one of the pretexts for the
massacre of Stockholm. He opposed Gustavus Vasa in his patriotic
endeavours, and once circumvented the hero with a troop of Danes, so
that he narrowly escaped with his life. Vasa, however, soon retorted the
same stratagem on his enemy; and he was at last obliged to retire into
Denmark, where he with difficulty escaped death from the resentment of
his master. A wound, received in an engagement with the troops of
Christiern the Third, terminated the existence of one of the most
restless caballers, and most accomplished statesmen, of his time.

119.

Otho.

Otho Crumpein, one of the most celebrated generals of the North, was
employed by Christiern in his war with Steen Sture, and gained many
signal victories over the Danes; and afterwards, by his master's orders,
invested Stockholm. He was at length removed to Denmark by the tyrant,
who was jealous of his talents.

191.

Ernestus.

Ernestus and Harfagar are fictitious characters. Puffendorff, however,
reports that Steen Sture was killed by the treachery of one of his
confidential friends.--The hint of the vision, l. 281-311, is taken from
Lucan.

335.

Brask's proud genius.

Brask, Bishop of Lincoping, was secretly a partisan of Christiern's, and
escaped the massacre of Stockholm by an artful contrivance. When the
order for Trolle's arrest was signed by the Senate and Bishops, at the
instigation of Steen Sture, he added his name to the rest, but secretly
slipped under the seal a note, declaring his dissent: of this he
informed Christiern, when under the edge of the axe. On Gustavus's
insurrection, he at first remained neutral: afterwards, being besieged
in his castle by Gustavus, he came over to him. But his invincible
obstinacy and factious disposition were a great obstacle to Gustavus in
the introduction of Lutheranism into his kingdom.

336.

Bernheim.

Bernheim is a fictitious character.

337.

Theodore.

Theodore, Archbishop of Lunden, is thus characterized by Vertot:

"L'Archeveque de Lunden avoit beaucoup de part dans sa confiance.
C'etoit un homme de basse naissance, sans erudition, et meme sans
habilete; mais savant dans l'art d'inventer de nouveaux plaisirs,
et qui en connoissoit egalement tous les secrets et les
assaisonnemens. Il etoit redevable de sa faveur et de son elevation
a Sigebritte (the well-known mistress of Christiern): elle l'avoit