Showing posts with label Anne de la Barre. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Anne de la Barre. Show all posts

Wednesday, September 18, 2024

Summary of Peder Juel's letter to Christoffer Urne, the Grand Chancellor of Denmark, and the government of Denmark in Copenhagen, dated July 16/26 (Old Style), 1653

Source:

Handlingar rörande Sverges historia, volume 1, page 97, published by Anders Fryxell, 1836



The letter summary:

... [Stockholm] 16 Juli 1653. Pimentellis afsked. Madame la Barre. — Drottningens återkomst från Jakobsdal.

With modernised spelling:

... [Stockholm] 16 juli 1653. Pimentellis avsked. Madame la Barre. — Drottningens återkomst från Jakobsdal.

English translation (my own):

... Stockholm, July 16, 1653. Pimentel's leave. Madame la Barre. — The Queen's return from Jakobsdal.


Above: Kristina.


Above: Antonio Pimentel.


Above: Christoffer Urne.

Note: Jakobsdal is the old name for Ulriksdal Castle.

Thursday, December 28, 2023

Peder Juel's letter to Peder Charisius, dated July 16/26 (Old Style), 1653

Source:

Bidrag til Dronning Christinas, det svenske Hofs og Corfitz Ulfeldts Historie, i Aarene 1651-1655, af Peder Juul's utrykte Breve til Charisius, article by Christian Molbech in Historisk tidsskrift, volume 5, pages 352 to 353, published by Den Danske Historiske Forening, 1844
Johan Ekeblad's letter of July 13/23 to his father Christoffer Ekeblad, mentioning Kristina's stay at Jakobsdal and the growth of the court, are here:
The letter:

Den 16de Jul. "Jeg var ret nu oppe hos Dronningen at erindre om Svar til de tvende Hs. Maj. Skrivelser, den ene om den Regensburgiske precedence Strid, den anden om den gemene alliance mellem disse to Kroner og General-Staterne; saa graverede jeg mig og over den Capitain, som løb Flaaden forbi udi Canalen af Sundet, og vilde ikke stryge. Til det første svarede Dronningen, at hun ikke kunde cedere den Rettighed, som Hertugerne af Pommern altid have havt, og som expresse in instrumento pacis til Münster var hende lovet. Om Alliancen sagde hun, at ville i tilkommende Uge conferere med mig; hun vilde ønske, at paa vores Side var ingen engagement med Holland, for at disse Kroner kunde have giort en tredie Partie og holdt England i Balance, saavel som Holland. Hun frygtede meget, at Englænderne skulde bemægtige sig Flekkerø, heller saadan en Ort. Om det Skib, som løb Flaaden forbi og ikke strøg, svarede hun, at det var hende meget imod; hun havde intet hørt derom; hun skulde informere sig derom, og sætte Capitainen derfor til Rette. Vi kom siden paa anden Discurs, og kom i Tale om Hr. Corf. Ulfeldt. Jeg sagde hende, at han, i Stedet for at comparere efter Citationen, havde ladet ved en af sine Tienere overlevere en løgnagtig pasquil, af samme Indhold som hans den første libel. Hun svarede, sig ikke at ville forsvare hans imprudence; hun havde ofte varet ham ad, og om Hans Maj. vilde, at hun noget skulde giøre derved, saa vilde hun lade see sin Iver. Dronningen var meget høflig, meer end ordinarie; talte meget vel om Hans Maj. og om vores force i Danmark, og en stor Deel til Hr. C. Ulfeldts prejudice. Men hendes forrige Comportement giør, at jeg lidet heraf troer." (Af en i Brevet indlagt Beretning.)

"Dronningen er hidkommen (til Stockholm) igien fra Jacobsdal; og haver nu begy[n]dt at holde offen Taffel hver Middag, hvilket i lang Tid hellers er førsømt. Hoffet er nu og meget formeret, saa der ere giorte en Grand maistre d'hotel, en Rigs-Kammerherre, fire Overkammerherrer, en Hofmarskalk, ti Kammerherrer og 16 Hofjunkere. — Pimentelli tog Afsked fra Hove publice den 11te huj.; dog galantizerer han Dronningen som før, og vil blive her indtil han faaer at vide, at det Skib, som skal føre ham fra Gothenborg, er passeret Sundet. Mademoiselle La Barre er her, men bliver neppelig gammel, og er ikke i den estime, som hun skulde have faaet, dersom hun havde kommet for et Aar siden."

With modernised spelling:

Den 16. jul. "Jeg var ret nu oppe hos dronningen at erindre om svar til de tvende Hans Majestæts skrivelser, den ene om den regensburgiske præcedensstrid, den anden om den gemene alliance mellem disse to Kroner og Generalstaterne; så graverede jeg mig og over den kaptajn, som løb flåden forbi udi kanalen af Sundet og ville ikke stryge. Til det første svarede dronningen, at hun ikke kunne cedere den rettighed, som hertugerne af Pommern altid have haft, og som expresse in instrumento pacis til Münster var hende lovet.

Om alliancen sagde hun, at ville i tilkommende uge konferere med mig; hun ville ønske, at på vores side var ingen engagement med Holland, for at disse Kroner kunde have gjort en tredje parti og holdt England i balance, såvel som Holland. Hun frygtede meget, at englænderne skulle bemægtige sig Flekkerø, eller sådan en ort.

Om det skib, som løb flåden forbi og ikke strøg, svarede hun, at det var hende meget imod; hun havde intet hørt derom; hun skulle informere sig derom og sætte kaptajnen derfor til rette.

Vi kom siden på anden diskurs, og kom i tale om hr. Corfitz Ulfeldt. Jeg sagde hende, at han, i stedet for at komparere efter citationen, havde ladet ved en af sine tjenere overlevere en løgnagtig paskvil, af samme indhold som hans den første libel. Hun svarede sig ikke at ville forsvare hans imprudence; hun havde ofte varet ham ad, og om Hans Majestæt ville, at hun noget skulle gøre derved, så ville hun lade se sin iver.

Dronningen var meget høflig, mer end ordinarie; talte meget vel om Hans Majestæt og om vores force i Danmark, og en stor del til hr. C. Ulfeldts præjudice. Men hendes forrige komportement gør, at jeg lidet heraf tror." (Af en i brevet indlagt beretning.)

"Dronningen er hidkommen [til Stockholm] igen fra Jakobsdal, og haver nu begyndt at holde offen taffel hver middag, hvilket i lang tid ellers er forsømt. Hoffet er nu og meget formeret, så der ere gjorde en grand maître d'hôtel, en rigskammerherre, fire overkammerherrer, en hofmarskalk, ti kammerherrer og 16 hofjunkere. — Pimentelli tog afsked fra hove publice den 11. hujus; dog galantiserer han dronningen som før, og vil blive her indtil han får at vide, at det skib, som skal føre ham fra Gothenborg, er passeret Sundet.

Mademoiselle la Barre er her, men bliver næppelig gammel, og er ikke i den estime, som hun skulle have fået, dersom hun havde kommet for et år siden."

English translation (my own):

July 16. "I was just now up with the Queen to remind her about replies to His Majesty's two letters, one about the Regensburg precedence dispute, the other about the general alliance between these two Crowns and the States General; then I also complained about the captain who ran the fleet past out the channel of the Sound and would not sail. To the first, the Queen replied that she could not cede the right which the dukes of Pomerania had always had, and which had been expressly promised to her in the instrument of peace at Münster.

About the alliance, she said she would confer with me next week; she wished that on our side there were no engagement with Holland, that these Crowns might have made a third party and kept England in balance, as well as Holland. She greatly feared that the English would seize Flekkerø, or a place like that.

About the ship which ran past the fleet and did not sail, she replied that she was very much against it; she had heard nothing of it; she had to inform herself about it and set the captain straight.

We then came to another discourse and came to speak of Lord Corfitz Ulfeldt. I told her that, instead of comparing according to the citation, he had caused one of his servants to hand over a false pasquil, of the same content as his first libel. She answered that she did not want to defend his imprudence; she had often taken care of him, and if His Majesty wanted her to do something about it, she would show her eagerness.

The Queen was very courteous, more than ordinary; she spoke very well of His Majesty and of our force in Denmark, and a great deal to Lord C. Ulfeldt's prejudice. But her previous comportment makes me believe little of it." (From an account enclosed in the letter.)

"The Queen has come here [to Stockholm] again from Jakobsdal, and has now begun to openly eat at table at every mealtime, which has otherwise been neglected for a long time. The court is now and greatly multiplied so that a grand maître d'hôtel has been made, a chamberlain, four chief chamberlains, a court marshal, ten chamberlains, and 16 court junkers.— Pimentel publicly took his leave of the court on the 11th of this month; however, he gallantises the Queen as before and will remain here until he learns that the ship which is to carry him from Gothenburg has passed the Sound.

Mademoiselle la Barre is here, but she is hardly growing old, and she is not in the esteem she would have been in if she had come a year ago."


Above: Kristina.


Above: Corfitz Ulfeldt.


Above: Antonio Pimentel.

Notes: Flekkerø is the old Danish name for Flekkerøy or Flekkerøya, an island in what is now the Kristiansand district of Agder County (before 2020 Vest-Agder) in southern Norway.

Jakobsdal is the old name for Ulriksdal Castle.

Mademoiselle la Barre = Anne Chabanceau de la Barre (1628-1688), a French opera singer. In 1653-1654 she was made kammarsångerska (chamber singer or songstress) at Kristina's court.

Saturday, May 20, 2023

Bulstrode Whitelocke's diary entry of February 8/18 (Old Style), 1654

Sources:

A journal of the Swedish ambassy, in the years M.DCC.LIII. and M.DCC.LIV., volume 1, pages 418 to 421, by Bulstrode Whitelocke, 1772


Christina of Sweden, page 97, by Ida Ashworth Taylor, 1909


The Sibyl of the North: The Tale of Christina, Queen of Sweden, pages 95 to 96, by Faith Compton Mackenzie, 1931



Vi Christina med Guds nåde, pages 67 to 68, by Py Sörman, 1942

Drottning Kristina: Den svenska tiden, page 79, by Sven Stolpe, 1960

Queen Christina, page 85, by Georgina Masson, 1968 (1974 edition)

Queen Christina of Sweden and her Circle: The Transformation of a Seventeenth-Century Philosophical Libertine, page 39 and footnote 83, by Susanna Åkerman, 1991

Christina, Queen of Sweden: The Restless Life of a European Eccentric, page 72, by Veronica Buckley, 2004

The diary entry:

An audience was desired by Whitelocke from the queen, and att the same time she sent Grave Tott to Whitelocke to invite him to the audience of the Muscovia envoyé...

Whitelocke spake with the queen touching his treaty, and after that showed her a letter which he had prepared to send to the chancellor to quicken him in the treaty; butt said he would not send it if any thing therin were displeasing to her majesty. The queen read it. ...

The queen commended the letter, and said, she thought it would be to good purpose to send it, only she excepted against a clause in it, that Whitelocke will be ready to meet the chancellor when he pleaseth, which, the queen said, was too lowe for the ambassador to write to the chancellor; wheruppon Whitelocke mended that part, and sent the letter ...

The queen read some english with Whitelocke, and tooke pains to learne; when Whitelocke took his leave, she invited him to come agayne in the evening to heare her musicke. ...

In the evening Whitelocke went againe to court, as the queen had invited him, and was brought into her bedchamber, and divers of his gentlemen admitted in likewise to heare her majesty's musicke, which was very rare, and performed by divers Italian eunuches, and others, her servants, and by Madame de la Bar, a french woman, and her brother, who sang rarely well.

Besides Whitelocke, there was in the chamber Piementelle, the Compte de Montecuculi, and another Italian Compte, and many of her court. The queen was in a very good humor, and taking Whitelocke by the hand, she ledde him to a lady in the roome, whom they called La Belle Comptesse, the fayre countesse, the wife of Grave Jacob de la Garde: the queen sayd to Whitelocke, "discourse with this my lady, my bed-fellowe, and tell me if her inside be not as beautifull as her outside."

Whitelocke discoursing with her, found it so; and great modesty, virtue, and witt, accompanying her excellent beauty and behaviour.

The queen pulled off the countesse's gloves, and gave one of them to Whitelocke for a favour; the other she tore in four pieces, and distributed them to Piementelle, the Italians, and to Grave Tott. In recompense of the glove, Whitelocke sent to the belle comptesse a douzen payre of english white gloves, which are in much esteem in this countrey.

The Italian Compte de Montecuculi saluted Whitelocke with great civility, and he returned the like respects agayne.

With modernised spelling:

An audience was desired by Whitelocke from the Queen, and at the same time she sent Grave Tott to Whitelocke to invite him to the audience of the Muscovia envoyé...

Whitelocke spake with the Queen touching his treaty, and after that showed her a letter which he had prepared to send to the Chancellor to quicken him in the treaty, but said he would not send it if anything therein were displeasing to Her Majesty. The Queen read it. ...

The Queen commended the letter and said she thought it would be to good purpose to send it, only she excepted against a clause in it, that Whitelocke will be ready to meet the Chancellor when he pleaseth, which the Queen said was too low for the Ambassador to write to the Chancellor; wherupon Whitelocke mended that part and sent the letter ...

The Queen read some English with Whitelocke and took pains to learn; when Whitelocke took his leave, she invited him to come again in the evening to hear her music. ...

In the evening Whitelocke went again to court, as the Queen had invited him, and was brought into her bedchamber, and diverse of his gentlemen admitted in likewise to hear Her Majesty's music, which was very rare and performed by divers Italian eunuchs and others, her servants, and by Madame de la Barre, a French woman, and her brother, who sang rarely well.

Besides Whitelocke, there was in the chamber Pimentel, the comte de Montecuccoli, and another Italian comte, and many of her court. The Queen was in a very good humour, and, taking Whitelocke by the hand, she led him to a lady in the roome, whom they called la belle comtesse, — the fair countess, — the wife of Grave Jakob de la Gardie. The Queen said to Whitelocke: "Discourse with this my lady, my bedfellow, and tell me if her inside be not as beautiful as her outside."

Whitelocke, discoursing with her, found it so; and great modesty, virtue, and wit accompanying her excellent beauty and behaviour.

The Queen pulled off the Countess's gloves and gave one of them to Whitelocke for a favour; the other she tore in four pieces and distributed them to Pimentel, the Italians, and to Grave Tott. In recompense of the glove, Whitelocke sent to the belle comtesse a dozen pair of English white gloves, which are in much esteem in this country.

The Italian comte de Montecuccoli saluted Whitelocke with great civility, and he returned the like respects again.


Above: Kristina.


Above: Chancellor Axel Oxenstierna.


Above: Ebba Sparre.


Above: Antonio Pimentel.


Above: Raimondo Montecuccoli.


Above: Claes Tott.


Above: Bulstrode Whitelocke.