tuba
          Dicere; cancellariusque
          Orbis eris simul universi. 
    Christina, dulcis nympha, diutius
    Ne te moretur:  qui merito clues
          Prudens Ulysses, sperne doctae
          Popula deliciasque Circes. 
    Te casta tentum Penelope vocat,
    Vocant amici, teque aliae vocant
          Legationes, te requirunt
          Ardua multa domi forisque. 
    Custos Sigilli tu dirimes cito
    Pugnas forenses, bellaque principum
          Legatus idem terminabis: 
          Tu (sera candida) claude fanum.”

[73] [This change was probably the consequence of the negotiations then going on between Louis XIV. and Cromwell in London, which had excited the jealousy of the Spanish Court, as is stated by Thurloe in the next page.]

APRIL.

April 1, 1654.

[SN:  A capital execution in Sweden.]

In the morning, in the market-place, near Whitelocke’s lodging, was an execution of one adjudged to die for a murder.  The offender was brought into the midst of the market-place, which was open and spacious, and a great multitude of people spectators.  The offender kneeled down upon the ground, a great deal of sand being laid under and about him to soak up his blood, and a linen cloth was bound about his eyes:  he seemed not much terrified, but when the company sang a psalm, he sang with them, holding up his hands together, and his body upright, his doublet off.  He prayed also with the company, but made no speech to them; nor did any other speak to the people.  The executioner stood behind him, with a great naked sword in his hand and a linen apron before him, and while the offender was praying the headsman in an instant, at one back-blow, cut off his head, which fell down upon the sand; and some friends took it from the executioner, and carried it away with the body to be buried.  Presently after this execution was past, two other offenders for smaller crimes were brought to the same place, to suffer the punishment of the law, which they call running the gauntlet,—­a usual punishment among soldiers.

[SN:  Running the gauntlet.]

The people stood in length in the market-place about a hundred yards, leaving an open space or lane between them of about five yards’ distance; then the offender, being naked to the waist, was brought to one end of the lane or open place.  The people had rods or switches of birch given to as many as would take them; the offender was to run or go, as he pleased (and one of them walked but a Spanish pace), from one end of the lane of people to the other, twice or thrice forward and backward; and all the way as he went, the people who had the switches lashed the offender as he passed by them, harder or softer, as they favoured him.  These are the most usual ways of executions which they have for criminal offences, and they do not execute men by hanging, which they say is only fit for dogs; but in cases of great robberies and murders sometimes they execute justice by breaking the offenders upon the wheel, and leave the quarters of the body upon it; some whereof were in the way as Whitelocke passed in his journey by the great wilderness.