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Doc. 10.) 111
BISHOP JESPER SWEDBERG .
order to His Excellency, &c. The Consistory insisted that
the matter should be closed, and counselled a reconciliation.
On Jan. 21, 1691, the president of the consistory and Isogæus
went to His Excellency, and on behalf of the Consistory
endeavoured to move him to a reconciliation. He showed him.
self inclined, and “ inasmuch as Swedberg did not mean nor
single him out in particular, but as a just and zealous priest
exposed sins and shortcomings in general in his castigation,”
therefore His Excellency was willing to forget " what had
happened, leaving it in the option of the Consistory to give
an official correction to Swedberg, so that in future, in ex
posing sin, he should select his words more carefully.”
Another picture of the times ought to be added to this
serious affair, which we shall relate here. The Church law
of Charles XI was not five years old, and yet had been
transgressed to such a degree, that, as we heard Swedberg
observe in his defence, it had become the general custom in
towns — although it was a breach of the law - for the baptism of
children to take place in private houses, and not in the Church.
It happened about this time that a daughter was born to
Swedberg. He accordingly went up to the King and asked him
humbly, whether he should have his child baptized according
to the fashion of Stockholm , or according to the law of the
Church. The King could not, without contradicting himself,
answer otherwise than, "according to the law of the Church."
“Yes, but I cannot do so, because in that case I shall get
neither a priest nor godparents.” The King was pleased
with Swedberg’s boldness, and so interpreted it, as if he invited
the King himself to be godfather. The royal marshal was
appointed to represent the King. The Queen was invited also,
and consented. Nevertheless, Isogæus refused to baptize the
child. Swedberg was, therefore, obliged to lodge a complaint
on the subject before Count Johan Stenbock, the royal marshal,
who with the following sharp and severe words reproved the
conduct of the rebellious priest : “Are you too good to baptize
a child, when I in the King’s place am godfather ? What
kind of priest are you who are unwilling to observe the law
of the Church ? How can you claim to judge other trespassers
of the law ? " The baptism consequently took place. But in
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