Norby had made a second irruption into
Fredrik's territory in the south of Sweden. Toward the end of March he
had sailed from Gotland with twelve men-of-war, had captured a couple of
the strongest fortresses in Bleking, and had enlisted many inhabitants
of that province in the cause of Christiern. Fredrik was by this time
fully alive to the error he had made in relying for a moment on the
promises of Norby. His anxiety was increased still further when the news
was brought him that Christiern's brother-in-law, the emperor, had
defeated the king of France, and was coming with all his forces to the
relief of Christiern. One drop of comfort was granted him when he heard
that a fleet from Lubeck had sailed to Gotland in Norby's absence, and
on May 13 had seized the town of Visby. In spite of this disaster,
Norby's hopes ran high. He sent letters every day to Christiern, telling
him that Denmark as well as Sweden was overrun with rebels, and that he
now had a chance of restoration such as he had never had before. But
Norby's hopes were at the very highest when the bubble burst. The
emperor proved too busy with his own affairs to send his army to the
North, and Christiern could not raise the armament requisite for a
foreign war. Gustavus, moreover, sent his troops to drive back the
invader, and the Danish nobility enlisted in behalf of Fredrik. The
result was that ere the close of May the pirate was routed in two
important battles. Gustavus literally hugged himself for joy, and sent
off a letter of congratulation to the army that had won the day. "My
good men," he began, "you may rest assured that if Norby shall escape
you and come this way, he will meet with a reception that will cause him
little joy. From his assertion that he expected aid from us, you will
perceive he sought to foster discord between your realm and us.... We
had already ordered our men in Vestergoetland to go to your relief as
soon as you should need them, which now, thank God, we trust will never
be." The monarch's congratulation was a little premature. Norby's force
was scattered, but it was not lost. Retiring with his stragglers to one
of the Danish strongholds, he ensconced himself within, and there
remained,--a constant menace to the neighborhood. Late in June the
pirate, reduced to the utmost extremity, opened negotiations with
Fredrik. That monarch, still in dread of Christiern, readily complied.
Norby proceeded to Copenhagen, where it was finally arra