the great Gustavus and Charles X., together with their "hufvud-banérs"-carved heraldic shields, richly emblazoned, from which shines forth the "bloody heart" of Bruce on its bed, a white rose-the badge adopted by the Swedish Douglas in memory of Charles Stuart, to whose fortunes they had so faithfully devoted themselves. We breakfasted with the gnats under an awning at the krog, then took horses and drove to Linköping. The hufvud (head-chief) banér was carried before the coffin at funerals; to the staff hung a black crape veil. At great funerals there were three; one bearing the arms of the deceased, a second the quarterings of his mother, and a third those of his father. The hufvudbaners were afterwards placed in the church, like our hatchments. In the 17th century artists of note occupied themselves with the carving and painting of these heraldic shields, among whom we find mentioned, 1677, one Pierre Signaque. CHAPTER XXVII. Linköping and her English bishops - Nicholas Breakspear holds a diet Cathedral - Monument of Thure Bjielke-Blood-bath of Linköping Letter of Christina Banér Gustaf Adolf as a boySigismund and his Scots lose the day - Abraham Brahe and the English minister. --- LINKÖPING.* BUILT on a table-land by the Stång-ån banks, Linköping has no site to boast of; the absence of either sea or lake offends the eye accustomed by long habit to regard water as necessary. Driving by the stone cathedral, we come to the great market, where peasants vend fresh milk in quantities quite astounding. The hotel, a splendid building, with marble hall and staircase worthy of Italy, occupies one side of the square. Our first visit was to the cathedral, erected by King Sverker in the time of Bishop Herbert.† Lying inscriptions, carved by the monks, in the roof, pretend that the building dates from the days of King Berone, who flourished long before Anscarius visited Sweden.‡ * Linköping derives its name from Lingur, a rich “odalbonde," some say judge, who dwelt near Tornevalla, and lies buried by Stångebro, his spouse Gumfrid in the Gumpekulla. This lady would be of no consequence only she turns up again later. Herbert and Richard, two Englishmen, were the first Bishops of Linköping, beyond which we know nothing of them, having no Brynolf to record their good or evil deeds, A.D. 813. Up to the twelfth century the Archbishop of Lund reigned supreme in the land; but, said the Swedes, "we have more churches than the Danes, and ought, therefore, to have an archbishop of our own." At this Lund, waxing wroth, shook her archiepiscopal staff in defiance, threatening woes and calamities to such ungrateful sons. There was but one remedy-appeal to the popeand appeal they did. In 1122 Cardinal Albanensis (Nicholas Breakspear, our embryo English pope) arrived at Linköping, where he held a Rikmöte or Diet. Svea and Göta both put in their claims, one for Upsala, the other for Linköping, as the site of the new archbishopric; the former gained the day; maybe the pope judged it wiser to place the seat of power in the neighbourhood of that stronghold of paganism, old Sigtuna. Nicholas was a man of tact; he arranged, as a sop to angry Lund, that the new Swedish primate should receive the cope, sent by the pontiff, from the hands of her archbishop. So Linköping remained but a bishopric after all.* In these days, when folks are sadly ignorant of old matters spiritual, it may prove interesting to know what this cope was. It was made of white lambskin, on which were wrought four purple crosses, and fastened with three gold pins set with precious stones. To fabricate this garment was nearly as difficult as to follow a recipe in a cookery-book. Two white lambs were borne, on St. Agnes' day, 21st January, to the altar of St. Giovanni's church, and there received in state by two canons of the Lateran, who turned them out to feed * Having settled this matter, Nicholas made arrangements for the payment of Peter's pence, as yet unknown in Sweden, to the great contentment, no doubt, of the pope and the holy conclave. till shearing-time, when their wool was blessed at St. Peter's, sprinkled with holy water, and perfumed with incense. Of this material the copes were made; and on St. Peter's day were laid on the altar under which the apostle lies interred. Do not imagine these garments could be had for nothing; that of the new Archbishop of Upsala cost him 4474 rix-dog cheap, however; for Mayence's prince-bishop was made to pay 30,000 gulden. Swedish history is comprised in four chapters: the times of the Fylkeskonung, or petty kings; next, those of the Jarls; then the rule of the Church; and lastly, that of her sovereigns; and really which of the four abused their power most 'twould be a hard matter to decide. Passing over the petty kings and jarls, we come to Linköping's bishops, of whom her last Roman prelate, Hans Brask, is most worthy of notice. How he did King Christian, sneaking out of the Blood-bath, is a matter of history. Resist the Diet of Westerås he could not, but he gave Gustavus the slip, carrying off the treasures of his diocese to Götland. On inquiring of a Lutheran teacher from whence he derived certain doctrines, "From St. Paul," was the reply. "I had rather," he exclaimed, "see the works of St. Paul burnt than they should become known to the people." Brask was sincere; he remained true *Bishop Brask, son of a burgomaster of the town, was a man of wit and genius. When Archbishop Trolle was degraded from his office no one dared to say a word in his favour; but Brask, before affixing the great wax seal to his signature, slily placed beneath it a little slip of paper on which he had written the words "I do this by compulsion." When in 1517, previous to the Blood-bath, all who had signed the document were condemned to death by Christian, Brask withdrew the paper from beneath the seal, and so saved his life. |