Sources:
L'ambassadeur et ses fonctions, volume 1, book 1, page 149, by Abraham de Wicquefort, 1682 (1715 edition)
The embassador and his functions, page 80, by Abraham de Wicquefort, translated by John Digby, 1716
The account:
Les Rois de Suede, Predecesseurs de Gustave Adolfe, avoient fort peu de commerce avec le reste de l'Europe. Leurs Sujets, qui ne connoissoient presque que les côtes de la Mer Baltique, ne sçavoient que les affaires de leur païs, & les interests de leur Prince, qui n'estoient pas de fort grande estenduë. C'est pourquoy le Grand Gustave, qui aprés s'estre glorieusement démeslé des guerres de Moscovie, de Dannemarc & de Pologne, se faisoit considerer comme le seul Heros, capable de restablir les affaires d'Allemagne, voyant que les Seigneurs de son Roiaume estoient plus propres à executer ses ordres dans les armes, qu'à faire réüssir ses intentions dans les Cours estrangeres, par la negociation & par l'intrigue, prenoit ses Ministres par tout où il en trouvoit. Charles son pere s'estoit déja servi de Van Dyck, & lui-mesme continua de s'en servir, & d'employer indistinctement des Hollandois & des Allemans en Hollande & en Allemagne, en France & ailleurs. Sous la Reine Christine, & sous le regne de Charles Gustave, comme aussi pendant la minorité du Roy d'apresent, la Couronne de Suede a employé Hugues de Groot, Camerarius, Sadler, Strasburguer, Salvius, & particulierement Spiring, Christoffre Delfique Comte de Dona, & Vander Noot Hollandois en Hollande mesme.
With modernised spelling:
Les rois de Suède, prédécesseurs de Gustave-Adolphe, avaient fort peu de commerce avec le reste de l'Europe. Leurs sujets, qui ne connaissaient presque que les côtés de la mer Baltique, ne savaient que les affaires de leur pays et les intérêts de leur prince, qui n'étaient pas de fort grande étendue.
C'est pourquoi le grand Gustave, qui, après s'être glorieusement démêlé des guerres de Moscovie, de Danemark et de Pologne, se faisait considérer comme le seul héros capable de rétablir les affaires d'Allemagne, voyant que les seigneurs de son royaume étaient plus propres à exécuter ses ordres dans les armes qu'à faire réussir ses intentions dans les cours étrangères, par la négociation et par l'intrigue, prenait ses ministres partout où il en trouvait.
Charles, son père, s'était déjà servi de van Dyck et lui-même continua de s'en servir et d'employer indistinctement des Hollandais et des Allemands en Hollande et en Allemagne, en France et ailleurs.
Sous la reine Christine et sous le règne de Charles-Gustave, comme aussi pendant la minorité du roi d'à présent, la Couronne de Suède a employé Hugues de Groot, Camérarius, Sadler; Strassburger, Salvius, et particulièrement Spiering; Christopher Delphique, comte de Dohna; et van der Nooth, Hollandais en Hollande même.
Swedish translation (my own):
De svenska konungarna, Gustav Adolfs föregångare, hade mycket liten handel med resten av Europa. Deras undersåtar, som nästan inte visste något annat än Östersjöns stränder, kände bara till sitt lands angelägenheter och sin furstes intressen, som inte var särskilt omfattande.
Det var därför den store Gustav, som, efter att på ett härligt sätt ha frigjort sig från krigen i Moskovien, Danmark och Polen, själv hade ansett som den ende hjälten som kunde återupprätta Tysklands angelägenheter, då han såg att hans rikes herrar var mer lämpade att verkställa hans befallningar hos vapen än att genom förhandlingar och intriger få sina avsikter att lyckas i främmande hov, och tog sina ministrar dit han fann dem.
Karl, hans far, hade redan använt van Dyck, och han fortsatte själv att använda honom och anställde holländare och tyskar urskillningslöst i Holland och Tyskland, i Frankrike och på andra håll.
Under drottning Kristinas och under Karl Gustavs regering, samt under den nuvarande konungens minderårighet, anställde Sveriges Krona Huig de Groot, Camerarius, Sadler; Strassburger, Salvius och särskilt Spiering; Christoph Delphicus, greve von Dohna; och van der Nooth, holländare i själva Holland.
English translation (by Digby):
The Kings of Sweden, Predecessors of Gustavus Adolphus, had very little Correspondence with the rest of Europe. Their Subjects whose knowledge hardly went farther than the Coasts of the Baltick-Sea, knew nothing but the affairs of their own Countrey, and the interests of their King, which were not of any great extent. Wherefore King Gustavus, who after his glorious Performances in the Wars of Muscovy, Denmark, and Poland, made himself be consider'd as the only Hero capable of restoring the affairs of Germany; seeing that the Noblemen of his Countrey were better qualified to execute his Orders in the Army, than to bring about his Intentions in foreign Courts by negotiations and intrigues, took his Ministers indifferently where-ever he found any fit for his purpose. Charles his Father had already employ'd Van Dyck, and he continu'd to make use of him himself, and to employ indifferently Hollanders and Germans in Holland, Germany, France, and other places. Under Queen Christina, and under the Government of Charles Gustavus, as also during the minority of the present King, the Crown of Sweden has employ'd Hugh de Groot, Camerarius, Sadler, Strasburguer, Salvius, and particularly Spiring, Christopher Delfique Earl of Dona and Vander Noot, Hollanders, in Holland it self.
With modernised spelling:
The kings of Sweden, predecessors of Gustavus Adolphus, had very little correspondence with the rest of Europe. Their subjects, whose knowledge hardly went farther than the coasts of the Baltic Sea, knew nothing but the affairs of their own country and the interests of their king, which were not of any great extent.
Wherefore King Gustavus, who, after his glorious performances in the wars of Muscovy, Denmark, and Poland, made himself be considered as the only hero capable of restoring the affairs of Germany, seeing that the noblemen of his country were better qualified to execute his orders in the army than to bring about his intentions in foreign courts by negotiations and intrigues, took his ministers indifferently whereever he found any fit for his purpose.
Charles, his father, had already employed van Dyck, and he continued to make use of him himself and to employ indifferently Hollanders and Germans in Holland, Germany, France and other places.
Under Queen Kristina, and under the government of Charles Gustavus, as also during the minority of the present king, the Crown of Sweden has employed Hugh de Groot; Camerarius; Sadler; Strassburger; Salvius, and particularly Spiering; Christopher Delfique, Earl of Dohna; and van der Nooth, Hollanders in Holland itself.
English translation (my own):
The Swedish kings, Gustav Adolf's predecessors, had very little trade with the rest of Europe. Their subjects, who knew almost nothing but the shores of the Baltic Sea, knew only the affairs of their country and the interests of their prince, which were not very extensive.
This is why the great Gustav, who, after having gloriously disentangled himself from the wars of Muscovy, Denmark and Poland, had himself considered as the only hero capable of reestablishing the affairs of Germany, seeing that the lords of his kingdom were more suited to executing his orders in arms than to making his intentions succeed in foreign courts, by negotiation and intrigue, took his ministers wherever he found them.
Karl, his father, had already used van Dyck, and he himself continued to use him, employing Dutchmen and Germans indiscriminately in Holland and Germany, in France, and elsewhere.
Under Queen Kristina and during the reign of Karl Gustav, as well as during the minority of the present king, the Crown of Sweden employed Huig de Groot, Camerarius, Sadler; Strassburger, Salvius, and especially Spiering; Christoph Delphicus, Count von Dohna; and van der Nooth, Dutchmen in Holland itself.
Above: Kristina.
Above: King Karl IX.
Above: Gustav Adolf.
Above: Karl Gustav.
Above: King Karl XI.
Above: Abraham de Wicquefort.
Note: Huig de Groot = Hugo Grotius.
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