of Gustavus Adolphus and the reign and resignation of his daughter Christina. The adventures, as they may be called, of the first Vasa, his exploits, his manly sincere character, his public and domestic life, his racy speeches to the peasantry in the quaint energetic mode of expression which appear to have belonged to the state of society and language in every country about the time of Queen Elizabeth, are given in a spirit truly Shakesperian. This work, although unintentionally, gives a severe shock to the reigning dynasty; for it paints, with the touch of genius, acts and exploits, sayings and doings, of great men, and striking characters of a native race of kings in picturesque times, opens up a brilliant national history, which before was but dimly seen through obscure or flimsy foreign works, and brings it home to the breasts of the youth of the country, in a literary production of which the nation may be as proud as of the deeds it relates. I envy this man the feeling with which he must walk past the gigantic bust of Gustavus Vasa upon the esplanade of the old palace here (Upsala), from which its frown seems to have scared away the living generation of men, reflecting that he alone has done justice, in unfavourable times, to the two most disinterested, high, and virtuous characters who have ever appeared in kingly station-Gustavus Vasa, and his grandson Gustavus Adolphus."

Happening to meet with this passage during an interval of comparative leisure, it occurred to me

PREFACE.

that I might perhaps employ that leisure to advantage in reading Geijer's work, and more particularly the portion which related to Gustavus Vasa, and (if I found this as interesting as Mr. Laing had represented) that it might be worth while to translate it, and print it separately with the addition of some explanatory notes.

I had not, however, made much progress in the Professor's history of Gustavus without feeling that it would be better to profit by his labours generally, and in common with those of others, than to tread closely and exclusively in his footsteps. I found that there were-as indeed might have been anticipated when a Swede had written for Swedes-some things recorded in the history which an Englishman could have spared, and I suspected that many things had been only slightly touched upon or omitted which he would gladly have seen in full detail. As I consulted original authorities to understand allusions or to clear up doubts, this suspicion was confirmed. Besides, those authorities obliged me to view some material points in Gustavus's history in a different light from that in which Geijer had regarded them. Then, again, I thought his arrangement might be deviated from with good effect. Lastly, I conceived that if there were interwoven with the narrative copious extracts from the correspondence of the King, published in the Handlingar of M. Thyselius and the Diplomatarium Dalekarlicum-with some parts of which Geijer was probably unac

quainted, to which, at any rate, he had not given the prominence that, in my opinion, they deserveda likeness of Gustavus might be produced, which, containing more strokes of his own vigorous pencil, would so far possess an advantage over any previous portrait. The result has been the present Life. Wherein, having had to speak of many things in respect of which I have felt myself somewhat fettered by inclination, I have been the more studious on that very account to keep my judgment unrestrained, and to fulfil at least the fundamental duty of an historical biographer, by giving a fair statement of facts, and doing justice, according to my ability, to the persons and parties concerned.'

To enable those who are not acquainted with Swedish to read some of the proper names, and other Swedish words, which occur in this volume with less difficulty, I venture to lay down the following rough rules of pronunciation.

Pronounce a as the a in Father.

ö (for which we have no corresponding sound in

English) as the ie in Field.

g before e, i, y, ä, ö, has usually the sound of y.

"Nam quis nescit primam esse historiæ legem ne quid falsi dicere audeat? deinde ne quid veri non audeat ? ne qua suspicio gratiæ sit in scribendo? ne qua simultatis? Hæc scilicet fundamenta nota sunt omnibus."-Cic. de Oratore, lib. 2, p. 63.

Observe particularly also that k before e, i, y, ä, ö, is usually sounded like ch in cherry, but after s as h.

Thus Skep, Anglicè (ship), is pronounced shep.

(shilling),

(churn),

(chipping, i. e. a market-town),

Skilling,

(shield),

shilling.
chearna.

something like chiepping.

shield.

yeards-gōrd.

Accordingly the following words, which occur frequently in the volume, will be read nearly as follows:

Scânia, as if it were written Scōnia.

Words such as Sturé, with an accent over the é,

are to be pronounced as dissyllables.

Among the authorities consulted by me are:

(1.) Scriptores Rerum Danicarum Medii Ævi. 8 vols. Hafniæ, 1772, &c.

1 vol. Petri Olai Chron.

2 vols. Chronicon Skibyense, from 1446 to 1534.

The name is borrowed from Skibby, a parish in Zealand, where the MS. was found in 1650 built up in the church-wall behind the altar.

3 vols. Epistolæ Christiani I. Dan. Regis.

(2.) Scriptores Rerum Sueciarum. Upsaliæ, 1818, &c.

1 vol. Svenska Chronica Olai Petri.

The author of this Swedish chronicle and his brother were the first preachers of the Reformed religion in Sweden.

2 vol. Chron. Erici Olai, in Latin.

The author was Dean of Upsala, and died A.D. 1496. His work, which is highly esteemed, is brought down to the year 1464.

Ditto Svenska Chrönica, Laurentii Petri.

The author, the first Protestant Archbishop of Upsala, undertook this work, which was little more than a reproduction of his brother's, at the request of Gustavus, omitting some passages, with which the King was offended, and supplying some defects. Both Chronicles end in 1521. Gustavus's criticism on the Chronicles of Ericus Olai and Olaus Petri will be found in the Appendix to this volume.

(3.) Germanicarum Rerum Scriptores aliquot insignes hactenus incogniti ex bibliothecâ Marquardi Freheri. Frankfort. Tom. 3, Christierni Secundi Attentata in Sueciæ Regnum, &c. A.D. 1517. Jacobo Zieglero. Scriptore.

An author living at the time of the massacre in Stockholm. The date 1517 should be 1520.

(4.) Historia Johannis Magni, Archiepiscopi Upsaliensis. Romæ, 1564.

De Omnibus Gothorum Sueonumque Regibus. Romæ, 1564. The author was the last Roman Catholic Archbishop of Sweden.

(5.) Handlingar Rörande Sveriges inre Förhållanden under Gustaf. I., ed. P. E. Thyselius. 4 del. Stockholm, 1841-45.

These documents, concerning the internal condition of Sweden under Gustavus Vasa, occupy 2 vols. 8vo., chiefly consisting of the King's own letters, copied from the State Register, Riks. Reg.

(6.) Diplomatarium Dalekarlicum, ed. C. G. Kröningssvär och J. Liden. 3 del. 4to. Stockholm, 1842-4-6.

Papers and letters, many of them of Gustavus, bearing more or less on the interests of Dalecarlia. The documents are numbered in this collection, and are quoted by me in the notes and elsewhere by their numbers.