A Journal of the Swedish Embassy in the Years 1653 and 1654, Vol II.
John Locke · en
They went all to the great hall; first the noblemen, then the senators,
then the bridegroom between Bundt and Whitelocke, then the bride between
two Graves, then the Queen and her Guards. Then the Queen presently took
her chair of state; at her right-hand at a little distance sat the bride
against her; at the Queen's left-hand sat the bridegroom, next to him
Whitelocke, and then Bundt. After they were all sat, Bundt rose up and
went towards the Queen, and spake in Swedish with a loud voice to this
effect, as it was interpreted to Whitelocke:--That Baron Horne, a
gentleman there present, of an ancient and noble family, desired to have
in marriage a lady who was servant to her Majesty, of the ancient and
noble family of the Sparres; then he spake much of the pedigrees and in
the praise of both the families; after that he addressed himself to the
bride and bridegroom, giving them good counsel as to the condition which
they were entering into, and their demeanour to one another. Then some
friends led the bridegroom to a place in the midst of the hall purposely
railed in, and then they fetched the bride thither also and placed her by
the bridegroom; then a grave churchman, one of the Queen's chaplains,
turning himself to the Queen, pronounced the words of marriage after a
form in a book which he read, and being interpreted to Whitelocke, he
found it the same in effect with the words of marriage in the English
Liturgy. The ceremony of joining them in marriage being ended, two Graves
with torches came to the bridegroom and bride and led them around; two
other Lords with torches followed after them, many ladies two by two. The
bride being brought to her seat by the bridegroom, he then took the Queen
by the hand and they walked between the torches; then the bride came and
took Whitelocke by the hand and they walked after the Queen. Whitelocke
brought the bride again to her place, and being instructed that he was to
take the Queen and march the round with her also, Whitelocke did it, and
all this was a solemn walking to the sound of drums and trumpets. After
which, every one returned to their places, and then they set to dancing
of the brawls; and the Queen came to Whitelocke to take him out to dance
with her, who excused himself.
[SN: Whitelocke dances with the Queen.]
_Whitelocke._ Madam, I am fearful that I shall dishonour your Majesty, as
well as shame myself, by dancing with you.
_Queen._ I will try whether you can dance.
_Wh._ I assure your Majesty I cannot in any measure be worthy to have you
by the hand.
_Qu._ I esteem you worthy, and therefore make choice of you to dance with
me.
_Wh._ I shall not so much undervalue your Majesty's judgement as not to
obey you herein, and I wish I could remember as much of this as when I
was a young man.
After they had done dancing, and Whitelocke had waited upon the Queen to
her chair of state, she said to him--
_Qu._ _Par Dieu!_ these Hollanders are lying fellows.