Count Galeazzo Gualdo Priorato on the last months of Kristina's reign, her/his/their abdication and departure from Sweden, 1654 (New Style dates used)

Sources:

Historia della Sacra Real Maestà di Cristina Alessandra Regina di Svetia, pages 26 to 37, by Count Galeazzo Gualdo Priorato, 1656

https://archive.org/details/historiadellasac00gual/page/n59/mode/2up

The history of the sacred and Royal Majesty of Christina Alessandra Queen of Swedland, &c., book 1, translated by John Burbury, 1658

https://quod.lib.umich.edu/e/eebo/A85757.0001.001/1:6?rgn=div1;view=fulltext

Above: Kristina.

The account:

Parti dunque il Padre Guemes con dispacci della Regina, e di Pimentel à 9. Ottobre, e doppo molti disaggi, e ritardamenti, giongendo nel mese di Marzo 1654. alla Corte Cattolica, quiui con gran calore sollecitò le lettere Regie al Papa in accompagnamento di quella della Regi[n]a, & oprò si honoratamente, e con tanta fede in questo importantissimo affare, che dichiarandosi poi Sua Maestà al maggior segno sodisfatta apri seco ogni più stretta confidenza, dichiarandolo suo confessore, e seruendosi di lui nelle risolutioni più difficili, e scrupolose. Ancorche non solo dalla voce delli sudetti due Padri Gesuiti, e Domenicano, e dalle lettere dello stesso Pimentel, fosse il Rè pienamente informato, & assicurato di tutto, ad ogni modo non puotè far di meno, di non restar qualche poco sorpreso nel sentir vna risolutione si grande, e mirabile, sembrandogli cosa malageuole, ch'vna Prencipessa si spiritosa, e di senno cosi sublime potesse abbandonare i Regni, la Patria, e que' sudditi, che si teneramente amaua, e proteggeua, per ridursi priuatamente fuori di gran cõmando, col solo oggetto di viuere quietamente nella Religione Cattolica, discorrendo seco stesso, che se detta Regina non poteua in publico, poteua almen secretamente esercitare la vera Fede nel proprio Regno, e forse con maggiori vantaggi del Catolichismo, massime ch'il cedere lo scettro ad vn nuouo Rè, che poteua hauer spiriti inquieti, e bellicosi, era vn aprir forse la strada ad alcuna di quelle intraprese, che nelle afflittioni della Christianità poteua danneggiar assai più gli interessi de Cattolici, ch'acquistar trà gli applausi mondani gloria, e riposo alla Regina. Consideraua anche sauiamente, che le cose del Mondo non hanno altro di costante, che la incostanza, e che le donne particolarmente, benche di cuore, e di spirito erano soggette alla volubilità, onde non poteua col suo sodo intendimento, far sicuro giuditio sopra vna semplice apparenza, ne gli pareua conuenisse alla propria grauità, e decoro di mettersi in impegno alcuno senza penetrar più auanti, e toccar il fondo di que' motiui, da quali deriuasse vna risolutione si grande, e poco costumata; mà poi certificatosi, che nella Regina abbondauano virtù heroiche, e talenti sublimi, col motiuo de quali conosceua esser il Mondo vno di que' nemici, che si vince fuggendo, e che se bene era Donna haueua però fortezza da calpestrar le di lui potenze, lusinghe, affascinamenti, e vincer se stessa. Si affettionò il Rè tanto ad vna attione si magnanima, che col pijssimo suo zelo verso l'honor di Dio, e della Santa Fede, non solo accompagnò, con ogni calore la lettera della Regina al Papa; mà esibi tutta la sua protettione, per l'incaminamento, e per l'effetto intiero alle sodisfattioni di si degna, e virtuosa Prencipessa.

Gli stati di Suetia doppo la pace di Germania hauendo riuolti subito i pensieri allo stabilimento del Regno, haueuano anche appreso necessario il proueder, che mancando nel sangue Reale la successione mascolina, vi fosse alcuno ch'ascendesse quietamente, e senza strepito alla Corona; e già che il richiamar i suffragi delle antiche elettioni, non sembraua bene, essendosi conosciuto per proua che quelle spetie di Dominio, come poco durabile, e mal sicura era stata ben spesso ripiena di tumulti, e di calamità. Si che concordaua ogn'vno, che la Regina prendendo à sua sodisfattione vn sposo della stessa Religione, e non sospetto à gli stati, si douesse stabilire nella prole di lei la sicurezza della successione. Fecero per tanto à Sua Maestà diuerse instanze, e non mancarono di solecitarne l'effetto.

La Regina che couaua nell'animo disegni assai maggiori, valendosi del pretesto di non voler col prender marito soggettar la propria libertà ad alcuno, si dichiaraua, ch'essendo nata libera, libera anche voleua viuere, e morire. Ostentò di stimare, che tutti i Regni del Mondo fossero prezzo inferiore al preggio della libertà, esser questa sola la gemma più pretiosa nella sua Corona. Saper essa, che gli ingegni casti eran i più suegliati, spiritosi, e più atti à tutte le cose, che hanno bisogno d'intendimento, di spirito, e di prudenza.

Gli stati scorgendola stabile nella risolutione di non maritarsi, pretesero almeno di destinargli vn successore, à fine che mancando essa, non restasse alcuna difficoltà nella elettione d'vn nuouo Rè. E perche tutto ciò ch'è più desiderabile in vn Prencipe, consiste, ch'egli sia valoroso, prudente, e buono; essaminatesi nell'Assemblee di tutti quattro gli ordini del Regno maturamente le conditioni, e talenti de soggetti più cospicui, si riuolsero gli applausi, & i voti di tutti alla persona del sopradetto Prencipe Carlo Gustauo Palatino, come quello che discendendo per nascita da Rè, & Imperatori, & hauendo sin allhora commandato à gli eserciti Suezzesi, haueua in tutte le occasioni dato gran proue del suo valore, e della sua prudenza, oltre che venendo straordinariamente affettionato da' Popoli, e da' soldati, non poteua desiderar argomenti più chiari della sua benemerenza, per esser solleuato al commando della Corona stabilita nella persona di lui, la sostitutione nel Regno per quando mancasse Christina.

Diuolgarono alcuni Politici, per entrar anch'essi à parte con loro discorsi d'vn affare sì grande, non esser piaciuto alla Regina, che si fosse spalancata al desiderio di questo Prencipe la porta di dominare, ch'essendo questi gli più viui, e sensibili trà gli affetti de gli huomini, poteuano vedersi rinouati i scandali di que' tempi, ne' quali molti per gionger ben presto a' loro intenti, niente stimando per empio, e scelerato, si gettarono sotto a' piedi il rispetto, gli oblighi, l'honore, e la propria conscienza. Mà s'ingannauano assai detti Politici nell'apprensione, che forse credeuano di cagionare con loro discorsi, mentre misurauano i pensieri, e risolutioni di lei con la propria regola ordinaria dell'interesse di Stato. I pensieri di Sua Maestà haueuano motiui, e fondamenti più sodi, e profondi. Ella ambiua di acquistar il Regno doue habitano gli Angeli, e però perdeua volentieri quello in cui stantiano gli huomini. Non poteua errare nella ragion di stato, chi si assicuraua in quella di Dio. Cercaua di conoscere Dio nelle vere grandezze, e felicità, e Dio se gli fece conoscere col darle senno, e vigore in cercar quello, che pochi bramano, e di sprezzar ciò che tutti desiderano. Per quello poi toccaua alla riputazione & alla gloria humana, apprese di non poter meglio prolungare nella prosperità i breuissimi periodi della sua vita, che colla fama d'vna delle più gloriose risolutioni, che si fossero mai sentite. Con molta carità, e franchezza, accordando dunque la soprauiuẽza del suo Scettro al medesimo Prencipe Palatino, andaua indagando anche le forme, con le quali, senza iscoprire quali fossero i suoi interni pensieri, potesse liberamente rinunciargli il possesso di quei Stati, che non eran più suoi, perche gli haueua cambiati con quelli del Cielo. Gli pareua di non hauer il lustro d'alcuna virtù, sedendo sù quel trono, che non era illustrato da' splendori della vera fede. Ella amaua Dio, e però non poteua più affettionar il Mõdo. Per salire alle grandezze del Cielo, bisognaua che cadesse dalla altezza delle felicità terrene.

Palesata questa resolutione ad alcuni suoi confidenti, parue loro strano, ch'ella si volesse spontaneamente priuare del Dominio d'vn Regno, di cui non è la più desiderata cosa in terra: e come nelle mutazioni del Principe ben spesso riceuono alterazioni dannose anche le Città, & i Cittadini; così nell'apprensione de gli euenti futuri, e nella priuatione d'vn sì gran bene, che godeuano, sentirono particolar passione, e discontento, affaticandosi in oltre di rimouerla da tali sentimẽti con ragioni forti, e molto adequate alla qualità della materia di cui si tratta. Conosceuano qual era il genio del nuouo Rè, quali le inclinationi martiali de' Capitani di lui; onde dubitauano, che ciò potesse esser vno di quei castighi, che con apparenza di bene, si gettano sopra quelli, che Dio vuole punir di qualche male. Sospettauano, che se la Regina amaua la pace, e la buona corrispondenza con vn'vno de' Principi vicini, non fosse per esser simile il genio, e l'interesse del successore, che ambirebbe facilmente nell'ingresso del suo Principato di far pompa del suo valore, e di dar fomento a' desidarij de' suoi Capitani.

Per conuincere l'intendimento di lei, e diuertirla da si gran deliberazione, molti de' più intendenti, e zelanti ministri, a' quali fece Sua Maestà l'honore di confidare il pensiero di rinonciare il Regno, ma non quello di mutar Religione, s'auanzauano sino à predirgli cattiui auuenimenti; ma non vi fù cosa, che potesse rattenerla nella mossa, che prendeua à tutto volo.

Si erano di già aggiustate tutte le cose spettanti à tal rinuntia, ne altro mancaua, che sollennizarla con quelle publiche funtioni, che si richiedono à casi simili. Essendosi per tanto fatte già varie feste, e giostre in augurio fortunato della Incoronatione del nuouo Rè; finalmente a' 17. di Gennaro 1654. si venne alla conclusione. Haurebbe voluto il Principe Palatino differirla sino à Luglio seguente, mentre gli habiti, e le altre cose necessarie alla magnificenza di questo insolito spettacolo si preparassero. Ma la Regina, sprezzando ogni dimora, preuenne questi indugi con ogni sollecitudine, mentre ogni lieue momento, pareua troppo lungo soggiorno all'impatienza, che teneua Sua Maestà di vltimar i suoi secreti intenti.

Vscì per tanto il dì sudetto tre hore auanti mezo giorno dalle sue stanze, e comparue nel gran portico del Real Palazzo, accompagnata dal Senato, e da tutti i Grandi della Corte. Portaua intorno vna pomposa veste di porpora ricamata à corone d'oro, e con leggiadra grauità, caminando trà il numeroso stuolo di Gentilhuomini, & altre persone chiamate dalla curiosità à vedere vna funtione si celebre, & inusitata, si pose in vna sedia sotto ad vn baldacchino d'argento nobilmente, e con pretiosi fregi lauorato. Quì allhora il Sig. Schering Rosemhain Senator del Regno, lesse ad alta voce lo stromento di donatione, che Sua Maestà faceua al sudetto Principe Carlo Gustauo Palatino, & vna patente, nella quale il nuouo Rè obligaua ad essa Regina trè Isole, e diuerse entrate prouenienti dalla Pomerania, con altri regali, che stimossi ascender à 200. mila scudi l'anno. Hauendo Sua Maestà accettate le lettere, si leuò in piede, e toltasi da se la Corona di testa, la diede in mano al Conte Pietro Braech Gran Prefetto del Regno, e primo Senatore. Lo Scettro, la spada, il globbo d'oro, e la chiaue furono da lei pur consignati a' quattro Gran personaggi, e Ministri del Regno, cioè al Conte Gustauo Horn Generale della militia, al Conte Gabriel Oxestern, al Conte d'Oxestern Gran Cancelliere, & al Conte Magno Gabriel della Garda Gran Tesoriere. Non restaua alla Regina altro da spogliarsi, che la veste Reale, e vedendo essa, che coloro, à quali spettaua, tardauano à scioglierla, ella medesima se la sciolse, e nel gettarla giù, scherzando con le sue Dame, rise piaceuolmente con esse, non vi essendo in tanto numero de circonstanti, che potesse contener le lagrime in veder vn'attione sì generosa d'vn cuore, ch'haueua tributarij d'ossequio, d'affetto gli animi d'ogn'vno. Deposto il manto Reale restò cinta d'vna candidissima veste; e quì con affabilità maestosa, riuoltatasi verso la Nobiltà, e 'l Popolo, con voce alta, e sonora, e con prodigiosa franchezza d'animo, orò per vn quarto d'hora, con tanta energia, e soauità, che rimasero egualmente tutti abbagliati dallo splendore di tanta virtù, & inteneriti dalla soauità di maniere sì dolci, traboccarono in quel dispiacere, che non ammette conforto, ne riceue moderatione.

Doppo di questo con vn longo, e prudentissimo discorso, auuertì il nuouo Rè dì molte cose appartenenti al buon gouerno del Regno, & affettuosamente gli raccomandò la Regina sua Madre, gli amici, e tutti i sudditi da essa tenacemente amati; e con questo se ne ritornò nella medesma stanza, di doue era vscita, lasciando tutto il Popolo frà le tenebre della confusione, e del ramarico, mentre perdeua quel sole, che con benefici suoi splendori l'haueua tanto tempo gouernato.

Due hore doppo fu condotto il Principe Palatino nella Catedrale dell'Arciuescouo d'Vpsalia, oue fù onto Rè, e riceuette le insegne Reali, e 'l giorno seguente gli fù prestato il giuramento solenne da tutti quattro gli ordini del Regno.

In queste funtioni furono sparse diuerse monete d'oro, d'argento, tanto dalla Regina, quanto dal Rè. Quelle del Rè eran con l'effigie di lui, e lettere «Carolus Gustauus», da vna parte, e dall'altra vna Corona Reale con lettere, che diceuano «A Deo, & Christina.» Quelle della Regina haueuano la di lei imagine da vna parte, e dall'altra vna Corona con lettere, «Et sine Te.»

Il giorno doppo prestato al Rè da gli stati il solito giuramento di fedeltà, la Regina visitata, e riuerita da tutti partì da Vpsalia verso Stocholm. Il Rè l'accompagnò sin al Casale di Merstad, che stà à meza strada; e tutti i Senatori, Caualieri, e Dame principali della Corte la seruirono sin à Stocholm, oue si fermò trè giorni. Quì non vi fù alcuno che non volesse vedere, e farsi vedere da lei. Ella accolse tutti con tanta cortesia, & humanità, che ben vi si scorgeua il gusto, ch'haueua di lasciargli ricordeuoli delle sue virtù, e del suo dominio.

Haueua fatto credere di voler ridursi à viuere nell'Isola d'Oland lontana da Stocholm trè hore doppo il tramontar del Sole. Volse partir di notte, per non mirare le afflittioni, e lagrime di coloro, che apprendeuano di restar priui di sì gran Regina, e di sì buona madre.

Con tutto ciò dal Palazzo Regio sin alla porta era grandissima la folla del popolo; mà era assai maggiore la pena, che opprimeua i loro sentimenti, ogn'vno come immobile, e muto con gli occhi fissi à terra, daua à conoscere, che vn gran dolore non hà ne pianti, ne sospiri basteuoli ad esplicarlo.

Il Rè haueua mandato la maggior parte della Corte ad accompagnarla, e seruirla; erano trà questi il Senatore Carlo Soop con carica di Maggiordhuomo soggetto di gran qualità; ìl Sig. Fersen Gentilhuomo della Camera Caualier di virtuosi talenti con altri sei Gentilhuomini del Rè, tutti chiari di sangue, e di meriti il Sig. di Vlefeldt Gran Maestro di Danimarca, già ritiratosi in Suetia sotto la protettione di Sua Maestà, i Senatori Conte Todt, e Baron Lind, il Cõte Donoau Tenẽte Colonnello, tutti trè personaggi d'alta portata, e di tratti riguardeuoli, con molti altri.

Nell'vscire dalla Città fù salutata dall'artigliera delle mura, e de vascelli, e per doue passò fu assistita da Gouernatori delle Piazze e Prouincie con soldatesca. Viaggiò tutta la notte, e la sera del giorno seguente si trouò à Nikopin residẽza della Regina Maria Eleonora sua Madre, Principessa dorata di rare prerogatiue, doue non si fermò se non tanto che puote abbracciar la sua cara Genetrice, e dargli l'vltimo à Dio. Non sò se questa separatione gli fosse più sensibile, che quella del Regno. Io sò bene, che se in questa s'allontanò volontariamente dal godimento d'vn gran bene, in quella si diuise da quella, che gl'era stata dispensatrice del proprio sangue.

La medesima notte, senza prender altro riposo, cõtinuò il viaggio verso Norkopin Città, e porto di mare distante otto leghe da Nikopin. Era questa piazza vna di quelle, che Sua Maestà s'era riseruata per i suoi appanaggi. Quì fermossi vn giorno per riposarsi, mentre doppo la sua partenza da Stocholm non haueua ancora dormito. Si portò l'altro giorno à Linkopin cinque leghe più auanti, doue pure si trattenne vn giorno, di là s'incaminò a Iunkopin fortezza lontana quatordici leghe, oue dormì la notte. Auanzossi il dì seguente alla casa d'vn Gentilhuomo Suezzese chiamato Giornonotte otto leghe distante, e quì sorpresa da vna pleusitidie, ò sia puntura di petto, fu necessitata fermarsi otto giorni. Guarita che fù dichiarossi di voler mutar viaggio, & in vece d'incaminarsi verso l'Isola sudetta d'Oland, prese la strada di Almstat Terra situata nella Alandia, Prouincia dieci anni prima occupata da gli Suezzesi al Rè di Danimarca.

Questa Città è assai bella, cinta da mura forti, e distante dalla casa antedetta circa quindeci leghe. Quiui dimorò due giorni, e vi licentiò non solo gli officiali del Rè, che doueuano seruirla sin al castello antedetto d'Oland; mà anche il Brodino Predicante Luterano, che l'haueua accompagnata da Stocholm, ritenendo però seco il Senatore Soop, e 'l Conte di Donoau.

Auuanzatasi a Laolm castello nella medesima Prouincia cinque miglia d'Almstat, iui la stessa notte si fece tagliare i capelli, e vestitasi da Huomo prese la mattina seguẽte il camino d'Ingelholm Terra piccola della Prouincia di Blekingem spettante al Rè di Danimarca, non conducendo seco altri, che li sudetti Signori Soop, e Donoau, il Conte di Stemberg Caualìer di gran valore Suezzese suo Cauallerizzo maggiore, il Sig. VVolf Gentilhuomo della Camera, il Sig. Apelman suo Segretario, e tre aiutanti di camera, frà tutti in numero di noue; fingẽdosi esser il Conte di Donau Suezzese, ch'andaua a veder il Mondo, ciò fece per passar per la Danimarca senza suggettione d'inuiti, e riceuimenti. ...

With modernised spelling:

Parti dunque il padre Güemes con dispacci della regina, e di Pimentel a 9 ottobre, e dopo molti disaggi e ritardamenti, giungendo nel mese di marzo 1654 alla corte cattolica, quivi con gran calore sollecitò le lettere regie al papa in accompagnamento di quella della regina, ed oprò si onoratamente e con tanta fede in questo importantissimo affare che, dichiarandosi poi Sua Maestà al maggior segno soddisfatta, aprì seco ogni più stretta confidenza, dichiarandolo suo confessore e servendosi di lui nelle risoluzioni più difficili e scrupolose.

Ancorché non solo dalla voce delli sudetti due padri gesuiti e domenicano, e dalle lettere dello stesso Pimentel, fosse il re pienamente informato ed assicurato di tutto, ad ogni modo non puotè far di meno di non restar qualche poco sorpreso nel sentir una risoluzione si grande e mirabile, sembrandogli cosa malagevole ch'una principessa si spiritosa e di senno cosi sublime potesse abbandonare i regni, la Patria e que' sudditi, che si teneramente amava e proteggeva, per ridursi privatamente fuori di gran commando, col solo oggetto di vivere quietamente nella religione cattolica, discorrendo seco stesso che se detta regina non poteva in pubblico, poteva almen segretamente esercitare la vera fede nel proprio regno, e forse con maggiori vantaggi del cattolichismo, massime ch'il cedere lo scettro ad un nuovo re, che poteva aver spiriti inquieti e bellicosi, era un aprir forse la strada ad alcuna di quelle intraprese, che nelle afflizioni della cristianità poteva danneggiar assai più gli interessi de cattolici ch'acquistar tra gli applausi mondani gloria e riposo alla regina.

Considerava anche saviamente che le cose del mondo non hanno altro di costante che la incostanza, e che le donne particolarmente, benché di cuore e di spirito erano soggette alla volubilità, onde non poteva col suo sodo intendimento, far sicuro giudizio sopra una semplice apparenza, ne gli pareva convenisse alla propria gravità e decoro di mettersi in impegno alcuno senza penetrar più avanti e toccar il fondo di que' motivi, da quali derivasse una risoluzione si grande e poco costumata. Ma poi certificatosi che nella regina abbondavano virtù eroiche e talenti sublimi, col motivo de quali conosceva esser il mondo uno di que' nemici, che si vince fuggendo, e che sebbene era donna aveva però fortezza da calpestrar le di lui potenze, lusinghe, affascinamenti e vincer se stessa. Si affezionò il re tanto ad una azione si magnanima che col piissimo suo zelo verso l'onor di Dio e della santa fede, non solo accompagnò con ogni calore la lettera della regina al papa, ma esibi tutta la sua protezione per l'incaminamento e per l'effetto intiero alle soddisfazioni di si degna e virtuosa principessa.

Gli Stati di Svezia, dopo la pace di Germania avendo rivolti subito i pensieri allo stabilimento del regno, avevano anche appreso necessario il proveder che, mancando nel sangue reale la successione mascolina, vi fosse alcuno ch'ascendesse quietamente e senza strepito alla Corona; e già che il richiamar i suffragi delle antiche elezioni non sembrava bene, essendosi conosciuto per prova che quelle specie di dominio come poco durabile e mal sicura era stata ben spesso ripiena di tumulti, e di calamità. Si che concordava ogn'uno che la regina, prendendo a sua soddisfazione un sposo della stessa religione e non sospetto agli Stati, si dovesse stabilire nella prole di lei la sicurezza della successione. Fecero per tanto a Sua Maestà diverse instanze e non mancarono di sollecitarne l'effetto.

La regina, che covava nell'animo disegni assai maggiori, valendosi del pretesto di non voler col prender marito soggettar la propria libertà ad alcuno, si dichiarava ch'essendo nata libera, libera anche voleva vivere e morire. Ostentò di stimare che tutti i regni del mondo fossero prezzo inferiore al preggio della libertà, esser questa sola la gemma più pretiosa nella sua corona. Saper essa, che gli ingegni casti eran i più svegliati, spiritosi e più atti à tutte le cose che hanno bisogno d'intendimento, di spirito e di prudenza.

Gli Stati, scorgendola stabile nella risoluzione di non maritarsi, pretesero almeno di destinargli un successore, affine che, mancando essa, non restasse alcuna difficoltà nella elezione d'un nuovo re. E perché tutto ciò ch'è più desiderabile in un principe consiste ch'egli sia valoroso, prudente e buono, essaminatesi nell'assemblee di tutti quattro gli Ordini del Regno maturamente le condizioni e talenti de soggetti più cospicui, si rivolsero gli applausi ed i voti di tutti alla persona del sopradetto principe Carlo Gustavo palatino, come quello che, discendendo per nascita da re ed imperatori ed avendo sin allora commandato agli eserciti svezzesi, aveva in tutte le occasioni dato gran prove del suo valore e della sua prudenza, oltre che, venendo straordinariamente affezionato da' popoli e da' soldati, non poteva desiderar argomenti più chiari della sua benemerenza per esser sollevato al commando della Corona stabilita nella persona di lui, la sostituzione nel regno per quando mancasse Cristina.

Divolgarono alcuni politici per entrar anch'essi a parte con loro discorsi d'un affare si grande non esser piaciuto alla regina, che si fosse spalancata al desiderio di questo principe la porta di dominare, ch'essendo questi gli più vivi e sensibili tra gli affetti de gli uomini, potevano vedersi rinovati i scandali di que' tempi, ne' quali molti per giunger ben presto a' loro intenti, niente stimando per empio e scelerato, si gettarono sotto a' piedi il rispetto, gli obblighi, l'onore e la propria coscienza. Ma s'ingannavano assai detti politici nell'apprensione che forse credevano di cagionare con loro discorsi mentre misuravano i pensieri e risoluzioni di lei con la propria regola ordinaria dell'interesse di Stato.

I pensieri di Sua Maestà avevano motivi e fondamenti più sodi e profondi. Ella ambiva di acquistar il regno dove abitano gli angeli, e però perdeva volontieri quello in cui stantiano gli uomini. Non poteva errare nella ragion di Stato, chi si assicurava in quella di Dio. Cercava di conoscere Dio nelle vere grandezze e felicità, e Dio se gli fece conoscere col darle senno e vigore in cercar quello che pochi bramano, e di sprezzar ciò che tutti desiderano; per quello poi toccava alla riputazione ed alla gloria umana, apprese di non poter meglio prolungare nella prosperità i brevissimi periodi della sua vita, che colla fama d'una delle più gloriose risoluzioni che si fossero mai sentite.

Con molta carità e franchezza, accordando dunque la sopravivezza del suo scettro al medesimo principe palatino, andava indagando anche le forme con le quali, senza iscoprire quali fossero i suoi interni pensieri, potesse liberamente rinunciargli il possesso di quei Stati, che non eran più suoi, perché gli aveva cambiati con quelli del cielo. Gli pareva di non aver il lustro d'alcuna virtù, sedendo su quel trono che non era illustrato da' splendori della vera fede. Ella amava Dio, e però non poteva più affezionar il mondo. Per salire alle grandezze del cielo, bisognava che cadesse dalla altezza delle felicità terrene.

Palesata questa risoluzione ad alcuni suoi confidenti, parve loro strano ch'ella si volesse spontaneamente privare del dominio d'un regno, di cui non è la più desiderata cosa in terra, e come nelle mutazioni del principe ben spesso ricevono alterazioni dannose anche le città ed i cittadini; così nell'apprensione de gli eventi futuri, e nella privazione d'un si gran bene che godevano, sentirono particolar passione e discontento, affaticandosi in oltre di rimoverla da tali sentimenti con ragioni forti e molto adequate alla qualità della materia di cui si tratta. Conoscevano qual era il genio del nuovo re, quali le inclinazioni martiali de' capitani di lui, onde dubitavano che ciò potesse esser uno di quei castighi che con apparenza di bene, si gettano sopra quelli che Dio vuole punir di qualche male. Sospettavano che se la regina amava la pace e la buona corrispondenza con un'uno de' principi vicini, non fosse per esser simile il genio e l'interesse del successore, che ambirebbe facilmente nell'ingresso del suo principato di far pompa del suo valore e di dar fomento a' desideri de' suoi capitani.

Per convincere l'intendimento di lei e divertirla da si gran deliberazione, molti de' più intendenti e zelanti ministri, a' quali fece Sua Maestà l'onore di confidare il pensiero di rinunciare il regno, ma non quello di mutar religione, s'avvanzavano sino a predirgli cattivi avvenimenti; ma non vi fu cosa che potesse rattenerla nella mossa che prendeva a tutto volo.

Si erano di già aggiustate tutte le cose spettanti a tal rinunzia, ne altro mancava che solennizzarla con quelle pubbliche funzioni che si richiedono a casi simili. Essendosi per tanto fatte già varie feste e giostre in augurio fortunato della incoronazione del nuovo re, finalmente, a' 17 di gennaro 1654, si venne alla conclusione. Avrebbe voluto il principe palatino differirla sino a luglio seguente mentre gli abiti e le altre cose necessarie alla magnificenza di questo insolito spettacolo si preparassero. Ma la regina, sprezzando ogni dimora, prevenne questi indugi con ogni sollecitudine mentre ogni lieve momento pareva troppo lungo soggiorno all'impatienza che teneva Sua Maestà di ultimar i suoi segreti intenti.

Uscì per tanto il dì sudetto tre ore avanti mezzo giorno dalle sue stanze e comparve nel gran portico del Real Palazzo, accompagnata dal Senato e da tutti i grandi della corte. Portava intorno una pomposa veste di porpora ricamata a corone d'oro e con leggiadra gravità, caminando tra il numeroso stuolo di gentiluomini ed altre persone chiamate dalla curiosità a vedere una funzione si celebre ed inusitata, si pose in una sedia sotto ad un baldacchino d'argento nobilmente e con preziosi fregi lavorato. Qui allora il signor Schering Rosenhane, senator del Regno, lesse ad alta voce lo stromento di donazione che Sua Maestà faceva al sudetto principe Carlo Gustavo palatino, ed una patente, nella quale il nuovo re obbligava ad essa regina tre isole e diverse entrate provenienti dalla Pomerania con altri regali, che stimossi ascender a 200 mila scudi l'anno.

Avendo Sua Maestà accettate le lettere, si levò in piede e toltasi da se la corona di testa, la diede in mano al conte Pietro Brahe, gran prefetto del Regno e primo senatore. Lo scettro, la spada, il globo d'oro e la chiave furono da lei pur consignati a' quattro gran personaggi e ministri del Regno, cioè al conte Gustavo Horn, generale della milizia; al conte Gabriel [Oxenstiern], al conte [d'Oxenstiern] gran cancelliere, ed al conte Magno Gabriel [de la Gardie], gran tesoriere.

Non restava alla regina altro da spogliarsi che la veste reale, e vedendo essa, che coloro a quali spettava tardavano a scioglierla, ella medesima se la sciolse e nel gettarla giù, scherzando con le sue dame, rise piacevolmente con esse, non vi essendo in tanto numero de circonstanti che potesse contener le lagrime in veder un'azione si generosa d'un cuore ch'aveva tributari d'ossequio, d'affetto gli animi d'ogn'uno. Deposto il manto reale, restò cinta d'una candidissima veste; e qui, con affabilità maestosa, rivoltatasi verso la nobiltà e 'l popolo, con voce alta e sonora e con prodigiosa franchezza d'animo, orò per un quarto d'ora, con tanta energia e soavità che rimasero egualmente tutti abbagliati dallo splendore di tanta virtù, ed inteneriti dalla soavità di maniere si dolci, traboccarono in quel dispiacere che non ammette conforto, nè riceve moderazione.

Dopo di questo con un longo e prudentissimo discorso, avvertì il nuovo re di molte cose appartenenti al buon governo del regno ed affettuosamente gli raccomandò la regina sua madre, gli amici e tutti i sudditi da essa tenacemente amati; e con questo se ne ritornò nella medesma stanza di dove era uscita, lasciando tutto il popolo fra le tenebre della confusione e del ramarico, mentre perdeva quel sole che con benefici suoi splendori l'aveva tanto tempo governato.

Due ore dopo fu condotto il principe palatino nella catedrale dell'arcivescovo d'Upsalia, ove fu onto re e ricevette le insegne reali, e 'l giorno seguente gli fu prestato il giuramento solenne da tutti quattro gli Ordini del Regno.

In queste funzioni furono sparse diverse monete d'oro, d'argento, tanto dalla regina, quanto dal re. Quelle del re eran con l'effigie di lui e lettere «Carolus Gustavus» da una parte, e dall'altra una corona reale con lettere che dicevano: «A Deo et Christina.» Quelle della regina avevano la di lei immagine da una parte e dall'altra una corona con lettere: «Et sine Te.»

Il giorno dopo prestato al re da gli Stati il solito giuramento di fedeltà, la regina visitata e riverita da tutti partì da Upsalia verso Stoccolm[a]. Il re l'accompagnò sin al casale di Märstad, che sta a mezza strada; e tutti i senatori, cavalieri e dame principali della corte la servirono sin a Stoccolm[a], ove si fermò tre giorni. Qui non vi fu alcuno che non volesse vedere e farsi vedere da lei. Ella accolse tutti con tanta cortesia ed umanità che ben vi si scorgeva il gusto ch'aveva di lasciargli ricordevoli delle sue virtù e del suo dominio.

Aveva fatto credere di voler ridursi a vivere nell'isola d'Öland, lontana da Stoccolm[a], tre ore dopo il tramontar del sole. Volse partir di notte, per non mirare le afflizioni e lagrime di coloro che apprendevano di restar privi di si gran regina e di si buona madre.

Con tutto ciò dal Palazzo Regio sin alla porta era grandissima la folla del popolo, ma era assai maggiore la pena che opprimeva i loro sentimenti ogn'uno come immobile e muto con gli occhi fissi a terra dava a conoscere che un gran dolore non ha nè pianti, nè sospiri bastevoli ad esplicarlo.

Il re aveva mandato la maggior parte della corte ad accompagnarla e servirla; erano tra questi il senatore Carlo Soop con carica di maggiordomo soggetto di gran qualità; il signor Fersen, gentiluomo della camera, cavalier di virtuosi talenti con altri sei gentiluomini del re, tutti chiari di sangue e di meriti; il signor di Ulfeldt, gran maestro di Danimarca, già ritiratosi in Svezia sotto la protezione di Sua Maestà; i senatori conte Tott e baron Lind; il conte Dohna, tenente colonnello — tutti tre personaggi d'alta portata e di tratti riguardevoli, con molti altri.

Nell'uscire dalla città fu salutata dall'artigliera delle mura e de vascelli, e per dove passò fu assistita da governatori delle piazze e provincie con soldatesca. Viaggiò tutta la notte, e la sera del giorno seguente si trovò a Nyköping, residenza della regina Maria Eleonora, sua madre, principessa dorata di rare prerogative, dove non si fermò se non tanto che puote abbracciar la sua cara genetrice e dargli l'ultimo addio. Non so se questa separazione gli fosse più sensibile che quella del regno. Io so bene che se in questa s'allontanò volontariamente dal godimento d'un gran bene, in quella si divise da quella che gl'era stata dispensatrice del proprio sangue.

La medesima notte, senza prender altro riposo, continuò il viaggio verso Norrköping, città e porto di mare distante otto leghe da Nyköping. Era questa piazza una di quelle che Sua Maestà s'era riservata per i suoi appanaggi. Qui fermossi un giorno per riposarsi, mentre dopo la sua partenza da Stoccolm[a] non aveva ancora dormito. Si portò l'altro giorno a Linköping, cinque leghe più avanti, dove pure si trattenne un giorno; di là s'incaminò a Jönköping, fortezza lontana quatordici leghe, ove dormì la notte. Avvanzossi il dì seguente alla casa d'un gentiluomo svezzese chiamato Giornonotte, otto leghe distante, e qui sorpresa da una pleuritidie, ò sia puntura di petto, fu necessitata fermarsi otto giorni. Guarita che fu dichiarossi di voler mutar viaggio, ed in vece d'incaminarsi verso l'isola sudetta d'Öland, prese la strada di Halmstad, terra situata nella Allandia, provincia dieci anni prima occupata dagli Svezzesi al re di Danimarca.

Questa città è assai bella, cinta da mura forti, e distante dalla casa antedetta circa quindeci leghe. Quivi dimorò due giorni e vi licenziò non solo gli uffiziali del re, che dovevano servirla sin al castello antedetto d'Öland; ma anche il brodino predicante luterano che l'aveva accompagnata da Stoccolm[a], ritenendo però seco il senatore Soop e 'l conte di Dohna.

Avvanzatasi a Laholm, castello nella medesima provincia, cinque miglia di Halmstad, ivi la stessa notte si fece tagliare i capelli, e vestitasi da uomo prese la mattina, seguente il camino d'Ängelholm, terra piccola della provincia di Blekinge spettante al re di Danimarca, non conducendo seco altri, che li sudetti signori Soop e Dohna, il conte di Steinberg, cavalier di gran valore svezzese, suo cavallerizzo maggiore; il signor Wolff, gentiluomo della camera; il signor Appelman, suo segretario, e tre aiutanti di camera, fra tutti in numero di nove. Fingendosi esser il conte di Dohna svezzese, ch'andava a veder il mondo, ciò fece per passar per la Danimarca senza suggezione d'inviti e ricevimenti. ...

French translation (my own):

Le père Güemes partit donc avec des dépêches de la reine et de Pimentel le 9 octobre, et après bien des inconvénients et des retards, arrivant au mois de mars 1654 à la cour catholique, où il sollicita avec beaucoup de chaleur les lettres royales au pape en accompagnement de celle de la reine, et il travailla si honorablement et avec une telle foi dans cette affaire très importante que, Sa Majesté se déclarant alors très satisfaite, elle lui ouvrit la plus étroite confiance, le déclarant son confesseur et se servant de lui dans les résolutions les plus difficiles et les plus scrupuleuses.

Bien que non seulement par la voix desdits deux pères jésuites et dominicains, mais aussi par les lettres de Pimentel lui-même, le roi était pleinement informé et assuré de tout. En tout cas, il ne pouvait s'empêcher de rester un peu surpris en entendant une résolution aussi grande et admirable. Il lui semblait désagréable qu'une princesse d'un tel esprit et d'une si sublime sagesse puisse abandonner ses royaumes, sa patrie et ces sujets qu'elle aimait et protégeait tendrement, pour se réduire en privé à l'écart d'un grand commandement, dans le seul but de vivre tranquillement dans la religion catholique, arguant avec lui-même que si ladite reine ne pouvait pas le faire en public, elle pourrait au moins exercer secrètement la vraie foi dans son propre royaume, et peut-être avec de plus grands avantages que le catholicisme, notamment celui de remettre le sceptre à un nouveau roi, qui pouvait avoir un esprit agité et belliqueux, ouvrait peut-être la voie à certaines de ces entreprises qui, dans les afflictions du christianisme, pouvaient nuire aux intérêts des catholiques bien plus que procurer à la reine la gloire et le repos au milieu des applaudissements du monde.

Il considérait aussi avec sagesse que les choses du monde n'ont rien de constant autre que l'inconstance, et que les femmes en particulier, bien que de cœur et d'esprit soient sujettes à la volubilité, il ne pouvait donc, avec sa solide intelligence, porter un jugement sûr sur une simple apparence, et il ne lui semblait pas non plus qu'il était conforme à sa gravité et à son décorum de prendre un quelconque engagement sans pénétrer davantage et sans toucher au fond des raisons d'où dériverait une résolution aussi grande et contraire à l'éthique. Mais ensuite, ayant certifié que les vertus héroïques et les talents sublimes abondaient chez la reine, c'est pour cette raison qu'elle savait que le monde était un de ces ennemis qu'on bat en fuyant, et que, bien qu'elle fût une femme, elle avait néanmoins le courage de piétiner ses pouvoirs, ses flatteries, ses fascinations et se conquérir. Le roi aimait tellement une action si magnanime que, avec son zèle le plus pieux pour l'honneur de Dieu et la sainte foi, non seulement il accompagna avec chaleur la lettre de la reine au pape, mais il montra toute sa protection pour le voyage et pour tout l'effet des satisfactions de cette digne et vertueuse princesse.

Les États de Suède, après la paix d'Allemagne, ayant immédiatement tourné leurs pensées vers l'établissement du royaume, avaient aussi appris qu'il était nécessaire de garantir qu'en l'absence de succession masculine dans le sang royal, il y ait quelqu'un qui accède tranquillement et sans fanfare. à la Couronne; et comme le rappel des votes des élections anciennes ne semblait pas bon, cela était considéré comme une preuve que cette espèce de domination n'était pas très durable et peu sûr et avait souvent été rempli de tumultes et de calamités. De sorte que tout le monde s'accorda pour dire que la reine, en prenant à sa satisfaction un époux de même religion et non soupçonné par ses États, devait assurer la sécurité de la succession à sa progéniture. Ils firent donc plusieurs demandes à Sa Majesté et ne manquèrent pas d'en solliciter l'effet.

La reine, qui nourrissait dans son âme des desseins bien plus grands, prenant prétexte de ne vouloir soumettre sa liberté à personne en se mariant, se déclara qu'étant née libre, elle voulait aussi vivre et mourir libre. Elle feignait d'estimer que tous les royaumes du monde valaient moins que le prix de la liberté, celle-ci étant seule la pierre la plus précieuse de sa couronne, sachant que les esprits chastes étaient les plus alertes, les plus spirituels et les plus adaptés à tout ce qui nécessite compréhension, esprit et prudence.

Ses États, voyant qu'elle était stable dans sa résolution de ne pas se marier, exigeèrent au moins de lui assigner un successeur afin qu'en son absence, aucune difficulté ne subsiste dans l'élection d'un nouveau roi. Et parce que tout ce qu'il y a de plus désirable chez un prince consiste à ce qu'il soit vaillant, prudent et bon, les conditions et les talents des sujets les plus remarquables furent soigneusement examinés dans les assemblées des quatre Ordres du Royaume, les applaudissements et les votes de tous à la personne du susdit prince palatin Charles-Gustave, comme celui qui, descendant par naissance des rois et des empereurs et ayant jusqu'alors commandé les armées suédoises, avait en toutes occasions donné de grandes preuves de sa valeur et de sa prudence, ainsi que, étant extraordinairement affectionné au peuple et aux soldats, n'aurait pas pu désirer des arguments plus clairs sur son mérite pour être élevé au commandement de la Couronne établie en sa personne, le remplaçant dans le royaume en cas d'absence de Christine.

Ils appelèrent aussi quelques hommes politiques pour partager, avec leurs discours sur une affaire si grande, qu'il ne plaisait à la reine, que la porte pour dominer avait été grande ouverte au désir de ce prince, qui, étant le plus vif et le plus sensé d'entre les affections des hommes, on pouvait voir se renouveler les scandales de cette époque dans laquelle beaucoup, pour atteindre rapidement leurs buts, ne considérant rien comme impie et méchant, jetaient sous leurs pieds et leur conscience le respect, les obligations et l'honneur. Mais beaucoup de ces hommes politiques se sont trompés dans l'appréhension qu'ils croyaient peut-être susciter avec leurs discours en mesurant leurs pensées et leurs résolutions avec leur propre ordinaire de l'intérêt de l'État.

Les pensées de Sa Majesté avaient des motifs et des fondements plus solides et plus profonds. Elle aspirait à acquérir le royaume où vivent les anges, et c'est pourquoi elle a volontairement perdu celui dans lequel habitent les hommes. Celle qui était assurée de celui de Dieu ne pouvait se tromper dans la raison d'État. Elle cherchait à connaître Dieu dans les vraies grandeurs et la félicité, et Dieu s'est fait connaître en lui donnant la sagesse et la vigueur de rechercher ce que peu de gens désirent et de mépriser ce que tous désirent; car ce qu'elle avait alors à faire avec la réputation et la gloire humaine, elle apprit qu'elle ne pouvait pas mieux prolonger les très courtes périodes de sa vie dans la prospérité qu'avec la renommée d'une des plus glorieuses résolutions qu'on ait jamais entendues.

Avec beaucoup de charité et de franchise, accordant ainsi la survie de son sceptre au même prince palatin, elle commença aussi à rechercher les moyens par lesquels, sans découvrir quelles étaient ses pensées intérieures, elle pourrait librement lui renoncer à la possession de ces États qui n'étaient pas plus les siennes, parce qu'elle les avait échangés contre ceux du ciel. Elle lui semblait n'avoir l'éclat d'aucune vertu assise sur ce trône qui n'était pas éclairé par les splendeurs de la vraie foi. Elle aimait Dieu et ne pouvait donc plus aimer le monde. Pour s'élever à la grandeur du ciel, il lui fallait tomber des hauteurs du bonheur terrestre.

Ayant révélé cette résolution à certains de ses confidents, il leur parut étrange qu'elle veuille spontanément se priver de la domination d'un royaume, dont ce n'est pas la chose la plus désirée sur terre, et comme dans les changements du prince même les villes subissent souvent des altérations néfastes et les citoyens; ainsi, dans l'appréhension des événements futurs, et dans la privation d'un si grand bien dont ils jouissaient, ils éprouvaient une passion et un mécontentement particuliers, luttant aussi pour les soustraire à de tels sentiments avec des raisons fortes et très adéquates à la qualité de l'affaire en question. Ils savaient quel était le génie du nouveau roi, quelles étaient les inclinations martiales de ses capitaines, aussi doutaient-ils que cela puisse être un de ces châtiments qui, en apparence de bien, sont infligés à ceux que Dieu veut punir pour quelque chose de mal. Ils se doutaient que si la reine aimait la paix et la bonne correspondance avec l'un des princes voisins, ce n'était pas parce que le génie et les intérêts du successeur étaient similaires, qui aspirerait facilement à montrer sa valeur en entrant dans sa principauté et à donner de fomentation aux désirs de ses capitaines.

Pour convaincre sa compréhension et la détourner d'une si grande délibération, plusieurs des ministres les plus savants et les plus zélés à qui Sa Majesté fit l'honneur de confier la pensée de renoncer au royaume, mais non celle de changer de religion, allèrent jusqu'à lui prédire de mauvais événements; mais rien ne pouvait l'empêcher de prendre son envol.

Toutes les choses relatives à cette renonciation étaient déjà réglées, il ne restait plus qu'à la célébrer par les fonctions publiques qu'exigent des cas pareils. Après avoir déjà organisé diverses fêtes et joutes dans l'heureuse espérance du couronnement du nouveau roi, finalement, le 17 janvier 1654, la conclusion fut atteinte. Le prince palatin aurait voulu le reporter au mois de juillet suivant, le temps de préparer les vêtements et autres objets nécessaires à la magnificence de ce spectacle insolite. Mais la reine, méprisant tout retard, prévenait ces retards avec toute la sollicitude, tandis que chaque instant semblait un trop long séjour à l'impatience qui retenait Sa Majesté d'achever ses intentions secrètes.

C'est pourquoi, ce jour-là, trois heures avant midi, elle quitta son appartement et parut sous le grand portique du Palais Royal, accompagnée du Sénat et de tous les grands de la cour. Elle portait autour d'elle une pompeuse robe violette brodée de couronnes d'or et avec une gravité gracieuse, marchant parmi la foule nombreuse de messieurs et d'autres personnes appelées par curiosité pour assister à une fonction si célèbre et si inhabituelle, elle s'installa sur une chaise sous un baldaquin d'argent, qui était noblement travaillé et avec de précieuses frises. Sur ce, le sieur Schering Rosenhane, sénateur du Royaume, a lu à haute voix l'instrument de donation que Sa Majesté a fait audit prince Charles-Gustave palatin, ainsi qu'un brevet dans lequel le nouveau roi obligeait la reine à trois îles et à divers revenus provenant de la Poméranie avec d'autres dons, dont j'estime qu'ils s'élèveront à 200 000 écus par an.

Sa Majesté ayant accepté ses lettres, elle se leva, ôta la couronne de sa tête et la remit entre les mains du comte Pierre Brahe, grand préfet du Royaume et premier sénateur. Le sceptre, l'épée, le globe d'or et la clé furent aussi offerts par elle à quatre grandes personnages et ministres du Royaume, à savoir le comte Gustave Horn, général de milice; au comte Gabriel Oxenstierna, au comte Oxenstierna, grand chancelier, et au comte Magnus Gabriel de la Gardie, grand trésorier.

Il n'y avait plus rien à enlever à la reine que son habit royal, et voyant que ceux à qui il appartenait tardaient à le dénouer, elle le détacha elle-même et, en le jetant, plaisantant avec ses dames, elle riait agréablement avec elles, personne parmi tant d'autres autour d'elle ne pouvait retenir ses larmes en voyant une action si généreuse d'un cœur qui rendait hommage de respect et d'affection aux âmes de chacun. Ayant mis de côté son manteau royal, elle resta entourée d'une robe très blanche; et ici, avec une affabilité majestueuse, se tournant vers la noblesse et le peuple, d'une voix forte et sonore et avec une prodigieuse franchise d'âme, elle pérora pendant un quart d'heure, avec une telle énergie et une telle douceur qu'ils furent tous aussi éblouis par le splendeur de tant de vertu, et attendrés par la suavité de manières si douces, ils débordaient de cette douleur qui n'admet ni le réconfort ni la modération.

Après quoi, par un long et très prudent discours, elle avertit le nouveau roi de beaucoup de choses intéressant le bon gouvernement du royaume et lui recommanda affectueusement la reine sa mère, ses amis et tous les sujets qu'elle aimait avec ténacité; et avec cela elle revint dans la même pièce d'où elle était partie, laissant tout le monde dans les ténèbres de la confusion et du regret, tandis qu'elle perdait ce soleil qui, avec ses splendeurs bienfaisantes, l'avait gouverné depuis si longtemps.

Deux heures plus tard, le prince palatin fut conduit à la cathédrale par l'archevêque d'Upsal, où il fut honoré en tant que roi et reçut les insignes royaux, et le lendemain, le serment solennel lui fut prêté par les quatre ordres du royaume.

Lors de ces réceptions, plusieurs pièces d'or et d'argent étaient dispersées par la reine et le roi. Celles du Roi étaient à son effigie et les lettres «Carolus Gustavus» d'un côté, et de l'autre une couronne royale avec les lettres indiquant: «A Deo et Christina.» Ceux de la reine avaient d'un côté son image et de l'autre une couronne avec les lettres: «Et sine Te.»

Le lendemain du jour où les États eurent prêté le serment habituel de fidélité au roi, la reine, visitée et vénérée de tous, quitta Upsal pour Stockholm. Le roi l'accompagna jusqu'à la maison de campagne de Märstad, qui est à mi-chemin; et tous les sénateurs, cavaliers et principales dames de sa cour la servirent jusqu'à Stockholm, où elle resta trois jours. Ici, personne ne voulait la voir et être vu par elle. Elle accueillait tout le monde avec une telle courtoisie et une telle humanité qu'on pouvait clairement voir son plaisir à leur laisser le souvenir de ses vertus et de sa domination.

Elle avait fait croire qu'elle voulait vivre sur l'île d'Ölande, loin de Stockholm, trois heures après le coucher du soleil. Elle voulait partir la nuit, pour ne pas voir les afflictions et les larmes de ceux qui apprenaient qu'ils étaient privés d'une si grande reine et d'une si bonne mère.

Avec tout cela, depuis le Palais Royal jusqu'à la porte, la foule était très nombreuse, mais la douleur qui opprimait leurs sentiments était bien plus grande, chacun, immobile et silencieux, les yeux fixés sur le sol, faisait comprendre qu'il y avait pas de grande douleur, ni de larmes, ni de soupirs suffisants pour l'expliquer.

Le roi avait envoyé la majeure partie de la cour pour l'accompagner et la servir; parmi ceux-ci se trouvaient le sénateur Charles Soop avec le charge de majordome, un sujet de grande qualité; le sieur Fersen, gentilhomme de la chambre, cavalier aux talents vertueux avec six autres gentilshommes du roi, tous distingués par le sang et le mérite; le sieur Ulfeldt, grand maître du Danemark, se retira déjà en Suède sous la protection de Sa Majesté; les sénateurs le comte Tott et le baron Lind; comte Dohna, lieutenant-colonel — tous trois personnages de haut rang et de traits remarquables, avec bien d'autres.

En quittant la ville, elle fut accueillie par l'artillerie des murailles et des navires, et là où elle passa, elle fut assistée par les gouverneurs des places et des provinces avec des soldats. Elle voyagea toute la nuit, et le lendemain soir elle se retrouva à Nyköping, résidence de la reine Marie-Éléonore, sa mère, princesse dorée aux rares prérogatives, où elle ne s'arrêta que le temps de pouvoir embrasser sa chère génitrice et lui dire un dernier adieu. Je ne sais si cette séparation lui était plus sensible que celle du royaume. Je sais bien que si dans celui-ci elle s'est volontairement éloignée de la jouissance d'un grand bien, dans celui-là elle s'est séparée de celui qui avait été la dispensatrice de son propre sang.

Cette même nuit, sans prendre davantage de repos, elle continua sa route vers Norrköping, ville et port maritime éloigné de huit lieues de Nyköping. Cet endroit était un de ceux que Sa Majesté avait réservé à ses apanages. Elle est restée ici une journée pour se reposer, alors qu'après son départ de Stockholm elle n'avait pas encore dormi. Le lendemain, elle se rendit à Linköping, cinq lieues plus loin, où elle resta également une journée; de là elle partit pour Jönköping, forteresse distante de quatorze lieues, où elle passa la nuit. Le lendemain, je me rendis chez un gentilhomme suédois appelé Nuit-et-Jour [Natt och Dag], à huit lieues de là, et ici, surprise par une pleurésie ou une douleur dans la poitrine, elle fut forcée de rester huit jours. Une fois guérie, elle déclara vouloir changer de voyage, et au lieu de se diriger vers ladite île d'Ölande, elle prit la route de Halmstad, une terre située à Halland, une province occupée dix ans plus tôt par les Suédois du roi du Danemark.

Cette ville est très belle, entourée de fortes murailles, et éloignée de ladite maison d'une quinzaine de lieues. Elle y resta deux jours et renvoya non seulement les fonctionnaires du roi, qui devaient la servir jusqu'au susdit château d'Öland, mais aussi le prédicateur luthérien qui l'avait accompagnée de Stockholm, mais gardant le sénateur Soop et le comte de Dohna avec lui.

S'étant avancée vers Laholm, un château de la même province, à cinq milles de Halmstad, la même nuit, elle se fit couper les cheveux et, habillée en homme, elle se rendit le lendemain matin à Ängelholm, une petite terre de la province de Blekinge appartenant au roi du Danemark, amenant avec lui nul autre que les susdits seigneurs Soop et Dohna, le comte de Steinberg, un cavalier suédois de grande valeur, son cavalier majeur; le sieur Wolff, gentilhomme de la chambre; le sieur Appelman, son secrétaire et trois aides de chambre, au nombre de neuf. Se faisant passer pour le comte suédois de Dohna, qui allait voir le monde, elle le fit pour traverser le Danemark sans être soumise à des invitations et à des réceptions. ...

Swedish translation (my own):

Fader Güemes reste därför med försändelser från drottningen och från Pimentel den 9 oktober och efter många olägenheter och förseningar, anlände i mars månad 1654 till det katolska hovet, där han med stor värme begärde de kungliga breven till påven i ackompanjemang till drottningens, och han arbetade så hedersamt och med sådan tro i denna mycket viktiga fråga att Hennes Majestät sedan förklarade sig vara mest nöjd, hon öppnade det närmaste förtroendet för honom, förklarade honom för sin biktfader och använde honom i de svåraste och mest noggranna besluten.

Även om inte bara från rösten från de ovannämnda två jesuiternas och dominikanska fäderna, och från Pimentels brev, var konungen fullt informerad och försäkrad om allt. I vilket fall som helst kunde han inte låta bli att förbli lite förvånad när han hörde en så stor beslutsamhet och beundransvärd. Det föreföll honom som en obehaglig sak att en prinsessa av sådan kvickhet och sådan sublim visdom kunde överge sina riken, sitt hemland och de undersåtar, som hon ömt älskade och beskyddade, för att privat reducera sig utanför stort befäl, med det enda syftet att leva tyst i den katolska religionen och argumenterade med sig själv att om nämnda drottning inte kunde offentligt, skulle hon åtminstone i hemlighet kunna utöva den sanna tron i sitt eget rike, och kanske med större fördelar än katolicismen, särskilt den att överlämna spiran till en nye konung, som kunde ha rastlösa och krigiska andar, öppnade kanske vägen för några av dessa åtaganden, som i kristendomens plågor kunde skada katolikernas intressen mycket mer än att skaffa ära och vila åt drottningen under världsliga applåder.

Han ansåg också klokt att världens ting inte har något konstant annat än inkonstans, och att i synnerhet kvinnor, även om av hjärta och ande var underkastade volubilitet, kunde han därför inte med sin fasta förståelse göra en säker bedömning av en enkel nyckfullhet, och det verkade inte heller för honom som om det var i linje med hans allvar och heder att göra något åtagande utan att tränga in längre och beröra botten av de skäl från vilka en så stor och oetisk lösning skulle härledas. Men sedan, efter att ha intygat att heroiska dygder och sublima talanger fanns i överflöd hos drottningen, varför hon visste att världen var en av de fiender som besegras genom att fly, och att trots att hon var en kvinna hade hon ändå styrkan att trampa på hans krafter, smicker, fascinationer och erövra sig själv. Konungen blev så förtjust i en sådan storsint handling, att han med sin frommaste iver för Guds ära och den heliga tron inte bara med all värme åtföljde drottningens brev till påven, utan visade allt sitt skydd för resan och för hela effekten av tillfredsställelsen av denna värdiga och dygdiga prinsessa.

Efter freden i Tyskland hade de svenska Ständerna, efter att ha omedelbart vänt sina tankar till rikets upprättande, också lärt sig att det var nödvändigt att säkerställa att det, i brist på manlig arv i det kungliga blodet, fanns någon som steg upp tyst och utan fanfar till Kronan; och eftersom det inte verkade bra att återkalla rösterna från de gamla valen, var det känt som ett bevis på att det slags herravälde inte var särskilt hållbart och osäkert och ofta hade fyllts av tumult och olyckor. Så att alla var överens om att drottningen, genom att till sin tillfredsställelse ta en man av samma religion och inte misstänkt av hennes ständer, skulle fastställa tryggheten för arvet i hennes avkomma. De gjorde därför flera förfrågningar till Hennes Majestät och underlät inte att begära deras verkan.

Drottningen, som hyste mycket större dessänger i sin själ och använde sig av förevändningen att inte vilja utsätta sin frihet för någon genom att gifta sig, förklarade för sig själv att hon, efter att ha blivit född fri, också ville leva och dö fri. Hon låtsades uppskatta att alla riken i världen var värda mindre än priset för frihet, bara detta är den dyrbaraste pärlan i hennes krona, vetande att de kyska sinnen var de mest vakna, kvicka och mest lämpade för allt som behöver förståelse, ande och försiktighet.

Hennes Ständer, som såg att hon var stabil i sitt beslut att inte gifta sig, krävde åtminstone att tilldela henne en efterträdare så att, i hennes frånvaro, inga svårigheter skulle kvarstå i valet av en ny konung. Och eftersom allt som är mest önskvärt hos en furste består i att han är tapper, klok och god, undersöktes de mest iögonfallande ämnens villkor och begåvningar noggrant i församlingarna av alla fyra Rikets Ständer, applåderna och rösterna från alla till den förutnämnde pfalzgreven Karl Gustavs person, som den som härstammande till börd från konungar och kejsare och dittills hade befäl över de svenska härarna, vid alla tillfällen givit stort bevis på sin tapperhet och klokhet, samt att vara utomordentligt affektionerad till folket och soldaterna, hade inte kunnat önska klarare argument för hans förtjänst att lyftas till Kronans befäl som upprättats i hans person, ersättaren i riket i händelse av Kristinas frånvaro.

De kallade också några politiker att dela, med sina diskurser om en så stor affär att drottningen inte var nöjd, att dörren att dominera hade öppnats för denna furstes önskan, som, eftersom han var den mest livliga och förnuftiga bland de människors tillgivenhet kunde man se dessa tiders skandaler förnyas, i vilka många, för att snabbt nå sina mål, utan att betrakta något som fult och ondskefullt, kastade respekt, förpliktelser och ära under sina fötter och sitt samvete. Men många av dessa politiker blev lurade i farhågan att de kanske trodde att de orsakade med sina tal samtidigt som de mätte hennes tankar och beslut med sina egna vanliga av Statens intresse.

Hennes Majestäts tankar hade fastare och djupare motiv och grundvalar. Hon strävade efter att förvärva riket där änglarna bor, och därför förlorade hon villigt det där männen bor. Hon som var säker på det av Gud kunde inte ta fel i Statens förnuft. Hon sökte lära känna Gud i sann storhet och glädje, och Gud gjorde sig känd genom att ge henne visdom och kraft att söka det som få önskar och att förakta det som alla begär; ty vad hon då hade med anseende och mänsklig ära att göra, lärde hon sig att hon inte bättre kunde förlänga de mycket korta perioderna av sitt liv i välstånd än med berömmelsen om en av de mest härliga resolutioner som någonsin hörts.

Med mycket välgörenhet och uppriktighet, och på så sätt beviljade samme pfalzgreven överlevnaden av hans spira, började hon också undersöka hur hon, utan att upptäcka vad hennes inre tankar var, fritt kunde avsäga sig honom innehavet av de stater som inte var längre hennes, ty hon hade bytt ut dem mot himlens. Hon tycktes honom inte ha glansen av någon dygd sittande på den tron som inte var upplyst av den sanna trons glans. Hon älskade Gud, och därför kunde hon inte längre älska världen. För att resa sig till himlens storhet var hon tvungen att falla från den jordiska lyckans höjder.

Efter att ha avslöjat denna resolution för några av sina förtrogna, föreföll det dem konstigt att hon spontant skulle vilja beröva sig själv herraväldet över ett rike, av vilket det inte är det mest önskade på jorden, och som i prinsens förändringar även städerna och borgarna får ofta skadliga förändringar och; sålunda i uppfattningen om framtida händelser, och i berövandet av ett så stort gods som de åtnjöt, kände de särskilt passion och missnöje, och kämpade också för att avlägsna dem från sådana känslor med starka skäl och mycket lämpliga för kvaliteten på saken i fråga. De visste vad den nye konungens ingenium var, vilka krigsbenägenheter hans kaptener var, så de tvivlade på att detta kunde vara ett av de straff som, med sken av gott, kastas över dem som Gud vill straffa för vissa ondska. De misstänkte att om drottningen älskade fred och god korrespondens med en av grannprinsarna, berodde det inte på att efterträdarens ingenium och intressen liknade varandra, som lätt skulle sträva efter att visa upp sin tapperhet när han gick in i sitt furstendöme och att ge uppmuntran till hans kapteners önskningar.

För att övertyga hennes förstånd och för att avleda henne från ett så stort övervägande, gick många av de mest kunniga och nitiska ministrar, till vilka Hennes Majestät gjorde äran att anförtro tanken att avsäga sig riket, men inte den att byta religion, så långt som att förutsäga dåliga händelser för henne; men det var inget som kunde hindra henne i rörelsen att hon tog full fart.

Allt som rör detta avstående var redan avgjort, inget annat behövdes än att högtidliggöra det med de offentliga funktioner som krävs i liknande fall. Efter att därför redan ha hållit olika fester och tornerspel i lyckligt hopp om den nye konungens kröning, kom slutligen, den 17 januari 1654, slutsatsen. Pfalzgreven skulle ha velat skjuta upp det till följande juli, medan kläderna och andra saker som var nödvändiga för detta ovanliga skådespels storslagenhet förbereddes. Men drottningen, som föraktade varje försening, förhindrade dessa förseningar med all omsorg, medan varje litet ögonblick verkade vara en alltför lång vistelse för den otålighet som höll Hennes Majestät att fullborda hennes hemliga avsikter.

Därför lämnade hon ovannämnda dag, tre timmar före middagstid, sina rum och dök upp i det Kungliga Slottets stora portik, åtföljd av Rådet och alla hovets stormän. Hon bar omkring sig en pompös lila dräkt broderad med guldkronor och med graciös gravitation, när hon gick bland den talrika skaran av herrar och andra människor som av nyfikenhet kallades för att se en så berömd och ovanlig funktion, placerade hon sig i en stol under en baldakin av silver, som arbetades ädelt och med dyrbara friser. Härpå läste herr Schering Rosenhane, riksråd, högt upp donationsinstrumentet som Hennes Majestät gav till nyssnämnde pfalzgreve Karl Gustav, och ett patent, i vilket den nye konungen förpliktade drottningen till tre öar och olika inkomster från Pommern med andra gåvor, som jag uppskattar kommer att uppgå till 200 tusen riksdaler om året.

Hennes Majestät, efter att ha tagit emot hennes brev, reste hon sig och tog av kronan från sitt huvud och gav den i händerna på greve Per Brahe, Riksdrotset och förste rådsman. Sceptern, svärdet, det gyllene äpplet och nyckeln gavs också av henne till fyra stora personager och Rikets ministrar, det vill säga till greve Gustav Horn, milisgeneral; till greve Gabriel Oxenstierna, till greve Oxenstierna, Rikskanslern, och till greve Magnus Gabriel de la Gardie, Riksskattmästaren.

Det fanns inget kvar för drottningen att ta av sig annat än sin kungliga klänning, och då hon såg att de som den tillhörde var långsamma med att lossa den, knöt hon själv upp den och medan hon kastade ner den, skämtade med sina damer, skrattade hon glatt med dem, det fanns ingen bland så många andra runt omkring henne som kunde hålla tårarna tillbaka när hon såg en så generös handling av ett hjärta som hyllade var och en av respekt och tillgivenhet. Efter att ha lagt bort sin kungliga mantel, förblev hon omgiven av en mycket vit dräkt; och här, med majestätisk tillgivenhet, vändande mot adeln och folket, med en hög och klangfull röst och med en fantastisk uppriktighet i själen, orerade hon i en kvart, med sådan energi och sötma att de alla blev lika bländade av prakten av så mycket dygd, och mört av mjukheten hos sådana milda seder, svämmade de över av den sorg, som inte medger tröst eller tar emot måttlighet.

Efter detta varnade hon med en lång och mycket försiktig diskurs den nye konungen för många ting som hörde till rikets goda styrelse och rekommenderade honom kärleksfullt drottningen hennes mor, hennes vänner och alla de ämnen som hon älskade högt; och med detta återvände hon till samma rum, varifrån hon hade lämnat, och lämnade alla människor i förvirringens och ångerns mörker, medan hon förlorade den sol, som med välgörande prakt hade styrt den så länge.

Två timmar senare leddes pfalzgreven till domkyrkan av ärkebiskopen av Uppsala, där han hedrades till konung och fick det kungliga insignierna, och följande dag svors den högtidliga eden till honom av alla fyra Rikets Ständer.

Vid dessa tillställningar spreds flera guld- och silvermynt av både drottningen och konungen. De av konungen var med hans bild och bokstäverna »Carolus Gustavus« på ena sidan, och på den andra en kunglig krona med bokstäver läsande: »A Deo et Christina.« De av drottningen hade hennes bild av henne på ena sidan av henne och på den andra en krona med bokstäverna: »Et sine Te.«

Dagen efter det att Ständerna svurit den vanliga trohetseden till konungen, lämnade drottningen, besökt och vördad av alla, Uppsala till Stockholm. Konungen följde med henne till landtslottet Märstad, som ligger halvvägs där; och alla riksråd, kavaljerer och främsta damer vid hennes hov tjänade henne ända till Stockholm, där hon stannade tre dagar. Här fanns ingen som inte ville se henne och bli sedd av henne. Hon välkomnade alla med sådan artighet och mänsklighet att man tydligt kunde se hennes nöje i att låta dem påminnas om sina dygder och sitt herravälde.

Hon hade fått folk att tro att hon ville bo på Öland, långt från Stockholm, tre timmar efter solnedgången. Hon ville ge sig av på natten, för att inte se lidanden och tårar hos dem som fick veta att de var berövade en så stor drottning och en så god mor.

Med allt detta, från det Kungliga Slottet till dörren, var skaran av människor mycket stor, men smärtan som förtryckte deras känslor var mycket större, var och en, orörlig och tyst med blicken fäst på marken, gjorde det klart att det fanns ingen stor smärta eller tårar eller suckar tillräckliga för att förklara det.

Konungen hade sänt större delen av hovet för att åtfölja och tjäna henne; bland dessa fanns rådsmannen Carl Soop med befattningen som hovmästare, en undersåtare av hög kvalitet; herr Fersen, kammarherren, en kavaljer av dygdiga talanger med sex andra konungens herrar, alla utmärkta genom blod och förtjänster; herr Ulfeldt, Danmarks stormästare, drog sig redan under Hennes Majestäts beskydd till Sverige; rådsmännen greve Tott och baron Lind; greve Dohna, överstelöjtnant — alla tre personer med högt anseende och anmärkningsvärda egenskaper, med många andra.

När hon lämnade staden möttes hon av stadsmurarnas och fartygens artilleri, och där hon passerade fick hon hjälp av guvernörer på torgen och provinserna med soldater. Hon reste hela natten, och på kvällen följande dag befann hon sig i Nyköping, drottning Maria Eleonoras residens, hennes mor, en gyllene prinsessa av sällsynta privilegier, där hon inte stannade annat än så länge hon kunde omfamna sin kära barnamoder och bad henne ett sista farväl. Jag vet inte om denna åtskillnad var mer sensibel för henne än den från riket. Jag vet väl att om hon i denna frivilligt tog avstånd från njutningen av en stor godhet, så skiljde hon sig i det från den som varit utdelarinnan för hennes eget blod.

Samma natt fortsatte hon, utan att vila ytterligare, sin resa mot Norrköping, en stad och hamn åtta ligor avlägset från Nyköping. Denna plats var en av de som Hennes Majestät hade reserverat för sina apanager. Hon stannade här en dag för att vila, medan hon efter avresan från Stockholm ännu inte hade sovit. Nästa dag reste hon till Linköping, fem ligor längre fram, där hon också stannade en dag; därifrån begav hon sig till Jönköping, en fästning fjorton ligor borta, där hon sov över natten. Följande dag gick jag till huset hos en svensk herre som heter Natt och Dag, åtta ligor bort, och här, överraskad av lungsäcksinflammation, eller bröstsmärtor, tvingades hon stanna i åtta dagar. När hon väl blivit botad deklarerade hon att hon ville ändra sin resa och istället för att bege sig mot den tidigare nämnda ön Öland tog hon vägen till Halmstad, ett land som ligger i Halland, ett landskap som tio år tidigare ockuperats av svenskarna från konungen av Danmark.

Denna stad är mycket vacker, omgiven av starka murar, och långt från det förutnämnda huset omkring femton ligor. Hon stannade där i två dagar och avskedade ej blott konungens ämbetsmän, som skulle tjäna henne ända till det förutnämnda Ölands slott, utan även den lutherske predikanten, som hade följt henne från Stockholm, men höll rådsmannen Soop och greven von Dohna med sig.

Efter att ha avancerat till Laholm, ett slott i samma landskap, fem mil från Halmstad, där samma natt lät hon klippa sig och, utklädd till en man, tog hon nästa morgon till Ängelholm, ett litet land i Blekinge landskapet tillhörande konungen av Danmark, medförande ingen mindre än de förutnämnda herrarna Soop och Dohna, greven av Steinberg, en svensk kavaljer av stort värde, hennes överstallmästare; herr Wolff, kammarherren; herr Appelman, hennes sekreterare och tre kammarassistenter, nio till antalet. Hon låtsades vara den svenske greve von Dohna, som skulle se världen, och gjorde detta för att ta sig genom Danmark utan att bli utsatt för inbjudningar och mottagningar. ...

English translation (by Burbury; with some typos corrected):

Father Guemes departed with her Majesties dispatches, and Pimentel's, on the ninth of October, and after many troubles, and impediments, arriving in the Catholique Court, in the month of March, 1654, very earnestly sollicited there, the Kings letters to the Pope, to accompany the Queens, and so honourably, & so faithfully proceeded in this business of consequence, that her Majestie afterwards declaring, she was infinitely satisfied; was most confident of him, by making him her Confessour, and using him in her hardest, and most scrupulous resolutions. Though not onely by the mouths of the foresaid two Fathers Malines, and Casati, together with the Dominican, and the letters of Pimentel himself, his Majestie was fully inform'd, and assured of all things; yet he could do no less, than remain surpriz'd a while, at the news of so great, and so strange a resolution; it seeming to him a difficult thing, that a Princess of that spirit, and of so sublime a judgement, could abandon her Kingdoms, her Country, and subjects, whom she loved so tenderly, and protected, to lead a private life, without that great Command; for this only reason, to live quietly in the Catholique religion; his Majesty discoursing with himself, that though the said Queen was not able in publique, at least she could have exercis'd in private, the true faith in her own Kingdom, and perhaps with more advantages to the Catholique religion, especially since surrendring the Scepter unto a new King, who might be of a turbulent, and warlike disposition, was to open peradventure the way, to some of those enterprizes, which in the afflictions of Christianity, might cause greater dammages to the interests of Catholiques than among the applauses of the world, get glory, and repose to the Queen. He consider'd too wisely, that the things of the world, have nothing that is constant but inconstancy, and that women particularly, notwithstanding they have courage, and spirit, are subject to change, so as he was not able with his solid Intellect, to judge securely of a single appearance; nor thought he it agreeable to his gravity and decorum, to engage himself in any thing, without sounding more fully the business, and reaching the bottom of the motives, from which a resolution so great, and so little in use, was deriv'd. But afterwards assur'd, that many heroicall vertues, and eminent parts abounded in the Queen, with the motive of which, she knew, the world was one of those enemies, that is conquer'd by flying, and albeit a woman had strength to trample under her feet, its forces, allurements, and charms, and conquer her self. The King was so taken with her Majesties magnanimous action, that out of his most pious zeal to the honour of God, and the Catholique Church, he not onely with great fervour accompanied her Majesties letter to the Pope; but exhibited all his protection, for the journey, and entire satisfaction of so noble, and so vertuous a Princesse.

After the peace of Germany, the States of Swedland, having soon bent their thoughts for the settlement of the Kingdom; had likewise found it necessary to provide, that the Masculine succession fayling in the blood Royall, some one might ascend the Throne quietly and peaceably, and the rather, since the recalling the suffrages of the ancient elections, did not seem good to them, they knowing by experience, that kind of dominion, as not very durable, and unsafe, had often been replenisht with tumults and calamities; whereupon they unanimously agreed, that her Majesty pleasing her self with a husband, that was not of a different religion, nor suspected by the States, should establish in her Progeny the security of succession. They therefore made severall instances to the Queen, and often sollicited the effect of their desires.

The Queen, who in her mind had greater designs, making use of the pretence of being unwilling by marriage, to subject her own liberty to any, declar'd, that as she had been born free, so she likewise would live, and die free. She boastingly said, all the Kingdoms of the world were a price below the value of liberty, which onely was the pretiousest Gem in her Crown. That she knew, the chast wits were still the most vigilant, most lively, and the fittest for all things, which require understanding, spirit, and prudence.

The States seeing her firm in resolving not to marry; pretended at least to appoint her a Successour, to the end, that she fayling, there might be no difficulty in a new Kings election. And because whatsoever we can most of all wish for in a Prince, consists in his valour, his prudence, and goodness, in the meeting of all the four Orders of the Kingdom, the qualities and parts of the most conspicuous personage being maturely examin'd, all gave their votes and applauses, to the foresaid Prince Charles Gustavus, Palatine, as one, who descending by Birth from Emperours and Kings, and having till that time commanded the Swedish Armies, had given in all occasions great experiments of his valour and prudence. Besides he being passionately belov'd by the people and souldiers; could desire no clearer arguments of his merit, for his exaltation to the Crown, establisht in his Person, by his substitution in the Kingdom, if Christina should fail.

Some Polititians divulged (to meddle in their discourses with so great an affair) the Queen was not pleased, the gate of dominion should be opend to this Princes desire, since this being the most sensible of humane affections, and that which soonest toucheth the quick, they might see again acted on the Stage, the offences of those times, in which many men, thinking nothing to be villainous, and wicked; have trampled under foot, to compasse soon their ends, all respects, obligations, honour, and conscience. But the said Polititians have fail'd in the conceit, which perhaps they imagin'd their discourses would have rais'd, while they that measur'd her Majesties thoughts, and resolutions, with their own ordinary rule of the interest of State. The Queen's designs had solider motives, and deeper foundations. She sought to gain a Kingdom, where Angells inhabit, and therefore lost that willingly where men have their residence. The Queen could not erre in the reason of State, who secur'd to her selfe that of God. She labour'd to know God in true greatnesse, and felicity; and God made himself known to her, by giving her judgement, and vigour, to seek what few did desire, and to despise that which all covet after. For what concern'd humane reputation, and glory, she had learnt; she could not better make happy and prolong the short periods of her life, than with the report of one of the most glorious resolutions, that had ever been heard. She therefore very charitably and freely, agreeing to surrender her Scepter to the foresaid Prince Palatine, contrived a way with which, without discovering her thoughts, she frankly might renounce the possession of those States, which were no longer hers, because by her Majesty exchang'd for those of Heaven. She thought, that she had not the lustre of any vertue, while she sate on that Throne, which was not illustrated with the splendour of true faith. The Queen lov'd God, and therefore could no longer love the world. To mount to the greatnesse of Heaven, 'twas necessary she should fall from the height of terrestriall felicity.

This her Majesties resolution discovered to some she most trusted, it seem'd strange to them, she would abandon voluntarily the dominion of a Kingdom, than which there is not any thing more desired on the earth: & as in the change of a Prince, both the Cities, and Inhabitants, are oftentimes subject to hurtfull alterations, so with the apprehension of future events, and the want of the happinesse they enjoy'd, they particularly were troubled, and discontented, and labour'd to remove her from that her opinion, with very strong reasons, and resembling the quality of the matter, of which they discours'd. They knew the new Kings genius, and the martiall inclinations of his Captains, so as they were affraid, it might prove one of those punishments, which with the appearance of a blessing, is cast upon them, whom God will chastise. They doubted, though the Queen loved peace, and a good correspondence with the neighbouring Princes, that the Genius and Interest of her Majesties Successour, would not be the same, who probably at his entrance into his principality, would have the ambition, to make ostentation of his valour, and foment his Commanders desires.

To convince her understanding, and divert her from so great a resolution, many of the knowing'st and zealousest Ministers, whom her Majestie did the honour, to trust with her design of renouncing her Kingdom, but not with her change of religion, advanced so far, to presage unto her unlucky events, but nothing could retain her in her motion, which she urged with all speed.

Now all things appertaining to that renunciation were in readiness; and nothing was wanting, but to solemnize it, with those publique functions, requir'd in such Cases. Many Feasts being therefore now made, together with tiltings, for a happy prediction of the new Kings Coronation, in the end of the 17th of January 1654, they brought it to a period. The Prince Palatine would have had it deferr'd, till the following July, while his cloaths, and other things becoming the magnificence of this unusuall spectacle, were prepar'd. But the Queen admitting no delay; prevented these demurs with all diligence, while each little minute seem'd too long for her, for the finishing her secret intentions.

She therefore came out of her lodgings that day, about nine of the clock in the morning, and appear'd in the great open gallery of the Court, accompany'd by the Senate, and the Grandees of the Palace. She wore a stately robe embroyder'd with Crowns of gold, and with a comly gravity walking up and down among a great company of Gentlemen, and other, who out of curiosity, came to see so renown'd, and unusuall a function, sate down in a chair, under a Canopy of Silver nobly wrought, and adorn'd. Here the Lord Zchering Rosemhain a Senatour of the Kingdom, read with a loud voice the instrument of donation, which her Majestie made to the said Prince Charles Gustavus Palatine, and a Patent; In which the new King engag'd to the said Queen, three Islands, and diverse revenues issuing out of Pomerania, with other, regalities, to the yearly value of two hundred thousand crowns. Her Majestie accepting the writings, rose up, and taking the Crown from her head, deliver'd it to the Earl, Peter Bracch, great Praefect, and principall Senatour of the Kingdom. The Scepter, Sword, Globe of gold, and a Key, she consign'd to four great Personages, and Ministers of the Kingdom: to wit, to Count Gustavus Horn Generall of the Militia, to Count Gabriel Oxerstern, to Count Oxerstern great Chancellour, and Count Magnus Gabriel de la Gardie great Treasurer. The Queen had nothing left to put off, but the royall Robe, and she seeing that those, to whom it belonged, deferr'd to unty it, unty'd it her self, and in throwing it down, sported with her maids of Honour, and was pleasant with them, while there was not any one, in so great a number of persons, that could forbear weeping, to see this so generous action of the Queen, to whom the hearts of all paid the tribute of duty and affection. The royall robe being depos'd, she was begirt with a very white garment, and here with a majestique affability, turning towards the Nobility and people, with a loud, and clear voice, and great freenesse of mind, pray'd a quartern of an hour with such efficacy and sweetnesse, that all remaining equally dazled, with the splendour of so much vertue, and soften'd with the pleasantness of the manner, had such an affection, as admits not of comfort, nor receives moderation.

After this, with a long and most prudent discourse, she advertis'd the new King of many things appertaining to the Kingdoms good Government, and affectionately recommended to him the Queen her Mother, her Friends, and all her Subjects, whom she loved so firmly; and so she return'd to the very same room whence she came, leaving all the people, in the darknesse of confusion, and bitternesse of sorrow, for the losse of that Sun, which so long had govern'd them, with the influence of his rayes.

The Prince Palatine two hours after, was conducted to the Cathedrall, by the Arch-Bishop of Upsalia, where he was anointed King, and receiv'd the royall ensignes, and the next day after, the solemn oath was given him by all the four Orders of the Kingdom.

In these solemnities, severall sorts of money, of gold and silver, were scatter'd up and down, as well by the Queen, as the King. Those by the King had his Picture on the one side, and the words "Carolus Gustavus", and on the other, a regal-Crown, with these words, "a Deo & Christina." Those by the Queen had her Picture on the one side, and on the other a Crown, with these words, "Et sine Te."

The day after the usuall Oath of loyalty being perform'd to the King by the States, the Queen visited, and honour'd by all; departed from Upsalia towards Stockholm. The King accompany'd her to the Mannour of Merstad, which is half the way, and all the Senatours, Gentlemen, and chief Ladies of the Court, waited on her to Stokholm, where she stay'd three daies. Here all desired to see her, and to be seen by her, who receiv'd them with such courtesie and kindnesse, that they there made discovery, of the pleasure she took, to leave them all mindfull of her vertues, and government.

She had made them believe, she would go live in the island of Holland, fifty leagues distant from Stockholm, in the fair Castle there, with a great Park of Deere, where the Kings were accustom'd to retire for their pleasure.

With this report she departed from Stockholm, three hours after the setting of the Sun. She would depart by night, not to see their affections, and tears, who apprehended the want of so great a Queen, and so good a Mother.

Yet from the royall Palace to the gate of the City, the concourse of the people was great, but the affliction much greater, which oppressed their senses; every one, as immoveable and mute, with their eyes cast down on the earth, giving to understand a weighty sorrow hath neither tears, nor sighs sufficient to expresse it.

The King had sent the greatest part of the Court to accompany, and attend her; among whom were the Lord Charles Soop, a person of great quality, with the charge of high Steward, the Lord Tersen Gentleman of the Chamber, and of much desert and vertue with six other Gentlemen of his Majestie, all of noble families and merit; the Lord Ulifeldt great Master of Denmark, retyr'd long since into Swedland, under his Majesties protection, the Senatours Earl Todt, and Baron Lind, with Ea[r]l Donoau, Lievetenant Colonell, all three personages of high worth, and eminent parts, with severall others.

In her going out of the City, she was saluted with the Artillery from the walls, and the ships, and as she past along, the Governours of Forts, and Provinces waited on her with their Souldiers. She travail'd all night, and the next day in the evening arriv'd at Nikopin, the residence of Queen Mary Eleanora her Mother, a Princesse of most admirable qualities, where she onely stay'd so long to embrace her, and give her the last farewell, the separation from whom, was as sensible peradventure to her, as that of her Kingdom. In this she went voluntarily far off, from the fruition of a very great happinesse, and in that went from her; who had bequeath'd to her, her own blood.

The same night, without taking any other repose, she continu'd her journey towards Norkopin, a City, and Port of the Sea, eight leagues distant from Nicopin, which was one of the Forts, her Majestie had reserved to her self; Here she stay'd a day to repose, she having not yet slept since her departure from Stockholm. The next day she went to Linkopin, five leagues farther, where she stayed a day: and from thence to Junkopin, a fortresse fourteen leagues off, where she rested that night. The day following she advanced to a house, of a Swedish Gentleman, call'd Giornornotte, eight leagues off, and here taken with a Plurisy, or stitch in her breast, she was forc'd to stay eight daies. As soon as she was well, she gave out, she would go another way, and instead of advancing towards the foresaid Island of Holland, she went towards Alstat, a Town situated in Aland, a Province which ten years before the Sweeds had taken from the King of Denmark.

This City is indifferently handsome, encompast with strong walls, and from the said house some fifteen leagues distant. Here she stay'd two daies, and dismissed not only the officers of the King, who were to wait upon her to the foresaid Castle of Holland, but Brodin too the Lutheran Minister, who had accompany'd her from Stockholm, retaining with her the Senatour Soop, and the Earl of Donoau.

Arriving at Laolm, a Castle in the said Province, five miles from Almstat, she caus'd the same night her hair to be cut, and putting on mans cloaths, took the way the next morning, towards Ingilholm, a little Town of the Province of Blekingem belonging to the King of Denmark, taking no body with her, but the foresaid Lords, Soop and Donoau, the Earl of Stemberg, a Swedish Gentleman of eminent esteem, and her great Master of the horse, the Lord Wolfe, Gentleman of her Chamber, and Mr. Apelman her Secretary, with three Grooms of the Chamber, about nine in all, giving out she was the Earl of Donoau a Swede, who went to see the world, which she did to passe through Denmark, without being subject to invitations, and entertainment. ...

With modernised spelling for easier reading:

Father Güemes departed with Her Majesty's dispatches, and Pimentel's, on the ninth of October, and after many troubles and impediments arriving in the Catholic court in the month of March 1654, very earnestly sollicited there the King's letters to the Pope to accompany the Queen's, and so honourably and so faithfully proceeded in this business of consequence that Her Majesty, afterwards declaring she was infinitely satisfied, was most confident of him by making him her confessor and using him in her hardest and most scrupulous resolutions.

Though not only by the mouths of the foresaid two Fathers Malines and Casati, together with the Dominican and the letters of Pimentel himself, His Majesty was fully informed and assured of all things; yet he could do no less than remain surprised a while at the news of so great and so strange a resolution, it seeming to him a difficult thing that a princess of that spirit and of so sublime a judgement could abandon her kingdoms, her country and subjects, whom she loved so tenderly and protected, to lead a private life without that great command for this only reason: to live quietly in the Catholic religion; His Majesty discoursing with himself that though the said Queen was not able in public, at least she could have exercised in private the true faith in her own kingdom, and perhaps with more advantages to the Catholic religion, especially since surrendering the scepter unto a new king, who might be of a turbulent, and warlike disposition, was to open peradventure the way to some of those enterprises which in the afflictions of Christianity might cause greater damages to the interests of Catholics than among the applauses of the world, get glory and repose to the Queen.

He considered too, wisely, that the things of the world have nothing that is constant but inconstancy, and that women particularly, notwithstanding they have courage and spirit, are subject to change, so as he was not able with his solid intellect to judge securely of a single appearance, nor thought he it agreeable to his gravity and decorum to engage himself in any thing without sounding more fully the business and reaching the bottom of the motives from which a resolution so great and so little in use was derived. But afterwards assured that many heroical virtues and eminent parts abounded in the Queen, with the motive of which she knew the world was one of those enemies that is conquered by flying, and, albeit a woman, had strength to trample under her feet its forces, allurements, and charms and conquer herself. The King was so taken with Her Majesty's magnanimous action that, out of his most pious zeal to the honour of God and the Catholic Church, he not only with great fervour accompanied Her Majesty's letter to the Pope, but exhibited all his protection for the journey and entire satisfaction of so noble and so virtuous a Princess.

After the peace of Germany, the States of Swedeland, having soon bent their thoughts for the settlement of the kingdom, had likewise found it necessary to provide that, the masculine succession failing in the blood royal, someone might ascend the throne quietly and peaceably, and the rather since the recalling the suffrages of the ancient elections, did not seem good to them, they knowing by experience that kind of dominion as not very durable and unsafe, had often been replenished with tumults and calamities; whereupon they unanimously agreed that Her Majesty pleasing herself with a husband that was not of a different religion, nor suspected by the States, should establish in her progeny the security of succession. They therefore made severall instances to the Queen and often sollicited the effect of their desires.

The Queen, who in her mind had greater designs, making use of the pretence of being unwilling by marriage to subject her own liberty to any, declared that as she had been born free, so she likewise would live and die free. She boastingly said all the kingdoms of the world were a price below the value of liberty, which only was the preciousest gem in her crown; that she knew the chaste wits were still the most vigilant, most lively and the fittest for all things, which require understanding, spirit and prudence.

The States, seeing her firm in resolving not to marry, pretended at least to appoint her a successor, to the end that, she failing, there might be no difficulty in a new king's election. And because whatsoever we can most of all wish for in a prince consists in his valour, his prudence and goodness, in the meeting of all the four Orders of the Kingdom, the qualities and parts of the most conspicuous personage being maturely examined, all gave their votes and applauses to the foresaid Prince Charles Gustavus Palatine as one who, descending by birth from emperors and kings, and having till that time commanded the Swedish armies, had given in all occasions great experiments of his valour and prudence. Besides, he, being passionately beloved by the people and soldiers, could desire no clearer arguments of his merit for his exaltation to the Crown established in his person by his substitution in the kingdom if Kristina should fail.

Some polititians divulged (to meddle in their discourses with so great an affair) the Queen was not pleased, the gate of dominion should be opend to this Prince's desire, since this being the most sensible of humane affections, and that which soonest toucheth the quick, they might see again acted on the stage the offences of those times in which many men, thinking nothing to be villainous and wicked, have trampled underfoot, to compass soon their ends all respects, obligations, honour, and conscience. But the said polititians have failed in the conceit which perhaps they imagined their discourses would have raised, while they that measured Her Majesty's thoughts and resolutions, with their own ordinary rule of the interest of State.

The Queen's designs had solider motives and deeper foundations. She sought to gain a kingdom where angels inhabit, and therefore lost that willingly where men have their residence. The Queen could not err in the reason of State, who secured to herself that of God. She laboured to know God in true greatness and felicity, and God made Himself known to her by giving her judgement and vigour to seek what few did desire and to despise that which all covet after. For what concerned human reputation and glory, she had learned, she could not better make happy and prolong the short periods of her life, than with the report of one of the most glorious resolutions that had ever been heard.

She therefore very charitably and freely, agreeing to surrender her scepter to the foresaid Prince Palatine, contrived a way with which, without discovering her thoughts, she frankly might renounce the possession of those States, which were no longer hers because by Her Majesty exchanged for those of Heaven. She thought that she had not the luster of any virtue while she sat on that throne, which was not illustrated with the splendour of true faith. The Queen loved God and therefore could no longer love the world. To mount to the greatness of Heaven, 'twas necessary she should fall from the height of terrestrial felicity.

This Her Majesty's resolution discovered to some she most trusted, it seemed strange to them she would abandon voluntarily the dominion of a kingdom than which there is not any thing more desired on the earth; and as in the change of a prince both the cities and inhabitants are oftentimes subject to hurtful alterations, so with the apprehension of future events and the want of the happiness they enjoyed, they particularly were troubled and discontented and laboured to remove her from that her opinion, with very strong reasons and resembling the quality of the matter of which they discoursed. They knew the new King's genius and the martial inclinations of his captains, so as they were afraid it might prove one of those punishments which, with the appearance of a blessing, is cast upon them whom God will chastise. They doubted, though the Queen loved peace and a good correspondence with the neighbouring princes, that the genius and interest of Her Majesty's successor would not be the same, who probably at his entrance into his principality would have the ambition to make ostentation of his valour and foment his commanders' desires.

To convince her understanding and divert her from so great a resolution, many of the knowingest and zealousest ministers whom Her Majesty did the honour to trust with her design of renouncing her kingdom, but not with her change of religion, advanced so far to presage unto her unlucky events, but nothing could retain her in her motion, which she urged with all speed.

Now all things appertaining to that renunciation were in readiness, and nothing was wanting but to solemnise it with those public functions required in such cases. Many feasts being therefore now made, together with tiltings, for a happy prediction of the new King's coronation, in the end of the 17th of January 1654, they brought it to a period. The Prince Palatine would have had it deferred till the following July while his clothes and other things becoming the magnificence of this unusual spectacle were prepared. But the Queen, admitting no delay, prevented these demurs with all diligence, while each little minute seemed too long for her for the finishing her secret intentions.

She therefore came out of her lodgings that day, about nine of the clock in the morning, and appeared in the great open gallery of the court, accompanied by the Senate and the grandees of the palace. She wore a stately robe embroidered with crowns of gold, and with a comely gravity walking up and down among a great company of gentlemen and other who, out of curiosity, came to see so renowned and unusual a function, sat down in a chair under a canopy of silver nobly wrought and adorned. Here the Lord Schering Rosenhane, a senator of the Kingdom, read with a loud voice the instrument of donation which Her Majesty made to the said Prince Charles Gustavus Palatine, and a patent in which the new King engaged to the said Queen three islands and diverse revenues issuing out of Pomerania, with other regalities, to the yearly value of two hundred thousand crowns.

Her Majesty, accepting the writings, rose up, and taking the crown from her head, delivered it to the Earl Peter Brahe, Great Prefect and principal senator of the Kingdom. The scepter, sword, globe of gold and a key she consigned to four great personages and ministers of the Kingdom, to wit: to Count Gustavus Horn, General of the Militia; to Count Gabriel [Oxenstierna]; to Count [Oxenstierna], Great Chancellor; and Count Magnus Gabriel de la Gardie, Great Treasurer.

The Queen had nothing left to put off but the royal robe, and she seeing that those to whom it belonged deferred to untie it, untied it herself, and in throwing it down, sported with her maids of honour and was pleasant with them, while there was not anyone in so great a number of persons that could forbear weeping to see this so generous action of the Queen, to whom the hearts of all paid the tribute of duty and affection. The royal robe being deposed, she was begirt with a very white garment, and here with a majestic affability, turning towards the nobility and people, with a loud and clear voice and great freeness of mind, prayed a quartern of an hour with such efficacy and sweetness that all remaining equally dazzled with the splendour of so much virtue, and softened with the pleasantness of the manner, had such an affection as admits not of comfort nor receives moderation.

After this, with a long and most prudent discourse, she advertized the new King of many things appertaining to the kingdom's good government and affectionately recommended to him the Queen her mother, her friends and all her subjects, whom she loved so firmly; and so she returned to the very same room whence she came, leaving all the people in the darkness of confusion and bitterness of sorrow for the loss of that sun which so long had governed them with the influence of his rays.

The Prince Palatine, two hours after, was conducted to the cathedral by the Archbishop of Uppsalia, where he was anointed king and receiv'd the royal ensigns, and the next day after, the solemn oath was given him by all the four Orders of the Kingdom.

In these solemnities, several sorts of money, of gold and silver, were scattered up and down, as well by the Queen as the King. Those by the King had his picture on the one side, and the words "Carolus Gustavus", and on the other, a regal crown, with these words: "A Deo et Christina." Those by the Queen had her picture on the one side, and on the other a crown, with these words: "Et sine Te."

The day after, the usual oath of loyalty being performed to the King by the States, the Queen, visited and honoured by all, departed from Uppsalia towards Stockholm. The King accompanied her to the manor of Märstad, which is half the way, and all the senators, gentlemen and chief ladies of the court waited on her to Stockholm, where she stayed three days. Here all desired to see her and to be seen by her, who received them with such courtesy and kindness that they there made discovery of the pleasure she took to leave them all mindful of her virtues and government.

She had made them believe she would go live in the island of [Öland], fifty leagues distant from Stockholm, in the fair castle there, with a great park of deer, where the kings were accustomed to retire for their pleasure.

With this report she departed from Stockholm, three hours after the setting of the sun. She would depart by night, not to see their affections and tears, who apprehended the want of so great a queen and so good a mother.

Yet from the Royal Palace to the gate of the city, the concourse of the people was great, but the affliction much greater, which oppressed their senses, everyone, as immoveable and mute, with their eyes cast down on the earth, giving to understand a weighty sorrow hath neither tears, nor sighs sufficient to express it.

The King had sent the greatest part of the court to accompany, and attend her, among whom were the Lord Charles Soop, a person of great quality, with the charge of High Steward; the Lord Fersen, gentleman of the chamber, and of much desert and virtue, with six other gentlemen of His Majesty, all of noble families and merit; the Lord Ulfeldt, Great Master of Denmark, retired long since into Swedeland under His Majesty's protection; the senators Earl Tott and Baron Lind, with Earl Dohna, lieutenant colonel, all three personages of high worth and eminent parts, with several others.

In her going out of the city, she was saluted with the artillery from the walls and the ships, and as she passed along, the governors of forts and provinces waited on her with their soldiers. She traveled all night, and the next day in the evening arrived at Nyköping, the residence of Queen Mary Eleonora, her mother, a princess of most admirable qualities, where she only stayed so long to embrace her and give her the last farewell, the separation from whom was as sensible peradventure to her as that of her kingdom. In this she went voluntarily far off from the fruition of a very great happiness, and in that went from her who had bequeathed to her her own blood.

The same night, without taking any other repose, she continued her journey towards Norrköping, a city and port of the sea, eight leagues distant from Nyköping, which was one of the forts Her Majesty had reserved to herself; here she stayed a day to repose, she having not yet slept since her departure from Stockholm. The next day she went to Linköping, five leagues farther, where she stayed a day, and from thence to Jönköping, a fortress fourteen leagues off, where she rested that night. The day following she advanced to a house of a Swedish gentleman called Giornonotte [Natt och Dag], eight leagues off, and here taken with a pleurisy or stitch in her breast, she was forced to stay eight days. As soon as she was well, she gave out she would go another way, and instead of advancing towards the foresaid island of [Öland], she went towards Halmstad, a town situated in Halland, a province which ten years before the Swedes had taken from the King of Denmark.

This city is indifferently handsome, encompassed with strong walls, and from the said house some fifteen leagues distant. Here she stayed two days and dismissed not only the officers of the King, who were to wait upon her to the foresaid castle of [Öland], but Brodin too, the Lutheran minister who had accompanied her from Stockholm, retaining with her the senator Soop and the Earl of Dohna.

Arriving at Laholm, a castle in the said province, five miles from Halmstad, she caused the same night her hair to be cut, and putting on man's clothes, took the way the next morning, towards Ängelholm, a little town of the province of Blekinge, belonging to the King of Denmark, taking nobody with her but the foresaid Lords Soop and Dohna; the Earl of Steinberg, a Swedish gentleman of eminent esteem; and her Great Master of the Horse, the Lord Wolff, gentleman of her chamber; and Mr. Appelman, her secretary, with three grooms of the chamber, about nine in all, giving out she was the Earl of Dohna, a Swede who went to see the world, which she did to pass through Denmark without being subject to invitations and entertainment. ...

English translation (my own):

Father Güemes therefore left with dispatches from the Queen and from Pimentel on October 9, and after many inconveniences and delays, arriving in the month of March 1654 at the Catholic court, where he solicited with great warmth the royal letters to the Pope in accompaniment to that of the Queen, and he worked so honourably and with such faith in this very important matter that, Her Majesty then declaring herself to be most satisfied, she opened up the closest confidence in him, declaring him her confessor and making use of him in the most difficult and scrupulous resolutions.

Although not only from the voice of the aforementioned two Jesuit and Dominican fathers, and from the letters of Pimentel himself, the King was fully informed and assured of everything. In any case, he could not help but remain a little surprised in hearing such a great resolution and admirable. It seemed to him an unpleasant thing that a princess of such wit and of such sublime wisdom could abandon her kingdoms, her homeland and those subjects, whom she tenderly loved and protected, to privately reduce herself outside of great command, with the sole object of living quietly in the Catholic religion, arguing with himself that if said Queen could not in public, she could at least secretly exercise the true faith in her own kingdom, and perhaps with greater advantages than Catholicism, especially that of handing over the scepter to a new King, who could have restless and bellicose spirits, was perhaps opening the way to some of those undertakings, which in the afflictions of Christianity could damage the interests of Catholics much more than acquire glory and rest for the Queen amidst worldly applause.

He also wisely considered that the things of the world have nothing constant other than inconstancy, and that women in particular, although of heart and spirit were subject to volubility, he therefore could not, with his solid understanding, make a sure judgment on a simple appearance, nor did it seem to him that it was in keeping with his gravity and decorum to make any commitment without penetrating further and touching the bottom of those reasons from which such a great and unethical resolution would derive. But then, having certified that heroic virtues and sublime talents abounded in the Queen, with the reason of which she knew that the world was one of those enemies that are defeated by fleeing, and that although she was a woman she nevertheless had the fortitude to trample on his powers, flattery, fascinations and conquer itself. The King became so fond of such a magnanimous action that with his most pious zeal towards the honour of God and the holy faith, he not only accompanied the Queen's letter to the Pope with all warmth, but showed all his protection for the journey and for the entire effect of the satisfactions of this worthy and virtuous princess.

The Estates of Sweden, after the peace of Germany, having immediately turned their thoughts to the establishment of the kingdom, had also learned it was necessary to ensure that, lacking male succession in the royal blood, there was someone who ascended quietly and without fanfare to the Crown; and since recalling the votes of the ancient elections did not seem good, it was known as proof that that type of dominion was not very durable and insecure and had often been filled with tumults and calamities. So that everyone agreed that the Queen, by taking to her satisfaction a husband of the same religion and not suspected by her Estates, should establish the security of the succession in her offspring. They therefore made several requests to Her Majesty and did not fail to solicit their effect.

The Queen, who harboured much greater designs in her soul, making use of the pretext of not wanting to subject her freedom to anyone by getting married, declared to herself that, having been born free, she also wanted to live and die free. She pretended to estimate that all the kingdoms of the world were worth less than the price of freedom, this alone being the most precious gem in her crown, knowing that the chaste minds were the most alert, witty and most suited to all things that need understanding, spirit and prudence.

Her Estates, seeing that she was stable in her resolution not to marry, demanded at least to assign her a successor so that, in her absence, no difficulty would remain in the election of a new king. And because all that is most desirable in a prince consists in him being valiant, prudent and good, the conditions and talents of the most conspicuous subjects were carefully examined in the assemblies of all four Orders of the Realm, the applause and the votes of all to the person of the aforementioned Prince Palatine Karl Gustav, as he who, descending by birth from kings and emperors and having until then commanded the Swedish armies, had on all occasions given great proof of his valour and prudence, as well as, being extraordinarily fond of the people and the soldiers, could not have desired clearer arguments of his merit to be raised to the command of the Crown established in his person, the replacement in the kingdom in the event of Kristina's absence.

They also called some politicians to share, with their discourses about an affair so great, that the Queen was not pleased, that the door to dominate had been thrown open to the desire of this prince, who, being the most lively and sensible among the affections of men, the scandals of those times could be seen renewed, in which many, in order to quickly reach their goals, considering nothing as impious and wicked, threw respect, obligations and honour under their feet and conscience. But many of these politicians were deceived in the apprehension that perhaps they believed they were causing with their speeches while measuring her thoughts and resolutions with their own ordinary of the interest of the State.

Her Majesty's thoughts had more solid and profound motives and foundations. She aspired to acquire the kingdom where the angels live, and therefore she willingly lost the one in which men dwell. She who was assured in that of God could not err in the reason of State. She sought to know God in true greatnesses and felicity, and God made Himself known by giving her the wisdom and vigour to seek what few desire and to despise what all desire; for what she then had to do with reputation and human glory, she learned that she could no better prolong the very short periods of her life in prosperity than with the fame of one of the most glorious resolutions that had ever been heard.

With much charity and frankness, thus granting the survival of his scepter to the same Prince Palatine, she also began investigating the ways in which, without discovering what her internal thoughts were, she could freely renounce to him the possession of those States which were no longer hers, because she had exchanged them for those of Heaven. She seemed to him not to have the luster of any virtue sitting on that throne which was not illuminated by the splendours of the true faith. She loved God, and therefore she could no longer endear the world. To rise to the greatness of Heaven, she had to fall from the heights of earthly happiness.

Having revealed this resolution to some of her confidants, it seemed strange to them that she would spontaneously want to deprive herself of the dominion of a kingdom, of which it is not the most desired thing on earth, and as in the changes of the prince even the cities often receive harmful alterations and the citizens; thus in the apprehension of future events, and in the deprivation of such a great good that they enjoyed, they felt particular passion and discontent, also struggling to remove them from such feelings with strong reasons and very adequate to the quality of the matter in question. They knew what the genius of the new King was, what the martial inclinations of his captains were, so they doubted that this could be one of those punishments which, with the appearance of good, are thrown upon those whom God wishes to punish for some evil. They suspected that if the Queen loved peace and good correspondence with one of the neighbouring princes, it was not because the genius and interests of the successor were similar, who would easily aspire to show off his valour when entering his principality and to give foment to the desires of his captains.

To convince her understanding and to divert her from such a great deliberation, many of the most knowledgeable and zealous ministers to whom Her Majesty did the honour of confiding the thought of renouncing the kingdom, but not that of changing religion, went so far as to predict bad events for her; but there was nothing that could stop her in the move that she took full flight.

All the things relating to this renunciation had already been settled, nothing else was needed but to solemnise it with those public functions that are required in similar cases. Having therefore already held various parties and jousts in lucky hope for the coronation of the new King, finally, on January 17, 1654, the conclusion was reached. The Prince Palatine would have liked to postpone it until the following July while the clothes and other things necessary for the magnificence of this unusual spectacle were prepared. But the Queen, despising every delay, prevented these delays with all solicitude, while every slight moment seemed too long a sojourn to the impatience which kept Her Majesty to complete her secret intentions.

Therefore on the aforementioned day, three hours before midday, she left her rooms and appeared in the great portico of the Royal Castle, accompanied by the Senate and all the grandees of the court. She wore around herself a pompous purple robe embroidered with gold crowns and with graceful gravity, walking among the numerous crowd of gentlemen and other people called by curiosity to see such a famous and unusual function, she placed herself in a chair under a baldaquin of silver, which was worked nobly and with precious friezes. Hereupon Lord Schering Rosenhane, senator of the Realm, read aloud the instrument of donation that Her Majesty made to the aforementioned Prince Karl Gustav Palatine, and a patent, in which the new King obliged the Queen to three islands and various revenues coming from the Pomerania with other gifts, which I estimate will amount to 200 thousand riksdalers a year.

Her Majesty having accepted her letters, she stood up and took off the crown from her head and gave it into the hands of Count Per Brahe, Grand Prefect of the Kingdom and first Senator. The scepter, the sword, the golden globe and the key were also given by her to four great personages and ministers of the Kingdom, that is, to Count Gustav Horn, general of the militia; to Count Gabriel Oxenstierna, to the Count Oxenstierna, Grand Chancellor, and to Count Magnus Gabriel de la Gardie, grand treasurer.

There was nothing left for the Queen to take off other than her royal dress, and seeing that those to whom it belonged were slow in untying it, she herself untied it and as she threw it down, joking with her ladies, she laughed pleasantly with them, there not being anyone among so many others around her who could contain their tears at seeing such a generous action of a heart that had tributes of respect and affection to the souls of each one. Having put aside her royal mantle, she remained surrounded by a very white robe; and here, with majestic affability, turning towards the nobility and the people, with a loud and sonorous voice and with prodigious frankness of soul, she orated for a quarter of an hour, with such energy and sweetness that they were all equally dazzled by the splendour of so much virtue, and entendered by the suavity of such gentle manners, they overflowed with that sorrow which does not admit comfort nor receives moderation.

After this, with a long and very prudent discourse, she warned the new King of many things pertaining to the good government of the kingdom and affectionately recommended to him the Queen her mother, her friends and all the subjects she tenaciously loved; and with this she returned to the same room from where she had left, leaving all the people in the darkness of confusion and regret, while she lost that sun which with beneficial splendours had governed it for so long.

Two hours later the Palatine Prince was led to the cathedral by the Archbishop of Uppsala, where he was honoured as king and received the royal insignia, and the following day the solemn oath was sworn to him by all four Orders of the Realm.

At these functions several gold and silver coins were scattered by both the Queen and the King. Those of the King were with his effigy and the letters "Carolus Gustavus" on one side, and on the other a royal crown with letters reading: "A Deo et Christina." Those of the Queen had her image of her on one side of her and on the other a crown with letters: "Et sine Te."

The day after the Estates had sworn the usual oath of loyalty to the King, the Queen, visited and revered by all, left Uppsala for Stockholm. The King accompanied her to the country house of Märstad, which is halfway there; and all the senators, cavaliers and principal ladies of her court served her as far as Stockholm, where she stayed three days. Here there was no one who did not want to see her and be seen by her. She welcomed everyone with such courtesy and humanity that one could clearly see her pleasure in leaving them reminded of her virtues and her dominion.

She had made people believe that she wanted to live on the island of Öland, far from Stockholm, three hours after sunset. She wanted to leave at night, so as not to see the afflictions and tears of those who learned that they were deprived of such a great queen and such a good mother.

With all this, from the Royal Castle to the door, the crowd of people was very large, but the pain that oppressed their feelings was much greater, each one, motionless and silent with their eyes fixed on the ground, made it clear that there was no great pain nor tears, nor sighs sufficient to explain it.

The King had sent most of the court to accompany and serve her; among these were senator Carl Soop with the position of butler subject of great quality; Lord Fersen, gentleman of the chamber, a cavalier of virtuous talents with six other gentlemen of the King, all distinguished by blood and merit; the Lord Ulfeldt, Grand Master of Denmark, already retired to Sweden under Her Majesty's protection; the senators Count Tott and Baron Lind; Count Dohna, Lieutenant-Colonel — all three personages of high standing and notable traits, with many others.

On leaving the city she was greeted by the artillery of the city walls and vessels, and where she passed she was assisted by governors of the squares and provinces with soldiers. She traveled all night, and on the evening of the following day she found herself at Nyköping, the residence of Queen Maria Eleonora, her mother, a golden princess of rare prerogatives, where she did not stop except so long as she could embrace her dear genetrix and bid her a final farewell. I do not know if this separation was more sensible for her than that from the kingdom. I know well that if in this one she voluntarily distanced herself from the enjoyment of a great good, in that one she separated herself from the one who had been the dispensatrix of her own blood.

That same night, without taking any further rest, she continued her journey towards Norrköping, a city and seaport eight leagues distant from Nyköping. This place was one of those that Her Majesty had reserved for her apanages. She stayed here for a day to rest, while after her departure from Stockholm she had not yet slept. The next day she went to Linköping, five leagues further on, where she also stayed for a day; from there she set out for Jönköping, a fortress fourteen leagues distant, where she slept for the night. The following day I went to the house of a Swedish gentleman called Night-and-Day [Natt och Dag], eight leagues away, and here, surprised by pleurisy, or chest pain, she was forced to stay for eight days. Once she was healed, she declared that she wanted to change her journey, and instead of heading towards the aforementioned island of Öland, she took the road to Halmstad, a land located in Halland, a province occupied ten years earlier by the Swedes from the King of Denmark.

This city is very beautiful, surrounded by strong walls, and distant from the aforementioned house about fifteen leagues. She stayed there for two days and dismissed not only the King's officials, who were to serve her as far as the aforesaid castle of Öland, but also the Lutheran preacher who had accompanied her from Stockholm, but keeping Senator Soop and the Count von Dohna with her.

Having advanced to Laholm, a castle in the same province, five miles from Halmstad, there the same night she had her hair cut, and, dressed as a man, she took the next morning to Ängelholm, a small land in the province of Blekinge belonging to the King of Denmark, bringing with him none other than the aforementioned Lords Soop and Dohna, the Count of Steinberg, a Swedish cavalier of great value, her major cavalier; Lord Wolff, gentleman of the chamber; Lord Appelman, her secretary, and three chamber aides, nine in number. Feigning to be the Swedish Count von Dohna, who was going to see the world, she did this in order to pass through Denmark without being subjected to invitations and receptions. ...