas retomber dan la faute que iay Commis par mes precedentes davoir oublie de Vous repondre sur la bonte que Vous avez eu pour le prieur BonJoanni, Je Vous diray que Vous pouvez disposer librement de tout ce qui est a moy et que ie vous remercie de la pettitte demonstration que Vous avez fait avec luy de ma part Car ayant beaucoup de Bienvailliance et d'Estime pour la personne de cest honeste homme ie Vous en suis oblige, et Vous prie de len asseurer de ma part.
Je vous envoy vne relation de laccident du Medicin. Vous laurez eu plustost, sil ne meust demande la grace de Vous tenir sa faute segrette, et Je luy ay aCCorde cette faveur faisant reflexion que cestoit Vous esparniger du Chagrin que de la luy accorder, mais puisque Vous l'avez seu dalieurs Jay creu quil estoit necessaire de ne Vous plus rien deigiser. le Marquis del Monte et pezza son les vniqves tesmoins des Verites que cette relation Contient, et Jespere que Vous aure suiet damirer plustost ma moderation qve daccuser ma Colere.
Je vous envoy les lestre dAdamy et ma reponse qvi Vous feront tousiour Conoistre lestat des mes affaires mieux qve les discours qve ie vous en povroi faire. iespere avec vn peu de temps que tout Ce disposera asse avantageusement pour moy
nous avons ycy peu de nouveautes Milet envoye du roy de france est arrive icy. Jl ma dit quil attans la réponse de Vrangel pour se rendre aupres de luy et y attendre les ordres de son Maistre Car apres la paix faitte Jl ne sayt plus que faire, puis que sestoit le sviet de sa Commission. au reste la tranquillite sest entierement restablye en ces quartiers et Jl y a apparence quelle sy Conservera pour long temps. lon espere mes que les Chosses se disposeront a la paix en Angleterre, la qvelle est menasse de quelqve revolution par une petitte revolte quon na pu encore estouffer en Ecosse et en Angeterre mesme et se pays estant fort suiet a ces sorte maladies on ne peut mepriser auCune de cette nature quel que petitte qvelle soix
la paix qve les Suedois on fait avec les Moscovites est ausi honteuse et desavantageuse que celle de Bremen et la pauvre Suede a receu dens peu des temps de Coups dont elle ne revindra de long temps. se sont des fruits de la derniere gerre du Roy Charle Gustave Contre le Dannemarque dans la qvelle la Suede sest espuise des ses forces, et na travallie que pour en donner a ses ennemis.
les indispositions du petitt roy sont asse frequantes mais iespere que lage Changera sa Complixion le Corrigera de ses infirmites. la Commune opinion en Suede et ausi Allemange et Casi partout est quil ne Vivra pas. Je ne say Ce qui arrivera mais Jl est Certain qve huit annes de minorite mesteront la Suede bien basse et ie Crois que ny la sapience de Salomon ny la Valeur de de Cesar ny celle dAlaxandre suffiront pour luy rendre sa gloire perdve
pour moy iay eu sur laccident du feu les penses tels quils les faut avoir, et Je lauray sur touts les accidents de ma dma vie tels quon le doit avoir cest de quoy ie Vous asseure. a present Je m'en vays travelier a me mestre ausi bien avec Dieu que le peut estre vn pauure Creatúre plaine de Crimes et des defauts, et Je prieray dieu pour Vostre prosperite Eternelle et temporelle. Je pense que Vous ne faittes pas gran Cas de mes oraisons, et Vous aves raisons. ausi en Vous les offrant ie pretens pas Vous donner quel que chose de for presieux mais seullement ce qui Vous et deue par touts les obligations que ie Vous professe adieu —
P. S. dans ce moment nous recevons des novuelles que la rebellion d'Escosse sest rendue si Considerable qui les rebelles ont assiege la ville d'Edandbur Capitale du Royaume avec une armee de vinte Cinque mille hommes Cete novvelle vient de Confirmer ce que iay dit ycy desus quil ny a pas de revoletts a mepriser en ce pays la.
Clairet et mon garderobbe se vienne de battre en duel, est Clairet est reste mortellement blesse. on me fait esperer quil eschappera mais ie ne le Crois pas. Cet accidant me donne bien du deplaisir. P. S. en se moment le Girurgien francois asseure qve la blessure nest pas mortelle.
English translation (my own):
40th letter
of the 23rd December 1666 —
In order not to fall back into the mistake which I committed by my previous letters, of having forgotten to answer you on the kindness you had for Prior Bongiovanni*, I will tell you that you can freely dispose of everything that is from me, and that I thank you for the little demonstration that you made with him on my part; for, having much good will and esteem for the person of this honest man, I am obliged to you and beg you to assure him of that on my behalf.
I am sending you the doctor's relation of the accident*. You would have had it sooner if he had not asked me for the grace to keep his fault secret from you*, and I granted him this favour, reflecting that it was to save you from grief to grant it to him; but, since you knew it from elsewhere, I thought it was necessary not to disguise anything from you. The Marquis del Monte and Pezza are the only witnesses to the truths that this relation contains, and I hope you will have reason to admire my moderation rather than to accuse my anger.
I am sending you Adami's letter and my reply, which will always let you know the state of my affairs better than the discourses I can give you. I hope, with a little time, that everything will turn out quite advantageously for me.
We have little news here. Millet, envoy of the King of France, arrived here. He told me that he is awaiting Wrangel's reply in order to come to him and await his master's orders there, for, after peace is made, he does not know what to do, since it was the subject of his commission. Besides, tranquility has been entirely reestablished in these quarters, and it seems that it will remain here for a long time. It is even hoped that things will prepare for peace in England, which is threatened with some revolution by a small revolt which has not yet been able to be quelled in Scotland and in England itself, and this country being very subject to these kinds of illnesses, one cannot despise any of this nature, however small.
The peace the Swedes have made with the Muscovites is as shameful and disadvantageous as that of Bremen, and poor Sweden has received in a short time the blows from which she will not return for a long time. These are the fruits of King Karl Gustav's last war against Denmark, in which Sweden ran out of strength and only worked to give it to her enemies.
The little king's ailments are quite frequent, but I hope that age will change his complexion and correct his infirmities. The common opinion in Sweden, and also in Germany and almost everywhere, is that he will not live. I do not know what will happen, but it is certain that eight years of minority will make Sweden very low, and I believe that neither the wisdom of Solomon, nor the valour of Caesar, nor that of Alexander will be enough to restore her lost glory.
As for me, I had the thoughts on the accident of fire as they should be had (?), and I will have them on all the accidents of my life as they should be had. That's what I assure you. Now I am going to work to put myself as well with God as a poor creature full of crimes and faults can be, and I will pray to God for your eternal and temporal prosperity. I think you don't think much of my prayers, and you are right. Also, by offering them to you, I do not claim to give you something very precious, but only what is due to you by all the obligations that I profess to you. Farewell.
P. S. — At this moment we receive news that the Scottish rebellion has grown so considerable that the rebels have besieged the city of Edinburgh, the capital of the kingdom, with an army of twenty-five thousand men. This news has just confirmed what I said here above, that there are no revolts to be despised in this country.
Clairet and my guardiaroba* have just dueled, and Clairet is left mortally wounded. I am given to hope that he will escape, but I do not believe it. This accident gives me great displeasure.
P. S. — At this moment, the French surgeon assures that the wound is not fatal.
Above: Kristina.
Above: Cardinal Decio Azzolino.
Notes: Prior Bongiovanni was in charge of distributing Kristina's alms in Rome, and for this purpose received one hundred crowns per month. The payment of this sum was continued during Kristina's absence.
This incident had taken place on October 14; here is the origin. Texeira had made an agreement with the servant in charge of fetching Kristina's mail at the post office so that it would go to his house first. Texeira opened the package and removed the letters to her/his/their address and to those in the suite. He claimed this was necessary to control the postmaster's accounts, but it was also a precaution, as Kristina readily opened letters addressed to those around her/him/them, especially if she/he/they suspected they were sent by women. Kristina was not long in realising the delay caused by the detour to Texeira, and, as she/he/they could not be more impatient to receive Azzolino's letters without delay, she/he/they gave severe orders that the mail be taken directly to her/his/their residence, without going to Texeira. Despite this, it was repeated twice more. Kristina, irritated to see that her/his/their orders were not followed, made an investigation, from which it emerged that one of the culprits was Dr. Macchiati, the latter having made the mistake of telling the valet in charge of this service that there was nothing wrong with him taking his way along the street where Texeira lived, since the detour was insignificant. Unfortunately, the doctor was more in charge than he actually deserved, because del Monte and Pezza, who also had their fair share of responsibility in the case, were quick to blame him. Kristina had initially wanted to dismiss Macchiati, but, on Malaspina's advice, in the end she/he/they forgave him.
Macchiati had, however, as early as November 10, sent Azzolino a detailed report of what had happened.
The guardiaroba (butler responsible for the household effects) is only mentioned under the name Giuseppe. — The meeting with Clairet, motivated by an exchange of swear words, took place in Altona in the early morning. Del Monte and Pezza jumped out of bed and ran after the two adversaries as soon as they heard about it from a servant, but they were too late.
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