Sweden: A Short Survey of the Kingdom of Sweden (London, 1632.) [Annotation]

This text, which can only be read through microfilm, gives a travelers account of Sweden, its providences, culture, government, power on land and sea and its kings and their acts for the past five hundred years dating back to the 1100’s. The book, which is hard to read due to the age of the text and the way the English is written at the time, starts off by describing the providences of Sweden, including Norway, which belongs to Denmark in 1632, and Finland and their various landscapes within each country. It then moves on to discuss the customs and degrees from which the people in Sweden are divided starting with the Prince and moving all the way down through seven classes all the way to the laborers. The third section talks about the political and civil government of Sweden and its courts of justice and colleges. Half way through the book, the fourth section contains Sweden’s army, who was lead by Gustav Adolph the King of Sweden at the time, and its power on sea and land not to mention the strategic manner in which they fight. The fifth section talks about local customs and tributes by which the Swedish people identify them or by which this English writer identifies them. As the book comes to an end the author writes about each king, that Sweden has had over the past five hundred years, and their noble acts and alliances they have formed.       

The authors use of description in this book, the people, landscape etc., is based on his accounts while traveling through Sweden.  It can be said that his eye witness accounts give us a good idea of Sweden, especially during the time it was published in 1632 during the thirty year war, however his reference to the countries such as Norway and Finland are based on what he has heard through his travels in Sweden and should not be cited as first hand accounts. (JP 2005)