Speech in 1527: If so, I do not wish to be your king

By Gustav Vasa.

If so, I do not wish to be your king. I would have expected a different answer from you. Now I cannot be surprised that the common people are mad and show me all disobedience, resentment and annoyance, because I perceive that they have good instigators. If they don't get rain, then they blame me, if they don't get sunshine they do the same, hard years happen to them, hunger and pestilence or whatever it may be, all I have to bear the blame, as if they didn't know that I am a man and no one God.

This is also thanks to the fact that through great heartache and concern I procured so much grain into the country, rye and malt from foreign countries, so that this poor Swedish people would not endure the misery of starving to death. But (said he) I may work for your good as much as I can and am able, either in spiritual or worldly things, I have nothing else to expect in reward but that you would be pleased to see that the ax sat in my head, but I the will not to hold the shaft themselves.

I could do without such wages and such sorrow, as well as any of you. And all that I must bear, yea, more labor and trouble than any of you can know or understand, both in foreign and domestic matters, because I shall be said to be your head.

In the will now put over my head both monks and priests and all kinds of the pope's cattle, although we have little to order with his high bishops or others. In short, In the will all judge and master me. And you have crowned me here as your king. But who can be your king on such terms? I think the worst person in hell wouldn't want to do that, let alone any human.

So know frankly that I don't want to be your head and king now. I renounce it plainly and I am at peace with the fact that you may choose whatever good man you may choose. If you could get the one who can be to your complete satisfaction in all measure and always, I would gladly see it. Be prepared to redeem me fairly out of the kingdom, and to pay me first for every inch of solid turf that I own here, and then what I have cost the kingdom of my own. So I want to promise you that I want to drag my cow out of the kingdom, and never ever come back here again, to this rude and ungrateful homeland of mine.