Sources:
L'ambassadeur et ses fonctions, volume 1, book 1, pages 213 to 214, by Abraham de Wicquefort, 1682 (1715 edition)
The embassador and his functions, page 115, by Abraham de Wicquefort, translated by John Digby, 1716
The account:
Saint Amant, qui s'est fait connoistre par ses poësies, se voulant faire connoistre aussi par ses negociations, se chargea en l'an 1650. d'une commission, qui lui pust donner entrée auprés de la Reine Christine de Suede. Celle de Pologne estoit accouchée d'une Princesse, & il s'offrit d'en aller porter les nouvelles à Stocolm: mais il oublia de prendre des lettres de creance. C'est pourquoy Chanut, à qui il s'adressa, lui dit, qu'il ne pouvoit pas prendre la qualité de Ministre: & qu'on ne le traitteroit pas d'Envoyé, sur sa parole. St. Amant, en se chargeant de ce voyage sans lettres de creance, en usa en Poëte plûstost qu'en Ministre Public: & fit voir qu'il y a grande difference de la profession de l'un à la fonction de l'autre. Ces exemples font connoistre, que l'Ambassadeur, qui negocioit pour la Cour de Suede en celle de Pologne, parle fort improprement, quand il dit que l'Electeur de Brandebourg, qui l'avoit menacé de coups de baston, a violé le Droit des Gens. L'Ambassadeur ne peut se faire respecter, sinon auprés du Prince, pour lequel il a des lettres de creance: tous les autres Souverains ne le peuvent considerer ni traiter, que comme une personne particuliere. S'ils font quelque chose au-delà, ce n'est que par un excés de civilité, qui n'est pas d'obligation. ...
With modernised spelling:
Saint-Amant, qui s'est fait connaître par ses poésies, se voulant faire connaître aussi par ses négociations, se chargea en l'an 1650 d'une commission qui lui pût donner entrée auprès de la reine Christine de Suède. Celle de Pologne était accouchée d'une princesse, et il s'offrit d'en aller porter les nouvelles à Stockholm, mais il oublia de prendre des lettres de créance. C'est pourquoi Chanut, à qui il s'adressa, lui dit qu'il ne pouvait pas prendre la qualité de ministre et qu'on ne le traiterait pas d'envoyé sur sa parole. Saint-Amant, en se chargeant de ce voyage sans lettres de créance, en usa en poète plutôt qu'en ministre public et fit voir qu'il y a grande différence de la profession de l'un à la fonction de l'autre.
Ces exemples font connaître que l'ambassadeur, qui négociait pour la Cour de Suède en celle de Pologne, parle fort improprement quand il dit que l'électeur de Brandebourg, qui l'avait menacé de coups de bâton, a violé le droit des gens. L'ambassadeur ne peut se faire respecter sinon auprès du prince, pour lequel il a des lettres de créance; tous les autres souverains ne le peuvent considérer ni traiter que comme une personne particulière. S'ils font quelque chose au-delà, ce n'est que par un excès de civilité qui n'est pas d'obligation. ...
Swedish translation (my own):
Saint-Amant, som gjort sig känd genom sin poesi, även velat göra sig känd genom sina förhandlingar, övertog år 1650 ett uppdrag som kunde ge honom inträde till drottning Kristina av Sverige. Den från Polen hade fött en prinsessa, och han erbjöd sig att ta nyheten till Stockholm, men han glömde att ta till sig trosbrev. Det var därför Chanut, som han vände sig till, sa till honom att han inte kunde ta på sig rollen som minister och att han inte skulle behandlas som ett sändebud på hans ord. Saint-Amant, genom att ta sig an denna resa utan kredensbrev, agerade som poet snarare än som en offentlig minister och visade att det är stor skillnad mellan den enes yrke och den andres funktion.
Dessa exempel gör det känt att ambassadören som förhandlat för Sveriges och Polens hov talar mycket orättvist när han säger att kurfursten av Brandenburg, som hade hotat honom med batongslag, brutit mot folklagen. Ambassadören kan inte vinna respekt annat än från fursten, för vilken han har kredensbrev; alla andra suveräner kan bara betrakta eller behandla honom som en privatperson. Om de gör något utöver det, är det bara genom en överdriven artighet som inte är obligatorisk. ...
English translation (by Digby):
St. Amant, who has made himself known by his Poems, being willing to make himself known also by his Negotiations, accepted in the Year 1650. of a Commission, which might give him Admittance to Queen Christina of Sweden. The Queen of Poland was brought to bed of a Princess, and he offer'd to carry the News thereof to Stockholm; but he forgot to take Credentials with him. Whereupon Chanut, to whom he address'd himself, told him, he could not assume the Quality of Minister, and that his own Word was not sufficient to make him be treated as an Envoy. St. Amant, by undertaking that Journey without Letters of Credence, acted more like a Poet than a publick Minister, and made it appear that there is a great deal of Difference between the Profession of the one and the Function of the other. These Examples make it plain, that the Embassador that negotiated for the Court of Sweden, in that of Poland, speaks very improperly, when he says, That the Elector of Brandenburg, who had threaten'd to have him cudgell'd, had thereby violated the Law of Nations. The Embassador cannot make himself be respected, but by the Prince, for whom he has Letters of Credence; the other Princes can only consider and treat him as a private Person. If they do any thing beyond that, it is only out of an Excess of Civility, which is not of Obligation. ...
With modernised spelling:
Saint-Amant, who has made himself known by his poems, being willing to make himself known also by his negotiations, accepted in the year 1650 of a commission which might give him admittance to Queen Kristina of Sweden. The Queen of Poland was brought to bed of a princess, and he offered to carry the news thereof to Stockholm; but he forgot to take credentials with him. Whereupon Chanut, to whom he addressed himself, told him he could not assume the quality of minister and that his own word was not sufficient to make him be treated as an envoy. Saint-Amant, by undertaking that journey without letters of credence, acted more like a poet than a public minister and made it appear that there is a great deal of difference between the profession of the one and the function of the other.
These examples make it plain that the ambassador that negotiated for the court of Sweden in that of Poland speaks very improperly when he says that the Elector of Brandenburg, who had threaten'd to have him cudgelled, had thereby violated the law of nations. The ambassador cannot make himself be respected but by the prince for whom he has letters of credence; the other princes can only consider and treat him as a private person. If they do anything beyond that, it is only out of an excess of civility, which is not of obligation. ...
English translation (my own):
Saint-Amant, who made himself known through his poetry, also wanting to make himself known through his negotiations, took charge in the year 1650 of a commission which could give him entry to Queen Kristina of Sweden. That of Poland had given birth to a princess, and he offered to take the news to Stockholm, but he forgot to take letters of credence. This is why Chanut, to whom he addressed himself, told him that he could not take on the role of minister and that he would not be treated as an envoy on his word. Saint-Amant, by taking on this journey without credentials, acted as a poet rather than as a public minister and showed that there is a great difference between the profession of one and the function of the other.
These examples make it known that the ambassador, who negotiated for the court of Sweden and that of Poland, speaks very improperly when he says that the Elector of Brandenburg, who had threatened him with blows of the baton, violated the law of nations. The ambassador cannot gain respect except from the prince, for whom he has letters of credence; all other sovereigns can only consider or treat him as a private person. If they do anything beyond that, it is only through an excess of civility which is not obligatory. ...
Above: Kristina.
Above: Marie Louise Gonzaga, queen consort of Poland.
Above: Princess Maria Anna Teresa Waza of Poland.
Above: Abraham de Wicquefort.
Note: Princess Maria Anna Teresa Waza of Poland was born on July 1, 1650. She was baptised on August 2 of that year, and her parents planned to give her to the Carmelite Order. Sadly, she passed away suddenly on August 1, 1651, just one month after her first birthday.
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