Dangeau’s Diary, May 1689
1st. — The King desires that Monisuer de Rebenac will explicitly declare his sentiments respecting the embassy to Constantinople, being unwilling to send him there, should the office interfere with his private concerns. Monsieur de Rebenac has offered to set off and sacrifice his private interests and inclinations for the service of his Majesty, although he has a great dislike to this appointment.
2d. — The King, being satisfied with the reasons of Monsieur de Rebenac, dispenses him from undertaking the embassy to Constantinople.
4th. — After dinner the King went to hunt the stag and returned here at six o’clock. The Queen of England arrived a short time afterwards. The King went to meet her half way between the chateau and the chapel. They walked together for some time on the terraces round the palace. She then entered his Majesty’s apartment, where the King made her a very magnificent present of exquisite workmanship. It is a cabinet, which, upon opening, forms a prie-dieu, and then is converted into an altar. All the requisites for a chapel are contained in it, in miniature. She was delighted with the present, and was astonished to see so many charming things inclosed within so small a space.
6th. — Intelligence has arrived that the Queen of Sweden died at Rome. She was thought to have been completely cured. Having often asked after a little Georgian, who sang very well, and to whom she was much attached. Cardinal Azolin, who had caused her to be imprisoned for some crime, was obliged to inform the Queen of it, who in stantly flew into a violent passion, which brought on a return of her complaint. Monsieur Temple, whom we have seen here, was appointed secretary of war by the Prince of Orange. He hired a small boat, had himself rowed under London bridge and after giving the waterman a bundle of papers, with directions to convey them to Lord Shaftsbury and to tell him that he was in despair at having been so bad a servant to King William, instantly threw himself into the river and was drowned. The Queen of Sweden has left all her fortune to Cardinal Azolin. It is supposed her moveable property is worth more than a million. She was sixty-five years of age and was proclaimed Queen in 1633, one year after the death of the King, her father. She became a catholic in 1635.
28th. — The Marquis d’Alincourt returned to court. Monsieur le Grand presented him to his Majesty, who said to him “Your absence has been rather long: I wish you may profit by it. I hope it. Act well in future and be assured that I have entirely forgotten the past.”
