As fatal time, as storm! the rush of years But plants new terrors on the victor's brow MASSACRE OF SWEDISH NOBILITY. 1. CHRISTIAN II, the Nero of the north, entering into an insidious negotiation with the Swedes, offered to go in person to Stockholm, in order to confer with the regent, provided that six persons, whom he should name, were delivered as hostages for his safety. This proposal being accepted, Gustavus Vasa a descendant of the ancient kings of Sweden, with five others of the principal nobility, were sent on board the Danish fleet. The perfidious Christian immediately carried them prisoners to Denmark, and returning the following year, with a more powerful armament, invaded Gothland, and wasted the country with fire and sword. The regent of Sweden being killed in an ambuscade, and the senate divided on the choice of a successor, the Danish king, taking advantage of their dissensions, advanced to Stockholm, which surrendered at his approach. Gustavus Trolle, the primate, now placed the crown of Sweden on the head of the Danish monarch. 2. This coronation was followed by one of the most horrid transactions recorded in history. Christian had promised a general amnesty; and, repairing to the cathedral, swore on the altar of the Supreme Being, that he would govern Sweden, not with the severity of a conqueror, but the benevolence of a father. After this ceremony, he invited the senators and grandees to a sumptuous entertainment, that lasted three days, but concluded in the most tragical manner. The king and the primate had formed the horrid design of extirpating the Swedish nobility; and, in order to afford some pre text for their intended massacre, the archbishop, on the last day of the feast, reminded the king, that the amnesty accorded to crimes against the state, did not include those committed against the church, and demanded justice in the name of the pope. The hall was immediately filled with soldiers, who secured the guests. The primate proceeded against them as heretics. A scaffold was erected before the gate of the palace, and ninety-four persons of the first distinction, among whom was Erick, the father of Gustavus Vasa, were executed, for no other crime than that of defending their country 3. This nefarious transaction took place in the year 1520, which was soon followed by the deliverance of Sweden from Danish oppression. Promises and threats were made use of, to reconcile Gustavus Vasa to the despotic authority of Christian, but in vain; and the king, dreading his valor and constancy, gave orders to strangle him in prison. But Eric Banner, a Danish nobleman, who was charged with that detestable commission, instead of executing it, obtained its revocation; and held forth the hope, that he should be able to inspire the youth with a favourable disposition to the government of Christian. He was, therefore, allowed to take him into custody, on condition of his keeping him a prisoner in the fortress of Calo, in Jutland, and paying six thousand crowns, if he should make his escape. 4. The noble qualities of Gustavus gained the esteem of Banner and of the whole family, and he was not long at Calo before he received permission to walk about and hunt for his diversion. New recreations and amusements were every day proposed, and all the neighbouring country endeavoured to entertain the stranger. But nothing could make him forget that he was a prisoner; nor could all the civilities he received compensate the chagrin he experienced at being deprived of his liberty. Restraint, however, became more painful, and the desire of escape more powerful, from the moment he received information of the massacre at Stockholm, in which his father and most of his relatives had been involved. 5. Convinced that every expedient ought to be attempted for procuring his liberty, which might be the means of rescuing his country from destruction, Gustavus mounted his horse according to custom, under pretence of going to the chase, plunged deep into the forest, and, having arrived at a proper distance, assumed the garb of a peasant. Having quitted his horse, after a march of two days through almost impracticable paths, and over mountains, he arrived at Flensburgh, the last town on the Danish frontier, into which no person was admitted without a passport. Fortunately, however, at that season of the year, the merchants of Lower Saxony carried on a considerable trade in cattle, which they purchased in Jutland. Gustavus hired himself to one of those merchants, and presenting himself to the governor as a dealer, was suffered to pass unmolested to Lubec. 6. Banner was no sooner informed of the escape of his prisoner, than following him with the greatest dili-' gence, he overtook him at Lubec, and reproached him with a breach of confidence. Gustavus pleaded the existing circumstances as an apology, appeased his late host by promising to indemnify him in the loss of his ransom, and without delay, departed for Sweden, though he knew that orders had been every where given in that kingdom to seize and arrest him. The first town where he made himself known was Calmar, which had belonged to the late regent, whose widow still lived in it with her children, and a German garrison. Those mercenary soldiers only held the place for their own purposes, and were actually in treaty with the emissaries of Christian to deliver up the city. Gustavus assailed them with arguments, and told them that at the hazard of his life he had made his escape to Calmar, in order to have the glory of participating with them in the difficulties and dangers of resisting a tyrant, and of maintaining and defending the liberty of their country, which must be grateful to brave and generous minds. They asked him where were his resources, his army, his treasures? and, on his remaining silent, they called him a madman, and threatened to apprehend him. 7. Disappointed in the expectations he had formed of gaining those soldiers to his purpose, Gustavus retired from the city with great expedition; and his arrival being now publicly known, he was again obliged to have recourse to the garb of a peasant, in order to conceal himself from the Danish emissaries. He was, nevertheless, on the point of being seized, when he escaped in a wagon of hay, and sought shelter in a retired spot, where stood an ancient castle belonging to his family. From thence he wrote to his friends, informing them of his return, and requesting them to assemble a force for expelling the tyrant; but they refused to undertake so hazardous and desperate an attempt. They were no longer the bold and intrepid Swedes, jealous of their liberty, and the enemies of tyranny and oppression. The terror excited by the massacre at Stockholm, had frozen up their courage. 8. Perceiving, therefore, that mean selfishness had supplanted public spirit among his friends, Gustavus applied to the peasants; who being a bold and independent race of men, had nothing to fear from the indignation of Christian, and who, he hoped, would embrace with ardour the opportunity of expelling the tyrant, and delivering their country. In vain did he mingle with them, range through their villages, assist at their assemblies and repasts, harangue them, and stimulate them to shake off the yoke. They answered, "Under the government of the king of Denmark, we have salt and herrings. Whatever may be the success of a revolution, we cannot be otherwise than poor. Peasants we are; and peasants we must remain, whoever is king of Sweden." 9. Repulsed in that quarter, he determined to proceed to Dalecarlia, where, if he failed in the attempt of exciting the inhabitants to revolt, he could live securely in the high mountains and thick forests of that country. Attended, therefore, by a peasant, to whom he was known, he travelled in disguise; and, after a laborious and painful journey, arrived in the mountains of Dalecarlia, where he was deserted by his companion and guide, who robbed him of all the money he had provided for his subsistence. Destitute and in want, in a strange place, unknowing and unknown, he was urged by the call of hunger, and entered among the miners, with whom he wrought to earn a maintenance. Under the habit of a peasant, a woman in the mines perceived a fine embroidered shirt, which induced her to suspect that he was some man of distinguished rank, whom persecution had driven to seek an asylum in those caverns. The conjecture was reported to a neighbouring gentleman, who, prompted by curiosity, repaired to the mine to offer protection to the unfortunate stranger On approaching, he recognized Gustavus, with whom he had been acquainted at the university of Upsal. Prudence obliged him to conceal his astonishment; but at night he sent to him, made him an offer of his house, and gave him the strongest assurances of his friendship and protection. 10. Gustavus embraced with joy the offer of his generous friend, who informed him the Dalecarlians bore with impatience the Danish yoke; that they were attached to the family of their ancient sovereigns; and that great were the means of attack and defence, furnished by the nature of the country and the courage of the inhabitants. The frequent repetition of this conversation encouraged Gustavus to disclose his designs to his friend, who was no sooner informed of the intentions of the fugitive youth, than he endeavoured to dissuade him from his purpose, by representing to him, in the strongest light, the danger and difficulty of such an enterprise. Gustavus neither believed the hospitable Dalecarlian a friend to the Danes, nor did he think him capable of betraying him. But not wishing to disturb the life of a quiet and peaceable man, he departed; and trusting to his own good fortune, took his way without a guide, through forests and over mountains, and arrived safe at the house of a nobleman named Peterson, with whom he had formerly been acquainted in the army. 11. Peterson received him with marks of respect and esteem, listened with every appearance of lively interest to the recital of his misfortunes, seemed more |