Tuesday, November 4, 2025

Biography of Christoffer Presbeckius in "Folkskrifter Sv. Hist., N:o 16: Prest-Historier", year 1854

Source:

Folkskrifter Sv. Hist., N:o 16: Prest-Historier, pages 21 to 22, printed by Per Gustaf Berg, 1854; original at Uppsala University Library (Uppsala universitetsbibliotek)


The account:

Presbeckius, lärare vid gymnasium i Stockholm 1643, var en man af ombytligt och oroligt lynne, med tydliga anlag för galenskap. Än var han stilla och from, men orolig, och önskade tröst af presterskapet; än yttrade han förakt för detsamma, öfverlemnade sig åt dryckenskap, dans och svordom, samt var så våldsam, att hustru och barn måste fly ur huset. En dag, om sommaren 1647, när drottning Christina bevistade gudstjensten i slottskyrkan, der Emporagrius slutat predikan och alla åhörarne nedlutade sig i bön, gick P. med värja vid sidan fram i koret, öfverhoppade bröstvärnet och nalkades drottningen. Pehr Brahe, som märkte det, ropade åt vakten, hvilken satte hillebarderna emot honom; men han bröt sönder den ena och hoppade öfver den andra. Christina blef nu sjelf uppmärksam och stötte till den i bön knäböjande gardeskaptenen, hvilken sprang upp och fattade P. i håret. Denne hade hos sig tvenne knifvar utan slidor. Tillspord om sin afsigt, sade han än, att denna varit ganska oskyldig, än att han ärnat begå något brott, som skulle ådraga honom döden, än att han velat åt Emporagrius, hvars predikan misshagat honom, än att han ansåg drottningen icke ega full majestätsrätt, men att om konung funnes, skulle han nog få befordran, sade sig vara i djefvulens klor och bad om en snar död, o. s. v. Emedan hans vansinne ej kunde betviflas, insattes han på Westerås slott, der han lefde i flera år.

English translation (my own):

Presbeckius, a teacher at a gymnasium in Stockholm in 1643, was a man of a fickle and restless disposition, with a clear tendency to madness. At times he was quiet and pious, but restless, and desired consolation from the clergy; at other times he expressed contempt for the clergy, gave himself up to drunkenness, dancing and swearing, and was so violent that his wife and children had to flee the house.

One day, in the summer of 1647, when Queen Kristina was attending the service in the castle chapel, where Emporagrius had finished his sermon and all the audience were kneeling in prayer, P., sword at his side, walked forward in the chancel, jumped over the parapet and approached the Queen. Per Brahe, who noticed this, shouted to the guards, who put their halberds against him; but he broke one and jumped over the other. Kristina now became aware of it herself and bumped into the captain of the guard, who was kneeling in prayer, who jumped up and grabbed P. by the hair. The man had with him two knives without sheaths.

When asked about his intention, he also said that it had been quite innocent; that he had wanted to commit some crime that would incur his death; that he had wished it for Emporagrius, whose sermon had displeased him; that he considered the Queen not to have full right of majesty, but that if there were a king, he might receive a promotion; he said that he was in the Devil's clutches and prayed for a speedy death, etc. Since his madness could not be doubted, he was imprisoned at Västerås Castle, where he lived for several years.

No comments:

Post a Comment