Gustavus Vasa.There is nothing which delights me more, my young friends, than to tell you tales of the Great and Good; and among many, who are truly great and good in the pages of history, few stand more pleasingly prominent than Gustavus I., King of Sweden. He was one of those great men whom nature so seldom produces, and who appears to have been endowed by her with every quality becoming a sovereign. His handsome countenance and noble bearing prepossessed all persons in his favour; his artless eloquence was irresistible; his conceptions were bold, and his indomitable spirit brought them to a happy issue. He was intrepid and yet prudent, full of courtesy in a rude age, and as virtuous as the leader of a party can be.Statue of GustavusWhen the tyrant, Christian II. of Denmark, sought to make himself master of the throne of Sweden, Gustavus resolved to save his country from the oppressor; but the execution of his plans was interrupted, as Christian seized his person and kept him prisoner at Copenhagen, as a hostage, with five other heroic Swedes. When at last, in 1519, he heard of the success of Christian, who had nearly completed the subjugation of Sweden, he resolved, althoughstill immured in a loathsome dungeon, to deliver his country. Gustavus escaped to Lubeck, but soon found that the Danes were after him, which obliged him to assume the habit and manners of a peasant. In this disguise he travelled on foot among the plains and mountains as a fugitive, and frequently walked fifty miles in a day, from place to place, to elude his pursuers. When he became familiar with his disguise, and the rude language of the peasantry, he became very bold. He passed several times through the Danish army; when that army was looking out for him, by its scouts, in every direction, he passed through the midst of it in a waggon of hay, and proceeded to an old family castle at Sudermania.He dispatched letters to his friends in the hope of arousing them to the recovery of their liberties; but, meeting with little success among the great, he next tried the peasantry. He visited their villages by night, harangued them at their festive assemblies, but without effect—as they uniformly told him it was in vain for them to attempt to better their condition, for peasants they were and peasants they must remain.Gustavus next determined to try the miners of Delacarlia. He penetrated the mountains of that remote province, and was obliged, for a scanty subsistence, to enter himself as a common labourer at a mine. Here he worked within the dark caverns of the earth; but the fineness of his linen soon led some of his fellow labourers to suspect that he was more than what he seemed.By the advice of a friend, at whose house he concealed himself, Gustavus repaired to Mira, where an annual feast of the peasantry was held. There, as his last resource, he displayed with so much mature eloquence and energy the miseries of his country and the tyranny of Christian, that the assembly instantly determined to take up arms and adopt him as their leader. While their hearts were overflowing with an ardent patriotism, Gustavus led them against the governor’s Castle, which they stormed, and took or destroyed the whole garrison. Success increased his forces; multitudes were eager to enlist under the banner of the conquering hero, Gustavus. At the head of his little army, he overran the neighbouring provinces—defeated the Archbishop of Upsala, and advanced to Stockholm. Christian, who had in vain attempted to stop the progress of Gustavus, by the threat ofmassacreing his mother and sisters, at length put the dreadful menace into execution. This cruel deed only animated Gustavus to a bloody revenge, and warmed more fiercely the blood of his devoted followers.Gustavus now went forward only to triumph, and, having overcome all opposition, he assembled the states of Sweden at Wadstena, where he received the title of Administrator of the Kingdom, and in 1523 they proclaimed him King. He then set himself zealously to work in the reformation of the abuses both of Church and State. The Lutheran religion began to gain ground; the Scriptures were preached; the lazy drones of the church were shorn of their wealth, and compelled to do their duty; and, while the Danes were completely expelled from Sweden, Gustavus conquered all the internal treacherous enemies of Freedom. Although Sweden was a “limited monarchy,” so great a faith had the people in the justice and love of freedom which Gustavus possessed, that they granted him almost unlimited powers, and this power he never used in the least, but for the good of his country. He perfected the legislation, softened manners, encouraged industry and learning, and extended commerce. After a glorious reign of thirty-seven years, he died in 1560, at the age of seventy, leaving behind him a character, which the brave boys of England may love and venerate.Decorated Line
There is nothing which delights me more, my young friends, than to tell you tales of the Great and Good; and among many, who are truly great and good in the pages of history, few stand more pleasingly prominent than Gustavus I., King of Sweden. He was one of those great men whom nature so seldom produces, and who appears to have been endowed by her with every quality becoming a sovereign. His handsome countenance and noble bearing prepossessed all persons in his favour; his artless eloquence was irresistible; his conceptions were bold, and his indomitable spirit brought them to a happy issue. He was intrepid and yet prudent, full of courtesy in a rude age, and as virtuous as the leader of a party can be.
Statue of Gustavus
When the tyrant, Christian II. of Denmark, sought to make himself master of the throne of Sweden, Gustavus resolved to save his country from the oppressor; but the execution of his plans was interrupted, as Christian seized his person and kept him prisoner at Copenhagen, as a hostage, with five other heroic Swedes. When at last, in 1519, he heard of the success of Christian, who had nearly completed the subjugation of Sweden, he resolved, althoughstill immured in a loathsome dungeon, to deliver his country. Gustavus escaped to Lubeck, but soon found that the Danes were after him, which obliged him to assume the habit and manners of a peasant. In this disguise he travelled on foot among the plains and mountains as a fugitive, and frequently walked fifty miles in a day, from place to place, to elude his pursuers. When he became familiar with his disguise, and the rude language of the peasantry, he became very bold. He passed several times through the Danish army; when that army was looking out for him, by its scouts, in every direction, he passed through the midst of it in a waggon of hay, and proceeded to an old family castle at Sudermania.He dispatched letters to his friends in the hope of arousing them to the recovery of their liberties; but, meeting with little success among the great, he next tried the peasantry. He visited their villages by night, harangued them at their festive assemblies, but without effect—as they uniformly told him it was in vain for them to attempt to better their condition, for peasants they were and peasants they must remain.
Gustavus next determined to try the miners of Delacarlia. He penetrated the mountains of that remote province, and was obliged, for a scanty subsistence, to enter himself as a common labourer at a mine. Here he worked within the dark caverns of the earth; but the fineness of his linen soon led some of his fellow labourers to suspect that he was more than what he seemed.
By the advice of a friend, at whose house he concealed himself, Gustavus repaired to Mira, where an annual feast of the peasantry was held. There, as his last resource, he displayed with so much mature eloquence and energy the miseries of his country and the tyranny of Christian, that the assembly instantly determined to take up arms and adopt him as their leader. While their hearts were overflowing with an ardent patriotism, Gustavus led them against the governor’s Castle, which they stormed, and took or destroyed the whole garrison. Success increased his forces; multitudes were eager to enlist under the banner of the conquering hero, Gustavus. At the head of his little army, he overran the neighbouring provinces—defeated the Archbishop of Upsala, and advanced to Stockholm. Christian, who had in vain attempted to stop the progress of Gustavus, by the threat ofmassacreing his mother and sisters, at length put the dreadful menace into execution. This cruel deed only animated Gustavus to a bloody revenge, and warmed more fiercely the blood of his devoted followers.
Gustavus now went forward only to triumph, and, having overcome all opposition, he assembled the states of Sweden at Wadstena, where he received the title of Administrator of the Kingdom, and in 1523 they proclaimed him King. He then set himself zealously to work in the reformation of the abuses both of Church and State. The Lutheran religion began to gain ground; the Scriptures were preached; the lazy drones of the church were shorn of their wealth, and compelled to do their duty; and, while the Danes were completely expelled from Sweden, Gustavus conquered all the internal treacherous enemies of Freedom. Although Sweden was a “limited monarchy,” so great a faith had the people in the justice and love of freedom which Gustavus possessed, that they granted him almost unlimited powers, and this power he never used in the least, but for the good of his country. He perfected the legislation, softened manners, encouraged industry and learning, and extended commerce. After a glorious reign of thirty-seven years, he died in 1560, at the age of seventy, leaving behind him a character, which the brave boys of England may love and venerate.
Decorated Line