ted and the
letter found; and the Danish king, in ecstasies at his discovery,
despatched the incriminating love-missive immediately to the landgrave of
Hesse.

All was going well there when the letter arrived. The landgrave had
favorably received Erik's emissaries and the prospects of their returning
with the bride seemed fair, when the unlucky letter was put into his
hands. It fell like a thunderbolt. In a rage at seeing himself and his
daughter thus made sport of, the landgrave ordered the Swedes to leave
the town before sunset, under peril of his high displeasure. This ended
the suit for the fair maiden's hand, later ambassadors sent by Erik were
dismissed with contempt, and through having too many irons in the fire
at once the love-sick lord of Sweden found himself without a bride.

His brother, Duke John, was more fortunate, though his courtship also led
to war and his marriage brought him into dismal misfortune. Before
completing the story of Erik's love affairs, the episode of John's
matrimonial venture, with its dire results, may fitly be told.

A marriage had long been arranged between Duke John and Princess
Catharine, sister of King Sigismund of Poland. But obstacles arose and
once more the course of true love did not run smooth. Sigismund had an
older sister Anna, whom he wished married first; but this impediment was
removed by an agreement that John's brother Magnus should marry Anna.

Next the czar of Russia proposed for Catharine, but some dispute about
the marriage contract brought about a refusal. The result was typical of
the rudeness of the times. The Poles had always hated the Russians, and
to show their contempt for them Sigismund had a white figure dressed in
splendid garments and sent to the Russian court, in lieu of the
looked-for bride. Mad with rage at this bitter insult, the czar invaded
and cruelly ravaged Poland, the people, as is so often the case, being
made to suffer for the quarrels and the folly of the kings. From that
time forward the czar hated Sigismund and John, his fortunate rival.

John also had difficulty in getting his brother's consent to go to
Sigismund's court, and after he had set out an envoy was sent after him
ordering him to return. But in disregard of this he went on, and was
favorably received at the Polish court, being a handsome, courteous and
cultivated prince. Catharine was highly pleased with him, but King
Sigismund now repeated his demand that he should marry t