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Doc. 10.) 135
BISHOP JESPER SWEDBERG .
powerful he imagined himself to be, would dare to touch a
hair of his head.” This treatment of him, he said, was
not begun yesterday, or the day before yesterday, but long
since, at least thirty years ago. He then alluded to several
persecutions he had had to suffer, but which could not prevent
his preferment
, and at the close he burst out in these
sublime words : “At least I know that my angel has received
a command from God to have in readiness a crown, which
he will place upon my head, when I depart hence, and enter
into God’s kingdom. Meanwhile I shall sit down in my
honourable place with greater courage, joy, and renown, if
possible, than before.”
In his letter to the Queen he recalled to her mind what he
had told her orally, when she succeeded to the throne, about
some remarks which her father, Charles XI, had made to him ,
not long before his death : “I have now reigned in Sweden
twenty -three years," he said ; “when I first became King, I
had faith in all men, now I have faith in none;" whereupon
Swedberg answered, “To have faith in all men is not well,
for there are many wicked persons among them.” The King
said, “They are far too many.” Swedberg resumed, “But to
have faith in none, is not well either ; for there are still honest
and well-disposed men left;" upon which the King observed,
“ Now , it is too late. ” This incident, which Swedberg had men
tioned to Charles XII, he communicated also to the Queen
with an admonition, to test those to whose counsel she en
trusted herself; and this remark it was, which had been ex
plained to Swedberg’s injury.
The opposition to Swedberg had, however, still deeper root.
The powerful order of the nobility could not forget the severity
with which he chastised their pride and their desire for orders
and distinctions, and their shameful abuse of the rights of
patronage which were in their hands. “ This it was,” says
Swedberg, “which made me unpleasant in their eyes, and which
made them hate me in their hearts ." If he had not been
protected by those highest in power, they would long before
this have endeavoured “ to remove and kill” him . But certainly
it was not with the view of assuaging the wrath of his enemies,
that he’ at the Diet publicly upbraided them with their love
"
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