HIS ESCAPE. 149 



The following year 1519 Christian, nothing daunted 

 by previous ill-success, again made great preparations to 

 invade Sweden. Prisoner as he was, and unable to assist 

 in his country's defence, this intelligence was torture to 

 Gustavus. His spirits were also galled by constantly hearing 

 the boastful and insulting expressions of the young Danes. 

 " This time," said they, " we shall know better how to 

 manage matters. We shall altogether destroy the most 

 distinguished and wealthiest of the Swedes ; and afterwards 

 those amongst us who are poor, and of little consideration, 

 shall marry their widows, and thus obtain power and wealth." 

 He heard much also of the Tyrant's cruel and perfidious 

 proceedings in Denmark and elsewhere. 



Driven at length to frenzy by dwelling on these painful 

 matters though nothing can excuse the forfeiture of his 

 word to his benefactor Gustavus determined on escaping 

 from Kallo, where, under other circumstances, and if he 

 could have forgotten that he was a prisoner, and had been 

 carried away in so subtle a manner from his native land, he 

 might have lived happily enough. 



Disguising himself as a peasant, the young knight there- 

 fore departed privately at an early hour in the morning from 

 his cousin's hospitable roof, and avoiding the high roads, 

 made the best of his way to Flensburg, in Schleswig, where he 

 arrived by noon on the following day. Here he fell in with 

 some drovers, then on their way to Lubeck, with a herd of 

 oxen. With these men having assumed their garb he 

 joined company ; and after several narrow escapes, succeeded 

 in reaching that town in safety. 



Immediately on his arrival in Lubeck, Gustavus made 

 himself known to the authorities. He stated the trea- 



