200 ANCIENT MANNERS AND CUSTOMS. 



The roads were few and wretched, so that wheel- carriages 

 were seldom used. The first covered carriage was intro- 

 duced into Sweden during the reign of Johan III., son of 

 Gustavus. Most journeys were made on horseback, and 

 when it rained the royal princesses wore capacious cloaks 

 composed of oil-cloth. 



High-sounding titles were never made use of. The king 

 was simply called " His Grace ;" a Prince " Junker," now an 

 obsolete term ; and a Princess " Froken" a designation 

 applied also at the present day to all noble-born maidens, but 

 for which we have no equivalent in the English language. 



Passing strange as it may appear, knights were then 

 accustomed to lay themselves down in the bridal-bed cased 

 in full armour. 



These men, like their predecessors, were very ignorant, 

 more especially those advanced in years. Many of King 

 Gustavus' highest officers could not even read, and were 

 therefore obliged to retain an amanuensis for the special 

 purpose of perusing and replying to his majesty's letters. 



The Catholic religion was abolished in Sweden, but many 

 of its superstitions remained ; and not only the common 

 people, but the higher classes, still believed in witchcraft. 



Medical science was at a low ebb ; its remedies, consisting 

 for the most part of aperients and exorcisms. 



In those days, owing in great measure to the civil wars 

 which had so long devastated the kingdom, great ferocity 

 and contempt for order prevailed amongst all classes. Brute 

 force was more frequently had recourse to than the law; 

 and deadly weapons were constantly used for the settlement 

 of disputes. From the habits of the people, they would seem 

 to have been bred in camps ; alongside of the plough and 



