FARTHER CRUELTIES. 171 



sisters of Gustavus, perished from hunger, thirst, and cold ! 

 And those that survived were solely indebted for their lives 

 to the humanity and kindness of Queen Isabella, who, to her 

 everlasting honour, did all in her power to mitigate the 

 horrors of their miserable fate. 



But the atrocious proceedings of Christian were not con- 

 fined to Stockholm alone. The like cruelties were practised, 

 by his orders, in all parts of the kingdom. The adherents 

 of the Stures were diligently sought and hunted down like 

 wild beasts. To their shame it is recorded, that many 

 people of consideration were found, who, to revenge real or 

 imaginary wrongs, were base enough to inform against their 

 neighbours, so that blood flowed in every direction. 



Shortly after the " Blod-bad," Christian set off from 

 Stockholm, on his return to Denmark, telling the people 

 prior to his departure, " that the individuals executed were 

 heretics ; and that it was only through their blood that 

 the kingdom could be freed from the Pope's Ban; that 

 now as they were put to death, he should be enabled in 

 peace and tranquillity to govern the land agreeably to its 

 ancient laws and customs." 



Unhappily, however, all his promises were still perfidious, 

 for his progress through the country was everywhere marked 

 with blood ! Wherever he came the gallows and the heads- 

 man were in constant requisition. At Nykoping he even 

 caused his favourite, Klas Hoist, to be hanged. Christmas 

 he spent at Munkeboda, with Bishop Brask, who had the 

 infamy to betray two of the most devoted of Sture's 

 followers, both of whom were immediately seized and 

 executed, and their remains exposed on the wheel ! 



Among his other atrocities, when on this journey, it is 



