Sources:
L'ambassadeur et ses fonctions, volume 1, book 1, section 29, pages 287 to 288, by Abraham de Wicquefort, 1682 (1715 edition)
The embassador and his functions, page 154, by Abraham de Wicquefort, translated by John Digby, 1716
A report in "La Gazette de France" on this audience is here:
The account:
Guillaume Boreel, Albert Sonk & Epo d'Ailüa, Ambassadeurs des Provinces Unies en Suede l'an 1640. y furent fort bien reçus: logés dans une maison trés-magnifiquement meublée: chaque Ambassadeur ayant un dais dans sa chambre, sans celui qui estoit au-dessus de leur table, où ils mangeoient en commun, & estoient défrayés pendant tout le sejour qu'ils firent à Stocolm. Le 3. d'Aoust ils eurent leur premiere audience. La Reine, qui estoit assise dans une espece de thrône, se leva à la premiere reverence des Ambassadeurs: à la deuxiéme elle la fit aussi, & à la troisiéme elle descendit jusques à la premiere marche de son thrône. Ils firent leur harangue en Flamand: & d'autant qu'aprés les premiers compliments la Reine ne les fit point couvrir, ils ne laisserent pas de mettre le chapeau: se découvrant pourtant de temps en temps, aux endroits où il faloit accompagner le discours de quelques termes de respect. Les Senateurs leur cedoient la main, la porte & la chaise en toutes les conferences; mais d'abord ils firent quelque difficulté de donner le titre d'Excellence aux Ambassadeurs, & jugeoient que ceux ci ne se devoient pas couvrir dans l'audience. Mais tout cela fut reglé au contentement des Ambassadeurs. La Reine estoit fort jeune en ce temps-là: mais les Senateurs, & entre autres le Chancelier, la devoient avertir de ce qu'elle avoit à faire; & ne devoient pas ignorer de quelle façon le feu Roy avoit traité les Ambassadeurs des Provinces Unies.
With modernised spelling:
Guillaume Boreel, Albert Sonck et Épo d'Aylva, ambassadeurs des Provinces-Unies en Suède l'an 1640, y furent fort bien reçus, logés dans une maison très magnifiquement meublée; chaque ambassadeur ayant un dais dans sa chambre, sans celui qui était au-dessus de leur table, où ils mangeaient en commun; et étoient défrayés pendant tout le séjour qu'ils firent à Stockholm. Le 3 d'août ils eurent leur première audience.
La reine, qui était assise dans une espèce de trône, se leva à la première révérence des ambassadeurs; à la deuxième elle la fit aussi; et à la troisième elle descendit jusqu'à la première marche de son trône. Ils firent leur harangue en flamand; et d'autant qu'après les premiers compliments la reine ne les fit point couvrir, ils ne laissèrent pas de mettre le chapeau, se découvrant pourtant de temps en temps, aux endroits où il fallait accompagner le discours de quelques termes de respect.
Les sénateurs leur cédaient la main, la porte et la chaise en toutes les conferences, mais d'abord ils firent quelque difficulté de donner le titre d'Excellence aux ambassadeurs et jugeaient que ceux-ci ne se devaient pas couvrir dans l'audience; mais tout cela fut réglé au contentement des ambassadeurs.
La reine était fort jeune en ce temps-là, mais les sénateurs, et entre autres le chancelier, la devaient avertir de ce qu'elle avait à faire et ne devaient pas ignorer de quelle façon le feu roi avait traité les ambassadeurs des Provinces-Unies.
Dutch translation (my own; I cannot tag it as such due to character limits in the tags):
Willem Boreel, Albert Sonck en Epo van Aylva, ambassadeurs van de Verenigde Provinciën in Zweden in 1640, werden daar zeer hartelijk ontvangen en verbleven in een zeer fraai ingericht huis; elke ambassadeur had een baldakijn in zijn kamer, behalve die boven hun tafel, waar ze samen aten; en werden gedurende hun hele verblijf in Stockholm bezoldigd. Op 3 augustus hadden ze hun eerste audiëntie.
De koningin, die op een soort troon zat, stond op bij de eerste eerbetuiging van de ambassadeurs; bij de tweede deed ze dat ook; en bij de derde daalde ze af naar de eerste trede van haar troon. Ze hielden hun toespraak in het Vlaams; en omdat de koningin hen na de eerste complimenten niet liet bedekken, hielden ze niet op hun hoeden op te zetten en zich zo nu en dan te ontbloten op de plaatsen waar het nodig was om de toespraak met enige respectvolle woorden te begeleiden.
De raadsheren stonden hun handen, de deur en de stoel bij alle conferenties aan hen af, maar aanvankelijk hadden ze er moeite mee de ambassadeurs de titel van Excellentie te geven en oordeelden ze dat ze zich niet mochten bedekken in de audiëntie; dit alles werd echter tot tevredenheid van de ambassadeurs geregeld.
De koningin was destijds nog erg jong, maar de raadsheren, waaronder de kanselier, hadden haar moeten informeren wat ze moest doen en hadden niet onwetend moeten blijven van hoe de overleden koning de ambassadeurs van de Verenigde Provinciën had behandeld.
Swedish translation (my own):
Willem Boreel, Albert Sonck och Epo van Aylva, ambassadörer för Förenade Provinserna i Sverige 1640, blev mycket väl mottagna där, inkvarterade i ett mycket praktfullt inrett hus; varje ambassadör hade en baldakin i sitt rum, utan den som var ovanför deras bord, där de åt tillsammans; och betalades under hela sin vistelse i Stockholm. Den 3 augusti hade de sin första audiens.
Drottningen, som satt på ett slags tron, reste sig vid den första reverensen från ambassadörerna; vid den andra gjorde hon det också; och vid den tredje steg hon ner till det första steget på sin tron. De gav sin harang på flamländska; och eftersom drottningen efter de första komplimangerna inte lät dem täckas, slutade de inte ta på sig sina hattar och avslöjade sig då och då på de platser där det var nödvändigt att åtfölja diskursen med vissa respektsordalag.
Rådsherrarna överlämnade sina händer, dörren och stolen åt dem vid alla konferenser, men de hade till en början vissa svårigheter att ge ambassadörerna titeln Excellens och bedömde att de inte skulle täcka sig i audiensen; men allt detta avgjordes till ambassadörernas belåtenhet.
Drottningen var mycket ung vid den tiden, men rådsherrarna, och bland andra kanslern, borde ha informerat henne om vad hon hade att göra och borde inte ha varit okunnig om hur den salige konungen hade behandlat de Förenade Provinsernas ambassadörer.
English translation (by Digby):
William Boreel, Arbert Sonk, and Epo d'Ailüa Embassadors from the United Provinces to Sweden, in the Year 1640, were very well receiv'd there: They were Lodg'd in a House very magnificently Furnish'd, each Embassador having a Canopy in his Chamber, besides that which was over their Table, where they eat in common, and were defray'd during the whole time of their stay at Stockholm. On the 3d of August they had their first Audience.
The Queen, who was seated in a kind of Throne, stood up at the Embassador's first bow, at the second she made a Courtesy, and at the third, she descended to the first step of her Throne. They made their Harangue in the Flemish Language; and because the Queen did not after the first Complements, make them be cover'd, they made no difficulty to put on their Hats, taking them off at certain periods where the discourse was to be accompanied with some terms of respect. The Senators yielded them the Hand, the Door, and the Chair in all their Conferences; but at first they made some difficulty to give the Title of Excellency to the Embassadors, and were of Opinion that these last ought not to be covered at the Audience. However, all that was regulated to the satisfaction of the Embassadors. The Queen was very young at this time; but the Senators, and particularly the Chancellor, ought to have inform'd her of what she ought to do; and ought not to have been ignorant of the manner how the late King had treated the Embassadors of the United Provinces.
With modernised spelling:
William Boreel, Albert Sonck, and Epœus d'Aylva, ambassadors from the United Provinces to Sweden, in the year 1640, were very well received there. They were lodged in a house very magnificently furnished, each ambassador having a canopy in his chamber, besides that which was over their table, where they eat in common, and were defrayed during the whole time of their stay at Stockholm. On the 3rd of August they had their first audience.
The Queen, who was seated in a kind of throne, stood up at the ambassador's first bow, at the second she made a curtsy, and at the third she descended to the first step of her throne. They made their harangue in the Flemish language; and because the Queen did not, after the first compliments, make them be covered, they made no difficulty to put on their hats, taking them off at certain periods where the discourse was to be accompanied with some terms of respect.
The senators yielded them the hand, the door and the chair in all their conferences; but at first they made some difficulty to give the title of Excellency to the ambassadors and were of opinion that these last ought not to be covered at the audience. However, all that was regulated to the satisfaction of the ambassadors.
The Queen was very young at this time, but the senators, and particularly the Chancellor, ought to have informed her of what she ought to do and ought not to have been ignorant of the manner how the late King had treated the ambassadors of the United Provinces.
English translation (my own):
Willem Boreel, Albert Sonck and Epo van Aylva, ambassadors of the United Provinces in Sweden in 1640, were very well received there, lodged in a very magnificently furnished house; each ambassador having a canopy in his room, without the one that was above their table, where they ate together; and were defrayed during their entire stay in Stockholm. On August 3 they had their first audience.
The Queen, who was seated on a kind of throne, rose at the first reverence from the ambassadors; at the second one she also did so; and at the third one she descended to the first step of her throne. They gave their harangue in Flemish; and because after the first compliments the Queen did not make them be covered, they did not stop putting on their hats, uncovering themselves from time to time at the places where it was necessary to accompany the discourse with some terms of respect.
The senators ceded their hands, the door, and the chair to them in all conferences, but at first they had some difficulty in giving the title of Excellency to the ambassadors and judged that they should not cover themselves in the audience; but all this was settled to the contentment of the ambassadors.
The Queen was very young at the time, but the senators, and among others the Chancellor, should have informed her of what she had to do and should not have been ignorant of how the late King had treated the ambassadors of the United Provinces.
Above: Kristina.
