During these occurences, Eric, though a prí soner, had become a subject of disquietude to his brother; who obliged him to appear in the high court of justice, there to undergo the disgrace of a public accusation and deposition. He displayed greater firmness on that occasion than had been expected; and excited the pity and compassion of a great part of his audience. The unfortunate Eric was recommitted to prison, and left in the hands of the Sture family, who treated him with great severity, and carried their brutality to such an excess, as to strike him, and to make him suffer hunger and cold. At length, as his detention became a source of embarrassment during the late efforts of the king 1578. to alter the religion of the kingdom and to restore popery, John caused the wretched captive to be taken off by a dose of poison. This criminal act marks a gloomy character, a fanatic persuasion that the interest of religion will sanction the most atrocious deeds; and John was a warm devotionist. It will also appear, that Charles entertained similar sentiments respecting the sanguinary liberties authorised by political considerations, and, in fact, none of the sons of the great Gustavus Vasa inherited the frank and generous virtues of their sire.

A. D.

Sigismund, the son of John, had become king <f Poland, after a contested election, which had been decided by the forces of Sweden. Advice of this transaction no sooner arrived in Sweden, than information of it was sent to duke Charles, who, together with the states, was required to ake a fresh oath of fidelity. Charles declared that he was ready to pay every respect due to the prince; but that he would never consent

that

that Esthonia and the Swedish possessions in Livonia should fall into the hands of foreigners. This declaration of the duke obliged the king and prince Sigismund to protest to the Polish embassadors, that they would never consent to alienate any part of the Swedish dominions, or to accept of the crown of Poland on such terms as should be prejudicial to Sweden. Some discussions took place in the Senate, relative to the latitude which should be allowed to the prince in the external practice of the Romish religion; and Charles was discovered to have had an agency in the disputes on that subject, and that his interference was not of a conciliatory tendency. At length it was agreed to defer the decision of this matter to the time when Sigismund should succeed to the crown of Sweden.

The death of John was sudden: he was seized with a disorder in his bowels, and fell a victim to the ignorance of his physicians. He died more esteemed than beloved by his subjects. The obstinacy of his temper induced him to persevere in measures which he knew to be wrong; and he never yielded except to his wife, who inflamed him with very warm zeal for an expiring religion. Had he lived, his superstitious and imprudent adherence to the scheme of religious reformation would probably have involved him in disputes with his subjects, which might have terminated fatally to both.

1592.

On the death of John, Charles took up- A. D. on himself the regency of the kingdom till the arrival of Sigismund, who was then in Poland, and whom he informed of the demise of his father. Having performed the funeral obsequies of the late king, the senate

promised

A. D.

pre

promised obedience, and to assist him in the protection of the established reformed religion, and in the preservation of the rights and priviledges of the nation. The states were then convoked to deliberate on the means of venting the introduction of a new liturgy, 1593. and the re-establishment of the popish religion. This measure was deemed absolutely necessary previous to the arrival of Sigismund, who had embraced the tenets of the church of Rome. Among the first acts of his reign, he betrayed his predilection for the Popish religion, by insisting that one church for papists should be permitted in every city or town, and by refusing to be crowned by a protestant bishop.

Great dissensions arose in the kingdom: the states urged their pretensions with great warmth; and the nobility presented to the monarch strong remonstrances, which regarded their peculiar privileges. Sigismund demanded that both should implicitly rely on his promise, and that the Romish as well as the Lutheran religion, should be preached to the people. Charles, however, charged himself with the important office of prevailing on the king to give satisfaction to the states; and, therefore repaired to the palace, where a violent altercation took place between him and Sigismund. The latter, however, afterwards pretended to be perfectly reconciled with the duke; but while matters seemed thus happily compromised, the king formed the base design of murdering Charles, who being informed of the intention of the monarch, made his escape. Sigismund, however, being in haste to return to Poland, agreed to

every thing required of him by the states, and left the administration of affairs in the hands of Charles.

A. D.

1595.

After the king had set sail for Dantzick, the duke convoked the states, from whom he procured decisions little conformable to the views of his nephew. But as he could not prevail on that assembly to adopt all his ideas, he felt his pride hurt, and declared that as his toil and labour for the service of the state were repaid with ingratitude, he would lay down his commission. No sooner was Sigismund informed of the quarrel between the duke and the states, and of the resolution of Charles, than he conferred the whole power on the senate, excluded the duke from any share in the government, and enjoined all his subjects to oppose any attempts which might be made by the duke to subvert the authority of the senate. From that period, the uncle and nephew came to an open rupture, and Sigismund, resolving to compel the duke to submit, levied a powerful army, which he reinforced with the troops in Finland. The menaces and manifestoes of the king struck with terror the soldiers of Charles, of whom many threw down their arms, and deserted to their sovereign. Hostilities immediately commenced, and the troops of the duke being defeated in an engagement, he had recourse to negociation.

A. D.

1598.

A. D.

Sigismund having restored peace to the kingdom, returned to Poland. During 1600. his absence, Charles contrived by his intrigues to have a new meeting of the states convoked, in which he assumed a marked ascendency. The public conduct of Charles at

this

this period was open, candid, and moderate; while at the same time he secretly fomented quarrels between the king and the states, and adopted every measure that could forward his ambition. At length matters were brought to such a crisis, that the elevation of Charles to the Swedish throne seemed a matter of necessity, produced by the mal-administration of Sigismund, who also refused to submit to the proposed restrictions on the exercise of his religion. Sigismund was therefore solemnA. D. ly deposed, and, together with his son 1604. Úladislaus, declared for ever incapable of wearing the Swedish diadem, which was bestowed on Charles.

CHAP. III.

From the Accession of Charles IX. to the Death of Charles XII.

THE

HE diet, which conferred the crown on Charles IX. decreed, that in case of the failure of male issue, it should revert to the posterity of John, and next to the heirs of the daughters of the great Gustavus Vasa, who were married in Germany. They also ordained that no future king of Sweden should take a wife, except from a protestant family; and that, should the hereditary prince accept of a foreign crown, he should thenceforward be considered as incapable of succeeding to the throne of Sweden. Besides these regulations, they also passed all the rigorous laws generally resorted to in revolutions; an engagement by oath to support