_Given by Whitelocke, in the English Manner, (during his Embassy from
Oliver Cromwell,) to Christina, Queen of Sweden, and some of her
favourite Ladies and Courtiers._
This being May-day, Whitelocke, according to the invitation he had made
to the queen, put her in mind of it, that as she was his mistress, and
this May-day, he was by the custom of England to wait upon her to take
the air, and to treat her with some little collation, as her servant.
The queen said, the weather was very cold, yet she was very willing to
bear him company after the English mode.
With the queen were Woolfeldt, Tott, and five of her ladies. Whitelocke
brought them to his collation, which he had commanded his servants to
prepare in the best manner they could, and altogether after the English
fashion.
At the table with the queen sat La Belle Countesse, the Countesse
Gabriel Oxenstierne, Woolfeldt, Tott, and Whitelocke; the other ladies
sat in another room. Their meat was such fowl as could be gotten,
dressed after the English fashion, and with English sauces, creams,
puddings, custards, tarts, tanseys, English apples, bon chrétien pears,
cheese, butter, neats’ tongues, potted venison, and sweetmeats, brought
out of England, as his sack and claret also was; his beer was also
brewed, and his bread made by his own servants, in his own house, after
the English manner; and the queen and her company seemed highly pleased
with this treatment: some of her company said, she did eat and drink
more at it than she used to do in three or four days at her own table.
The entertainment was as full and noble as the place would afford, and
as Whitelocke could make it, and so well ordered and contrived, that the
queen said, she had never seen any like it: she was pleased so far to
play the good housewife, as to inquire how the butter could be so fresh
and sweet, and yet brought out of England? Whitelocke, from his cooks,
satisfied her majesty’s inquiry; that they put the salt butter into
milk, where it lay all night, and the next day it would eat fresh and
sweet as this did, and any butter new made, and commended her majesty’s
good housewifery; who, to express her contentment to this collation, was
full of pleasantness and gayety of spirits, both in supper-time, and
afterwards: among other frolics, she commanded Whitelocke to teach her
ladies the English salutation; which, after some pretty defences, their
lips obeyed, and Whitelocke most readily.
She highly commended Whitelocke’s music of the trumpets, which sounded
all supper-time, and her discourse was all of mirth and drollery,
wherein Whitelocke endeavoured to answer her, and the rest of the
company did their parts.
It was late before she returned to the castle, whither Whitelocke waited
on her; and she discoursed a little with him about his business, and the
time of his audience, and gave him many thanks for his noble treatment
of her and her company.
Two days after this entertainment, Mons. Woolfeldt, being invited by
Whitelocke, told him that the queen was extremely pleased with his
treatment of her. Whitelocke excused the meanness of it for her majesty.
Woolfeldt replied, that both the queen and all the company esteemed it
as the handsomest and noblest that they ever saw; and the queen, after
that, would drink no other wine but Whitelocke’s, and kindly accepted
the neats’ tongues, potted venison, and other cakes, which, upon her
commendation of them, Whitelocke sent unto her majesty.[156]
* * * * *