Source:
Mémoires concernant Christine, volume 1, page 133, Johan Arckenholtz, 1751
Above: King Kristina of Sweden, painted by David Beck.
Above: Johan Adler Salvius, by Pieter de Jode II.
The letter:
Jag hafwer i mit föregångne bref, mig nogsamt förklarat om min intention emot eder Person, så at iag är försäkrad, at i skole hafwa sujet de Contentement. Fruchtar eder intet för edra invidos, och warer försäkrad, at iag skal maintinera eder emot dem. Jag wil denne gången intet mera röra därom, utan remittera alt til Gud och tiden, här hemma står alt Gudi skie låf! i goda Terminis. Jag skulle önska, at Gud wille förläna frid till Kröningen. RiksCan... fait fort le souple; sed quidquid est, timeo Danaos & dona ferentes. Iag spör alle dagar på honom det Tacitus säger om Tiberio. jam Tiberium corpus, jam vires, nondum dissimulatio deserebat. Sed dabit Deus his quoque finem. Doch ware det långt ifrån mig, at iag honom något ondt önska skulle. Huru freds handelen aflöpa wil, måste iag förbida, drifwer den med alle macht som sig bäst giöra låter. Chanut war hos mig för några dagar sedan, och sade hafwa ordre af Plenipotentiariis i Munster, mig at bedia om befallning till eder, at j wille hielpa med flitig cooperation at facilitera deras Tractat, och i synnerhet at j à pied ferme, wille stå uppå tillika med dem, uti Lottringiske saken, och om den assistence som Keysaren prætenderar at giöra Spanien. Giörer derutinnan eder flit och assisterer dem med en god resolution och helt alfwar. Je ne doute point que Messieurs les Plenipotentiaires ne vous parlent plus amplement sur ce sujet. Contentés leur desir avec la même passion que je m'y intéresse, & sachés que je vous recommende les interêts de la France, de vous y emploier aussi soigneusement que vous le faites aux miens, afin de témoigner à tout l'univers que notre amitié & notre alliance sont indissolubles. Adieu
Christina.
English translation (my own, from Johan Arckenholtz's French translation):
I explained myself sufficiently in my previous letter of the intentions that I have for you, and thus I am sure that you will have reason to be content of it. Do not be afraid of those who envy you, and believe that I will protect you and will defend you against them. I will not speak more about it this time, but I will leave everything to God and time.
Everything is, thanks to God, in good condition here. I wish God would grant us peace at the appointed time for my coronation.
The Chancellor ..... is very flexible. But anyhow, I fear the Greeks, even when they bring gifts. I notice every day about him what Tacitus says about Tiberius: "The body and strength were already lacking in Tiberius, but dissimulation had not yet abandoned him. But God will also put an end to all of this." However, may God spare me from wishing him evil.
I must wait for how the peace negotiations go. Push them the best you can.
Chanut was with me these past days and told me that he had orders from the plenipotentiaries who are in Münster to ask me, that I order you to help by assiduous cooperation to facilitate their negotiations, and particularly to insist jointly with them firmly on the affairs of Lorraine, as well as on the assistance which the Emperor claims to give to Spain. Make it yours, therefore, possible, employ your care, and support them with good resolution and ardent zeal. I have no doubt that the plenipotentiaries do not speak to you more fully on this subject. Satisfy their desire with the same passion with which I take an interest in it, and know that I recommend the interests of France to you to use it as carefully as you do with mine, in order to testify to the whole universe that our friendship and our alliance are inseparable. Farewell.
Kristina.
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