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 nobility 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 assure 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.

Qu. You have discovered nothing but what tends to your honour and to my contentment; and I take it as a favour that you were willing to lay aside your gravity and play the courtier upon my request, which I see you can do so well when you please.

After the dancing ended, there was brought into the hall a sumptuous banquet, the Hof-Marshal with his silver staff ushering it, and after that distributed.  The Queen and all the company went back in the same order to the presence-chamber, and there the Queen bid the bride and bridegroom good-night, and so all went to their lodgings, divers of the nobles waiting on the bride to her chamber.

The Queen told Whitelocke that she believed the Prince would be here on Tuesday next, and that Whitelocke should have his audience on Friday next.  Whitelocke took his coach, after it had waited nine hours at the castle.

May 11, 1654.

[SN:  The abdication of Queen Christina.]

Early in the morning the master of the ceremonies came to accompany Whitelocke to the castle, to see the manner of the assembly of the Ricksdag, and brought him and his company to the castle to an upper room or gallery, where he sat privately, not taken notice of by any, yet had the full view of the great hall where the Ricksdag met, and heard what was said.  The Danish Ambassador did forbear to come thither, as was supposed, because of Whitelocke being there.  The French Resident sat by Whitelocke, and conversed with him.