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The Thirty Years9
War 153
when such dangers threatened. "It is an old woman’s
solace to moan and suffer; one should by wise means
remedy and remove the evil/’ he declared. But could
he prevail upon his people to engage in this dangerous
war?
Ever since Gustavus Vasa passed away, the years of
peace had been few in Sweden. Hence, among all the
people there was a deep longing for the blessings of
peace. But should one purchase it by sacrificing future
freedom, and suffer brethren in the faith to perish?
No, rather, then, put forth all the powers of the state.
No one should under such circumstances think of his
own interests and comforts.
The Swedes were, in the language of old Gustavus
Vasa, "a determined people and devoted to great enter-
prises." The Estates agreed to the war and assumed
the burdens of many new taxes. The nobility set a
good example to the other Estates by giving up their
exemptions. By the side of the heavy money taxes
were the "blood taxes" ; conscriptions, almost annual,
took the flower of the youth of the land. The method
of conscription was as follows : All men fit for service
in each district were called together and divided into
groups of ten. In each group one, the fittest, was
selected. As a rule such were selected as could best be
spared at home.
Gustavits Adolphus’ Farewell to His People. In the
spring of 1630 when the fleet lay at Elfsnabben, near
Stockholm, ready to sail away to Germany with the
Swedish regiments, Gustavus Adolphus bade farewell
to the Estates assembled in Stockholm. Most of them
had on other occasions heard the king speak to his
A History of Sweden. 11.
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