A Journal of the Swedish Embassy in the Years 1653 and 1654 Part 23

The Ricks-Admiral sent to Whitelocke, expressing much civility and readiness to serve him, and desired to know if one s.h.i.+p would be sufficient for his transportation; that, if he pleased, there should be more provided for him. Whitelocke returned thanks, and that he hoped he should not have occasion to put them to the trouble of more s.h.i.+ps for his transportation than that already ordered for him.

[SN: Whitelocke invited to the ceremony of abdication.]

The master of the ceremonies came to Whitelocke, by the Queen's command, to know if he and his company pleased to see the meeting of the Ricksdag; that he had provided a place for that purpose, where they might be unknown and unseen, and yet see all the ceremony and hear all the harangues; that if Whitelocke would see it, the master would call him at eight o'clock in the morning and wait upon him to the place; but he said that the Danish Amba.s.sador had some thoughts of being there also, and if he came first to the place he would take the uppermost seat. Whitelocke then desired the master to call him early enough that he might be there first, because he should hardly permit the Danish Amba.s.sador to sit above him. The master said he would be sure to call Whitelocke early enough, but he believed that the Danish Amba.s.sador would not be there because of his ill health.

The master told Whitelocke that Monsieur Bloome had informed him that some of Whitelocke's gentlemen took exceptions to the presents sent them by the Queen. He protested, upon his soul and his honour, that he had no hand in the disposing of these presents, but that all was done by the officers of the Chamber of Accounts, and that the Queen did not meddle with it; but when he showed her a catalogue of the officers of Whitelocke's house, she marked them how she would have the presents bestowed; that how the matter might be altered afterwards he was wholly ignorant, and that he had order, under the hands of the officers, to make the distribution as he had done; and he hoped none of the gentlemen would be offended with him, who had done nothing but as he was ordered by those over him. Whitelocke told him that, in so great a family as his was, it would be difficult to please every one; that these presents were the Queen's favours, which she might distribute as she pleased, and every one ought to be contented therewith; that some of his company had discoursed hereof more than belonged to them, but that he would take order in it himself. They had also this further discourse:--

_Whitelocke._ Do you expect the arrival of the Prince here on Friday next?

_Mast. Cer._ The Queen is not a.s.sured of his arrival that day, but she will go out on horseback, accompanied with all her n.o.bility, to meet him.

_Wh._ Will it be expected that I go out likewise to meet him?

_Mast. Cer._ That cannot be, because it will be after your last audience, and when you have taken your leave of the Queen, so that you cannot then appear in public nor in any public action, because it will be to present yourself before those of whom you had taken your leave before.

_Wh._ But after my last audience I may in private see the Queen?

_Mast. Cer._ Yes, for that is but a particular visit; and so you may visit any of your friends after your last audience.

_Wh._ I intend likewise to salute the Prince after my last audience.

_Mast. Cer._ You may do it, because it will be but a particular visit.

_Wh._ I hope his Royal Highness will treat me with the same civility and respect as he useth to any other amba.s.sador.

_Mast. Cer._ That he will infallibly do. Monsieur Chanut, the French Amba.s.sador, when he was in this Court, did always give the right hand to the Prince after the proposal had been made of declaring him Prince-heritier of the crown, though the Ricksdag had not then confirmed it. But Chanut made difficulty of it at the Prince's lodging, because he was not the son of a king, yet afterwards he did it both there and elsewhere.

_Wh._ There is more reason for me now to do it, because the proposal is to be made of investing him with the Crown. What was the manner of the Prince's reception of Chanut, where did he meet Chanut at his coming, and how far did he go with him at his taking leave?

_Mast. Cer._ The Prince received Chanut at the door of the chamber where he had his audience; and when the Amba.s.sador went away, the Prince brought him to the same place and no further; and I believe he will give the same respect to your Excellence, and as much to you as to any public minister.

_Wh._ I can desire no more.

_May 10, 1654._

[SN: Whitelocke attends a wedding at Court.]

Lagerfeldt came to Whitelocke and acquainted him that there was a special article to be agreed upon touching the business of Guinea, which the Queen and the Chancellor were willing might proceed for the despatch of Whitelocke, and that Grave Eric would have come to him about it, but that he was ill and had taken physic. He told Whitelocke that the Queen said he might have his last audience that day if he pleased; but if he would be present at the solemnity of the nuptials which were this evening to be celebrated at Court between the Baron Horne and the Lady Sparre, and if he desired to see the a.s.sembling of the Ricksdag tomorrow, then it would be requisite to defer his audience till Friday, because when he had taken his leave of the Queen it would not be proper for him afterwards to appear in public. Whitelocke said he had rather be dismissed than to be present at any solemnities; that her Majesty had taken him captive by her n.o.ble presents, so that it was not fit for him to come abroad in public.

He asked Lagerfeldt if the Prince would be here on Friday next; if so, then it would not be convenient to have his audience put off to that day.

Lagerfeldt said he doubted that the Prince would not be here so soon.

An officer on horseback, accompanied with several other hors.e.m.e.n, with four kettle-drums and eight or ten trumpets beating and sounding before them, made proclamation in several parts of the town that all persons who were summoned to appear at the Ricksdag should give their attendance at the place appointed in the Queen's castle of Upsal tomorrow by eight o'clock in the morning, upon pain of half-a-dollar mulcted for every default.

The master of the ceremonies came to Whitelocke from the Queen, and acquainted him to the same effect as Lagerfeldt had done, touching his last audience. The master also, by the Queen's command, invited Whitelocke to the wedding at Court this night; and if he pleased to see the manner of the a.s.sembling of the Ricksdag, that he had order to take the care of it, and that it would be no hindrance to his going away, because the Prince did not come hither till Tuesday next. Whitelocke said he was sorry that the Prince would come no sooner to this place, but since it was the pleasure of the Queen that he should wait upon her this evening, he would obey her commands; and as to the time of his audience, he submitted to her pleasure.

The Ricks-Admiral sent again to Whitelocke, to know if he would have any more s.h.i.+ps provided for his transportation. Whitelocke returned his thanks, and that he intended not to take any of his horses with him, and therefore should not need any more s.h.i.+ps than were already ordered.

Studely, one of Whitelocke's servants, returned to him from Stockholm with an account that the s.h.i.+p appointed for his transportation was not yet ready, which r.e.t.a.r.ded his voyage to his trouble.

Between ten and eleven o'clock at night the master of the ceremonies came to Whitelocke's house, with one of the Queen's coaches, to bring him to the wedding at Court. He desired Whitelocke's two sons to go into that coach, who excused themselves that they had not been in that coach formerly. The master said that when one went to an audience there were certain formalities to be observed, but going to a wedding was another thing; that now the Queen had sent her coach for Whitelocke as her guest, and it was proper for his sons to go with him. Whitelocke wished them to observe the direction of the master, who governed in these things.

They went to the bridegroom's house, where were many of his friends; his uncle the Ricks-Admiral, Marshal Wrangel, and other senators and n.o.blemen. As soon as Whitelocke alighted out of the coach, the bridegroom's brother was there to receive him and bid him welcome; near the door the bridegroom met him, and gave him thanks for the favour in honouring his wedding with his presence. Whitelocke said he was very ready to testify his respects to the n.o.bility of this country, and particularly to himself, and took it for an honour to be invited into such company.

Whitelocke was instructed by the master of the ceremonies, that by the custom of this country the bridegroom takes place of the King, and the bride of the Queen, during the solemnities of the wedding; accordingly Whitelocke gave the right hand to the bridegroom.

After a little discourse they took their coaches;--first the gentlemen, then the Lords, then the Senators, then the Ricks-Admiral and Senator Bundt, who, being next of kin, was to give the bride in marriage; after Bundt went Whitelocke, and after him the bridegroom, who had precedence in the Queen's coach, which went last, and Whitelocke next before it, and the other coaches in their order; the bridegroom's coach last of all, as the best place. The like order they observed in their going in the castle. At the head of the stairs the master of the ceremonies met them, and brought them to the presence-chamber, where the Queen was with the bride and a great company of gallant ladies. The bridegroom kissed her Majesty's hand, and then the bride's hand; the rest of the company did the like. Between the Queen and Whitelocke pa.s.sed a little discourse.

_Whitelocke._ Madam, I give you humble thanks for your invitation of me to these solemnities.

_Queen._ It is an honour to us that such an Amba.s.sador will be present at our ceremonies.

_Wh._ I likewise return my most humble thanks to your Majesty for your many favours, and the n.o.ble presents you have been pleased to bestow on me and on my company.

_Qu._ Sir, you mock me; I am troubled I could not do according to that respect which I bear you. This is only a custom of our country to persons of your condition, and I hope you will take it in good part.

_Wh._ It is more suitable to your Majesty's bounty than to anything I can call desert in me, who have a most grateful sense and acceptance of your Majesty's favours.

[SN: Ceremony of the marriage.]

The bride and bridegroom were both clothed in white tabby, his suit laced with a very broad gold and silver lace. The bride had on her head a coronet set full of diamonds, with a diamond collar about her neck and shoulders, a diamond girdle of the same fas.h.i.+on, and a rich diamond jewel at her breast, which were all of them of great value, and by some reported to be the Queen's jewels, lent by her to the bride for that time.

They went all to the great hall; first the n.o.blemen, then the senators, then the bridegroom between Bundt and Whitelocke, then the bride between two Graves, then the Queen and her Guards. Then the Queen presently took her chair of state; at her right-hand at a little distance sat the bride against her; at the Queen's left-hand sat the bridegroom, next to him Whitelocke, and then Bundt. After they were all sat, Bundt rose up and went towards the Queen, and spake in Swedish with a loud voice to this effect, as it was interpreted to Whitelocke:--That Baron Horne, a gentleman there present, of an ancient and n.o.ble family, desired to have in marriage a lady who was servant to her Majesty, of the ancient and n.o.ble family of the Sparres; then he spake much of the pedigrees and in the praise of both the families; after that he addressed himself to the bride and bridegroom, giving them good counsel as to the condition which they were entering into, and their demeanour to one another. Then some friends led the bridegroom to a place in the midst of the hall purposely railed in, and then they fetched the bride thither also and placed her by the bridegroom; then a grave churchman, one of the Queen's chaplains, turning himself to the Queen, p.r.o.nounced the words of marriage after a form in a book which he read, and being interpreted to Whitelocke, he found it the same in effect with the words of marriage in the English Liturgy. The ceremony of joining them in marriage being ended, two Graves with torches came to the bridegroom and bride and led them around; two other Lords with torches followed after them, many ladies two by two. The bride being brought to her seat by the bridegroom, he then took the Queen by the hand and they walked between the torches; then the bride came and took Whitelocke by the hand and they walked after the Queen. Whitelocke brought the bride again to her place, and being instructed that he was to take the Queen and march the round with her also, Whitelocke did it, and all this was a solemn walking to the sound of drums and trumpets. After which, every one returned to their places, and then they set to dancing of the brawls; and the Queen came to Whitelocke to take him out to dance with her, who excused himself.

[SN: Whitelocke dances with the Queen.]

_Whitelocke._ Madam, I am fearful that I shall dishonour your Majesty, as well as shame myself, by dancing with you.

_Queen._ I will try whether you can dance.

_Wh._ I a.s.sure your Majesty I cannot in any measure be worthy to have you by the hand.

_Qu._ I esteem you worthy, and therefore make choice of you to dance with me.

_Wh._ I shall not so much undervalue your Majesty's judgement as not to obey you herein, and I wish I could remember as much of this as when I was a young man.

After they had done dancing, and Whitelocke had waited upon the Queen to her chair of state, she said to him--

_Qu._ _Par Dieu!_ these Hollanders are lying fellows.

_Wh._ I wonder how the Hollanders should come into your mind upon such an occasion as this is, who are not usually thought upon in such solemnities, nor much acquainted with them.

_Qu._ I will tell you all. The Hollanders reported to me a great while since that all the _n.o.blesse_ of England were of the King's party, and none but mechanics of the Parliament party, and not a gentleman among them; now I thought to try you, and to shame you if you could not dance; but I see that you are a gentleman and have been bred a gentleman, and that makes me say the Hollanders are lying fellows, to report that there was not a gentleman of the Parliament's party, when I see by you chiefly, and by many of your company, that you are gentlemen.

_Wh._ Truly, Madam, in this they told a great untruth to your Majesty, as I believe they have done in several other particulars. I do confess that the greatest part of our n.o.bility and gentry were of the King's party, but many of them likewise were of the Parliament's party; and I, who am sent to wait upon your Majesty, can, without vanity, derive to myself an ancient pedigree of a gentleman. They would not have given the honour to any but a gentleman to kiss your Majesty's hand, and you are pleased to do your servant right, and his company, by acknowledging that our superiors have commanded gentlemen to wait on you.

_Qu._ I a.s.sure you that I esteem it the greater honour done to me, and you are the more welcome to me because you are a gentleman; and had I not known and found you to be so, your business would not have been so well despatched as it is. I see you have all the qualities of a gentleman, and I believe that you were excellent in your music and dancing in your younger days.

_Wh._ I was bred up in the qualities of a gentleman, and in my youth was accounted not inferior to others in the practice of them; but it is so long since I used this of dancing, especially after we learned to march, that had it not been to obey your Majesty, I should hardly have been drawn to discover my deficiencies.