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7- GUSTAVUS TROLLE AND CHRISTIAN II. 179
lost their heads, then twelve temporal lords, including Eric
Abrahamsson, Eric Johansson Vasa and Joakim Brahe;
then the burgomasters of Stockholm and the principal
citizens. A Danish knight who was present informed the
people that the archbishop had thrice adjured the king
upon his knees so to punish the guilty, but Vincentius
declared that this was untrue, and that it was the king who
was the traitor. As this is asserted by Olaus Petri, the
reformer, who was present as one of the company of his
bishop, it must be assumed to be true ;
and so far it clears
Trolle of the worst suspicion. Olaus also notes the in
gratitude of the king towards Bishop Mathias, who, since
the treaty was drawn up, had done more than any man in
Sweden to promote his cause, and without whom the king
would not have succeeded in his enterprise. The
next day other victims were executed.
"
The dead
bodies
"
(says Olaus Petri)
"
were left to lie in the market
place from Thursday till Saturday. It was a pitiful and
terrible sight to see how, in that rainy season, blood, mixed
with water and filth, ran down in the gutters off the market
place." Many of the citizens were taken from their busi
ness without a moment for thought, or for making their
peace with God. Others were drawn from the crowd if
they showed any sympathy as spectators. Men at arms,
who had come in the retinue of the lords who were executed,
were torn off their horses in their boots and spurs, and borne
straight to the gallows, which were often full and rarely
empty. Another spectator, Olaus Magni, the historian,
afterwards titular archbishop of Upsala, saw ninety-four
persons beheaded ;
and others were hanged or butchered in
other ways. Before the massacre terminated the king sent
letters to all the provinces, saying that he had caused Sten
Sture s chief abettors to be punished as notorious heretics,
according to the sentence of the bishops, prelates and the
wisest men in Sweden, and that he would henceforth govern
the kingdom in peace by the laws of St. Eric. On the
Saturday the king ordered a great fire to be kindled in the
suburb of Sodermalm, where the Church of St. Catharine
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