THE EXECUTION. 167 



The King, who it is said witnessed the horrible scene 

 from the windows of the Town- hall, now ordered the execu- 

 tions to commence ; prior to which, however, one of his high 

 officers, named Klas Bille, stationed himself near to the 

 block, for the purpose of receiving the golden chains and 

 signets with which every knightly person was decorated. 



The poor prisoners, seeing their case hopeless, prayed 

 that before they were put to death, they might at least be 

 shrived, and receive the consolation of the Holy Sacrament. 

 But even this poor boon was denied them by the merciless 

 Tyrant. 



Bishop Mattias was the first that suffered. Whilst kneeling 

 in prayer, and with hands clasped and uplifted towards heaven, 

 his secretary, Olaus Petri, together with his brother, Laurentius 

 Petri, both of whom afterwards took a distinguished part in 

 the Reformation, came running to the spot ; but at the same 

 moment the axe fell, and the head of the venerable prelate 

 rolled at their feet ! Horror-stricken at the shocking sight, 

 one of them exclaimed: "This was an inhuman act!" For 

 giving utterance to these words, both were immediately 

 seized, and dragged within the guard of soldiers ; and would 

 certainly have been executed with the rest, had not some of 

 Christian's officers, whose acquaintance they had made in 

 Germany, and who believed them to be natives of that 

 country, saved their lives. 



Bishop Vincentius was next beheaded ; subsequently the 

 Privy Councillors, and such of the nobility and others as 

 had made themselves obnoxious to the Tyrant. Three of 

 the burgomasters of Stockholm, as well as several distin- 

 guished citizens, shared the same fate. 



Erik Johansson Vasa, the father of Gustavus, and Joakim 



