the execution and its message even though the governor wanted the quickest possible execution.253 Georg Heinrich von Görtz, executed in Stockholm in 1719 for his work in the administration of Karl XII, had some five or six days for his preparation.254 At the diet of 1723 the house of priests in a complaint, originating from the diocese of Lund, stated that the executions were at times announced so late or were scheduled so close to a Sunday or some other feast day that the time of preparation suffered. Therefore, they wished that those responsible for an execution should confer with the priests so such problems did not arise. In the resulting resolution it was declared that no execution was to take place before the priests had had enough time for preparation, the parish rector would be told before a condemned arrived, and the execution would not be planned to close to Sundays or feast days.255 In the Swedish practice the concept clearly referred to the time between the final confirmation of a sentence of death, at least from mideighteenth century normally through the rejection of a royal pardon, and the execution. The exact length of time could vary, but it steadily increased. In the sixteenth century, it could be a day or two; in the eighteenth century, two weeks was thought normal; from at least the midnineteenth century, six weeks.256 However, individual cases varied considerably.257 The trends and variations probably were, if not similar, comparable to many other countries, although in some cases the Swedish length of time for preparation may seem rather long compared to those in some other countries. One factor behind the possibilities for longer periods of preparation probably also was the shift in responsibility from 253 Hähnel 1949 p 92 sqq. 254 Motraye 1723 p 360. 255 The complaint originated in Allmänna besvär från prästerskapet i Lunds stift, nr 85 in R 859 RAS, RD1723 Pr p 459, Resolution på prästerskapets besvär 22 October 1723 § 13, printed in Stiernman 1733 p 2574. 256 Report by Carl Axel Wachtmeister 23 August 1790 F 521 Gustavianska samlingenUUB, Andersson 1849 p 98 sqq, relation by Anders Peter Holmström 3 February 1860 EVI:8 SFARRAS, note 29 March 1887 DId:1 Fångvårdsanstalten i Kristianstads arkivLLA,Nya Dagligt Allehanda 18 March 1893. 257 In 1829 Carl Olsson Fisk e g had two weeks of preparation, Schultz 1829 p 16. 86
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