Sources:
Mémoires concernant Christine, volume 1, Johan Arckenholtz, 1751
Christina, queen of Sweden (1890), by Francis William Bain
Above: King Kristina of Sweden, painted by David Beck.
Above: Johan Adler Salvius, engraving by Pieter de Jode II.
Above: Count Johan Gabriel Oxenstierna, engraving by Anselm van Hulle.
With her/their manifesto of April 10, 1647, Kristina enclosed a letter for Johan Adler Salvius with the same date, in which she/they makes clear her/their displeasure toward Chancellor Axel Oxenstierna's son, Count Johan Gabriel Oxenstierna.
The letter:
Högtärade Heer Hof Cantzler.
... Ser iag af alle omständigheter wäl, at en part sökia at protrahera Tractaten, åtminstone där de icke alldeles den kunna renversera. ... iag skal wisa all werlden se, at icke heller R. C. förmår allena röra werlden med ett finger, Sapienti sat. Mit bref som härhos fogadt är til eder bägge, måtte j lefwerera åt G. J. O.; och ehuruwäl iag der utinnan tastar eder hårt an, så är han doch allena dermed ment. Lager så at d'Avaux får weta dess Contenta, på det at Fransosener icke fatta wrånge tanckar om mig, utan at de måtte se hwars skulden är. ... när Gud en gång hielper Eder med fred hem, skal edre giorde tienster med Senatoria dignitate recompenseras. J weta sielf at det är den högsta äran som en ärlig man kan aspirera til i wårt Fädernesland, och der såsom någon högre gradus honoris wore, skulle iag ingen sky draga eder den at conferera. Ehuruwäl det utan stor invidie intet lärer skie; men så må J säya; contemnunt novitatem meam, ego illorum ignaviam, mihi fortuna, illis probra objectantur, som Marius säger apud Salust. ... Gref Göstafson, ser Eder wäl före, hwad J denne senaste Communicere ... : Nec res magnæ sustineri possunt ob eo, cui tacere grave est. ...
Iag beder låter mig weta, hwad grimasser G. J. O. giör wid läsandet af mit bref til Eder begge.
English translation (from source 2):
Honoured Sir Court Chancellor,
From all circumstances, I see how a certain person, not being able entirely to break the Treaty, seeks to put it off. ... I will let all the world see that the C. [Chancellor (Oxenstierna)] cannot turn the whole world round his finger, sapienti sat. My letter herewith is addressed to both of you, give it immediately to G. J. O.; though I attack him and you equally in it, 'tis meant for him alone — let D'Avaux know the contents, that the French may not think ill of me, but see who is to blame. ... If by God's grace you come back here after the Peace, I will reward you Senatoriâ dignitate. You know it is in our country the highest honour to which an honest man can aspire — were there any higher gradus honoris I would not stick at conferring them upon you. But thought that cannot be without drawing on you many envious persons, you can say with Marius in Sallust — "contemnunt novitatem meam, ego illorum ignaviam, mihi fortuna, illis probra objectantur." ... as to Count Gustafson, look to it well what you let him know — "nec res magnæ sustineri possunt ob eo, cui tacere grave est."
P. S. — Mind you let me know what grimaces G. J. O. makes, on reading my letter to both of you.
The letter in full:
Högtärade Heer Hof Cantzler. Af åtskillige Edre skrifwelser har iag nogsamt förstått i hwad terminis sig freds Tractaten befinner, ser mer än wäl, eder giorde flit at afhielpa det långa, farliga och blodiga krig som nu en så lång tid hafwer trykt nästan hela Europam. Deremot ser iag af alle omständigheter wäl, at en part sökia at protrahera Tractaten, åtminstone där de icke alldeles den kunna renversera. Iag skal icke underlåta at recompensera med all nåde eder trohet och flit, och med det andra Partiet skal iag mig så ställa, at iag skal wisa all werlden, at skulden icke är hos mig, och skal låta werlden se, at icke heller R. C. förmår allena röra werlden med ett finger, Sapienti sat. Mit bref som härhos fogadt är til eder bägge, måtte j lefwerera åt G. J. O.; och ehuruwäl iag der utinnan tastar eder hårt an, så är han doch allena dermed ment. Lager så at d'Avaux får weta dess Contenta, på det at Fransosener icke fatta wrånge tanckar om mig, utan at de måtte se hwars skulden är. Jag sänder Erskein at om alt widlyftigare info[r]mera eder, om Soldatesquens contentement; iag har giordt däruti så mycket som har skie kunnat, twiflar intet at j härefter som härtill läre assistera wercket efter högste möyelighet, j måge aldeles wara försäkradt at iag skall hålla Eder skadeslös, och när Gud en gång hielper Eder med fred hem, skal edre giorde tienster med Senatoria dignitate recompenseras. J weta sielf at det är den högsta äran som en ärlig man kan aspirera til i wårt Fädernesland, och der såsom någon högre gradus honoris wore, skulle iag ingen sky draga eder den at conferera. Ehuruwäl det utan stor invidie intet lärer skie; men så må J säya; contemnunt novitatem meam, ego illorum ignaviam: mihi fortuna, illis probra objectantur, som Marius säger apud Salust: j det öfrige har iag den tilförsicht till Eder, at j med samma trohet drifwen werket, som j uti alle occasioner så berömligen hafwe altid temoigneradt; söker för alting at conservera mig en god opinion hos Fransoserne, på det at iag icke måtte niuta til ondo det som en part låta påskina emot den nationen. Iag hoppas at iag wisar i wercket huru iag är sinnad.
Gref Magni interesse recommenderar iag eder som om det wore mit. Där j kunne gifwa mig et consilium eller förslag, huru iag kunde beneficera honom med Benefeld, heller något annat ansenligit, wore det mig af hiertat kiärt. Iag skulle gierna donera honom Benefeld, men iag bär consideration at giörat för än iag har förstått eder mening. För alting håller detta secret, til dess iag får weta om det kan ta lag; han wet sielf intet deraf och mycket mindre Gref Göstafson. Ser Eder wäl före, hwad J denne senaste Communicere, Curtius säger: Nec res magnæ sustineri possunt ab eo, cui tacere grave est. Mais parlés à Monsieur le Comte d'Avaux de cette affaire. J'ose me promettre de sa courtoisie, qu'il ne fera jamais difficulté de rendre un si considerable office à un de ses plus affectionnés amis & serviteurs; ou plus tot je crois, qu'il ne trouvera pas mauvais, si je dis qu'en travaillant pour un ami qui lui est si acquis il me donne à moi une des plus signalées marques de son affection, que je lui demanderois jamais, & je vous prie, Monsieur, assurez le dit Monsieur d'Avaux de l'estime que j'ai pour sa personne & que les services particuliers, qu'il m'a rendus, me sont si considerables, que je mourrois de regrèt si je n'avois l'espérance de m'acquiter au moins d'une partie de ce qu'il a fait pour mon intérêt.
Jag slutar härmed och befaller eder Gud, med den förmaning, at j se wäl til, at Skymmelen intet skenar ofwer skacklan. Iag förblifwer Eder altjd wäl affectionerad.
Christine.
Stockholm den 10. April 1647.
Iag beder låter mig weta, hwad grimasser G. J. O. giör wid läsandet af mit bref til Eder begge.
English translation (my own):
Honoured Sir Court Chancellor,
I have learned enough from your various letters about the state of the peace negotiation. I can clearly see in this the care you take to end a war that is as long as it is dangerous and bloody, which afflicts and overwhelms almost all of Europe. I also see from all the circumstances that a certain party, not being able to overturn the treaties entirely, seeks at least to set them back, so I will not fail on the one hand to have regard by all kinds of graces to your faithful application, but on the other hand, I will behave with the opposite party in a manner that all the world will be able to notice that the fault was not on my side. I will also show the whole universe that the C. R. (the Chancellor of the Realm) is not at all capable of moving the world on his own with the tip of his finger: A word to the wise!
My enclosed letter is addressed to both of you and will deliver it immediately to C. J. O. (Count Johan Oxenstierna), and although I do touch on him as much as you, it is only of him that I claim to speak. Make sure that d'Avaux learns the content so that the French people have no bad opinion of me, but that they can see which side is in the wrong. I am sending Erskein to instruct you more fully on both soldiers' and officers' pay. In this I have done all that was possible for me here. I have no doubt that from now on you will also support this work with all your might, as you have done so far, and that you will be assured that I will recompense you. And if God grants you the grace to return with peace, I will reward your services with the dignity of senator. You yourself know that this is in our land the highest dignity to which an honest man can aspire, and if there were higher degrees of honour, I would not hesitate to elevate you there. And although this could not be done without attracting many envious people, you can nevertheless then say with Marius in Sallust: "They despise me because I am a new man, and I have contempt for them, because of the lazy life they lead, they blame me for what is only an effect of fortune, and I blame them for their own turpitude." Besides, I have this confidence in you that you will push this work with the same fidelity which you have testified on every occasion. Above all, try to keep me well in the minds of the French and to ensure that they have a good opinion of me, so that what a certain party makes appear against this nation may not do me harm. I promise myself that I will indeed make known the intention and the feelings that I have. I commend the interests of Count Magnus to you, as well as my own. If you wanted me to give your opinion to gratify him with Benfeldt or something else of consequence, you would do me a favour. I would gladly give Benfeldt to him, but I am having difficulty in doing so that I do not know beforehand your feeling. On all things, keep it a secret until I know if it can be done. He knows nothing of it himself, much less does Count Gustafsson. See in advance what you communicate to the latter. Quintus Curtius said, "He who cannot keep the secret is not fit for great affairs." But speak to Monsieur le Comte d'Avaux about this affair, I dare to promise myself with his courtesy that he will never make difficulty in rendering such a considerable office to one of his most affectionate friends and servants; or rather, I believe, that he will not find it bad if I say, that by working for a friend, who is so acquired to him, he gives me to me one of the most signal marks of his affection, which I would ever ask of him; and I beg you, Sir, assure the said Monsieur d'Avaux of the esteem I have for his person, and that the particular services he has rendered me are so considerable to me that I am dying of regret, if I did not have the hope of acquiring at least part of what he did for my interest.
I end here and I commend you to God, urging you to hold the bridle high to the stubborn horse, lest he jump over the drawbar. I remain your always affectionate
Kristina.
Stockholm, April 10, 1647.
Please let me know what grimaces C. J. O. will have made on reading my letter and the orders addressed to you two.
