144 THE PAPAL BULL. 



the lake Malar, where he and his friends, finding that 

 matters had proceeded to extremities, had taken refuge. 



But certain warlike munitions were wanting, and Stake 

 being a very strong place, and operations in consequence 

 going on but slowly, the Regent sent to Lubeck for a farther 

 supply. In the meantime, Sture's step-mother, who was on 

 bad terms with him, gave private information of the cir- 

 cumstance to Christian, in Denmark, on which the latter, 

 though a truce then existed between the two countries, seized 

 upon the vessel on board of which the supplies had been 

 shipped. 



The Swedish Diet were highly indignant at this outrageous 

 proceeding, and resolved : " That as the Tyrant had not kept 

 his royal word as to the truce, they would not on any account 

 receive him for King ;" and farther : " That the siege of 

 Stake should be prosecuted with all possible vigour; that 

 when captured, it should be demolished; and that Trolle 

 should be deprived of his bishopric." 



As Christian now clearly saw, that having committed an 

 act of direct hostility against Sweden, he should never be 

 able, either by negotiation or perfidy, to obtain the crown of 

 that country, he determined on attempting its conquest by 

 open war. 



As a preparatory step, he, in order to estrange the minds 

 of the people from the existing authorities, through his 

 envoy at Rome, procured an excommunication from the 

 Holy Father against the Regent and the whole of the 

 Council: "For that they, by force, had deprived Trolle 

 of his rights, and would not acknowledge him (Christian) 

 as their lawful King." 



Archbishop Birger of Lund that town then belonging 



