his Nephew His first Act was to call to Stocholme and reconcile to himself sundry Counsellours of the Kingdom with others of the Senatoriall Order who had been long in the late Kings displeasure and who had likewise provoked himself To them passing by former Injuries he granted Letters of security An. 1592. and both from the one and other received Letters Obligatoricall dated January 1593. to joyne unanimously in Counsell and endeavours for the publike good and to be in all things assisting and subservient to him the said Duke reserving their fidelity and obedience to their lawfull hereditary King Duke Charles had advertised his Nephew King Sigismundus of his Fathers decease by Letters from Stocholme of the twenty fifth of November 1592. and desired his acceleration withall due conveniency to receive the Crown of his Native Kingdom The like he did from Vbsall by Olaus Suerkerus the seventh of March following to him he gave instructions to assure his Majesty that he would contain the Kingdom in peace and tranquility and so resign the same into his Majesties hands That he hoped likewise and expected that his Majesty would maintain his Subjects of what condition soever in the true Religion and Divine Worship as also preserve inviolably the Laws of Suethland with all the Priviledges granted by his Predecessors in each and all the points and Articles of every of them with severall other circumstances contained in those Instructions the whole in thirteen Heads or Sections Not long after King Sigismundus so desiring Turo Bielke of Nynes was by Duke Charles sent Ambassador into Poland with Letters and Instructions dated the 26th of May 1593. importing as before preservation of Religion as established in the latter times of Gustavus Erickson and the first of King John and as the same had been lately approved and confirmed at a generally Synod held at Vbsall the maintenance of Laws and Liberties to great and small poor and rich were likewise inserted and security therof with other points touched in the said Instructions to be by the Ambassador humbly desired under the Royall Signature The twenty seventh of July following Ericus Sparre and Claudius Bierke were sent to Dantzig with other Letters and a Fleet to receive and attend his Majesty honourably into Suethen Sigismundus returned answer by Turo Bielke referring the Peace to ensue with the Russian which had likewise been touched upon in the fore-cited Instructions and the security desired by the Prince and Counsellours of State in the name of all the Orders of Suethen untill his arrivall and Coronation there at which time he would confirm to every one freedom of his Religion observation of the Suethish Laws retention of ancient Priviledges and Liberties not prejudiciall to the Regall and Ducal Succession with all other things convenient to be secured unto them under his hand and Seal and that the same might be then done much better and more commodiously then at such a distance These were dated at Dantzig the eighteenth of August 1592 But the Suethes complain in that he gave not present assecuration in the point of Religion and those other things desired in the Ambassadoriall Instructions but that over-passing them he proceeded on his Voyage wherby say they he not obscurely discovered that either he would not give or not observe when given any such security especially touching Religion It was likewise observed that the Duke meeting King Sigismundus and his Queen upon their landing at the Bridge of Stocholme after congratulation of their safe arrivall with a long Oration did admonish him so to receive and govern his Hereditary Kingdom as he might with a good conscience answer before God and the World and particularly those of the Suethish Nation Wherunto the King gave but small regard and made but a short reply The Coronation time approaching and the chief of all the Orders repairing to Stocholme to attend the King to Vbsall where that Solemnity is usually performed They besought him to confirm their Liberties and Priviledges Which he whilest there remaining delayed with uncertain hopes wherwith the whole Politicall and Ecclesiasticall Orders being moved did by Letters and Emissaries Solicite the Duke to mediate with his Majesty not to procrastinate longer but to dispatch those and other Emergent Affairs lest longer delaies might beget some stop to the Regall Ceremony and some of the said severall Orders were in the name of the rest deputed unto his Highness then at Gripshold Castle to request his repair to the Solemnity and his Intervention with the King for their satisfaction Wherupon the Duke by Letters of the nineteenth of January 1594. did in most faithfull and friendly manner advise his Majesty to take the desires of the States into his serious consideration King Sigismundus nevertheless still delayed untill almost the Coronations Eve from whence they gathered that he had no propension to their desires especially in the matter of Religion seeing that notwithstanding all instances used both by the Duke and Senators seven weeks were wasted before ought could be effected or the Coronation celebrated Which consumption of time was chiefly imputed to the obstinacy of Francisco de Malaspina the Pontificiall Legate who by injunction from the Romish Prelate severely prohibited his assent but was at last constrained to advise and perswade the King to grant unto the States of Suethland the Assecuration desired which he was the rather induced unto as having on his Holiness behalf one starting hole remaining to wit That Faith was not to be kept towards Hereticks which say they was afterwards verified and that King Sigismundus observed no Covenant contained in his Coronation Oath or in his Letters of Assecuration It is by them and not without detestation likewise affirmed that Sigismundus intending mischief to the Duke his Uncle appointed some Ensigns of Heyduckes to lye in wait to murther him which had been effected but that a certain person Hieronimo Strozzi discovered the design and that this not succeeding a second plot was hatched to have been perpetrated by Italians in disguise by means of a Comedy to have been by them acted with naked Swords a thing unusuall amongst whom was Salvator Fabriz Authour of an Actor in that Scene which should have ushered in the fatall Tragedy and that this cursed Plot is testified and confirmed by James Tipotius a great Sectator of the Romish Religion and not ignorant of the designs of the Jesuites and Polanders himself being then at Vbsall But the Duke by his absence from those sights contrary to expectation prevented the intended butchery Neither say they were those Trayterous Counsellours who afterwards induced King Sigismundus to infest his Native Soil with armed Bands unwitting of these treacherous devices But that it was they who did first blow the coals of this pernicious discord albeit they kept close somtime that so if the Tragedy had taken the wished effect they might have seemed innocent and with Pilate have justified themselves but that God of his
Incendiarismes Sacriledges and mens minds so exasperated that a Civill War seemed to be rendred perpetuall And whilest one Party endeavoured a Propagation the other a defence of Religion no roome for Religion appeared to be left by either the blood of their Kings and Princes partly extirpated And they thus tearing out each others bowells a third invades pretending indeed Religion yet perhaps more gaping after the Gallican Dominion as being accustomed to have kingdomes fall to his share for reimbursement of Costs But return we to Flemingius who in time of peace enrolls assembles entertaines Forces to what end meerly to consume what the Enemies have left to destroy those Subjects whom the Wars had spared Infinites of them complaining that their marrow blood and bones are suckt Let his Majesty be moved with the miseries of Finland which bordering on the Russian was made the Seat of War mostly by our owne and likewise exposed to the Enemies incursions and depredations but now more calamitously exhausted by waging and entertaing a not necessary Souldiery The King is obliged by Oath to protect and vindicate the Innocent and the Needy from all Injuries whatsoever and to preserve the publike peace How much more prudently may his Majesty abolish not nourish discord by the misery of the Subject wherewith doubtlesse God is offended Let his Majesty command a deposing of Armes and that all Controversies may be judicially desided To restrain Compatriotall hands from mutuall Massacres is the part of a most Excellent Pious and Christian King Let his Majesty write and command things honourable for himselfe and the kingdome Obedience shall follow for such as are other let a suspension be permitted And as Mahetas appealed from the sentence of Philip of Macedon to the same King better informed even so the Suethes His Highnesse and the Senators do moreover beseech that during his Majesties Raigne and his Highnesse Vice-gerency assisted with the Senatoriall Counsells the kingdomes Lawes may not suffer subvertion When Charles the fifth after Royall Entertainment in France by Francis then there Raigning had at the request of the said King created some Knights and Barons their Honours were afterwards disputed and concluded invalid because conferred in anothers Dominion wherein he had not Right of Majesty the Dignity of each Realme salved For those Rights are no where preserved but in the kingdome where they are legitimate transported abroad they are easily obscured Suethland hath written Lawes and famous Constitutions from the times of Queen Margaret Ericke the 13th Albert and other Kings not abolished nor antiquated wherein is expresly provided that the Kingdomes Affaires shall in the Regall absence be administred by the Native Counsellours Peers and great Officers of the same Neither are the Royall Commands when given without the Kingdome to be obeyed further then they shall by the Counsell be approved and this is ratified by evident Lawes Regall Oathes and Hereditary Covenants Writings are extant between King Gustavus and Ericke the 14th his Son whereby upon his intended Voyage for England to have matched with Elizabeth that Nations Queen he was expresly bound to refer all the Affaires of Suethland unto the King his Father or he being dead to the Vice-gerent and the Senators And when afterwards he should the second time have undertaken the like to commit them to John Duke of Finland Governour afterwards King of Suethland together with the Senators Let it be moreover considered how fully and sufficiently either Realm was provided for at the marriage of Philip of Spain with Queen Mary of England that the Pre-eminency and Dignity of each might be preserved entire and not wander with the Kings Person into a strange Kingdome Yet both are hereditary but the Argument expressed in our Laws is much more forcible for the King is obliged even here remaining to govern Suethland by the counsel of the native Senators not strangers how much more therefore when remote and necessitated to use the Eyes and Ears of others the Senators also of this Kingdome are tyed by Oath to admonish the king seriously and frequently to preserve the kingdomes Laws and Royalty unviolate which albeit it be no easie task yea for the most part undeservedly dangerous yet they have willingly undergone it and discharged their parts at his Majesties being here so as the Ambassadors present trouble might have been spared if time had been then improved for the kingdomes affaires were begun to be treated with fidelity and due diligence but hardly could the Inauguration be proceeded unto without great difficulty and longer contest then was meet about things not ambiguous formerly sworne unto and confirmed The forme of Government by diverse counsells and alterations was protracted even to the time of departure no consent of the Senate concurring and it was manifestly purposely so done by advice of persons not well affected to this Kingdome or ignorant of affaires or fit to be ejected from the Results of Suethland or lastly such as had secretly concluded the Kingdome should be Governed by the rule of Succession but the Suethes by that of Servitude This they detest the other they submit unto and will maintaine unviolably as the bond of their Liberties preservation and increase not of obtrusion of slavery which the hereditary Covenants do clearly demonstrate No Taxe or Tribute was commanded in that Parliament but a voluntary supply tendred according to the Legall form for causes in the Law expressed Viz. Repairing the charges of War The matter of money as of no great concernment was almost forgotten for the priviledge of coining hath been conceded to severall Princes and Cities without violation of Majestie At Vastena money is coined with the conjoined names of his Majesty and the Prince his brother with which impression the King his Father had coined in signe of Concord at the beginning of his Raigne and soone after voluntarily conferred the said priviledge upon the Duke his brother during life This is the answer thought meet to be given to the Lords Ambassadors and it is most earnestly desired that the same may be accepted without offence to his Majesty whom the State and Orders of the Kingdome do honour and reverence with all integrity and fidelity and albeit the same be at length yet is it not that the Suethes are obliged to render account to any but his Majestie and he within the Kingdome but that their cleerness from the treason tacitely implied may appeare to all the World Sundry other Stigma's are cast upon that Sudercopian Transaction which by this Kingdomes Lawes and Statutes will be easily evinced Albeit they acknowledge the States and Orders of Poland and Lithuania for fellow Subjects under the most just Empire of one and the same King yet not for Judges The said Orders may understand that his Highnesse and those of Suethen dissent not from them in any thing but least in the love of concord and hatred of dissention nor can ought be more acceptable to them then a composure of all
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
unto him the pernicious change of religion which was mostly intended during his raigne had been vigilant toward those things that were consentaneous to Christianity and right and intended a just Government so long as his thred of life remained To which change of Religion as also sundry other things were to be imputed to the suggestions of evill Counsellors as the primary causers of that want of brotherly confidence which of right ought to have been between him and his Brother Duke Charles They also affirme that contrary to his Fathers sayd Testament and his owne Oath for true observation thereof Sigismundus his Son afterwards King of Poland had been by him permitted to be educated in the Pontificiall Religion and that by the fore-specified impulsions and perswasions of perverse Counsellours he had sent his sayd Son out of the Kingdome to receive the Crowne of Poland from whence as from an overflowing stream all those innundations of evills which had covered their Country proceeded It would be over long here to repeat their formerly so often reiterated Criminations against King Sigismundus nor the fore-mentioned Resignation by Duke John of his Hereditary right to the Kingdome They therfore proceed to pronounce Duke Charles by them formerly designed for their present absolute and lawfull Soveraigne with whom and for whose safety they would live and dye and that after him they would receive his eldest Son the Prince Gustavus Adolphus for their immediate and confirmed King Upon the younger Prince Carolus Philippus they thereby setled the Paternall Dukedomes of Sudermannia Nericia and Wermelandia Vosbogia and the Valensian Territory with the other Jurisdictions then possessed by his Father But that Duke John should enjoy the Dukedome formerly granted unto Duke Magnus with other large emoluments conceded unto him by the present Parliament as the Letters of Donation did testifie That if their designed King the present Prince Gustavus Adolphus should leave behind him any lawfull Regall or Ducall Heirs Males the eldest should succeed and he deceasing sonlesse the one after the other from Line to Line should sway the Scepter and so his Highnesse Sons that should be borne unto him should be by them and their Successors designed and accepted for lawfull and Hereditary Kings of Suethland But if the Prince Gustavus Adolphus should depart this life not leaving any lawfull Heirs Males the second Son Prince Carolus Philippus should obtaine the Crowne as their designed elected and confirmed King of Suethland and after him his lawfull Heirs Males in like manner should succeed as hath been expressed toward the Line of Prince Gustavus Lastly That if Prince Carolus Philippus should change this mortall State without any lawfull Male Issue to rule the rains of the Kingdome the Royall dignity should then devolve unto the illustrious Duke John in the same manner word for word as it had been decreed and confirmed unto the forenamed Princes Gustavus Adolphus and Carolus Philippus He also dying his eldest lawfull Son should obtaine the Regall Wreath and so each from Line to Line as had been designed and concluded unto the Heirs of the two Princes before named in the foregoing Articles And that forasmuch as Histories give ample testimony of tumults dissentions and multiferous detriments which over-fruitfully flock into a Common-wealth when the Line of a lawfull Family is not regarded the Kingdome and the Government thereof being in jeopardy by a perillous election of Governours this Inhabitant voting for one Candidate or pretender that man for another And that on the other side it may be collected out of Histories that much Concord and Tranquility hath ever flourished in a Common-wealth when according to Divine providence the States or Orders of a Kingdome have not swarved from the right and lawfull Line of a Regall Family If therefore which they besought God gracionsly to divert the like inconvenient should befall the Kingdome of Suethland that the whole Masculine Gustavian Progeny should be taken away and none remaining of that Regall and Ducall Family but Female Heirs they did bind themselves by promise and voluntarily and by mature Counsell did thereby unanimously and concordially universally and singularly for themselves in generall and particular and for all their Successors ingage and sweare that they would accept that Princesse and Regall Daughter if such should be living or of the Ducall Line for Queen of Suethland and that they would not obtrude any Husband upon her without her will and consent and especially that they would not permit or procure her a Husband of any People enemy to the Suethish Nation or that had any way sought after their ruine or hurt nor yet any of a perverse Religion or adhering to a Doctrine differing from their Christian profession That withall the Queen should be and thereby was prohibited from any manner of Matrimoniall contract with any person of such a Nation or Religion under the penalty of deprivation of Rule and Dignity but that she should rather wed some one of the Suethish Nation whom she could affect and who might be usefull to the Kingdome or some Prince of the Ducall Families in Germany descended from the illustrious Gustavian Progeny of Suethland and of the same Religion with them except such marriage were forbidden by propinquity of blood That the other Regall and Ducall Daughters of that Family then remaining should be provided of Dowries and other necessaries befitting their condition and dignity according to the Gustavian Testament and the conclusions of the present Parliament Yet with these conditions and cautions that not any of the Regal or Ducal Daughters should contract Matrimonie with any person without the free consent and approbation of the Orders of the Kingdome But not intentending hereby that the daughters of the King Sigismundus if any were or his Sister should be comprehended they being rejected from ever obtaining any jurisdiction in Suethland And forasmuch as all the tumult warr and dissention which of late times had molested them had their maine Originall from the difference of religion between his Majesty of Poland and the Orders of Suethland he having contrary to his Grand-fathers last Wil and Testament deserted their Christian profession and embraced the Papall erroneous doctrine they therefore unanimously constituted and decreed that they would never prefer any person unto the Royall Chaire who should not be of the same Religion with them And that if any of their Hereditary Princes should decline the pure word of God comprehended in the Propheticall and Apostolicall Books and depart from the Augustane Confession presented to the Emperour Charles An. 1530. grounded upon the Word of God as also from other former transactions and laudable Constitutions partly framed in the time of King Gustavus partly since tending chiefly and above all things to the advancement of Christs Church and the propagation of Religion and to the preservation of the best policy both in Spiritualls and Temporalls or whosoever should not do
and promove whatsoever he shall know may tend to the honour of God or should not attend to those things which might concern the profit and emolument of the Countrey he should be 〈…〉 terly deprived of that Hereditary Jurisdiction which by the Act of union was due unto him In like manner under the penalty of like deprivation their Hereditary Princes were prohibited Marriage with any Wife of an erroneous Religion contrary to that above specified for avoyding those dissentions might thereby grow between the Subjects and their Lords as had befallen with King Sigismundus neither should contract Matrimony without acquainting and thereupon advising with the Orders of the Kingdom whether such Marriage would be commodious for themselves and the Realme All Inhabitants therein at present or after times who should seduce advise or perswade any of their Hereditary Princes to imbrace or be brought up in any false Religion or in other then that above mentioned should be accounted as Traytors to the Kingdome and undergoe punishment accordingly of what soever condition they were high or low Senators or others They likewise concluded and decreed that not any of their Hereditary Princes should be raised to the Royal Throne who did accept of another Kingdome and that no Hereditary King had power to accept of any other Realms or Territories unlesse he would constantly remaine in the native Soyle they having by sad experience found by the transactions of former times and moderne tumults what inconveniencies had been derived unto them by their Kings acceptance of Forraigne Crownes That in order to what before expressed they who were or had been present did promise and sweare according to the tenour of this Hereditary Regall Inauguration and designation of the forenamed severall Princes and their respective Heirs from Line to Line all fidelity obedience and assistance to their utmost power and the hazard and expence of their estates and lives in confirmation whereof they engaged their Christian faith honesty conscience lives and possessions as they desired God to be propitious unto them and each for himselfe and his Successors after their manuall Subscription sealed the same with their Capitall Civicall and Territoriall Seals upon reciprocall engagement for their Government according to the pure Word of Cod the Laws and justly acquired Priviledges of Suethland Norcopia the two and twentieth of March 1604. By the fore-specified Parliamentary Decree and Hereditary Union it may appear they utterly renounced the Soveraignty of King Sigismundus who had not once only but severall times first abondoned them therby say they adhering neverthelesse to the right Family according to the Tenor of the Lawes of Suethland and the Acts of Hereditation and concurring with those of Poland who had written to their King then absent for whose return they had prefixed a peremptory day that they could not long subsist without their King by reason of many incident dangers not to be obviated but by the Regall presence and that if he did not return unto them by the time prescribed he should not think strange if they did subrogate another in his place it being impossible for them to live without a King and head to defend them by his Regall power and authority Which reasons say they the Suethes had often suggested and tendred to King Sigismundus notwithstanding that his severall returnes had not been unaccompanied with various inconveniencies apparent in the preceding discourse That all those things being by them passed over they had frequently written to advise and intreat him to return into his Hereditary Kingdome it being no less incommodious for them to live without a King and certaine form of Rule then for the Polanders to which Letters he had not daigned any answer and that they therfore had been deservedly moved to exclaime with those of Poland shall Suethland be longer without a King in no wise A King we must have c. They further affirm that as then Princes meet to be premoted to the Regall Chair were not wanting unto them they having the election of two without swarving from the Regall Family to wit Duke Charles by them now elected and Prince John who albeit they did ingeniously acknowledge him for the neerest as being the younger Son of King John of famous memory and unto whom in that regard they had not once but often presented the Crown yea even at the Solemnity of the Coronation of their present King yet for so much as he was not then of so ripe years as to undertake so troublesome a Government of the Kingdome in such a season and that at Norcopia before the renovation and confirmation of the fore-specified hereditary Union he had upon the sixth of the same month of March in presence as hath been already said of sundry Senators and other Members of that Parliament tendred his just excuses in form as followeth MOST High and Mighty Prince Beloved Lord and Uncle When I silently revolve in my mind the benefits conferred upon me by your Dilection ever since that by reason of the decease of my Parents I came unto your Court I certainly find your affection to have been so great as I cannot sufficiently extoll much lesse deserve or recompence the same I will not at present speak of the Paternall care exhibited toward me by your Dilection in my Instruction and Education in all Christian and Ducall Vertues But desire chiefly to be mindfull of the care exercised by your Dilection least I should have fallen into the hands of Jesuites and have been seduced unto their most pernicious Religion Wherfore seeing I can never be sufficiently able to merit or requite that Fatherly care diligence and trouble I will first and above all things with all earnestnesse crave of the most high God that he will please abundantly to returne the same upon your Dilection your most loved Consort and your Illustrious Children both in this life and that which is to come In the mean time I will diligently endeavour by all manner of obedience and humility to the utmost of my power to make at least some measure of requitall of that faithfulnesse which your Dilection frequently hath and daily doth declare unto me But whereas your Dilection did some daies past propound unto my deliberation certain Articles and hath gratiously required me to declare my resolution upon them as the Orders of the Kingdome have since done in like manner I have therefore thought good to answer your desires humbly entreating your Dilection favourably to accept of and interpret this my serious Resolve wherunto I have decreed to adhere constantly The Universal Orders of the Kingdome most mighty Prince beloved Lord and Uncle in divers Parliamentary Conventions as also in this present Assembly have Unanimously and Concordially acknowledged and received your Dilection for their Lord and Governour unto whom henceforward as to their natural and most beloved King they have promised all obedience due fidelity security and utmost assistance In regard your Dilection
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
should be translated from this Vale of misery to the Mansions of Eternity his eldest Son should sway the Scepter and after him his first-born and so that whole Line successively And that if it should so happen that the eldest Son should depart this life without heirs Males then the second Son of this great and good Gustavus should ascend the Royall Chair wherin also his lawfull Male Issue was to succeed so long as any of them should survive but the Male Posterity of the second likewise failing the third and in the like case the fourth of the Gustavian Virill Race were in the same manner to inherit according to the Prescript tenour of that Act wherunto the curious are referred There have been the more particularities used in setting down the last Will and Testament of this deserving Prince because we are now entring as it were upon the Threshold of those differences that for so many years caused a vast expence of blood and Inundations of other Miseries between the two flourishing Kingdoms of Suethen and Poland and the rather because as the Suethes affirm the breach of most if not of all the heads of this Testament gave begining to those differences by causing the expulsion of his Grand child Sigismundus King of Poland with his whole Posterity for ever from the Crown of Suethland which also gave birth to the promised Treaty of Pacification This Royall Gustavus Erickson of whom it may be said that to his Subjects he was like a second Titus the delight of man-kind after thirty eight years of a most laudable Raign changed the same for one more glorious upon the third of the Calends of October 1560. By Catharine Daughter of Magnus Duke of Saxony he had Ericke who succeeded him in the Kingdom His next Consort was Margaret the Daughter of Ericke Abraham of Loholme Knight Governour of the Westro-gothes who brought unto him John Duke of Finland afterwards King of Suethland Katherine whom he married to Echardus Earl of Frizeland Cecilia who espoused Christopher Marquess of Baden Magnus Duke of the Ostro-gothes Steno who died a Child Anna wedded to George Joannes Count Palatine of Rhyne and Duke of Bavaria Charles who forthwith deceased Sophia married to Magnus Duke of Saxony Elizabeth Wife unto Christopher Duke of Meckleburg and Charles Duke of Sudermannia Nericia Wermelandia his last Wife was Catharina daughter to Gustavus Olaus of Torpa Gouernour of Westro-gothia by whom he had no Issue Ericke his eldest succeeded and was Crowned An. 1561. He for somtime waged strong War with the Danes and Lubeckers and not only incurred the hatred of his Neighbours but provoked also the dislike of his own Subjects He married so meanly say the Suethes as was not only to the dishonour of his Crown and Race but likewise to the contempt of his Nobility whose extirpation he endeavoured and the perpetration of that horrible Tyranny at Vbsall by the wicked counsell of others and his own naturally malicious disposition John Duke of Finland to whom the waies of Ericke were little pleasing having as hath been said married the Princess Catherina younger Sister to Sigismundus Augustus King of Poland and was therby allied unto the Jagellonian Family whose merits towards that Crown have been already mentioned had lent unto his Polonian Brother the sum of an hundred thousand Rix-dollars for which he received in pledge certain Forts and Governments in Leifland and so returned to Revalia in Finland where he was by his Brother King Ericke who out of a suspitious nature made a sinister construction of Duke Johns actions as intended for a Confederacy with the Polander and the Dane against him oppressed with cruell War and himself with his Wife and Family taken at Abo a Town in Finland and brought to Stocholme where he was publikely accused many of his Familiars executed four whole years he was under restraint but afterwards set at liberty and the year ensuing the chance of War being turned he seised upon his Brother Ericke whom he kept incarcerated untill his death This hapned in the year 1568. Duke John having thus disthroned his elder Brother was with great applause and the unanimous consent of the Peers and all the Orders of Suethland declared King and Crowned An. 1569. He likewise waged War with the Dane but with the Muscovite both cruell and long Toward the end of his Raign his Son Sigismundus descended by his Mother as hath been shewed from the Jagellonian Race was elected King of Poland and there Crowned An. 1588. Not long after viz. An. 1590. The former Orobrogian and Arosian constitutions for hereditary Union were renewed in favour of Sigismundus and his lawfull Heirs Males and they failing in the like to his Brother Prince John which also failing Charles Duke of Sudermannia Nenicia and Wermelandia was with his Male Posterity to succeed At this Convention there passed also an absolute exhereditation of the Children of the late King Ericke and all his Posterity for the reasons before expressed John followed the same Profession in point of Religion as did Gustavus his Father which was that of the Evangelicall or Augustane Confession And albeit his Son Sigismundus instructed by his Mother had secretly embraced that of Rome yet did not the Father decline from the Augustane but constituted his Brother Duke Charles who was strongly Lutheran as a pledge to the people that therin no innovation should be made having by Testament appointed him for Governour over them untill the return of Sigismundus from Poland King John as he observed his Fathers Testament in matter of Religion so he was no less sollicitous that the Suethâ—sh Dominion should receive no diminution by his Sons accession to the Polish Crown and to that end he strickly enjoyned Earl Brake and Ericus Sparre whom at the instance of the Polanders he had sent as Ambassadours to treat and conclude about his Sons Inauguration to that Kingdom not to consent to ought that might tend to the prejudice or impairing of Suethland as by their instructions dated at Vastena the fourth of May 1587. may appear wherunto the Curious are referred This Prince having Raigned three and twenty years or therabouts changed his mortall life in November or December An. 1592. His memory is celebrated by the Suethes for many benefits conferred upon their Nobility and the people in generall and for freeing them from the rigid and cruell government of his Brother Ericke with the tyranny which other persons under him did exercise over them for which in the fore-cited convention at Stocholme 1590 they not only confirmed the former hereditary Unions in favour of his and the forementioned Princes Heirs Males as hath been shewed but further also enacted that if the Nobler Gender of the Royall and Ducall Line should totally fail the eldest of the unmarried Females of the same should succeed unto the Crown each in order according to their birth And that they would not
goodness by withholding the Event did frustrate their Machination They likewise assert for clearing the Duke from suspition of ambitious affectation of the Crown that even at Vbsall before the Coronation his Highness was by many of the States not once but often urged and invited to take the Diadem and this ingemination frequently used Your Highness is the only remaining Son of King Gustavus and as your Predecessor of happy memory appeared a Father and Defender of his Country so We doubt not but that your Highness will advance the Common-Weal of Suethen but from this King Sigismundus We cannot hope for ought of good Which desire of theirs Duke Charles not only rejected but like wise frustrated the purpose of certain of the severall Orders who would have committed the Raynes of the Soveraign Rule unto Duke John as then of tender years who should have been Crowned at the age wherin he might have Legally secured the Liberties of the Suethish Nation Whence say they all people of what Condition soever may easily collect from what Root these Seeds of discord first sprung but let us now with them turn our Pen and Sickle to the remainder of these growing Weeds They alledge also that it was apparent wherat Sigismundus aimed in bringing such a troop of Popish Priests into the Kingdom the chief of whom was the before-named Malespina who in the Metropolitan Arch-Episcopall Seat of the Suethes Gothes and Vandals did dare to attempt the Crowning of their King wherin he was withstood by all the Orders of the Kingdom but mainly by Adamus Adracanus Arch-bishop Elect of Vbsall who stoutly shewed that it was contrary to their Statutes and the Laws of Suethland that any but the Vbsalian Prelate should perform that Office and that before the consummation therof it behoved the King to bind himself by Oath to observe those things which in the Augustane Confession were exhibited to the Emperor Charles the fifth above sixty four years then past and likewise had been decreed by Gustavus and King John his Grand-father and Father as also ordered by a late Synod at Vbsall to be observed in Suethland where into no Church other then of that Profession was to be admitted But that the King whilest there might have a private Chappell in his Palace Wherupon the Legate interceded that at least with the Evangelicall Religion the Romish erroneous and idolatrous Superstition might be tollerated In prejudice of the Gustavian admonition and testament which was not granted SIGISMVNDVS III. D G REX POL. M DVX LIT RVSS PRVS MAS SAMO LIVO NEC NON SVECOR GOT VAD HAEREDI REX The Most Excellent Prince Sigismundus 3 d King of Poland etc. 〈…〉 He gave likewise Letters Assecutoriall to the like effect to all the States under his hand and Seal at Vbsall the ninteenth of February 1594. wherinto the Curious may make inspection It being intended here to mention only the heads of things most necessary to be inserted in reference to the ends before proposed Contrary to this Oath King Sigismundus is by them charged to have erected a Popish Church in the Regall City to which end he purchased a Stately Structure of Stone from a stranger there inhabiting He is likewise taxed for placing Count Ericke of Visingsborg a most zealous Adherer to the Romish Sect Governour of Stocholme Castle in which the Regall Ornaments with the Records of their Cancellariae are usually deposited as also the Armes Ammunition and the great Ordinance of the Kingdom And in the Port wherof the main body of their Navy was reserved contrary to his fore-mentioned Letters of Assecuration To a certain Jesuite Adam Steinhall by name he committed the Arcensian Temple placing also his Romish Priests in the Queens Island and in the Vastenan Monastery contrary to what he had given under his hand and Seal to this effect That neither in the Ecclesiasticall or Politicall Affairs of that Kingdom he would use the help of any person who did not profess the Religion then generally received in Suethen They further argue that he no sooner returned from his Coronation to Stocholme but that he gave the Raynes unto his Polish and other Romish affected followers to enter their Churches and disturb their Service and Devotions by tumultuous perambulations in all parts of their Temples with loud voices and scandalous Gestures during their Sermons and other Religious Exercises to the great oppression and scandall of minds yea to the hazard of mens lives branding and reviling them with the name of Hereticks and other infamous and scurrilous Appellations insomuch as they were constrained to set Guards about their Ministers ascending their Pulpits and complaint being made unto the King of these abuses the Plaintiffs were dismist with reproaches and contumelious words no redress at all afforded It is moreover objected that besides extraneous Forces introduced at his Arrival he ordered others to be brought from Dantzig by Ernest Wejerus and other Commanders furnished as to a declared War wherby Flouds of blood might have over-flowed if by other weighty Affairs he had not been recalled and induced to return into Poland but what he could not then say they effect he afterwards endeavoured at the Papall Legatorian instance when with a numerous Army he re-entred Suethen in the year 1598. In this manner do they charge King Sigismundus that he no way observed his Regall Oath and Assecuration in point of Religion after which he departed the Kingdom as at first he had done without the consent and approbation of the States therof leaving behind a Romish affected Governour in his chief Fort and City besides severall Churches with the Vastenan Monestary filled with Jesuites and others of that Erroneous Sect wherby much dissention a rose within the Land soon after his departure Hereupon certain Senators of the Kingdom thought it expedient to write unto the Duke signifying the Kings departure and that they had endeavoured to their utmost that the weighty Affairs of the Realm might have been settled before his Exit severall wherof remained yet unperfected That therfore they besought his Highness to afford a helping hand with his wonted Patriotall affection for the dispatch of things as necessity required That touching the form of Government which his Highness had by Copy communicated unto them to be desired of his Majesty no proceed had been made as he might happily have understood by Ericke Gustavus one of their number That the Regall Ensigns were deposited in the Stocholmian Castle wherof Count Ericke was appointed Governour against whom they had protested in his own presence and had entreated his Majesty to ponder the same more maturely Other things also were in the said Letter contained as their most earnest desire for his Highness speedy repair to Stocholme These were dated the fifteenth of July 1594. and their requests reiterated by a second invitation of the twentieth ejusdem The Duke returned answer to their first the eighteenth of the
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
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
vigour That the Prince under pretence of Religion did render his Majesty obnoxious to the envy of his Subjects That no alienation of the Subjects minds from his Majesty by his Highness can be proved and that on the contrary he had alwaies exhorted them to persevere in Fidelity as might appeare by the Sudercopian Decree But that if any such thing had or should hereafter happen the cause were to be imputed to himself for not performing the things he had confirmed unto them by Oath as hath been already said That the Prince had affected the Kingdome That this Assertion can never be made cleer nor that he had ever coveted the Regall Title albeit it were not hard to prove that the same had been often tendred unto him and again might be if contrary to the hereditary Covenants and his Oath of Fidelity he would use the means and power at present in his hand That affection of Soveraignty cannot be imputed unto him because that he with the Senators underwent the troublesome burthen of Government for asmuch as in former times many more meanly descended and of lesse Right Dignity and Power then himself had in the Regall absence administred the Suethish Common-wealth yet without any such aspersion upon them as might appeare by the union in the Raigne of Queen Margaret renewed under Ericke the thirteenth in whose time and absence the great Sewer of the Kingdome was invested with power equall to the King yet was not he to be compared unto his Highness who is Hereditary Prince of the Realme whom the prosperity thereof more neerly concerns That his Highness had detained the Souldiers means and defrauded them of their Stipends That he never expected a Crimination of this nature as being by Gods goodness provided of such competent annuall Revenues that he could live according to his Ranck without making any such sordid gaine neither needed he to hunt after Lucre with the Kingdomes losse That his Highness had given obligatory Letters to his Majesty but had afterwards violated them That albeit his Majesty had required such Letters from him before he departed the Kingdome yet it cannot be proved that he ever obtained them neither could he have so obliged himself the same being repugnant to the Lawes of the Kingdome from which he was not to vary and therefore his being by them obliged as his Majesty alledged and did endeavour to demonstrate was not of consequence Secondly admit it were proved which is not yet done yet it did not thence follow that he was tyed to an absolute observation without exception and that it is to be considered whether such letters were given of right or conditionally if the latter they are not further binding then the condition is fulfilled but that is not done for his Majesty had not granted such a Plenipotentiary as he demanded Moreover the Obligation is meerly civill and may be evaded by exception in regard that ensued not for which those Letters are said to have been given and therefore he cannot be reproached to have acted contrary unto them And yet he is willing to submit unto such letters as are conform to the Plenipotentiary by him required but how just it is to affirm that he gave such Obligatorials as the form transmitted hither which hath no conformity with the obligation given by him is left to the judgment of all equitable men Lastly That the Prince had coined money in his own name and stamp which is a Royalty and had thereby derogated from the Regal Rights and dignity 1. That albeit the coining of money be Regal yet he had acquired the same by the consent and approbation of the Superiour And that albeit King Erick was a Tyrant and wholly endevoured to diminish the Rights of his brethren yet he deprived them not of that of Coinage provided that in Weight and Alley it were not inferiour to the Royall money as appears by the Arbogian Constitutions Anno 1561. which neverthelesse in reference to certain other points he had not accepted of 2. That his Majesties Royall father had conceded unto him that Priviledge as might appear by the Constitutions made at Vastena and Stegeburg And that after the composure of all differences between the late King and himself and the abolition of the Vastenan Decree formerly obtruded upon him he had coyned money in his own name the late King yet alive wherefore his Majesty could not revoke things which had been constituted and were unquestionable 3. That the most renowned King Gustavus of famous memory had by Testament bequeathed to his brothers and himself their respective Dukedomes in the same manner his said Majesty possessed them and he having Power and Right of coining money in each had thereby devolved the like unto him Wherefore his Majesty of Suethland and Poland by depriving him of that Priviledge would contradict his Grand-fathers Testament 4. Last The refusall to his most faithfull Uncle of what his Majesty permits to his Subjects can be but small honour to his Majesty as to the debasing of the Kingdomes coin either in Weight or Alley to the prejudice of the Subject the Mint-Master and thousands of others can testifie the contrary Wherefore forasmuch as his Highnesse had no way violated the Regall dignity Right nor Justice the Laws or hereditary Union of Suethland but from his Majesties Cradle had demeaned himself like a most faithfull Uncle and promised so to continue for the future he is ignorant of the motives to such minatory criminating Letters but suspects they proceed from his not approving of his Majesties-Religion and his opposing the admittance of Papall Superstition into the Kingdome for as to other things he remembreth not the commission of ought that deserved reprehension That therefore he did in brotherly and earnest manner beseech his Majesty and likewise most friendlike and lovingly desired the Senators Peers and Orders of the Kingdome of Poland and the great Dukedome of Lithuania to accept this answer as satisfactory and not to make a Sinister Construction of these his just defences whereunto most weighty Considerations in a time most pressing had urged him That neverthelesse he did hope that the King his Kinsman and Brother would futurely forbear such Criminations and return preside over and govern his hereditary Kingdome according to his Oath whereby all distempers that had made irruption into the Common Wealth might vanish But that if his Majesty were so minded he did earnestly beseech him to settle such a Form of Rule whereby the Kingdomes welfare and the Subjects good might be provided for That he doubted not but his Majesty had been incensed against him by false accusations for undertaking the Common Weales most troublesome Government and that albeit he had not obtruded his endeavours thereupon but at his Majesties request and by approbation of the whole Orders of the Kingdom by whom he had been called and desired to the discharge of that duty upon his Majesties severall
greatest Offenders And this is a custome practised in the Romane Provinces and observed by other Kings whose Extents are large but if it were free for guilty and indebted persons to make continuall appeales to the King what end would there be of Suites When should Crimes be punished Appeales to the King ought to be of the more weighty causes only and the maine matters of the Common-wealth nothing is done herein contrary to the manner of other Nations Portugall and Naples are governed by Vice-royes the Belgian Provinces by Governours yet no appeales from either are made unto the Spanish Court albeit each of those Countries have Senatoriall persons there residing who solicite the Affaires of the Nation according to their Lawes and Priviledges But who remaine in Poland negotiating for Suethland the Ambassadors can tell Or will they judge that those being in another Kingdome can duely provide for the Emergencies of Suethen yet admit that sundry of our Senatoriall Patriots were there were it lawfull for them to draw the controversies of the Suethes thither Neither is this a Right peculiar to us but equally observed amongst all Nations for what King hath desided the causes of one Kingdome in another unlesse the one were subject to the other The declining a competent Court within a kingdome loses the cause Appeales to the King are not abscinded but reserved in the Tribunall proper for the Majestie of the Kings of Suethland untill the Kings returne Neither can he alone even within the Kingdome give sentence without able and unbyassed Assistants no more then without a just hearing of the Plaintiff and Defendant Nor is any appeale admitted by Law from the chief Tribunall unto the King even in the most weighty Affaires when he is within the kingdome the Courts of Justice being administred according to custome and our written Law how much lesse lawfull then is it the King remaining out of the kingdome And if permitted would it not be dishonourable and prejudiciall to Regal Majesty and to an unconquered kingdome when the chief Court of Justice should seem to wander like an exile in a strange Land without fixation of place many other inconveniencies might be apprehended by Appeals into Poland as tediousnesse of way vastness of expence and at length the undoubted extinction of the most ancient Right of a kingdome which is sacred and unviolable to all Nations Next it is complained That the Royall Letters and Patents are slighted whereunto is answered that those Letters which are the Kings are had in reverence but others that is such as are contrary to the mind dignity and good of the King and Kingdome are received as if the Suethes were assured that his Majesty desires nothing that is not conformable to the Laws confirmed by the Regall Oath and conducing to the preservation and emolument of their mutuall most ancient dignities Such are indeed suspended that due honor may be exhibited to the Royal hand and Seal and that his Majesty may deliberate more maturely But some may say thus more wisdom and power is attributed to the Subject then to the Soveraign in no wise No question is made of the Regal Power which nevertheless Alphonsus of Arragon did most rightly define when he said unto Kings whatsoever is honest is permitted and that they may do what they may legally do It was a Royall Speech of the Emperour Honorius when he professed that he a Prince was bound by the Lawes by those the Kings of Suethland are confined Things unequall howbeit small at first prove in the end obnoxious to Cities and Kingdomes In France an hereditary Monarchy excessive bounty is frequently restrained without derogating from Majesty even in Suethen the meanest may by protection of Law defend himself and his against the King by whom if ought upon false information be ordered at the instance either of Plaintiffe or Defendant the same without consulting or derogating from Majesty is ejected and abrogated Kings have sometimes entertained Advocates for poore men who not onely have boldly refused to obey the Regal permissions or inhibitions but have openly unblamed opposed them If this be tollerable in private persons how can that be obtruded in the Government of a Kingdome the King absent which by the Law may be overthrown and may prove prejudiciall even to Majesty it self The Prince and Senators are charged moreover with Treason because they had decreed not to have regard to such Letters as many times are by bad men unversed in the Suethish Affairs extorted from a gracious Prince to the prejudice of himself and the Kingdome sometimes by private persons who neither have nor deserve any power to enjoyn obedience What is this but putting the feet to do the work of the hands whence that must necessarily follow which the Lords Ambassadours most prudently did alledge viz The Office of the Members would be confused all would languish their Order would be disturbed and the dissolution of the whole body must necessarily ensue If his Maiesty will have ought of moment acted within the Kingdome may not his pleasure be better signified to those that are over the same as is usuall in all Nations The Provinciall Rulers have ever had such respect from kings that the Royal Mandates are directed to them for execution according to right or advertisement if Noxious or unjust How much more unseemly is it to over-passe them to whom the care of the whole Kingdome is committed yet so it is mostly that the first understanding must be from others and that Letters are heaped to divers persons from whom most favour may be expected not for what is expedient for the King and Kingdome but themselves A certaine person is said to have brought Letters out of Poland not long since surreptitiously obtained from the King for present payment of a certaine summ of Dollars as a due debt which summ had been satisfied some yeares before Do not such Letters deserve regard Some are brought into the Kingdome manifestly taxing the Prince and others of Infidelity toward his Majesty the names concealed tending to incite the Popularity especially to insurrection by which like instigations probably the Governour of Finland hath dared to oppose the whole Kingdome of Suethland The King consented yet doubtlesse not of his owne accord but by the counsels of wicked men and to his owne and the kingdomes detriment For then discord nothing is more pernicious in kingdomes especially if it proceed so far that by one faction he thinks to oppresse that which but undeservedly he conceives to be another But thus in destroying one by another he ruines the kingdome even his Country The examples of France and the Netherlands alledged by the Lords Ambassadors serve here very fitly For the French fell not into so many Calamities by any Nationall disobedience towards their King but by the quotidian violent subtle snares set for expulsion of the Protestant Religion whence that kingdome was so many years afflicted with mutuall Slaughters Rapines Rapes
King Sigismundus returned Answer the day following that he had received his M 〈…〉 tory Letters touching assecuration That he wondred why his Dilection would so long time varnish over his unjust cause before the promiscuous ignorant multitude seeing he could not prove but that fit assecuration had been offered but not accepted and that whilest one demand was granted others were made far different as the last Articles might testifie That he followed him with a strong Army having seised the Castle of Stegeburg his Ships and severall other things which notwithstanding his promised preservation of them would have been more safe in his own custody That in Answer to his Letter he desired that his Dilection would rest satisfied with that assecuration which as consentaneous to reason and his dignity he had already offered But if not that he might proceed to do what it seemed he would not leave undone yet with what fame he left to the Judgement of all honest and unbyassed minds That himself committed the decision of the whole matter to the Justice of God Lincopia 23. September 1598. DUke Charles replyed That there being no remedy but that all Admonitions proved vain through the prevalency of perverse and wicked Counsellours he also committed the matter to God before whom he protested that he was not the cause of these troubles nor of the effusion of blood like to ensue wherefore he desired to know whether his Majesty would absolve him of his Oath of fidelity which done he would endevour to repell unjustice and violence by fit wayes and means But that if possible he besought his Majesty by the love of God to weigh the matter more seriously and not permit this mischief to spread further to his own and the Kingdomes prejudice and that nothing might be by him be omitted he had sent a draught of the assecuration desired by him and his followers wherein he hoped nothing unjust would be found Campe 24. September 1598. TWo dayes after Duke Charles writes againe to the King that seeing the conditions tendred were not admitted and that he could not conveniently propound any other as also that he hoped his Majesty would so resolve as might be honourable for both sides He therfore desired that his Majesty would transmit a draught of the assecurations he would give and receive whereupon he would so declare himself as might be satisfactory to his Majesty these were dated the 26. of the said Moneth THe day following King Sigismundus sent Letters of safe Conduct for such of the Nobility with their Servants as the Duke shâ—â—ld send to treat with him importing Security in coming â—elivering what they had in Commission and saâ—e return Duke Charles also did the like for his Nephew Prince Edward Marquesse of Baden with other Lords to be sent to him from the King BY all that hath been said it may be easily discerned say the Suethes whether Duke Charles received from King Sigismundus answers condigne to his Letters wherein he desired nothing but the good of the King and Kingdome and that if he would have listned to the Dukes faithfull advice and counsel he needed not to have fled when none pursued Or that if he had loved Justice he might judicially have prevented those evils by a decision by equall Arbitrators before whom the Duke and Orders of Suethland were willing to answer to whatsoever could rightly be objected against them They say further that they had oftentimes just occasion given them of renouncing all fidelity and obedience towards him in regard he came not unto them as a good and peaceable King but as an Enemy and Persecuter offering violence and injustice to those that would not submit to his wicked intentions nor admit of his perverse Religion and that he had absolved them from their Oath of fidelity in the former Letters whereby they had just cause to have tried the utmost which yet they did not his Highnesse and they having desired that twelve of the Nobility of each side men qualified prudent judicious and lovers of peace should meet examine and decide the whole controversie and restore and settle peace concord and brotherly love whereunto King Sigismundus did likewise consent but that the same was by him observed as other things had formerly been and according to the ancient manner of keeping faith in promises by Jesuites and Romish Priests For the night following the Royall Army conducted by Wejerus made an on-set upon the Ducall Camp dispersed the night guards killing some and seising others Prisoners as was done not onely at Lincopia but at Stegeburg also but seeing their attempt prove unsuccesfull both Polanders and Suethes who fought under the Kings Ensignes began to cry and ingeminate Peace Peace which the King say they with his followers might have enjoyed if the Officers thereof had been timely embraced but that it was then over-late to treat when many thousands of men lay slaine on both sides each intending on his Enemy the revenge of his fellow Souldier Duke Charles and the Suethes as themselves assert had then both cause and advantage sufficient to have utterly ruined their Advarsaries yet they suffered themselves to be entreated to shew more mercy and mildnesse then they had deserved by abstaining from that revenge was then in their power to have taken upon King Sigismundus with his whole Army to the great detriment and misfortune I use their owne words of themselves and the Kingdome of Suethland as hoping for better things in the future from King Sigismundus from whom they found worse by an ensuing cruell War with the Polanders and Lithuanians touching a finall end wherof no certaine conjecture could be made But that if they had as then they affirme they might destroyed him and his Forces those tumults had happily sooner ceased and many gallant men who afterwards perished in those Wars had survived Nor had his Highnesse and themselves been defamed by so many unjust aspersory Libells as were spread in all parts which neverthelesse they hoped to confute All which things hapned by suffering King Sigismundus then say they to escape to the further prosecution of his Country contrary to the practise of all Magnanimous Potentates who expose their lives to defend theirs from Spoile and Rapine The cruell fight being over King Sigismundus entred into agreement with the Duke for the restoring and confirming of mutuall friendship brotherly confidence with administration of right and justice between his Majesty and his Highnesse whereof I give here the heads onely referring as in all Narations of Acts the more curious to the Instrument it self dated at Lincopia the twenty eighth of September 1598. And first THat whereas the Duke his most deare Uncle and all those of his party had religiously promised unto him and his Heires due obedience fidelity and brotherly affection according to their respective Oaths and the obligations of blood proximity and their tyes of duty and subjection He likewise did by
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
afterwards produce The Mediators and the Commissioners of Poland remained that night in Stumbsdorff the Suethes retyred to Stume the same being neer adjoyning that so they might begin the more early the next morning To this sixth meeting if not rather a continuance of the fifth all Parties assembled and the French Ambassador the sole of all the Mediators addicted to the Romish profession took upon him the patronizing thereof in Leifland and growing zealous therein earnestly pleaded that cause with the Commissioners of Suethland who observing with what fervency he pressed it answered positively in the Negative and gave these reasons First that in their Instructions they had not one word touching the same neither as they conceived had their Principalls so much as once thought of it Next that they knew not that there were any of the Romish Creed in that Province and therfore it was but a needlesse trouble to faigne things that were not in being And lastly that albeit some of that profession might be found there yet they could not for their consideration grant a free exercise of that Religion the Statutes and fundamentall Lawes of their Kingdome being expresly against it These passages were by the French Ambassador related to the Commissioners of Poland all of whom but chiefly the Chancellor took the matter hainously affirming that unlesse provision were made for the free exercise of Religion to those poor Soules whose Salvation said they they tendred more then the losse of all Leifland all the Treaty and the labour that had been employed therin would turn to nothing His Lordship and the other Mediators would not at first intermeddle in that businesse as not appertaining unto them but finding the same to grow so difficult as not to be easily composed but rather likely to overthrow whatsoever had been done before they also thought good to interpose their Authority and the whole day being almost spent in arguments and hot dispute about the same they propounded unto the Polanders a draught for the reconcilement therof if so be that accepted by them the Suethes could be drawn to give consent therunto But here because in the whole Treaty no one point was contested with more sharpnesse on both sides as also that none was more likely to have caused an absolute dissolution therof and that the greatest difference in the severall means propounded for reconcilement consisted for the most part in the distinction of words and phrases I have thought good to couch the severall formes placing in the Mergent the Latine wherin they were word for word then conceived wherby the Reader may with more satisfaction to himself settle his judgment therupon The first therfore administred by the Mediators was in these words The Suethes shall permit unto the Roman Catholike in Leifland their Worship and Ceremony in private during the whole time of the Truce and no enquiry shall be made upon them as formerly had been neither shall the professing of that Catholike Religion be a Crime or prejudice to any person there for the future This form written in a Scroll was by the Mediators delivered to the Commissioners of Suethland each of them adding perswasions thereunto yet all proved in vain for the Draught was rejected and night drawing on an end was made for that time The next day being the seventh all parties assembling the former dispute about the point of Religion in Leifland was continued wherin the French Ambassador employed his whole endeavours sharply checking the Suethes for this their cruell and as he termed it unheard of way of proceeding setting before them how that the King his Master at their late Kings consideration had granted to the Lutherans even in Paris the free exercise of their Religion which if they should obstinately persevere and that the matter so required he doubted not but he might by Letters easily disturb but the Suethes nothing moved with these threats yea rather the more exasperated replied that they were not bound to conform themselves unto or to be judged by the examples or reasons of others but by their own fundamentall Lawes and Statutes which without indangering their heads they might not swarve from as they should do mainly by condescending to the form propounded which included not only private but publike exercise also by those captious words Worship and Ceremonie yet they professed that they would not be so severe as to make inquisition upon or trouble the Catholikes but as heretofore would permit them to enjoy their private liberty of Conscience The Commissioners of Poland were no way contented with this Declaration as well in regard said they that Religion without Worship Rights and Ceremonies due at Divine Service was but in a manner a dead Image as also that the liberty of Conscience enjoyed untill then by the Catholikes there was indeed none at all but a meer bondage feare and trembling during which neither could those who were forced to conceal themselves celebrate or partake of the Masse nor would their Children who should be afterwards borne become initiated into their Church by Baptisme That yet not to break off the Treaty they thought good to refer this something which they esteemed as nothing unto their King in a smuch as untill this point were settled they could not proceed unto the other Articles onely at the instance of the Mediators by mutuall consent of parties the cessation was prorogued for three daies During the time of respite the French Ambassador endeavoured to bring the Commissioners of Suethen to more complying termes shewing the just cause their Adversaries had relating to the point in question that from thence only a most cruell War was like to arise and that they would therby procure the hatred and the enmity of others but all in vain for in the space of four houres he gained nothing The day prefixed for the eighth meeting being come the Parties and the Mediators assembled at the wonted Village where the Commissioners of Poland authorized by their King insist more mainely then before upon the foresayd forme of Covenant in the point of the Romish Religion and for the more assurance desired that the same might be ratified under the Hands and Seales of the Mediators and affirmed that unlesse it were granted there remained nothing but Warr which they sayd they esteemed to be so much the more just by how much it was more glorious to contest to the last gaspe yea even to imbrace an honourable death for the liberty of conscience and Religion These things with other like being by them delivered the French Ambassador earnestly pleaded their cause with the Commissioners of Suethland and as he was endowed with singular Eloquence so he endeavoured to move them by the strongest and most dexterous arguments he could to admit of the foresaid form of Stipulation Yet the Suethes inflexible in their resolve reject the same as captious and including under a specious forme of
one who to coroborate the friendship of that fore-named Crown the more firmly to his Master would undoubtedly advance the interest therof which indeed he did so far as he might without evident blemish to the Impartiality of a Mediatoriall Dignity But now the Treaty being in a fair way of conclusion and howbeit not for an absolute Peace yet for a Truce of so long continuance as would see many changes over-passe before it expired and the Crown of Suethen being freed therby of all apprehension of hostility from that side might prosecute the War in Germany the more intensively and so be the more concurring with the designs of the King his Master and afford him the greater assistance by a more powerfull diversion it was neither contrary to reason or policy that he should endeavour at the last cast to ingratiate himself into the favour of the Polanders and to remove the jealousies they might have conceived of his aversnesse towards their affairs and the rather because sundry advantages might be therby derived to the advancement of the King his Masters Service by the entertaining of Officers and Souldiers especially the strangers in the Polish Army into his Masters Pay which he afterwards assayed to have done but with small successe the Emperours Ministers who also gaped after the disbanding of that Army preventing him therin by drawing Colonell Butler by them made Generall Major with severall Commanders as well English and Scots as Irish and others with most of the Infantry into the Imperiall Service so to recruit the old or frame a new Army in Silesia For these and other considerations it may be and was conceived that he might not unwillingly cast in that Bone the rather for that the businesse being almost ended and the Parties by how much neerer to peace in their hopes by so much the more affected unto it so as they would not break off upon slight occasions not doubting but that either by the Parties or the Mediators a meane would be found out to make all even againe and if he were not the first mover of that point then which he could never have pickt out one more specious or that could carry more lustre nor render him more gracious with the Polanders especially with their Clergy who bear a great sway in that Kingdome yet it may be supposed that by his forwardnesse therein he animated the Polanders to a greater pertinacy and obstinate perseverance in that contest which was longer and more hotly continued then any other neither was any one more likely to have caused a finall rupture As to his pretended conscientious zeale albeit there can be nothing better then to retain a good conscience in all things yet the conscience of one man cannot be obligatory to that of another much lesse to a generality and especially to their prejudice the same consisting of a mans inward disposition towards God and Man wrought in him by that spirit wherewith he is acted and therefore a mans private conscience ought not to be instanced as an inducement to a State in matters of Religion and especially of a different Creed But notwithstanding all these designes there wanted but little that the King having gotten such an advantage had not made use thereof to thwart all their hopes of a reconcilement and to advance his owne ends for the Warlike Prince fortunate in all his former undertakings against his Enemies and breathing new Conquests had as was conceived no inclination to the Truce but rather desired to have vindicated his pretensions to the Crowne and Kingdome of Suethland by the Sword seeing very well that he should not obtaine the same by Treaty And as the Commissioners for the Republike of Poland observing they could not get a restitution of Leisland whereupon they insisted at the first as well as for Prussia would make no generall Peace choosing rather a Truce after the expiration whereof their pretences to Leifland were still the same even so King Vladislaus perceiving that as well by the one as the other there was little appearance of his regaining the Crown of Suethen did equally distast the Peace and Truce and was induced to a condescention meerly by the Potency rather then the perswasions of the Polish Senators who bending wholly to what was for the present behoof of the Republike had little regard to the particular interest of their Prince a thing usuall in Elective Kingdomes whereas the King was desirous to have recovered his pretended right by force of Armes seeing it could not be otherwise gained wherby he might have assured his Posterity of a hereditary Kingdome in case they should come to be preter-mitted in the Elective as himself had almost been and wher the eldest would not alone be assured of a Crown but the younger likewise would be secured of Principalities and Dukedomes answerarable to the Dignity of their birth which in Poland they were not by any Right or Title for these reasons it may be conjectured that the King was not un willing to embrace any occasion of a rupture and even of late by standing stiff upon sundry points of smaller consequence he had not obscurely discovered his mind neither could he have a more glorious pretence as to them then that of Religion wherby also he might reap another and no small advantage to wit the razing out of his Subjects minds especially those of the Clergy an opinion they had conceived that he favoured the reformed Religion more then they desired he should albeit that surmise of theirs had no other ground then that they knew those of the Reformation had deserved better of him at the time of the Election then themselves had done yet this might be a motive to the King to make a cleer demonstration of his zeal to the contrary by sticking so fast to this particular wheron indeed he insisted most earnestly and so far that the Chancellour who at his first pressing therof did not think that ever it would have come to that height was more puzled therwith then with any other point which before or after the same came to be discussed in the whole Treaty as well how to satisfie the King as to salve their own honour and prevent a breach the same being feared by many and was not undesired by some but I will now leave this and return to the matter from which I have digressed further then I intended The French Ambassador having ended his Apologie the inducement to the former digression and successively gained a good opinion with the Polanders howbeit not without irritating his old Friends the Suethes and being therfore the more desirous to see an end of that controversie which himself had first broached did earnestly require from the Commissioners of Poland their finall resolution upon the point in question after two or three houres spent in debate the Polish Lords agreed that another form should be conceived in writing wherby in place of the words Ritus and Cultus liberty of conscience and
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
stand for her Majesties safety her good and welfare as well as for that of the Kingdome even to the danger of their lives and losse of their goods Provided that her Majesty when shee should attaine to perfect years and full possession of the Government of the Kingdome did secure unto them and the whole State whatsoever might concerne the maintaining of all their Lawes Liberties and Priviledges c. as the like had been done by former Kings especially by her late Royall Father and had by the State of the Kingdome been approved Secondly that if any Suethe or other subject to the Crown therof of what degree dignity or quality soever should refuse to subscribe and submit to this establishment or dare to oppose their present Act or seek to advance any other whether native or forraigner They did esteem and declare that party to be a member separated from their body an Enemy yea Traytor to the Kingdome and upon conviction of a Crime of that nature to be punished without mercy Thirdly They confirmed and ratified the Acts formerly concluded against King Sigismundus with his Children and Discendants and declared them to have no right or interest in the Crown of Suethland or any part of the Dominions or Jurisdictions therto belonging and that all their right and pretensions were lost void forfeit and in the lapse for ever And that if any Sueth or other person under that Crown should endeavour the admittance of any of the aforesaids into the Kingdome or to yeeld them any footing within the Jurisdictions or upon the Frontiers therof They would hold that person of what quality soever he were for a pernicious and hainous Traytor to them and to the whole State And upon perseverance therin should meet with the mercilesse punishment due to such a one And that whosoever should listen unto or harbour or lodge any such person without timely discovery unto Authority should be liable to the like punishment As also that the Orobrogian Acts of February 1617. against all such should remain as inviolable as if they were here Verbatim expressed And all Lords Judges and other Officers were to see execution and performance of the same as he would otherwise answer it at his perill Fourthly That they unanimously and deliberatly confirmed and renewed what had been formerly enacted concerning the Service of God and his Church by other Assemblies and Diets and did generally oblige themselves to remaine in the same Form Truth and Discipline of Religion according to the Revealed truth of Gods holy Word and the Articles of Christian Faith contained in the Apostolical Nicene and Athanasian Creed together with the Confession of Auspurg and as formerly concluded in the Counsell of Vssall Fifthly That in regard of the Queens under age and insufficiency therby to defend and govern the Realm by her owne self and ability They did unanimously desire and ordaine that his Majesties Decree and Ordinance concerning this matter formerly committed to the Counsell and Lords of the State for their judgment and the conceiving of a right Order therupon which had been also by them tendred unto and approved of by his Majesty but by reason of his suddain â—eath and other occasions impeding had not had its full effect notwithstanding their want of sundry necessary instructions and appurtenances which through straitnesse of time could not be inserted should be put in execution and performed for the good of the Realme by the five chief States and Officers therof Viz. 1. The Lord high Steward 2. Marshall 3. Admirall 4. Chancellour 5. Treasurer And in the absence of one or other or of any the eldest of the Counsell of State to supply the place And these five to govern the Kingdome of Suethen for her Majesty untill shee should have attained perfect years And they five or as aforesaid the eldest of the Counsell of Stockholme being of the same Colledge and Assembly supplying the place of any of them absent should have the Tuition of the Queen and should bear rule during her Minority and Nonage onely in her name and stead without prejudice to the Realm or State or violation or breach of the Lawes Rights and Priviledges therof And should for her Majesty powerfully maintain the five Brotherly Offices and State Ranks That is Court-right Counsell Counsell of War Admiralty Chancery and Treasury or Exchecquer according to the institution and establishment of former Kings and especially of their late King Gustavus the second And should to their power uphold and maintain the Rights Lawes Justice and Policy of Suethen Defend and protect the Realm with all the depencies theron so as they might conscientiously answer before God the Queen and the State when therunto called as those by Oath were therunto obliged So on the other side the Lords and Peers of the Realm did promise to yeild and perform unto those persons Selected as aforesaid all due respect honour obedience and submissive Subjection in whatsoever they should require and command tending to the Glory of Almighty God the good and welfare of the Queen of the State and Common-weale And that in case any person or persons should either in word or deed thwart and oppose the present proceeding and government They would withall their powers endeavour to suppresse such Insolencies punish the parties and constrain them to better obedience Sixthly They would to their utmost prosecute the War against the Emperor and Popish League in Germany which their King had sealed with his blood untill it should please Almighty God to settle a happy and desired Peace for the good of his Church As also the Kingdomes necessity so requiring whether by reason of their present Wars or of any new Enemies against their Queen and State they would with their lives and Fortunes maintain their Rights and Liberties and with their utmost abilities oppose all such as should confront or withstand their proceedings Seventhly That forasmuch as no Kingdome could subsist without meanes or War be rightly managed without great charges They did likewise thinke good that the Tolls and Customes should be continued for the good of the Kingdome in the same manner as then raised and received c. Moreover If the Germane War should continue Or if their Kingdome and Countrey should fasten upon some other War or trouble They did promise and oblige themselves that whensoever required by the Peeres States and Lords of the Realme They would with all their power and meanes stand and fight for the Religion Queen Kingdome and Liberties That in all the particulars before specified they were resolved and had unanimously generally and particularly in their owne and in the behalfe of their brethren present and absent as well unborne as borne freely and willingly consented agreed approved and concluded and therein sufficiently accorded and did promise as faithfull religious and true sincere meaning Subjects to performe the same They the Councell State c. of Sueden did underwrite and seale
present execution Lastly his Majesty had promised by Oath to governe that Kingdome during his absence in Poland by the Counsell of the Duke and the Senators of the Kingdome That new Exactions Structures of Edifices and burthensome entertainments are imposed That since his Highnesse undertooke the Government he had altogether endeavoured an alleviation of the Subjects former pressures as could be witnessed by themselves That the contribution condescended unto at Sudercopia had been by joynt consent of the Subjects unanimously concluded upon the Senators report to the other Orders concerning the Kingdoms debts w ch without their assistance could not be discharged wherupon their result was desired that himself had given charge to the Collectors not to require more from any Subjects then their estates would bear and themselves willingly undergo That the same was more tollerable then those new exacting waies whereby the Subjects Goods were ensnared and they reduced to extream poverty That those Leavies had not been made but in cases allowed by the Lawes and that albeit peace had been concluded with the Russian yet the Souldiers and others who had lent great summs of money for waging that War were not payed their Salery and Debts This was the cause of that imposition as if in the Exigency of War in regard the Debts therein contracted were not satisfied Next that there were some Illustrious Persons also Kings Daughters who demanded their Dowries from the Kingdome yea that the King himself had required the Duke to impose a contribution upon the Subject for the marrying of the Princess Anna a Regall Virgin So that his Highness was injured whilest blamed for onerating the Subject with new exactions and the more in regard the Subjects willingly consented to those contributions and affirmed that by Law they ought to pay them Hereto is added that the Kingdomes necessities which are above all Law required them As to new Structures his Highness remembred not any to have been by him commanded otherwise then by the Laws of Suethen the Subjects were obliged unto Viz. Repairing the Forts Frontiers and Navy with other like for defence of the Kingdome and the repulsion of hostile Irruptions Nor that in them he had not exceeded the constitution made by his Majesties late Father and left when dying to his Majesties performance But that if his Majesty thought good they should be wholly neglected he would surcease That for the entertainments insisted on how or by whomsoever obtruded and whether right or wrong his Highness was confident that neither of him nor his Servants any just complaint could be made in that matter That the Crown Kevenues were not rightly administred and the Duke therefore desired to render account That what he had received had been by him issued toward the discharge of the Kingdomes debts and necessary expences and that he therein referred to the Auditors accounts But the Copper Butter and other Merchandizes received by his Ministers he challenged to himself for payment of money and other things lent sundry years past unto his Majesties Father and the Kingdome whereof a considerable summ was yet unsatisfied as might appeare by the respective Instruments That if his Majesty would reflect upon the profusions made of the Crown Revenues by his Largesses and Mandatory Epistles he should find but small cause to call him to account That the Demaines of Finland had been so lavished and the Inhabitants Estates so attenuated and exhausted by Souldiery entertainments as they could render no Debit either to the King or Kingdome That himself had contracted envy from many for endeavouring a right conservation of the Kingdomes Rents and had likewise improved them as was evident by the Revenue of the Mines which might have yeilded yet more profit had not the same been obstructed by the disobedience of certain persons That Innovation in Religion was endeavoured That he had not altered ought in Religion But that the Senators Bishops and other Orders remembring the dissentions and discords of former years during the Raign of his Majesties Father had convened at Vbsall to compound controversies and settle uniformity in Religion as the strongest bond for conciliating the minds of Subjects as on the other side no greater distraction could be of wills and affections nor greater disturbance to the publike then proceeded from difference and disparity in Religion That what had been there concluded he had left to them and was therfore unjustly aspersed therwith but that the same might more deservedly be retorted upon his Majesty who had contrary to his Oath and Assecuration planted his Emissaries Romish Priests to disperse Pontificiall Superstitions and books in publike as Stocholme with the Monasteries of Dortningolmense and Vastena could witness That moreover in latter daies his Majesty had by writing exhorted his Subjects to embrace the Papall Superstition of Elevation Salt and Tapers with other like not grounded on Sacred Writ And unbyassed Judgments might discern whether this rather were not an attempt upon Religion Which a godly and free counsell if called by his Majesty in imitation of that Synod would not have been but his Oath and Regall Assecuration had remained unviolated The dispersing of Popish books seducing the Children of honest Natives nor practising upon the illiterate youthfull Menie would not then have needed as hath been in former years and still is done That his Highness was also confident that if any useless or scandalous Ceremonies resembling Romish Idolatries had been abrogated the same could not be called innovation in Religion That he rendred thanks to the most High for so inlightning his mind by the Divine Word that he could discern the true word of God from the traditions of men and that the constitutions of their Church did permit those abrogations that had therein been made That his Highness had Ministred occasions of mutation in the State of the Common-wealth That he was ignorant of any such occasion administred by him That by Gods goodness he had studied the pure Religion and without boast had maintained the Lawes and good Order in the Kingdome That by these no motives to alteration could be tendred but that by their neglect or violation a Kingdome becomes lyable to ruine And that therfore he entreated his Majesty not to afford matter of change as not being ignorant how often his Majesties Oath and Assecuration with the Lawes of Suethland both in Ecclesiasticks and Politicks had been trespassed upon That the Duke had degenerated from his Fathers Vertues whereby the Hereditary Right had been obtained That this reflected more upon his Majesty as having but meanly traced his Grand-fathers steps had acted much contrary to the Auital Testament which was the ground-work of the Hereditary agreement That such Unions are not attained to the end a King should neglect his Oath Right and Justice Act Arbitrarily and abolish things constituted for the Countries good but preserve them unviolated and that therby Hereditary Unions retained their
Bartholomew-tide For the better satisfaction in all which particulars the curious are referred to the Acts as also the Proceedings made in order to Hogenschield and Claudius Bielke with the other Prisoners and Fugitives their Children and Posterity In like manner their Ordinance for the leavy and maintenance of nine thousand Foot and Horse for three yeares against the Polander the Military Salary to be monthly paid besides the other Souldiers to be maintained by his Highnesse out of the Crown Revenues are therein more fully to be seen the present intention being only to mention the Parliamentary conclusious relating to the former differences between the King his Nephew and the Kingdome In Order hereunto they shew that Duke Charles for sundry considerations by him alleadged was willing to decline the Soveraign Rule and had made unto them these two ensuing Propositions That either they would be reconciled to King Sigismundus or otherwise accept of his Brother Prince John for their King Wherunto they had answered that they utterly rejected the first as being willing to run any hazard rather then to return under his obedience And as for Duke John albeit he was neerest in blood according to the Hereditary Union yet forasmuch as he was of under age and had likewise upon the sixth of that present month in presence of sundry of the States of the Kingdome renounced his right therunto resolving to adhere to the Lincopian Constitutions and had entreated Duke Charles to accept of the Scepter and had likewise sealed this Norcopian Decree religiously promising never to act in prejudice therof under the penalty of losse of his successive right unto the Crown of Suethland as also of his Dukedome and those Hereditary Goods which he possessed in Suethland In like manner that he would never make any Transactions with King Sigismundus his Sons or Successors but to resist them vigorously protecting preserving and defending Duke Charles his Consort Children and Successors in the Jurisdiction at that present designed unto them And therfore for those and other lawfull causes some of which were mentioned in the Lincopian Decrees they could not admit of Prince John unto the Kingdomes rule for which cause they had most humbly and earnestly reiterated their desires to his Highnesse not to reject the Soveraignty which his Highnesse at last moved with their assiduall and unanimous Suit had assented unto And that forasmuch as in consideration of the causes fore-specified in the renunciation and others elsewhere mentioned the Male Line of King John was wholly deprived of the Suethish Diadem and the same designed and conferred upon Duke Charles and his lawfull Heirs they had therfore now renewed their ancient Hereditary Union and had framed and fitted the same unto the condition of the time present They further decreed that if any person at any time therafter should secretly or openly act contrary to the Union and constitution then made by endeavouring to translate the Crown unto any other Family so long as any of the Progeny of their designed King or of Duke John should survive or to render it as formerly Elective by which State many mischiefs as their Annals made mention had sprung up Or finally excluding the Gustavian Race should himself surprise the Regall Chaire they would with joynt Forces endeavour that he or they should incur the punishment of Traytors to their Country and their Goods to be confiscated And if their Children were of years to be knowing and conscious of those Treasons and did not discover them they were to undergo like punishment But upon discovery of their Parents Nefarious practises they should undesputably enjoy their Parents Estate the Parent punished as aforesaid But if they had not attained the years of discretion so as not to be guilty of those treacherous Devices they should not by their Fathers act or suffering losse of life and goods be defamed yet should enjoy only the goods of their Maternall not their Paternall Inheritance If the Mothers were in like manner conscious of the Conspiracy and Treason with their Husbands the Inheritance of the Wife as well as of the Husband should be confiscated and accrue to the Crown without any regard had to the Children This was the substance of the Norcopian Parliament confirmed by the hands and Seales of Prince John Duke of Ostrogothia and Hereditary Prince of Suethland together with the severall Orders therof respectively the twenty second of March 1604. The same likewise Coroborated with the Seales of the Towns and Provinces from whence any of them had been delegated The Reformed hereditary union forementioned was of the same date equally subscribed and Sealed by the Senators and Orders of Suethland Earles Barons Prelates Gentrie Clergie Commanders Burgesses and others who were present at the Norcopian Convention as well in the names of their respective Provinces as in their own and imported that from the time of the Arosian Convention An. 1544. the Kingdome of Suethland formerly Elective had been under Gustavus Erickson of excellent memory rendred hereditary to him his heires Males and their line Masculine so long as any one of them should survive in consideration of the desolations intestine Seditions Sanguinolent profusions multiferous destructive detriments sustained by that Kingdome whilest Elective without regard to a lawfull regall succession One Person or Party preferring one Prince the other Party another to the Royall throne from whence multiplicious discords and pernicious dissensions had overflowed the inhabitants to the almost ruine of the whole Kingdome That the motives inducing thereunto had been his vindicating them from the immanity of Christierne the second of Denmarke That before his migration hence he had composed a certain last Will and Testament for the regulating of his children toward each other and toward their Subjects Upon which Testament the Orders of the Kingdome had grounded their hereditary union and as a marke had made it their aime not obscurely insinuating that unlesse the Gustavian succession made that their rule they could not therby pretend any advantage nor any right unto the Crowne more then that Testament conveyed unto them The close whereof contained that his Children and Successors should cherish and maintaine divine worship and the precious word of God without any superstition or traditions of men according as himselfe had endeavoured to promote and publish the same Next that they should embrace each other with continued mutuall affection governing and protecting their Subjects rightly and justly and according to their legally acquired priviledges That according to the hereditary Union grounded as aforesaid they had crowned Ericke the Eldest of that line But in regard his rule was not corresponding to the Paternall Testament and Laws of Suethland they had deprived him and his heires of the Crowne of Suethland and substituted in his Stead the late King John of laudable memory as the neerest in Order to that Covenant of hereditary Union That he albeit retarded by the impulsions of perverse persons who suggested