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16. VADSTENA AND THE FOLKUNGAR. 139
leges as the Franciscan, it did great service to Sweden, and
even to England, where the nuns of Syon did honour to the
memory of their founder, King Henry V., and even now
keep up a small house in Devonshire. The mother house
of Vadstena was the centre of the religious life of Sweden
and of its higher education. To it we may ascribe a great
influence in forming the noble character of most of the
Swedish ladies of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries ;
for
those who were not educated there were almost all in
terested in the convent of Vadstena, and on friendly terms
with its inmates.
Its library was a remarkable one, and still forms an im
portant portion of the university collection at Upsala. Its
preachers went everywhere through the country, preaching
in the mother tongue. From it issued (though doubtless in
few copies) the first Swedish versions of the Scriptures and
translations of famous mystical books and sermons. Its
chronicle, the Diarium Vazstenense,*
1
which covers the
period from 1344 to 1545 just two centuries is not only
an indispensable document for Swedish history, but gives
a picture of a quiet religious life, which it is very comfort
ing to contemplate. The Church historian, Reuterdahl,
writes of it with more than usual display of feeling in speak
ing of the moral and religious character of the Union period.
After confessing that we have many evidences of mischief,
both among the clergy and in the convents, he adds that
we have also many which witness to inward piety, and
deep reverence for Christ and His work on earth.
"
If
anyone doubts this let him simply read without prejudice
the old meagre inventories of gifts, and the registers of
benefactions, and the monastic chronicles. Let him
especially read through the Diary of Vadstena. Simple
but warm faith and inward and humble love may be read
there in almost every line. It would be unjust not to read
it."
22
21
Printed in the first volume of the Scriptores rerum
Suecicarum, Upsala, 1818.
22
Svenska Kyrkans Historia, Vol. iii., pt. 2, p. 395, Lund.
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