rious lives owing to their over ample provision. They had considered, moreover, that God could not be properly worshipped with so much reading and singing as had been usual up to that time, but was worshipped best by the preaching of the gospel: that monasteries and cathedrals, with their staff, were therefore not necessary to the perfection of Divine worship, seeing that this had been better maintained before their establishment than after. Moreover, it appeared from the old registers, and from the number of estates now in the hands of peasants, that, where there were formerly a hundred nobles, there were now only three or four. Of their estates the nobles had been deprived, partly in their simplicity, thinking to do God service; partly by sale or mortgage, when hard pressed for money;-now, as the nobles could not by reason of these alienations do military service to the Crown (and the rather that horses and armour had doubled in price), the States had thought it right that they should get a portion of their lands back again for their ancestors had no right to strip their descendants of their possessions.'

After this exposition, the Council, having first acquitted Gustavus of the charges brought against him, proceeded to the trial of the rebel lords, Brynteson, Olfson, and Erickson.

As they stoutly maintained their innocence, though cautioned by the Council, Gustavus asked them "what they were prepared for, if the contrary could 1 Tegel, 1529.

CHAP. IX. CONDEMNATION OF REBEL LEADERS. 187

be proved against them?" They answered, "Our heads upon the block, our bodies on the wheel, as the law demands." The King, unwilling that they should die, or desirous that their blood should evidently be upon their own heads, asked them again if they would stand their trial, or confess their guilt and accept his pardon. But, confident, as they said, that no guilt could be established against them, they chose to stand their trial, when their own letters were produced, fully implicating them in the conspiracy, and they were condemned to death.'

A pear-tree grew near the house in an upper chamber of which Magnus Brynteson was confined after his condemnation, and suggested hopes of escape. It might be possible, he thought, to spring from his window, and, catching hold of some of the extreme branches, to lower himself gradually to the ground. He made the attempt; but having missed his aim, fell, and lay with a crushed leg, until discovered by the sentry in the morning. He was then conveyed to Stockholm, and, together with Nils Olfson, executed there, some few weeks after his removal. The life of the remaining culprit was spared, upon the petition of his mother, but not without a large sum being paid for his redemption.2

Tegel, 1529. At the same meeting on Midsummer-day some concessions were made to the wishes of the people. Among the rest—a few monks were to remain, and a tariff was settled for the sums to be paid for troop-horses quartered upon the peasantry. The estates of Turé Johnson and the Bishop of Skara were confiscated at the same meeting. ? Ibid.

--

CHAPTER X.

Arrangements for discharging the debt to Lubeck General dissatisfaction Riots in the Dales Unsuccessful attempt of Christian on Sweden Murder of the High Steward - Treaty between Frederic and Christian Violated by Frederic tian's imprisonment, death, and character.

Chris

IN 1529 the Count of Hoya and Ulf Gyler were sent to Lubeck to arrange for the payment of the debt. Notwithstanding the continual appropriations made professedly for the purpose of paying it off, the principal of the debt still remained at its original amount of 61,681 Lubeck marks for ships and war munitions, and 8689 marks for money advanced. It was now settled, however, that the whole should be paid off in six years. In consideration of this arrangement the privileges of trade in Sweden, formerly conceded to the Hanse towns generally, were -by an article to be kept secret from the excluded towns-thenceforth confined to Lubeck.'

It needed a threat on the part of that city, to detain the Swedish ships, and to withhold the usual supplies of salt, hops, &c., if its demands were not satisfied, before the States could be induced to provide for carrying out the arrangement of the King's commissioners. Meetings took place at Upsala in 'Tegel, 1529.

CHAP. X.

GENERAL DISCONTENT.

189

1530, and at Örebro in the beginning of 1531, when at last it was reluctantly agreed that to meet the stipulated payments-in addition to a sequestration of rent and tithes for a given time-the superfluous bells of both the town and country parishes should be given up or redeemed.1

These decrees gave in the provinces generally, but especially in the Dales, the most intense dissatisfaction. The people inquired with an indignant curiosity, "what had become of the repeated contributions made to pay the debt, what of the wealth of the Church reserved for the same object, since the Lubeckers had not been paid from that fund?” 2 Had they been better satisfied that what was required of them was indeed necessary, it would not have been pleasant to those who had lived where "bells had knolled to church "-even as a matter of ear and sentiment--to have "the largest bell," or "the bell next to the largest," taken, and their melody turned into a jangle. But a deeper feeling mingled with the sacrifice which was demanded. Their bells were in the eyes of good Roman Catholics sacred, not only from their religious uses, but also from the ceremonies by

Tegel, 1530, 1531.

At Upsala, on the 20th May, 1530, the largest bell in the cities of the kingdom was appropriated. "Plebeculam vero propterea tumultuantem, et magnopere admirantem quo devenirent tot factæ hactenus contributiones totque divitiarum ex regni ecclesiis contributiones, quando quidem," &c. At Örebro, on the 6th January, 1531, the King obtained permission to seize upon the bell next to the largest in every rural parish, ab Ordinibus difficulter assentientibus.-Scond. Illust., tom. v. pp. 52, 53.

which they had been set apart for those uses.' It was therefore with no small indignation that some of the Dalesmen sought counsel of Magnus Nilson, and other chief men in that district, asking whether they should be content that their sacred bells, which had been christened, anointed, and consecrated, should be thus taken from them? Magnus Nilson himself was not in a mood to throw oil on the troubled waters. From that day (he said) he would never again support Gustavus, but oppose him to the utmost of his power. The King had set at nought their privileges, come among them as often, and with what numbers, he chose. He had even crossed Brunbeck's ford--no leave asked of the miners and the Dalesmen--a thing upon which no former King or Regent had ventured. He advised them, therefore, when the King's officers came to demand their bells, to spare their lives indeed, but to give them a good beating.

This advice the Dalesmen followed, and in one instance, that of Lassé Erickson, with such a critical nicety that the life of the maltreated officer was for some time despaired of."

Magnus Nilson having declined to be general of the rebels, Nils of Söderby was chosen instead, and,

1

The author was once staying at a village in Switzerland when a baptism of bells took place. The godmothers, who were the richest damsels of the parish, provided their godchildren with dresses suitable for the ceremony, and gave them their own names.

Tegel, 1531; Gustavus to the Dalesmen, Stockholm, 19th March, 1531; R. R., fol. 209; Thys., vol. i. p. 361.