Dukes approach with such a power of men sodenly forsooke the castle and not being able to defend it fled in all hast to Poland whome the Duke would not pursue but taking the castle put in a strong Garrison and presently hastâ—d to the castle of Calmer which Hartourbelk had a little before taken in the Kings name who standing at defence and defiance with him the Duke besiegeth both the Citie and castle the cittizens more willing to entertaine him then resist him The Duke plants his ordinance against the Gates of the Citie and thereupon the Citizens resisting the command of Hartour Belk open the citie Gates and recaue him in The Duke besiegeth the castle and in short time by the helpe of the Towne Winnes it takes and keepes Hartour Belk prisoner and dischargeth all the rest From hence the Duke sent letters to the King informing truly the cause of these troubles That the vniust attempts of the Commissioners against him did moue him to raise these powers in defence of his state and liberty not in the disturbance of his Maiesties peace nor to make any innouation in the Land beseeching him that no false or fained suggestions of his aduersaries might stand as a barre betwixt his Maiesties grace towards him and his owne fidelitie Affirming further that it lay in his power to stopp their passage into Poland and that hee would at the Kings pleasure disperse his forces surrender vp the castles that he had taken be content to resigne his charge of gouernment to whoÌ„soeuer it pleased the King Prouided that hee might bee assured of the quiet enioyment and peaceable possession of such Lands and honors as he was born vnto by Nature and this quoth he I learne of necessity which teacheth euery creature to defend it selfe The King receiues the Dukes letters but giues no credit to his protestations During the time of the Dukes stay in the City of Calmer and vnderstanding of many disorders and misdemeanors that were commited in a Nunnery standing in the Towne One daye Came to visit the Nuns accompanied with certaine gentlemen of his house and vnderstanding some of their mindes to be discontent with their orders and some of their bodies well knowne to the Friers dissolues the Nunnery and transposeth the Nunnes according to their own disposing Some into other nunneries many to their Friends the most to Mariages The King by this time had answered the Dukes letters very coulorably that hee was sorry for the tarres that happened betweene him and the Lords That as soone as his businesse would giue him leaue he would visit the Lordes and him In the meane time he requested that hee would deliuer Hartourbelk or intreat him kindly The Duke though hee beléeued not what the King had written yet hee receaues the letters gladly and honourably feasted the messenger In this time another dangerous plot was laide to entrappe Duke Charles and to enforce him Prisoner in the Castle of Litto aforesaid whereupon there were forces very secretly and sodainely raised in Finland The king hauing a purpose to winne to that powre other forces that he meant himselfe to bring out of Poland and appointed a day of meeting in Stock-holland CHAP. V. The Duke hath intelligence of the plots that the King and his aduersaries had deuis'd against him He encounters part of the Kings army and discomforts them with other accidents THe Duke hauing intelligence of this dangerous plot deuised against him by the king assured himselfe to finde no fauour at his hand that no submissioÌ„ would serue y e turne For him to disperse hâ—s powers and to stand rather vpon the protestation of his allegeance then his guard were to put his neck vppon the block and to indure the stroke for raging strâ—ames are not stayed with gentle hands Wherefore calling his friends about him hee told them that it was now no time to dally That the king by his aduersaries was so prouokt against him that nothing but his death or depriuation would satisfie the kings displeasure These vnwilling armes quoth hee that I now beare are for the defence of you and my Country vnto which I owe my life and whaâ—soeuer else is deere vnto mee I sée quoth hée the drifte of the king and my aduersaries is to ouerthrow our customes and to gouerne you according to the Polish Pollicy which is vnfit for any frée state To pursue this and to lay heauy yoakes vpon your necks my life is sought after which I shall bée alwaies ready to spend or end to doe you or my Country seruice His friends embrac't him willed him to go forward promised their aide to the vttermost of their powers and the Duke le ts slip no time but presently seizeth vpon the Nauy of Swhethland hauing it before vnder his command maruelling much that the King had not before that sent to seize vpon it himselfe but thereby belike hee thought hee should haue ministred matter for the Duke to suspect his deuice The Finland Fleete being vpon the Coast some few daies before the day appointed the Duke hauing furnished the Nauy with men and munition tooke the Opportunitie of Time and with all expedition made hast to meete them before their ioyning with the Kings power with whome had they met they had put the Duke to a great hazard The Finland Fleet consisted of thrée score and ten saile most of them vessels of great burthen and in them 14 thousand fighting men the Dukes forces by Sea were scarce so many The Duke deuides his Nauy into two parts the Fiulinders into thrée The Duke bearing as great a breadth in the front of his Nauy as his aduersaries did doubting least he should be engirt The charge being giuen by the Duke was semblably answered by the contrary party and now the voice of the Ordinance that was many yeares a stranger in those parts carried such hideous noyse in the Land as much amazed the quiet mindes of the inhabitants when they heard that the haruest of their Peace was now like to be reap't by the vngentle hand of warre Then began they to forethink the troubles that were like to follow these fearfull beginnings but happely not to remember the causes thereof it is either a naturall or Customary stupidity in man to be senselesse in the vnderstanding of their owne offences Pride Blasphemy Auarice Extortion Luxury and other the like enormities are in particular men the generall causes of the disturbance nay sometimes of the depopulation of a whole kingdome when the mindes of Princes corrupted with Ambition are stirr'd vp though in their owne respects euen by the power and sufferance of the almighty to plague by warre his consuming Minister the vnrepented sinnes of the people But to returne to Sea where the fight continued little more then two howers during which time the ayre was so troubled with smoake that the shippes at Sea could not see one another and the beholders at lande might iudge by the eye that they
he knew meanes how to wind out againe Not long after another Mariage was tendered of the Polands Daughter which the king Coulorably entertained to satisfie his Nobility whilest his heart doted vpon his Paramour Duke Iohn his brother was imployed in this businesse and it fell out as he desired For if the cardes were dealt aright he might happely himselfe mary the Polands daughter And thus with a false heart taking a faire leaue of the king his brother being furnished with all accowtrements fit for such a busines shortly after arriued in the Court of Poland where after the solemnitie of such entertainements he deliuered his Message with such a Maiesticke grace both in his spéech countenance and cariage of himselfe as sure hée was a most accomplisht Gentleman that it wan him great commendations in the kings Court especially with the yong princesse in whose tender heart there was such an inward breach made as was soone outwardly perceaued for her eyes that conuayed these pretie assaultes vnto her heart did soone betray her hidden affections which the Duke perceiuing laies hold vpon the occasion Winnes by rewardes many tongues to speaken in his behalfe ioyes with the greatest of the Kings Counsell and in especiall with one Feâ—nsbecke Duke of Leif-lande He told them that the condition of his Countries disordered estate occasioned by the discordant disposition of his brother mooued him rather to looke with a publike then a priuate eye If he ought nature and dutie to his Brother he ought no lesse vnto his Country and it was his countries cause to the which hée was most bound that made him inueigh against his brother Let no man quoth he rashly ceâ—sure me but comparing the State of the kingdome to the condition of the King let him then iudge whether all is not like to ruine if preuention be not made which in the Kinges person quoth he will neuer be for that he séemes to be buried in his his owne delightes and the breath which he himselfe should drawe lies not in his owne but in anothers body The most and best part of the Nobility being by these and the like suggestions wonne vnto his party a way was quickly made for the Duke to Wooe for himselfe which was not long a doing for the heart that was already so strongly assaulted was soone framed to yeeld To bee short the young Duke Weddes and beddes the princesse with great honour and delight so easily is the pollicie of a state drawne to obey the necessity of the time the newes hereof is soone brought to Swethland wherein the wise lookt into the danger of the King how be it the King himselfe foresaw no peril But as a Man wholly deuoted to his delights doth against the aduise of all his friendes quickly after Marrie the said Gondole whereby he did sodainly runne into such a scandalous hatred of his owne Subiectes that they euer after held him vnworthy of his Crowne and kingdome Within a yeare after his Mariage he had a Sonne not long after whose byrth Duke Iohn hauing assured promises from his youngest brother Duke Charles procures an Army to be leuied by the King of Poland his Father in law and arriuing in the Dukedome of Estergutland was louingly entertained of his brother Duke Charles who ioyning their forces together hauing also the ayde of other Noble Men in the Country gaue battaile to his brother King Ericke who being ouercome and flying to Stock-holand was there by his two brothers taken and made away no man euer knew how A noble man in the Countrey brother to Herrerick Gusterson and deare vnto the King was at that time honorably slaine in the defence of his Prince The Quéene had before sent her young Sonne out of the Land foreséeing the danger that was like to happen Who now liues as an Exile in the great Duke of Moscouias Court and the Quéene her selfe confined to Stickborrow Castle where shee yet liues a sad and solitary life Thus ended the vnfortunate Raigne of King Erick who might long haue liued and gouerned in the Land had he but subdued his owne affections CHAP. IIII. King Iohn is crowned king of Swethland hath a Sonne borne called Sigismond The King of Poland dies young Sigismond is sent for to be King of Poland Hee staies there certaine yeares till the death of his Father and is then sent for by his Vnckle Duke Charles to receaue the Crowne and kingdome of Swethland DUke Iohn hauing thus by his brothers murther attained vnto the Crowne disposeth with his best Counsell the affaires of the kingdome disperseth his Army satisfies his Subiects in the cause of these indirect procéedings against his brother and hauing set all things in order sendeth for this Quéen out of Poland who with an honorable traine being conducted into Swethland was there Royally entertained and shortly after with Duke Iohn her husband in all princely manner Crowned King and Quéene of Swethland at Vpsale Castle Many Statutes he repealed which the King his brother had made being found preiudiciall vnto the Country and others hee enacted that were held more profitable To all Sutors he shewed himselfe very gentle and gracious And because the treasure of the kingdome was much exhauste in his expedition into Poland he was driuen to borrow many great Summes of money both there and of his Friends at home Hee kept a Princely port and was very liberall in his rewardes delighting much in all Martiall exerrises His liberality was equall to that which was so highly commended in a worthy Captaine of Thebes who when hee had obtayned a victory against the Lacedemonians tooke onely of all the spoile but one sword distributing the rest amongst his Souldiors saying Fellowes in Armes this I Challeng because I wrong it out of the hand of mine Enemie Whatsoeuer else is yours as the reward of your trauells for the Theban Senatours warre for honour not for treasure The Mercenary Man that beareth Armes for hier and for his ordinary Paye feareth not to venture his life in the face of his Enemy hauing but his wages hath but his due So that if hope of spoile and the bounty of his Captaine did not encourage him in his attempts he would both doubt the danger of his person and scorne for so little gaine to ranne vpon such imminent perills His liberality towards his associats in Armes and his experient wisedome and valour in Martiall enterprises made him both honoured feared and held in worthy estimation Thus by this and his other vertues Duke Iohn in short time Crept into the hearts of his Subiectes The first yeare of his raigne the Quéene brought him a goodly Boy which was Christened by the name of Sigismond the Emperor beeing his Godfather which Sisgismond is now King of Poland About the Tenth yeare of his raigne King Iohn made an honorable iourney into Russia vpon the breach of a League made betwixt them From whence he returned victorious The rest of his raigne was quiet
and peaceable And set a side the staine of his brothers death he was doubtlesse a most excellent Prince and worthy of the Crowne and kingdome and although there were many times iarres betwixt him and his brother Duke Charles yet alwaies the matter was so handled that they were soone reconcilde againe By which were cut off all occasions of Ciuill warre In the twelfth yeare of his raigne his father in law the King of Poland dies for whose death the Quéene his daughter mourned heauily The young Prince Sigismond her Sonne was elected King of Poland and with an honourable conuoy being guarded thither was with all solemnity in all Princely manner Crowne King of Poland Shortly after Marries honourably into the house of Austria and in the twelth yeare of his raigne in Poland King Iohn his Father dies whose death being much bewailed of his subiects he was with appertaining solemnitie buried in the Chappell of the Kings in the Castle of Vpsale Duke Charles of Estergutland after the death of his brother sends into Poland for his Nephew Sigismond to come to receaue the Crowne of Swethland Sigismond takes heauily the death of his Father and deuines before hand of the troubles that followed in that kingdome Great preparation is made for his iourney into Swethland and doubting of his vnckles minde proiectes carrieth a great power of Poles with him to preuent all daungers The king arriues safely in Sweathland is with all honor and signe of loue receaued by his vnckle Duke Charles and the rest of the Nobilitie of Swethland He is honorably conueyed to Vpsale Castle where hee was louingly receaued of the Quéene his Mother whom he comforteth being a sorrowfull widdow for the death of King Iohn her husband Shortly after he was crowned K. of Swethland without any disturbance A Rex-day was held in the castle of Vpsale where all things being established Duke Charles is made vicegerent of the kingdome hauing with him ioynd in Comission foure Noblemen of the Rexen-road whose names were Hergusten Bonner Hersten Bonner his brother Herrerick Spare and Hartor Belk These fower Noble men being great in the kingdome but not very great with the Uicegerent were of purpose ioynd by the King in commission with the Duke to curbe or Controule all ouer haughty and headstrong attempts that the Duke might happely Commit by the greatnesse of his place and power in the absence of the King who was then ready to returne to Poland The Duke perceaues the drift but dissembles it before the Kings departure order was set downe by the King with the Duke and the Commissioners for the payment of certaine sommes of money which King Iohn his Father did owe vnto many Souldiours that were yet vnpaide since the time of expedition into Russia and vnto many Merchants of England Scotland and other Nations for the prosecuting of that warre After all things were thus setled and ordered the King returnes to Poland leauing behinde him that fire that afterward consumed the peace of the whole Kingdome for the Noblemen the Commissioners being commanded by the King that was euer iealous of his Unckle Charles to obserue and enforme his Maiestie of the manner of his gouernment did so oppose themselues against him in all his procéedinges and especially in the payment of this money that the Duke plainely perceiued that this new gouernment was but laide as a trap to ensnare his life A Rex-day was holden at Vpsale no order Concluded nor money paide and much adoe there was to kéepe them from factions the Commissioners would haue these summes paid out of the Subiectes purses the Duke out of the Common Treasury which the commissioners refuse alleaging the Kings want of money The Duke writes faithfully The Lords falsly to the King To whom they intimate feare of innouation and that the Duke by all likelyhoods aimed at the Crowne that he had paid parte of the money due to the Souldiours out of the Reuenues of the Dukedome to draw their affections to him that he sought to further the State and wealth of the Commons more then stood with the loyall nature of a Subiect that he kept the Porte and State of a King rather then a Deputie and that it was not like he would long yeeld his honors vnto Uassalage whose fortunes in such a minde and State as his might attaine to Soueraignty if preuention were not spéedily made The Duke intercepts these letters and sends them inclosed in his own vnto the King to whom he writes very humbly and with all protestations of duty and alleagance the king receaues the letters but beleeues the Lords and distâ—usteth the Duke sendeth secretly to the Commissioners that they should sodainely surprise him depose him from his gouernement and to that end he sent his authority and finally to kéepe him prisoner his wise and children during life in a castle built of purpose for that stratageme within the dukedome of Litto Oh that the nature of fortune should be so fickle and vncertaine neuer singular either in her frownes or fauours but that commonly in the height of any hope it produceth some crosse accident of vnhappy misfortune The Duke notwithstanding hauing intelligence of this plot beganne to looke about him hasted into his owne dukedome and raised a great power of men Some say that if hee had but staide one hower longer in Vpsale the plot had beene effected and the Duke vtterly vndone The Lords were in a maze vpon the Dukes departure knowing that their deuise was discouered they now perceaued their owne weakenesse to resist the Duke being in power place and opinion and farre aboue them And though they had the Kings authority yet was he farre from them and they néer vnto their danger they knew not well what course to take sometimes they purposed to flie to the King and then they feared the waies were forelayd To stay in the Castle of Vpsale were no safety it being a place of pleasure not of defence whereupon they determined to depart from thence Thrée of them vnto the Castle of VVasten in the Dukedome of Finland and Hartourbelk to Calmer Castle Hauing theis Castles deliuered vnto them they purposed to stay there to vnderstand the Dukes procéedings and in the meane time dispatcht letters vnto the King of the particulars of these troubles The Duke as I sayd before hauing raised a great power of men marcheth spéedily towardes the castle of Vpsale but vnderstanding of the Lords departure towards Wasten bends his course thither It is a world to sée what numbers of men came vnto the Duke from all parts proffeting their seruice to him All which hee gently welcomed Some he entertained and the rest sent home againe with speciall charge to looke vnto the Kinges peace signifying further that the cause why hee was now vp in Armes was but to right himselfe of such wronges done by those Lords who neither loued the King nor him The Lords that were in the Castle of Wasten vnderstanding of the
Souldiers But in this perplexed face of flight where nothing but the Caracters of feare and despaire could be séene no words could suffice nor any commanders tongue be regarded but in this confused manner they ran vpon their deaths whilst the enemy stood ready to receaue them And in this horrour of blood and massacre the Dukes horse was slain vnder him he himselfe hurt and perceiuing no hope either by fight or flight hee fell downe as dead among the dead Carcasses reteyning a hope that way happely to saue himselfe Of fifteene thousand men fourtéen thousand and odde were put to the sword the rest fled to their shippes Euery man supposing the Duke to be slaine The sad newes of this fatall ouerthrow and of the Dukes supposed death was soone brought into Swethland which vpon the hearing thereof shewed such a general face of sorrow as if the whole land had put on one entire mourning garment to attend his sad and vntimely funerals They now saw their Prince sodeÌ„ly snatcht from them in the spring time of their hopes in the prime of all his glory they found themselues naked and open to the Polish Tyranny They feared their Religion and gouernment would now be forced and adulterated by the tyrannous command and superstitious customes of Poland wherewithall they knew their King was wholly corrupted No heart so Noble no head so circumspect no hande so victorious to order the state manage the affaires and fight the battailes of their Countrey Now he was dead all hope was buried and all their happines and fréedom should be laid in the graue with him and last but not least of their sorrow they wanted his body to giue it honorable funerall But as this false newes made them true mourners so this passion of sorrow for his supposed death was afterward turned into the contrary passioÌ„ of ioy for the Dukes strange and vnknowne deliuery to whome wee will now returne hauing left him before among the dead carkases of his Souldiers There was a young Gentleman of Swethland attendant to the Duke whose name I could not learne that saw the Duke when he fell thinking him with the rest to haue beene slaine and desirous to doe the last seruice to his Prince kept close hauing a place fitte for his purpose hoping to recouer the body of the Duke and finding in the darke of the night a certain Gentleman of Poland newly slaine shifteth armour and apparrell with him and hauing the Polish tongue vndertooke as one of Fernsbecks souldiers to rifle the dead bodies and hauing found the place where the Duke lay all imbrued with the bloud of his Souldiers and comming neere to raise the body the Duke beganne to striue The Gentleman amased askt in fayre termes if he were aliue to whome the Duke replyed Art thou my friend the Gentleman told him his name and purpose and sith he was aliue he should horse him selfe vpon the Gentlemans horse and flie vnto his ships vsing the benefite of the night for his escape while hee himselfe would make what shift he could to follow after The Duke being thus raysed from this graue of bloud worse then Golgotha embracced him thankt him and spake these words God prosper thee whome if it please that thou shalt liue to out liue the fortunes of this night there was neuer man so deare as thou shalt be to thy Lord wherevpon the Duke mounted and with all speed hasted to his shippes where the ioy of his comming was so much the greater by how much the feare before of his death was the stronger The Gentleman whom hee left behind being vnluckely discouered was vnfortunately slaine which though the last was not the least honour he atchieued to die in the safegard of his Prince The Duke stayed long for his returne but at length suspecting that which had happened hoyst saile and safely arriued in Swethland It is a world to heare the concourse of people that from all parts came to sée him Upon the newes of his landing they strewd flowers in the way as thinking the Earth vnworthy to beare him they shewed all signes and tokens of ioy as now holding themselues free from those feares which the report of his death had before possest them with Now as men newly reuiued they beganne to entertaine new hopes and to flatter themselues with a perpetuall stability of their estates The Sunne which they supposed had made an eternall Set from their Horizon did now shine againe in the middest of their Hâ—mispheare and this glad day after their sad night they made a generall vow sor euer to consecrate Thus as in a triumphant manner the Duke helde on his course to Stockeholland where the triumphes for his deliuery he found doubled with the Dutches his wife his kindred and his neerest friends that in ioy of his returne feasted many dayes together Duke Fernsbecke proud of the late victory let slippe no time but hauing the seconds of his power safely landed out of Poland recouered many of his townes and Castles which hee before had lost and which he holdeth at this day Duke Charles did little that Summer but that hee sent certaine forces to strengthen those principall townes and 〈◊〉 in Liefland which he yet holdeth And in this Summer not from any ambitions desire of his owne but the policy of the time in the state of the Kingdome so requiâ—â—â—â— at the speciall instigation of his friends for the counâ—â—â—â—s good but principally vpon respect of the churches peace 〈◊〉 tooke vppon him the Crowne and Scepter of Swethland in the yeare of our Lord God 1604. which hee doth still noâ—ly and peaceably gouerne as the state of the Time doth suffer The wars being for the most part transferred into the Dukedome of Leifland And thus as I 〈◊〉 enformed standeth the condition of the affaires of that kingdome at this time FINIS