reason to live quietly in the Catholique religion his Majesty discoursing with himself that though the said Queen was not able in publique at least she could have exercis'd in private the true faith in her own Kingdom and perhaps with more advantages to the Catholique religion especially since surrendring the Scepter unto a new King who might be of a turbulent and warlike disposition was to open peradventure the way to some of those enterprizes which in the afflictions of Christianity might cause greater dammages to the interests of Catholiques than among the applauses of the world get glory and repose to the Queen He consider'd too wisely that the things of the world have nothing that is constant but inconstancy and that women particularly notwithstanding they have courage and spirit are subject to change so as he was not able with his solid Intellect to judge securely of a single appearance nor thought he it agreeable to his gravity and decorum to engage himself in any thing without sounding more fully the business and reaching the bottom of the motives from which a resolution so great and so little in use was deriv'd But afterwards assur'd that many heroicall vertues and eminent parts abounded in the Queen with the motive of which she knew the world was one of those enemies that is conquer'd by flying and albeit a woman had strength to trample under her feet its forces allurements and charms and conquer her self The King was so taken with her Majesties magnanimous action that out of his most pious zeal to the honour of God and the Catholique Church he not onely with great fervour accompanied her Majesties letter to the Pope but exhibited all his protection for the journey and entire satisfaction of so noble and so vertuous a Princesse After the peace of Germany the States of Swedland having soon bent their thoughts for the settlement of the Kingdom had likewise found it necessary to provide that the Masculine succession fayling in the blood Royall some one might ascend the Throne quietly and peaceably and the rather since the recalling the suffrages of the ancient elections did not seem good to them they knowing by experience that kind of dominion as not very durable and unsafe had often been replenisht with tumults and calamities whereupon they unanimously agreed that her Majesty pleasing her self with a husband that was not of a different religion nor suspected by the States should establish in her Progeny the security of succession They therefore made severall instances to the Queen and often sollicited the effect of their desires The Queen who in her mind had greater designs making use of the pretence of being unwilling by marriage to subject her own liberty to any declar'd that as she had been born free so she likewise would live and die free She boastingly said all the Kingdoms of the world were a price below the value of liberty which onely was the pretiousest Gem in her Crown That she knew the chast wits were still the most vigilant most lively and the fittest for all things which require understanding spirit and prudence The States seeing her firm in resolving not to marry pretended at least to appoint her a Successour to the end that she fayling there might be no difficulty in a new Kings election And because whatsoever we can most of all wish for in a Prince consists in his valour his prudence and goodness in the meeting of all the four Orders of the Kingdom the qualities and parts of the most conspicuous personage being maturely examin'd all gave their votes and applauses to the foresaid Prince Charles Gustavus Palalatine as one who descending by Birth from Emperours and Kings and having till that time commanded the Swedish Amies had given in all occasions great experiments of his valour and prudence Besides he being passionately belov'd by the people and souldiers could desire no clearer arguments of his merit for his exaltation to the Crown establisht in his Person by his substitution in the Kingdom if Christina should fail Some Polititians divulged to meddle in their discourses with so great an affair the Queen was not pleased the gate of dominion should be opend to this Princes desire since this being the most sensible of humane affections and that which soonest toucheth the quick they might see again acted on the Stage the offences of those times in which many men thinking nothing to be villanous and wicked have trampled under foot to compasse soon their ends all respects obligations honour and conscience But the said Polititians have fail'd in the conceit which perhaps they imagin'd their discourses would have rais'd while that they measur'd her Majesties thoughts and resolutions with their own ordinary rule of the interest of State The Queen's designs had solider motives and deeper foundations She sought to gain a Kingdom where Angells inhabit and therefore lost that willingly where men have their residence The Queen could not erre in the reason of State who secur'd to her selfe that of God She labour'd to know God in true greatnesse and felicity and God made himself known to her by giving her judgement and vigour to seek what few did desire and to despise that which all covet after For what concern'd humane reputation and glory she had learnt she could not better make happy and prolong the short periods of her life than with the report of one of the most glorious resolutions that had ever been heard She therefore very charitably and freely agreeing to surrender her Scepter to the foresaid Prince Palatine contrived a way with which without discovering her thoughts she frankly might renounce the possession of those States which were no longer hers because by her Majesty exchang'd for those of Heaven She thought that she had not the lustre of any vertue while she sate on that Throne which was not illustrated with the splendour of true faith The Queen lov'd God and therefore could no longer love the world To mount to the greatnesse of Heaven 't was necessary she should fall from the height of terrestriall felicity This her Majesties resolution discovered to some she most trusted it seem'd strange to them she would abandon voluntarily the dominion of a Kingdom than which there is not any thing more desired on the earth as in the change of a Prince both the Cities and Inhabitants are oftentimes subject to hurtfull alterations so with the apprehension of future events and the want of the happinesse they enjoy'd they particularly were troubled and discontented and labour'd to remove her from that her opinion with very strong reasons and resembling the quality of the matter of which they discours'd They knew the new Kings â—enius and the martiall inclinations of his Captains so as they were â—ffraid it might prove one of those punishments which with the appearance of a blessing is cast upon them whom God will chastise They doubted though the Queen loved peace and
in learning The great piety of his Catholick Majesty The Princes of Germany which visit her Majesty in Hambourg The pretences of the Prince of Conde to the Queen of Swedland who visits her Majesty The Princes and Cavaliers who waited on her Majesty in Antwerp Count Pontus della Garda waits on her Majesty The profession of the Catholick Faith made secretly by the Queen of Swedland'n Bruxels Ponte del lac and its description The passage of the Queen of Swedland through Cullen The passage of her Majesty through Franckfort The passage of her Majesty through Auspurge The Palace of Ambre and â—ts Sâ—â—tuation The profession of the Catholick Faith made publickly by the Queen of Swedland in Inspruch The passage of the Queen through the state of Veniâ—e The passage at Ponte Felice The preparations made for the solemne Cavalcata of the Queen The Palace Farnese the lodging of her Majesty when she went from the Vatican The Persons which depart with the Queen from Flandres towards Italy The Persons appointed to wait on the Queen in her lodgâ—ngs at the Vatican The parly of her Majesty with the Prince of Holstein The publick Act of Profession made by the Queen of Swedland in Inspruch The sumptuous Preparation in the Church of Giesu with what store of people King Gustavus past into Germany The presents made by her Majesty to the Arch-Duke and others in Bruxels The presents of a Coach Litter Chair and an ambling Nag made by the Pope to the Queen The presents made to her Majesty by his Holiness in the Palace Farnese The presents made to the Queen by Prince Panfilio Q THe qualities of Cardinal Pio Bishop of Ferrara The qualities of Cardinal John Baptist Spada Legat of Ferrara The qualities of Cardinal Donghi The qualities of Cardinal Rossetti The qualities of Cardinal Acquaviva The quality of the Family Martinozzi of Fano The qualities of Cardinal Homodei Legate of Urbin The qualities of Cardinal Rondinino The rare qualities of the Queen of Swedland The eminent qualities of the Princess of Rossano The Queen goes to the publick Consistory to kiss the Popes feet The Queens admirable wit The revenues reserved to herself by the Queen of Swedland The Queen writes to the General of the Jesuits The Queen dispatches to Rome Father Casati The Queens departure towards Flandres The Queens sudden departure from Hambourg The Queens departure from Bruxels The Queens departure from Inspruch The Queens departure from Bologna The Queens readiness to comply with the Popes desires The Queen dines publickly with the Arch-Duke of Inspruch The Queen treats with the Jesuits The Queen is visited by Count Todt The Queens royal entertainment at Landsperg by the Ministers of the Duke of Bavaria The Queens entertainment in Inspruch The Queens entertainment by the Prince of Trent The Queens entertainment by Cardinal Spada Legate of Ferrara The Queens entertainment in Imola by Cardinal Donghi the Bishop of the Place The Queens entertainment in Forli The Queens entertainment in Cesena The Queens entertainment in Rimini The Queens entertainment in Sinigaglia The Queens entertainment in Ancona The Queens entertainment in Loretto The Queens entertainment in Macerata The Queens entertainment in Tolentino The Queens entertainment in Camerino The Queens entertainment in Foligno The Queens entertainment in Assisi by Cardinal Rondinini The Queens entertainment in Terni The Queens entertainment in Gallese The Queens entertainment in Câ—prarola The Queens satisfaction in Pesaro The Queen presents her Scepter and Crown at Loretto The Queen visits her Mother The Queens journey through Denmark The Queens journey from Hambourg into Flandres The Queens Aparel The Queens eminent vertues The Queens visits the Church of St. Peter The Queen goes to the Church of St. James of the Spaniards The Queen goes to the Church of Giesu The Queen visits the Monastery of Torre de Specchi The Queen goes to St. John Lateran The Queen sees the famous reliques of S. Peters The Queen visits the Nuns of Campus Martius The Queens answer to the States of Swedland R THe Reasons and motives which incline the Queen of Swedland to change her Religion The resolutions of the Queen of Swedland to turn Catholique The resolution of the Queen of Swedland to support her resolutions by the Catholick King The renouncing made by the Queen of Swedland The return of the Queen from Upsalia to Stockholme The return of the Arch-Duke to Antwerp to complement the Queen and invite her to Bruxels The reception of the Queen of Swedland in Rutemond Prince Robert Palatine visits her Majesty The noble reception of the Queen in Rotembourg The return of Count Montecuccoli to the Queen The recreations of her Majesty in Inspruch The recreations of her Majesty in Ferrara The reception of her Majesty by Cardinal Lomellino Legate of Bologna The return of her Majesty from Assisi to Foligno The reception of the Queen in Spoleto by Cardinal Fachenetti The recreations of her Majesty in Spoleto The reception of the Queen at the Gate of St. Peters The recreations of her Majesty in the Palace of Prince Panfilio The royal lodgings in Revere S THe straight of the Sound and its description Count Stemberg sent into Swedland by the Queen The sumptuous Bridge ore the Po. The noble Scaffold erected in the Palace of the Prince Panfilio T. The noble Tilting in Bologna V. THe voyage of Father Malines and Casati Jesuits into Swedland The noble Vineyard of Prince Panfilio W WIrtzbourge and the quality of the place The Wars made by the Crown of Swedland under Queen Christina Z. Zibbery and its description FINIS The History of the sacred and Royal Majestie of Christina Alessandra Queen of Swedland c. The First Book The Argument IN this Book â—â—e described the qualities of Gustavus Adolphus King of Swedland The education of the Princess Christina his onely Daughter Her Assumption to the Crowns The form of her Government The motives and true Causes of her conversion to the Roman Catholique religion and what hath occur'd in her Majesties renouncing of her Kingdm I Write in my History the end of the life of Gustavus Adolphus King of Swedland who dy'd in the height of his fortunes in the bloody battell of Lutzen a Prince who with the fame of his valour had chain'd the affections of his subjects drawn after him the attendance of strangers and purchased veneration and respect among his enemies themselves Never any Prince was beloved so well nor so faithfully serv'd They who could not see him desir'd at least his Picture to reverence it as the Idea of Military valour He was tall of stature and of a Majestique aspect which induced in all admiration and reverence love and fear together The hue of his flesh was white and well colour'd and his hair and yellow beard render'd him so resplendent he was stiled by many the King of Gold but he hardly arriv'd to the thirty eighth year of his age His first inclination to Arms was
the honour of her person as because she being there independent of any other Potentate whatsoever in Christendom might employ the endowments of her mind in the service of God and his Church by her Majesties interposing in many affairs of Christendom for the which without doubt there was no want at all of ability in her Majestie She sent then the Father to Rome in the Month of May of the year aforesaid but omitted at that time to make any motion to the Pope because she was not able to renounce so soon her Kingdom and in the mean time they had no suspition at all of those resolutions with which Pope Innocent was assistent to the business But Father Malines remained in Swedland well treated by the Queen while her Majesty disposed and so ordered her affairs that by the States of Swedland Charles Prince Palatine deputed before to the Crown after her was after her renouncing it admitted to the Kingdom which done she might securely depart In fine when she was to discover her mind and compleat her resolutions she began then by declaring her intentions to Monsieur Bordolot a French man and now Abbot of Massay her trusty Physitian to the end he repayring to the Court of France and making no mention at all of the business of religion might onely treat there if after her renouncing the Kingdom she might sojourn in France as likewise she had thoughts of dispatching Father Malines to Rome with her letters to the Pope While Bordolot and Malines prepared to be gone the Queen having made a discovery of the exquisite judgement and great prudence of Don Antonio Pimentel who with the Title of Gentleman sent from the Catholique King to complement the Queen and procure between their Majesties a good correspondence had been some Months before in that Court where he had with his rare parts purchas'd very great credit and fame resolv'd to trust him with her thoughts and make use of his assistance and counsell in a business of that consequence This Gentleman heard attentitively the Queen and was as much comforted as astonisht at the strangeness of the news And when he had considered how meritorious in Heaven how famous in the world and beneficiall to Christianity so glorious an action would be he represented to the Queen the necessity of supporting it by a Prince no less powerfull than pious that he accompanying with her dispatches the letter she sent to the Pope might make authentick the credit of so great and so heroique an act for the compassing of which the Catholique King seem'd fit to her Majesty The Queen therefore consigned to Father Malines letters for his Holiness Cardinall Chigi then Secretary of State to the Pope and for Father Nikei the Generall of the Jesuits and likewise gave him order that as secretly as he could he should go into Spain to procure the dispatches of his Catholique Majesty to the Pope in order to which she gave the said Father letters for the Catholique King and Don Lewes de Aro supposing besides besides that Don Antonio Pimentel being come to Madrid whither he was called might adde credit to her letters and solicit the effecting their Contents And as the greatest thing that troubled her Majestie consisted in secresy to remove every shadow of suspition she desir'd that the Father might go another way and not embarque himself with Pimentel For the very same reason it seemed not good to the Queen that Father Casati returned to Hamburg from Rome should repass into Swedland to avoid the renewing of the jealousies and suspitions had formerly of them especially she knowing some letters had been intercepted which Casati had written to Malines by which they understood that they were both engag'd in the very same business and had common interests Father Malines departed from Stockholm on the 3d. of May 1653. having stayed there something more than a year and two months The length of his voyage from Swedland to Lubeck occasioned by the contrary winds and his not finding suddenly shipping in England whither he went for that purpose out of Flanders were the cause he arrived not at Madrid till the second of August where he stayd certain months without having any news of Pimentel or negotiating any thing since his order was not to begin till he had first received her Majesties letters which were to be sent after Don Antonio aforesaid departed from Stockholm in the following August and embarquing at Gottembourg advanced not far when the Ship that sprang a leak constrain'd him back thither while the Vessell was repairing he went to the Court which then was removed to Vesten where he received order from Spain to stay there yet a while The Queen hinder'd by that accident to make use of Pimentel substituted in his place Father John Baptist Guemes a Dominican who was in Denmark with the Earl of Rebogliedo the Spanish Ambassadour to that King and being to negotiate some business appertaining unto the said Earl in the Court of Madrid was to have and expect the conveniency of embarquing himself with Pimentel to which end in the month of July 1653 he arrived at Gottembourg but the Ship as aforesaid coming back and he being commanded by Pimentel to continue with him went thence with him to Vesten The Queen knowing he was a man of great prudence and other rare qualities and considering she could give no suspition by his going into Spain since they knew long before he went for the affairs of Rebogliedo she lost not the conjuncture of making use of him for the treating of that in Madrid which she had design'd should be done by Pimentel She therefore informed him of the matter and wrote to Father Malines whom before she had order'd to make no attempt of any thing without new advice which he was to expect before he promoted any busâ—ness Father Guemes departed with her Majesties dispatches and Pimentel's on the ninth of October and after many troubles and impediments arriving in the Catholique Court in the month of March 1654 very earnestly sollicited there the Kings letters to the Pope to accompany the Queens and so honourably so faithfully proceeded in this business of consequence that her Majestie afterwards declaring she was infinitely satisfied was most confident of him by making him her Confessour and using him in her hardest and most scrupulous resolutions Though not onely by the mouths of the foresaid two Fathers Malines and Casati together with the Dominican and the letters of Pimentel himself his Majestie was fully inform'd and assured of all things yet he could do no less than remain surpriz'd a while at the news of so great and so strange a resolution it seeming to him a difficult thing that a Princess of that spirit and of so sublime a judgement could abandon her Kingdoms her Country and subjects whom she loved so tenderly and protected to lead a private life without that great Command for this only
gone by he was much displeased he had been prevented by her Majesties great diligence it troubling him extreamly he could not comply with his duty towards a Princesse of so great desert and condition and so cordially respected by him The end of the first BOOK The History of the sacred and Royall Majestie of Christina Alessandra Queen of Swedland c. The Second Book The Argument THe Queen goes into Flanders and comes to Antwerp There she staies The Arch-Duke and others send to complement her The Earl of Buquoy goes thither in the name of his Catholique Majesty After the retreat of the Spanish Camp from the Siege of Arras the Arch-Duke comes to Antwerp to visit her the Prince of Conde doth the same the Duke of Lorraine the Earle of Fuensaldagna and the Grandees of the Court and Army together wâ—th other Princes Earle Raymund monte Cuccoli dispatcht from the Emperour comes for the same Purpose Don Anthony Pimentel is sent unto her by the Catholâ—que King with the title of extraordinary Ambassadour and stayes with her Majestie The Arch-Duke invites the Queen to Bruxells where she is royally received she makes secret profession of the Catholique religion She received advice of the death of the Queen her mother Pope Innocent the tenth dyes Alexander the seventh is assur'd to the Papacy with an universall applause The Queen soone imparts unto him her resolutions and designes She departeth from Bruxells Her Majesties journey to Inspruch While her Majesty stayd at Hambourg diverse Princes and great Lords of the Countreys thereabouts came thither to visit her and with others Prince Christian of Mechelbourg the Duke of Brunswick the three Brothers the Dukes of Lunebourg whose Sister is Queen of Denmark Frederick Landgrave of Hessen with the Princess his Wife sister to Charles the now King of Swedland together with the two Princes Francis Albert and Gregory John of Saxony Lavenbourg The Queen received them all with great courtesy yet privately treated with them as conceal'd Earl Benedict Oxensterne came likewise from Wismar the place of his government to waite upon her Majesty and Generall Koningsmark from Staden in the Bishoprick of Bremen where he was Commander in chief The Landgrave of Hessen on the thirtieth of Iuly gave the Queen a stately feast without the City in a Villa call'd Vanspek All the Princes then in Hambourge were invited thither likewise where they were very merry after supper the Queen returned to Hambourg the gate being open'd for her by order of the senate for the guarding of which till her Majestie was entred the principall Citizens stood in armes and there finding all things convenient for her journey without taking leave of any one she desiring to go more concealed than ever she departed after midnight accompany'd by the Earle of Stemberg Signior Wolfe Gentleman of the Chamber and three Groomes reapparalling herself in mans cloathes She remanded into Swedland the senatour Soop and Earle of Donoau the Countess of Shemberg and the rest remained in the City with order to follow her the next day after and to be at a set time in Amsterdam every one having liberty to take what way he found most convenient for the passages at that time were unsafe by reason of the war between the City of Bremen and the Swedes whom they of the said City endeavoured to expell out of the lands they had seiz'd and possessed in these parts That senate pretended the said holds as members of their juridiction were unjustly detained by the Crowne of Swedland The Swedes refused to quitt them alleadging they were in the province of Bremen but not of the Diocess of that City In the meane time the Citizens of Bremen being armed on the suddaine and assailing the said lands obliged the Swedes to retreat but the King of Sweden afterwards sending thither with his forces the Generally Strangel and Stemboth they not onely recovered the said holds but reduced those of Bremen to surrender them free to Swedland and repaire their losses with a great summe of money On the first day of August at night her Majestie departed from Hambourg and lodged in a Village call'd Bardwick in Westphalia in the jurisdiction of the Duke of Lunebourg She tooke this unfrequented way though there were two other more commodious and more beaten to passe the more secure and unknowne On the second she lay in Rodembourg a little Towne of the said Duke of Lunebourg on the third at the Village of Barembourg and on the fourth at Mindem a strong and considerable City seated on the river Wesser the chiefe of that Province The day after she went to Osnabruck a great and famous City for the meeting there lately of the plenipotentiaryes and ministers of the Protestant Princes for the treatyes of the generall peace of Germany belonging to the Bishop the soveraigne Prince of that place On the sixth she Came to Munster a City renown'd for the conference and peace aforesaid established there by the mediatours and plenipotentiaryes of all the Christian Princes The next morning her Majesty before she departed desir'd to see the Colledge of the Iesuits esteem'd and lov'd by her as persons of great vertue and learning and here while her Majesty went veiwing the things of greatest Curiosity although she was knowne by one of that Company who had her picture by him which was not ill done and resembled her he observing too in her the countersignes given him by a Brother of the Society yet he made no matter of it not to hinder the pleasure she took in not being discover'd Her Majestie departing from Munster on the seventh day lay that night in the village of Ensened and on the eighth at Deventer a principall fortress of the dominion of the Republique of Holland where she saw as she pass'd by one Mr. Granovius a man for his great learning much estemed by her On the ninth she went to Amesfort where arriv'd too the same day the traine of her Majestie to whom she gave order by one of the Groomes of her Chamber that without making shew of knowing her Majestie they should keep on their journey and instead of bending towards Amsterdam according to the first order go directly to Antwerp The States of Holland receiving advice that the Queen gone from Swedland came towards the low Countryes gave order throughout all their Dominions they should stand on their guardes and be ready to receive her with due honours Bun her Majestie pass'd through Deventer Amesfort Vtrecht and other places without being knowne though she was expected every where there On the tenth at night she lay in a Village near Gorcum and passing the next day through the towne indifferently strong on the river Wahal she came to Breda a fortresse as famous in Brabant as renown'd in the warres past on the twelfth of August she ended her journey in Antwerp entering there privately and lodging in the house of Don Garzia Doyliano a Portugese
respect and veneration discover'd her Majestie had a good disposition towards Catholiques and therefore with dexterity by opening and enlarging the way so wrought that every day her satisfaction and confidence of him receiv'd augmentation When the Ambassy was finisht Parera prepar'd to be gone in September 1651. het Majesty more frequently than before began to send for the Father aforesaid In the end on the 12th of August retyring with him into her inwardest lodgings and saying she would tell him a business of consequence said thus in his ear Father Macedo you are the first Jesuit I knew and as by the practice and relation I have of your vertue I sâ—ppose I may be confident of your faithfulness and prudence so now since you are to depart I desire by all means you 'l procure me sent hither two Italians of your Society expert in all Knowledge who under the colour of Gentlemen than desire to see the world may stay in my Court that I without suspition may make use of them to which effect I 'le write too by you to your Generall The Father comply'd wiâ—h her Majestie with expressions and a sense peculiar to news of that consequence and giving her due thanks for her confidence of him and offering to serve her with fidelity he swore to be secret Macedo come home full of joy and consolation and beginning to consider of the manner how to execute diligently her Majesties desire resolved to ask leave as he did of the Ambassadour to go see for his own curiosity the fair and great City of Hamburg but could not obtain it so as he return'd to the Queen and told her of the difficulties he hid met with Her Majestie hearing him of a setled resolution to serve her reply'd you may go and say nothing The Father inform'd that the Vessell which should carry him was then in the Haven of Balen 35 miles distant and ready to set sayl towards Lubeck went to take his last leave of the Queen who gave him a letter of credence written and subscrib'd with her own hand and directed to the General of the company of Jesus who then was Father Francis Piccolomini Father Macedo concluded his expressions with humbly beseeching her to consummate her holy inspirations to which she reply'd that if she had known the Roman religion had been best she would have embraced it and that he should cause the two Fathers she desir'd to be sent with whom she might freely discourse and without all suspition having nothing else to say but entreat him again to be secret and quick The Father being licenc'd to depart went out of the gate behind the Court which looks towards the Sea and pass'd in a Feluca to a Rock where he remained that night since he could not reach the Vessell by day The day after he arrived at Balem whether one was now come dispatcht by the Queen at the instance of the foresaid Ambassadour to arrest him and carry him to prison but as he had secret order from her Majestie to let him escape if he found him he fain'd he could not find him and took horse and returned to Stockholm and the Father embarqued himself and sayled towaâ—ds Lubeck on the 2d of September where twelve daies after he arriv'd The Ambassadour soon gave out the Father was a Knave by his flying away in that manner and others divulged he was become a Lutheran and married From thence he arriving in Hamburg steer'd his course towards Nurenberg and finally having run many dangers came to Rome on the 18. of October 1651. Father Piccolomini the Generall of the Society dyed a little before so as he delivered the letter to Father Goswin Nikel who was then Vicar-Generall and afterwards Generall a man of great parts and born in the City of Cullen He embrac'd with great zeal a business of that consequence and as 't is the particular profession of the Society aforesaid to search all the parts of the world to convert to the holy faith both Heretiques and Infidells in which they employ very freely whatsoever is given them in charity and quickly made choice of Father Francis Malines a Reader of Divinity in Turin his Country and Father Paul Casate of Piacenza a professour of Mathematicks in ' the Roman Colledge at Rome men besides integrity of life of most exquisite understanding and great knowledge that as persons desirous to travell and see the world they might without delay take their journey for Swedland They arrived in Venice on the second of December 1651 the one comming out of Piemont and the other from Rome On the twelfth of the said month they departed and prosecuted their journey notwithstnnding the extremity of the weather and only in the beginning of March got ro Stockholm being hinder'd on the way by reason that Father Malines hurt his foot by the fall of his horse which made him keep his bed many daies In the mean time Father Godfrey Franchenius a Jesuit and a man that was truly Apostolicall and of excellent parts was brought by a Tempest from Denmark into Swedland who had frequently treated with the Queen and not without profit but not being able to stay there without being known he before was departed and gone into Flanders These two Fathers arriving in Stockholm were presently conducted to the Queen as Italian Gentlemen and Passengers And albeit her Majestie dissembled in the beginnning they so soon perceiv'd her good disposition and admir'd too in her then 25. years old a soul undeceived and exempt from vanity and the greatness of the world and filled with so equall a Knowledge of all things that she seem'd onely nourisht with the marrow of morall Philosophy Not long after she declared her self resolv'd by a holy inspiration to embrace the Catholick faith and renounce for it her Kingdoms and all humane greatness though there she was not onely esteemed but ador'd with a fuller and more absolute authority than any of her time There 's no doubt but she would very gladly have resetled in Swedland the Catholique faith if she could have overcome the great and many difficulties that lay in the way Too evident was the danger of spoyling the consort of her resolutions if they had smelt the least in that kind Besides too the uncertainty of the end much time was required and hazard of her conscience in which she was impatient to continue without the profession of the Catholique religion and she could by no means profess it occultly When she had with the said Fathers long discussed the means that were fittest for the compassing of her Majesties intentions she determined to let the Pope know her resolution and to send unto him with her letters the said Father Casati who was to inform himself particularly of all that was necessary for her future stay in Rome which then was her design she supposing the said City most fit for her abode not so much for
be acted several times The composition of the words was by Signior Giouanni Lotti and the musick by Tenalia both persons very famous With such recreations the Prince entertained her Majesty till the last night of Carneval in which he made wonderfully appear his own wit and generosity for after a royal collation and abounding with all the new fruits they could get in despight of the harshness of the season he conducted the Queen into a great roome adorned with most splendid and inestimable furniture where she saw sitting under a state the furniture in a moment vanish out of the Chamber a fair Sea there appearing in a beautifull prospect and ingeniously contrived within that narrow place she saw then immediately Venus and Cupid descend from above in a Chariot drawn by two Pigeons without seeing what supported it in the aire insomuch as the Queen and all that were there were amazed and astonisht Venus being come to the earth with her Son heard Cupids complaints who accused the Ladies of Tybur for being too rigid and the authority of his Mother not appeasing his anger he shot some arrowes towards the Ladies and together with Venus returned to the Chariot both of them singing joyntly the praises of her Majesty As they vanished they sang a little song inviting some Ladies who formerly were followers of Cupid to give with a dance some refreshment to them he had subdued The machine vanishing away from the sides of the maritime scene issued forth eight Ladies of the Princess aforesaid most splendidly apparrel'd with lighted Torches in their hands and danced a rare dance establishing love with those unstable motions and securing the motions of the will with the measure of short distances After this the room was refurnisht as before and her Majesty was so highly contented that she publickly declared she had not seen any thing in Rome to her greater satisfaction The words were composed by the said Prince Don Camillo who presented her Majesty with a song made by him on her renouncing of her Kingdoms which was much commended by her she celebrating the Prince for a very vertuous person and deserving all praise and applause Still in all these actions the Princess of Rossano was accompanyed by many Princesses and Ladies and severall Princes and Cavaliers were with the Prince who had every day rich cloaths with strange and new inventions The same did the Princess who had Jewels of inestimable value This Princess with her prudence and most noble carriage made it evidently appear her mind is as illustrious and generous as her family is great she being the Niece of many Popes and allyed to many Potentates in Italy The Abbot Caesar Malvicino and Signior Carlo Centosiorini the former the Secretary and the latter the chief Gentleman of the horse to the Prince aforesaid still assisted at these functions as likewise Signior Mario Raviera his Excellences domestick Gentleman who applyed himself to it very earnestly In Carneval-time notwithstanding these vertuous entertainments her Majesty shewed her piety in visiting severall Churches and particularly that of Giesu where with a most splendid preparation the forty hours were exposed On a scaffold in fine order appeared six mountains the arms of his Holiness on the top of which according to the prophecie of Isaiah they saw the Church sitting in a beautifull manner who while with her left hand she supported the cross with the other pointed at the sublime throne of glory on which they discovered the Saviour of the VVorld On the two contiguous mountains were erected two figures representing Religion and contemplation while the theological vertues plac't on the three mountains below did court and attend her At the feet of the mountains they saw come from all parts throngs of people to do homage to that great Monarchess and captivate their understandings convinced in obedience to the Catholick Faith Those personages afterwards appeared who thought it a thing of glory and desert to preferre the reproach of the cross before worldly greatness They represented too the Princes Kings and Emperours who shewed they regarded not their titles but to have some worthy argument to make known to the VVorld their esteem of the true Religion while for the love of it they despised those dignities There were likewise Princesses and Queens whose piety was as generous and as the famous Painters had given life and eloquence with their pensills to the Pictures so they were all contented with their state but in a certain manner confessed they were conquered with the modern miracle of a couragious and masculine woman who remarkable in the midst of the rest with a countenance breathing majestick as well as devotion the more she endeavoured to obscure the titles of a Queen acquired them the more The three Crowns and Scepters the victimes offered up by her to the Catholick Faith she did not now behold but every one admired them and it seemed she would plant them in that mountain she judging it worthy to have Scepters for trees and Diadems for flowers where Monarchs and Princes excited by her singular example might instead of birds build their nests To this great Lady the supream Commandress of the mountain bowed her face as if she had said many daughters have heaped up riches and thou exceedest them all You would have thought in so pleasing a sight the holy Church sucking consolations with her eyes and milk as it were from so many breasts as there were triumphant soules encreased to the eyes of the beholders and with those mountains quickened with some invisible breath was raised much higher Behind the Mountains and Personages they discovered severall fine distances which was all in the low region But the eye looking upwards entered into a Paradise which being wide open while it would be a Spectator of what was done on earth became a delitious and fortunate spectacle to way-faring men It extended it self in many circles proportionably still greater and abounding with beautifull figures of knots Seraphins Cherubins Angels and Saints even to the top of the Arch and profundity of the royal Court the receptacle of glory which could not be bounded with limits fine knots appearing without the Arch. The most holy Sacrament the Ascendent and Horoscope of the holy Church was in the midst of Heaven as it were nor could they discern how or where it reposed and yet it stood fast The blessed soules adoring it as they shewed they enjoyed its glories so likewise presaged by vertue of its influences greater happiness to the Catholick VVorld and it seemed they heard them say to those mountains enjoy peace O Mountains at which tidings they shall skip for joy like Ramms for the hope they saw they had The Father eternall was Spectator of all whom we there represent as when he had finish'd the VVorld and said all was good so there he appeared supported in himself and joyning together the high with the low the Earth with the Heaven made one