Source:
A journal of the Swedish ambassy, volume 2, pages 146 to 149, by Bulstrode Whitelocke, published in 1772
Bulstr. Whitelockes Dag-Bok Öfver Dess Ambassade til Sverige, pages 626 to 628, translated by Johan Edman, 1777
The diary entry excerpt:
... The master of the ceremonies came to Whitelocke, by the queen's commaund, to know if he and his company pleased to see the meeting of the ricksdagh; that he had provided a place for that purpose, where they might be unknowne and unseen, and yett see all the ceremonie, and heare all the harangues; that if Whitelocke would see it, the master would call him att eight a'clocke in the morning, and waite uppon him to the place; butt that he said, that the danish ambassador had some thoughts of being there also; and if he came first to the place, he would take the uppermost seate. Whitelocke then desired the master to call him early enough, that he might be there first, bicause he could hardly permit the danish ambassador to sitt above him.
The master said he would be sure to call Whitelocke early enough; butt he believed that the danish ambassador would not be there, bicause of his ill health.
The master told Whitelocke, that Monsieur Bloome had informed him, that some of Whitelocke's gentlemen tooke exceptions to the presents sent them by the queen. He protested, uppon his soul and honor, that he had no hand in the disposing of these presents, butt that all was done by the officers of the chamber of accounts, and that the queen did not meddle with it; butt when he showed her a catalogue of the officers of Whitelocke's house, she marked them how she would have the presents bestowed: that, how the matter might be altered afterwards, he was wholly ignorant, and that he had order under the hands of the officers to make the distribution as he had done; and he hoped none of the gentlemen would be offended with him, who had done nothing butt as he was ordered by those over him. Whitelocke told him, that, in so great a family as his was, it would be difficult to please every one; that these presents were the queen's favours, which she might distribute as she pleased, and every one ought to be contented therwith; that some of his company had discoursed heerof more than belonged to them; butt that he would take order in it himselfe.
They had also this further discourse.
Wh. "Doe you expect the arrivall of the prince heer on Friday next?"
Mr. "The queen is not assured of his arrivall that day, butt she will goe out on horseback, accompanyed with all her nobility, to meet him."
Wh. "Will it be expected that I goe out likewise to meet him?"
Mr. "That cannot be, bicause it will be after your last audience, and when you have taken your leave of the queen; so that you cannot then appear in publique, nor in any publique action, bicause it will be to present yourselfe before those, of whom you had taken your leave before."
Wh. "Butt after my last audience I may in private see the queen?"
Mr. "Yes, for that is butt a perticular visit; and so you may visit any of your friends after your last audience."
Wh. "I intend likewise to salute the prince after my last audience."
Mr. "You may doe it, bicause it will be butt a perticular visit."
Wh. "I hope his royall highnes will treate me with the same civility and respect as he useth to any other ambassador."
Mr. "That he will infallibly doe. Monsieur Chanut, the french ambassador, when he was in this court, did alwayes give the right hand to the prince, after the proposall had bin made of declaring him prince heretier of the crowne, though the ricksdagh had not then confirmed it: butt Chanut made difficulty of it at the prince's lodging, bicause he was not the son of a king; yett afterwards he did it both there and elsewhere."
Wh. "There is more reason for me now to doe it, bicause the proposall is to be made of investing him with the crown. What was the manner of the prince's reception of Chanut, where did he meet Chanut att his coming, and how farre did he goe with him att his taking leave?"
Mr. "The prince received Chanut att the doore of the chamber where he had his audience; and, when the ambassador went away, the prince brought him to the same place, and no farther; and, I believe he will give the same respect to your excellence, and as much to you as to any publique minister."
Wh. "I can desire no more."
With modernised spelling:
... The Master of the Ceremonies came to Whitelocke, by the Queen's command, to know if he and his company pleased to see the meeting of the Riksdag; that he had provided a place for that purpose, where they might be unknown and unseen, and yet see all the ceremony and hear all the harangues; that if Whitelocke would see it, the Master would call him at eight o'clock in the morning and wait upon him to the place; but that he said that the Danish ambassador had some thoughts of being there also; and if he came first to the place, he would take the uppermost seat. Whitelocke then desired the Master to call him early enough that he might be there first, because he could hardly permit the Danish ambassador to sit above him.
The Master said he would be sure to call Whitelocke early enough, but he believed that the Danish ambassador would not be there because of his ill health.
The Master told Whitelocke that Monsieur Bloome had informed him that some of Whitelocke's gentlemen took exceptions to the presents sent them by the Queen. He protested upon his soul and honour that he had no hand in the disposing of these presents, but that all was done by the officers of the Chamber of Accounts, and that the Queen did not meddle with it; but when he showed her a catalogue of the officers of Whitelocke's house, she marked them how she would have the presents bestowed; that, how the matter might be altered afterwards, he was wholly ignorant, and that he had order under the hands of the officers to make the distribution as he had done; and he hoped none of the gentlemen would be offended with him, who had done nothing but as he was ordered by those over him. Whitelocke told him, that, in so great a family as his was, it would be difficult to please everyone, that these presents were the Queen's favours, which she might distribute as she pleased, and everyone ought to be contented therewith; that some of his company had discoursed hereof more than belonged to them, but that he would take order in it himself.
They had also this further discourse.
Whitelocke: "Do you expect the arrival of the Prince here on Friday next?"
Master: "The Queen is not assured of his arrival that day, but she will go out on horseback, accompanied with all her nobility, to meet him."
Whitelocke: "Will it be expected that I go out likewise to meet him?"
Master: "That cannot be, because it will be after your last audience, and when you have taken your leave of the Queen, so that you cannot then appear in public, nor in any public action, because it will be to present yourself before those of whom you had taken your leave before."
Whitelocke: "But after my last audience I may in private see the Queen?"
Master: "Yes, for that is but a particular visit, and so you may visit any of your friends after your last audience."
Whitelocke: "I intend likewise to salute the Prince after my last audience."
Master: "You may do it, because it will be but a particular visit."
Whitelocke: "I hope His Royal Highness will treat me with the same civility and respect as he useth to any other ambassador."
Master: "That he will infallibly do. Monsieur Chanut, the French ambassador, when he was in this court, did always give the right hand to the Prince after the proposal had been made of declaring him prince-heretier of the Crown, though the Riksdag had not then confirmed it; but Chanut made difficulty of it at the Prince's lodging, because he was not the son of a king; yet afterwards he did it both there and elsewhere."
Whitelocke: "There is more reason for me now to do it, because the proposal is to be made of investing him with the crown. What was the manner of the Prince's reception of Chanut, where did he meet Chanut at his coming, and how far did he go with him at his taking leave?"
Master: "The Prince received Chanut at the door of the chamber where he had his audience; and, when the ambassador went away, the Prince brought him to the same place and no farther; and I believe he will give the same respect to Your Excellence, and as much to you as to any public minister."
Whitelocke: "I can desire no more."
Approximate reconstruction of the conversation as it was in French (my own):
Whitelocke: «Attendez-vous l'arrivée du prince ici vendredi prochain?»
Le maître des cérémonies: «La reine n'est pas assurée de son arrivée ce jour-là, mais elle sortira à cheval, accompagnée de toute sa noblesse, à sa rencontre.»
Whitelocke: «Est-il prévu que je sors aussi pour le rencontrer?»
Le maître de cérémonie: «Cela ne peut pas être, car ce sera après votre dernière audience, et lorsque vous aurez pris congé de la reine, de sorte que vous ne pourrez alors apparaître en public, ni dans aucune action publique, car vous vous présenteriez devant ceux dont vous aviez pris congé auparavant.»
Whitelocke: «Mais après ma dernière audience, je pourrai voir la reine en privé?»
Le maître de cérémonie: «Oui, car ce n'est qu'une visite particulière, et vous pourrez donc rendre visite à n'importe lequel de vos amis après votre dernière audience.»
Whitelocke: «J'ai aussi l'intention de saluer le prince après ma dernière audience.»
Le maître de cérémonie: «Vous pouvez le faire, car ce ne sera qu'une visite particulière.»
Whitelocke: «J'espère que Son Altesse Royale me traitera avec la même civilité et le même respect qu'il le fait envers tout autre ambassadeur.»
Le maître des cérémonies: «Il le fera infailliblement. Monsieur Chanut, l'ambassadeur de France, lorsqu'il était dans cette cour, donnait toujours la main droite au prince après qu'on eut proposé de le déclarer prince hérétier de la Couronne, bien que la Diète ne l'ait pas encore confirmé; mais Chanut a fait des difficultés au logement du prince, parce qu'il n'était pas le fils d'un roi; pourtant il l'a ensuite fait là et ailleurs.»
Whitelocke: «J'ai plus de raisons de le faire maintenant, car la proposition doit être faite de l'investir de la couronne. Comment le prince a-t-il reçu Chanut, où a-t-il rencontré Chanut à son arrivée, et comment jusqu'où est-il allé avec lui à son départ?»
Le maître des cérémonies: «Le prince reçut Chanut à la porte de la chambre où il avait son audience; et, lorsque l'ambassadeur fut parti, le prince l'amena au même endroit et pas plus loin; et je crois qu'il donnera le même respect à Votre Excellence, et autant à vous qu'à tout ministre public.»
Whitelocke: «Je ne peux plus désirer.»
Swedish translation of the conversation (by Edman):
Wh. »Väntas Prinsen med säkerhet hit nästa fredag?«
Cer. M. »Drottningen är ännu ej därom rätt säker, men tänker at med hela sin Hofstat rida ut och taga emot honom, när han kommer.«
Wh. »Månne det äfven väntas, at jag skal fara ut för at vara honom til mötes.«
Cer. M. »Det passar sig på intet vis, emedan Prinsen ej ankommer förr, än sedan Edar Excellence haft sin afskeds-audience hos Hennes Maj:t, hvarefter Edar Excellence ej kan visa sig en publique; emedan det skulle förefalla besynnerligt, at vid et solent tilfälle vara närvarande, sedan man en gång tagit afsked.«
Wh. »Drottningen får jag dock den nåden at enskildt upvakta, sedan jag haft min afskeds-audience.«
Cer. M. »Aldeles; ty det anses endast som et besök, hvarmed Edar Excellence äfven kan hedra sina härvarande vänner.«
Wh. »Jag tänker äfven, sedan jag haft min afskeds-audience, at upvakta Prinsen.«
Cer. M. »Det passar sig äfven ganska väl; ty det är endast et besök.«
Wh. »Jag hoppas Hans Höghet med samma aktning emottager mig, som andra Ambassadeurer.«
Cer. M. »Det sker utan tvifvel. Monsieur CHANUT lemnade altid, då han här vid Hofvet var Fransk Ambassadeur, Prinsen högra handen, emedan han var utsedd til Thron-följare, ehuru ej af Ständerne ännu antagen. I Prinsens hus gjorde dock CHANUT någon svårighet därvid, efter Prinsen ej var Konunga son, men omsider lemnade han honom altid företrädet.«
Wh. »För mig är nu så mycket mer skäl at göra det, som han snart skall krönas. På hvad sätt emottogs CHANUT af Prinsen? hvar mötte han honom? och huru långt fölgde Hans Höghet honom vid bortgången.«
Cer. M. »Prinsen emottog CHANUT i dören til audience-rummet, och vid bortgången skildes han på samma ställe vid honom; och förmodar jag at Prinsen gör det samma med Edar Excellence, och ej underlåter at visa Eder samma aktning, som han visat andra af Edar värdighet.«
Wh. »Jag kan ej begära mer.«
Contemporary Swedish translation of the conversation (my own):
Whitelocke: »Förväntar Ni Er att prinsen kommer hit nästa fredag?«
Ceremonimästaren: »Drottningen är inte säker på sin ankomst den dagen, men hon kommer att gå ut på hästryggen, åtföljd av all sin adel, för att möta honom.«
Whitelocke: »Förväntar man sig att jag går ut på samma sätt för att möta honom?«
Ceremonimästaren: »Det kan och får inte vara så, för det kommer att vara efter Er sista audiens och när Ni har tagit avsked av drottningen, så att Ni då inte får uppträda offentligt eller i någon offentlig handling, ty Ni skulle då presentera Er inför dem av vilka Ni hade tagit avsked tidigare.«
Whitelocke: »Men efter min sista audiens kanske får jag se drottningen privat?«
Ceremonimästaren: »Ja, för det är bara ett privat besök, och så kan Ni besöka vilken som helst av Era vänner efter Er sista audiens.«
Whitelocke: »Jag tänker på samma sätt hälsa prinsen efter min sista audiens.«
Ceremonimästaren: »Ni får göra det, för det blir bara ett privat besök.«
Whitelocke: »Jag hoppas att Hans Kungliga Höghet kommer att behandla mig med samma artighet och respekt som han använder mot alla andra ambassadörer.«
Ceremonimästaren: »Det kommer han ofelbart att göra. Monsieur Chanut, den franske ambassadören, när han befann sig i detta hov, gav alltid prinsen höger hand sedan förslaget hade framställts att förklara honom till Kronans arvfurste, ehuru Riksdagen då icke hade stadfäst det, men Chanut gjorde det svårt på prinsens logi, emedan han icke var son till en konung, men sedan gjorde han det både där och annorstädes.«
Whitelocke: »Det finns mer anledning för mig att göra det nu, ty förslaget är att ge honom kronan. Hur var prinsens mottagande av Chanut, var träffade han Chanut vid hans ankomst och hur långt gick han med honom när han tog avsked?«
Ceremonimästaren: »Prinsen tog emot Chanut vid dörren till kammaren där han hade sin audiens, och när ambassadören gick bort, förde prinsen honom till samma plats och inte längre; och jag tror att han kommer att ge samma respekt till Ers Excellens och lika mycket till Er som till alla offentliga minister.«
Whitelocke: »Jag kan inte önska mer.«
_-_Nationalmuseum_-_18075.tif.jpg)
Above: Kristina.
Above: Karl Gustav.
.jpg)
Above: Bulstrode Whitelocke.
Note: particular = private.
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