And strive which first shall see the morn arise—­

All the transactions recorded in the Third Book are supposed to have taken place on the evening and night preceding the annual festival of Dalecarlia, a day so memorable in Swedish history.

364.

    And icy Meler blush’d with civil gore.

A most bloody engagement took place in 1464, on the lake Meler, when frozen over, between Bishop Catil and the partizans of the twice deposed Canutson.  The Bishop was victorious.

371.

    Suante.

See the account of Steen Sture, in the note on line 15 of the First Book.

406.

    His patriot spirit entered in my breast.

My precedent for this is Lucan, who says of the soul of Pompey,

    ——­ in sancto pectore Bruti
    Sedit, et invicti posuit se mente Catonis.

Lib. ix. l. 17.

433.

    ——­ we are still forgot,
    And harmless poverty is still our lot.

Gustavus appeared in a public assembly of the Sudermanian Peasants, and exhorting them to revolt, was repulsed with the following answer:  “We want neither salt nor herrings under the reign of the King of Denmark, and another King could not give us more:  besides, if we take arms against so great a Prince, we shall unavoidably perish.”  The Swedish peasantry, however, soon felt that the cruelty and tyranny of Christiern were something more than a mere report.

460.

    Imperial Charles, &c.

“Charles-Quint entroit dans les interets du Roi de Danemarck avec une chaleur que la seule alliance ne produit guere entre les potentats.  On pretend que ce prince, le plus ambitieux de son siecle, n’avoit accorde la princesse sa soeur a Christierne, qu’a condition qu’il le reconnoitroit pour son successeur aux couronnes du Nord, en cas qu’il mourat sans enfans.  Cette succession etoit une piece importante au dessein de la monarchiae universelle:  on sait assez que ce fut l’idole et la vision de ce Prince.”  P. 110, Amst. ed.

489.

    Ere Freedom light again her once extinguished ray.

I beg leave to quote the animated lines of Lord Byron: 

    A thousand years scarce serve to form a state: 
    An hour may lay it in the dust:  and when
    Shall man its shatter’d vigour renovate,
    Recal its glories back, and vanquish Time and Fate?

539.

    My spirit breath’d a purer prayer to thee—­

Alluding to his profession of Lutheranism, which he probably embraced while in Steen Sture’s army.

564.

    Scarce had he finish’d ——­

The foregoing soliloquy is introduced for many reasons:  first, to illustrate the character of the hero:  secondly, to shew the difficulties which opposed, and were still destined to oppose, his memorable enterprize:  thirdly, to account for his determination (Book ii. l. 509.) to leave his country:  and, fourthly, to give the reader some idea of the prior calamities of Sweden, which are to be developed in a future book.  These, and other motives, induced me to insert this soliloquy, which may appear rather long, but the prolixity of which the good-natured reader will excuse.