able atrocity was well understood; Slaghec's share being that of suggesting the most plausible pretext for doing what the King was resolved to do in some way or other. The possibility that some similar atrocity was meditated filled the minds of the Danish nobility with gloom and misgivings. Some tokens of an attempt to restrain their privileges, and to court the commons, had already appeared. Moreover, the state of the prelates had been curtailed, and an archbishop forbidden to travel with more than thirty, a bishop with more than ten followers. Powerful enemies were thus raised in the centre of the King's dominions; and how serious was the disaffection soon appeared, when at a States meeting called by him at Callundborg castle, to consult concerning the revolt in Sweden, the war with Lubeck, &c., the chief nobles did not appear, and insulted him by pleading the weather and contrary winds as an excuse for their absence. 2 He appointed notwithstanding another States-day in Aarhus, for the beginning of the following year; but it was whispered abroad that Sigbrit had suggested counsels fatal to the nobility-that the King was to be accompanied at that meeting by dis Scondia Illust., tom. v. p. 9. Some of his measures were excellent in themselves, for instance- that which forbade the nobles to sell their serfs and "traffic in the persons of Christians as if they were brute-beasts." The law also which gave the serf permission to run away, if ill-treated, tended to secure him tolerable usage.-Hist. de Dannemarc, vol. vi. p. 557. 2 The report was, that the King intended to extort from them an annual grant of two florins per head for each of their peasants, and a third part of the revenues of the Church.-Holberg, vol. ii. p. 117. CHAP. IV. CHRISTIAN DEPOSED. 87 guised assassins-and that the massacre of Stockholm was to be repeated there. The nobles in consequence retired to Viborg on the 20th January, 1523, and drew up a deed, in which they renounced their allegiance to Christian, and chose Frederic Duke of Holstein to fill the vacant throne.' Magnus Munk, Lagman of Jutland, undertook to convey the perilous document. He met the King on his way to Aarhus, assumed an open and cheerful countenance, and being invited to dinner contrived to keep him amused and to divert all suspicion till he retired to rest, when, placing the despatch into one of his gloves, he left it on the table, went quietly out, and escaped by a boat which he had kept in readiness. A page, who found the despatch the next morning, carried it to the King. Christian's courage fell at the receipt of this unexpected paper. He wrote to those who had subscribed it, saying, "that he submitted himself to the Emperor and other disinterested Princes as his judges. As to the massacre at Stockholm, he would atone for it; he would fill the country with churches and monasteries, and undergo any penance which the Pope might impose. The Council and States should have from him fresh securities, if only they would retract ' Hvitfeldt, 1523; Scond. Illust., tom. v. p. 10. Holberg, vol. ii. p. 117. 2 Holberg, vol. ii. p. 118. Munk, who was at the head of the conspiracy, had the honour of bearing the sceptre at the coronation of Christian the Third, A.D. 1537.-De Coronatione Christ. Tertii; Rer. Dan. Script., vol. viii. p. 503. their step, and turn from him the dishonour they had meditated." The nobles replied that they acknowledged no tribunal superior to their own; that the King had perjured himself so often that they could not trust him; that he had confessed himself guilty, and the deeds by which he had freed them from their allegiance were known to all the world; they had chosen the Duke of Holstein as his successor. Finding his nobles inflexible, Christian chose twenty of his best and fastest sailing ships, placed on board the state-papers, all the gold and silver which had for ages been accumulating in the public buildings, together with his Queen, his son, his two daughters, and Sigbrit," the last packed away in a chest," as Celsius quaintly observes, "with the other treasures,"and on the 20th April, 1523, steered for the Netherlands.' At Whitsuntide, the 7th of June following, a State Council assembled at Strengness, in Sweden, when Knut (lately elected Archbishop), having suggested that it was now necessary to choose a king, all with one voice declared for Gustavus. But he received their congratulations with a grave countenance, thanked his countrymen for the love which they had shown him, and said, "it was greater than the services which he had rendered; that for his part he was tired with the burden and anxiety which he had already under 1 Tegel, 1523; Holberg, vol. ii. pp. 123, 126; Celsius, vol. i. p. 186. Here he vainly endeavoured to draw Henry the Eighth of England into a treaty for aid to recover his dominions, offering Iceland as a security for the outlay.-Scond. Illust., tom. v. p. 11. CHAP. IV. ELECTED KING OF SWEDEN. 89 gone for the commonweal; let them choose some one of the old knights and nobles then present, and he would give him his truth and allegiance." Tears and exclamations interrupted this well-considered address, and Gustavus, yielding at length to the constraint and entreaties of the whole assembly, suffered himself to be elected King of Sweden.' 66 Tegel, 1523; Celsius, vol. i. p. 196. Gustavus," says Hvitfeldt, "made a show of resistance, but the Pope's legate pressed him hard to accept their offer, to which he at last consented, entreating their loyal help and prayers, that he might effectually discharge the duties of his office." CHAPTER V. Accession of Duke Frederic of Holstein to the throne of Denmark Expedition against Treaty of Malmo Siege of Visby abandoned Calmar, garrisoned by Von Mehlen, recovered by Gustavus Norby attacks Scania on the part of Christian Surrenders Gothland to Frederic His defeat and death. FREDERIC made only a feeble effort to restore to its integrity the triple crown worn by his predecessor. His claim to that of Sweden, which he founded upon the treaty of Calmar, was very slender, and does not appear to have been treated, by the States assembled at Jönköping on the 17th of October, 1523, to take it into consideration, with much respect. They replied that they had chosen Gustavus Erickson for their King. They at the same time demanded the release of Christina Gyllenstjerna and the other Swedish ladies who were imprisoned in Denmark.' The disturbed state of this country, in which several fortresses were still held for the deposed King, induced Frederic, instead of resenting the answer he had received, to propose a conference for the accommodation of differences. He also solicited and obtained Gustavus's assistance in the reduction of Malmö.2 1 Tegel, 1523. Bruzelii, Hist., 247. |