Cecilian merihätä ja päivät Suomessa joulukuussa 1564

Cecilia 
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Jostain vuosia sitten luin, että matkallaan Englantiin Kustaa Vaasan Cecilia-tytär koukkasi Suomen rannikolle ja joutui merihätään. Yritin löytää lisätietoa, mutta en onnistunut. Ennen kuin joulun aikaan tavasin Kristiina Savinin jo pariin kertaan täällä mainittua väitöskirjaa Fortunas klädnader. Savin käsittelee siinä James Bellin tekstiä Queen Elizabeth and a Swedish Princess: Being an Account of the Visit of Princess Cecilia of Sweden to England in 1565. Hän huomauttaa, että kertomuksen tosiperäisyys on kyseenalaistettu, ja suhtautuu itsekin totuudellisuuteen kriittisesti.

Minua kiinnosti juttu silti ja yliopistotunnareilla sain auki Margaret Morisonin litteroiman version (Transactions of the Royal Historical Society Vol. 12 (1898), pp. 181-224). Omissa silmissäni jo ilmaus "the huge and monstruous Rockes of Fynnelande" asetti kirjoittajan luotettavuuden kyseenalaiseksi. 

Hänen mukaansa seurue lähti Tukholmasta 12.11.1564. Vaxholm ohitettiin seuraavana päivänä. Seuraavat kolme päivää (14.-16.11.) oltiin jatkuvasti merellä: "beinge contynuallye at sea ; they haled over to Hellengenhaven in Eolande". Eolande tarkoittanee Ahvenanmaata, mutta Hellengenhaven? Tässä vaiheessa ohitettiin jo mainitut suuret ja hirviömäiset kalliot. Tämän jälkeen jouduttiin myrskyyn, josta selviydyttiin ja oltiin Suomen rannikolla? Kopsasin alle jatkopätkän, jossa hypätään hämmentävästi marraskuun 17. päivästä joulukuun viidenteen, jolloin oleskelu Suomessa alkoi. Pois oli lähdettävä 9. päivä, sillä ruokaa ei seurueelle ollut. Ennen pääsyä Rääveliin yövyttiin yksi yö täysin autiolla saarella, jossa Cecilia värjötteli palvelijoiden viittojen alla ja nämä niitä ilman.

Overpassed I saye, for eskaped how should I saye, since ymediatelye by necessitie forced they must venter upon no lesse daungerous a Coaste; but (for that which happened) farre more full of terrour, for directinge forward their course, they approched neere a pointe named the Quinelaxe, a marvailous daungerous passadge: where beinge under saile the XVIIth of November, not able to staye their course, sawe before their eies one shippe rashte in pieces, and the mariners crienge for helpe to them that even now were lyke to be helples them selves, for the same course that thother ranne before, they muste needes and did roonne presently after, But by the grace of God eskaped. After this saylinge still betwixte the rockes on thone side, and in the face of their enemies the Danes (readye allwaies to pushe in upon them) on thother side. 

Arryved at laste at user in the same countrey of Fynnelande the Vth daie of Decembre, and there remayninge till the IXth of the same (the countrey not beinge able to provyde them victuell) standinge betwixte too extremyties, chose rather to hassarde themselves in the terryble seas, then by longer abode to fall into extreame penurye of necessaries. 

So that they took shippinge in a moste terryble tempeste what tyme the storme comynge upon them wonderfull faste, and the wind beinge outragious, and the shippe boye, (for wante of heede) havinge cut the sayle before the ancre was wayed, The shippe betwixte the full sail and the faste ancre holde, was lyke to put her nose quite  sail and the faste ancre holde, was lyke to put her nose quite under water, or w:th the recoylinge of the surges and waves in daunger to be crashte in pieces. And yet this storme w:th lyke happe overpassed, they sayled forwarde betwixte the Rockes. And towardes nighte, as the winde waxed more calme, the seas also abatinge somewhat in courage, and her grace allmoste weriedd in thes perplexyties, was desirous to repose herselfe ashore. 

So that somewhat before nighte she was sette a shoare in her shippe boate in a lande to her unknowen, in wylde and deserte wooddes, forsaken, (as it were) for the unfrendlynes thereof as well of brute and savadge beastes, as everie other inhabytaunte. And that no parte of her iourney mighte wante cause of feare and pensyveness, The boate hadd not yet attayned the shippe, before there arose a soddaine Tempeste and almoste drowned the Boate, the Shippemaster, Pylote, and all the beste maryners. Duringe which time her grace was a shore accoumpanied but with a verie fewe, and contrarye to her expectacone without house or herberow, having no victuell in a deserte nor entertaynement in a barren Countrey, must needes with gladdesome will, yelde over all that wynter nighte in all thextremytie of colde to the colde grounde. And because the place mynistered no soccoure from the smarte boisteous wyndes, muste be contented to shrowde herselfe in her servantes cloakes, whiles they were enforced to shippe about therewhiles in their Jerkines, to gette heate to their Lymes, which otherwise mighte have waxed styffe before morninge throughe the hoarye froste and wante of warmer mantelles. Besides this they hadd no meate to refreshe their houngrie bodies, but suche fowle as some of the servauntes mighte happelie kill with their goonnes. A verie freshe entertaynemente to refreshe a weried princes. But suche was the extremytie of the time, and the wyldnes of the savadge wydernes: wherewith she seemed almoste nothinge to be dismaiedd. But cherefullie callinge her Servauntes together: 'Come hither (quod she) what is this for a colde Lodginge. Let us nowe talke of the Quene of Englande: who knoweth not in what case I am now: The remembraunce of whom hathe allwaies hitherto putte awaie all troubles, feares and daungers owt of my heade,' and so passed over all that colde nighte. The nexte daye tooke shippinge and arryved at Renell, a cytie within the province of Lyfelande. 

Tarkistusgooglaus toi eteen aivan uunituoreen ja avoimen Anna Swärdhin artikkelin James Bell’s Narrative of Cecilia Vasa’s Journey to England: Travelogue as Encomium (English Literary RenaissanceVolume 51, Number 1 Winter 2021). Svärdhille Suomesta alkavat ja läpi matkan jatkuvat vaikeudet ovat tarkoituksellinen narratiivi, jonka totuudellisuuteen hän ei ota kantaa. Alaviitteidensä perusteella mielipiteitä ja mahdollisesti faktojakin olisi läpikäytäväksi. Kai Tallinassa huomattiin ja pantiin johonkin paperiin muistiin prinsessan käynti? Kauanko matka Tukholmasta sinne oikeasti kesti?