acknowledge him and his Heirs Males if any should be for lawful Heirs and Kings of Suethland and next to them his Brother John Prince of Finland that they should endeavour and by all means procure his and the Kingdoms good preventing all prejudice and loss by Mature Counsell and Administer the other affairs of the Kingdom with the joynt Senatorial consent and concordall unanimity conform to the Laws of Suethland that no damage or detriment might thence redound But that they should not celebrate or call any publike Assembly or Parliament nor upon any occasion make or enact Laws without his speciall and express consent as being agreeable to and demonstrative from the Reversoriall Letters given unto him by the Duke and Senators In order wherunto he commanded all and every the Subjects of Suethland and inhabitants therof of what eminency degree or condition soever to render and perform to his said dear Uncle as to the chief in Government and to the Senators according to the state and dignity of each all due obedience honour and assistance in all things which they should enjoyn for the good and emolument of the King and Kingdom given in the Port of Elsnaben the eighteenth of July 1594. But this Plenipotentiary was by Duke Charles rejected as imperfect and a draught more ample by Letters from Nycopia of the twenty third ejusdem sent to the King for the Regall Assent and Signature with a Schedule annexed wherin his Majesty was desired in case that Peace intended with the Russian should not take effect to consider of some way wherby the Nerves of War might be supplied Provisions made of Victuall Ammunition and other Necessaries equally incident which with other particulars mentioned in either are referred to inspection into the Originall by such as are curious But the King was gone before this answer could be tendred unto him leaving Suethland in much disorder which the Duke considering and that only a lame form of power and government was left and that others were ordained with equal yea greater power both in Suethland and Finland albeit the same appeared not untill his Exit So as almost in every Province some or other did rise up boasting himself Governour in the Royal absence from which Fountain many misfortunes mischiefs and miseries might have flowed Tumults and dissentions would have sprung up on each side to the ruine of the publike Weal unless timely obviated for the better effecting wherof the Duke by the Senatoriall Consent indicted a Parliament at Sudercopia against the moneth of October 1595. To which generall Convention the whole Senate and Orders of the Kingdoms Counts Barons Bishops Knights Gentry Clergy Commanders of Forts and Forces Burgesses and common people did emulously flock to consult upon the Urgencies of the Kingdom wherin they assert many things were treated and transacted tending greatly to the good of King Sigismundus and the whole Nation if due execution had not been obstructed In these Parliamentary constitutions after thanks rendred to the Divine goodness for having by tollerable conditions freed them from apprehension of a long and bloody Russian War so as being then in Concord with all their Neighbours they might more freely endeavour a setling of the like at home which was their aime in that assembly they unanimously by virtue of their respective Provinciall Plenipotentiary and each for himself particularly did bind themselves to observe their Oath and promise made to King Sigismundus in the points of Fidelity and obedience to him and his Heirs And that wheras his Majesty at his Coronation had promised the entire liberty of their Religion with exclusion of all other which was not yet effected and that certain of the Romanists had already begun to use threatnings in confidence of their encrease They therfore enacted and concluded that all Conventions publike or private used by the Papalists or any other Sects by what notion soever frequented should be taken away their Priests and Preachers banished and to depart the Kingdom within six weeks after the rising of that present Parliament That none of the Commonalty of that or any other Sect seperate from the Profession there generally received should be admitted to any Office within the Kingdom but all Pensions toward such to be revoked yet that they living peaceably might still remain and enjoy the Laws Liberties and Priviledges of Suethen but if doing otherwise either in publike or private to be punished and exiled as the others were That in reference to the Vastenan Monastery wheras the Regall Assecuration did bear that no Scholastick Exercise or Function Ecclesiasticall contrary to the Augustane Confession and the Vbsalian Synod celebrated An. 1593. should be obtruded upon the Kingdom or be suffered to impede the received Religion but that therin the proceedings should be according to the last year of King Gustavus fore-mentioned and the first of King John Therfore all abuses in the foresaid Monastery and the present Incumbents were to be thence excluded That furthermore wheras the most Illustrious Duke Charles had then before all the Orders of the Kingdom signified that by reason of several notable defects represented somtimes Orally and also in the written Paper then exhibited unto them he desired to be freed from the Government unless those were removed They therfore in regard his Highness was a Prince hereditary of the Kingdom whom it meerly concerned that the Affairs therof should be rightly and orderly administred humbly desired that his Highness would embrace the same for the good and emolument of the King and his Successors as also of the younger Brethren and in a word of the whole Regall and Ducall Heirs according to the Acts of hereditary Succession wherby the Subjects and Inhabitants of the Kingdom might in like manner freely enjoy the Nations Laws with their legally acquired Liberties and Priviledges And that wheras his Highness had consented to undergo the Administration of the Government with the Senators of the Kingdom joyntly They therfore the respective Orders therof Ecclesiasticall and Politicall Nobility and Commonalty high and low did promise that to their utmost they would acknowledge and observe his Highness as their Prince and Governour in his Majesties absence and untill his return into the Kingdom and accordingly render unto his Highness all lawfull obedience fidelity and duty saluting and intitling him the Governour of the Kingdom yet no way to any prejudice of the Regall Jurisdiction or Dignity conform to the litterary transaction approved of between his Highness and the Kingdoms Senators Wherfore that what Affairs soever of weight and moment relating to that Kingdom his Majesty should desire to be there expediated were first and before all others to be signified unto his Highness and the Senatoriall Colledge But if otherwise and whosoever he were who should obtain any Commission he should have no power of appointing or acting ought in reference therunto before his Highness and the whole Senatoriall Order were consulted therin
Office and represents the Power 2. Both in this and other Kingdomes the Rulers have been called by such Titles as is evident in our Histories where Torchilus the Son of Canutus Suanto the Son of Nicolaus Steno Sture the younger and many others have been entitled Governours and Administrators of the Kingdome 3. This Title cannot derogate from the Regall Dignity for his Majesty had by Writ honoured Claudius Flemingius with the like which he was uncapable of as not being approved by the States of the Kingdome neither had they both equall right to the Government For his Highnesse sprung from the Regall Family is a Prince hereditary of the Kingdome but Flemingius a Subject of his Majesty and of his Highnesse The third head of the said Decree containes likewise nothing but what is consentaneous to the Lawes of Suethland For by those written Lawes each cause is to be tried in the Province where the Delict was committed and the punishment to be made exemplary where the Crime was so besides many confusions and prejudices would accrue to the Country if the cognition of all Causes should be made in Poland As 1. There could not be so ample information as were requisite in regard the true state of Crimes may be more certainly known upon the place 2. A just Cause might happen to be lost for want of ability to attend personally and prosecute the definition to produce Witnesses and exhibit other instruments conducible to its legall cognition 3. The Natives Estates would be utterly exhausted by those long Journeys whence their unavoidable ruine must of necessity follow 4. The ancient Jurisdiction Lawes and Priviledges of Suethland would be violated which may not be tollerated All Nations have unanimously and obstinately maintained their own and have pronounced that the Infringers of the Jurisdiction of others were to be punished as Peace-breakers Item that who so should bring an Action before a Court incompetent was to be fined Whereas therefore his Majesty had bound himselfe by Oath not to impaire the Jurisdiction of Suethland he should trespasse against the same by constituting either in Poland or elsewhere any extraneous Judicatory to be competent for the Suethes Our Annals do likewise shew that for the like great troubles did arise to Ericke the thirteenth and other Kings 5. Hereunto is added that his Majesty whilest in Poland cannot determine the causes of Suethland as not having those persons there with him by whose counsell he is sworn to administer this Kingdomes Affaires The fourth Article of that Decree is grounded upon the Lawes of Suethen as treating of distributing of Offices And if his Majesty will preserve the Lawes intire as he hath sworne he may not whilest absent confer Offices at the request of every one who shall sue unto him According to the Lawes of Suethen the King absent is expresly prohibited from constituting a Provinciall Judge but such constitution belongs to him who in his absence supplies his place How much lesse then may he dispose of the more weighty charges And it hath been alwaies usuall here that the great Sewer or Vice-roy of the Kingdome should collate Offices in the Regall absence as appeares by the Union whereby he is endowed with that Power In regard therefore of what before alledged it is uncontrovertably apparent that the foresaid Decree doth not violate his Majesties Rights nor Dignity but doth rather enlarge and illustrate them and that if regard were had to the Lawes his Highnesse might expect and receive thanks for having in his Majesties absence undergone a Government so replenished with cares and toyles However it was not decent to vitiate this pious Office with such contumelies and ignominious expressions as the Letters delivered unto him are farced with But if his Majesty shall say that he doth not so much argue and protest against the Decree it felf in regard those Articles seem not so averse unto the Regall Dignity and Rights as against the power and authority assumed by his Highnesse of indicting a Parliament that being a Prerogative Royall belonging to the King solely His Highnesse answereth that by the Lawes it is not easily proved that the right of calling Parliaments is peculiarly Regall for those Royalties which by speciall concession are conferred upon any person go not beyond the same but that it is otherwise observed in Parliamentary Rights examples do shew for even in Poland the Arch-bishop of Gnesnen hath power to call Parliaments and to enact Lawes in the Kings absence And albeit that a Law to the contrary might be alledged yet ought it not to be of any validity in this case for as much as the Suethes by a long prescription of time have acquired this right in the same manner that all Regall Priviledges are as may appear by many Parliaments celebrated in this Kingdome in the Raignes of Ericke XIII and John II. Moreover the Countries well-fare and necessities required the calling hereof And necessity is above all Law neither admits of any Forasmuch then as by the precedent reasons it is manifest that the Sudercopian Decree containes nothing but what is conducing to the preserving and promoving of Unity in Religion to the maintaining and confirming the Lawes and Priviledges his Majesty cannot by the most Subtilized Arguments render the same Invalid without revoking his Oath But for the better cementing of things his Highnesse will briefly resolve and refute the Arguments used by his Majesty for the illuding of that Sudercopian Transaction HIs Majesty argues that in all lawful Conventions two things are chiefly requisite First the Superiours approbation and consent Secondly That the necessity and motives for calling a Parliament be maturely signified unto him But whereas the Sudercopian Covention was held without the Regall assent and timely signification of the Cause impelling thereunto his Majesty pronounceth the same needlesse and unlawfull And that his Majesties affirmation may appeare grounded upon Reason and the Authority of the Law he confirmes and fortifies the same out of the second Chapter of the Title of Regalls by a Text wherein is expressed that Subjects are bound to obey their King but his Majesty by Edict prohibited that Convention as appeares by the Writ Ergo c. This Proposition is not rationally laid down For thus many evil Conventions would be approved and laudable ones tending to the good of Empires and Kingdomes would be rendred of no valididity because held without the Knowledge or consent of the Supreme Magistrate which were dangerous to say The Syllogisme ought therefore to be thus formed It is a lawfull Convention wherein nothing is treated but what is consentaneous to the Laws and appertains to the well-being and to the best State of a Common Weal but â—n the Sudercopian Convention nothing was determined that is not agreeable to the Laws of Suethen and other Nations Who therefore will call such a Convention unlawfull And if that be to be called a lawful Assembly of the causes and necessity whereof
his Majesty had been advertised this cannot be termed an unlawfull one timely Advertisements of the reasons inducing his Highnesse and the Councellours of the Kingdome to call that Parliament having been sent to his Majesty as by their Letters of the 28. of July may appear Neither was it unknown to his Majesty in what Confusion and Perturbation he left the Kingdome at his departure nor yet if the causes had not been signified ought this Parliament to have been judged unlawfull for as much as in our Municipal Laws there is not one which commands the same and that ought to be called unlawfull which is contrary to the Law And if any Law prohibiting the celebrating of Parliaments were extant it ought deservedly to be restrained or altogether abolished where danger may be apprehended by delay in which case the common rules of Law may be receded from and undoubtedly this exception may take place here for daily Experience shewes what delayes are contracted by expectation of answers out of Poland The deferring thereof for the Regal approbation would have been of small conducement seeing the whole Matter appears disrellishing to his Majesty who also by an absolute prohibition might have procured detriment to the Kingdome and prejudice to the Royall Dignity And albeit his Majesty had deigned an acceptable answer yet it had been repugnant to the Custome time out of mind of this Kingdome both because it had ever been permitted here to call Parliaments Necessity urging and the King being in forreign parts as also that it would have been a reproach and ignominie to the Kingdome to have sought a form and frame of administring the same from abroad How necessary that Convention was the ensuing Reasons will demonstrate 1. It will be granted by all men and his Majesty must acknowledge unlesse he will affirm that his Kingdome may want him without prejudice that no Kingdome can continue without a King or head and a certain form of Administration The King was departed out of his hereditary Kingdome and had left no Governour nor settled form of Government nor hopes of his return having as aforesaid promised the Polanders to spend his remaining life with them so soon as he should have received the Crown and had settled his affairs in Suethland and therefore deliberation for governing the Common Wealth in his absence was necessary for the avoiding of prejudice by confusion which began to sprout forth But the Subjects consent being requisite for such a Settlement it was needfull that the Orders of the Kingdome should be convened to make an Election by common sufferage Further without a Governour to whom should the Subjects have addressed their Complaints for each one would have ruled as he listed which is hardly now abstained from and the rather because his Majesty renders the Sudercopian Decree subject to Suspition and Contempt by means whereof the Subjects finding themselves deserted by their lawfull Crowned King might have taken occasion of swerving from their duty neither would reason nor the examples of Ancestors have been wanting Here may be added that the Russian War which had lain upon us twenty six years was not then ended and winter approached affording to the enemy notable opportunities of infesting the Kingdome the Borders were denuded of military Guards and as it were exposed to incursions to obviate these evils mutuall consent Counsel and assistance was requisite which could be no way better effected then by the Sudercopian Parliament But whereas his Majesty endeavours to prove the same unlawfull by the forecited Text of the second Chapter in the title of Reals it may be worthy of observation how this deduction can be made from thence His Majesties words admit of a double construction First that Subjects are bound to obey the Kings command when they are fortified with and conformable to law unto which sense his Highness doth submit and it is onely inquired whether such a Convention be forbidden by the Law but if no such Law can be produced he collects from thence that the same is legally permitted For what is not prohibited is conceived to be allowed and where the Law is silent we ought to be so likewise Which Laws are the more pertinent to our purpose because that here the Privation of a Right is concerned whereof no man can be justly deprived but by express provision of the Laws But if the words signifie that according to Law the Subjects are bound to obey whatsoever the King shall command many inconveniences would redound thence for thereby all his injunctions just or unjust must have the force of a Law which would savour more of a Tyrant then of a Christian Prince Caesar albeit a Monarch in the Cabinet of whose breast all Lawes are contained and who can prescribe and ordaine against Law Positive hath not thought it below him to say that he is subject to the Lawes contrary to the common voice of Tyrants is Sicvolo sic jubeo sit pro ratione voluntas 2. That Law cannot be so generally understood as his Majesty would have it because his Soveraignty is circumscribed and limited by his Oath by his Assecuration and by the Laws themselves neither can it extend further then they permit And here that clause of his Majesties Letter That he granted not unto his Highnesse an absolute but a limited Rule is answered for his Majesty not having as is here shewed an absolute Rule how could he transfer to another what himself had not 3. Wheras it is expresly contained in the Regall Oath and in our Municipall Law that the King ought to command his Subjects nothing but what is right and just before God and man how can the King command what ever he will or how are the Subjects bound to obey his command in all things if he shall enjoyn ought contrary to the Lawes and Statutes of the Land Seeing therefore that this Law is to be understood with an exception and extends not further then the Regall Oath and the Kingdomes Lawes permit it may be demanded whether the King could rightly hinder or disturb the Sudercopian Parliament For first he promised by Oath to impose no new Law upon his Subjects without their consent but whereas in all the body of our Law there is not one which forbids the celebrating of a Parliament the King remaining in forraign parts and that his Majesty endeavours to introduce such a Law let the Subjects approbation be first required which certainly they will never afford as having unanimously concentred in and confirmed the Sudercopian Convention and therefore his Majesty can not make such a Law nor disanull those Decrees unlesse he will act against his Oath and Faith and against the Lawes of the Land besides the hazard of reducing his Hereditary Kingdome into extream danger Secondly his Majesty made Oath to preserve all the Rights and Priviledges of the Kingdome But that of calling Parliaments in the Regall absence is most ancient as is manifest in former Ages especially in the
to thrust ones Sicle into another mans Harvest and to meddle with things that properly belong to the State and Orders of Suethland who have never had ought in more or more ancient estimation then their fidelity and obedience toward their Kings and then whom it concerns none more that the right forme of Government should not be changed and if it were to have it restored The Sudercopian Parliament was convened by his Highness to whom with the Senators the King had committed the kingdome Not upon light grounds as the Ambassadours may have partly perceived by the Acts for it was necessary to call a Parliament neither was ought therein concluded derogatory to the regall Dignity or to the Patriall Rights nor were new Laws enacted but the old put in execution That which preserves tranquility of Religion generally received in a kingdome which executes the Laws abolisheth civill dissention establisheth the regall Oath and the hereditary Covenants doth more confirme then weaken the Regall Rights No man therefore will doubt but that his Majesty vvill have it unviolably observed and will thinke nothing can more conduce to the illustration and amplification of his Dignity It was called for his good not for sedition or disobedience neither was it unwitting to him for hee had been certified of the motives by Artizouskie in August preceding he protested indeed but the thing was done The power of calling Parliaments is knowne to be in the Supreme Prince when within the Kingdome but if otherwise it hath never been observed that Treason was imputed if they to whom the Government was committed did call a Parliament in the Regall absence so long as nothing was acted contrary to their Faith and Oath given This Kingdome hath some Presidents as in the times of Christian the first and John the second when the effects of the Regall Oath began to languish which may easily happen in the Kingly absence Forraign examples are not wanting nor argumentative proofs of the best learned in Politicks many years past as well of the Roman as of our Religion that the King being absent Parliaments may be kept without derogating from Majesty According to Cominaeus they swarve from the Law of Nations and the custome of their Ancestors who plot to root out the most laudable institution of celebrating common Counsels the greatest strength and establishment of a Kingdome Under Edward the second of England Charles the eighth and Lewis the eleventh of France and these also are Hereditary Kingdomes Parliaments have been called the King present In Germany it is no new thing for the States to convene against the Emperors mind and it is yet fresh in memory that the like hath been done in Poland the King even this Sigismund the third not only unwilling but also prohibiting and protesting against it which is not here mentioned to accuse others for all men have judged Parliaments to be lawfull when publikely called for weighty causes and not contrary to the good of King and Kingdome albeit against his mind being absent Confederacies opposite to the Regall Dignity Praeeminencie and Rights have not been undertaken as is unjustly objected Such savour of Sedition which never entred into the thoughts of the Suethes Conspiracy is close treacherous distructitive to King and Country but Parliaments are lawfull and do fortifie both It is therefore Illegall to taxe the Suethes of treason for so convening when as the same appeares not to be forbidden them by any Law but unto Kings is not permitted to Enact Lawes without the Peoples consent no more then to governe the people contrary to the Law and without the assent of the Senators The more weighty inducements to that Parliaments indiction were the publike Debts the unpaid stipends of the Soldery whose Military Vertue is not unknown to any the setling of Dowries whereunto extraordinary collection was necessary which by the Lawes of Suethland the King himself when present cannot compell without a Parliament His Majesty was absent whose part it was to cleere the debts of his Father and the Kingdome which cannot stand safe without salving the publike Faith Another motive was that in the Form of Government prescribed severall things seemed wanting in conformity to the Lawes and Regall Oath whereunto the Orders of the Kingdome conceived they ought to adhaere the more constantly by reason of discords about Religion which were not when the right of Hereditation was conferred upon the Regall Family To the said Form the Senatoriall Votes were also requisite without which the King is by our Laws forbidden to settle ought of the Kingdoms more weighty Affaires These reasons may suffice for the calling of that Parliament albeit more might be given Let us now discusse the heads of what was therein concluded It is reputed treason that some are removed from Office that the Regall Letters receive not due regard that appeales to the King are prohibited with sundry others To all which articulate answers shall be made that so the innocency of the Suethes may appeare to equall minds That some are reduced is not denied and if the Ambassadors were acquainted with the reasons not unjustly for some could not be admitted to beare rule without infringing the Regall Oath Others refractory to the publike peace had like members lost from the body not only separated themselves from the Sudercopian Decree but from others also of greater antiquity which had been by Regall Oath confirmed not without suspition of innovation which is mostly studied by such as esteem nothing more then to be pleasing to the Supreme Majestrate without discerning what is just and commodious for the Common Weale and so to grow upon the ruines of others yet these are permitted to enjoy the benefit of the Lawes and ordinary Priviledges It is moreover to be considered that the more honourable Offices of this Kingdome cannot be immediatly rightly conferred by the King howbeit fixed within the Kingdome unlesse that first if One be to be admitted into the Senatoriall Counsell if into any other great Office the Provinciall Votes have conceded to One of Three Neither can Judges the King even present be otherwise appointed But he remaining out of the Kingdome by his Vice-gerent which Office the Kingdomes Sewer as they here term it did anciently by vertue of a certain Law discharge in the Regall absence This is testified by the Laws themselves by the priviledges of sundry Kings and famous Constitutions of the Kingdome for above five hundred years as also by the union of these three Kingdomes in the Raignes of Queen Margaret and of the Kings Ericke Christopher John the second and Christierne the first and second Come we now to the point of appealing It is not unknown to any that the most High God hath Instituted the Supream Magistrate for a Sanctuary and refuge to the oppressed So that appeales to the King and to those that beare rule and such as the King hath appointed as chief in his absence are lawfull even by the
having administred the least occasion therunto That thereafter they would choose such a King and Lord as should maintain and govern them according to the pure word of God and the Suethish Lawes Thus much out of the Act it selfe concluded the twenty fourth of July 1599. whereunto the further curious are referred I shall onely adding as a preparatory to the next ensuing Parliament that in this it was degreed that when his Highnesse the Duke should return from Finland whether the troubles there did call him they would again convene in place convenient for the triall of those Counsellours and others then Prisoners and on the guilty inflict deserved punishment and that the Duke and they had resolved for the cleering of themselves before all Christian Monarchs and the whole World that they proceeded not otherwise in that Affaire then right and justice required to entreat certain Electors and Princes of Germany to send some men of probity and integrity into Suethland not as Judges of controversies but as Auditors onely But if those Ambassadors did defer their coming that themselves would then proceed This Parliament ended they without delay by Letters of the thirtieth of the said month advertised King Sigismundus of what had been therein concluded and humbly desired his Majesty to declare himselfe within the time limited But to these Letters say they he returned no answer Whereupon another Parliament was indicted at Lincopia against the month of March in the yeare 1600. In this Convention the whole Orders of Suethland as in the former they had done did expresly and absolutely renounce King Sigismundus and his Government as also his Son for himselfe and Posterity in case of his not being sent into Suethland within the time specified in the former They thereupon do likewise cleer his Highnesse from affecting the Soveraignty or its Title notwithstanding the tender thereof unto him and confirmed him for their Governour during the absence as also the minority of the Prince if he should come within the time five months whereof were yet unexpired And albeit as they in the nineth Section or Pause of that Act do acknowledge Duke John the Brother of King Sigismundus was the next in right unto the Crowne according to the severall times fore-mentioned hereditary Unions yet did they decline him fearing least when he had attained the Regall Chaire he might moved thereunto by naturall affection to his Brother or his Heirs enter into such Covenants and make such transactions as might be destructive to themselves and to the Country by joyning with them to revenge upon Duke Charles or his Successors those things which in those turbulent times had been acted in reference to King Sigismundus and his Family and so the latter evill might be worse then the former And therefore they unanimously decreed that the said Prince John should have the Dukedome of Ostrogothia formerly designed for his Uncle Duke Magnus conferred upon him with certain reservations and equall compensations for the same therein expressed The said Prince to rest therewith contented without pretending to any other part in the Kingdome Hereditary Goods expected which by paternall or maternall Inheritance might be devolved unto him yet with certaine restrictions therein contained And as in the eight Section or Pause of the said Act they repeat the Motives of their defection from King Sigismundus as his deserting the Evangelicall and embracing the Papall erroneous Profession his endeavouring to obtrude the same upon that Kingdome his departure from thence severall times without their privity after he had brought a numerous forraign Army into the bowells of the Country against all right naturall affection and the Lawes of that Nation and had by severall other waies acted contrary to his Oath and assecutoriall Letters as also had not daigned to answer one sylable to their humble desires and assurance of committing the Soveraign rule of Suethland unto his Son if transmitted for due Education within the prefixed time For which causes they likewise renounced his Son and all other his Heires and Successors depriving them of all Jurisdiction otherwise by the Hereditary Union rightly belonging unto them so as neither his Majesty nor any of his Progeny should thereafter obtaine any right unto the Suethish Diadem withdrawing themselves from all Obligations wherein they were tyed to his Majesty and his Heires as also renouncing all fidelity security and assistance formerly exhibited to his Majesty So in the twelfth Pause or Section of the same they approve of and confirme Duke Charles for their future King promising unto him therby unanimously and with one assent obedience fidelity security and their utmost assistance as to their naturall and beloved Lord and King yea that albeit he should refuse to accept the Crown and whether the Coronation Ceremonies should be performed or not they would neverthelesse acknowledge and observe him as their lawfull Lord and King They likewise bound themselves in that Act that after the death of Duke Charles they would render and perform the like obedience unto his Son the Prince Gustavus Adolphus and to his Heirs Males so long as any of them should survive But they sailing the Royall Scepter to come to Duke John afore-named Provided that he and his Successors were obliged not to enter into any Union or confederacy with King Sigismundus or his Heirs especially relating to any share or government in that Kingdome and that he nor they should in no sort adhere unto the Romish erroneous Doctrine Concerning their establishment of Church-service as also their Treaties to be had with the Russian and those of Lubecke the curious are referred to the Act wherein also provision was made for dispatch of Juridicall Suites Scrutenies into the publike Revenues of the Crown Setling of certain numbers of Horse and Foot in each Province to be ready upon emergent occasions their constant Salaries and Sustentation whilest remaining at home to be out of the Crown Revenues onely but when the whole Forces of each Province or any part therof should move in Military expedition against the Kingdomes Enemies each Province to furnish their proper Souldiers with Provision or Maintenance during the expedition that so each might be assessed for their own Militia and not burthened with that of any other And that forasmuch as each Province had not equall number of Souldiers no more then equall frequency of subsidiary Inhabitants it was ordained that the Assesments for the maintenance of the Army should be equall in each Province wherby the Inhabitant of one Province might not be liable to a larger Military contribution then one of another Province and if the Military number in one Province were greater then its proper contribution could maintain during the expedition the defect was to be supplied out of the Crown Revenues of that Province wherby the Souldier might out of the same Province be provided of necessaries during the expedition This Decree to be perpetually observed whether the
then Duke of Sudermannia c. by them Parliamentarily Constituted Governour of Suethland is demonstrated The heads of the severall Letters which passed between that King and his said Uncle in that conjuncture and even when the Armies of both sides were in the Feild and in sight of each other are touched The Kings bad successe the accord ensuing between them with his Retreat into Poland contrary thereunto set forth Contents of their subsequent as well as preceding Acts of Parliament inserted Their renouncing of Fidelity and Subjection to him and his Heirs for ever with their exaltation of the forenamed Duke Charles unto his Nephews Throne manifested The Warrs thereupon between them with advantage to the Suethes and upon other intervenient occasions a Truce mediated and concluded for six years An. 1629. hinted That Truce neer expiring a second Treaty being set on foot An. 1634. for a finall Peace or longer Truce and the latter for six and twenty years assented unto by both Parties the year following the daily passages thereof are faithfully couched Lastly A breife Commemoration of the Ambassador who from England did Mediate that Truce A touch likewise of sundry as aforesayd Emergencies in Germany relating to Englands and the Protestant Interest there in those times not unnecessary for the better understanding of Passages referring as well to the sayd Treaty as to the Ambassadors Person and Death wherein sundry occurrences not usuall may be observed with a cursory mention of the now Raigning Princes of Suethland and Poland and the present posture of affiares in those Nations conclude the Triple Narrative SUETHLAND AND POLANDS TROVBLES Preceding Causing and Ensuing the Expulsion of King SIGISMUND the Third from the Crown of SUETHLAND The Rise of the WARS between Suethland and Poland THE Crown of Poland as also that of Suethland untill of latter Ages hath ever been and still is Elective and albeit not neer so ancient as the other in the Title of a King 〈…〉 yet at present not of consideration inferiour to most in Christendom the same being the only Bulwark in those parts against the incroaching power of the insulting Turk and his Blood-hound the numerous over-running Tartar Unto the time of Boleslaus sur-named Chrobrus that Country was governed somtimes by Dukes otherwhiles by Palatines But Otho the Third the Germane Emperour who in the year 997. first instituted the Colledge of Electors for the choice of future Successors to the Imperiall Crown after an expedition by him made into Italy undertaking a Journey into Poland to visite the Tomb of S. Adelbert and being there Magnificently received and entertained by the said Boleslaus in requitall therof and to tye him in the more strickt Bonds of Amity towards himself and the Roman Empire Of Duke stiled and Crowned him King of Poland about the year of Grace 1000. After whom the said Title continued by the space of 82. years unto the time of Vladislaus the first who abandoned the same using only that of Prince or Duke in which frame the Government remained for the term of 213. years at the end wherof Lescus Niger deceasing and the State distracted into divers Factions being for some time without a Prince the supream Rule was at last electively setled upon Primislaus surnam'd Posthumus who resumed the Title of King An. 1295. That Royall Title hath been ever since retained by his Successors yet not fully established untill the Raign of Casimir the second stiled the Great after whose death his Nephew Lewis King of Hungaria son to Charles King therof by Elizabeth Sister of the said Casimir succeeding electively to the Regall Chair of Poland deceased without Heirs Males and Mary eldest Daughter of the said Lewis being chosen Queen of Hungaria Heduigis the younger was elected to the Crown of Poland and married unto Jagello great Duke of Lithuania who in contemplation of the said Match and the Crown of Poland wherunto he was therby advanced became a Christian in the year 138â— by the name of Vladislaus the fifth and wrought so with his Subjects the Lithuanians as that they also embraced the Christian Profession and likewise united his said Dutchy of Lithuania with Samogitia and that part of Roxoâ—ania which was under his obedience unto the Crown of Poland for ever To which three conditions he was obliged by the Articles of his Marriage The first was forth with the second soon after effected albeit not without reluctancy as may be conceived where a People is rooted and therby become obstinate in Idolatrie The third point the Union was yet more hard to compasse and took more time of deliberation neither was it fully accomplished untill of latter years For the Princes of the Race of Jagello who after him succeeded to the Crown of Poland being unwilling to deprive their Posterity of their Hereditary Estates and to submit the same to the election of the Polanders least being pre-termitted therin they might remain deprived of their ancient Patrimonicall Rights and Dignities deferred the fulfilling therof from one time to another alleadging that the States and people of Lithuania would not consent therto as apprehending future prejudice by that Conjunction But at last seeing that of the one side their Princes Males began to fail as they did in the time of Sigismundus Augustus and on the other part apprehending the power of the Russians and the renewing of former pretensions the Lithuanians condescended to the Union in the Raign of the said Sigismundus who procured that the Lithuanian Bishops the Palatines and a certain number of Castellans should have Session and Vote in the Parliaments of Poland at the election of their Kins and all other Priviledges which the Native Polonians have wherby the Rights of the Lithuanian Princes to their Patrimoniall Estates might seem secured It may be generally observed that in those Elective Kingdoms regard is had to the next in right line unless known to be unfit and unworthy of so great a Power as is apparent in Hungaria Bohemia and Suethland before the same became Hereditary in Denmark also and in Russia most usually and at present is and hath been practised in Germany since the time of Charles the fifth By virtue of this regard to the Progeny of well deserving Princes the Jagellonian Posterity hath continued successively elected to the Crown of Poland ever since his death about 137. years under the Raign of six Kings Viz. Vladislans the sixth his Son Casimir Son to the said Vladislans John Albert second Son of Casimir the elder being pre-termitted by reason of his embracing the Crowns of Hungaria and Bohemia Alexander the third Brother and these two dying without Issue Sigismund fourth Son of the said Casimir succeeded and to him his Son Sigismundus the second sur-named Augustus the last Prince of the Issue Male of Jagello who deceased about the year 1573. After him was chosen Henry of Valois Duke of Anjow second Son to Henry the second King of
for favour of great Ones peculiar profit or other causes under what notion soever comprehended or shall refuse to contribute their endeavours hereunto whereby force secretly or openly may be obtruded by any whosoever in prejudice of what his Majesty hath given assecuration to the Kingdom and wherupon this our Transaction is founded We shall account them as persons treacherous to the King and seditious to the Kingdom perfidious men and to their Countrey Traytors and that we will mutually assist each other to their prosecution and extermination Enacted at Sudercopia the twenty second of October 1595 More particularity hath been used in reciting albeit briefly the heads of this Parliamentary Act and its conclusions then is intended with others the like this being that which King Sigismundus afterwards so much endeavoured the disannulling of and which the Suethes do so much instance and justifie themselves upon In this manner was Duke Charles designed Governour of the Kingdom which was no way pleasing to King Sigismundus suspecting the like had severely forbidden all men the repair to that Convention and afterwards endeavoured the frustration therof by discouraging and diverting the observances requisite and partly by Letters Patents partly by threatnings by promises and rewards he drew sundry to his party But the States of the Kingdom fore-seeing as they affirm great disturbances to arise which were of necessity to be crusht assembled in full body valuing more the generall good then the Regall Injunctions in prejudice therof Albeit severall and of the Finlanders not a few did decline their appearance Nor did the King by his Letters only endeavour say they the annihilation of this Convention but likewise stirred up most grievous tumults and dissentions in Finland where by the Tyranny of the Governour there so cruell Wars were raised as sundry thousands of innocent Rusticks Tenants or Tributaries of the Crown were miserably slain for opposing themselves to unheard of Exactions and Military Stations or Quarterings great numbers of Souldiers being there kept on foot along time whom the King by the treacherous insinuations of the Claudius Flemingius Aruidus Ericke and Axell Kurike allured to his side arming and incensing them to the ruine of his Country And when the Country's grievances were dilated unto him they were say they slighted and no redress obtained by means wherof the Souldiers and Subjects exasperated against each other did rush together with mutuall Wounds and Slaughterings Many of the fore-mentioned Crown Tenants or Tributaries losing not only their Goods but their lives For the Lawless Souldier first spoyling the Inhabitants of their Possessions the poor people were provoked to resist force with force wherby the Militarians finding themselves frustrate of gorging their licentious desires did with armed Bands assault the unarmed Rural Menie whom they miserably slaughtered and a sad sight to see extended on Wheels These things say they thus perpetrated King Sigismundus soon after the Sudercopian Parliament sent as his Ambassadors into Suethland Count Ericke of Visingsburg with his Uncle Aruidus Gustavus and from the Crown of Poland were emitted Stanislaus Dzialinskie and Nicolaus Sapieha who vehemently accused Duke Charles and those States of the Kingdom that had assisted at the fore-cited Convention or assented to the conclusions therof But because the accusatory Oration of the Polanders albeit most elegantly delivered with the Criminatory Articles of Count Ericke and Aruidus Gustavus as also the reply to either and the refutation of the severall particulars in each contained as well by Duke Charles apart as by him and the Senators joyntly are over-long to be here Verbatim inserted I shall refer the more diligently Curious to the Acts themselves long since published and only deliver the heads of either with as much brevity as the circumstance will permit THe Oration did begin with the comparison of a Kingdom under one Prince to the body of man united in its Members by such a strickt conjunction voluntary consent mutual co-intelligence and admirable sympathy under the government of the head that any of them being ill affected the rest moved with the danger do with all diligence endeavour its remove but that they all are joyntly carried on with far more earnestness to preserve the head safe unhurt as knowing that upon its welfare dignity and authority the wel-being of the whole body depended and that the same being forsaken by the Members a totall decay disturbance of their Order with the dissolution of the whole speedily insues That the same harmony ought to be between the Subjects of one and the same Prince and that instructed by the same admirable Office of Nature they should be lincked with bonds of love and nourish mutuall Peace and Concord and not offer but divert and resist any prejudice that might accrue to either but chiefly to provide that the Dignity Authority and Preheminency of their Prince and Soveraign as head and Director of the whole body of the Common-wealth should not suffer the least diminution or derogation And that exhibition of due honour fidelity and obedience should not be wanting in all Services that were to be rendred especially from the Subjects in regard that by violation of the Rights of Majesty or their Usurpation the Harmony Politick was disturbed and the Kingdoms ruine must consequently follow even as the hand or foot indulging themselves and refusing their service to the head the same would soon langish and the whole therwith perish He next commemorated severall former Leagues and Alliances between Poland with its dependencies and Suethland but mainly as neerest related that by the present Sigismundus the third King of both the Realmes but Suethlands Nursling and the true Progeny of the ancient Suethish Kings begotten upon a Jagellonian Polish Infanta and adorned with all Princely gifts Sanctimony Piety Justice Prudence Fortitude Wisdom and Magnanimity the patern of all Vertues mercifull to his Subjects devout meek gratious To his Friends most friendly but to his Foes a terrour and destruction That to this Sigis the third Heir Inaugurated and Crowned King of Suethland Elected also and Crowned King of Poland and of the great Dukedom of Lithuania the said Nations and People did owe obedience and did acknowledge honour and reverence as the sole Ruler and Moderator of both the Kingdoms whose Raign they wished might exceed Nestors years And that the Orders of both the Kingdoms ought to take equall care that as their mutuall peace and tranquility was under God from him to be derived so the Dignity Majesty Regall Rights and Prerogatives of thier mutuall Prince should be preserved unviolated with his Majesties particular Rights Dignity and Praeeminency in all things saving to each Kingdom their own for otherwise any one might easily judge that neither of the Kingdoms could remain safe and intire That the late Parliament at Warsaw in Poland understanding what things there purposely published had been enacted at the Sadercopian Parliament in Suethland the Senators of Poland with the
Lithuanian Orders had appointed this Embassie principally for the neerer conjoyning of those Potent Kingdoms in peace and unity and as therunto conducing to enquire into the whole matter as not being of particular concernment to Suethland only but had like reference to the not to be violated Regall Dignity of his Majesty who was of both those Realms the sole Lord and King from whom they had obtained permission to treat with his Highness and the Senators of Suethen in a way of Brotherly Charity and Amity which is not wont to act rashly That the Senators and Orders of Poland and Lithuania doubted not but that the Orders of Suethen would continue faithfull toward their King to whom they were astricted by Nature by Oath and hereditary Right even as they had professed in that Sudercopian Enaction but that notwithstanding they could not but apprehend the intervention of sundry things at that Parliament which unless corrected by Mature Counsell might breed disturbance in the Kingdom such Initiations usually springing up when slighting the Lawfull Lord publike Counsels were convened by another Call Laws were enacted the form of Government changed Ministers placed by the King removed from their Charge things peculiar to the Royall Majesty transferred upon others All which may easily appear to be full of and obnoxious to many dangers That the Polonian and Lithuania Orders did conceive the Suethes could not be ignorant of his Majesties affections towards his Paternall Realm or that he desired to have a regardfull eye unto the good of his Subjects nor would have refused but rather granted them a Parliament if he had seen it necessarily requisite that Method and Order consentaneous to the Lawes of the Kingdome might have been observed It being undeniable that a Convention in a Kingdome cannot be rightly called without the consent authority and presence of the King but that as then no such thing had appeared wanting either in reference to the Kingdome or its ancient accustomed Lawes and Constitutions his Majesty having concluded a peace between them and the Russian and so disposed of all things within the Kingdome as that no detriment or disturbance could rationally be feared That the said Convention was not only made without publike necessity impelling contrary to his Majesties and the Pedish Senatoriall expectations and wanted the consent and authority of their lawfull Crowned King but even contrary to his Edicts prohibiting the same yea that many things had been therein enacted diametrically opposite to the Regall Rights and Superiority As the Call it self in manner as aforesaid The remove of persons intrusted by the King with Forts and these committed to others Exauthorization of the Royall Mandates coyning of money in other then the Regall name Appeals to his Majesty and therein the Regall Dignity it self many waies circumscribed That these things having been weighed in an equall Ballance the Senators and Princes of Poland and Lithuania with the respective Orders of the depending Provinces Dukedomes and Cities did by them their Ambassadors earnestly desire his Highness to preserve entire his Majesties Rights and Dignity wherein the Kingdomes welfare was involved as their propinquity of blood required and did also in Brotherly manner admonish and entreat the Senators of Suethland as such to whose vigilancy prudency and Fidelity that Kingdomes care was by him committed and intrusted to return a diligent demonstration of their duty and fidelity toward their hereditary and crowned King and by a vigorous resistance of any who affecting Innovations as in large Empires many times happens would for private disturb the publike Interest manifest to the world how freely they had implyed the Talent intrusted unto them from Heaven and his Majesty That all Innovations in Kingdoms were perilous and pernicious but especially such as tended to violate the Rights of a lawfull hereditary crowned King as might be evidenced by France which by a thirty six and the Opulent Belgian Provinces by a twenty seven years Warr were almost reduced to an utter extermination And that those Rights neither could nor ought to be impaired but by that Majesty by whom Kings Raigne and Princes decree Justice That wicked men did never proceed at first to open height of evil but by peicemeals plucked up the Fences untill that from faithfull Subjects they had wrested the Power whereby having overturned the Kingdome to augment their owne Wealth and Greatnesse Which evills it beseemed his Highnesse and their Lordships to obviate timely and to abolish any Laws Constitutions or Confederations contrary to his Crowne his Dignity and Regall Rights and by their prudence and authority to divert the course of ill undertaken Councells least the head thereby weakned the Kingdomes body might faint and fall into decadence That the Duke and Senators of Suethland might assure themselves that his Majesty albeit at present detained by greater cares for Christendomes universall good would never intermit his due regard of his native Countrey no more then suffer the Rights of Royalty to be disjoynted But that whatsoever faithfull Subjects should crave in a just and orderly way his Dignity preserved hee would undoubtedly grant That therefore his Highness and their Lordships ought to prosecute his Majesty with due returne of Love observancy obedience and faithfull endeavours The rather for that his Majesty did no way oppress or burthen them but like to an indulgent Father with a minde truely Royall more prone to mercy then to cruelty was willing to passe by offences the more grievous because proceeding from his owne by whom he ought not to have been injured Notwithstanding which he Promised no lesse for the future then that amidst the Community of Christendomes concernments whereof Suethland did partake he would endeavour their good and as a returne of his Highnesse and their Lordships constant and faithfull affections towards his Majesty was no way doubted of by the respective Orders of Poland and Lithuania so the continuance therein was their earnest desire That the Polanders as they had abundantly testified by a voluntary conferring their Crowne upon his Majesty and according to their Nations custome had vowed unto him their Fortunes Liberties life it selfe so they were now ready to bestow all those and what else could be dearer unto them for the vindication of his Regall Rights and Dignity and would to that end unanimously joyne with his Highness their Lordships and that Kingdomes Orders and did promise as the present Oration might testifie that they would never be wanting to endeavour the repair of the least injury done to his Majesty or Kingly name wherunto they expected and did promise to themselves a mutuall assured and an untergiversing concurrence from his Highness the Orders of Suethland from whom for conclusion they earnestly desired they might receive an authentique written answer to the severall heads of their Embassie wherby their diligence and faithfull delivery of what they had in charge might be approved to their principles In like manner Count Ericke and Aruidus Gustavus
Parliaments without which the publick weale cannot be rightly provided for as is manifest in that seldome any Kings without Parliaments have laudably administred the Common wealth That the same did likewise contradict the Regall Oath and that Kingdomes Priviledges That his Majesty having sworn to govern his Hereditary Country by the Counsell of the Duke and the Senators therof they had neither approved of nor been consulted in the draught of that form but the same had been compiled by Strangers and the Subjects compulsion to its obedience would be a violation of the Regall Oath Next Suethland by most ancient Priviledges had power to call Parliaments in the Royall absence which Priviledges the King had by Oath bound himself to maintain That wheras it had been insinuated his Highness ought to have rendred obedience to the foresaid Form albeit imperfect by reason it was not for long duration in regard of his Majesties intention for a return within short time into that Kingdom It is answered that Emergencies in Kingdomes admit not of delaies That a month only may produce unremediable evils how much more two years That the King at his departure had deprived them of all hopes of his return having affirmed to the Senators and Orders of Poland that he would remain with them to the end That his Highness had disposed of his Majesties Fee-farmes or Copyholds which by the Law was reserved to the King solely in Sign of his Supream Praeeminency That if his Majesty will rightly discerne the sense of their Lawes in that case his Highness cannot appeare to have done ought therin contrary to the Regall Authority That the Assignation of certain Lands or Mannors to some honourable persons in satisfaction out of the Annuall proceed for summs of money long owing to them by the King and Kingdome that so the Capitall sum might not to the detriment of both encrease by interest was not an alienation of those Lands That if this were unacceptable the King who had been severall times advertised thereof should have shewed by what waies those Debts whereof as being just the Creditors could neither be denied nor ought to be by force defrauded might have been discharged and the course of interest stopped And that whatever he had conceded unto any it was upon condition they should obtain the Royall Assent which might evidence that he did acknowledge a Superiour without whose approbation he would not conclude in ought that peculiarly belonged unto his Majesty That his Majesties faithfull Ministers had been oppressed and removed from their Offices 1. That his Highness cannot be taxed to have oppressed his Majesties faithfull Ministers for having deprived some infected with the Romish Pontificiall Leven of those Governments which the King without consulting himself and the Kingdomes Senators had promoted them unto forasmuch as by the Regall Assecuration the entry into those Honours and Offices was forbidden to such 2. Distributive Justice prohibited maintenance from the Crown Revenues to those who by the Royall Cautionary prescription were not to bear Office and were unserviceable to the Kingdome 3. That forasmuch as his Majesties Oath being salved those persons could not pretend to more then a common enjoyment with the other Inhabitants of the Kingdomes Priviledges Lawes and Immunities the permission to them of more would have been an offence against the same Wherefore his Highness had not oppressed them if it were so to be stiled but they first themselves by declining the received Religion and transiating into the Tents of Rome and next his Majesty who by his assecuration had deprived them of Office and Dignity Moreover it was evident that part of them so preferred were uncapable of those duties and unprofitable to the Subject neither were they by consult admitted according to the prescript Lawes and therefore legally deprived As also that some of them were charged with hainous Crimes And it was not meet that such should rule over others who could not govern themselves neither were they to be numbred amongst the Kings faithfull Servants in regard it would be a reproach to his Majesty to make use of their Service That his Majesties Letters of Inhibition and other Patents were slighted That his Highness had never slighted any Legall Regall Mandates neither did he conceive that by constraining some of evill Fame accused of notorious Crimes to appeare in Judgment with other lying Detractors who against himself had published many false Criminations or that by diminishing the power of such as had opposed the Sudercopian Decree who by Patents had been all received into the Royall Protection he had trespassed in ought against his Majesties Inhibitions when as by Law such were void Next that his Majesty could not by his Patents protect such persons having sworn to preserve the Kingdomes Lawes in their Entry and in them is expresly couched That he who is tainted by Common Fame must acquit himself from suspition Neither doth the Imperiall Power extend to the taking away the right of a third nor to pardon a wrong done to any untill the injured party be first satisfied and therefore his Majesties Inhibitions could not free the Defamers of his Highness and others from process That the Sudercopian Parliament tended wholly to the wel-fare of the King and Kingdome and to concord in Religion and had not therefore been wrongfully called so that the Letters which protected the Impugners thereof were invalid and opened a great gap to dissentions and disturbances as was then evident in Finland from which Fountain ruine to Kings and Kingdomes doth usually flow Lastly that such Letters were repugnant to the Regall Oath and the Municipall Law of Suethen wherin is expressed He shall defend his Subjects especially the quiet and peaceable who live conformable to Law not only from Strangers but likewise from turbulent and contentious Inhabitants Chiefly he shall maintain Ecclesiasticall Immunities c. But such had been excepted in the Kings Patents Open War raged in Finland the Subjects there so exhausted by new Exactions as they could not pay the Kings Rents Sundry hundreds had perished by hunger That other grievances were here omitted as Rapines Rapes Stuprations open Violences Violation of domestick Peace and the like which not only were hitherto unpunished notwithstanding severall advertisements given but his Majesty did also prohibit proceedings against the Author or head of those mischiefs That as to any other of the Royall Mandates their Authority when conform to the Lawes and Royall Oath had ever been entirely preserved Moreover that not only in Suethland but almost in all other Nations it had been a received custome that Kings when absent did direct their Commands concerning ought to be done unto him who was over the Kingdome And it had and might happen that by false Narrations of the procurers of such Patents his Majesty had and might be led into errour and issue forth such Letters and Grants as would be much prejudiciall to the Kingdom if put into
Raigns of Ericke the thirteenth and John the second in which the Orders of the Kingdome convened to admonish the King by writing of his duty and to exhort him not to leave the Kingdome in the distractions it then was And albeit his Highnesse is not ignorant that Judgment is not to be given by example but by Law he holds it yet worthy of consideration that examples are of a two-fold kind the one diametrically repugnant the other consentaneous to the Lawes the former of no authority the latter of equall force with the Law But those before cited are not contrary thereunto and therfore cannot be legally rejected by his Majesty Moreover not so much the example as the frequency of such actings and the time requisite for such prescriptions are to be regarded which custome is not only of equall force with the Lawes but doth sometimes eclipse their Authority Thirdly Whereas his Majesty did religiously promise that he would intermit nothing which might conduce to the well-fare and flourishing estate of the Kingdome he cannot nullifie the Sudercopian Decree which wholly tended to the Patriall good safety And albeit a Law were extant forbidding Parliaments to be held in the Royal absence yet it ought to be restrained when the Kingdome by reason of that absence were in danger For Salus Populi Suprema Lex Esto And a Prince ought to prefer the publike good before his own particular As therefore his Highnesse and the Kingdomes Inhabitants are not further bound unto his Majesty nor obliged to obey his commands then his Oath his Caution given and the Lawes of the Land do permit and that these would be contradicted if his Majesty should obstruct the Parliamentary Decree made and ratified by common consent It followes of right that the Subjects are not bound to the obedience of his Edict especially in regard the Kings and Kingdomes wel-being was endeavoured by that Convention That since this Kingdome of Elective became Hereditary no such Parliaments were ever celebrated the King living and that this therfore opposed his Dignity and Regall Rights That since the first time this Kingdome became Hereditary never did any of their Kings at one and the same time governe two Kingdomes so far distant and differing both in people and language but alwaies remained in and laudably ruled their Hereditary Kingdome and therefore it was not necessary that another should undertake the work and call Parliaments albeit even they as Affaires required could not otherwise governe then by such Convocations So as this ought not to turne to his Highnesse reproach the Kingdome being in a manner destitute of a King and disorders increasing It may also be here demanded whether more right and power accrues to the King by Succession then his Predecessors had whilest Raigning by a free Election But if it cannot be shewed that more power and authority is devolved unto his Majesty what should now hinder Parliamentary Indictings and the constitutions of things tending to the good of the King the Kingdome and totall Posterities seeing that Histories do shew the same hath been done they raigning and governing other Kingdomes That in the Sudercopian Convention new Lawes were enacted and that to make and promulgate Edicts is solely Regall Wherefore the Transactions there did undoubtedly derogate from the Royall Dignity and Authority and ought to be abrogated That to ordaine new Lawes is not solely Regall but the Subjects consent is likewise requisite without which it cannot be done It is also affirmed that no new Law was enacted in that Convention and consequently nothing derogatory to his Majesty therein acted That much time was not Elapsed since his Majesties Coronation so as the promises then made might easily be remembred and therfore their renovation by any particular Convention was unneedfull His Highnesse regards not so much the time as the manner of his Majesties observing those agreements and that many things could be made appeare to have been acted contrary to the most of them but that he is tender of his Majesties honour and fame 2. This Objection is more hurtfull then helpfull to his Majesties cause in saying he was mindfull of what had been transacted at his Inauguration for his Judgment may suggest unto him what suspition may arise from a voluntary omission of what one knowes ought of right to be done 3. From hence also conjecture may be made how that will be kept unto Posterity which is wilfully neglected at the very first 4. Renewing of things formerly concluded is not unusuall for many things are comprehended in the Law and published which neither ought nor can be unknown to any yet forasmuch as they are many waies trespassed against Kings with the Orders of the Kingdome have thought meet to digest the heads mostly swarved from into new Edicts and Constitutions and so republish them to the people which might be also exemplified by other Nations but that the repetition would be over-long That his Highnesse had by that Parliament administred occasion to deprive his Majesty with himself and whole Posterity of the Succession and Kingdome and therefore those Decrees ought to be abolished Experience the continued consent of Histories and all Politicks do accord that for two causes chiefly God doth transfer the Empire of one Nation to another Viz. Impiety and Injustice And therefore by the rule of contraries it followes that he who provides for Concord in Religion and who administers Right and Justice affords no matter for such Mutations But that this is the maine scope of the Sudercopian Decree is evident from it selfe wherefore his Highnesse cannot be justly accused of giving occasion thereby to deprive his Majesty and his Successors of the Kingdome For caution being therein given that the Oath of subjectional Fidelity should be preserved and all erroneous Decrees dissenting from our received and admitted Religion abrogated it followes consequentially for Negation of the whole admits of Negation of parts that whosoever impugnes that Decree doth equally free the Subjects from their Oath of Fidelity to his Majesty disturbes Concord in Religion and overturnes the Hereditary Covenants His Highnesse therefore doth Jurally affirme that his Majesty cannot disanull the same without absolving the Subjects from their said Oath and exclusion of himselfe and Posterity from the Succession 2. The Subjects Obligation to his Majesty is conditionall agreeable to the Regall Oath and Assecuration as hath been shewed Whence it is that by over-throwing the Sudercopian Tractation the Covenant will not be fulfilled ANd it is evident in Law that where the Condition is not observed the Obligation is void The rescinding therefore of that Transaction may administer cause of defection as his Highnesse hath brotherly admonished his Majesty 3. None can be ignorant that it is usuall in all Nations for Subjects to renounce their fidelity and obedience upon violation of the Regall Conditions and Covenants Histories do record nor can it be unknown unto any what hath
the Equestriall Order who were imbued by those Counsellours of the kingdome that what the Senators should do the said Order was to subscribe unto and follow whereby many of the chief Nobility Military Commanders Clergie and Burgesses through the wicked perswasions of those Senators declined their appearance as did those Senators themselves none reparing to the same Count Axell of Rasborg excepted albeit the generality of the Equestriall Order Counts Barons Gentry Prelates Military Officers Burgesses and common people flocked thereunto without regard to the example or Malignant inducements of the Senators The particular transactions in that Parliament I omit referring as before the curious to the Acts themselves the most materiall being an exclusion of all mixt religions as displeasing to God pernicious to Soules tending to persecutions mutuall hatred and dissentions with an asseveration or assurance of remaining constant God assisting in the Doctrine received and that they would not permit the exercise of any other Religion to be received in any part of that Kingdome the Kings private Chappell when he should be within the kingdome onely excepted and whosoever should secretly or openly transgresse this decree and generall agreement by acting contrary to their Subscriptions and Signatures they were to be reputed as perfidious persons and to be shunned by all honest and ingenious people The reiteration of their assurances of fidelity to their King followed next in order according to the Union of Hereditary Succession the Testament of King Gustavus or his last Parliament An. 1560. celebrated at Stocholme as also conform to their owne late conclusions at Sudercopia for the confirmation whereof this convention was chiefly instituted wherein was further enacted that all Dissenters from their and the Sudercopian Decrees who should not declare themselves within six weeks excepting those of the remoter Provinces to whom longer time was allotted should be reputed as Disturbers of the Common-wealth and to be cut off from the body Politick On whom after due information and exhortation fit punishment was by his Highnesse with consent of the Senatoriall and other Orders to be inflicted The like for all of whatsoever condition or degree who should for any respect desert or fall off therefrom The Commotions in Finland were also resented and the sufferings of the people there in order whereunto it was decreed that some persons of good repute should be sent thither with severe Injunctions to all parties to depose their Armes and demeane themselves peaceably and where any just cause of complaint was the same to be legally discussed and decided and that his Majesty should be humbly moved by those who should be deputed towards him that by his Royall Authority there might be a ceasing of these disturbances and provinciall devastations but if it should be certainly found by faithfull Messengers that those tumults did not end but rather encrease and that counsell nor admonition would not take place that then other proceedings corresponding to the Regall Oath and to the Sudercopian Constitutions should be made whereby the Kingdome might not be further damnified Provision was likewise made for the ease of the Subject in certaine particulars untill a totall alleviation might ensue They also bound themselves to Unity and mutuall defence with lives and fortunes against all persons who should offer or attempt any violence towards the observers of those things which were in that Convention established yet still with reservation of the fidelity due to their Supream Majestrate and the concord wherein they were by Law and right bound unto each other This Transaction was as aforesaid at Arbogia the fifth of March 1597. But this Parliament was not more pleasing to King Sigismundus then that of Sudercopia Dissentions say the Suethes being raised up in each corner of the Kingdome the Orders therof declined by troops the conventional Conclusions That brood of Senators not to digresse from their owne words perswading the severall States not to adhaere unto or repute the Arbogian decrees for legall albeit concurring with those of Sudercopia and feeding all degrees of people with hopes of the speedy returne of King Sigismundus to the great emolument of the Country and Inhabitants thereof and that the Arbogian Constitutions were to be the lesse esteemed in regard the Senators with certaine chiefs of the other Orders did not assist at or subscribe unto them With the like allurements and fucatious perswasions say the Suethes they seduced many of the severall Orders which done they with their Wives and Children abandoned the Kingdome maliciously pretending they neither could nor would assent unto the Arbogian results But chiefly as understanding that the Plenipotentiary for Government with the Defensoriall Letters obtained from King Sigismundus that they six or seven Senators Duke Charles in a manner excluded should manage the Government in the Regall absence would not attaine that Authority hoped for the same importing that if Duke Charles were not therewith contented those Senators assisted by the Malitia of the Kingdome should prosecute him and his partakers as open Enemies their Goods to become a prey as the more curious may see in the said Plenipotentiary dated at Warsaw the thirteenth of January 1597. and the Defensorialls likewise of the twenty third of May next following Neither contented onely to have sowed seeds of dissention between the Inhabitants of Suethland Poland and Lithuania they perswaded the States of Poland without cause or praemonition to undertake with their King a Military expedition against his Native Country to oppresse contrary to right the Duke and his Assistants without admitting those equitable conditions sundry times tendred by himself and followers conducing to his Majesties and the kingdomes good Nor were they without succesfull hopes if the king had gained the Finlandian forces he daily expected thence The miserable condition of the Inhabitants there may be conceived say they by the butchery of many thousands of innocent persons which mischief beginning in Finland did extend even to Suethland also the face of things being such in that Province as that many Colonies with their Wives and Children abondoning their Habitations were constrained to flye unto the Duke for relief which also turned to the greater hurt of some For the fore-named Governour of Finland with his Accomplices diligently watched to hinder them from informing the Duke of their condition some for the like complaints being cruelly put to death infringing thereby the Protectiorall Letters which the Duke as Governour of the Kingdome had by the Lawes of Suethland full power to give in the Regall absence Neither was the King unacquainted with the afflictions of Finland those with other grievances having been signified unto him by the Duke by Letters at large from Nycopia the twenty second of May 1597. yet no redresse was granted but the same rather approved and the said Governour reputed and saluted by the name of his most faithfull Subject and Counsellour The King remained as the Suethes assert not onely unmoved with those
he found that whilest his Majesty used their counsell the present difference would never have a prosperous issue He therefore as a friend and brother desired advised and admonished his Majesty to relinquish that band of treacherous and tumultuous Counsellours who for their peculiar and wicked ends did draw his Majesty into evill courses and to repaire to Stocholme or where otherwise he pleased He assured that he would not onely secure his Majesty from all hurt and danger but also engage that himself and his followers should attend and conduct him whithersoever he desired with all due fidelity obedience and promptitude That as to others they would proceed according to Justice having hither to forborn them for his Majesties sake least he with them might have undergone some misfortune which notwithstanding any suggestions of him to the contrary he took God to record he desired not but would alwaies be ready to avert such evill from his person if he would have regard to himselfe and rest perswaded of him as of his most affectionate Uncle But that if his Majesty contrary to this faithfull advice would still retaine those turbulent Counsellours he should be carefull least with them he might rush into some danger That if the same should happen which he besought God to forbid he was innocent thereof before God and the Christian World and willing to have prevented the same if his Majesty would have adhered to his advice rather then to the pernicious perswasions and wills of wicked men hereupon desiring an answer he committed his Majesty to Celestiall protection Dated from his Camp as above said King Sigismundus the day before he moved his Tents from Stegeburg toward Lincopia sent a Letter of assecuration which omitting the repetitions therein inserted contained that if the Illustrious Duke Charles would release his Servants and restore his Army Kingdome Townes Houses Forts and Territories his Navy Stores Ammunition with all other things to him and the Crowne of Suethland appertaining set free his Subjects and Domesticks cease from hostile Actions retire into his Dukedome there quietly remain ready with his party who were any way guilty to appeare and answer in Judgment upon legall citation and would thereof give security That he also did therby then pomise and ensure the dismission of his forraine Forces his ordinary Train and Guard of his body excepted and that neither toward his Highnesse his Army Subjects or any other of whatsoever condition any violence should be offered but each one permitted to enjoy the benefit of the Laws untill the whole matter were tryed before competent Judges That all Persons adhering to the Regall Party whosoever the Duke or any other would appeach should also appeare in Judgement and that all his Highnesse Servants who were under any restraint by reason of this Tumult should be released All which things he would observe and do upon his Regall Faith and Honour in confirmation whereof he had thereunto set his Hand and Seale adding as before that if beyond expectation himselfe or the Duke should before the controversie were legally decided infringe or attempt ought contrary to what that Instrument contained the Orders of the Kingdome should be obliged to resist the Party so doing These were given at the Camp at Stegeburg the twentieth of September 1598. Upon receipt hereof Duke Charles without delay returned these Propositions of Peace 1. THat his Majesty would repaire to Stocholme without stronger Guards then the King his Father had used in progressing through the Kingdome 2. That the Forraigne Forces should speedily depart the Land 3. That the Counsellors of the Kingdome should repaire and quietly remaine at home untill the Parliament and then appear in Judgement 4. That the Parliament be called and kept within six moneths 5. That Ambassadours of Germane Electors and Princes should be invited by Letters against the time to examine the dissention and that each side should name those whom they intended to choose In the interim nothing to be done secretly or openly within or without the Kingdome to the prejudice of each other but all persons to enjoy their Mansions peaceably untill the time of Legall decision 6. That each one retaine what he is at present possest of untill the time of the Comitiall Assembly 7. That nothing of the Kingdomes affaires be decided or treated of unwitting to his Highnesse 8. That the Finlandian Souldiers should be prohibited from entring the bounds of Suethland but containe themselves quietly within the Province and therin stand to tryall That in the mean time there be a cessation of all pernicious Plots and that Law and Justice be there administred to all persons 9. That no distribution of Lands be made untill the Parliament 10. That forraign Souldiers be removed out of the Castles and Forts and that they be committed to the faithfull Guard of the Suethes 11. That the forraign Ships which had brought Alien Forces into the Kingdome might remaine under Arrest Upon these Articles the Duke desired security from his Majesty with addition of the clause that if any of the said Articles were infringed the States of Suethland should freely adhere to his Highnesse whereupon he offered to disband his Forces to retire and remaine quietly in his Dukedome But King Sigismundus slighting say they these conditions retired in a calme and still night toward Lincopia leaving with the Commander of Stegeburg certaine instructions dated the twentieth of September 1598. Importing 1. THat they should continue faithfull to his Majesty in each respect procuring his good according to their duty and Oath 2. That if Duke Charles should enquire the reason of his Majesties sudden remove they should answer that perceiving the sparks of this dissention could not be extinguished by equall conditions but that lesse tollerable were daily obtruded he had withdrawne to avoid the effusion of blood and to see whether his Highnesse would take better counsell and cease those courses that tended to the Countries ruine 3. That if the Duke should forceably assault the Castle they should oppose him to their utmost power and resist force with force KIng Sigismundus as hath been said being gone to Lincopia Duke Charles by letter of the 22 Sept. expostulated that instead of Answer to his former his Majesty was departed from Stegeburg and might be induced by those evil Counsellours authors of the present dissension to abandon the Kingdome or repair where a larger field for tumult might be offered That he admonished and besought him by the passion of Christ not to be seduced by them to a further remove untill he had concluded the whole matter to the good of the Countrey protesting on the salvation of his soul before God and the world his innocency and averseness to any prejudice might thereby arise And desired his Majesty to believe that all things belonging to the Castle or Shipping which after his Majesties departure had been rendred unto him should be faithfully preserved for his Majesty HEreunto
his Kingly faith and dignity Sanctimoniously promise and ensure that neither in the present or future time he would require or take revenue of ought done or hapned during the late dissention nor prosecute his Highnesse or his followers with hatred or inclemency nor any of the Ducall Ministers for obeying his Commands nor that he would animadvert into the Anthors of what had past or punish any person for the same but would beare and extend unto the Duke and those aforesaid all Royall benignity and favour and would neither by force or fraud by himselfe or others openly or secretly within or without the Kingdome act move or give way to any deceitfull practises which might procure hurt or damage either in bodies or Estates unto the said Prince his Wife Children Ministers Subjects or pertakers nor to any of the Regall Subjects who had sided with his Highnesse of whatsoever dignity degree or condition they were He likewise professed and promised to governe the Kingdome according to the Lawes of Suethland his Regall Oath and Manuall security given at his Inauguration and to remit the deciding and composing of all differences untill the ensuing Parliament the same to be celebrated within foure moneths before neutrall Arbitrators such as Imperiall Regall Electorall and Ducall Ambassadors who were to be invited by Letters Those differences especially to be then determined as could not otherwise be wel ended between the Native Suethes But that no decision Legall or other should be instituted nor was needfull between himselfe and the Duke all controversies between them being buried by a perpetuall Amnestia That whatsoever had been generally concluded transacted and agreed upon should not be separately answered for by any particular person but the generality be admitted to render a reason thereof That whatsoever in future Parliaments should be established was to be allowed and accepted of and each one permitted to use and enjoy the same without prejudice or molestation That all Prisoners and others of either party should be obliged to appeare and answer in Parliament when called thereunto Forraigne Forces whether in Feild or Fort should be forth with dismissed the Regall Court and personall Guard excepted which should not exceed the number formerly used in the Kingdome All the Natives Horse and Foot waged by the King should be paid and disbanded each to return home the Duke to do the like to those of his side He also promised and consented that all Castles or other places committed by his said Uncle unto any one in his absence should so remain untill the said Parliament As also that those five Senatoriall persons demanded by his Uncle should remaine in his power untill the decision of the whole Affaire yet so as to enjoy all necessary provisions without hurt offered to their bodies or Estates He further gratiously promised that publication of this agreement and declarations for the clearing of his Uncle from all Crimes whereof he had been aspersed with serious Injunctions for all men to lay downe their Armes and to embrace Peace and Concord should be made in all Provinces and parts of the Kingdome It was also granted that the Dukes Ministers and Subjects might securely passe and repasse through all the parts thereof about their Masters or their owne lawfull Affaires they behaving themselves peaceably not raising sedition the like liberty and security was to be enjoyed by the Regall Subjects and Ministers within the Ducall Territories That all things pre-mentioned being thus effected his Uncle did in like manner confirme to restore unto him upon his repaire to Stocholme whither he speedily intended and to remit into his possession his Forts Navy Ordinance with all other things belonging unto him and the Crowne of Suethland which had been committed unto his Dilection and were until then in his possession the same to be no way abused to the ruine of his Dilection or the Country All which the Premisses he confirmed under his hand and Seal concluding that if ought contrary thereunto should be acted or any recesse therefrom made either by himselfe or his Uncle the Orders of the Kingdome had thereby power and right to oppose and resist the party violating Given as aforesaid at Lincopia the eighteenth of September 1598. These Covenants thus ratified Duke Charles gave order to the Admirall and Commanders of the Fleet to deliver up the Ships and Ordinance to the King no man doubting of the unviolable observation of this Treaty that so he might be transported from Stegeburg according to the Regall Honour and Dignity But what say they hapned When the Orders of Suethland expected that the King had been upon his course towards Stocholme to administer Justice to every one in conformity to this Lincopian Transaction and there to summon the Parliament they understood that he had steered first towards Calmar and thence into Poland with the Ships and Guns and contrary to his Oath had furnished Calmar with a Garrison of Aliens this being his third dicession from the Kingdome King Sigismundus say they having thus transgressed against the Lincopian Treaty as he had also broken all his former Oathes and promises the Orders of Suethland did thereby conceive themselves to be absolved from their Oath of Fidelity as being bound by the said Treaty to prosecute the Violater of that agreement and the rather because the Strangers garrisoned in Calmar demeaned themselves in hostile manner as also for that King Sigismundus designed those Ships and Ordinance upon a Naval expedition from Dantzig toward Elsenburg for the subduction of that place from the Crowne of Suethland and the more commodious annoyance thereof from thence with cruell War if his intention had succeeded thereby to obtrude his perverse Religion upon them and to remit that Fort into the hands of strangers as he had done by Calmar and that the Finlanders then quiet were againe by him stirred up so as the Suethes were necessitated to resume their Armes whereby floods of blood ensued in which many of the Natives perished And albeit King Sigismundus had many times promised those Finlanders aide from Poland yet he onely deceived and brought them to ruine But ere we proceed let us returne to see what entercourses did passe between King Sigismundus and Duke Charles after the fore-specified Lincopian Treaty KIng Sigismundus by a most friendly Letter of the thirtieth of September made request unto Duke Charles in behalf of the Captive Counsellors that their condition might be rendred more tollerable and that neither themselves nor their Ladies might be subject to scornes or reproaches the rather because some of those Ladies were neer in blood both to himselfe and the Duke putting the Duke in minde of his promise to that effect at their discourse together and desired that those Senators giving security for their appearance their owne houses might be their Prison or at least that they might remaine together not separated nor hurryed from one place to another In a Schedue annexed he prayed
capable of the government and so manage the same as might tend chiefly to the honour of God and the good and welfare of their most deare Countrey Promising that if he would so do they would continue even to the death his Majesties most faithfull and obedient Subjects And as their dutie did in like manner oblige to the young Prince as to their hereditary King And that as they hoped his Majesty would grant this their just and sincere Petition so they with equall humility and observancie entreated that his Majesty would release and send back certain innocent persons viz. George Claudius Olaus Hard Andreas Sweno and others who contrary to his Regall Oath right and Justice had been imprisoned and conveighed out of the Countrey But that if his Majesty contrary to their expectation should refuse to grant these desires which contained nothing but what was consentaneous to Christianity to the Lawes to Concord and the Regal Oath they w th all the Orders of the Kingdom would then protest before God claer their innocency towards all Christian Monarchs and the whole world that they were compelled to renounce their former obedience to his Majesty as seeing evidently that their longer continuance under his Soveraignty tended to the rejecting of the Divine word To the persecution of Subjects the abolition of legally acquired priviledges and prerogatives and the bringing of them under the yoake and Servitude of strange Lords Thus farr omitting the Criminations at the beginning out of the letter it selfe Hereunto King Sigismundus returned no answer but more then ever say they by open force and secret practices stirred up discord and dissention within the Kingdome For w ch cause with unanimous consent a Parliament was appointed to be held at Stocholme the moneth of July next following to consult upon these and other important affaires of State In that assembly the Senators and Orders of the Kingdome of Suethland the Earles Barons Bishops Gentrie Clergie Burgesses and Corporations there convened declared that forasmuch as their Ancestors the Orders of Suethland had at Arosia An. 1544. Framed certain constitutions for that Common Weales future government which were afterwards confirmed by each particular condition of the inhabitants importing that whereas in former times many discords mischeifes and inconveniences had sprung up in the Land partly because stranger Princes had been preferred to the Crowne of Suethland who exercised much violence and tyranny toward the Suethes partly also because concord could seldome flourish among the Kingdomes native Colonies whilst the choice and election of Kings rested in the Swethish Patriall Families according to the customary Lawes of the Kingdom and that the Royall Diadem did not discend to any certaine race wherefore it had been thought necessary to pitch upon the linage of some certaine Family whereon the Regall Dignity might be setled for ever so long as it should please God that any one of the Male issue thereof should remaine whereby the entrance into such dissensions in Suethland might be for ever closed and that they had not found any more worthy of that Regall eminency nor who had better deserved the Diadem both for himself and his Successors then their then present King Gustavus Erikson as who through Divine assistance had with exceeding diligence toyle and care and many hazards of his Person freed their Countrey from the servitude it groaned under of forraine Kings and had restored all the Orders of the Kingdome from the highest to the lowest to their ancient condition and liberty and not that alone but had likewise delivered the same from the unsupportable yoak of Romish Superstition and in stead of that false worship had restored the true Evangelicall Doctrine conforme to the Divine Word whereunto he had also commanded his Successors to adhere as they would avoyd the eternall losse of their Soules The present Parliament did confesse themselves obliged to observe the same as they had hitherto done by the Crowning of Ericke his eldest Son after his decease and he for most cruell tyranny and unworthy Government being with his Successors worthily deprived of the Scepter the same had been conferred upon Duke John the second Son of King Gustavus with his Male issue and he deceasing upon the present King Sigismundus notwithstanding the just objections they had for his imbracing the Romish Superstition contrary to the Godly admonitions left by his Grand-father as also for his accepting a forraine Crowne without the knowledge and consent of the Orders of Suethland with conditions so prejudicall to his native Conntrey as the same would never have admitted and his departure therfrom without their privity But not to insist here upon all their criminations consisting mostly of things formerly mentioned that Parliament further declared that for the sayd reasons and for that King Sigismundus had not daigned to returne any answer to their desires signified unto him from Jenecopia the preceding Winter they had unanimously and with one consent concluded not to acknowledge him any longer for their King or to be thenceforward obedient or subject to his government but renounced him and resumed and dissolved their Oath of fidelity and obedience wherein they had been hitherto bound by Law and the Acts of Hereditary union That albeit they had just cause to remove in like manner his Heirs Males from the Crown yet would not they impute the faults of the Father to the Son but had and did thereby decree to accept and receive Prince Vladislaus his Majesties Son for their Lord and King conditionally that within the space of one half year his Majesty would declare whether or not he would send his said Son into the Kingdome and commit him to the tutory of Duke Charles as his nearest in blood with other honest faithfull Men to the end he might be educated in the true Evangelicall Profession whereunto they in that Kingdome had bound themselves as also in the language and custome of the Countrey and would accordingly transmit him thither within six months next ensuing the half year fore-specified That this being thus done they would admit of and receive the said Prince before all others for their lawfull Lord and King when he should have attained those years wherein according to Law the ancient Jurisdiction and laudable custome of the Kingdome he might secure and govern them and it and that in the mean time they would acknowledge Duke Charles for their Hereditary Governour untill the Prince should attain to lawfull age But that if his Majesty should not do what before expressed within the prefixed times they would then also reject him so as neither he nor his Heirs should ever be admitted to sway the Scepter of Suethland but as the Father so the Son to be forever deprived thereof themselves being the causers of their prescription from the Royall Throne and their own dispoylers of all Authority and Dignity in Suethland wherof the said Orders were innocent before God and the World as not
not only clearly directly Contrary therunto and to the Sudercopian Decree in like manner but have also induced his Majesty to the breach of his Oath as they had broken theirs and to oppresse his Country by cruel War contrary to Law and Justice wherby they have caused many thousands of men to lose their lives procured much hurt and detriment to the country depriving the King of his Kingdom and people and by their plots precipitated themselves into the present misfortune It is hereby manifest that the pre-alledged Chapter of the Lawes of Suethen doth no way cover or defend their Crime but that we by vigour of the same text have legally pronounced them to be deprived of their lives their lands their goods and good names And we accordingly profess that we all jointly and severally willingly and legally by vertue of those obligatorial letters which the most illustrious Duke Charles and we have given to each other interchangably without hatred envy feare or respect of any person nor offering further then deserved violence have pronounced this Judgement and capitall Sentence and that we will constantly adhere thereunto both for the present and the future and will acknowledge and maintaine the same before God and the Christian World For the more assurance hereof we have ratified and confirmed this present Judgement with our hands and Seales At Lincopia the sevententh of March 1600 In this manner was the Sentence pronounced on those aforenamed but as for Claudius Bielke Christierne the Son of Claudius Ericke the Son of Abraham George Posse the Son of Knute they having publikely acknowledged their offences his Highnesse at the request of the Forrain Ambassadors and the Orders of the Kingdome had pardoned them upon their humble suit for remission of the facts whereby they had offended partly against those Orders partly against the Countrey yet so as to remaine prisoners untill his Highnesse had taken further deliberation and the bettering of their condition to be at his Highnesse pleasure Hogenscheild Bielke affirming hee could rationally refute the imputation of his siding with the other unfaithfull Counsellors by assistance and advice in perswading King Sigismundus to bring a forrain Army into his native Soyle he was to clear himselfe at the next insuing Parliament or otherwise to be lyable to the crime objected Concerning Carolus Gustavus and the Homicide charged upon him but no absolute conclusion made of the time he was ordered to acquit himselfe thereof in the next Parliament in which also the particulars his Highnesse had against the foresayd Persons were to be examined In reference to Finland the Parliament decreed that Arvidus Gustavus and Axelius Kurck who for effusion of blood and other abominable and wicked actions in that Province perpetrated by them had been there legally sentenced which was here confirmed should undergo the deserved punishment That others of the Nobility and of the Military Order not equally guilty as having been seduced by those trayterous Counsellours their Leaders should have their lives spared but that a third of their Immovables whether by Inheritance or Donation from Kings of Suethland should accrue unto the Crown for ever with all their Fee-Farmes whether for term of life or years It was further decreed that the Clergy and all others in that Province who by their Sons their Kindred or others of the Military Bands had contributed or maintained Horses or that had by Letters and Plots endeavoured against his Highnesse and the Kingdome in generall but cheifly for deserting the Sudercopian Constitutions they had formerly approved of and opposing themselves to their laudable transactions should be punished the Clergy to be for ever deprived of their Parishes and Ministeriall dignities Others who had furnished Horses or assistance to the Enemies were to be fined in a third part of their Goods and such as were any way accountable to be called to a strict account the residue of the Clergy who had onely dissented by not assisting the Orders and the Kingdome in prosecution of the Regall Oath and Assecuration with other most ancient jurisdictions should be fined in five Dollars for every ten Boores or Ploughmen within their Parishes and so to retain their functions and livings so long as they should behave themselves as became faithfull Subjects These are partly the heads of the Parliamentary transactions at Lincopia the ninteenth of March 1600. For more full satisfaction reference is had to the Acts. The same things were confirmed in the Comitiall Convention at Stocholme An. 1602 with sundry others enacted more relating to that countrey in particular then to the matter we have in hand and therefore here omitted Therein the Duke was again desired to accept of the Crowne which he neverthelesse refused untill he had once more by letters sounded the mind of his Nephew King of Sigismundus whether he would yet send his Son upon the conditions before expressed to receive his education in Suethen and the Crowne thereof when he should attaine unto full yeares In this Parliament also the succession was confirmed Duke Charles deceasing upon his Son Gustavus Adolphus and his heires males and those not surviving upon his second Son the Prince Carolus Philippus and his Male Issue which likewise failing the forenamed Prince John with his posterity masculine should succeed and did associate each with other for the opposing of any whether Native or stranger who should contradict these Statutes by endeavouring to obtrude any other upon the Regall Throne This Parliamentary Act consisting of eighteen heads sealed with their respective hands and Seales was concluded at Stocholme the seventeenth of July 1602. DUKE Charles upon the twentieth of the said Month sent letters to King Sigismundus commemorating those severall times formerly sent as well by the Orders of the Kingdome of Suethland as himselfe for the transmission of his Son to be educated in the Evangelicall Christian profession and the customes there used and so to be received and admitted for their Liege Lord and King when he should attain to yeares fit to manage the affaires of Suethen and to grant them due assecuration Withall taxing him that hitherto he had not only not answered but slighted and contemned their faithfull admonition but had calumniated him and was intentive toward his ruine and that of the Kingdomes respective Orders as appeared by his Majesties Letters divulged in Suethland partly before partly after the late cruell War and particularly in those by him sent to Revell from Vilna of the sixteenth of May stuft with contumelies unnaturall as being published against an Uncle who had alwayes studyed his Majesties and his Fathers good and had endeavoured to place the Crowne upon the head of his sayd Father by the deprivation of Ericke who ruled amisse as also safe-guarded his Majesty then an Infant in requitall whereof he was now by him aspersed with infamous titles and further shewed that Copies of certaine Letters were dilated unto him written by his
Majesty to the King of Denmark from Vilna the five and twentieth of February wherein he had endeavoured to spot his honour and had unadvisedly given away the right which the Crowne of Suethland doth justly vindicate as the peculiar badge thereof Viz. The three Crownes for which a long and cruell War had been waged with the Danes wherein many brave Men had perished and whereas the Danes formerly had earnestly entreated from the Suethes a protraction as to them for composing the difference his Majesty contrarily had now desired the like from the Danes conceding needlesly the right of the Suethes to the adverse party contrary to his Oath and promise which his Majesty and his unfaithfull Counsellours ought not to have done That nevertheless he regarded not those exorbitancies neither was willing to recompence evill with evill but would attribute those excesses to his Majesties weaknesse and the perversnesse of that Religion wherein he had been educated and would returne good even to his Enemies if his Majesty and his partakers would accept of his brotherly affection That therefore albeit the Orders of Suethland in the last Stocholmian Parliament as they had often before done had now againe humbly desired him to assume the Soveraigne Government and had wholly renounced his Majesty as he well knew he had not hitherto directly condescended unto them But that his Majesty and all the World might know he sought not his Majesties or his Successors prejudice but should gladly see his Majesties Posterity perpetually sitting at the Helme of that Kingdome He again earnestly and faithfully desired his Majesty to assent to his request and send his Son speedily into Suethland that otherwise and unlesse that before the ensuing month of August expired he received a satisfactory answer his Majesty would not impute it to him for a Crime that he had at length accepted of the tender which by the whole Orders of the Kingdome had been so frequently made unto him Dated as aforesaid from Stocholme neither do we find any future entercourse by Letters between King Sigismundus and his Uncle Duke Charles But say the Suethes in stead of answer to those Letters new broiles were set on foot by all the Forces could suddenly be raised in Poland Lithuania and Liefland albeit the Leiflanders did more adhere to the Suethes as not brooking the Polish Government Libels were dispersed into all parts against Duke Charles and he with the Orders of Suethland were publikely proclaimed Enemies Sundry but unsuccesfull attempts made upon Huitenstein and Revell Caspar Tisenhusen that Rebell with his Troops of Horse admitted into Viburg by Axell Kurck appointed Camp-Master by King Sigismundus contrary to his Oath and Obligation which prohibited the Command of Castles unto strangers Hereupon Duke Charles was compelled unto a new expedition into Leifland where before he attempted ought against his Adversaries he made sundry overtures for a Composure to Leo Sapia and others to whom the King of Poland had committed the Command of Leifland but was not only delayed with various Letters and deluded with vaine hopes but his Messengers likewise by them imprisoned contrary to the custome of Nations so as all his endeavours for ending that cruell War proved but vaine as appeared in the year 1602. when Axell Kurck and Henricus Horne with others upon request made by the Polanders were sent with certain Instructions positive to try whether any agreement could be made but coming to Leifland they found no man to treat withall King Sigismundus and the Polanders having no other intent then to continue the War and to procure them what Enemies he could both in Denmark and Russia which gave beginning to the so long continued broiles between the famous Kingdome of Suethland that of Poland and Lithuania Moreover the said Duke Charles in the yeare 1608. he being then King sent his Ambassadors Magnus Brake Earle of Visinsborg Nicolaus Bielke Baron of Salstad Peter Kenicius Bishop of Scharen Lawrence Paulinus Bishop of Stregnen Ottone Helmer de Tuna Castellan of Aboen and Philip Skeding Castellan of the Narue to treat with the Polanders but as formerly so then King Sigismundus refused to cease this bloody War by equall and laudable transactions Neither as they alledge is that to be slipt over in silence which Jonas Hendrickson Meldorpius Ditmarsus writes in his Oration intituled The meanes and way of reducing the Septentrionall Regions to the Romish Worship Whose words are that when the Collar of the Golden Fleece was presented to King Sigismundus at the Warsovian Parliament by the Count of Ligny in the name of the King of Spaine his Master King Sigismundus made Oath that he would preserve sincere Friendship and Brother-hood with the Prince of that Order and would propagate that Catholike Religion by endeavouring to his power the extirpation of Hereticks What therfore might be expected by the Duke and themselves who had abjured the Roman Profession Surely King Sigismundus swearing at the reception of that Order to propagate the Papall Creed by extirpating the Hereticks was injurious and perjured as to his Coronation Oath taken in Suethland In the year 1604. Duke Charles and the Orders of Suethland assembled again in Parliament at Norcopia upon the sixth of February wherin they ordained severall things tending to that Nations Emolument As 1. Concerning the revising correcting reprinting republishing of the Lawes and Constitutions of the Kingdome of Suehtland in all Provinces thereto belonging those to whom the same was committed to have allowance from the Crown for their subsistence untill it were perfected 2. The grievances of the Subject with their redresse from and by Missionary and Military Quarterings 3. The valuation of their Coine 4. The Tolls or Customes 5. Against imposition of Taxes by Deputies or Officials without the chief Superiours Command 6. The power of Provinciall Law-makers or of great Rulers 7. The Measures Weights and Balances measuring of Lands lustration of Regall Goods 8. Marriage of the Royall Progeny 9. The placing of Crafts-men in every Territory and Ware-houses in each City wherinto all Cloath to be brought and viewed before the fame were vended 10. Against the detention of Tenths Contributions and emergent Exactions by such as hold any Copyhold profits from the Crown 11. Concerning the payment of Subsidies or customary Tributes and by whom 12. The Provinciall Statutes of the late King Gustavus Erickson to be reviewed corrected according to the present occasions by the Supervisors of the Lawes of Suethland and together with them to be published and observed 13. Against undue and fraudulent exportation of Iron the punishment of Offenders 14. Touching the Grants of immovable Goods unto any person made by Kings or Princes 15. That the Moyety of Territoriall Fines should accrue to the Provinciall Judge the other Moyety to be reserved in the Territoriall Chamber Lastly That Emergencies requiring the absence for some time of the King or Kingdomes Governour the stay not to be beyond the day of
of Sables black Foxes Banthers and Leopards Skins the Furniture of their Horses answerable and garnished with rich Stones which by the Horses motion make a pleasant terrour They are a Courageous people most violent in a charge but once broken not easily rallying yet against the Turk and Tartarian the Bulwark of Christendome on that side over whom as formerly alledged by the Chancellour King Vladislaus had lately gained two famous Battels and had it not been for the difference ready to break out between them and the Suethes as their Generall himself at a Conference delivered to his Lordship they might have driven the Turke back to the very Gates of Constantinople A sadnesse it is and sorely to be lamented that the discords between Christian Princes who professe one God one Christ should make them more intensive against each other then against the professed Enemy of that blessed name wherunto they all professe their Baptization They were esteemed to be fifteen thousand Horse Effective but by themselves reputed more their Foot in all not exceeding six thousand After this and indeed delectable shew ended the King gave audience to all the Mediators joyntly concerning the years he would not add a day to the terme he had formerly prefixed Nor did the other particulars propounded give him any satisfaction so as he seemed enclining rather to War then Peace The day following his Lordship remained behind the other Mediators returned to Marienburg and related the Kings resolution to the Suethes who replied that for so small a matter as five years of time they did not conceive that either their principals or the Adversaries who stuck mainly therat did intend to broach a bloody War for the prevention whereof they would by severall waies dispatch two expresses into Suethen and that they might expect an answer within three weeks during which time the Truce might be continued and in the interim the other Articles might be discussed but if this were not approved they having no power to exceed their Instructions could not proceed unlesse that being by the Mediators secured of the concession of the other Articles by the Polanders and the Truce continued for eight daies longer they might therby take the point into further consideration These being related to the King in his Camp were not unpleasing and besides the eight daies of Prorogation a meeting was granted at Stumes Dorff the 4. 14. August provided the Garrison of Suethes then at Stume were removed The Mediators except the French who remained in the Leagure returning back to Marienburg acquainted the Suethes who by a visite prevented his Lordship with what they had concluded they willingly assented to the Prorogation and to the pre-appointed meeting which was to be the day insuing as also they restrained the Garrison at Sâ—ume by shutting up the Gates without any tumult or disorder Thus by the unwearied endeavours and not without the exceeding toile of the Mediators by frequent journey 's between the Parties the long intermitted meetings were resumed the 4 14 August at Stumbsdorff forenamed where at the first a new difference arose between the States Ambassadors and those of Brandenburg the former not willing to give the others the least precedencie refusing to come into the tent of the Marquesse Sigismund which in all former meetings had been the place of the Mediators joynt resort and consultation The other Mediators unwilling to make this competitionarie controversie theirs than which nothing could be more impeding to the present affaire and desirous to make the best use of time proceeded unto the matter before them concluding that the fore-specified conditions should be indifferently propounded to either of the Parties whereby each might the better explaine themselves by adding or diminishing what they should think meete his Lordship went to the Sueths the French and Brandenburgers to the Commissioners of Poland the former consented to most of the propositions tendred unto them but thought them to be over-breife and succinctly drawen and therefore for the more plaine understanding they delivered to his Lordship the whole matter of the Treatie comprehended in sundry Articles wherewith he presently repaired to the Polanders and which the French Ambassador and the Electoralls being present were instantly quoted with Marginall notes of such things as they either rejected or added or substituted in the place of others and having done they referred the whole to the Kings pleasure consenting to meete againe upon the second day ensuing and the Marginall Annotations being communicated to the Sueths and over-long to be then examined were also by them deferred to the said meeting One particular was by the last named recommended to the Mediators in especiall manner to be insinuated unto the other Partie to wit that a Parliamentarie ractification of what should be finally concluded might be procured from the Republike of Poland as without which the Treatie would be invalid Hereupon the Mediators and the Parties returned to their severall quarters Upon the day of intervall his Lordship visited the Sueths and consulted with them how to compound the competition between the Electorall and States Ambassadors that the publike Treatie might thereby receive no let nor hinderance at last it was concluded that besides the Prince his Tent an other should be pitch't the choice whereof should be given to the Hollanders whereunto his Lordship and the Commissioners of Suethland by an expresse visite that afternoon perswaded them to condescend The Mediators and the Parties assembled now the second time and the most urgent point of the Treatie consisting in the desired ratification the Mediators conceived it meete to cleer that rub the rather in that the Sueths mainely insisted that without the same all the Treatie and labour employed therein would be of no availe because a meanes of retracting there from would be remayning to the Polanders These on the other side demonstrated the impossibilitie therof in as much as a Parliament could not be called and held in lesse than four moneths affirming withall that the Kings ratification with theirs and that of the Senators placed by Parliament about the King in the name of the Republike would be sufficient they having from the same a full and absolute power of treating and concluding That in the mean time Prussia should be restored and then a Parliament for obtaining the ratification from the States of the Kingdome might be held in convenient time But the Suethes being herwith not satisfyed and it being unpossible for the Polanders to give any other present security the Mediators endeavoured by all meanes to remove this obstacle also and propounded that first the forces of each side should be dismissed and next that such places as the parties of either side should agree upon might be by way of Sequestration consigned into the Mediators hands untill the ratification were procured as also that Pledges might be given and the like Which propositions albeit
understood of private exercise onely had not declined from their obstinacie and accepted of the forme last specified only they requested his Lordship and the Ambassadors of Holland to afford them an attestation under their hands and seales that they had consented but to a private liberty of conscience without inquisition to be made thereupon and not to the free exercise of Religion which the said Mediators consenting unto this difficultie also was reconciled at last and hereof the French Ambassador certified the Commissioners of Poland desiring their appearance the next day at the accustomed place which the Suethes had likewise agreed unto Stumbs-dorff after a long intermission saw now the ninth congregating of the Mediators and Parties who having concluded satisfactorily about the point of Religion thought good to continue the examination of the Articles begun at Newendorff with those of Poland Certain slight scruples were moved but the cheife dispute was about the burthens and exactions which the late warr had Introduced as the fortifications at Mountispitz the abrogation of the Dantzig stample upon cloath the returne of the English society to Elbing the restoring to that Citie of the Prussian Land-seal with their prerogative of Session The razing of Mountispitz was referred to the decision of the question depending The abrogation of the Dantzig stample and the freedome of the English Society was earnestly disputed and pressed by his Lordship whose part it was as also a part of his Commission who cleerly shewed that the said Stample being no other than a Monopoly had been fraudulently procured by those of Dantzig to the disturbance of free trade and to the great prejudice and hinderance of the Merchants of great Brittaine Subjects to the King his Master the fourth part of cloath not being then transported which formerly had been to the no small losse even of the Polish Nobility and Gentrie who had been accustomed to buy such commodities at easie rates and now suffered exceedingly thereby as themselves affirmed but to the immense gaine of the Dantzigers contrary to the freedome of commerce and to common reason which forbids that one man should be enriched by the detriment of another The Brandenburgers and the Hollanders pressed each their interest The French Ambassador pleaded in some measure the cause of the Elbingers touching the Prussian Land-Seale The Poland Commissioners answered his Lordships proposition by an acknowledgment that the Dantzig stample upon cloath granted by King Sigismundus was unjust and severall wayes prejudiciall and promised to employ their endeavours at the next Parliament for the abrogation therof conforme to their Kings promise to his Lordship but they affirmed that for the present they neither had power neither that any out of Parliament could be given them against an Act therof such as the grant of the stample was that as all Nations were bounded by their proper lawes so it likewise behoved them to govern themselves by their Statutes his Lordship was not contented with this plausible answer and indeed it was no more but replied that the like words had been given to Sir Tho. Roe formerly Ambassador there from the King his Master and to sundry other Ministers who had pressed the same freedome he now urged for the English Merchants from that oppression and therefore againe instanced even the Truce it selfe now in a manner concluded as a maine argument for that liberation in regard that the countrey being thereby freed from the inconveniencies and miseries attending War it was not reasonable that strangers dwelling peaceably amongst them and by whose trafficke they reaped profit should still grone under the burthen of a yoake which themselves acknowledge to be unjust and that the same having been introduced as a calamity incident to the prejudice of the publike ought to vanish and end with it's originall and therefore he earnestly moved that not onely a bare endeavour might be promised but that a reall abrogation might be obtained and that the same might be inserted in the Acts and Articles of the present Treatie yet all this was fruitlesse for the Commissioners of Poland betook themselves to their former refuge impossibility against which all reasons were invaled They onely assented to continue the cessation for three dayes longer and to a meeting the second following These Passages were communicated to the Suethes and the Marginall notes were by them cursorily run over whereupon those Commissioners thinking it would be much to their dishonour to abandon the Elbingers and their interest earnestly commended to the Mediators the care of the points above mentioned concerning the Towne of Elbing viz. The abrogation of the Dantzig stample cheifely and the restoration of the Prussian Seale from which they assured them they would not shrink but night drawing on they reserved the Polish corrections and exceptions to be scanned at Marienburg and so consented as well to the meeting as to the prorogation and the next day the Commissioners of Suethland being demanded their resolution concerning the Articles deferred the same to be produced at the meeting The tenth congresse being come the Suethes exhibited their Articles in presence of the Mediators which were examined and scanned for almost six houres some things being added others taken away but all other difficulties were shadowes in comparison of that about the forementioned Stample for the cancelling wherof his Lordship againe endeavoured with all his might evincing the Justice and necessity thereof by most forcible reasons and arguments yet unsuccesfully for after a long and harsh expostulation the Senate of Dantzig some of which body were alwayes present and not lesse vigilant in things that concerned their Weale-common hindred the same by such wayes and meanes as were facile and easie to that Opulent Citie And notwithstanding that his Lordship but whether then or formerly is not remembred had urged that in regard the diffierence in question meerly concerned the Merchants Subjects of the King his Master and the Citie of Dantzig under the jurisdiction of the King of Poland the Parties interessed might be free to right themselves upon each other in vindication of their Priviledges and freedome of commerce without offence to be taken by either of their Princes to which ours would subscribe answer was made by the Commissioners of Poland that their King could not abandon his Subjects so that in conclusion he obtained nothing but a reiteration of their former promise to contribute their endeavours for it's abolition at the next Parliament which his Lordship seeming to doubt of by reason of the liberty of opposing by each one who hath Session and vote in those generall assemblies which rendred the issue uncertaine albeit he made himselfe confident of the reall performance of their promised endeavours the said Commissioners for his further satisfaction were willing to assure him that their votes and fuffrages preceding as guides the rest would follow his Lordship seeing that more could not be then obtained was forced to desist
but sent a civill Message to his Counsell by Monsieur Philip Freherr his Secretary for the Dutch and Latine Tongues whom he also sent from thence into Suethland with the King his Masters Letters to the designed Queen Christina and one from himself likewise wherin he excused his not attending her Majesty in person by reason of the Winter already advanced and the time for the commencing of the Treaty neer approaching the like he also did to certain of the Grandees there with whom he had been formerly acquainted Leaving Stettin he arrived at Danizig the ninth of January 1634 5. and after some daies of refreshment for himselfe and Traine having sustained so tedious a Winter journey his Lordship buckled himself to the Treaty already begun at a Town in that Province of Prussia named Holland the passages of which Treaty having been deduced at large in the preceding Narrative shall be here passed over and those things proceeded unto which afterwards fell out In the close of that Treaties Narration it was shewed that his Lordship at his taking leave of the King of Poland in his Camp had observed some alteration in the countenance of that King and those about him but that knowing no cause to have been given by himself he was the lesse troubled therat thinking it onely to be some little Cloud which would soon vanish yet staying that night in the Camp he for the more speedy removing therof sent the next morning to the Lord Casinowskie great Chamberlaine of Poland to desire a private Audience of the King which was promised and that notice should be given him of the time but performance did not ensue wherupon having seen the Army drawn into Battalia he retired to Marienburg The French Ambassadour who had received as hath beene touched a more friendly farewell came likewise to Marienburg the day following and his Lordship having heard that contrary to the publike agreement of the Commissioners and the Mediating Ministers he had in the Regal Tent under Signed that Copy of the Articles given by the Suethes to those of Poland did send the Relator with his Dutch Secretary fore-named to know of himself whether it were so or not which he acknowledged to have done at the instance of that King who he said presented the Copy unto him Propria manu Our Ambassadour understanding it was not a little moved at the indignity offered to his Master therby but rather to themselves as being done contrary to their publike Stipulation and therupon visiting the Suethish Commissioners he desired they would not admit of the like which they assured him of as having already dispatched their Instrument of the said Articles into Suethland by an Expresse Before his Lordship removed from Marienburg the Lord Zavatskie came to him pretending only a visit but sent as was conceived of purpose to explore whether he had any inckling of what had been done and how he resented the same To him our Ambassadour could not so well containe himself but that he entred into expostulations so high as gave no small distast taxing them of swarving from things by themselves consented unto and agreed upon in publike and of silence in others which they not We had propounded and seemingly sought after the particulars wherof as not necessary to be here inserted are forborn Adding withall that after so unworthy a requitall of his Masters affection and respects testified to their King and Crown he could do no lesse in duty then to give those advertisements that were requisite Zavatzkie heard him with patience and with fair words endeavoured to pacifie and to confirm in his Lordship a belief of the King his Masters sincere and reall affection towards his Majesty of Great Brittaine with his constant persevering in his former intentions of which the said Lord had from the King of Poland been the first Intimator and Propounder telling him withall that undoubtedly there behoved to be some mistake in the report he had received for otherwise he said it could not be but that himself being usually so neer the King and of his Secretaries should have known somewhat therof desiring withall that his Lordship would not precipitate any advertisement unto the King his Master and assured him that he would forthwith post unto their Court where having understood the matter fully he would by Letters or a speedy personal return faithfully certifie his Lordship of the truth either there or at Dantzig within few daies Towards that Citie his Lordship retired soone after daily expecting the effects of the promises forementioned but in vaine Neverthelesse upon Zavatzkie's perswasions and his owne unwillingnesse to render ill-offices by the returne of any report as being desirous that some Apology might have come for cleering those doubts which their late proceedings and coldnesse had given him cause to harbour whereby any distance or disaffection between the two Kings might be prevented he desisted for the space of three weekes to send home any account of that Treaties issue contrary to the faithfull advice of some neere about him who as much as with fitting respect they might urged a present dispatch of that relation into England as a thing most necessary not onely for satisfaction to the State and the great Persons therein concerned but likewise for his owne discharge Instancing also the French Ambassador who would not stirr from Stumbsdorff the Village where the Treaty had been concluded untill he had by an expresse into France sent a Narrative of that whole affaire But to all this he sent a deafe Eare. At Dantzig he received soone after a Honorarium or Present from the Eastland Company by the hand of Mr. Richard Jinkes their Secretarie in acknowledgment of their gratitude for his Reall endeavours in behalfe of that Societies restorement to their former freedome of Trade Yet nothing lesse then was promised was by the Polander intended in stead whereof advantage of his Credulity being taken a strong complaint against his Lordship was sent into England which for the time gave an evill rellish of him to his Master The First notice he had of their distast was by a letter from the Lord Andrea Rey Starrost of Libonza dated the twenty fourth of September 1635. who repeating the very words of his Lordships expostulation with Zavatzkie closed them up with this expression viz. That if any such were spoken he wished they never had been Whereunto his Lordship returned an answer the sixth of October following with so cleer a vindication of himselfe but in such a stile as beseemed his Ambassadoriall Office as might have given them in reference to him ample satisfaction yet without sparing againe to represent his sence of their more unfaire then expected or deserved dealing About this time or not long after Mr. Richard Gordon Great Brittaines Agent for those parts who in June foregoing had been by that King sent for England returned to Dantzig and thence to the Polish Parliament at
Warsovia held in November 1635. his Lordship not thinking fit to repaire thither in Person untill the former misunderstandings were removed Yet would he not omit to write by him to the Lord Palatine of Belzkie as also to the forenamed Starrost de Libonza intimating to each the continuance of his Masters good affection toward their King as they would perceive by his answers to all their propositions sent by Mr. Gordon and that the same merited a better acknowledgment then was given at the conclusion of the late Treaty wherby he professed himself to be discouraged from undertaking a journey to the present Parliament notwithstanding the Orders he had received but was willing rather to refer the whole matter to Mr. Gordon untill the jealousies he had reason to conceive were cleered It hath been said that perswaded by the Lord Zavatzkie his Lordship had forborn to advertise home for three weekes Space and it is to be added that those letters being sent by Sea Subject to the inconstancy of winds and the movings of that other uncertain Element were above six weekes longer before they came to the hands they were directed unto Whereupon confused rumours of things coming to those who in England bore a chief sway in managing of the late Kings Privy Counsell Sir John Coke principall Secretary of State did by Letter taxe his Lordship of remisnesse in his dispatches shewing that from France they understood the Treaty was concluded and that he had received some disgust but the particulars they were not acquainted with Hereby he first perceived that in one and the same thing he had committed two not small Errours But in time all grudges being either buried or seemingly layed to sleep and the King of Poland coming to Dantzig his Lordship had severall Audiences and was once in company of the King with sundry of the Polish Nobility feasted by the fore-named Mr Gordon And from that King obtained albeit not without reluctancy of his Lords who complained that our Ambassadours Remonstrances were over-tart a Mandate Declaratory under the Royall hand and Signet dated the sixth of February 1635. 6. wherby our Merchants of the Eastland Company were promised relief against the molestation of the Stample or Seal upon their Cloath procured by the Dantzigers during the Wars and the Suspension therof untill it might be abrogated in the next ensuing Parliament the last having beene called for the ratification onely of the late Treaty as was affirmed by their Commissioners who publikely gave their Faith Stipulata manu for the disannulling thereof The King soon after departing from Dantzig his Lordship took leave not without seeming fairnesse of each side and the fore-named Lord Zavatzkie was designed Ambassadour for England pretentionally for proceeding upon the motions formerly albeit in a more private way by himself in the name and by warrant from the Polander propounded to the late King with whom Agent Gordon was associated and as himself vainly believed and spared not to give out with more Trust from that King then the other But notwithstanding all these specious shewes his Lordship was still doubtfull of their true meaning and advertised home accordingly yet could he not particularly conclude in whose breast the dissimulation lay For even they who professed the same Religion with us and were at first most earnest in the pursuance of those motions were now become as cold as oothers albeit they were intimate with that King and of his neerest Counsells so as it might seem that their Masters intention decreed especially in matters so neerly concerning himself should have been the point of the Compasse by which they were to steer Yet by the way it may be demanded whether our Ambassadours Suspitions were not causelesse or whether by his jealousies he did not injure that Prince and so provoke him justly wherunto is answered that the Ambassadour of Poland Zavatzkie when with Gordon he arrived in England did not give that full and particular satisfaction which was expected albeit the Professions out wardly and in generall were as high as ever so as doubtfull conjectures began upon his arrivall to be made at Englands Court and his dismission was visibly more cold then his reception had been And considering it was with him that his Lordship made the disrellishing fore-mentioned expostulation it may be and was then by sundry conceived that the maine part of his Errand was to have boulstered out the former complaint if he had not been prevented by his Lordships death The same appeared more fully afterwards when it was certainly known that the King of Poland had proceeded even to consummation of things directly contrary to his former propositions without previous advertisement of his reasons for declining them in excuse wherof Post factum he sent the fore-named Lord Andrea Rey Starrosta de Libonza as Ambassadour to the late King who understanding before his arrival what his Master had done in prejudice of his own proposalls would not admit him to his presence so that he returned without Audience not being permitted to come higher then Greenwich the Court being then at Winsor Our Agent was also soon after discharged from further Negotiating there neither hath England since that time had any person publikely impolyed to that Prince or State By all which circumstances it may be gathered that his Lordship did dive more deep into their intentions then self-interest and avarice two maine evills in whomsoever they infect but most pestilent in publike Ministers would permit the over credulity of others His Lordship having received Order for his return began his journey from Dantzig the first of March Old Stile and on the thirteenth therof came to Damin a Town in Pomerania of which Colonell Robert Cuningham his Kinsman was Governor for the Crown of Suethen who came forth about two English miles accompanied with his Officers to meet his Lordship and they alighting he did the like walking into the Town on foot where by the way his Lordship and the Governour discoursing together the Officers made relation to us of a certain accident which had hapned in their Garrison the preceding evening and for the time had caused some disturbance to their thoughts It was thus Upon the Eve before being Saturday the twelfth of March 1635 6 for the space of neer two houres between those of eight and ten at night an unwonted sound of Bells was heard in the Steeple of that Towns Church called Saint Bartholomew and the Governour sending to enquire the cause thereof at an undue houre received answer That the Church doors were shut Hereupon the Magistrates were sent for and Order given that some of the Garrison with others of the Town Officers with Torches lighted should search the Church and Steeple to see if there were not some persons concealed who by such meanes might attempt to give a privy Signall to any Enemy neer hand But return being made that no Person was to be
facility of blasting the wisest and best consentred counsels of the Sons of men and overturning the Rock-like appearances of their strongest cemented Constitutions by that Omnipotent and ever-Adorable Power through whose Divine permission things conducing to the un-erring ends by him preordained in the Decrees of his Eternall Providence are brought to passe here below for the pulling down and setting up of Princes Sundry examples wherof are set before our eyes even of late years and particularly in this royal Gustavian Line To John and his Heirs the States of Suethland by a most solemn Act in the year 1590. confirm the Succession but hath this ought more of stability Sigismundus his eldest Son albeit Crowned in Suethland An. 1593. enjoyes it not but with his Seed is for ever expelled from that Kingdomes Regall Chaire by Parliamentary Act in the year 1600. and that expulsion confirmed An. 1504. by a like Act and a renewed reformed Hereditary Union whereby his Seat and Dignity is conferred upon the Person and Heires of Charles Duke of Sudermannia Nericia and Wermelandia who was Crowned An. 1607. being the youngest Son of Gustavus Erickson and younger Brother to John fore-named But here it may be demanded albeit Sigismundus had forfeited the Crown of Suethland both for himselfe and his Posterity yet what offence had the Prince his Brother John the younger Son of King John aforesaid committed to be pretermitted in that Elective Hereditary Succession seeing themselves acknowledge him to be the neerest as he was by how much a Son is neerer then a Brother or a Brother then an Uncle and to be induced to rest so contented with the Dukedome of Ostrogothia as to resigne for ever his whole right unto that Crown unlesse the same should chance to drop upon the head of some one of his Posterity by the decease of the totall lawfull Male Issue of the new King Charles according to the fore-cited Entail 1604. whose second Daughter the Princesse Mary Elizabeth he married An. 1612. Howbeit of him or of any Issue by them we read not Hereunto for answer is offered what themselves alledge and which hath been already touched in their Parliamentary Acts An. 1600. and 1604. Viz. His Minority by some years and that Kingdomes necessity of a Prince of ripe and experienced Judgment with their apprehension of his entring through prevalency of naturall affection into such Covenants with his Brother King Sigismundus or his Heirs as might be destructive to their present King his Uncle Charles and his Family as also his owne voluntary resignation of his Interest in the Suethish Crowne unto his said Uncle as fore-cited An. 1604. which againe confirmed and fully concluded at Orobrogia An. 1606. We may lastly add what themselves do there likewise assert That forasmuch as the most Illustrious Prince Duke John had at the time of the Regall Coronation of his Uncle attained unto the nineteenth year of his age and so might well discern of those things which concerned his Interest they were therfore confident that his Highnesse could not deservedly impute ought unto them and the rather if he should with them duly animadvert into such examples as might in like case be derived from other Kingdomes and Kingly Families which do abundantly testifie that sundry have been ejected from their Hereditary Jurisdiction and others of the same Family surrogated in their stead for causes lesse weighty then those wherby they had been therunto moved That they had seriously considered what that conjuncture of time chiefly in that most afflicted state of their Countrey required Viz. Such a Governour as could with prudence steer the Kingdomes Helme which unlesse speedily provided for utter ruine would have thence overflowed the whole Kingdome Moreover that they had been compelled by those dangerous and subite Plots or Machinations which on every side threatned their Countrey to choose him for their Lord their King and Governour who was endowed with Prudence Experience and maturity of years meet for so weighty a charge King Charles after ten yeares of a laudable Raigne paying the debt that all men owe to nature whereunto by the Eternall decree of the Almighty the most Potent Princes as well as the poorest Peasants are equally subject his Son Gustavus Adolphus succeeded and was Crowned King of the Suethes Gothes and Vandals c. An. 1617. He was as aforesaid cut off in the strength of his years being about the eight and thirtieth of his age An. 1632. at that fatall field of Lutzen yet a day so glorious ro his Fame as all Military men may in like case desire The yeare ensuing his translation from the toiles of this to the Joyes of a better world a Parliament convened at Stockholme the heads wherof as by them couched in seven Articles I shall heere touch at and referr the further curious unto the Act it selfe In that Assembly the Senators Peeres Earles Lords Bishops Gentrie Clergie Military Officers Citizens and Commonalty After a sad Commemoration of their unrecoverable losse by the death of their late Soveraigne whom they rearme their head their King their Father and Pater Patriae under whose most excellent Raigne they above other Nations had lived in safety and tranquility And that to the aggravation of their misery they were destitute of Heirs-Male proceeding from his loynes to possesse his Fathers Seat whereby their and the Kingdomes care and danger was the greater upon due consultation of the best conducement to the Kingdomes good They declare that by the help of their Almighty and in the Name of the blessed Trinity they had decreed confirmed and established IMprimis That his late Majesty having left no Heire Male nor any Children of any Hereditary Prince which might succeed according to the Laws and Constitution of the Realme They did approve of and confirme the Act formerly concluded at Norcopia An. 1604. concerning the Daughters of their Kings and Heir-Princes at the renovation of their Hereditary Union In reference whereunto as also to the Act concluded at Stocholme the fourth of December An. 1627. in case his Majesty should happen to decease They did thereby unanimouly establish and confirme as also advisedly freely and without constraint declare and pronounce The High and Mighty Princesse Christina Daughter of his renouned Majesty Gustavus Adolphus the Second and Great King Queen of the Suethes Goths and Vandalls lawfully chosen as also Hereditary Princesse Great Dutchesse of Finland Dutchesse of Esthonia and Carelia their most deer and gracious Queen And did by these presents oblige themselves c. with all the Inhabitants of the Kingdome and Subjects thereof to render to her Majesty all true and due Service and Obedience and did Inaugurate and establish her sayd Majesty in whatsoever in righteousnesse they might be answerable for before God and Man so that she had full power and authority to command them in all things They likewise confirmed and ratified the Lawes of the Realm for her Majesty And further obliged themselves to
the premises at Stockholme the fourteenth of March 1633. Thus was the young Princesse Christiana then aged about seven yeares designed Queene of Suethes Goths and Vandalls c. as before fully expressed conforme to what had been decreed in her Fathers time at the forespecified Stockholmian Parliament An. 1627. Her Person and Kingdome was governed by the Tutors untill the yeare 1650. in which she was Crowned and hath since in a continued single condition swayed that Scepter more absolutely the Surname of Augusta may be not unduely attributed unto her for certainely that Princesse happy in a wise Councell and valiant Commanders hath done great things and for many yeares since her Fathers death hath held up the Bucklers against the Imperiall and Austrian Forces even in the heart of the Empire and left it unconstrained with honourable conditions both for her selfe and her Allyes Casimirus King of Poland Great Duke of Lithuaniae c c. Ao. 1649 But this Princesse borne bred and habituated to raigne hath in one late action outstript all her former by resigning uncompelled that the World hath heard of that Crown and Kingdome unto her Kinsman the present King A concession to be admired and which after Ages will perhaps account rather fictitious than true Examples of such great voluntary renounciations seldome hapning amongst men nor doe we reade of more than two Dioclesian a Heathen divested himselfe of the Imperiall Wreath Charles the fifth likewise after a forty years Regall and thirty six years Imperiall Domination in the fifty and sixth of his age surrendred his Kingdomes to his Son Phillip and the Empire to his Brother Ferdinand But from the weaker Sex which by how much it is so is the more avidously tenacious of Power by what meanes soever acquired as Histories Divine and humane doe testifie none to be excepted nor any equall President to be produced Neither had this Lady those motives which may be conceived to have induced that great Emperor last named to quit his severall Soveraigneties thereby to live eternally in the memories of men As the neernesse of Relations mentioned his advance into years under the burthen of such occasions as could not but render him sensible of having received as he had caused unto others infinite toiles and troubles having undergone nine Voyages into Germany six into Spaine seven into Italy foure into France ten into the Low Countreys two into England two into Affrica besides eleven times traversing the maine Ocean Certainely He having been mostly Successful in continued Wars might be apprehensive of a Reverse of fortune and therfore not unwilling to prevent it as he did by a Monasticall Retirement But this Princesse never exposed to personall hazards hath denuded her selfe of a Royalty and therwith invested her neerest Kinsman yet more remote then either a Son or a Brother What Women do we read of that ever refused ought of Glorious Much lesse doth History record any Princesse who in the prime of her years hath freely relinquished a long continued hereditary devolved Possession of a Diadem this Lady excepted who by this Conquest over her self hath atchieved a greater then by all her Commanders she ever could which happily may incite some accurate Pen to afford the World an Elogium befitting the Magnanimity of that Act in one of the fairer Sex then which former Ages have not preduced a more lofty Subject wheron to ground the Gallantry of a Discourse That Queen hath all along demonstrated a good inclination to preserve a faire correspondency with England even in the heat and height of its late troubles In An. 1644. Shee sent Mr Hugh Mowet her Agent to the Parliament then sitting in which publike Ministry he was employed about two yeares Neither did he make in all that time the least addresse or application elsewhere Severall subsequent entercourses have since continued the Amity between this and that Nation Neither have her respects as well to our present Government as to the Person of his Highnesse the LORD PROTECTOR been obscurely testified by her solemne Reception and honourable Entertainment of the Right Honourable the Lord Whitlock late Ambassadour Extraordinary in Suethland and by her faire compliance with what desired for the good of both Nations which having concluded and as witnessing to the World that She would Dignifie that Act by rendring it the last of her Raigne she soon after resigned her Kingdome Crown and Scepter unto CAROLVS GVSTAVVS the present King of Suethes Gothes and Vandals Great Prince of Finland Duke of Esthonia and Carelia Lord of Ingria who hath ratified the same and setled a future good understanding between the Realmes of England and Suethland by a most Solemne and Magnificent Embassie He was borne in Ostrogothia about the year 1620. if information erre not Son to the most Illustrious Prince John Casimir Duke of Zwey Bruchie descended from the Electorall House Palatine and of the most Illustrious Princesse Catherina eldest Daughter to the often fore-named Charles the ninth King of Suethland and half Sister to the Great Gustavus Adolphus He was in England An. 1640. since which time he hath been Generalissimo of all the Suethish Forces in Germany and there gave beginning to those great expectations of himselfe which have rendred him the desire of the Suethes who have Crowned him their King in An. 1654 He was as I have been informed entitled to that Kingdome by Act of that Nations Parliament in the year 1650. if the then Queen Christina should decease without lawfull Male Issue His early great Commencements as well before as since his Exaltation to that Crown do promise an equall progresse and the addition of Semper to his sur-name of Gustavus which literis transpositis is Augustus for a perpetuating of the Glory of that Gustavian Line unto whose name and Scepter he hath so happily succeeded as his late Armed Entry into Poland and Successe hitherto may seem to witnesse The Motives that induced him therunto the Curious may read in his Letter to the present Emperour Ferdinand the third dated from Wolgast in the month of July of the year currant 1655. But leaving this Digression In the Treaty of Pacification continued Vicissitudes may be seen somtimes hopes of accommodation other whiles nothing but present rupture to be expected about empty Airey Titles or not much more And when things seeme most desperate and without mediate meanes of reconcilement the stiffer Partie comes fairely to hand by a gentle complyance We may observe the Mediators turne Parties for precedencie and formalities which in a just valuation what amount they unto thereby necessitating in a manner the Parties to become Mediators and so make compensation for Offices received In its Signature how little trustis to be imputed to the assurances of great ones doe they not measure observation of promises by the rule of Interest or selfe pleasing In the Ambassadors life we may see one nobly descended sprung from a race of Ancestors honoured by
Illustrious Antiquity yet not unnecessitated to pursue the advance of his Fortunes amidst those dangers that attend the honourable Military Profession and having in some degree attained to the favour of his Royall Generall falls twice under the displeasure of that Greatnesse the frown whereof according to the wisest of men bringeth Death And yet the same Person againe buyed up by a hand equally powerfull Ascends to be what he expected not an Umpire between Kings and Crowns But what Merit can there be toward Princes their turns once served their ends compassed do they stick to kick up the heels of those whose assistance they but a little before thought advantageous unto them He falls at last under the undeserved displeasure of two mighty Monarchs into his Grave and as having no more to do here below removes to render an account of the whole Negotiation of his life above What shall We conclude upon the whole What shall We call these Greatnesses so subject to mutability Splendida Miseria Such indeed they are And We may shut up all with that Ingemination of the Wise man Vanity of Vanities Vanity of Vanities All is but Vanity and Vexation of Spirit As to that Honourable Person deceased who acted in that Treaty and whom this present Narrative doth particularly concern We are not without warrant to gather a Christian confidence of his Residence in those Mansions of durable Blessednesse which admit of no more change seeing he died not onely in the pursuance but in the effecting and preserving of Peace For we have it asserted by the Divine Word God-Man That blessed are the Peace-makers for they shall be called the Children of God If such be not who can be eternally happy The Memory of the Just shall remaine for ever The Righteous shall be had in everlasting remembrance FINIS The Courteous Reader is desired for what rendred amisse in the Book and her expressed to have regard to the present emendation other errors of lesse moment not contradicting the sense are remitted to the favourable correction of the Ingenious Inspector P. 4. l 25. two p. 12. l. 24. which 31. failed p. 17 l. 44. joyning p. 19. l 37. Maritime p. 29. l. 25. meetly p. 30. l. 24. neither p. 33. l. 21. the foresaid Claudius p. 39. l. 40. Ambiguous p. 38. l. 12. and 35. Alloy p. 49. l. 13. were not so p. 50. l. 2. from his Majesties p. 51. l. 4. from p. 5 2. l. 10. is not the p 56. l 45. contrarily the p. 76. l. 9. Militia p. 78. l. 4. as they assert p. 86. l. 19. Proscribing p. 89. l. 46. promising any p. 90 l. 40. Sought p. 91. l. 33. should be p. 93. l. 33. prosecute p. 99. l. 45. revenge p. 102. l. 26. Schedule p. 107. l. 29. for his r. the p. 108. l. 25. cleer p. 1 10. l. 41. add and 42. decreed p. 111. l. 5. of their controversies p. 124. l. 3. for to r. the p. 129. l. 37. devolved p 142 l. 10. lesse of p. 145. l. 6. praeallably p. 155. l. 9. for by r. by p. 157. l. 26. Her 's p. 167 l. 39. a Parliament p 169. l. 25. altercation and l. 36. Stilo Novo p. 170. l. 46. Stilo Novo p. 172 l. 5. belonging to Poland p. 173. l. 21. not pleasing to p. 212. l. 26. arising p. 217. l. 28. dissention p. 224. l. 4. Nordlingen p. 231. l. 9. lent p. 241. l. 5. Altenaw p. 249. l. 28. dependencies p. 251. l. 31. expected 252. l. 4. hereditarily Poland erected into a Kingdom An. 1000. Setled elective An. 1295. Commencement of the Jagellonian Race in Poland Lithuania Christianized Incorporated by union into Poland In Kingdoms elective regard usually had to the next in line Succession of the Jagellonian Race in Poland Alliance the Iniation of conjunction between Poland and Suethland Suethland an ancient Kingdom Suethland anciently elective Vertue and beroick Actions to be preferred to a Crown before all other pretensions Suethland of elective rendred hereditary Succession of Suethish Kings from the time of Magnus 4. surnamed Smeeke Albert of Meckleburg Margaret of Denmark and Norway Queen also of Suethen Eâ—icke of Pomerania Christopher Count Palatine Carolus Canutus Suethland governed by Steno Sture Suanto Steno Sture the younger Slain in battell Christierne first Earl of Oldenburg made King of Denmark after of Suethen John King of Denmark and Suethen driven out by Suanto Treachery of Christierne 2 of Denmark Crowned King of Suethland His inhumans cruelty Andexpulsion Gustavus Erickson crowned in Suethland An. 1528 Hereditary union with motives therto His Will and Testament Designment of the Succession His Wives and Issue Ericke his eldest succeeds Taken and imprisoned by his brother John Duke of Finland King of Suethland Sigismund his eldest elected King of Poland crowned there 1588. King Erickes Posterity expelled by Parliament Hereditary union renewed Assumption of Females Male Issue failing His Wives and Issue Former grudges between Suethland and Poland Ambassadors stretching their Instructions The first complaint of the Suethes Death of King John King Sigismund advertised therof by Duke Charles Second complaint of the Suethes Criminations by the Suethes against King Sigismund And some Senators Crown of Suethland tendred to Duke Charles Further Criminations Letters of security Contrary actings Further Objections Continued Hit second departure from Suethland Duke Charles sought unto by seme Senators Again desired to assume the Government The Duke comes to Stocholme Further criminations against Sigismundus Plenipotentiary sent unto D. Charles Prohibition distastfull Rejected as impersect Parliament at Sudercopia The Duke desired to embrace the Government Duke Charles excepts therof Mutuall agreement King Sigismund displeased Sent his Ambassadors into Suethen The Oâ—ation Criminations againâ—t Duke 〈…〉 by the A 〈…〉 rs 〈◊〉 〈…〉 kes an 〈◊〉 the cri 〈◊〉 Object 1. Ans 〈…〉 Object 2 Answ Object 3. Answ Object 4. Answ Object 5. Answ Object 6. Answ Object 7. Answ Object 8. Answ Object 9. Answ Object 10. Answ Object 11. Answ Object 12. Answ Object 13. Answ Object 14. Answ Further Answer Object 1 Answ Argument 1. Answ Arg. 2. Answ Arg. 3. Answ Arg. 4. Answ 1. Arg. 5. Answ Arg. 6. Answ Answer to the Oration Parliament at Arbogia Displeasing to King Sigismund Inconveniencies ensuing K. Sigismund invited by the Duke and Senators to returne in peaceable manner Comes with an Army D. Charles raiseth Forces Pacification mediated by Forraigne Ambassadors in vaine Instructions by D. Charles to the Governors of Calmar Further Instructions Letter of D. Charls to the King The Dukes second Letterâ— Answer to K. Sigisâ—und The Dukes reply Sâ—conded The Regall answer Letter from the Duke Duke Charles approaching with his Army writes to the King King Sigismund his answer assecutoriall Not excepted by Duke Charles his Letter admonitory Regall answer Safe conduct interchangable granted Duke Charles sends Commissioners to the King Contentsof Instructions The Kings Answer The Dukes reply The Dukes Propositions
Not consented unto The Regall Declaration Unsatisfactory to the Duke Regall assecuration Propositions made by Duke Chalres King Sigismund retires to Lincopia Letter of Duke Charles Answer Reply Another Letter from the Duke Safe conduct interchangable granted Assertions of the Suethes Further assertions Vide Exegis Historiaca Sueciae page 233 234. Treaty of Pacification at Lincopia between the King and Duke Shipping restored The King steers to Calmar in stead of Stocholme Friendly Letter from King Sigismundus to Duke Charles The Dukes answer Second Letter Ducall reply King Sigismundus requires more Ships for the transporting of his Army and sundry things to be restored The Prince was born in England An. 1565 whose Mother the Lady Cecily Daughter to King Gustavus Erickson and Sister to Erick Iohn and Charles all Kings of Suethland Wife to Christ Marquesse of Baden came then into England to visite Queen Elizabeth and by the Queen his God-mother named Edvardus Fortunatus The Duke complains of the Kings going to Calmar King Sigism excuseth his going to Calmar Promiseth a repair to Stocholme Promise not kept the King returned to Dantzig Parliament at Ienecopis The Dukes Letter and Objections to King Sigismund Letter to King Sigismundus from the Parliament of Suethland The Prince his Son invited to be there educated and to receive the Crown No answer returned Parliament at Stocholme Rejection of King Sigism His Son Uladislaus accepted of conditionally Parliamentary Letters to King Sigismundus not answered Parliament at Lincopia Dnke John declined Dukedome of Ostrogothes conferred on Duke John King Sigism with his Heirs rejected Duke Charles designed King of Suethland Gustavus Adolphus to succeed After him Duke Iohn conditionally Triall of Captivated Senators Sentence of execution Others pardoned Some but repreived Sentence in Finland against Arvidus Gustavus and Axell Kurck confirmed by Parliament Other offendors for smaller Offences gradually punished by losse of goods or Fine Second Parliament at Stocholme Duke Charles again solicites King Sigism to send his Son into Suethen No answer returned but new broiles raised Further Objections The same continued Parliament at Norcopia Heads of what therein transacted Duke John renounceth his pretence to the Crown of Suethland Duke Charles contented to accept of the Crown Hereditary union renewed reformed Duke Charles pronounced King and his eldest to succed The younger to enjoy his Fathers Dukedomes Male issue of the eldest failing the second to succeed That also failing in him Duke Iohn to inherite the Crowne The Female Regall and Ducall issue adopted into the succession This hath reference to the fore-cited Parliamentary conclusions at Stocholme the seventh of March 1590. but is here imperfect in the Original as wanting the words Eldest unmarried as is there expressed Provision for younger Regall and Ducall daughters conditionall The daughters and sister of King Sigismund rejected No Prince of a contrary religion to inherit Such or Apostates to be deprived Hereditary Princes prohibited marriage with an wife of contrary religigion All seduceâ—s of Princeâ— to a contrary religion to be punished as 〈…〉 s. No hereditary Prince to accept of another Kingdome unlesse to live in the Patriall Soile Oration of Duke John in Resignation of his right Warrs between King Sigismundus and King Charles Continued by his Son Gustavus Adolphus Death of Sigismundus Uladislaus his Eldest Elected and Crowned A second treatie instituted Preface to the treaty The Mediators Englands Ambassador arrives at Dantzig Writes to the Commissioners of the Crownes interessed Answer of the Polanders The Suethes complained of The Suethes answer with reciprocall complaints The Treaties commencement Elector of Brandenburgs Ambassadors Commissioners of Poland Commissioners of Suethland Meet at Holland town in Prussia Interchangably exhibite their respective Plenipotentiaries and agree upon a second meeting His Lordship came to Holland Desects in the Suethish Procuratories The like in those of Poland Rupture appearing the parties depart The Mediators repair to the Suethes at Elbing Condescention of the Suethes conditionall Commissioners of Poland return to Warsaw His Lordships receives invitation to come to Warsaw There was but one and that for his Lordship He contracts sickness Difficulties about the place of treaty Mariemburg appointed to be the Mediators residence The Mediators meet and consult Repaire to the Suethes The conclusion certified to the Polanders The Subdelegates meet Difficulties about the place for the generall meeting The Mediators return to the Suethes Their propositions Not admitted Objections His Lordship repaires to the Polanders Their conditional conclusions Englands Agent sent to the Suethes Their finall resolution Intimated to the Polanders who promise complyance Instrument oâ— Security renewed The Ambassadors of France and Holland come to Mariemburg The Mediators intervisite and joyntly repaire to Stumbsdorff the place of Treatie The parties arrive Meane used for avoyding competitions Proposition Not consented unto Demand made by the Suethes Answer and demand of the Polanders Result of the Mediators Accepted by all That dayes conclusion The Mediators meete His Lordships proposition in Order to the whole matter The other Mediators deliver theirs The result The new Procuratories interchangably communicated new difficulty about the Title Reconciled Scope of the Procuratories Polish Protest The Suethes Protest Procuratoriall difficulties removed Former result communicated to the parties Suethes answer Negatively The like given by the Polanders Offer made by the Suethes The Poles desire respite The same granted The Suethes therwith offended The former offer waved by the Poles as insufficient Five other mediate means propounded Taken by the Poles into deliberation Rejected by the Suethes Reply of the Poles in point of resignation The Suethes refuse to meete His Lordship goes to the Suethes They consent to meete Certaine greivances complained of by his Lordship and the Hollanders to the Suethes Their answer The Polanders persist as before The Parties willed to propound The Suethes enter into passion Those of Poland add ten other Articles for a supplement to the former Things tending to a breach the Mediators desire respite Finall declarations demanded by the Mediators from the Parties The Suethes decline to declare further The Polanders likewise and give their reasons The Suethes againe incensed At end the finall resolution at their quarters A meeting with the Mediators desired by the Poles Prolongation of the Truce desired Result of the Polanders conditionall Prorogation of the Truce assented unto Purport of the Prorogation Continuation of Sequestrations insisted on by the Poles but refused by the Suethes The Prorogation signed The Mediators vepair to the King Their overtures uneffectuall The Poles desire a meeting with the Mediators Declaration ur 〈…〉 Ultimate result of the Polanders Treaty for finall Peace in termes desperate Complaints of the Poles D. Radzivils departure for Littaw A longer Truce insisted on The Suethes Declaration in point of longer Truce The Poles re 〈…〉 to the King Argument â—â—â—d by his Lordship Misconstrued The Suethes again in heat Yet ca 〈…〉 ed and contented to meet The Kings conde scention
to a Treaty for Truce Conditions of Truce propounded by the Suethes New difficulty Obviated Conserence with the Generall de la Garde His reply The Poles retire discontented The Suethes more complying Their conditions for treaty of Truce Cessation of Armes prolonged Consentâ—h unto by the 〈◊〉 ders The Mediators consult with the King and â—enators of Poland upon fifteen heads Addition made by the Hollanders The result of the Suethes upon the former heads Cessation conditionall The Kings result The Suethes reply more mild then expected The Mediators return to the King Audience appointed in the Camp A view of the Polish Army It s constitution Discipline Habiliments Number The King inclining to War The Suethes not verse to Peace Cessation prorogued eigh 〈…〉 s A meeting consented unto Competition between the Hollanders and those of Brandenburg Articles of the whole treatie exhibited by the Suethes Referred to the King by the Poles Necessarie caution Former competition removed Parliaments ratification insisted upon by the Suethes Polishreply Sequestration of places propounded by the Mediators Sequestration of places propounded by the Mediators The Suethes persist Their reasons Impossibility alledged by the Poles Seasonable proposition Assented unto by the Suethes Waved by the Poles The King of Poland averse to the proposition The Suethes excuse their not appearing Complain of the Polanders The Suethes reply and Compliance Both parties stiff Mutuall concessions Cessation for foure daies Second interview of the Parties Exhibition of Articles by the Suethes Additions by the Polanders The Truce to be for 26. years Hopes of amicable conclusion A rub cast in French Ambassador stickling for the Romish Religion in Leifland Positively refused by the Suethes and why The Poles insist The other Mediators propounded a Medium Sueci hominibus Catholicis in Livonia toto induciarum tempore cultum ritum in privato permissuri nullamque in eos inquisitionem ut hactenus facturi neminique qui Religionem Catholicam professus fuerit id ipsi noxae futurum Arguments used by the French Ambassador Rejected by the Suethes Cultus Ritus Exemption from enquiry granted by the Suethes Referred by the Poles to their King French Amb. Solicitations Uneffectuall The former forme insisted on by the Poles Again by the Suethes rejected Bellum Bellum Sudden tumult Threatning danger Appeared The Suethes exasperated The Poles purge themselves A conference between his Lordship and the Poles Hostility began The former tumult excused Apology by the French Ambassador Digression Cessation of Armes for a day onely The second form rejected by the Suethes Rejected by the King The last forme propounded by the Poles Disrelished by the Suethes At length admitted Attestation desired Particulars insisted on Plausible answer Vneffectuall Cessation for three dayes His Lordship insists as befâ—â—e The Poles promise future satisfaction Transport of Forces And other points discussed New Scruple of the Suethes Demand thereon Answered by the Poles Judgement of the Mediators Referred to the King Other difficulties composed Cessation continued one day onely The Kings resolution Concerning remove of the Army Accepted by the Suethes Generall meeting of Mediators and parties in the Mediators Tent. Objection made by his Lordship Waved by the Poles Deserted by the Suethes Precedency of nomination challenged by his Lordship Declined by the Poles Contest for precedency of subscription Meeting of the Generals of each side And accord Attestation granted to the Polanders by his Lordship and the Hollanders Competitions renewed between the Mediators Mediatoriall subscription concluded unnecessary The French insists on subscription Afterwards declines it No subscription of Mediators promised The parties meet to conlude The Articles signed Publike rejoycements His Lordship and the Hollanders give to the Suethes an attestation concerning Catholicks in Leifland His Lordship invited by the Suethes He takes leave of the King of Poland in his Camp Coldnesse discovered French and Hollanders take leave The Armyreviewed Reference to what followes Preface concerning his Lordship His birth Education Entrie into Military employment Designed to be Governour of Creutznach Seldome subject to passion Refuseth the foresaid Government Takes shelter under Englands Ambassador Presents himself to the King at Noremberg Againe committed His release moved by the Ambassador Duglass released Returns for England Lutzen â—â—ild The King of Suethland staine The Suethes win the Feild Some months dead er'e so beleived King of Bohemia deceased soone after Protestant Dyet or assembly Countenanced by Englands Ambassador And by the French and Brandenburg Landt-grave of Darmestadt solicited in vaine Saxons Elector likewise waves the conjuncture Oxenstierne director of the Protestant Affaires in Germany The Palatinate exhausted Recovered and entirely restored to the Electoral Administrator Confederates defeated at Ratisbo 〈…〉 Their retreat into the Palatinate Duglass Knighted and sent Agent into Germany Digression concerning Sir Robert Anstruthar That Kings eldest Son had then lately married a Daughter of that Duke Duglass acquits himself satisfactorily And is designed Ambassador into Poland Credentials and Instructions sent ro Duglals Enters upon his commission by visiting the Chancellour of Suethen The Chancellors discourse His Lordships reply Their farewell His Lordship takes journey from Francfort Is entertained at Hanaw Entertained by the Elector of Brandenburg Comes to Stettin in Pomerania To Dantzig French Ambassador Signes the Articles of the Treatie His Lordship offended Expostulates sharply with Zavatzkie By him smoothed with promise of satisfaction not performed He returned to Dantzig Delayes advertising Receives notice by letter of Polands distast Englands Agent returnes to Dantzig Sent unto the Parliament at Warsaw Two Errours in â—ne Grudges covered the King and his Lordship meet A mandate obtained in behalfe of the Eastland Merchants Zavatzkie sent Ambassador for England and with him Gordon Their sinceritie distrusted by his Lordship Suspected in England Made visible soone after and Polands Ambassador not admitted to Audience His Lordship comes to Damin Portentuous accident His Lordships Comment theron His sickning Agony Death Embalming advertisement and Inventary and Mournings concluded on Orders for finall dispose required Convoy for security desired Inventary taken Remove commenced Due Thanks tendred to the Chancellour of Suethen His death condoled by the Chancellour The Chancellors desire The like formerly elsewhere intimated The Corps brought neere Hamburg The Senate advertised and Scruple about the entrie Yet consented unto as desired Manner of Entrie The Corps disposed of by Order Servants strangers rewarded dismissed Eis Character The portent aforesaid enquired into and asserted Attestation from the Senate of Damin Observations upon the whole Vide Exegesis Historica page 350. 1. Article 2. Article 3. Article 4. Article 5. Article 6. Article 7. Article This Act hath not come to my hands otherwise the Heads therof had been particularized Observations on the Treaty On the Ambassadour Great beginnings Have not alwaies equall endings Mutual Greatnesse glittering Misery Happy closure
fore-named did present certain Articles Criminatoriall against Duke Charles the substance wherof followeth THat the chief points of the Ambassadoriall instructions were to rememorate how frequently his Majesty after his Coronation had by Messengers and Letters dealt with his Highness concerning a form for governing his hereditary Kingdom during his absence and that the same had been much and long time disputed between his Majesty and the Senate of Suethland which was at last concluded to be signed and sealed by his Majesty and had been afterwards sent to his Highness and the Senators That albeit his Majesty did then conceive that Ordination to be such as nothing he could confer his Prerogative Salved conducing to the Kingdomes well-being was therein wanting he had nevertheless understood partly by Ambassadours partly by Letters that his Highness did not lacquiesce therin but desired a more ample Plenipotentiary which as he could not grant without detriment to the Regall Title so he had gravely admonished him to forbear such molestatious requests and to rest therwith satisfied in regard it was not for perpetuity but in vigour only untill his Majesties return into Suethland which he intended speedily for disposing ordering and reforming things needfull But that his Highness impatient of deferring the matter so long had incited the Kingdomes Orders to celebrate the Sudercopian Parliament to gaine by their Sufferages a larger Power That his Majesty was much displeased that his Subjects bound to him by Oath of Fidelity should have appeared contrary to his Edict or have made conclusions contradictory to his intentions Yet that his Highnesse might see how constantly his Majesty desired the Religious observation of that fraternall mutuall respect which their proximity of bloud imposed and that the Orders of the Kingdome might perceive his Majesties willingness to a wholesome and timely preventing of all confusions tending to the disturbance of the Kingdome he had been pleased to send besides his Royall Exhortatoriall Letters Ambassadors fully instructed to interpose and provide for the removing of all brands of dissention and that the forme of Government his Majesty left at his departure might be submitted unto and repugnancies therefrom abstained especially for that many particulars were inserted in the Printed Sudercopian Decrees which seemed to trench upon Treason by a violation of such things as by the Swethish laws did rightly belong to the King All which his Majesty did challenge to himselfe and his Posterity and would so leave unto the Kings his Successors as from his Progenitors hee had received them unto the maintenance whereof the Subjects of Swethen were bound by the Laws and by Oath That the Ambassadors were also to endeavour from his Highness an Antiquation of the Sudercopian Decrees that contradicted the fore-specified Ordination and that he would acquiesce in the Kings former grants and Statutes and that the Orders and Offices appointed might remaine in full Vigour That the Kingdomes Rents might be collected by those thereunto ordained and to be issued by them according to his Majesties Orders or Letters granted to any thereupon That Officers might be continued in their respective Charge and that such as have been removed be re-integrated That the Crown Forts Garrisons Provinces Cities Governments and all other things formerly committed to his Majesties sworne Servants be restored unto them and that his Highness Servants be removed from them and receive no stipend from the Crown That all regall Protections be had in due regard and that no person having such be exposed to Prison or other punishment untill their cause be heard and legally tried That all justly acquired Priviledges have their due respect and vigour and that the contraries thereunto be expunged and made void That unwonted Burthens Exactions Structures and Hospitable Expences be not imposed upon the Subject without the Regall command or permission That fit Salery be duely paid to the ancient Court-servants and that such as by Age are not longer serviceable have necessary maintenance allowed them That whereas the Hereditary Title of his Highness is more magnificent and honourable as well towards Strangers as Natives then that of Governour of Suethland lately given by the Sudercopian Decree and for that the same is ambigious and not understood by all alike and doth neither increase nor impaire the Dukes Power and authority The Ambassadors are to endeavour his renouncing the same as not being formerly used in the times of Legitimate Kings and that he rest satisfied with his accustomed Title as being of sufficient Dignity and estimation amongst all men That his Majesty will not that the broyles raised against Flemingius proceed any further but requireth that all things committed may be cleared or corrected by the Law of the Land That in regard of the great scarcity of Graine causing dearth his Highnesse would not permit any transportation thereof abroad for prevention of Famine poverty and calamity to the Subject whereof his Majestie is very solicitous Last That the Accounts of the Kingdomes Revenues which his Highnesse hath had for some years in his hands might be forthwith stated and cleared that so his Majesty at his returne into the Countrey may know what debts of the Kingdome have been satisfied and what otherwise To the fore-specified Oration whereby his Highnesse the Senators and whole Orders of Suethland did hold themselves aspersed and reproached as also to those criminations by Count Ericke and Arnidus Gustavus the Duke with the Senators returned Answer as hereafter is shewed But to the Kings particular Objections against the Duke the ensuing reasons were by his Highnesse exhibited for their refutation That the Duke had altered the prescribed forme of Government That he had neither altered nor seene any Forme of Government an imperfect Plenipotentiall excepted brought unto him by Ericke Gustavus not containing the forme of Power requisite in a well constituted Common-wealth wherto he had never acquiesced nor would he have accepted the Government but for the earnest reiterated requests of the Senators and Orders of the Kingdome who desired him to have more regard unto the publick wel-fare then to the defects in that prescribed Form Moreover That a certaine Forme for a Kingdomes government in the Regall absence cannot be prescribed to Subjects by reason of frequent emergent alterations and Novations not inclusible within the limits of a straitned Forme And that albeit Lawes be enacted for a perpetuall Rule of the Inhabitants actions yet necessity urging they are changed or abrogated and others instituted more conducing to present publick good That whereas he is taxed of many things not couched in that Plenipotentiary it follows either that he is unjustly argued of having acted contrary thereunto or that the same must be imperfect as not containing all things which his Majesty required in a well regulated Empire That the sayd Forme was even repugnant to it selfe for his Highnesse being thereby injoyned to Act for the good of the King and Kingdome is neverthelesse prohibited the calling of