Excerpt from Cardinal de Retz's letter to Hugues de Lionne, dated February 16, 1666

Source:

Œuvres du Cardinal de Retz: Lettres et mémoires sur les affaires de Rome: Pièces justificatives, volume 7, page 173, published by R. Chantelauze, 1882

https://books.google.com/books?id=St0FAAAAQAAJ&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&dq=reyne+de+suede+lettre&source=gbs_navlinks_s

"Alexandre le Grand", by Jean Racine, is the comedy that the Cardinal refers to. Although it is a tragedy, in the 17th century the word "comedy" was used for these stageplay works in general. It was performed for the first time on December 4, 1665 at the Palais Royal Theater in Paris. Its script can be read here:

https://books.google.com/books?id=oh06AAAAcAAJ&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&dq=racine+alexandre+le+grand&source=gbs_navlinks_s

The letter excerpt:

MONSIEUR,

... J'oubliai, mardi passé, de vous remercier de la comédie d'Alexandre, qui est fort belle. La reine de Suède, qui l'a admirée, eut tant d'impatience de la voir qu'elle me l'envoya demander, devant que j'eusse eu le temps de la lui porter.

Je suis,

Monsieur,

Votre très-affectionné serviteur,

Le cardinal de RETS.

A Rome, ce 16e février 1666.

Swedish translation (my own):

Monsieur,

... Jag glömde, i tisdags, att tacka Er för komedin Alexander, som är väldigt vacker. Drottningen av Sverige, som beundrade den, var så otålig över att se den att hon bad mig sända den innan jag hann komma med den till henne.

Jag är,

Monsieur,

Er tillgivnaste tjänare

Kardinal de Retz.

Rom, den 16 februari 1666.

English translation (my own):

Monsieur,

... I forgot, last Tuesday, to thank you for the comedy Alexander, which is very beautiful. The Queen of Sweden, who admired it, was so impatient to see it that she asked me to send it before I had time to bring it to her.

I am,

Monsieur,

Your most affectionate servant

Cardinal de Retz.

Rome, February 16, 1666.

Above: Kristina.

Above: Cardinal de Retz.

Above: Hugues de Lionne.