er and wooded. In these woods the Swedish army gathered. It
is reported that they were twelve thousand strong, but they consisted
chiefly of ill-trained and ill-armed peasants. The regent had joined
them, and was leading them in person. The royal banners of the first
battalion were in charge of Gustavus Vasa. After a few days'
skirmishing, in which the patriots were twice driven into the covert of
their woods, the Danes made a final charge upon them, and put them once
more to flight. This time, however, the Danish soldiers lost their
heads, and followed in hot haste through the forest. In this way they
lost all advantage from their superior arms and training. The Swedes,
nearly twice as numerous as their opponents, surrounded them, and closed
in upon them on every side. The forest was soon red with blood. The
patriots fought with vigor and determination; and at length, though
sixteen hundred of their companions were stretched upon the ground, the
day was theirs. Sture collected his men as quickly as possible and
returned to Stockholm, while Christiern took up his quarters again in
Soedermalm. A few days later Christiern, his powder and provisions
failing him, ordered a retreat; but before his men were all embarked the
Swedes were on them, and killed or captured some two hundred on the
shore. After proceeding down the stream about twelve miles, the fleet
cast anchor near the northern shore, and a foraging party was sent out
towards Upsala for provisions. Some of these were captured, but the
majority returned with a rich booty to their ships. Nearly two months
had now elapsed since the arrival of the Danish fleet, and the cold
weather was approaching. Christiern, worsted at every point, was eager
to return to Denmark. But the equinoctial storm would soon be coming,
and he was afraid to venture out in rough weather on short rations. His
men too, suffering for food and clamoring for their pay, began to leave
him. He therefore resolved to play upon another string. On the 28th of
August he despatched envoys to the regent with the preposterous
proposition that he should be received as king, or that in lieu thereof
he should receive from the regent and Cabinet of Sweden a yearly
stipend, and that the losses which he and the Danish party in Sweden had
suffered should be repaid them. This ridiculous offer was of course
rejected. Christiern then came down from his high horse, and proposed a
cessation of hostilities till the difficul