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284 VI. GREAT KINGS AND BISHOPS (A.D. 15931718).
monies, prayer books and hymn books. Each bishop with
his consistorium, or chapter, was a law to himself. Those
who wish to trace the history of the revival and reconstruc
tion of the Swedish chapters in the seventeenth century
may do so in a learned treatise by Professor Hjalmar
Holmquist, who, of course, draws attention to the German
influence which is implied in the word "
Consistorium."
33
In the time of which I am now speaking the lay element in
these revived chapters was small, and the principle in
volved in its presence was perhaps not perceived.
But the king wished to have a
"
Consistorium Generale
"
for the whole kingdom, which was to superintend the whole
Church. It was to be the court of appeal in all cases
between bishops and priests, to have the oversight of
academies, schools, hospitals, etc., to examine candidates
for benefices in royal patronage and others, and to watch
over the purity of doctrine. It was to consist of twelve
members, the archbishop, and the bishops of Strengnas
and Vesteras (that is the three whose see-cities were on
Lake Malar, and, therefore, within easy reach of Stock
holm), the chief court chaplain, the pastor primarius of
Stockholm, and the chief theological professor of Upsala
and six laymen. The latter were the high steward, two
councillors of state and three others. It was to meet
every year at Stockholm.
This project was, however, stoutly resisted by Rudbeck-
ius and the other bishops, especially Laurentius Paulinus
Gothus, Bishop of Strengnas (1609 1636), and not less,
we may suppose, by those of the more distant sees. On
the king s side, however, were many of the lower clergy,
led by Dr. Johannes Matthias, who, after a long residence
in England and Holland, had come to love the tolerance
which there prevailed. In 1629 Matthias became court
chaplain, and followed Gustavus in the Thirty Years
War. The resistance, nevertheless, of the bishops was so
33
See De Svenska Domkapitlens forvandling till Ldrare-
kapitel, 1571 1687, Upsala, 1908, esp. pp. 54-62.
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