Wh. It is more suitable to your Majesty’s bounty than to anything I can call desert in me, who have a most grateful sense and acceptance of your Majesty’s favours.
Ceremony of the marriage. The bride and bridegroom were both clothed in white tabby, his suit laced with a very broad gold and silver lace. The bride had on her head a coronet set full of diamonds, with a diamond collar about her neck and shoulders, a diamond girdle of the same fashion, and a rich diamond jewel at her breast, which were all of them of great value, and by some reported to be the Queen’s jewels, lent by her to the bride for that time.
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.
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.