Excerpt from a letter of intelligence to a Mr. Petit, dated October 18/28, 1655

Source:

A Collection of the State Papers of John Thurloe, Esq;, volume 4, page 91, published by Thomas Birch, 1742; original at Indiana University

https://books.google.com/books?id=70EqAQAAMAAJ&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&dq=state+papers+of+john+thurloe+1656&source=gbs_navlinks_s

The letter excerpt:

Rome, October 18/28 1655.

... The queen of Sweden will be here the 25th of November, accompanied with 300 persons. She is to be met upon the frontier of Boulonois by four nuncios, namely, two archbishops and two clerks of the apostolic chamber. The two first are mr. Bentivoglio and mr. Sorrisani, and the other mr. Carracioli and Cesarini. Mr. Bentivogli is to make the complimenting speech. She will also be met again, at two days journey from Rome, by two legats, viz. cardinal John Charles of Medicis, and cardinal Landgrave de Hesse; and all the sacred college will go and receive her at the gate del populo with a stately cavalcade, from whence she will be brought between the two legates to the palace of Farnese, where she will be defrayed by the apostolic chamber, which has laid aside one hundred thousand crowns for that purpose. She will be met out of Rome by four of the chiefest ladies of this court, namely, by the princesses of Botero, of Rossano, of Palestrina, and by the dutchess of Chiri. It's said, she is to profess the catholic faith in passing by Inspruck; and that she bringeth a crown and a scepter worth seventy thousand florins to present unto the church of Loretto.

With modernised spelling:

Rome, October 18/28 1655.

... The Queen of Sweden will be here the 25th of November, accompanied with 300 persons. She is to be met upon the frontier of Bolonais by four nuncios, namely two archbishops and two clerks of the Apostolic Chamber. The two first are Mr. Bentivogli and Mr. Sorrisani, and the other Mr. Carraccioli and Cesarini. Mr. Bentivogli is to make the complimenting speech.

She will also be met again, at two days journey from Rome by two legats, viz. Cardinal John Charles of Medicis and Cardinal-Landgrave de Hesse; and all the Sacred College will go and receive her at the Gate del Popolo with a stately cavalcade, from whence she will be brought between the two legates to the Palace of Farnese, where she will be defrayed by the Apostolic Chamber, which has laid aside one hundred thousand crowns for that purpose.

She will be met out of Rome by four of the chiefest ladies of this court, namely by the Princesses of Butero, of Rossano, of Palestrina, and by the Duchess of Ceri.

It's said she is to profess the Catholic faith in passing by Innsbruck and that she bringeth a crown and a sceptre worth seventy thousand florins to present unto the church of Loreto.

French translation (my own):

Rome, 18/28 octobre 1655.

... La reine de Suède sera ici le 25 novembre, accompagnée de 300 personnes. Elle sera accueillie à la frontière de Bologne par quatre nonces, à savoir deux archevêques et deux clercs de la Chambre apostolique. Les deux premiers sont messeigneurs Bentivogli et Sorrisani, et les autres messeigneurs Carraccioli et Cesarini. Monseigneur Bentivogli prononcera le discours de compliments.

Elle sera aussi rencontrée à deux journées de voyage de Rome par deux légats, savoir le cardinal Jean-Charles de Médicis et le cardinal-landgrave de Hesse; et tout le Sacré Collège ira la recevoir à la Porte du Peuple avec une majestueuse cavalcade, d'où elle sera conduite entre les deux légats au palais de Farnèse, où elle sera défrayée par la Chambre apostolique, qui a réservé cent mille écus à cet effet.

Elle sera accueillie à sa sortie de Rome par quatre des plus importantes dames de cette cour, à savoir les princesses de Butero, de Rossano, de Palestrine et la duchesse de Ceri.

On dit qu'elle doit professer la foi catholique en passant par Innsbruck et qu'elle apporte une couronne et un sceptre d'une valeur de soixante-dix mille florins à offrir à l'église de Lorette.

Swedish translation (my own):

Rom, 18/28 oktober 1655.

... Sveriges drottning kommer hit den 25 november, åtföljd av 300 personer. Hon skall mötas vid gränsen till Bologna av fyra nuntier, nämligen två ärkebiskopar och två kanslist från den apostoliska kammaren. De två första är monsignori Bentivoglio och Sorrisani, och de andra monsignori Carraccioli och Cesarini. Monsignor Bentivogli skall hålla komplimangstalet.

Hon kommer också att mötas igen, två dagsresor från Rom, av två legater, nämligen kardinal Giancarlo de' Medicis och kardinal-landgreve av Hessen; och hela det heliga kollegiet kommer att gå och ta emot henne vid Porta del Popolo med en ståtlig kavalkad, varifrån hon kommer att föras mellan de två legaterna till Farnese palatset, där hon skall betalas av den Apostoliska Kammaren, som har avsatt ett hundra tusen kronor för detta ändamål.

Hon skall mötas från Rom av fyra av hovets främsta damer, nämligen prinsessorna av Butero, Rossano, Palestrina och hertiginnan av Ceri.

Det sägs att hon skall bekänna den katolska tron när hon passerar Innsbruck och att hon medför en krona och en spira värda sjuttiotusen floriner att ge till kyrkan i Loreto.

Above: Kristina.

Notes: The Landgrave of Hesse = Friedrich of Hesse-Darmstadt (1616-1682), Kristina's cousin and fellow Lutheran/Protestant to Catholic convert.

Princess Butera = Margherita d'Austria Branciforte (1625-1660).

Princess Rossano = Olimpia Aldobrandini (1623-1681).

Princess Palestrina = probably Olimpia Giustiniani (1641-1729).

The Duchess of Ceri = Anna Maria Caterina Aldobrandini (1630-1703).