Source:
Berättelser ur svenska historien, nionde delen: Drottning Kristina, första afdelningen, pages 160 to 162, by Anders Fryxell, 1841; original at the University of Toronto
The account:
TJUGETREDJE KAPITLET.
OM MESSENIERNAS DÖD.
Båda Messenierna hade afgifvit sådana bekännelser, att de kunde lagligen fällas till döden; till och med de sjelfva yttrade flere gånger inför domstolen, att de förtjent detta straff. Kristina trodde äfven deras afrättande vara tillräckligt för att skrämma andra från samma bana. Det tyckes ock, som hon fruktat göra vidare upptäckter, kanhända af personer, hvilka hon icke vågat straffa. Derföre användes ingen enda gång pinbänken, hvilken eljest på denna tiden allmänt begagnades. Drottningen önskade också att före julen få slut på hela saken; ville äfven genom skyndsamhet förekomma allt fram[-] och återtalande, hvaraf sinnena än mera retades. Man påskyndade derföre målet. Kristina föreslog, att fadern borde halshuggas och hufvudet på påle uppsättas; sonen deremot rådbråkas och steglas. Hofrättens dom blef som följer: »Alldenstund Messenius fadern mot landets rätta öfverhet sig groft försett och sjelf bekänner sig hafva döden förtjenat, alltså varder han, androm vrångvisom och obetänktom till varnagel dömd att under svärd lif sitt mista.« Då detta utslag blifvit för Messenius i hofrätten afkunnadt, sade han: »jag tackar eder för nådig dom. I mågen hafva goda samveten; ty i hafven dömt rätt, och såsom jag sjelf skulle hafva gjort. Gud välsigne hennes majestät och låte allt ondt härmed hafva en ända!« Derpå fördes han tillbaka till fängelset.
Öfver sonen fälldes det utslag, att han, såsom den der genom sin smädeskrift velat väcka uppror inom fäderneslandet, skulle androm till varnagel som en riksförrädare först mista högra handen, sedan halshuggas, kroppen fyrskiftas och jemnte hufvudet på stegel uppsättas; samt handen vid kåken på stortorget fastnaglas.« Samma dag, domen fälldes, blef Messenii sköldemärke på Axel Oxenstjernas befallning från riddarhuset nedtaget, och adelsbrefvet sönderskuret.
Lördagen den 13 December fängslades Messenierna; lördagen d. 20 December fälldes domen, och måndagen derpå eller två dagar före julaftonen gick den i verkställighet. Då fångarna sista gången möttes, föll sonen på knä och bad under tårar fadern om tillgift för den olycka, han honom förorsakat. Fadern gaf den begärda förlåtelsen, hvarpå de skildes. Under vägen och ända i sista stunden vidhöll fadern sina beskyllningar mot Bengt Skytte. På Norrmalms torg blef han slutligen afrättad och kroppen derefter uti Maria kyrkogård begrafven. Utanför Norrmalm, på stadens afrättsplats, undergick sonen sitt straff och blef äfven dersammastädes steglad. Messenierna saknade icke försvarare. En af Kristinas egna hofpredikanter blef afsatt, emedan han i sina predikningar hade mot orättvisa domar utfarit på sådant sätt, att man allmänt ansåg honom tadla det öfver Messenierna gångna straffet.
Två och ett fjerdedels år derefter, eller en månad förr än Kristina lemnade Sverge, for hon engång, såsom alltid vid Jakobsdals-resorna, förbi afrättsplatsen. Wid åsynen af de ännu qvarstående steglen befallte hon, att dessa skulle borttagas och lemningarna efter den olycklige ynglingen nedgräfvas. Hon visade ånger öfver afrättningen, och sade, att de, som rådt henne dertill, förtjent lika straff. Hon hade likväl sjelf yrkat strängare dom än den, som hofrätten fällde.
Messenius hade testamenterat Kristina sin skrift- och boksamling, hvilken af arfvingarna värderades till 7000 riksdaler. Wid hans död blef den också till slottet uppburen och med de öfriga samlingarna förenad.
Messenius hade på samma gång åt drottningen anbefallt sin enka och sina döttrar. Enkan fick blott det återstående af mannens lön. Hans förläningsgårdar skänktes åt andra, innan den efterlemnade skulden blifvit gäldad; så att enkan måste af sina enskilda medel densamma betala. — Åt hvardera af döttrarna lofvade Kristina årligt understöd af 200 daler. Det utbetaldes aldrig. Barnen, oense med sin stjufmor, blefvo snart af henne drifna ur huset, och måste i ringa tjenster förvärfva sitt bröd. Ofta nog och länge inlemnade de ansökningar, att återfå något af faderns gods, eller betalning för hans samlingar, eller åtminstone det af Kristina lofvade understödet; men förgäfves. Ändteligen år 1684 gaf Karl den elfte åt den enda då qvarlefvande dottern ett årsunderhåll af 100 daler silfvermynt.
För den trohet, Karl Gustaf vid detta tillfälle visat, sände Kristina honom en dosa, besatt med diamanter och värderad till 20,000 plåtar. Prinsen skänkte henne tillbaka ett i Tyskland inköpt medaljkabinett, värderadt till 10,000 riksdaler.
English translation (my own):
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE.
ON THE DEATH OF THE MESSENIUSES.
Both the Messeniuses had made such confessions that they could legally be condemned to death; even they themselves stated several times before the court that they deserved this punishment. Kristina also believed that their execution was sufficient to frighten others from the same course. It also seems that she feared making further discoveries, perhaps by persons whom she had not dared to punish. Therefore, the rack, which was otherwise generally used at that time, was not once used.
The Queen also wished to have the whole matter over with before Christmas; she also wanted to prevent all back-and-forth talk, which incited the minds even more. The case was therefore hastened. Kristina proposed that the father should be beheaded and his head put on a stake; the son, on the other hand, should be broken on the wheel and gibbeted. The verdict of the Court of Appeals was as follows:
"Whereas Messenius the father has grossly acted against the rightful government of the land and himself confesses to have deserved death, he is therefore condemned to lose his life by the sword as a warning example to other unwise and reckless people."
When this verdict was pronounced for Messenius in the Court of Appeals, he said:
"I thank you for your gracious judgment. May you have a good conscience; for you have judged rightly, and as I myself would have done. God bless Her Majesty and let all evil thereby have an end!"
Then he was taken back to prison.
The son was sentenced to death, that as he who had wanted to stir up rebellion in his Fatherland through his slanderous writings, he should first lose his right hand as a traitor, then be beheaded, his body quartered and his head placed on a gibbet; and his hand should be nailed to the pillory at Stortorget.
The same day the sentence was passed, Messenius' coat of arms was taken down from the House of Nobility, by order of Axel Oxenstierna, and his letter of nobility was torn up.
On Saturday, December 13, the Messeniuses was imprisoned; on Saturday, December 20, the sentence was pronounced, and on the following Monday, or two days before Christmas Eve, it was carried out. When the prisoners met for the last time, the son fell to his knees and begged his father in tears for forgiveness for the misfortune he had caused him. The father granted the requested forgiveness, whereupon they were separated.
Along the way, and until the last moment, the father maintained his accusations against Bengt Skytte. He was finally executed on Norrmalm Square, and his body was then buried in Maria cemetery. Outside Norrmalm, at the city's execution ground, the son underwent his punishment and was also gibbeted there.
The Messeniuses did not lack defenders. One of Kristina's own court preachers was fired because in his sermons he had spoken against unjust judgements in such a way that it was generally considered that he was criticising the punishment meted out to the Messeniuses.
Two and a quarter years later, or a month before Kristina left Sweden, she once, as she always did on her trips to Jakobsdal, passed by the place of execution. Seeing the still standing gibbet, she ordered that these should be removed and the remains of the unfortunate young man buried. She showed remorse for the execution and said that those who had advised her to do so deserved equal punishment. She had nevertheless herself demanded a harsher sentence than the one the Court of Appeals passed.
Messenius had bequeathed his collection of writings and books to Kristina, which was valued by the heirs at 7,000 riksdalers. After his death, it was also brought to the castle and united with the other collections.
Messenius had at the same time recommended his widow and his daughters to the Queen. The widow received only the remainder of her husband's salary. His fief estates were given to others before the debt left behind was paid, so that the widow had to pay it from her own private means. —
To each of the daughters Kristina promised an annual maintenance of 200 dalers. It was never paid. The children, at odds with their stepmother, were soon forced out of the house by her and had to earn their living in small odd jobs. Often enough and for a long time they submitted applications to receive back some of their father's estate, or payment for his collections, or at least the maintenance promised by Kristina; but in vain. Finally, in 1684, Karl XI gave the only daughter then living an annual maintenance of 100 dalers in silver coins.
For the loyalty shown by Karl Gustav on this occasion, Kristina sent him a box set with diamonds and valued at 20,000 copper plates. The Prince gave her in return a medal cabinet purchased in Germany, valued at 10,000 riksdalers.
Above: Kristina.
Above: Karl Gustav.
Above: Anders Fryxell.
Note: Jakobsdal is the old name for Ulriksdal Castle.
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