Postscript from Kristina's letter to Manuel Texeira, dated March 16/26 (New Style), 1678

Sources:

Bibliothèque interuniversitaire (Montpellier); Manuscrits de la reine Christine; VIII: Lettere della regina ai suoi ministri; Varii Poscretti della regina al Signore Texeira; Lettres à Texeira; 112: Christine de Suède à Texeira, [s. l.], 26 mars 1678 (digitisation page 138v-139r)

https://calames.abes.fr/pub/#details?id=Calames-201911281511559546

Christine (1626-1689 ; reine de Suède), Manuscrits de la reine Christine: Lettere della regina ai suoi ministri, : , 1601-1700.

[En ligne sur https://ged.scdi-montpellier.fr/florabium45/jsp/nodoc.jsp?NODOC=2023_DOC_MONT_MBUM_93] (consulté le 12/02/2025 03:33).

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Copyright SCDI-UPV - Collections Université de Montpellier (shelfmark H 258).

The postscript:

1678. 26. Marzo. — Hauete ragione di burlar Sopra la presa dell'Jsola di Tabacco io certo credo che Sia vna frottola, mà mi pare di vedere che 'alla fine di tutte le Conquiste della francia non resterà altro che fumo; mà quello di Tabacco che puzza bene. Jn q[ues]to ord[ina]rio Saprete la Solenne frittata che hanno fatta à Messina, cosi faranno da p[er] tutto, hanno gran ragione gli Spagnuoli di non difender le loro piazze già che Sanno che li hanno da tornar in mano con la più bella felicità del Mondo, Se viuremo, belle cose védrémo —

With modernised spelling:

1678. 26 marzo. —

Avete ragione di burlar sopra la presa dell'isola di Tobago; io certo credo che sia una frottola, ma mi pare di vedere che alla fine di tutte le conquiste della Francia non resterà altro che fumo, ma quello di Tobago che puzza bene. In questo ordinario saprete la solenne frittata che hanno fatta a Messina. Così faranno da per tutto; hanno gran ragione gli spagnuoli di non difender le loro piazze già che sanno che li hanno da tornar in mano con la più bella felicità del mondo, se vivremo, belle cose vedremo. —

French translation (my own):

1678. Le 26 mars. —

Vous avez raison de vous moquer de la prise de l'île de Tobago; je crois certes que c'est un baratin, mais il me semble qu'à la fin, de toutes les conquêtes de la France, il ne restera que de la fumée, mais celle de Tobago pue bien. Dans cette ordinaire, vous entendrez parler de la friture solennelle qu'ils ont subie à Messine. Ils en feront autant partout; les Espagnols ont bien raison de ne pas défendre leurs places puisqu'ils savent qu'il leur faudra les rendre entre leurs mains avec la plus belle félicité du monde. Si nous vivons, nous verrons de belles choses. —

Swedish translation (my own):

1678. Den 26 mars. —

Ni gör rätt i att göra Er narr av fångsten av ön Tobago; jag tror verkligen att det är ett fantasteri, men det förefaller mig som att det i slutändan av alla Frankrikes erövringar inte kommer att finnas kvar annat än rök, men den från Tobago stinker bra. I detta vanliga kommer Ni att få höra om den högtidliga stekning de har lidit i Messina. De kommer att göra samma sak överallt; spanjorerna har mycket rätt i att inte försvara sina platser eftersom de vet att de kommer att behöva återlämna dem till sina händer med den vackraste lycka i världen. Om vi lever kommer vi att se vackra saker. —

English translation (my own):

1678. March 26. —

You are right to make fun of the capture of the island of Tobago; I certainly believe it to be a fib, but it seems to me that, in the end, of all the conquests of France there will be nothing left but smoke, but that of Tobago stinks well. In this ordinary you will hear of the solemn frying they have suffered at Messina. They will do the same everywhere; the Spanish are very right not to defend their places since they know that they will have to return them to their hands with the most beautiful felicity in the world. If we live, we will see beautiful things. —

Above: Kristina.

Notes: Tobago is an island and ward within the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. It is 20 nautical miles northeast of the larger island of Trinidad and about 85 nautical miles off the northeastern coast of Venezuela. It lies to the southeast of Grenada and southwest of Barbados.

After the end of the Third Anglo-Dutch War (1672-1674), a new Dutch colony was established on Tobago in 1676, but it was attacked by the French in March 1677. The resulting naval battle (the First Battle of Tobago took place on March 3, 1677 and the Second Battle of Tobago took place on December 11, 1677) resulted in serious losses on both sides, and the French forces withdrew, but returned in 1678, captured the island, and destroyed the settlement.

Messina is a harbour city and the capital of the Italian Metropolitan City of Messina. It is the third largest city on the island of Sicily and the 13th largest city in Italy.

The Messina revolt of 1672-1678 began with a revolt against the patrician government of Messina on the island of Sicily by skilled workers in 1672. When the patricians regained control in 1674, they turned the movement into a revolt against Spanish rule. They obtained support from the French, and Messina was independent until the end of the Franco-Dutch War (1672-1678), when the Spanish regained control. As for the French, the bulk of their fleet was recalled to France later in 1676, and they evacuated their troops from Messina in early 1678.