160 HIS PROFOUND HYPOCRISY. 



the palace, where a sumptuous banquet was in readiness. 

 The festivities lasted three days, during which the King was 

 in a joyous mood, and particularly kind and gracious to the 

 Swedes, as if desirous of making them some amends for the 

 humiliation to which they had been exposed at the coro- 

 nation. But this was all base hypocrisy. 



Christian now took counsel with some of his more 

 confidential advisers, when it was resolved, that as nearly 

 the whole of those doomed to die of whom Bishop 

 Otto Svinhufvud had already furnished the list, arid 

 amongst whom were all the members of the Rad, or 

 Council of State were then in Stockholm, and in his 

 hands, so to say, now was the time to put the bloody project 

 into execution. But the Tyrant, wishing to make it appear 

 that he was innocent in the matter, the question arose, 

 under what pretence the hellish design should be carried 

 out? Some proposed that a disturbance should be got up 

 in the town between the Swedes and the Danes, and that 

 afterwards the marked men should be accused of having 

 been the originators of the tumult, and then put to death. 

 But there was danger in this expedient ; for as the towns- 

 people by no means loved the Danes, it was thought the 

 feint might turn out a reality, and the fight end in a regular 

 insurrection. This proposal was therefore negatived. Others 

 again suggested that gunpowder should be laid under the 

 palace, and the Swedes charged with having placed it there, 

 for the purpose of destroying the King; but this being 

 thought a too bare-faced scheme, was also laid aside. It 

 was then proposed that the Holy Father's Ban, of which 

 mention has been made, should be had recourse to, and that 

 the proscribed should be arraigned for their transgressions 



