A

from Stockholm, attacked, on Good Friday, the army of the Danes drawn up before Upsala. snow-storm during the battle prevented the Danes from using their artillery, and their cavalry from acting with effect, for the snow balled under the horses' feet, and both horse and rider continually rolled to the ground. Had the Swedes then had a leader to prevent them from leaving their ranks in search of plunder, the victory might have been complete. The Danes confessed, that when they said they would fight with a shower of peasants they had spoken foolishly. "For when God withdraws his hand from the warrior, a poor peasant is as good as he."1

At Whitsuntide Christian came over with a fleet, and invested Stockholm, at the same time using the mediation of the Bishop of Strengness and Hemming Gadd to procure a surrender. The measure was not popular, and Hemming Gadd was nearly killed by Peter Fredag for proposing it; but "the chiefs were in its favour, and the rest must needs give in." The terms were a complete oblivion of all past political offences, not only at Stockholm, but throughout the realm, and these terms were ratified by the King in the most solemn manner, no form of law, no sanction of religion being omitted that could inspire confidence in the treaty. When all was finished the burgomasters met the King upon the south suburb, presented to him the keys of the city, and then conducted him Olai Petri, p. 343.

CHAP. II.

CORONATION OF CHRISTIAN II.

47

in solemn procession, first to the churches in the town, then to the castle, and finally to the house of one of the citizens, Gorius Holst, where he remained an inmate.' Christian left Sweden after a short time, but returned in the month of October, and summoned all the nobles and dignitaries throughout the kingdom to be at Stockholm on All Saints' day, the 1st of November, to celebrate his coronation.

What took place on that memorable occasion Gustavus learnt from one who had escaped from the scene of horrors.2

The King was proclaimed at the appointed day of meeting, and crowned on the following Sunday, in the High Church of Stockholm, by Archbishop Trollé, assisted by the other bishops. He then confirmed with fresh oaths all his promises, made at the surrender of the capital, and corroborated them by receiving the sacrament at the high altar. The Burgundian herald, who was there on behalf of the Emperor Charles the Fifth, Christian's brother-in-law, congratulated him in a Latin oration, and invested him with the order of the Golden Fleece.3

One or two circumstances took place at the ceremony to awaken the jealousy, if not the suspicion, of the Swedish nobles. Danes and foreigners only were chosen to bear the chief parts in the pageant, and to receive the honour of knighthood from the King's hand. The General Otto Krumpé bore the 2 Tegel, 1520.

Olai Petri, pp. 344, 345.

Olai Petri, p. 345.

crown, Severin Norby the sceptre, Henry Gix the globe, General Peywick the sword. The two first, with Claus Billé and some other officers, were knighted. The King excused himself for not extending the same honour to the Swedes: "He had vindicated his right to the crown by force of arms: in this work the Swedes had given him no assistance. At another time, however, he hoped to show them the same grace that he had now manifested to the most distinguished of his Danish officers." 1

2

Whatever disagreeable impressions might have been made by these proceedings the King endeavoured to efface by the courtesy and friendliness of his demeanour during the festivities which followed, and which lasted three days; but in the midst of these he held a cabinet council, in which, after observing that the Swedes were jealous of their freedom, and that unless they were in time and completely subdued they would not long endure a strict government, he proposed to root out, as had been done in Norway, the distinguished families, and leave only a commonalty, which, without leaders, might be more easily brought to submission. He demanded of his councillors how this might be accomplished with the greatest effect and safety. Some suggested that a quarrel should be got up between the military and the townspeople, and that, in the Hvitfeldt, 1520; Olai Petri, p. 345.

2 Instruit convivium pro regio luxu ipse se effingit ad omnem speciem comitatis et hilaritatis.-Christ. IIndi. attentata in Sueciam ; Ziegler, vol. ii. p. 133.

CHAP. II.

SLAGHEC'S COUNSEL.

49

confusion which would ensue, they should take off whom they pleased. But this was thought a hazardous scheme, and liable-as giving the citizens the right to arm-to be turned against its contrivers. Others suggested that gunpowder should be placed under the castle, and a charge of treason founded thereupon against the Swedish nobles.' Finally, however, the counsel of Didrik Slaghec, called after this, by a slight change of pronunciation, Slag-hök (Slaughter-hawk), prevailed. He was the King's confessor, a Westphalian by birth, and had been once what our ancestors would have called a barber's clerk, but what we should call a surgeon's assistant; and if we imagine a rank between the two, and an occupation uniting both mysteries, we shall have a tolerable idea of what had been his social position. He is said to have been related to the mother of Diverké, the King's deceased mistress, Sigbrit, to whom many of Christian's evil deeds were attributed, and who had known how to preserve, by her own talent, the influence first acquired by the grace and beauty of her daughter."

Slaghec suggested that the King wielded two swords, the temporal and the spiritual; the first in his own right, the other on behalf of the Pope. The King might forgive offences against himself, but not those against the Holy See. His promise of oblivion for the past, therefore, was to be kept as far as he

Scond. Illust., vol. iv. p. 87; Zeigler, p. 133.

2 The Rimchronica represents Sigbrit as having once carried nuts and apples to market and kept a public-house in Bergen.

E

was personally concerned, but in his capacity of representative of the Church was not binding. Let him then bring the excommunication into play, and deal with all, who had taken part against Archbishop Trollé, as heretics.'

On the Wednesday after the coronation the Archbishop, by previous concert with the King, came forward in the hall of Stockholm Castle, where the guests were assembled, and, advancing to the throne, demanded that Stekeborg should be rebuilt, and the authors of his own and the ex-Archbishop's misfortunes punished. The accusation being pointed against Sten Sturé and his adherents, in justification of her husband Christina Gyllenstjerna produced the deed which solemnly deposed the Archbishop and decreed the destruction of Stekeborg. The King received it gladly, and at once resolved to treat all who had signed it as heretics. They were asked separately, whether they acknowledged their signatures, and, when they could not deny them, they were all taken into custody, with the exception of Otto Bishop of Vesterås, who had joined the Archbishop as accuser, and John Brask, Bishop of Linköping, who, having desired that his seal might be broken, and the words "I have been necessitated and compelled" having been found under it, was left at liberty.2

The prisoners were committed for the night to the

' Hvitfeldt, 1520; Scond. Illust., vol. iv. p. 87. The Pope (Leo X.) had ordered only the rebuilding of Stekeborg, compensation for damages, and a pecuniary fine.

2 Olai Petri, p. 346; Laurentii Petri, p. 148.