oned except in certain instances to aid their bishops or represent
them when they could not come. The provincial magistrates were generally
members, though not always. As to the number of temporal lords, it was
almost invariably more than twelve, sometimes double as many. From the
very first, this self-appointed oligarchy saw that in unity was
strength; and while the different members of the royal family were
squabbling among themselves, the Cabinet seized the opportunity to
increase its power. Though not entitled to a definite salary, it was
regularly understood that Cabinet lords were to be paid by grants of the
chief fiefs; and when these fiefs were extended so as to embrace the
whole, or nearly the whole, of a province, the grant of such a fief
ordinarily carried with it the office of provincial magistrate. Thus the
Cabinet became the centre of administration for the kingdom. From this
it gradually usurped the right to legislate for the whole realm, to lay
new taxes on the people, and to negotiate treaties with foreign powers.
Lastly, it robbed the people of their ancient right to nominate and
confirm their kings. These prerogatives, however, were not exercised
without strong opposition. Throughout the fourteenth and fifteenth
centuries the peasantry battled with vigor against the arrogant
assumptions of the Cabinet, never relinquishing their claim to be
governed as of yore. This struggle against the encroachments of the
oligarchy at last resulted in the revolution under Gustavus Vasa. Hence
we may with profit trace the relation between the Cabinet and the people
from the start.

The first case in which the Cabinet distinctly asserted an authority
over the whole land occurred in 1319, when the king, after a long and
bitter struggle with different members of the royal house, had finally
been driven from the throne. The Cabinet then resolved to place the
crown on the head of the former monarch's grandson, a child but three
years old. With this in view, they called all the magnates in the realm
and four peasants from every county to a general diet, where the
chancellor of the Cabinet stepped forward with the infant in his arms,
and moved that this infant be elected king. "Courtiers, peasantry, and
all with one accord responded, 'Amen.'" This was the first general diet
held in Sweden, and it showed a marked decline in the people's rights.
From beginning to end the proceedings of this diet were regulated by the
Cabinet,