scaling the unprotected parts. But his men at first
were lukewarm. The task seemed herculean, and every effort to ascend the
ramparts met with certain death. Those in the castle fought like
maniacs, the men with guns and crossbows, and the women firing stones.
Gustavus, it is reported, stormed and swore, and finally put on his
armor, declaring that he would either have the castle or die within its
walls. His enthusiasm spread among his men, and they shouted they would
do their best, though every man of them should fall. The effect was
visible at once. Each charge left the ramparts weaker than before; and
when night closed in, there was not a tower or rampart whole. The next
morning, when Gustavus turned his culverins again upon the wall, the
flag of truce was raised. The garrison hoped that if they sued before
the ramparts actually fell, they might be granted favorable terms. But
the monarch, who had now lost nearly half his men, demanded an
unconditional surrender. As Norby had been conquered, and no signs of
Mehlen's succor had appeared, the garrison, after much palaver, threw
themselves upon the mercy of the king. The castle, on the 20th of July,
passed into the monarch's hands once more, and a large portion of the
rebel garrison was put to death. With this scene the conspiracy of
Norby, Mehlen, and their adherents was at an end.[121]

FOOTNOTES:

[105] Svart, _Gust. I.'s kroen._, pp. 96-98.

[106] Svart, _Gust. I.'s kroen._, pp. 98-99; and _Kon. Gust. den Foerstes
registrat._, vol. i. p. 254.

[107] Svart, _Gust. I.'s kroen._, pp. 99-100.

[108] Svart, _Gust. I.'s kroen._, p. 99; _Handl. roer. Skand. hist._, vol.
xiv. pp. 33-41 and vol. xviii. pp. 265-266 and 273-276; and _Kon. Gust.
den Foerstes registrat._, vol. ii. pp. 83-86 and 272-276.

[109] _Handl. roer. Skand. hist._, vol. xiii. pp. 107-110; and _Kon.
Gust. den Foerstes registrat._, vol. i. pp. 281-284 and vol. ii. pp. 12
and 19.

[110] _Christ. II.'s arkiv_, vol. ii. p. 781 and vol. iv. p. 1530;
_Handl. roer. Skand. hist._, vol. xiv. pp. 30-33, 41-44 and 61-65, and
vol. xvii. pp. 182 and 188-189; and _Kon. Gust. den Foerstes registrat._,
vol. ii. pp. 24-26. Some modern writers, unwilling to believe Christina
base enough to marry Norby, regard the whole story of her consent as
false. It seems impossible, however, that a false rumor should have been
so generally believed by those who knew her. The more natural assumption
is that her ambition caused