Sources:
L'ambassadeur et ses fonctions, volume 1, book 1, pages 215 to 216, by Abraham de Wicquefort, 1682 (1715 edition)
The embassador and his functions, page 116, by Abraham de Wicquefort, translated by John Digby, 1716
The account:
... Aprés la conclusion & l'execution de la paix de Munster & d'Osnabrug, la France avoit souvent fait faire ouverture, à la Reine & aux Ministres de Suede, d'une nouvelle alliance. Chanut n'en parloit jamais à Stocolme qu'il n'y trouvast une forte inclination, & qu'il n'en remportast des asseurances formelles. Mais, comme les guerres civiles de France, dont on craignoit le succés & les suites en Suede, y morfondoient extrêmement la premiere chaleur; & que Chanut receut ordre de se rendre à l'assemblée de Lubec, il fit consentir la Reine à ce que cette alliance fust negociée en ce lieu-là, & reglée entre lui & Salvius. Chanut avoit bien ordre de traitter, mais il n'avoit pas un Pouvoir en bonne forme: c'est pourquoy lorsqu'on commença à parler d'affaires, Salvius demanda communication de son Pouvoir. Chanut dit, qu'il avoit des ordres exprés, lignés du Comte de Brienne Secretaire d'Estat, & les fit voir. Salvius repartit, que ces ordres estoient fort bons; mais qu'ils ne pouvoient servir qu'à celui qui en estoit le porteur, & qu'il faloit qu'il eust un Pouvoir formel, sans la communication duquel il ne pouvoit pas entrer en negociation avec lui pour un traitte d'alliance. La Reine de Suede en dit autant à l'Agent de France, & que dans ces rencontres il faloit avoir en main, & communiquer un Pouvoir en bonne forme: Qu'il y avoit grande difference entre un Ministre qui n'a point de pouvoir du tout, & celui qui en a un, quoyqu'il soit défectueux, parce que sur l'un on peut continuer la negociation & sans l'autre on ne la peut pas seulement commencer. ...
With modernised spelling:
... Après la conclusion et l'exécution de la paix de Münster et d'Osnabrück, la France avait souvent fait faire ouverture à la reine et aux ministres de Suède d'une nouvelle alliance. Chanut n'en parlait jamais à Stockholm qu'il n'y trouvât une forte inclination et qu'il n'en remportât des assurances formelles. Mais, comme les guerres civiles de France, dont on craignait le succès et les suites en Suède, y morfondaient extrêmement la première chaleur, et que Chanut reçut ordre de se rendre à l'assemblée de Lübeck, il fit consentir la reine à ce que cette alliance fût négociée en ce lieu-là, et reglée entre lui et Salvius.
Chanut avait bien ordre de traiter, mais il n'avait pas un pouvoir en bonne forme; c'est pourquoi, lorsqu'on commença à parler d'affaires, Salvius demanda communication de son pouvoir. Chanut dit qu'il avait des ordres exprès, lignés du comte de Brienne, secrétaire d'État, et les fit voir. Salvius repartit que ces ordres étaient fort bons, mais qu'ils ne pouvaient servir qu'à celui qui en était le porteur et qu'il fallait qu'il eût un pouvoir formel, sans la communication duquel il ne pouvait pas entrer en négociation avec lui pour un traité d'alliance.
La reine de Suède en dit autant à l'agent de France, et que, dans ces rencontres il fallait avoir en main et communiquer un pouvoir en bonne forme, qu'il y avait grande différence entre un ministre qui n'a point de pouvoir du tout et celui qui en a un, quoiqu'il soit défectueux, parce que sur l'un on peut continuer la négociation et sans l'autre on ne la peut pas seulement commencer. ...
Swedish translation (my own):
... Efter ingåendet och verkställandet av freden i Münster och Osnabrück hade Frankrike ofta gjort anspråk på drottningen och Sveriges ministrar för en ny allians. Chanut talade aldrig om det i Stockholm utan att ha funnit en stark böjelse och fått formella försäkringar. Men eftersom inbördeskrigen i Frankrike, vilkas framgångar och konsekvenser i Sverige fruktades, ytterst kvävde det första heatet där, och Chanut fick order att gå till Lübecks församling, gav han drottningen sitt samtycke till att denna allians förhandlades i den platsen och beslöt sig mellan honom och Salvius.
Chanut hade order att traktera, men han hade inte makt i god form; därför bad Salvius, när folk började tala om affärer, att meddela sin makt. Chanut sade att han hade uttryckliga order från greve de Brienne, utrikesminister, och visade dem. Salvius svarade att dessa order var mycket goda, men att de bara kunde vara till nytta för den som var bärare och att han måste äga en formell makt, utan vars meddelande han inte kunde inleda förhandlingar med honom om ett alliansfördrag.
Drottningen av Sverige sade lika mycket till Frankrikes agent, och att det vid dessa möten var nödvändigt att ha i hand och kommunicera en makt i god form, att det var stor skillnad mellan en minister som inte har någon makt alls och den ene som har en, även om den är defekt, ty på den ena kan man fortsätta förhandlingen och utan den andra kan man inte ens påbörja den. ...
English translation (by Digby):
... After the conclusion and execution of the Peace of Munster and Osnaburg, France had often made an Overture to the Queen and Ministers of Sweden, for a new Alliance: Chanut never mention'd it at Stockholm, but he found there a strong inclination for it, and carry'd back formal assurances thereof. But as the Civil Wars in France (the success and consequences of which were apprehended in Sweden) chill'd very much the first heat for it, and Chanut receiv'd Orders to repair to the Assembly at Lubeck; he prevail'd with the Queen that the Alliance should be negotiated in that Place, and regulated betwixt him and Salvius. Chanut had indeed Orders to Treat, but he had not Powers in a due form: Wherefore at their beginning to talk of Affairs, Salvius desir'd to see his Powers. Chanut told him he had express Orders Sign'd by the Count de Brienne, Secretary of State, and shew'd 'em to him. Salvius reply'd, that those Orders were very good, but that they could be of no use but to the Bearer; and that it was necessary he should have formal Powers, without the Communication whereof he could not enter with him on a Negotiation for a Treaty of Alliance. The Queen of Sweden told the French Agent the same thing, and that on those occasions, it was requisite to be in possession of, and to communicate, Powers drawn in good form: That there was a great deal of difference between a Minister who had no Powers at all, and he that has 'em, tho' they be imperfect; because that upon the ground of the one, the Negotiation may still be continued, and without the other, there was no making so much as a beginning. ...
With modernised spelling:
... After the conclusion and execution of the Peace of Münster and Osnabrück, France had often made an overture to the Queen and ministers of Sweden for a new Alliance. Chanut never mention'd it at Stockholm, but he found there a strong inclination for it and carried back formal assurances thereof. But, as the civil wars in France (the success and consequences of which were apprehended in Sweden) chilled very much the first heat for it, and Chanut received orders to repair to the assembly at Lübeck. He prevailed with the Queen that the alliance should be negotiated in that place and regulated betwixt him and Salvius.
Chanut had indeed orders to treat, but he had not powers in a due form, wherefore, at their beginning to talk of affairs, Salvius desired to see his powers. Chanut told him he had express orders signed by the Count de Brienne, secretary of State, and shewed 'em to him. Salvius replied, that those orders were very good, but that they could be of no use but to the bearer, and that it was necessary he should have formal powers, without the communication whereof he could not enter with him on a negotiation for a treaty of alliance.
The Queen of Sweden told the French agent the same thing and that on those occasions it was requisite to be in possession of and to communicate powers drawn in good form, that there was a great deal of difference between a minister who had no powers at all and he that has 'em, — though they be imperfect — because that, upon the ground of the one, the negotiation may still be continued, and without the other, there was no making so much as a beginning. ...
English translation (my own):
... After the conclusion and execution of the Peace of Münster and Osnabrück, France had often made overtures to the Queen and the ministers of Sweden for a new alliance. Chanut never spoke about it in Stockholm without finding a strong inclination and receiving formal assurances. But, as the civil wars in France, whose success and consequences in Sweden were feared, were extremely stifling the first heat there, and Chanut received orders to go to the assembly of Lübeck, he made the Queen consent to that this alliance was negotiated in that place, and settled between him and Salvius.
Chanut had orders to treat, but he did not have power in good form; wherefore, when people began to talk about affairs, Salvius requested communication of his power. Chanut said that he had express orders, from the Comte de Brienne, secretary of State, and showed them. Salvius replied that these orders were very good, but that they could only be of use to the one who was the bearer and that he had to have a formal power, without the communication of which he could not enter into negotiations with him for a treaty of alliance.
The Queen of Sweden said as much to the agent of France, and that in these meetings it was necessary to have in hand and communicate a power in good form, that there was a great difference between a minister who has no power at all and the one who does have one, even if it is defective, because on the one, one can continue the negotiation, and without the other one cannot even begin it. ...
Above: Kristina.
Above: Abraham de Wicquefort.
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