History of the Reformation in Europe in the Time of Calvin, Vol. 7 (of 8)Merle d'Aubigné, J. H. (Jean Henri)
History
History of the Reformation in Europe in the Time of Calvin, Vol. 7 (of 8)
Merle d'Aubigné, J. H. (Jean Henri)
Reformation
All these points were agreed to. The majority of the Diet felt the
necessity of these reforms, and moreover were afraid of losing Gustavus
a second time. The king then turning to the prelates, said, ‘Bishop of
Strengnaes, I demand of you the castle of Tijnnelsoe.’ The bishop
declared himself ready to please him. Others did the same; but when
turning to Brask, Gustavus said, ‘Bishop of Linkoping, I demand of you
the castle of Munkeboda,’ the only answer was silence broken by
deep-drawn breaths. Thure Joensson begged Gustavus to allow his old
friend to retain the castle, at least for his life. The king replied
laconically, ‘No.’ Eight members of the Diet offered themselves as bail
for the submission of the bishop, and forty of his body-guards were
incorporated in the royal army.
[Sidenote: The Compact Of Westeraas.]
A document comprising all the above articles (the Compact of Westeraas)
was then drawn up, and was signed by the nobles and by the delegates of
the towns and country districts. The bishops who were present signed on
their part a declaration in which it was stated that ‘some of their
predecessors having introduced foreign kings into Sweden,[455]
resolutions had been adopted for the prevention of such disorder in
future, and that in testimony of their assent they affixed their seals
thereto.’ It was well understood that this submission of the prelates
was reluctantly made. One of them, however, exclaimed, ‘Well, whether
his Grace will have us rich or poor, we are contented.’ From this time
they ceased to be members of the States. Brask returned sorrowful to his
bishopric. He saw his former guards take possession, in the name of the
king, of the castle in which he had nevertheless received permission to
reside. He made no resistance, as he was very anxious to be released
from the bail which he had been obliged to give. Having obtained this,
he left Sweden immediately under the pretext of an inspection to be made
in the island of Gothland, and betook himself to Archbishop Magnus, who
was now at Dantzic. The two prelates wrote to Gustavus requiring him to
restore to them their privileges, but assuredly without any hope of his
doing so. As soon as they received his refusal, Magnus set out for Rome,
and Brask took refuge in a Polish convent, in which he died.
The monastic orders had been leniently treated; the compact expressing
only that monks who held prebends should not beg, and that the begging
monks should make their collections only at stated times. But the monks
and the nuns did more than comply with these rules; large numbers of
them deserted the cloisters and engaged in the occupations and duties of
social life.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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