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116 [Doc. 10 .
SWEDENBORG’S ANCESTRY.
we wish to mention only an instance of his zeal as Rector of
the University, as gathered from his own account. It was in
the matter of the printer Curio, who for many years “claimed
a considerable sum of money from the university. Curio
gained his suit in the Supreme Court, and the University mill
was seized and kept in pledge " until the last penny should
be paid. Through the machinations of a certain individual
(O. Rudbeck) the time for making an appeal had gone
by.” The professors prevailed on Swedberg to undertake a
journey to the King. He had an audience of His Majesty
at six o’clock in the morning, and gave him an account of
the matter, including Rudbeck’s machinations. At nine o’clock
he appeared before the Privy Council. At twelve o’clock
he received a favourable answer to his petition. And thus by
Swedberg’s assistance the University was in a few hours
a
relieved of its debt, and of the costly process of litigation,
which it had carried on for nearly twenty years. It did not
however pay either him or any one else a penny. “Thus,"
he adds, “one ought to work for the general good, and ought
not to respect his own comfort or advantage."
Before Swedberg had entered upon his pastorate at
Vingåker, he was appointed a member of the Committee, which
the King had established in 1686, for the purpose of revising
and improving the translation of the Bible. The work of re
vision progressed with great rapidity, indeed too rapidly to
inspire confidence in the result. It was commenced in August
1691, and finished by the 22nd of June of the next year.
Swedberg’s zeal was indefatigable, and showed itself both in
hurrying forward the work and in furnishing the necessary
means. A German printer, George Burchardi, probably from
Lübeck, who had settled in Stockholm , was sent abroad for
paper, printing apparatus, workmen, &c. Swedberg advanced
him 50,000 dalers in copper belonging to his wife and children,
the King guaranteeing him against loss. Burchardi came back
with twelve journeymen and one foreman ; and a large quantity
of excellent paper from Holland, Germany, and Basle was sent
after him . The preparations were certainly great, yet the
whole undertaking miscarried. Burchardi with his machinery
waited in vain. The whole of this as well as a later work
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