those whom
he feared.

[Illustration: SKANSEN RIVER.]

Under what pretence of legality it could be done, and leave to him the
appearance of innocence in the matter, was a difficult question. To
attempt the bloody work with no ostensible motive might lose for him the
crown which he had striven so hard to win, and in the dilemma he
consulted with his confidential advisers as to what should be done.

Some of them proposed that a quarrel and uproar between the Danes and
Swedes in the town should be fomented, which the lords might be accused
of bringing about. But there was danger that such a pretended quarrel
might become a real one, and endanger his throne. Others advised that
gun-powder should be laid under the castle and the lords be accused of
seeking to blow up the king. But this was dismissed as too clumsy a
device.

Finally it was proposed to proceed against the lords as heretics, they
having some years previously been excommunicated by the Pope for
heretical practices. The king, indeed, had solemnly sworn to forget and
forgive the past, but his cunning advisers told him that while he might
speak for himself, he had no warrant to speak for the Church, the laws
and rights of which had been violated. This pretext was seized upon by
Christian with joy and he proceeded to make use of it in a way that every
churchman in the land would have condemned with horror.

On the 7th of November, the day after the coronation festivities ended,
the king proceeded to put his treacherous plot into effect. A number of
noble Swedes who had attended the festivities were brought to the castle
under various pretences, and were there ushered into a large and spacious
hall. With alarm they saw that the doors were closed behind them so that
none could leave, though others might enter.

When all were gathered Christian entered and took his seat on the throne,
with his council and chief lords about him. Archbishop Trolle was also
present as representative of the Church, but without knowledge or
suspicion of the secret purpose of the king, who had brought him there to
sanction by his presence the intended massacre.

The charge which it was proposed to bring against the senators and lords
was that of trespass against the archiepiscopal dignity and to demand
retribution for the same, and this charge was accordingly brought in the
name of the Church. The king then turned to the archbishop and asked:

"My Lord Archbishop, do you intend to