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1560—c9.] eric and his brothers. 145
CHAPTER XI.
ERIC AND HIS BROTHERS.
accession of eric. his character. power of the royal dukes, john and charles. their
differences with the king. creation of counts and barons. state of the judicatory. the
king’s overtures of marriage. his extravagance. swedish dominion in estland.
imprisonment of duke john. tyranny of eric and his minister, george person. war with denmark.
unsuccessful attempt on norway. persecution of the house of sture. trial of six magnates
for high treason before the estates. frenzy of eric. revolt of the dukes. the king
deposed by the estates ; incarcerated ; and poisoned. his son gustavus.
a. d. 15G0—15G9.
Eric inherited from his father peace with his
neighbours, abundance throughout the land, a well
replenished treasury, and that good will of the people
with which new reigns and young princes are for
the most part hailed. He was in his twenty-seventh
year, well formed, like all the sons of Gustavus, of
person rather agreeable than tall. Expert in bodily
exereises, he was also held to be versed in the
business of war; showed himself in speech and
answer mild and friendly ; is extolled too for his
sharpsightedness and gift of expression in the
treatment of affairs. Of languages he knew several,
and left after him writings in the Swedish and
Latin ; was an astrologer, poet, musician, and
painter7 ; and withal other features might be culled
for a brilliant epitaph on a life so unfortunate. If
we compare with these rich endowments his own
conduct, we perceive that it is not manifold parts
and accomplishments which make the man. Here
bloomed fertility over subterrene fire.
Eric had quitted the death-bed of his father to
repair to England ; " but secretly," it is said, " he
had other practices in his mind, in the concealment
whereof he was masterly." His inmost view appears
to have been to collect round himself, under this
pretext, a considerable force. He drew slowly
towards Elfsborg, where the fleet lay upon his account.
Many of the principal men in the country joined
his numerous train ; he collected much money by
voluntary contributions, especially in Gothland,
" many thousand marks of silver, enough
wherewith towage a middling war 8." Thus furnished
he received the tidings of his father’s death ; took
homage from the provinces on his return to the
capital ; made his entry there on November the
30th, 1500 ; and on the 21st December following
buried his father in the cathedral of Upsala.
The old king had by his testament bestowed
hereditary dukedoms upon his remaining sons, to
be held under Eric as their lord superior. " For
seeing that he had suffered much in his own
lifetime from envy,"—says the great Gustavus
Adol-phus —" so did he intend (even as we men are
wont to call to mind chiefly that which has most
vexed ourselves) by his testament to make his
children so high and mighty that they should be
free from the fear of envy. Therefore made he
Eric, the eldest, to be king, John to be duke of
Finland, Magnus to be duke of East-Gothland,
Charles to be duke of Suthermanland, and
counselled them to harmony and brotherly unity among
one another, in the opinion that, like as common
dangers and enemies use to link men, the brothers
would all the more hold together. But herein
alone did king Gustavus err; brotherly harmony
is but rare to find, and seldom are power and unity
met in one place. These lords were too powerful
subjects." It is the noblest of the race of Gustavus
who has pronounced this reproach, in which
posterity agree. If we may believe a saying which
has come down to us, the founder of the race
foresaw this and declared his feelings thereupon. Once
in his sorrow, it is related, king Eric leant his
head upon his hand and said to George Person :—
" My father of happy memory prepared for me
heavy days when he gave the dukedoms to my
brothers." George replied:—" Yea, but the departed
king alleged in his excuse, that it would be worse
if they were not more powerful than the nobles
This story contains nothing which did not agree
with the known opinions of Gustavus, and confirms
the words of his grandchild. The apology contains
more than it expresses. For if it were replied
7 Prseter insignem artium liberalium et praesertim
mathe-seos ac linguarum exoticarum cognitionem, in omni
discipline militaris fuit genere versatissimus; ingenio admodum
perspicaci, verum suspicaci; blandus sermone; comis
allo-quio; statura corporis magis grata quam elata; equitandi,
natandi, saltandi peritia tantopere przeditus, ut spectautium
animos in summam plerumque adrairationem raperet.
Messenius, Scondia, vi. Several of his compositions still
remain, chiefly upon matters personal to himself. Yet he
wrote also a book on judicial astrology (Liber Astronomicus
Judiciarius), and a short treatise on military art and
discipline. He translated into Swedish the History of Joannes
Magnus, under the title of Chronicle of the Swedes and
Goths, (Svea och Gota Cronika,) annexing Latin verses
upon each of the kings, composed by himself. We have still
portraits by his hand; he is also the author of two hymns
for four voices, and of two penitential psalms admitted into
the Swedish psalm-book. Love-songs by him to Catharine,
Magnus’ daughter, are also preserved, and Eric Sparre
relates that the king himself sang well. Dionysius Beurreus,
who infused into him a liking for Calvinism, was also his
instructor in astrology, to which Eric zealously applied
himself, and " was thereby so perplexed and disturbed in his
head, that he became an ungentle and mistrustful prince."
Rasmus Ludvikson’s Chronicle of King Eric. Scandin.
Memoirs, xii. 248. The French minister Dantzai writes
regarding him to his king : " J’ai souvent confere avec lui
de plusieurs affaires. Je vous promets, sire, qu’il £toit
d’un tr&s-bon jugement; il comprenoit facilement ce qu’on
lui proposoit, et s’expliquoit fort disertement et
prompte-ment, et il avoit plusieurs autres grandes vertus; vrai est
qu’il etoit fort soupponneux." (I have often conferred with
him upon many affairs. I promise you, sire, that he was of
a very good judgment; he comprehended easily what was
proposed to him, and explained himself very eloquently and
promptly, and he had several other great virtues; true it is
that he was very suspicious.)
8 Peter Brahe, in his Chronicle of King Gustavus I.
9 In the history which he commenced, printed along with
the Rhyme Chronicle of Charles IX’. Stockholm, 1759.
1 Scand. Mem. Hi. 41.
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