The West Gothland Insurrection


Sweden never had a wiser or more judicious ruler than King Gustavus Vasa,

but in that land of turbulent lords and ambitious mischief-makers the

noblest and most generous of kings could not reign without secret

plotting and rebellious sentiments. So it fell out in Sweden in 1529,

after Gustavus had been six years on the throne.



The leader in this movement was one Ture Joensson, a hoary old conspirator

of g
eat influence in West Gothland, where he and his ancestors had long

been judges and where he was looked upon by the people as their lord and

chief. By a decision of the court he was obliged to restore to the king

certain property which he unjustly held, and he vented his feelings

bitterly against the heretic and tyrant, as he called him. In fact, he

hatched a conspiracy, which spread widely, through his influence, among

the nobles of West Gothland.



In Smaland there was much discontent with the teaching of the Lutheran

doctrines and an outbreak took place, the king's sister and her husband

being taken prisoners by the insurgents. These sent letters to Ture

Joensson in West Gothland, asking him to be their captain, and also wrote

to East Gothland, inciting the people to rise and expel their monarch.



Ture Joensson had three sons, one of them a distinguished soldier in the

king's service, while the second was a man high in the king's favor. The

old rebel had high hopes of aid from these two, and wrote them letters

inciting them to rebellion. But they were not to be drawn from their

allegiance, and took the letters with unbroken seals to the king,

promising to devote their lives to his cause.



The third son, Herr Goeran, dean in Upsala, was of different mold and

sentiment. Opposed to the king on religious grounds, he gathered a body

of peasant runaways, a hundred in number, and, afraid to stay in his

house, he took them to a wood in the neighborhood, felled trees for

barricades, and laid up a supply of provisions in his impromptu fort.



From there he proceeded to Bollnaes, gathering more men and growing

bolder, and fancying in his small soul that he was the destined leader of

a great rebellion. But his valor vanished when a priest of the vicinity,

named Erik, a man faithful to the king, called together a body of his

parishioners and marched against the would-be insurgent.



Dean Goeran was standing at a garret window when he saw these men

approaching. At once, with a most unsoldierlike panic, he rushed in

terror down stairs and fled through a back door into the forest, without

a word to his men of the coming danger. The house was surrounded and the

men made prisoners, the king's steward, whom they held captive, being

released. Erik spoke to them so severely of their disloyalty that they

fell on their knees in prayer and petition, and when he told them that

the best way to gain pardon for their act was to seek and deliver their

fugitive leader, they gladly undertook the task.






The scared leader of rebels meanwhile was wandering in anguish and alarm

through the wide wood, not knowing what to do. Coming at length to a

large forest lake, he entered a little boat that he found and pushed off

from land, thinking thus to be in greater safety.



As he thus sat, lost in his unquiet thoughts, some of his late followers

reached the lake and saw him. So absorbed was he in his bitter

reflections that he failed to see other boats gliding out towards him,

and they were close upon him before he perceived them. Then, leaping up

in wild fright, he sought in his despair to jump into the water, but

before he could do so some of the peasants had rowed up and seized him.

In his bitterness of spirit he tore the gold chain from his neck and the

rings from his fingers and flung them into the lake, resolved that they

should not become the spoil of the king he hated.



But Gustavus was not the man to trouble himself about such small fry of

conspirators as this. The dean was taken to Upsala and thence to

Stockholm, where he was kept in confinement, though with every comfort,

until the rebellion incited by his father was quelled. Then the king,

taking into account his brothers' loyalty and his own insignificance,

freed him and restored him his property. He could well afford to be

lenient to a rebel of his calibre.



If this was all we had to tell, it would not be worth the telling, but

the conspiracy in West Gothland went on and led to events of far greater

interest. A born plotter, old Joensson kept at his work, and to prevent

any news of what was taking place from reaching the king, a guard of a

thousand men was placed to watch the highway and stop all messengers. At

the head of this guard was a priest called Nils of Hvalstad, a thorough

hater of the king. To him the insurgents sent their letters, to be

forwarded to those for whom they were intended. Such was the state of

affairs, the designs of the plotters ripening while the king was in this

way kept in ignorance of matters of such importance to him.



Now we come to the dramatic means by which the king was advised of the

plot. A scout was needed to pass the guards set by the rebels and bring

word to Gustavus of what was going on in West Gothland, and for this

purpose was chosen a young town-sergeant of Stockholm, so famed for

boldness that the people called him Hans Hardy. He had been born in West

Gothland and was familiar with the people and the roads of that province

and was therefore well adapted for the work. He accomplished it in a

manner much better than was expected.



Making his way through forest paths and along little-frequented by-ways,

he succeeded in crossing the river that bordered the province and passing

the rebel outposts, making his way to his old home, where he spent

several weeks with his relations, meanwhile secretly gathering the

information needed.



On his return he pursued a different course. Buying a quantity of West

Gothland cheese, he went directly towards the ford of the Tiweden and so

managed as to let himself fall into the hands of the guard, who brought

him to their leader, Nils of Hvalstad.



The rebel priest charged the seeming peasant roundly with being a spy,

but the cunning fellow pretended to be very simple and bucolic, saying

that it had been four years since he had been in Upland and he now wanted

to go there and sell his cheese.



Nils was not so easily to be hoodwinked, but bade his men take the

supposed spy to the sergeant's house at Hofwa, where four men were set

over him as guards. The pretended simpleton seemed well-enough pleased,

eating and drinking freely, talking cheerfully of country affairs with

his guards, and spending his money freely, so that the sergeant grew to

like the jovial country lad.



After a few days, however, Hans pretended to be sick, sighing and

groaning as if in severe pain. Finally he took to his bed and seemed in

such a sad state that they all pitied the poor cheesemonger and his

guards often left him for hours alone, thinking his sickness was all the

security that was needed.



Hans Hardy had a purpose in this. He had discovered that Nils kept a box

in a dark corner of the room and imagined that it might contain something

of importance to him in his mission. In fact he had thrown himself in his

hands for the purpose of fathoming his plots. One day, while left alone,

he got up and examined the box, and to his joy found in it a number of

letters from the chief conspirators, containing full evidence of their

complication. Having read enough of them to gain an idea of their

character, he put them back, shut the box, and pushed it again into its

dark corner.



Then he took to his bed once more and when his guards returned they found

him moaning more sorely than before and seeming in such sad case that

they thought him at the point of death. Pitying the poor fellow, they

deemed it idle to watch him and went contentedly to their beds. The next

morning, when they rose, the sick man had vanished and with him the box

and its contents. Hans had got off with the precious burden into the

forest, with whose paths he was thoroughly familiar, leaving his late

guards his cheese for consolation.



He reached Stockholm in safety with his budget of letters and took them

to the king, who rewarded him liberally for his valuable service and bade

him to keep it secret. This he did, and it was long before any one knew

where Hans Hardy had been or what had become of the lost letters. King

Gustavus kept his counsel and bided his time.



Meanwhile the work of the conspirators went on, they going so far as to

nominate a new king, their choice falling upon Mans Bryntesson, Ture

Joensson's brother-in-law, a handsome and eloquent young man, far more

suitable in person than in mind for a king. He was soft, irresolute, and

somewhat foolish, and when treated with royal honors by the conspirators,

he began holding court with princely pomp, borrowing money from his

friends for this purpose when his own was exhausted.



Having gone so far with his plans, Ture called a convention of the people

of the province to meet on Larfva Heath, saying that he had matters of

the highest importance to lay before them. Here was a great plain, where

the Gothlanders for ages had held their public meetings, and where Ture's

summons brought together a goodly number.



With the insurgent lords around him, and proud of his power and

authority, Sir Ture now addressed the peasants, in full confidence of

their support. His principal charge against the king was that he had

accepted the Lutheran doctrines and wished to introduce a new faith into

the country to the ruin of the common people.



"Now," he continued, "I have always understood that the good West

Gothlanders have no mind to become Lutherans, but prefer to retain the

old faith which their fathers and forefathers have had before them. If

you will from this day renounce King Gustavus I will give you a mild and

gracious sovereign, who will preserve for you your good old customs."



Bishop Magnus followed with a brief address, after which Sir Ture,

convinced from the intent silence of the peasants that they were with

him, said:



"Let him who gives his consent to take a new king stretch up his hands."



To his consternation not a hand was lifted, while a threatening murmur

was heard among the peasants. Neither the lords nor the bishop knew what

to make of this. They had gone on with their plots without a dream that

the people would not be with them. As for the newly chosen king, who had

been eagerly waiting to receive their homage, he fell back white and

trembling. At length two young peasants stood forth to speak for the

people, one of them loudly declaring:



"We have nothing to charge against King Gustavus, but owe him deep

gratitude for having freed us from the cruel and tyrannical rule of King

Christian, and kept the land in law and right as well as in peace and

quiet. What you, good sirs, say of the new faith, we peasants can neither

judge nor understand; perhaps it may not be so bad as fame reports.

Change of rulers generally costs the peasants and the land dear, and we

might by these means draw upon ourselves and our children long disquiet

and disorder. It seems, therefore, best for us to remain in the faith

and allegiance which we have sworn and promised to our lawful lord and

master Gustaf Eriksson."



These words had evidently the full approval of the people, to judge from

their upstretched hands and their loud acclamations, and at once the

courage of the conspirators fell to the ground. What to say or to do they

knew not. They had foolishly gone forward with their plots without

consulting the people and now found themselves in a sore dilemma. Instead

of coming to their aid, as they had expected, there was reason to fear

that the peasants would seize them and hand them over to the king. In his

utter dismay Ture Joensson faltered out:



"My very good friends, I only wished by this trial to test your fidelity.

None of the lords have a thought of deserting the king. A fortnight hence

we hope to meet you here again, to consult further on our mutual

interests."



This ended the meeting on Larfva Heath. The peasants returned to their

homes and the lords in dismay sought their castles. The bottom had

suddenly dropped out from the rebellion and the conspirators were in a

perilous position. War against the king was impossible, and in haste they

sent a message to Nils of Hvalstad ordering him to break up the camp on

the Tiweden and bidding him to come to them without delay.



When he came they asked him what he had done with the letters which had

been put in his care. Not daring to tell that they had been stolen, he

said that he had burnt them on hearing of the result of the Larfva

meeting. Another custodian of letters was also sent for and asked the

same question. He had really sent his letters to the king, but he

produced a budget of papers which he now threw into the fire, telling

them that they might be at rest about these perilous papers, which could

now never appear against them.



Somewhat relieved in their minds by this act, Mans Bryntesson, Ture

Bjelke, and Nils Winge, three of the leading conspirators, decided to

remain at home. To become wandering outlaws was too bitter a fate; they

had not spoken at Larfva Heath, their letters were burnt, there was no

evidence against them. But as for Ture Joensson and Bishop Magnus, they

had put themselves openly on record. The pretence that the meeting had

been called to test the loyalty of the people would have no weight with a

man like King Gustavus. To remain would be to risk their lives, and

collecting their money and valuables they made all haste to set foot on

Danish territory, Ture Joensson finally to meet a tragical death in the

invasion of Norway by the deposed King Christian, as described in the

preceding tale.



The embers of the rebellion were easily extinguished and the nation

returned to its peaceful and satisfied condition, the officers of the

king holding meetings with the malcontents and promising full pardon to

those who would confess and renounce their disloyal acts. This offer of

pardon was accepted by nearly the whole of the conspirators, the only

ones who held out being Mans Bryntesson, the mock king, Nils Winge, and

Ture Bjelke. Trusting to their letters having been destroyed they wrote

to the king, saying that, as they felt entirely guiltless, they could not

plead guilt and implore pardon, and thus put themselves under suspicion.

They begged him to appoint a meeting at which their conduct could be

investigated. This he agreed to, the 17th of June being fixed as the

date.



When the time came the three lords appeared before the appointed tribunal

and were exhorted to confess their share in Ture Joensson's rebellion.

Mans Bryntesson answered for the three, boldly declaring:



"We did not venture to set ourselves against Ture Joensson on account of

his great influence in the province; we often heard him speak

disrespectfully of the king, but we bore with him in this for the sake of

amusement, attributing it to his old age and childishness. But it can

never be shown that we bore any share in his treason."



"What will you venture that this cannot be proved against you?" asked the

king.



"Our neck to the sword and our bodies to the wheel, as the law exacts,"

they confidently replied.



"Take care," said one of the counsellors. "Do not venture so much.

Perhaps you may yet be found guilty."



They replied by a haughty "No," and insisted on their innocence. Gustavus

then spoke again, his gaze now stern and threatening:



"Choose one of these two. Either to confess yourselves guilty and accept

pardon, or to be tried and condemned according to law."



"We choose to be judged according to the law," they replied; "and if we

be found partakers in this rebellion we will willingly suffer and pay for

it, as may be adjudged against us."



These words, and the stern dignity of the king, impressed all in the

hall. Complete silence reigned and all eyes were fixed on his face. He

gave a signal to his servants and two boxes were carried in. These were

opened and a number of letters were produced. The king asked the culprits

if they recognized these letters. This they stoutly denied. Then a number

of them were read aloud and complete proof of their complicity in the

rebellion was shown, the judges recognizing the hand and seal of the

defendants.



Pale and thunderstruck, they listened tremblingly to the reading of the

fatal letters; then fell upon their knees, weeping and imploring mercy.

Their repentance came too late. The king bade the council to examine into

the matter at once and pronounce sentence. This was that the three

criminals should suffer the fate which they had declared themselves ready

to bear; they were condemned as traitors and sentenced to loss of life

and estate.



The trembling culprits were taken to a room above the school-house,

locked in and a strong guard set before the door. Here they were left to

the contemplation of their coming fate. Despairingly they looked around

for some means of escape, and a shade of hope returned when they fancied

they had discovered one. There were no bars to their window, but it was

far above the ground. But beneath it stood a pear tree, so near the

building that they thought they might leap into its branches and climb

down its trunk to the ground.



Waiting until night had fallen, they prepared to make the effort, Mans

Bryntesson being the first to try. He missed the tree and fell to the

ground, breaking his leg in the fall. The others, seeing his ill fortune,

did not venture to follow. In great pain he crept from the garden into an

adjoining field. Here his strength gave out and he lay hidden in the

half-grown rye.



Missed the next morning, his trail through the grass was easily followed

and he was found and carried back to prison. Soon after the prisoners

were taken to Stockholm, where Mans Bryntesson and Nils Winge were

beheaded and their bodies exposed on the wheel. Their estates, however,

were restored to their widows and children. The third, Ture Bjelke, being

less guilty, was pardoned, but was obliged to pay heavy penalties for his

treasonable acts. And thus, with the death of these two criminals and the

exile of two others, ended the West Gothland insurrection.



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