Source:
Francis Mortoft: His book, being his travels through France and Italy, 1658-1659, page 97, by Francis Mortoft, published by the Hakluyt Society, 1925
The diary entry:
January the 7th, wee went to the Queene of Sweedland's Pallace, which is close by the Pallace of the Pope, and belongs to Cardinall Mazarine, where wee saw her in her chamber converse with many Gentlemen that came to heare Musicke that night. It being her custome every Wensday night to have the best Muscitianers at her Pallace, she being much delighted in Musicke. She is a Woman but of a low stature, yet of a very manly Countenance, and, by all Relation, one of the greatest wits and spirit[s] of [sic] in this Age, her whole delight and pleasure being to converse with Men of Witt and spirit, not caring for the Company of Women. Here she was very merry, holding discourse sometymes with one man, and sometymes with another, so that the Melody of the Musicke could bee but little observed, in regard of her continual talking and walking up and downe. I remember she had on her a Velvet Jerkin, with a Red sattin petticoate layd all about with white lace, and little buttons in every seame where the lace went, with a Blacke scarfe about her necke, and a Blacke hood, with a great lace on it, upon her head. At present the report goes that she is much out of the Pope's favour, and the Italians doe not so much respect [her] as when she came first to Rome; yet she alwayes seemes to be very merry and jocond, noe adversity being able to daunt her, being extreamly ambitious and desirous to live in all the Pomp and splendor that any Earthly person can desire.
With modernised spelling:
January the 7th, we went to the Queen of Swedeland's palace, which is close by the palace of the Pope and belongs to Cardinal Mazarin, where we saw her in her chamber converse with many gentlemen that came to hear music that night — it being her custom every Wednesday night to have the best musicianers at her palace, she being much delighted in music.
She is a woman but of a low stature, yet of a very manly countenance, and, by all relation, one of the greatest wits and spirits of this age, her whole delight and pleasure being to converse with men of wit and spirit, not caring for the company of women.
Here she was very merry, holding discourse sometimes with one man and sometimes with another, so that the melody of the music could be but little observed, in regard of her continual talking and walking up and down.
I remember she had on her a velvet jerkin, with a red satin petticoat laid all about with white lace and little buttons in every seam where the lace went, with a black scarf about her neck and a black hood with a great lace on it upon her head.
At present the report goes that she is much out of the Pope's favour, and the Italians do not so much respect [her] as when she came first to Rome; yet she always seems to be very merry and jocund, no adversity being able to daunt her, being extremely ambitious and desirous to live in all the pomp and splendour that any earthly person can desire.
Above: Kristina.
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