Protestantism in Sweden and Denmark - James Aitken Wylie
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were united <strong>in</strong> favor of Christian. A third party,<br />
who thought to come <strong>in</strong> at the breach the other two<br />
had made for them, turned their eyes to the<br />
deposed K<strong>in</strong>g Christian II., <strong>and</strong> even made<br />
attempts to effect his restoration. The distracted<br />
country was still more embroiled by a revival of<br />
the priestly pretensions. Frederick was <strong>in</strong> his grave,<br />
<strong>and</strong> a bold policy was all that was needed, so the<br />
bishops thought, to hoist themselves <strong>and</strong> their<br />
Church <strong>in</strong>to the old place. They took a high tone <strong>in</strong><br />
the Diet. They brow-beat the nobles, they<br />
compelled restoration of the tithes, <strong>and</strong> they put<br />
matters <strong>in</strong> tra<strong>in</strong> for recover<strong>in</strong>g the cathedrals,<br />
monasteries, manors, <strong>and</strong> goods of which they had<br />
been stripped. These successes emboldened them<br />
to venture on other <strong>and</strong> harsher measures. They<br />
stretched forth their h<strong>and</strong> to persecute, <strong>and</strong> made<br />
no secret of their design to extirpate the Protestant<br />
faith <strong>in</strong> <strong>Denmark</strong>.<br />
Their first blows were aimed at Taussan. The<br />
removal of that bold Reformer <strong>and</strong> eloquent<br />
preacher was the first step, they saw, to success. He<br />
had long been a thorn <strong>in</strong> their side. The manifesto<br />
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