[102] _Handl. rör. Skand. hist._, vol. xvii. pp. 162-164. [103] _Handl. rör. Skand. hist._, vol. xvii. pp. 205-216 and 220-223. [104] _Handl. rör. Skand. hist._, vol. xiii. pp. 48-50 and 52-54, and vol. xviii. pp. 234-236 and 237-239; and _Kon. Gust. den Förstes registrat._, vol. i. pp. 231-233 and 306-309. CHAPTER VI. RELIGIOUS DISCORD AND CIVIL WAR. 1524-1525. Riot of the Anabaptists.--Contest between Olaus Petri and Peder Galle.--Marriage of Petri.--Conspiracy of Norby; of Christina Gyllenstjerna; of Mehlen; of Sunnanväder.--Attitude of Fredrik to Gustavus.--Proposition of Gustavus to resign the Crown.--Norby's Incursion into Bleking.--Surrender of Visby.--Flight of Mehlen.--Fall of Kalmar. By the autumn of 1524 the whole of Sweden was in a ferment of theological dispute. When Gustavus returned from the congress of Malmö to the capital, he found the people in a wild frenzy of religious zeal. The turmoil was occasioned mainly by the efforts of two Dutchmen, Melchior and Knipperdolling, who had renounced their respective callings as furrier and huckster to spread abroad the teachings of a new religious sect. The history of this strange movement has been so often told that it is hardly necessary to waste much time upon it here. It originated doubtless in the stimulus that Luther's preaching had given to religious thought. As so frequently occurs, the very enthusiasm which the Reformers felt for things divine led them to disregard their reason and give their passions undivided sway. One of the chronicles puts it: "Wherever the Almighty builds a church, the Devil comes and builds a chapel by its side." The thing that most distinguished these weird Dutchmen was their communistic views. They taught that, since we all were equal in the eyes of God, we should all be equal likewise in the eyes of men, that temporal government along with class distinctions of every kind should be abolished, and that Christians should indulge in absolute community of goods. In religious matters, too, they had peculiar views, believing that only adults should receive baptism, and that all adults who had been baptized in infancy should be baptized again. By reason of this tenet they were known as Anabaptists. Their first appearance in the Swedish capital occurred at a moment when the monarch was away. In that, at any rate, they manifested sense. The capital was all agog with Luther's doctrines, and everything that bore the stamp of novelty was listened to with joy. Melchior and Knipperdolling were received with open arms, the pulpits were placed at their disposal, and men and women flocked in swarms to hear them. The town authorities raised no opposition, believing the influence of these teachers would be good. In a short time, however, they were undeceived. The contagion spread like wildfire through the town, and every other citizen began to preach. Churches, monasteries, and chapels were filled