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
Office and represents the Power 2. Both in this and other Kingdomes the Rulers have been called by such Titles as is evident in our Histories where Torchilus the Son of Canutus Suanto the Son of Nicolaus Steno Sture the younger and many others have been entitled Governours and Administrators of the Kingdome 3. This Title cannot derogate from the Regall Dignity for his Majesty had by Writ honoured Claudius Flemingius with the like which he was uncapable of as not being approved by the States of the Kingdome neither had they both equall right to the Government For his Highnesse sprung from the Regall Family is a Prince hereditary of the Kingdome but Flemingius a Subject of his Majesty and of his Highnesse The third head of the said Decree containes likewise nothing but what is consentaneous to the Lawes of Suethland For by those written Lawes each cause is to be tried in the Province where the Delict was committed and the punishment to be made exemplary where the Crime was so besides many confusions and prejudices would accrue to the Country if the cognition of all Causes should be made in Poland As 1. There could not be so ample information as were requisite in regard the true state of Crimes may be more certainly known upon the place 2. A just Cause might happen to be lost for want of ability to attend personally and prosecute the definition to produce Witnesses and exhibit other instruments conducible to its legall cognition 3. The Natives Estates would be utterly exhausted by those long Journeys whence their unavoidable ruine must of necessity follow 4. The ancient Jurisdiction Lawes and Priviledges of Suethland would be violated which may not be tollerated All Nations have unanimously and obstinately maintained their own and have pronounced that the Infringers of the Jurisdiction of others were to be punished as Peace-breakers Item that who so should bring an Action before a Court incompetent was to be fined Whereas therefore his Majesty had bound himselfe by Oath not to impaire the Jurisdiction of Suethland he should trespasse against the same by constituting either in Poland or elsewhere any extraneous Judicatory to be competent for the Suethes Our Annals do likewise shew that for the like great troubles did arise to Ericke the thirteenth and other Kings 5. Hereunto is added that his Majesty whilest in Poland cannot determine the causes of Suethland as not having those persons there with him by whose counsell he is sworn to administer this Kingdomes Affaires The fourth Article of that Decree is grounded upon the Lawes of Suethen as treating of distributing of Offices And if his Majesty will preserve the Lawes intire as he hath sworne he may not whilest absent confer Offices at the request of every one who shall sue unto him According to the Lawes of Suethen the King absent is expresly prohibited from constituting a Provinciall Judge but such constitution belongs to him who in his absence supplies his place How much lesse then may he dispose of the more weighty charges And it hath been alwaies usuall here that the great Sewer or Vice-roy of the Kingdome should collate Offices in the Regall absence as appeares by the Union whereby he is endowed with that Power In regard therefore of what before alledged it is uncontrovertably apparent that the foresaid Decree doth not violate his Majesties Rights nor Dignity but doth rather enlarge and illustrate them and that if regard were had to the Lawes his Highnesse might expect and receive thanks for having in his Majesties absence undergone a Government so replenished with cares and toyles However it was not decent to vitiate this pious Office with such contumelies and ignominious expressions as the Letters delivered unto him are farced with But if his Majesty shall say that he doth not so much argue and protest against the Decree it felf in regard those Articles seem not so averse unto the Regall Dignity and Rights as against the power and authority assumed by his Highnesse of indicting a Parliament that being a Prerogative Royall belonging to the King solely His Highnesse answereth that by the Lawes it is not easily proved that the right of calling Parliaments is peculiarly Regall for those Royalties which by speciall concession are conferred upon any person go not beyond the same but that it is otherwise observed in Parliamentary Rights examples do shew for even in Poland the Arch-bishop of Gnesnen hath power to call Parliaments and to enact Lawes in the Kings absence And albeit that a Law to the contrary might be alledged yet ought it not to be of any validity in this case for as much as the Suethes by a long prescription of time have acquired this right in the same manner that all Regall Priviledges are as may appear by many Parliaments celebrated in this Kingdome in the Raignes of Ericke XIII and John II. Moreover the Countries well-fare and necessities required the calling hereof And necessity is above all Law neither admits of any Forasmuch then as by the precedent reasons it is manifest that the Sudercopian Decree containes nothing but what is conducing to the preserving and promoving of Unity in Religion to the maintaining and confirming the Lawes and Priviledges his Majesty cannot by the most Subtilized Arguments render the same Invalid without revoking his Oath But for the better cementing of things his Highnesse will briefly resolve and refute the Arguments used by his Majesty for the illuding of that Sudercopian Transaction HIs Majesty argues that in all lawful Conventions two things are chiefly requisite First the Superiours approbation and consent Secondly That the necessity and motives for calling a Parliament be maturely signified unto him But whereas the Sudercopian Covention was held without the Regall assent and timely signification of the Cause impelling thereunto his Majesty pronounceth the same needlesse and unlawfull And that his Majesties affirmation may appeare grounded upon Reason and the Authority of the Law he confirmes and fortifies the same out of the second Chapter of the Title of Regalls by a Text wherein is expressed that Subjects are bound to obey their King but his Majesty by Edict prohibited that Convention as appeares by the Writ Ergo c. This Proposition is not rationally laid down For thus many evil Conventions would be approved and laudable ones tending to the good of Empires and Kingdomes would be rendred of no valididity because held without the Knowledge or consent of the Supreme Magistrate which were dangerous to say The Syllogisme ought therefore to be thus formed It is a lawfull Convention wherein nothing is treated but what is consentaneous to the Laws and appertains to the well-being and to the best State of a Common Weal but â—n the Sudercopian Convention nothing was determined that is not agreeable to the Laws of Suethen and other Nations Who therefore will call such a Convention unlawfull And if that be to be called a lawful Assembly of the causes and necessity whereof
Raigns of Ericke the thirteenth and John the second in which the Orders of the Kingdome convened to admonish the King by writing of his duty and to exhort him not to leave the Kingdome in the distractions it then was And albeit his Highnesse is not ignorant that Judgment is not to be given by example but by Law he holds it yet worthy of consideration that examples are of a two-fold kind the one diametrically repugnant the other consentaneous to the Lawes the former of no authority the latter of equall force with the Law But those before cited are not contrary thereunto and therfore cannot be legally rejected by his Majesty Moreover not so much the example as the frequency of such actings and the time requisite for such prescriptions are to be regarded which custome is not only of equall force with the Lawes but doth sometimes eclipse their Authority Thirdly Whereas his Majesty did religiously promise that he would intermit nothing which might conduce to the well-fare and flourishing estate of the Kingdome he cannot nullifie the Sudercopian Decree which wholly tended to the Patriall good safety And albeit a Law were extant forbidding Parliaments to be held in the Royal absence yet it ought to be restrained when the Kingdome by reason of that absence were in danger For Salus Populi Suprema Lex Esto And a Prince ought to prefer the publike good before his own particular As therefore his Highnesse and the Kingdomes Inhabitants are not further bound unto his Majesty nor obliged to obey his commands then his Oath his Caution given and the Lawes of the Land do permit and that these would be contradicted if his Majesty should obstruct the Parliamentary Decree made and ratified by common consent It followes of right that the Subjects are not bound to the obedience of his Edict especially in regard the Kings and Kingdomes wel-being was endeavoured by that Convention That since this Kingdome of Elective became Hereditary no such Parliaments were ever celebrated the King living and that this therfore opposed his Dignity and Regall Rights That since the first time this Kingdome became Hereditary never did any of their Kings at one and the same time governe two Kingdomes so far distant and differing both in people and language but alwaies remained in and laudably ruled their Hereditary Kingdome and therefore it was not necessary that another should undertake the work and call Parliaments albeit even they as Affaires required could not otherwise governe then by such Convocations So as this ought not to turne to his Highnesse reproach the Kingdome being in a manner destitute of a King and disorders increasing It may also be here demanded whether more right and power accrues to the King by Succession then his Predecessors had whilest Raigning by a free Election But if it cannot be shewed that more power and authority is devolved unto his Majesty what should now hinder Parliamentary Indictings and the constitutions of things tending to the good of the King the Kingdome and totall Posterities seeing that Histories do shew the same hath been done they raigning and governing other Kingdomes That in the Sudercopian Convention new Lawes were enacted and that to make and promulgate Edicts is solely Regall Wherefore the Transactions there did undoubtedly derogate from the Royall Dignity and Authority and ought to be abrogated That to ordaine new Lawes is not solely Regall but the Subjects consent is likewise requisite without which it cannot be done It is also affirmed that no new Law was enacted in that Convention and consequently nothing derogatory to his Majesty therein acted That much time was not Elapsed since his Majesties Coronation so as the promises then made might easily be remembred and therfore their renovation by any particular Convention was unneedfull His Highnesse regards not so much the time as the manner of his Majesties observing those agreements and that many things could be made appeare to have been acted contrary to the most of them but that he is tender of his Majesties honour and fame 2. This Objection is more hurtfull then helpfull to his Majesties cause in saying he was mindfull of what had been transacted at his Inauguration for his Judgment may suggest unto him what suspition may arise from a voluntary omission of what one knowes ought of right to be done 3. From hence also conjecture may be made how that will be kept unto Posterity which is wilfully neglected at the very first 4. Renewing of things formerly concluded is not unusuall for many things are comprehended in the Law and published which neither ought nor can be unknown to any yet forasmuch as they are many waies trespassed against Kings with the Orders of the Kingdome have thought meet to digest the heads mostly swarved from into new Edicts and Constitutions and so republish them to the people which might be also exemplified by other Nations but that the repetition would be over-long That his Highnesse had by that Parliament administred occasion to deprive his Majesty with himself and whole Posterity of the Succession and Kingdome and therefore those Decrees ought to be abolished Experience the continued consent of Histories and all Politicks do accord that for two causes chiefly God doth transfer the Empire of one Nation to another Viz. Impiety and Injustice And therefore by the rule of contraries it followes that he who provides for Concord in Religion and who administers Right and Justice affords no matter for such Mutations But that this is the maine scope of the Sudercopian Decree is evident from it selfe wherefore his Highnesse cannot be justly accused of giving occasion thereby to deprive his Majesty and his Successors of the Kingdome For caution being therein given that the Oath of subjectional Fidelity should be preserved and all erroneous Decrees dissenting from our received and admitted Religion abrogated it followes consequentially for Negation of the whole admits of Negation of parts that whosoever impugnes that Decree doth equally free the Subjects from their Oath of Fidelity to his Majesty disturbes Concord in Religion and overturnes the Hereditary Covenants His Highnesse therefore doth Jurally affirme that his Majesty cannot disanull the same without absolving the Subjects from their said Oath and exclusion of himselfe and Posterity from the Succession 2. The Subjects Obligation to his Majesty is conditionall agreeable to the Regall Oath and Assecuration as hath been shewed Whence it is that by over-throwing the Sudercopian Tractation the Covenant will not be fulfilled ANd it is evident in Law that where the Condition is not observed the Obligation is void The rescinding therefore of that Transaction may administer cause of defection as his Highnesse hath brotherly admonished his Majesty 3. None can be ignorant that it is usuall in all Nations for Subjects to renounce their fidelity and obedience upon violation of the Regall Conditions and Covenants Histories do record nor can it be unknown unto any what hath
Majesty to the King of Denmark from Vilna the five and twentieth of February wherein he had endeavoured to spot his honour and had unadvisedly given away the right which the Crowne of Suethland doth justly vindicate as the peculiar badge thereof Viz. The three Crownes for which a long and cruell War had been waged with the Danes wherein many brave Men had perished and whereas the Danes formerly had earnestly entreated from the Suethes a protraction as to them for composing the difference his Majesty contrarily had now desired the like from the Danes conceding needlesly the right of the Suethes to the adverse party contrary to his Oath and promise which his Majesty and his unfaithfull Counsellours ought not to have done That nevertheless he regarded not those exorbitancies neither was willing to recompence evill with evill but would attribute those excesses to his Majesties weaknesse and the perversnesse of that Religion wherein he had been educated and would returne good even to his Enemies if his Majesty and his partakers would accept of his brotherly affection That therefore albeit the Orders of Suethland in the last Stocholmian Parliament as they had often before done had now againe humbly desired him to assume the Soveraigne Government and had wholly renounced his Majesty as he well knew he had not hitherto directly condescended unto them But that his Majesty and all the World might know he sought not his Majesties or his Successors prejudice but should gladly see his Majesties Posterity perpetually sitting at the Helme of that Kingdome He again earnestly and faithfully desired his Majesty to assent to his request and send his Son speedily into Suethland that otherwise and unlesse that before the ensuing month of August expired he received a satisfactory answer his Majesty would not impute it to him for a Crime that he had at length accepted of the tender which by the whole Orders of the Kingdome had been so frequently made unto him Dated as aforesaid from Stocholme neither do we find any future entercourse by Letters between King Sigismundus and his Uncle Duke Charles But say the Suethes in stead of answer to those Letters new broiles were set on foot by all the Forces could suddenly be raised in Poland Lithuania and Liefland albeit the Leiflanders did more adhere to the Suethes as not brooking the Polish Government Libels were dispersed into all parts against Duke Charles and he with the Orders of Suethland were publikely proclaimed Enemies Sundry but unsuccesfull attempts made upon Huitenstein and Revell Caspar Tisenhusen that Rebell with his Troops of Horse admitted into Viburg by Axell Kurck appointed Camp-Master by King Sigismundus contrary to his Oath and Obligation which prohibited the Command of Castles unto strangers Hereupon Duke Charles was compelled unto a new expedition into Leifland where before he attempted ought against his Adversaries he made sundry overtures for a Composure to Leo Sapia and others to whom the King of Poland had committed the Command of Leifland but was not only delayed with various Letters and deluded with vaine hopes but his Messengers likewise by them imprisoned contrary to the custome of Nations so as all his endeavours for ending that cruell War proved but vaine as appeared in the year 1602. when Axell Kurck and Henricus Horne with others upon request made by the Polanders were sent with certain Instructions positive to try whether any agreement could be made but coming to Leifland they found no man to treat withall King Sigismundus and the Polanders having no other intent then to continue the War and to procure them what Enemies he could both in Denmark and Russia which gave beginning to the so long continued broiles between the famous Kingdome of Suethland that of Poland and Lithuania Moreover the said Duke Charles in the yeare 1608. he being then King sent his Ambassadors Magnus Brake Earle of Visinsborg Nicolaus Bielke Baron of Salstad Peter Kenicius Bishop of Scharen Lawrence Paulinus Bishop of Stregnen Ottone Helmer de Tuna Castellan of Aboen and Philip Skeding Castellan of the Narue to treat with the Polanders but as formerly so then King Sigismundus refused to cease this bloody War by equall and laudable transactions Neither as they alledge is that to be slipt over in silence which Jonas Hendrickson Meldorpius Ditmarsus writes in his Oration intituled The meanes and way of reducing the Septentrionall Regions to the Romish Worship Whose words are that when the Collar of the Golden Fleece was presented to King Sigismundus at the Warsovian Parliament by the Count of Ligny in the name of the King of Spaine his Master King Sigismundus made Oath that he would preserve sincere Friendship and Brother-hood with the Prince of that Order and would propagate that Catholike Religion by endeavouring to his power the extirpation of Hereticks What therfore might be expected by the Duke and themselves who had abjured the Roman Profession Surely King Sigismundus swearing at the reception of that Order to propagate the Papall Creed by extirpating the Hereticks was injurious and perjured as to his Coronation Oath taken in Suethland In the year 1604. Duke Charles and the Orders of Suethland assembled again in Parliament at Norcopia upon the sixth of February wherin they ordained severall things tending to that Nations Emolument As 1. Concerning the revising correcting reprinting republishing of the Lawes and Constitutions of the Kingdome of Suehtland in all Provinces thereto belonging those to whom the same was committed to have allowance from the Crown for their subsistence untill it were perfected 2. The grievances of the Subject with their redresse from and by Missionary and Military Quarterings 3. The valuation of their Coine 4. The Tolls or Customes 5. Against imposition of Taxes by Deputies or Officials without the chief Superiours Command 6. The power of Provinciall Law-makers or of great Rulers 7. The Measures Weights and Balances measuring of Lands lustration of Regall Goods 8. Marriage of the Royall Progeny 9. The placing of Crafts-men in every Territory and Ware-houses in each City wherinto all Cloath to be brought and viewed before the fame were vended 10. Against the detention of Tenths Contributions and emergent Exactions by such as hold any Copyhold profits from the Crown 11. Concerning the payment of Subsidies or customary Tributes and by whom 12. The Provinciall Statutes of the late King Gustavus Erickson to be reviewed corrected according to the present occasions by the Supervisors of the Lawes of Suethland and together with them to be published and observed 13. Against undue and fraudulent exportation of Iron the punishment of Offenders 14. Touching the Grants of immovable Goods unto any person made by Kings or Princes 15. That the Moyety of Territoriall Fines should accrue to the Provinciall Judge the other Moyety to be reserved in the Territoriall Chamber Lastly That Emergencies requiring the absence for some time of the King or Kingdomes Governour the stay not to be beyond the day of
of Sables black Foxes Banthers and Leopards Skins the Furniture of their Horses answerable and garnished with rich Stones which by the Horses motion make a pleasant terrour They are a Courageous people most violent in a charge but once broken not easily rallying yet against the Turk and Tartarian the Bulwark of Christendome on that side over whom as formerly alledged by the Chancellour King Vladislaus had lately gained two famous Battels and had it not been for the difference ready to break out between them and the Suethes as their Generall himself at a Conference delivered to his Lordship they might have driven the Turke back to the very Gates of Constantinople A sadnesse it is and sorely to be lamented that the discords between Christian Princes who professe one God one Christ should make them more intensive against each other then against the professed Enemy of that blessed name wherunto they all professe their Baptization They were esteemed to be fifteen thousand Horse Effective but by themselves reputed more their Foot in all not exceeding six thousand After this and indeed delectable shew ended the King gave audience to all the Mediators joyntly concerning the years he would not add a day to the terme he had formerly prefixed Nor did the other particulars propounded give him any satisfaction so as he seemed enclining rather to War then Peace The day following his Lordship remained behind the other Mediators returned to Marienburg and related the Kings resolution to the Suethes who replied that for so small a matter as five years of time they did not conceive that either their principals or the Adversaries who stuck mainly therat did intend to broach a bloody War for the prevention whereof they would by severall waies dispatch two expresses into Suethen and that they might expect an answer within three weeks during which time the Truce might be continued and in the interim the other Articles might be discussed but if this were not approved they having no power to exceed their Instructions could not proceed unlesse that being by the Mediators secured of the concession of the other Articles by the Polanders and the Truce continued for eight daies longer they might therby take the point into further consideration These being related to the King in his Camp were not unpleasing and besides the eight daies of Prorogation a meeting was granted at Stumes Dorff the 4. 14. August provided the Garrison of Suethes then at Stume were removed The Mediators except the French who remained in the Leagure returning back to Marienburg acquainted the Suethes who by a visite prevented his Lordship with what they had concluded they willingly assented to the Prorogation and to the pre-appointed meeting which was to be the day insuing as also they restrained the Garrison at Sâ—ume by shutting up the Gates without any tumult or disorder Thus by the unwearied endeavours and not without the exceeding toile of the Mediators by frequent journey 's between the Parties the long intermitted meetings were resumed the 4 14 August at Stumbsdorff forenamed where at the first a new difference arose between the States Ambassadors and those of Brandenburg the former not willing to give the others the least precedencie refusing to come into the tent of the Marquesse Sigismund which in all former meetings had been the place of the Mediators joynt resort and consultation The other Mediators unwilling to make this competitionarie controversie theirs than which nothing could be more impeding to the present affaire and desirous to make the best use of time proceeded unto the matter before them concluding that the fore-specified conditions should be indifferently propounded to either of the Parties whereby each might the better explaine themselves by adding or diminishing what they should think meete his Lordship went to the Sueths the French and Brandenburgers to the Commissioners of Poland the former consented to most of the propositions tendred unto them but thought them to be over-breife and succinctly drawen and therefore for the more plaine understanding they delivered to his Lordship the whole matter of the Treatie comprehended in sundry Articles wherewith he presently repaired to the Polanders and which the French Ambassador and the Electoralls being present were instantly quoted with Marginall notes of such things as they either rejected or added or substituted in the place of others and having done they referred the whole to the Kings pleasure consenting to meete againe upon the second day ensuing and the Marginall Annotations being communicated to the Sueths and over-long to be then examined were also by them deferred to the said meeting One particular was by the last named recommended to the Mediators in especiall manner to be insinuated unto the other Partie to wit that a Parliamentarie ractification of what should be finally concluded might be procured from the Republike of Poland as without which the Treatie would be invalid Hereupon the Mediators and the Parties returned to their severall quarters Upon the day of intervall his Lordship visited the Sueths and consulted with them how to compound the competition between the Electorall and States Ambassadors that the publike Treatie might thereby receive no let nor hinderance at last it was concluded that besides the Prince his Tent an other should be pitch't the choice whereof should be given to the Hollanders whereunto his Lordship and the Commissioners of Suethland by an expresse visite that afternoon perswaded them to condescend The Mediators and the Parties assembled now the second time and the most urgent point of the Treatie consisting in the desired ratification the Mediators conceived it meete to cleer that rub the rather in that the Sueths mainely insisted that without the same all the Treatie and labour employed therein would be of no availe because a meanes of retracting there from would be remayning to the Polanders These on the other side demonstrated the impossibilitie therof in as much as a Parliament could not be called and held in lesse than four moneths affirming withall that the Kings ratification with theirs and that of the Senators placed by Parliament about the King in the name of the Republike would be sufficient they having from the same a full and absolute power of treating and concluding That in the mean time Prussia should be restored and then a Parliament for obtaining the ratification from the States of the Kingdome might be held in convenient time But the Suethes being herwith not satisfyed and it being unpossible for the Polanders to give any other present security the Mediators endeavoured by all meanes to remove this obstacle also and propounded that first the forces of each side should be dismissed and next that such places as the parties of either side should agree upon might be by way of Sequestration consigned into the Mediators hands untill the ratification were procured as also that Pledges might be given and the like Which propositions albeit
understood of private exercise onely had not declined from their obstinacie and accepted of the forme last specified only they requested his Lordship and the Ambassadors of Holland to afford them an attestation under their hands and seales that they had consented but to a private liberty of conscience without inquisition to be made thereupon and not to the free exercise of Religion which the said Mediators consenting unto this difficultie also was reconciled at last and hereof the French Ambassador certified the Commissioners of Poland desiring their appearance the next day at the accustomed place which the Suethes had likewise agreed unto Stumbs-dorff after a long intermission saw now the ninth congregating of the Mediators and Parties who having concluded satisfactorily about the point of Religion thought good to continue the examination of the Articles begun at Newendorff with those of Poland Certain slight scruples were moved but the cheife dispute was about the burthens and exactions which the late warr had Introduced as the fortifications at Mountispitz the abrogation of the Dantzig stample upon cloath the returne of the English society to Elbing the restoring to that Citie of the Prussian Land-seal with their prerogative of Session The razing of Mountispitz was referred to the decision of the question depending The abrogation of the Dantzig stample and the freedome of the English Society was earnestly disputed and pressed by his Lordship whose part it was as also a part of his Commission who cleerly shewed that the said Stample being no other than a Monopoly had been fraudulently procured by those of Dantzig to the disturbance of free trade and to the great prejudice and hinderance of the Merchants of great Brittaine Subjects to the King his Master the fourth part of cloath not being then transported which formerly had been to the no small losse even of the Polish Nobility and Gentrie who had been accustomed to buy such commodities at easie rates and now suffered exceedingly thereby as themselves affirmed but to the immense gaine of the Dantzigers contrary to the freedome of commerce and to common reason which forbids that one man should be enriched by the detriment of another The Brandenburgers and the Hollanders pressed each their interest The French Ambassador pleaded in some measure the cause of the Elbingers touching the Prussian Land-Seale The Poland Commissioners answered his Lordships proposition by an acknowledgment that the Dantzig stample upon cloath granted by King Sigismundus was unjust and severall wayes prejudiciall and promised to employ their endeavours at the next Parliament for the abrogation therof conforme to their Kings promise to his Lordship but they affirmed that for the present they neither had power neither that any out of Parliament could be given them against an Act therof such as the grant of the stample was that as all Nations were bounded by their proper lawes so it likewise behoved them to govern themselves by their Statutes his Lordship was not contented with this plausible answer and indeed it was no more but replied that the like words had been given to Sir Tho. Roe formerly Ambassador there from the King his Master and to sundry other Ministers who had pressed the same freedome he now urged for the English Merchants from that oppression and therefore againe instanced even the Truce it selfe now in a manner concluded as a maine argument for that liberation in regard that the countrey being thereby freed from the inconveniencies and miseries attending War it was not reasonable that strangers dwelling peaceably amongst them and by whose trafficke they reaped profit should still grone under the burthen of a yoake which themselves acknowledge to be unjust and that the same having been introduced as a calamity incident to the prejudice of the publike ought to vanish and end with it's originall and therefore he earnestly moved that not onely a bare endeavour might be promised but that a reall abrogation might be obtained and that the same might be inserted in the Acts and Articles of the present Treatie yet all this was fruitlesse for the Commissioners of Poland betook themselves to their former refuge impossibility against which all reasons were invaled They onely assented to continue the cessation for three dayes longer and to a meeting the second following These Passages were communicated to the Suethes and the Marginall notes were by them cursorily run over whereupon those Commissioners thinking it would be much to their dishonour to abandon the Elbingers and their interest earnestly commended to the Mediators the care of the points above mentioned concerning the Towne of Elbing viz. The abrogation of the Dantzig stample cheifely and the restoration of the Prussian Seale from which they assured them they would not shrink but night drawing on they reserved the Polish corrections and exceptions to be scanned at Marienburg and so consented as well to the meeting as to the prorogation and the next day the Commissioners of Suethland being demanded their resolution concerning the Articles deferred the same to be produced at the meeting The tenth congresse being come the Suethes exhibited their Articles in presence of the Mediators which were examined and scanned for almost six houres some things being added others taken away but all other difficulties were shadowes in comparison of that about the forementioned Stample for the cancelling wherof his Lordship againe endeavoured with all his might evincing the Justice and necessity thereof by most forcible reasons and arguments yet unsuccesfully for after a long and harsh expostulation the Senate of Dantzig some of which body were alwayes present and not lesse vigilant in things that concerned their Weale-common hindred the same by such wayes and meanes as were facile and easie to that Opulent Citie And notwithstanding that his Lordship but whether then or formerly is not remembred had urged that in regard the diffierence in question meerly concerned the Merchants Subjects of the King his Master and the Citie of Dantzig under the jurisdiction of the King of Poland the Parties interessed might be free to right themselves upon each other in vindication of their Priviledges and freedome of commerce without offence to be taken by either of their Princes to which ours would subscribe answer was made by the Commissioners of Poland that their King could not abandon his Subjects so that in conclusion he obtained nothing but a reiteration of their former promise to contribute their endeavours for it's abolition at the next Parliament which his Lordship seeming to doubt of by reason of the liberty of opposing by each one who hath Session and vote in those generall assemblies which rendred the issue uncertaine albeit he made himselfe confident of the reall performance of their promised endeavours the said Commissioners for his further satisfaction were willing to assure him that their votes and fuffrages preceding as guides the rest would follow his Lordship seeing that more could not be then obtained was forced to desist
then Duke of Sudermannia c. by them Parliamentarily Constituted Governour of Suethland is demonstrated The heads of the severall Letters which passed between that King and his said Uncle in that conjuncture and even when the Armies of both sides were in the Feild and in sight of each other are touched The Kings bad successe the accord ensuing between them with his Retreat into Poland contrary thereunto set forth Contents of their subsequent as well as preceding Acts of Parliament inserted Their renouncing of Fidelity and Subjection to him and his Heirs for ever with their exaltation of the forenamed Duke Charles unto his Nephews Throne manifested The Warrs thereupon between them with advantage to the Suethes and upon other intervenient occasions a Truce mediated and concluded for six years An. 1629. hinted That Truce neer expiring a second Treaty being set on foot An. 1634. for a finall Peace or longer Truce and the latter for six and twenty years assented unto by both Parties the year following the daily passages thereof are faithfully couched Lastly A breife Commemoration of the Ambassador who from England did Mediate that Truce A touch likewise of sundry as aforesayd Emergencies in Germany relating to Englands and the Protestant Interest there in those times not unnecessary for the better understanding of Passages referring as well to the sayd Treaty as to the Ambassadors Person and Death wherein sundry occurrences not usuall may be observed with a cursory mention of the now Raigning Princes of Suethland and Poland and the present posture of affiares in those Nations conclude the Triple Narrative SUETHLAND AND POLANDS TROVBLES Preceding Causing and Ensuing the Expulsion of King SIGISMUND the Third from the Crown of SUETHLAND The Rise of the WARS between Suethland and Poland THE Crown of Poland as also that of Suethland untill of latter Ages hath ever been and still is Elective and albeit not neer so ancient as the other in the Title of a King 〈…〉 yet at present not of consideration inferiour to most in Christendom the same being the only Bulwark in those parts against the incroaching power of the insulting Turk and his Blood-hound the numerous over-running Tartar Unto the time of Boleslaus sur-named Chrobrus that Country was governed somtimes by Dukes otherwhiles by Palatines But Otho the Third the Germane Emperour who in the year 997. first instituted the Colledge of Electors for the choice of future Successors to the Imperiall Crown after an expedition by him made into Italy undertaking a Journey into Poland to visite the Tomb of S. Adelbert and being there Magnificently received and entertained by the said Boleslaus in requitall therof and to tye him in the more strickt Bonds of Amity towards himself and the Roman Empire Of Duke stiled and Crowned him King of Poland about the year of Grace 1000. After whom the said Title continued by the space of 82. years unto the time of Vladislaus the first who abandoned the same using only that of Prince or Duke in which frame the Government remained for the term of 213. years at the end wherof Lescus Niger deceasing and the State distracted into divers Factions being for some time without a Prince the supream Rule was at last electively setled upon Primislaus surnam'd Posthumus who resumed the Title of King An. 1295. That Royall Title hath been ever since retained by his Successors yet not fully established untill the Raign of Casimir the second stiled the Great after whose death his Nephew Lewis King of Hungaria son to Charles King therof by Elizabeth Sister of the said Casimir succeeding electively to the Regall Chair of Poland deceased without Heirs Males and Mary eldest Daughter of the said Lewis being chosen Queen of Hungaria Heduigis the younger was elected to the Crown of Poland and married unto Jagello great Duke of Lithuania who in contemplation of the said Match and the Crown of Poland wherunto he was therby advanced became a Christian in the year 138â— by the name of Vladislaus the fifth and wrought so with his Subjects the Lithuanians as that they also embraced the Christian Profession and likewise united his said Dutchy of Lithuania with Samogitia and that part of Roxoâ—ania which was under his obedience unto the Crown of Poland for ever To which three conditions he was obliged by the Articles of his Marriage The first was forth with the second soon after effected albeit not without reluctancy as may be conceived where a People is rooted and therby become obstinate in Idolatrie The third point the Union was yet more hard to compasse and took more time of deliberation neither was it fully accomplished untill of latter years For the Princes of the Race of Jagello who after him succeeded to the Crown of Poland being unwilling to deprive their Posterity of their Hereditary Estates and to submit the same to the election of the Polanders least being pre-termitted therin they might remain deprived of their ancient Patrimonicall Rights and Dignities deferred the fulfilling therof from one time to another alleadging that the States and people of Lithuania would not consent therto as apprehending future prejudice by that Conjunction But at last seeing that of the one side their Princes Males began to fail as they did in the time of Sigismundus Augustus and on the other part apprehending the power of the Russians and the renewing of former pretensions the Lithuanians condescended to the Union in the Raign of the said Sigismundus who procured that the Lithuanian Bishops the Palatines and a certain number of Castellans should have Session and Vote in the Parliaments of Poland at the election of their Kins and all other Priviledges which the Native Polonians have wherby the Rights of the Lithuanian Princes to their Patrimoniall Estates might seem secured It may be generally observed that in those Elective Kingdoms regard is had to the next in right line unless known to be unfit and unworthy of so great a Power as is apparent in Hungaria Bohemia and Suethland before the same became Hereditary in Denmark also and in Russia most usually and at present is and hath been practised in Germany since the time of Charles the fifth By virtue of this regard to the Progeny of well deserving Princes the Jagellonian Posterity hath continued successively elected to the Crown of Poland ever since his death about 137. years under the Raign of six Kings Viz. Vladislans the sixth his Son Casimir Son to the said Vladislans John Albert second Son of Casimir the elder being pre-termitted by reason of his embracing the Crowns of Hungaria and Bohemia Alexander the third Brother and these two dying without Issue Sigismund fourth Son of the said Casimir succeeded and to him his Son Sigismundus the second sur-named Augustus the last Prince of the Issue Male of Jagello who deceased about the year 1573. After him was chosen Henry of Valois Duke of Anjow second Son to Henry the second King of
extraneous Gothes for if the Kings of that people who warred abroad had retained a power over them that remained in the Ancient and Paternall Soil they would not probably have permitted that they who marched under their Standarts and with them underwent the dangers and uncertainties of forraign Warfare should have been dispossessed of their Inheritance at home But leaving these things it is evident from their Authors that the Suethes have anciently been an elective Kingdom and free to choose either a Native or Stranger to possess the Regal Chair with this Obligation enjoyned that the King who ere he were should defend the Multitude committed unto him from injury and violence and should endeavour the enforcement and observation of their Laws ancient Customs rightfull Constitutions and Priviledges according to the received custom in all well regulated Nations Notwithstanding which freedom of Election they alwaies made choice of the Son to succeed the Father where they found the Rayes of Vertue corresponding to the Royall Dignity as being conformable to the Laws of Suethen and the continued Annals of that Regions History The truth hereof may appear by the Royall Progeny of Ericus Sanctus whose Son Canutus obtained the Regall Wreath of King Suercherus also to whom his Sons Charles and John succeeded after them Ericus Balbus the Nephew of Ericus Sanctus by election ascended the Royall Chair next whom Valdemarus Nephew to Ericke last named by his Sister and Birgerus that Illustrious Prince of the Ostro-gothes obtained the Scepter which was afterwards swayed by his Brother Magnus sur-named Ladulas Birgerus the Son of Magnus was next elected and he ejected for Cruelty and Fratricide was succeeded by Magnus Erickson his Nephew surnamed Smeek The Suethes as themselves assert have alwaies esteemed that beyond the Proximity of blood pretence of hereditary right or utilitie of friendship Vertue only and Heroick Actions were worthy of a Crown This freedom of Sufferages or Votes in the election of their Kings flourished amongst them many Ages even untill latter times wherin they not moved with the wind of Levity to use their own words but induced by the strickt Law of necessity having first at Strengnesia upon the sixth of June 1523. proclaimed and afterwards at Vpsall on the eighth day of January 1528. Crowned Gustavus Ericke Son sprung from Illustrious Ancestors and worthy of the Regall Charge as having freed them from the Tyranny of Christierne the second King of Denmark did at Orobrogia the fourth of January 1540. by an Act of hereditary Union of their whole Senatoriall Colledge with a numerous Circle of the Equestriall Order assume his Heirs Males from the first to the last into a right of Succession which Act was by the universall States of Suethland assembled in Parliament confirmed and established at Arosia the 13. of January 1544. Thus of Elective the Crown of Suethland became hereditary Neither did their Rulers therby obtrude ought of new or never before practised upon that Nation but followed the stepts and examples of their Ancestors For about 200 years before the whole Orders of that State had bound and obliged themselves almost in the same manner to the forenamed Magnus Smeeke and to his Sons Ericus and Haquinus under such limitations and conditions as are contained in the heredirary Union made at Varburg in Holand An. 1343 wherunto the Curious are referred Yet for the better comprehending of what hath been said we will deduce the Succession of their Kings from the said Magnus the fourth sur-named Smeeke who having in his own time conferred Norway upon his second Son Haquinus was after the death of Ericke his eldest to whom he had designed the Crown of Suethen ejected by the practises of his Nephew Albert Duke of Meckleburg But by the fore-named Bureus this Magnus is taxed of contempt of things sacred of libidenous lust and inhumane cruelty deserving the name of a Spoyler of the Publike And that he not brooking the co-partnership of his Sons which he had seemed to desire had caused to attempt the murther of his Son Ericke who the Traytor being suppressed before he could perpretrate the Fact was soon after poysoned by his Mother Blanca or Blanche a French-woman Magnus being not long after taken in Battell by his second Son Haquin King of Norway yet soon freed fled into Denmark He intercepted the Dutchess of Holstein his Sons betroathed and obtruded upon him Margaret of Denmark whilst he prepared greater Forces he thundred out Proscriptions against the Suethish Nobility Albert Duke of Mâ—ckleburg Son of Euphemia Sister of the said Magnus was by the proscribed Peers in prejudice of Haquin King of Norway elected to the Crown of Suethland in the year 1363. but being afterwards vanquished An. 1387. by Margaret Queen of Denmark and Norway the Widow of Haquin fore-named after seven years detention desirous to regain his liberty to her he resigned the Kingdome Margaret Queen of Denmark Suethland and Norway by some stiled the Semiramis of Germany having united the three Kindoms under her Soveraignty caused an Act of State to be passed in Calmar for a perpetuation of the said Union to her Successors the Laws Privliedges of each Kingdom reserved entire She is by the Suethes taxed of extream covetousness and of breach of promise hated of them she departed into Denmark having by threats and terrours obtained the Kingdom for her Nephew Ericke a youth of fourteen years of age It was she who being admonished not to commit the Forts of the Kingdom unto Strangers contrary to her agreement replyed Keep you those Our Covenants the best you can We will take care for the securing of the Castles She being dead was succeeded by Ericke Duke of Pomerania in the year 1411. by vertue of the said Union and of his Adoption by the fore-named Margaret being the Son of her Sister Ingelburgis He Raigned over the three Kingdoms but was expelled from them all by a strong faction as some say Others as the fore-named Suethish Author that enleavened by his Aunt he was a Violater of promises an Extirpator of the Nobility by extraneous Wars and unseasonable tempestuous Navigations a Spoyler at home He had for Antagonist Engitbert a Prince elected out of the Nobility of the Dalicartes and he being bereaved of life by Danish treachery Carolus Canutus was appointed Governor of the Kingdom He fled into Denmark and there also hated attempting a return into Suethen seised on Gothland from thence infesting the Aquilonian Navigators with Piracies At last besieged by Carolus Canutus and distrusting the Danes he retired to his ancient Inheritance and rest when he had Raigned from his Coronation fourteen years this hapned An. 1433. Christopher Count Palatine and Duke of Bavaria in title only Son of another Lady Margaret Sister of Ericke forenamed promoted by the endeavours of the Danes and their exceeding commendation was not without much reluctancy consented unto by the Suethes in the year 1442.
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
who undoubtedly would therupon conclude and ordain so as might be most conducing to the honour and advantage of his Majesty and the Kingdom according to the Oathes and Assecurations alternatively given It was concluded also that no trouble or molestation should accrue to the King by seeking or desiring any determination or resolution in Poland concerning the Affairs of Suethland in regard his Majesty had not there those persons neer him to whom he might commit the expediting of the Suethish Affairs for which cause they concluded that all Juridicall Process Grievances and Controversies should be examined defined within the Kingdom conform to the Laws of Suethland and the Decree relating therunto published at Vbsall An. 1593. which the King himself had confirmed And that they should not be transmitted into Poland nor that any sentence or resolution touching them should be expected thence but that if any one thought himself injured therby he might appeal unto the Kings return whether that any Regall Sentence given without the Kingdom should obtain execution within the same Otherwise no man to be prohibited to repair or seek unto the King about his private Affairs or other things lawfull and rationall not tending to the prejudice of any especially of those who sate at the Helme Provided that as aforesaid the Kings Mandates and Writs should be first directed and addressed unto his Highness and the Senatoriall Order the execution of them not to be immediatly committed unto any other Concerning the Offices of the Kingdom it was decreed that his Highness and the Senatoriall Colledge with the counsell and consent of the chief other Orders whom the matter might concern should as occasion required in his Majesties absence consider of meet persons so that such men and Servants might be preferred to Offices and Charges in the Kingdom respectively as did rightly belong and were tied by Oath to the King and to the Common-wealth and that speciall and serious regard were had to ancient and well deserving persons As also that none of the Prime Offices of the Nation should be entirely committed to any one before the Provinciall Inhabitants where such an Officer was requisite and any others therin concerned might have free Sufferages or Votes by whom three Candidati or persons elective were to be named as the Laws of Suethland to the observation wherof his Majesty had sworn concerning the chief Offices do in some sort mention which three persons elected were to be signified unto his Majesty out of which number he might appoint one whom he best approved of and if it should so happen that the King had no rationally lawfull objections against them and did nevertheless defer the approbation of some one of them perhaps not without detriment to the Kingdom and the Government therof his Highness had power to place one of the three so elected in the said Office yet that no Officials formerly perferred by his Majesty should be dismissed unless lawfull causes were found wherby upon due inspection and examination they might appear worthy of deprivation neither that any one should be advanced to a greater Plurality of Offices then he could commodiously and with utility to the Kingdom undergo These things being by them enacted the Duke on the other part did stipulate in these words We Charles by the Grace of God hereditary Prince and Governour of the Kingdom of Suethland Duke of Sudermannia Nericia and Wermelandia do promise that we will diligently assisted by the Senatoriall Order as well of Spirituall as Secular Persons endeavour to the utmost of our abilities so to manage the Kingdoms Affairs as we shall know or conceive to be most advantageous to his Majesty commodious to this our most dear Countrey beneficiall to the Orders and faithfull Subjects therof and Emolumentall to all persons wherby every one may be maintained and protected in the pure Evangelical Religion according to the Augustane Confession and the Profession of faith instituted at Ubsall and agreeable to the Laws of Suethen and those Priviledges and Prerogatives which each man conform to his condition enjoyeth and hath obtained from precedent Kings and Governours As also that we will govern the Kingdom of Suethen and the Affairs therof wholly according to the Oath which his Majesty at his Coronation at Ubsall did swear to his Subjects and did secure unto them by writing and as We with Our best and cleerest judgment shall find or can imagine may be profitable to his Majesty and Emolumentary to the Orders and Subjects of the Kingdom as well of the Clergy as the Laiety even as we desire God assisting to answer for the same before God his Majesty and the respective Orders of the Kingdom Whatsoever likewise shall by Vs with the free advice of the Senators which without any prejudice they may safely communicate be approved and concluded as We will not decree ought in weighty Affairs relating to the Kingdom without the Senatoriall Sufferage We will unanimously maintain and defend that the same may be preserved firm and irrevocable to the present and future times And that We will accordingly All as One and One as All profess and protect the same if in process of time it shall be needfull and requisite Lastly in testimony that We do willingly constitute and approve of this Transaction in manner as aforesaid for the good of his Majesty our most gratious King the prosperity of the Kingdom and the Inhabitants therof and do ordain the same to be unviolably observed word for word according to the cleer literall sense therof without prejudice or violation to the Regall Eminency and Jurisdiction and our Oath as the Laws of Suethen require We Charles by the grace of God Hereditary Prince and Governour of the Kingdom of Suethland Duke of Sudermannia Nericia and Wermelandia And We the Orders of the said Kingdom fore-mentioned have hereunto affixed our Seals and subscribed the same with our hands And if We or others present or absent who have not assisted at this Convention which We are not willing to impute as proceeding from pertinaciousness or disobedience shall refuse to approve with Vs of what before recited concluded for the Common good of his Majesty and our Countrey wherof the Parliament being ended intimation shal be given to all the Provinces and that by previous information and admonition they shall not offer or produce any lawfull reasons in contradiction hereunto which they have free liberty to do We certainly will send Messengers unto them and will hold them for non-conforming and disturbing Ministers of the Kingdom and whosoever shall not adjoyn themselves hereto if constituted in any of the Eminent Offices of the Kingdom We will endeavour to diminish their publike Authority and Power as We shall judge consentaneous to equity and reason least the Kingdom of Suethland should from thence receive detriment and seeds of dissention In like manner they who shall detract or apostatize from this our generall free and unanimous Transaction Whether
Lithuanian Orders had appointed this Embassie principally for the neerer conjoyning of those Potent Kingdoms in peace and unity and as therunto conducing to enquire into the whole matter as not being of particular concernment to Suethland only but had like reference to the not to be violated Regall Dignity of his Majesty who was of both those Realms the sole Lord and King from whom they had obtained permission to treat with his Highness and the Senators of Suethen in a way of Brotherly Charity and Amity which is not wont to act rashly That the Senators and Orders of Poland and Lithuania doubted not but that the Orders of Suethen would continue faithfull toward their King to whom they were astricted by Nature by Oath and hereditary Right even as they had professed in that Sudercopian Enaction but that notwithstanding they could not but apprehend the intervention of sundry things at that Parliament which unless corrected by Mature Counsell might breed disturbance in the Kingdom such Initiations usually springing up when slighting the Lawfull Lord publike Counsels were convened by another Call Laws were enacted the form of Government changed Ministers placed by the King removed from their Charge things peculiar to the Royall Majesty transferred upon others All which may easily appear to be full of and obnoxious to many dangers That the Polonian and Lithuania Orders did conceive the Suethes could not be ignorant of his Majesties affections towards his Paternall Realm or that he desired to have a regardfull eye unto the good of his Subjects nor would have refused but rather granted them a Parliament if he had seen it necessarily requisite that Method and Order consentaneous to the Lawes of the Kingdome might have been observed It being undeniable that a Convention in a Kingdome cannot be rightly called without the consent authority and presence of the King but that as then no such thing had appeared wanting either in reference to the Kingdome or its ancient accustomed Lawes and Constitutions his Majesty having concluded a peace between them and the Russian and so disposed of all things within the Kingdome as that no detriment or disturbance could rationally be feared That the said Convention was not only made without publike necessity impelling contrary to his Majesties and the Pedish Senatoriall expectations and wanted the consent and authority of their lawfull Crowned King but even contrary to his Edicts prohibiting the same yea that many things had been therein enacted diametrically opposite to the Regall Rights and Superiority As the Call it self in manner as aforesaid The remove of persons intrusted by the King with Forts and these committed to others Exauthorization of the Royall Mandates coyning of money in other then the Regall name Appeals to his Majesty and therein the Regall Dignity it self many waies circumscribed That these things having been weighed in an equall Ballance the Senators and Princes of Poland and Lithuania with the respective Orders of the depending Provinces Dukedomes and Cities did by them their Ambassadors earnestly desire his Highness to preserve entire his Majesties Rights and Dignity wherein the Kingdomes welfare was involved as their propinquity of blood required and did also in Brotherly manner admonish and entreat the Senators of Suethland as such to whose vigilancy prudency and Fidelity that Kingdomes care was by him committed and intrusted to return a diligent demonstration of their duty and fidelity toward their hereditary and crowned King and by a vigorous resistance of any who affecting Innovations as in large Empires many times happens would for private disturb the publike Interest manifest to the world how freely they had implyed the Talent intrusted unto them from Heaven and his Majesty That all Innovations in Kingdoms were perilous and pernicious but especially such as tended to violate the Rights of a lawfull hereditary crowned King as might be evidenced by France which by a thirty six and the Opulent Belgian Provinces by a twenty seven years Warr were almost reduced to an utter extermination And that those Rights neither could nor ought to be impaired but by that Majesty by whom Kings Raigne and Princes decree Justice That wicked men did never proceed at first to open height of evil but by peicemeals plucked up the Fences untill that from faithfull Subjects they had wrested the Power whereby having overturned the Kingdome to augment their owne Wealth and Greatnesse Which evills it beseemed his Highnesse and their Lordships to obviate timely and to abolish any Laws Constitutions or Confederations contrary to his Crowne his Dignity and Regall Rights and by their prudence and authority to divert the course of ill undertaken Councells least the head thereby weakned the Kingdomes body might faint and fall into decadence That the Duke and Senators of Suethland might assure themselves that his Majesty albeit at present detained by greater cares for Christendomes universall good would never intermit his due regard of his native Countrey no more then suffer the Rights of Royalty to be disjoynted But that whatsoever faithfull Subjects should crave in a just and orderly way his Dignity preserved hee would undoubtedly grant That therefore his Highness and their Lordships ought to prosecute his Majesty with due returne of Love observancy obedience and faithfull endeavours The rather for that his Majesty did no way oppress or burthen them but like to an indulgent Father with a minde truely Royall more prone to mercy then to cruelty was willing to passe by offences the more grievous because proceeding from his owne by whom he ought not to have been injured Notwithstanding which he Promised no lesse for the future then that amidst the Community of Christendomes concernments whereof Suethland did partake he would endeavour their good and as a returne of his Highnesse and their Lordships constant and faithfull affections towards his Majesty was no way doubted of by the respective Orders of Poland and Lithuania so the continuance therein was their earnest desire That the Polanders as they had abundantly testified by a voluntary conferring their Crowne upon his Majesty and according to their Nations custome had vowed unto him their Fortunes Liberties life it selfe so they were now ready to bestow all those and what else could be dearer unto them for the vindication of his Regall Rights and Dignity and would to that end unanimously joyne with his Highness their Lordships and that Kingdomes Orders and did promise as the present Oration might testifie that they would never be wanting to endeavour the repair of the least injury done to his Majesty or Kingly name wherunto they expected and did promise to themselves a mutuall assured and an untergiversing concurrence from his Highness the Orders of Suethland from whom for conclusion they earnestly desired they might receive an authentique written answer to the severall heads of their Embassie wherby their diligence and faithfull delivery of what they had in charge might be approved to their principles In like manner Count Ericke and Aruidus Gustavus
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
miseries of his people but by Letters from Warsaw of the twenty eight of Aprill preceding had incited the Finlandians with their Governour thereunto so as the Duke was necessitated to make an expedition into Finland where assisted by Divine providence he freed that suffering Province from oppression the 〈…〉 osers neither daring to try it in the Field nor to defend 〈◊〉 Forts they were possest of whereby the Tumults in Finland were so appeased in the year 1597. as they needed not any more to apprehend the like Notwithstanding all these things with others fore-mentioned perpetrated as the Suethes alledge by King Sigismundus and his evill Counsellours The Duke with the Senators of the Kingdome by Letters he of the fourteenth they of the twentieth of February 1598. dated from Vbsall seriously invited his Majesties returne in quiet and peaceable manner to settle the Affaires of his Native Kingdome But contrary hereunto say they he repaired thither with an Army of eight thousand horse and foot and a hundred Sail of Ships to which extraneous forces no smal number of Suethish Souldiers with sundry of the Nobility and Military Commanders hoping thereby to gaine great Stipends joyned themselves through the crafty allurings and seducements of those unfaithfull Counsellours as themselves found when too late for things not succeeding to the Kings desire he deserted them without refuge or comfort King Sigismundus landing at Calmar with his Army Duke Charles likewise raised forces and approached toward Stegeburg and desired by severall Letters and Messengers to be certified of the cause inducing his Majesty to returne into his Native Country with such a numerous armed attendance and withall that he might be admitted to a conference with his Majesty but the King also marching toward Stegeburg soone gave notice say they of the ends he came for by a sudden on-set wherein some hundreds were slaine on either side Which hostile Act the Duke would not revenge albeit power was not wanting but shewed himself willing to embrace a friendly composure and pacification with the King and those unfaithfull Counsellours There were at the same time present with the King severall Ambassadors from the Prince Elector of Brandenburg the Marquesse of Ansbach and Duke Vlricke of Mecklenburg with whom those Counsellours were earnest at least in pretence to endeavour a pacifying of the differences between the King and Duke Charles which they did to their utmost but seeing their labours fruitlesse they departed and were by his Highnesse Order honourably conveyed unto the borders of Denmarke The Duke also made offer of answering before equitable and competent Arbitrators to whatsoever could be objected against him and desired that the King would make choice of six persons of the Nobility and so many of the Military Officers to meet with an equall number to be elected by himself for a friendly compos 〈…〉 of all differences but the King as they forthwith permitted the Marquesse of Baden and Wejerus to discharge his Ordinance against the Dukes Forces and gave order to the Generall of his Army Georgius Farensbecius to charge into the Dukes Camp in the silence of night with his whole Forces and to slaughter all he should meet with and albeit the Duke and those of his side attempted nothing that was not lawfull and consentaneous to their Oath yet they reape no other reward then open enmity secret hatred and treacherous machinations for by deferring all amicable transactions they onely waited the approach of Auxiliary Forces from Finland for the more commodious execution of their tyranous intentions At last King Sigismundus perceiving that assistance from Finland was in vaine expected and that a gallant Navy of the Dukes approached his Army was therewith so terrified as that not daring to make longer stay he with his whole power withdrew secretly under night from Stegeburg toward Lincopia abandoning his Ships and Ordinance with other things of great moment yet for the better understanding of the History let us view the heads of the whole passage before he left Stegeburg beginning at the time of the rendition of Calmar And first we will premise the instructions given by Duke Charles unto Prince Gustavus Duke of Saxony and Westphalia with George Claudius and Olaus Hard for the Government of Calmar the same dated the tenth of June 1597. in the severall Articles whereof is contained 1. THat they preserve the sayd Fort for his Majesty and the good of the Common-weale and that they admit not of any Person of what degree soever to enter the Castle without Letters from his Highnesse to that effect nor suffer any dissipation to be made of the Ammunition or other necessaries to the Castle appertaining 2. That they containe the Inhabitants in due obedience to his Majesty and his Heirs and to his Highnesse during his Majesties absence 3. That they maintaine the Subjects there in their former Liberties and Priviledges without violence injustice or extortion by bribery 4. That they endeavour the preservation of the Crowne rights from diminution and that all things imbezelled may be restored 5. That his Majesty coming to Calmer in peaceable manner like a gracious King conforme to his Coronation Oath and the Lawes of Suethland the Gates of the Castle be open to receive him with all due reverence and honour But that if his Majesty should approach with armed Bands in a way of violence to devast and destroy his native Soile contrary to his sayd Oath the Laws of Suethland and of Nature they should not then permit his Majesty or any in his Name to enter the sayd City or Castle but should defend the same with all their might untill upon advertisement they received answer from his Highnesse that the King and he were reconciled And that in the meane time they admonish his Majesty to desist from violence and if any extraneous force should attempt the place they were to oppose the same to the utmost of their power 6. That they repaire the Walls and Towers c. according to their abilities and the necessities emerging not permitting the Baths or Stoves to perish 7. That as need should require they order the Souldiers commanded by Abraham Nicolas John Gustavus and Nicolas Finno to keepe the City watch carefully that no sudden irruption or other violence happen therein 8. That by the helpe of the Citizens and Souldiers the Fabricks begun should be continued and finished and that the Money by his Highnesse thereunto ordained be imployed about the same 9. That they behave themselves friendlike and peaceably toward the neighbour Nations Viz. the Dane according to the agreements between those flourishing Kingdomes 10 That they pacifie all quarrels and contentions and that they speedily certifie his Highnesse of those difficulties which of themselves they could not reconcile and that they extend not punishment of death unto any without first acquainting him therewith THat they should adhere to their former Instructions to wit that if the King should
he found that whilest his Majesty used their counsell the present difference would never have a prosperous issue He therefore as a friend and brother desired advised and admonished his Majesty to relinquish that band of treacherous and tumultuous Counsellours who for their peculiar and wicked ends did draw his Majesty into evill courses and to repaire to Stocholme or where otherwise he pleased He assured that he would not onely secure his Majesty from all hurt and danger but also engage that himself and his followers should attend and conduct him whithersoever he desired with all due fidelity obedience and promptitude That as to others they would proceed according to Justice having hither to forborn them for his Majesties sake least he with them might have undergone some misfortune which notwithstanding any suggestions of him to the contrary he took God to record he desired not but would alwaies be ready to avert such evill from his person if he would have regard to himselfe and rest perswaded of him as of his most affectionate Uncle But that if his Majesty contrary to this faithfull advice would still retaine those turbulent Counsellours he should be carefull least with them he might rush into some danger That if the same should happen which he besought God to forbid he was innocent thereof before God and the Christian World and willing to have prevented the same if his Majesty would have adhered to his advice rather then to the pernicious perswasions and wills of wicked men hereupon desiring an answer he committed his Majesty to Celestiall protection Dated from his Camp as above said King Sigismundus the day before he moved his Tents from Stegeburg toward Lincopia sent a Letter of assecuration which omitting the repetitions therein inserted contained that if the Illustrious Duke Charles would release his Servants and restore his Army Kingdome Townes Houses Forts and Territories his Navy Stores Ammunition with all other things to him and the Crowne of Suethland appertaining set free his Subjects and Domesticks cease from hostile Actions retire into his Dukedome there quietly remain ready with his party who were any way guilty to appeare and answer in Judgment upon legall citation and would thereof give security That he also did therby then pomise and ensure the dismission of his forraine Forces his ordinary Train and Guard of his body excepted and that neither toward his Highnesse his Army Subjects or any other of whatsoever condition any violence should be offered but each one permitted to enjoy the benefit of the Laws untill the whole matter were tryed before competent Judges That all Persons adhering to the Regall Party whosoever the Duke or any other would appeach should also appeare in Judgement and that all his Highnesse Servants who were under any restraint by reason of this Tumult should be released All which things he would observe and do upon his Regall Faith and Honour in confirmation whereof he had thereunto set his Hand and Seale adding as before that if beyond expectation himselfe or the Duke should before the controversie were legally decided infringe or attempt ought contrary to what that Instrument contained the Orders of the Kingdome should be obliged to resist the Party so doing These were given at the Camp at Stegeburg the twentieth of September 1598. Upon receipt hereof Duke Charles without delay returned these Propositions of Peace 1. THat his Majesty would repaire to Stocholme without stronger Guards then the King his Father had used in progressing through the Kingdome 2. That the Forraigne Forces should speedily depart the Land 3. That the Counsellors of the Kingdome should repaire and quietly remaine at home untill the Parliament and then appear in Judgement 4. That the Parliament be called and kept within six moneths 5. That Ambassadours of Germane Electors and Princes should be invited by Letters against the time to examine the dissention and that each side should name those whom they intended to choose In the interim nothing to be done secretly or openly within or without the Kingdome to the prejudice of each other but all persons to enjoy their Mansions peaceably untill the time of Legall decision 6. That each one retaine what he is at present possest of untill the time of the Comitiall Assembly 7. That nothing of the Kingdomes affaires be decided or treated of unwitting to his Highnesse 8. That the Finlandian Souldiers should be prohibited from entring the bounds of Suethland but containe themselves quietly within the Province and therin stand to tryall That in the mean time there be a cessation of all pernicious Plots and that Law and Justice be there administred to all persons 9. That no distribution of Lands be made untill the Parliament 10. That forraign Souldiers be removed out of the Castles and Forts and that they be committed to the faithfull Guard of the Suethes 11. That the forraign Ships which had brought Alien Forces into the Kingdome might remaine under Arrest Upon these Articles the Duke desired security from his Majesty with addition of the clause that if any of the said Articles were infringed the States of Suethland should freely adhere to his Highnesse whereupon he offered to disband his Forces to retire and remaine quietly in his Dukedome But King Sigismundus slighting say they these conditions retired in a calme and still night toward Lincopia leaving with the Commander of Stegeburg certaine instructions dated the twentieth of September 1598. Importing 1. THat they should continue faithfull to his Majesty in each respect procuring his good according to their duty and Oath 2. That if Duke Charles should enquire the reason of his Majesties sudden remove they should answer that perceiving the sparks of this dissention could not be extinguished by equall conditions but that lesse tollerable were daily obtruded he had withdrawne to avoid the effusion of blood and to see whether his Highnesse would take better counsell and cease those courses that tended to the Countries ruine 3. That if the Duke should forceably assault the Castle they should oppose him to their utmost power and resist force with force KIng Sigismundus as hath been said being gone to Lincopia Duke Charles by letter of the 22 Sept. expostulated that instead of Answer to his former his Majesty was departed from Stegeburg and might be induced by those evil Counsellours authors of the present dissension to abandon the Kingdome or repair where a larger field for tumult might be offered That he admonished and besought him by the passion of Christ not to be seduced by them to a further remove untill he had concluded the whole matter to the good of the Countrey protesting on the salvation of his soul before God and the world his innocency and averseness to any prejudice might thereby arise And desired his Majesty to believe that all things belonging to the Castle or Shipping which after his Majesties departure had been rendred unto him should be faithfully preserved for his Majesty HEreunto
his Kingly faith and dignity Sanctimoniously promise and ensure that neither in the present or future time he would require or take revenue of ought done or hapned during the late dissention nor prosecute his Highnesse or his followers with hatred or inclemency nor any of the Ducall Ministers for obeying his Commands nor that he would animadvert into the Anthors of what had past or punish any person for the same but would beare and extend unto the Duke and those aforesaid all Royall benignity and favour and would neither by force or fraud by himselfe or others openly or secretly within or without the Kingdome act move or give way to any deceitfull practises which might procure hurt or damage either in bodies or Estates unto the said Prince his Wife Children Ministers Subjects or pertakers nor to any of the Regall Subjects who had sided with his Highnesse of whatsoever dignity degree or condition they were He likewise professed and promised to governe the Kingdome according to the Lawes of Suethland his Regall Oath and Manuall security given at his Inauguration and to remit the deciding and composing of all differences untill the ensuing Parliament the same to be celebrated within foure moneths before neutrall Arbitrators such as Imperiall Regall Electorall and Ducall Ambassadors who were to be invited by Letters Those differences especially to be then determined as could not otherwise be wel ended between the Native Suethes But that no decision Legall or other should be instituted nor was needfull between himselfe and the Duke all controversies between them being buried by a perpetuall Amnestia That whatsoever had been generally concluded transacted and agreed upon should not be separately answered for by any particular person but the generality be admitted to render a reason thereof That whatsoever in future Parliaments should be established was to be allowed and accepted of and each one permitted to use and enjoy the same without prejudice or molestation That all Prisoners and others of either party should be obliged to appeare and answer in Parliament when called thereunto Forraigne Forces whether in Feild or Fort should be forth with dismissed the Regall Court and personall Guard excepted which should not exceed the number formerly used in the Kingdome All the Natives Horse and Foot waged by the King should be paid and disbanded each to return home the Duke to do the like to those of his side He also promised and consented that all Castles or other places committed by his said Uncle unto any one in his absence should so remain untill the said Parliament As also that those five Senatoriall persons demanded by his Uncle should remaine in his power untill the decision of the whole Affaire yet so as to enjoy all necessary provisions without hurt offered to their bodies or Estates He further gratiously promised that publication of this agreement and declarations for the clearing of his Uncle from all Crimes whereof he had been aspersed with serious Injunctions for all men to lay downe their Armes and to embrace Peace and Concord should be made in all Provinces and parts of the Kingdome It was also granted that the Dukes Ministers and Subjects might securely passe and repasse through all the parts thereof about their Masters or their owne lawfull Affaires they behaving themselves peaceably not raising sedition the like liberty and security was to be enjoyed by the Regall Subjects and Ministers within the Ducall Territories That all things pre-mentioned being thus effected his Uncle did in like manner confirme to restore unto him upon his repaire to Stocholme whither he speedily intended and to remit into his possession his Forts Navy Ordinance with all other things belonging unto him and the Crowne of Suethland which had been committed unto his Dilection and were until then in his possession the same to be no way abused to the ruine of his Dilection or the Country All which the Premisses he confirmed under his hand and Seal concluding that if ought contrary thereunto should be acted or any recesse therefrom made either by himselfe or his Uncle the Orders of the Kingdome had thereby power and right to oppose and resist the party violating Given as aforesaid at Lincopia the eighteenth of September 1598. These Covenants thus ratified Duke Charles gave order to the Admirall and Commanders of the Fleet to deliver up the Ships and Ordinance to the King no man doubting of the unviolable observation of this Treaty that so he might be transported from Stegeburg according to the Regall Honour and Dignity But what say they hapned When the Orders of Suethland expected that the King had been upon his course towards Stocholme to administer Justice to every one in conformity to this Lincopian Transaction and there to summon the Parliament they understood that he had steered first towards Calmar and thence into Poland with the Ships and Guns and contrary to his Oath had furnished Calmar with a Garrison of Aliens this being his third dicession from the Kingdome King Sigismundus say they having thus transgressed against the Lincopian Treaty as he had also broken all his former Oathes and promises the Orders of Suethland did thereby conceive themselves to be absolved from their Oath of Fidelity as being bound by the said Treaty to prosecute the Violater of that agreement and the rather because the Strangers garrisoned in Calmar demeaned themselves in hostile manner as also for that King Sigismundus designed those Ships and Ordinance upon a Naval expedition from Dantzig toward Elsenburg for the subduction of that place from the Crowne of Suethland and the more commodious annoyance thereof from thence with cruell War if his intention had succeeded thereby to obtrude his perverse Religion upon them and to remit that Fort into the hands of strangers as he had done by Calmar and that the Finlanders then quiet were againe by him stirred up so as the Suethes were necessitated to resume their Armes whereby floods of blood ensued in which many of the Natives perished And albeit King Sigismundus had many times promised those Finlanders aide from Poland yet he onely deceived and brought them to ruine But ere we proceed let us returne to see what entercourses did passe between King Sigismundus and Duke Charles after the fore-specified Lincopian Treaty KIng Sigismundus by a most friendly Letter of the thirtieth of September made request unto Duke Charles in behalf of the Captive Counsellors that their condition might be rendred more tollerable and that neither themselves nor their Ladies might be subject to scornes or reproaches the rather because some of those Ladies were neer in blood both to himselfe and the Duke putting the Duke in minde of his promise to that effect at their discourse together and desired that those Senators giving security for their appearance their owne houses might be their Prison or at least that they might remaine together not separated nor hurryed from one place to another In a Schedue annexed he prayed
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
the twelfth of January 1635. there being then present the Ambassadors of the Elector of Brandenburg onely viz. Andreas a Kreytzen Governour of the Province Joannes Georgius a Saucken Chancellour Bernhardus a Konigseck Counsellour of the Province and Captain of Angerburgen Georgius a Rauschke Councellour of the juridicall Court and Petrus Bergmannus one of the Electorall Councell it was concluded that the Lords Commissioners on each side attended with a hundreth horse or dragoones and so many foot without Collours or military ensignes their traine in like manner not exceeding the number of one hundreth should repaire thither and be brought by the Mediators into the Church of the said Towne by the doors neerest to their respective lodgings and placed at a trianguler Table without the least of precedencie or advantage to either partie and the former instrument of security for the six yeares truce ending the of 1 11 July ensuing retaining its full force they should conferre together about the Principall affaires This agreement was signed by the said Subdelegates and the Electoriall Ambassadors By vertue of this instrument upon the day appointed the Lords Commissioners of Poland who were to give them their used titles the most Reverend Jacobus Zadzick Bishop of Culmen and Pomesania Elect of Gracovia Lords High Chancellor of the Kingdome of Poland the most Illustrious Christopher Radzivill Duke of Bierzie and Dubinskie Palatine of Vilnen Lord Generall of all the Forces of the great Duchie of Lithuania Governour of Bistrycen and Qiznorcen Raphael de Lesno Leszozyuskie Palatine of Belzes Rubiesoviensis Magnus Ernest Danhoff Castellan of Pernaw and Derpaten Captaine of Herbipolen Remigius de Ostole Zaleskie Refendary of the Kingdome as also the Lords Commissioners for the Kingdome of Suethland Viz. the most Illustrious Peter Brake Earle of Wisingeborg Free Baron in Redboholm and Lindholm Provinciall Judge of Wesmannia Montenia and Dalria Herman Wrangle Knight Hereditary in Ahlo and Skogloster Marshall of the Feild and Governour Generall in Prussia Achatius Axell Hereditary in Gâ—xsholme and Kinkesta Adsessor Supremi dicasterij and Provinciall Judge of Nericia Senators of the Kingdome of Suethland and John Nicodemus Secretarie and Commissarie Ordinary in Prussia These from Elbing Those from Morung set forth towards Holland being of equall distance where they entred with their Train in such equipage as might set forth their greatnesse They were brought soon after conforme to the forementioned instrument into the Church of that towne by the forenamed Electorall Ambassadors as then onely present and being placed in their Seates the forenamed Chancellor of Brandenburg George Sauske in a long Oration set forth the fervent desires of his Prince for the setling of a perpetuall peace congratulating also the happie arrivall of the Commissioners into that Province designed for this so important and weighty businesse and concluded with Precations for the prosperous Successe and issue of this so much desired Treatie Whereunto of the one side the Chancellor of Poland and of the other Earle Brake replyed equally conjoying and conjoyning wishes with wishes These Civill Courtships thus performed the Electorall Ambassadors to lose no time and to shew their authority and sincerity Exhibited their Credentialls to the Commissioners of both sides preallubly desiring the like sight of theirs which the Poles would have declined as not necessary alleadging it was not to be imagined that Persons of their quality would present themselves in so publicke a cause without sufficient power and authority from their Principalls The Sueths on the contrary insisted mainely that the Procuratorialls might be produced to which end they shewed theirs affirming that untill the clearing of those they could proceed no further which being at last agreed unto the Parties interchangably delivered up their Commissions to each other but the dayes being then short they could not in that inch of time take so particular view of them as they desired wherefore they consented that each Party taking with them the others Plenipotentiary should within two or three dayes returne the same back and a second meeting was appointed the 26 th following But forasmuch as many and great difficulties began to appear even at this first entrance into the Treaty The Ambassadors of Great Brittaine who during the space of ten dayes he had stayed to refresh himselfe in Dantzig had delivered the King his Masters Letters and his verball injunctions to the Senate of that City was desirous to be present for the more easie composure of differences at their very beginning He with Mr. Francis Gordon the Kings Agent there came to Holland the one and twentieth of January where having received and returned visits to the Electorall Ambassadors and learned of them in what termes the matter stood he expected the time appointed for the meeting which together with the Commissioned Parties being come and the usuall ceremoniall salutes received and rendred his Lordship taking with him the Electorall Ministers endeavoured to temper and molifie the gauled minds of the Parties by conciliating and extenuating the difficulties like to increase by debating the Procuratoriall Letters The Commissioners of Poland appeared not as then so stiffe nor scrupulous in those things of lesser moment for when his Lordship propounded the sequestring of the Plenipotentiaries into the hands of the Mediators during the Treaty they forthwith assented Whereas the Suethes vehemently repugned but because the present altercation proceeded from defects which each party pretended to finde in the others Letters of procuration it will not be amisse to say something of them Whilst the Commissioners of both sides scrutenize each others Plenipotentiarie sundry errours are found in either In that of Suethland the Polonians object 1. That they begin with a new unused stile the title of designed Queen and end with that or the subscription of the Tutors 2. That they detract from his Majesty of Poland the title of Hereditary King of Suethen and deferre the same to the Daughter of King Gustavus 3. That they intermix the Provinces belonging to the Crowne of Poland with the titles in their Commission 4. That albeit the Princesse Christina were designed Queen as is alleadged it may yet be questioned whence she derives to her self the power of determining of the Common-wealth and of alliances which is not permitted to other designed Princes 5. By what right the Tutors straine to vindicate to themselves a power chiefly Regall over their designed Queen as themselves call her 6. Whether the designed Queen is bound to stand to conditions made by her Tutors forasmuch as a Tutor cannot prejudice his Pupill in ought and chiefly a Subject his Prince especially in a Kingdome Hereditary 7. What assurance is there that the Orders of the Crown of Suethen will allow of that which by the sayd Tutors or in their name is transacted seeing that in the Procuratorialls no mention is made of those Orders 8. Forasmuch as the Chancellour of Suethen Axelius Oxenstiern is now the chiefest
they sounded harsh to either party yet no other Medium being found for the present the Polanders at their generall desire condescended to referr all unto the King and to meet there againe upon the third day following wherunto the Suethes did in like manner give their consent The day following the French Ambassador solicitous of his Masters particular affaires and how to divert a greater Warr from themselves visited the Suethes with whom he laboured from noon untill night by arguments exhortations and entreaties to yeild either to a Sequestration of places or to the giving and accepting of Pledges but in vaine and in stead of a simple deniall received an answer of a harsher strain Viz. That they retaining Elbing and the Pillaw with the Fort on the River Vistula untill the ratification should be gotten would restore Marienburg and Stume to the Polander conditionally that something equivalent alluding to the Memeln were delivered unto them The appointed day for the third Congresse being come and all parties being met at Stumbs-dorff his Lordship went with the Hollanders towards the Suethes the French Ambassador and Brandenburgers doing the like to them of Poland The Suethes constantly urged and maintained the necessity of the Parliamentary ratification for said they if so be that one onely City Town or Castle is not wont to be delivered over by a Commander without sufficient preceding Provision for his Honour and the Garrisons safety much more was the Honour and Dignity of their Queen to be regarded in the restoration of an entire Province and if so be the Polanders before the said ratification would have ought as Marienburg and Stume delivered unto them something equi-polent therunto as the Memeln they also expected On the other side the Polish Commissioners swarve not one jot from their former allegation to wit impossibility wherunto said they none can be bound neither would they consent to the division of places made by the Suethes much lesse leave the Pillaw in their hands which as a most commodious Port would be no lesse prejudiciall to them then advantageous to the other side as from whence a departure might be faigned and a return made at pleasure to their detriment and dishonour and that it stood with reason and equity that seeing the Suethes would neither trust them nor their King themselves also were not to be trusted The Mediators hereupon deliberated amongst themselves of the means of preventing a Rupture by this dissonance of the parties but could not find any on the sudden and the Polanders were said to be preparing to be gone when his Lordship very opportunely propounded that the parties should be moved to refer unto the arbitration of the Mediators the two main points in question to wit the Parliamentary ratification and the number of years and concerning those to stand to their decission this was generally approved and the French Ambassador with the Electoralls repaired therewith to the Suethes his Lordship and the Hollanders doing the like to them of Poland who were upon the point of taking horse The Commissioners of Poland the Chancellor chiefly made no difficulty of assenting to the Medium of Arbitration but for one scruple which was that their King having limited the number of years they had no further power of concession therof and that it must be referred to himself of whose consent they were not diffident and so they onely agreed to a prorogation of the Truce for two daies longer The French Ambassador and the Brandenburgers returning from the Suethes related that their consent unto the arbitration was in a manner obtained and urged them to assent therto likewise they having oft-times formerly proffered the same in things of greater moment but more then hath been already said could not be gained from them they onely intreated that the Mediators would be pleased to repair to the King the day following he being then in his Camp at Rottenhoff neer the Wistle and use their joynt perswasions This the Mediators agreed unto They being come thither had audience altogether in the Regall Tent but found themselves far short of their conceived hopes of gaining the prementioned differences about the ratification and terme of years to be referred to the Mediatoriall arbitration wherto the Suethes had already accorded for the King of Poland would not by any reasons alledged be induced thereunto and but with difficulty consented to the continuance of the cessation agreed upon so stiffe did he then shew himselfe His Lordship argued the matter so farr as his Legatoriall Office would permit and seemed to wonder that his Majesty of Poland should now reject the Medium of Arbitration when the Suethes who before had alwayes refused the same were brought thereunto it having been frequently offered by his Commissioners but the King would give no eare neither to these nor any other perswasions used either by his Lordship or the Hollanders to that effect so as in the space of foure houres of the conference nothing was obtained save that the King would put the whole Treaty to be compounded by just and equitable meanes at the meeting to be the day following wherevnto the French Ambassador invited the Suethes by Letter his Lordship having refused that Office as foreseeing they would not come All the Mediators with the Commissioners of Poland were convened at the accustomed place and waited for the Suethes untill two in the afternoon about which houre Baron D' Avacourt the French Resident in those parts who by that Ambassador had been sent to hasten them came with their Letters excusatory that the shortnesse of the time and absence of some of their Colleagues permitted them not to be present at that meeting but that they would not faile to be there the day following if it would so please the Mediators and the adverse Party The Commissioners of Poland being advertised hereof would not after long consultation consent unto the meeting unless they were secured that two large Boats taken from them contrary to the cessation of armes currant by the adverse Party who kept the Fort in the Wistle should be restored unto them and the other Mediators staying still at Stumbsdorff his Lordship and the Hollanders taking that businesse upon them returned to Marienburg where they urged the matter and as relative thereunto moved in behalfe of those that were sick in the Ship detained in the Road of Dantzig and last propounded the next dayes meeting to these particulars the Suethes made answer That touching the Boats then mentioned they had purposely intercepted them to hinder the laying of a Bridge before their eyes to their exceeding prejudice Naturall reason allowing to repay acts of hostility with the like that neverthelesse to gratifie the Mediators they would return them as also recommend to the Officers in their Navy the free egresse of them that were sick in the said Ship that so the Treaty for things of so small moment might not
thousand Foot and Horse to their recruit wherby those places being surrendred by the Enemy were by him as the rest had been delivered into the hands of the Electorall Administrator But to return from whence I have not unnecessarily digressed the Suethes and the Confederate Princes fell not long after into a decadence of fortune for the Cardinall Infanta with an Army of old tryed Souldiers though bent for Flanders taking Germany in his way and joyning with the Imperiallists neer the City of Norglingen the Associates by this Conjunction received a great defeat wherin most of their Ensigns were seised their Commanders either slain or taken of which latter Calamity their brave Generall Gustavus Horne was partaker The scattered relicks found no sure retreat untill they recovered the formerly wasted Palatinate under Duke Bernard of Weymar where deprived of Colours and Commanders they continued in a manner without Discipline so as that Country was in a most sad condition and England thereupon solicited as aforesaid the Counsell wherof judging it expedient to send an Agent thither the fore-named Lievtenant Colonel Duglass was made choice of as one who in his reports would not be over partiall and he being first dignified with the Honour of Knight-hood accordingly received Credentials and Instructions The fore-mentioned Ambassador Sir Robert Anstruther who after his departure from Saxony had been with the Elector of Brandenburg at Berlin and from thence with the Queen of Suethen at Wolgast to condole the death of the King her Husband whose body was then to be transported into Suethland and had likewise been with the Duke of Holstein and the Dutchesse Dowager his Mother as also with the King of Denmark Treating with sundry of that Kings Counsell who were thereunto appointed he intimated unto them omitting particulars not so necessary to be here inserted that their Masters Conjunction with the Protestant Princes of Germany would much conduce to the generall tranquility as without which the Emperour and his adherents would hardly be moved to a constant and universall Peace in the Empire but rather hope that the Divisions and Separations of those Princes and States would be apt to produce unto him new advantages They after much reasoning acknowledged it was most necessary but prayed him to consider the hazards their King their Country and themselves had in the last Wars been exposed unto so as had they not made a peace with the Emperour they might by that time have gone a begging with their Wives and Children And that having thus made their Peace they ought not in equity to be the breakers of it the rather for that their Master was now acting the Mediators part They wished that Saxony were really as Brandenburg was united in the Alliance of Heylbrun the better to Ballance the Affaires there whereby a good Peace which their Master was still ambitious to be an Instrument of might more probably be expected His Lordship urged no lesse to their King himself upon occasion of some discourse soon after of the then present state of Germany and the King expressing how much he longed to see a good Peace established He replied that his Majesties Authority and Power if interposed with the Duke of Saxony might be very usefull for obtaining of the wished end in that Conjuncture and that if the three Protestant Electors and their Houses were firmly linked together by a perfect friendship and sence of common Interest they would soon grow so Considerable as that other Princes would be glad of their Association And then Caesar himself would in all likelyhood the better hearken to reasonable Conditions of Peace besides many other good effects which he inferred might ensue so happy a Conjunction The King professed to concur with his Lordship in opinion yet not without objecting some impediments But I shall wave further insisting hereupon This as not material to the Subject mainly here intended being onely to shew how far England did then interess it self in the Protestant cause of Germany and the concernments of its Allies there His Lordship returning to Hamburg to expect further Orders was soon after re-manded back to Francfort on the Mayne to interpose his Masters Authority as cause should be offered Return We now to Sir George Duglass who there met with his Lordship and during his Agency in the Palatinate had given an account so satisfactory as well in order to that Electorall Principality and its condition with the whole state of Affaires relative to that concernment as of the Associated Princes and Cities and likewise of the Suethes as was well rellished at home and therby gained to himself the opinion of one capable of a greater and more weighty Negotiation And as if all things should conduce to his advancement it so fell out that the expiration of a six years Truce concluded as hath been said by the intervention of Sir Thomas Roe Ambassador from the late King An. 1629. between the Crownes and Kings of Poland and Suethen was then drawing neer and the late King was by the Polander again solicited to the same effect with intimation of a desire of neerer conjunction by Allyance This motion was plausible and the more credulous of Englands Court were thereby wrought to cry up that Kings Cause albeit the same his Turne once served proved but a Fucus and like an Apparition vanished into Aire For this employment of no mean moment Sir George Duglass then Agent in Germany as aforesaid was thought a fit Minister and the rather because haying formerly served the late King of Suethland in those parts he was not unacquainted with their interests in Prussia and Leifland and might accordingly make use of arguments to induce them to a moderate and equitable compliance it being conjectured that they would not easily be won to restore either much lesse both of those rich and fertile Provinces but as to any resignation of the Crown of Suethland which the Polander claimed as his Hereditary Right it was fore-seen that however the same might be brought upon the Carpet it could not be with any hope of condeseension Credentials and Instructions were then drawn up and sent enclosed within a dispatch to the fore-named Ambassadour Sir Robert Anstruther to beby him delivered as was forthwith done unto Sir George Duglass whereby the Title of Lord Ambassadour Extraordinary from the King of Great Brittaine to the Kings and Crownes of Poland and Suethland became due unto him In this new Condition his first work was to furnish himself with Necessaries and Attendants suitable to that high Employment into the number wherof he was pleased to desire the Relator from Sir Robert Anstruther of whose Secretaries he then was and in the same capacity entertained him for that Embassy which is only mentioned to shew the ground he had for the present and precedent Narrative Whilest some weeks of time were spent in such like preparations Letters of safe conduct and Convoyes were desired
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
discessions therefrom yet he was resolved not to intermeddle with the publick Administration against his Majesties mind but leave to the arbitrement of the Senators and other Orders the Consideration of the Government thereof during his Majesties absence And that albeit many weighty occasions did at present occurre to be consulted of and settled for avoiding of unrecoverable detriment to the Kingdome as Discords and Controversies in Religion a perfecting of the Peace with the great Muscovian Duke with sufficient security for its perpetuity and the rendition of the Castle of Kexholme The present troubles of almost ruinated Finland with other most urgent affairs for the Kingdomes future Weal which by means of the Councels now in agitation may be neglected whence discords greater then formerly may arise His Highness doth neverthelesse hereby protest his innocency and that he hath given timely advertisement of these evils to the Counsellours and Orders of his Majesties Kingdome and doth hope and in friendly manner desire that all good men will take this his Protest in good part concluding with most loving and friendly tender of good will and favour to all the Orders Citizens and Inhabitants of the Kingdome as well Civill as Ecclesiasticall to each according to his degree The further Answer made by his Highnesse and the Senatoriall Order unto the other Regal Objections was as followeth That the Duke by indicting the Sudercopian Parliament and by the Decree thereof had derogated from all his Dignity Praeeminency and Regal Rights That albeit according to the common rule in Law where the Plaintiff proveth not the Defendant is absolved this accusation might be over-passed in silence in regard his Majesty produceth no evidence of such derogating by those Articles but barely criminates without any fortifying reasons yet his Highness to testifie his innocency will demonstrate by the ensuing arguments that the foresaid Decree doth no way impair but confirm and establish his Majesties honour and dignity For 1. No man of sound unbyassed Judgment can deny but that a Decree producing Concord in Religion administration of Law and Justice expelling confusions crept into the Common-wealth maintaining the Regall Oath and Assecuration with the Hereditary Union unblemished doth rather augment then diminish the Regall Dignity and Rights But that the Sudercopian Decree is such a one may easily appeare to all men and will be more fully shewed hereafter wherefore the suspition of weakning his Authority thereby must vanish Naturall Reason History and daily Experience do shew that where diversity of Religion sets foot no account is made of right or just Ataxia or confusion raignes the vulgar multitude are apt for Insurrections thereby the Common-weal cannot be long safe the Soveraignes rule will be of small duration neither are their Rights and Dignities preserved Discontinuance of Supream Authority proceeds from neglect of Kingly Offices Viz. Propagation of Religion in a Realme administration of Right and Justice abolition of disorder By these as sure foundations the Weal publike is preserved and the Regall Rule so long prosperous as they are endeavoured Those layed aside it vanisheth as Histories over-long to be here recited do testifie Hence ariseth a question What particular in that Decree is there repugnant to the things mentioned At its very beginning promise and confirmation of fidelity is exhibited according to the Subjects Obligation in reference to his Majesties Inauguration Oath next Concord in Religion is established for all persons introducing and sowing Extraneous Superstitions the Regall Oath and Assecuration so requiring are expelled Unlawfull Conventicles are prohibited by which means the Weal Publike is duely provided for How Concord is maintained in Regions where disparity of Religion is admitted the ruines and subversions of most potent Kingdomes and Common-wealths do shew 2. The mention of his Highness Title and Authority in point of Government during his Majesties absence in the second Article of that Decree doth rather confirm then retract form his Majesties Dignitie and Rights for the presidency of one exceeding the rest in power and authority is of advantageous concernment to the Common-wealth as by the prejudices of Policratia or Democratie in this and other Kingdomes and by this Nations Annals may be demonstrated Hence Civill Wars take rise and Kingdomes become subject to extraneous Yoaks to their own detriment and destruction for men are naturally prone to dissention Where severall beare rule with equall power it followes mostly that each hath regard to his private not the publike good Moreover each trusting to other neglects his own part of duty according to that saying Affaires committed unto many have slow expedition There is a certaine naturall Vice that Possessions in common are for the most part neglected 3. The Lawes of Suethland do thus expresse that the same shall be rotally subject unto One not unto many Kings Whence it is apparent that the Well-fare and Dignity of the Kingdome cannot firmly consist but under one Governour Hereunto externall Lawes and the Judgments of Forraigners do accord as the following Texts do witnesse Kingdomes and Empires may be better governed by One then by many Item Hardly can a Plurality effect ought of good Item It is Hereticall to place two Vicars in a Land 4. It hath not been usuall in this Kingdome in former ages that in the Regall absence severall persons should equally governe the Common-wealth as may appeare by the Union made in the Raigne of Queen Margaret renewed in that of Ericke the thirteenth Moreover it hath been customary that in the Vacancy of the Regall Chaire some One not more of the Kingdomes Senators should bee elected to administer the Affaires of the Common-weale Seeing therefore that his Highness is a Prince Hereditary of the Kingdome unto whom with his Heires the Inheritance thereof doth properly belong if any unwitting Accident should befall howbeit he wisheth the contrary and that his Majesty and his Progeny may enjoy by Gods goodnesse a long peaceable and ligitimate Government over the same the right of Hereditation requires that his Highness should preside in his Majesties absence The rather for that there is none extant of the Regall Family ripe for Government and the Lawes permit not the preferring of any but the next of blood As from the precedent and other not here inserted reasons it may be concluded that the King absent more then One cannot be constituted over the whole nor any but his Highnesse It followes without controversie that nothing hath been herein acted in derogation of his Majesties Dignity but such only decreed as the Lawes commanded and the publike good required For his Highnesse did not this to exclude his Majesty but to be serviceable to the Country in his Majesties absence neither did he obtrude himself but lent his hand to the Helme at the earnest request of the Orders of Suethland The Title it self doth no way diminish the Regall Praeeminency For 1. It is the Title of a King but of him who executes the