Sources:
Mémoires concernant Christine, volume 1, page 83, Johan Arckenholtz, 1751
Above: King Kristina of Sweden, painted by David Beck.
Above: General Lennart Torstensson, artist unknown.
The letter:
Wälborne Högtährade Herr Felt Marschalk,
Ehuruwäl iag hade högt åstundat, at Edre krafter hade efter låtit Eder, at continuera kriget, och utföra detta wäsendet, som nu en rum tid, förmedelst Eder försichtige Conduite och stora valeur, med så store, lyckelige och miraculeuse progresser har warit af den högste combleradt; Men medan iag nogsamt har kunat döma så wäl af Edre skrifwelser, såsom andras berättelser, hwad ynkeligit tilstånd, de stora travalier, utståndne uti min sahl. Herr faders, min och fädernes Landsens tienst, hafwa numera bracht Eder uti, så hafwer iag för denne gång, icke längre kunnat neka Eder den längst begierde dimission; och såsom den där med högste skäl och fog där til har kunnat prætendera, och hwilken utan injustice, detta ei hade kunnat utslås; därföre på det at J härmed skulle beneficeras, hafwer iag affärdat Lillieström til Eder med Eder fullkomlige dimission och resolution på alle de saker, han in publicis hafwer haft at andraga: Will förmoda at alt til Edert contentement skall wara skiedt: detta bref hafwer iag fogat därhos til en nådig tacksägelse för de långlige, trogne och flitige tienster som af Eder bewiste äre; och önskar af hiertat at den högste täcktes förhielpa Eder den styrckan att kunna adsistera wåre med Edra Consilia; Efter som iag för min person bär til Eder det förtroende at J uti desse beswärlige tider icke warda mig undfallandes, så mycket Edra krafter det Eder tillåta, medan iag lefwer i den förhoppning, at de nåder som Eder af min sahlige Herr fader i så mångfallig måtto bewiste äro, ännu i så friskt minne äro, at de Eder skola påminna den plicht J mig skyldige äre, emedan Gud så har skickat at iag den är, som numera endast lefwer efter hans död, hwilken J äre obligerade at bewisa Eder skyldige tro och tacksamhet, hwar med J obligera mig at continuera emot Eder den nåd som J alltid af min Herr fader niutit hafwer, och hela werlden at convincera i den fattade opinion om Eder, som den ther hafwer af begynnelsen bara sökt efter at tråda den rätta och sanna, doch af få trampade wägen til en solide och ren dygd. Jag hoppas at den admonition är hos Eder öfwerflödig, såsom den det wäl tillförende hafwer betänkt: wet doch lickwäl at han icke skal löpa utan frucht af, utan winna hos Eder det rum som hennes liker hos hwar ärlig swensk man finnandes warder; hwad angår de solicitationer som Lillieström hafwer haft på Edra wägnar at andraga, hafwer iag mästedels upskutit till Edre lyckelige hemkomst, hwilken iag af hiertat önskar snart hända. Det som iag hos mig hafwer resolwerat, hoppas iag skall giöra Eder godt contentement: hwad härutinnan för ringa skedt är, det skall om Gud will, ärsättias wid Eder hemkomst, med meliorerande af Eder condition och stånd, så och andre märckelige beneficier och all particular nådes och estimes betygning uti alla före fallande occasioner. Jag för min Person begierer at j wille framhärda uti den underdånige devotion som iag tiltror Eder hafwa för min tienst och bästa, och befaller Eder här med i then högstas milda bekierm och förblifwer Eder altjd nådige
Christina.
Stockholm den 10. May 1646.
English translation (my own):
Well-Born Sir Field Marshal,
Although I had strongly wished that your strength would have allowed you to continue the war and to carry out this task, on account of your cautious command and your great ability, with such great, happy and wonderful successes that, in a good space of time, have been blessed by the Most High, I have, however, been able to judge, both by your letters and by the reports of others, what a pitiful state the great troubles that you endured in the service of my late lord and father, myself and the Fatherland then brought you in, I have no longer been able to deny you this time your long-awaited dismissal. And as you have been able to claim it with the highest of reasons and well-foundedness, I could no longer have refused to give it to you without injustice. Therefore, so that you would hereby receive beneficiaries, I have dispatched Sir Lillieström with this complete dismissal and the resolution concerning all the things which he has had to make public; I want to presume that everything has been done to your satisfaction. I have attached this letter there to give a gracious thanks for the long-standing and faithful services that have been proven by you, and I wish with all my heart that the Most High would give you the strength to help us with your advice; because I, for my part, have confidence in you that you will not abandon me in these difficult times, as much as your strength permits, whilst I live in the hope that the graces shown to you in so many ways by my late lord and father, who is still so well remembered, will remind you of your duty to me. However, God has willed me to be the only one who lives after his death, to whom you are obliged to show your faithfulness and gratitude; whereby you oblige me in return to continue the mercy towards you that you had always enjoyed from my late lord and father, and to convince the whole world of the good opinion that you have strived from the very beginning to tread the right and true (though rarely wandered) path of pure and solid virtue. I hope that this admonition is superfluous to you, as you have already thought it. Still, I know that it will not go off fruitlessly, but it will rather win the place within you that any honest Swede could not deny. When it comes to the solicitations that Lillieström has announced on your behalf, I have mostly postponed them until your happy homecoming, which I wish to happen with all my heart. I hope that what I have decided will satisfy you. Whatever little has happened here, it will be replaced upon your return, God willing, with the improvement of your condition and your fortune, and with other remarkable beneficiaries and all special testaments of my grace and appreciation, as well as in every occasion. For my part, I ask that you please persevere in the humble submission that I trust you have for my service and best interests, and I hereby commend you to the mild protection of the Most High, and I remain your always gracious
Kristina.
Stockholm, May 10, 1646.
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