Full resolution (TIFF) - On this page / på denna sida - VII. Reign of Gustavus Vasa, 1523–1560 - C. Gustavus Vasa, His Family and Old Age - VIII. Reigns of the Sons of Gustavus Vasa, 1560–1611 - A. Reign of Eric XIV, 1560–1568
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Eric XIV 127
pure Word, which by Your Grace’s favor has come to
Sweden, Your Grace’s memory will live, as also in for-
ests and plains, mountains and valleys, rivers and
lakes, which no one before knew how to use rightly ;
and mills and fisheries, which for the perpetual good
of the realm now devised and used can never be for-
gotten/’
CHAPTER VIII
REIGNS OF THE SONS OF GUSTAVUS VASA
1560-1611
A. REIGN OF ERIC XIV, 1560-1568
Eric’s Suspicious Disposition and Violence. Eric was
highly gifted, and like all Gustavus Vasa’s sons, he had
received a careful education. He was versed in many
branches of learning and spoke several languages. He
enjoyed the fine arts, could paint, sing, play the lute,
write and compose. Like all the sons of Gustavus he
was a stately man and was the handsomest of them.
But he was afflicted with a sickly ’temperament. This
weakness he aggravated by intemperance and other
vices in his association with depraved persons. In vain
had his father warned him. When sober he had mo-
ments of remorse and deep anguish. He imagined that
all prominent persons were traitors and wished him
ill. He was continually sending out spies to ascertain
what people thought of him. His suspicion of the lords
was abetted by his secretary and favorite, Goran Pers-
son, son of a clergyman of Westmanland. He was an
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