History of the Scottish expedition to Norway in 1612Michell, Thomas
History
History of the Scottish expedition to Norway in 1612
Michell, Thomas
Norway -- History -- Scottish Expedition, 1612
That he had no permission to leave the country, or letter of
safe-conduct; and had he not chanced upon this Ramsay, leave to
depart out of Sweden would have been refused him; that in the course
of four years, with the exception of three months, he had received
no pay; that his captain was now in Sweden in the neighbourhood of
Boosund; that he himself had only stayed three weeks in Sweden, but
had left his captain at Nyköping; and that although he had asked
for a letter of safe-conduct, he had received nothing in answer
to his entreaties but the words, "Begone, begone with you;" that
he had not dared to ask Duke Gustavus for this letter; that his
captain had promised his further services to the Swedes; that six
captains besides, Scotchmen by birth, were still in the service of
the country; that the Sieur de la Barre was in command of about five
hundred Swedish cavalry; that they were defending the frontier; that
no foreign soldiers were still left in any other place.
That six troops of cavalry, six hundred in all, were expected from
Livonia next spring; that he had heard it said that there is not
even one company of German soldiers in Sweden left entire. About the
enrolment of soldiers abroad he knows nothing, though something may
possibly be heard on the subject, after the session of the council is
over.
That Gustavus was putting off and nourishing (the hopes of) his
creditors, who were demanding their arrears of payment, with the
specious words, "Be sure you shall be paid, be sure you shall be
paid."
That he had no letter, except one from a merchant, a letter of credit
for one hundred and fifty thalers to a citizen of Lubeck, named
Hermann Schefler; that the said letter was to be sent to Rostock.
That he knew nothing about Stuart's letter of safe-conduct; that
Stuart had received nothing except his food; that he was going to
spend the winter there; that Stuart was not an ambassador; that the
country people indeed called him so; that he had seen Stuart for the
first time in Sweden.
That the Swedes were thoroughly panic-stricken; they were deserted by
their soldiers; after the session was over envoys would be sent here
(to treat for peace); that King Charles was execrated by the people;
the ships at Stockholm were manned with peasants, not sailors;
they had to live on bread and fish-brine, called by the natives
"_Strömling_;" that in Russia, too, the soldiers were dying by famine.
That the Swedes would not succeed in getting foreign soldiers, as the
best were already engaged in these parts (Denmark).
That the other lieutenant, who was now at Copenhagen, had served in
Sweden during the past summer, and previously in Livonia; that the
account he would give would not differ from the present.
That we did put all these questions as set down above, and that we
did hear with our own ears the answers given to those questions, we
bear witness with the signature of our own hands and seals.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account