King Eric and the Outlaws, Vol. 3

by Bernhard Severin Ingemann

  Produced by Charles Bowen, from page scans provided by the Web Archive

  Transcriber's Notes:

  1. Page scan source: https://www.archive.org/details/kingericandoutl01chapgoog

  2. The diphthong oe is represented by [oe].

  KING ERIC

  AND

  THE OUTLAWS.

  VOL. III.

  London: Printed by A. Spottiswoode, New-Street-Square.

  KING ERIC

  AND

  THE OUTLAWS;

  OR,

  THE THRONE, THE CHURCH, AND THE PEOPLE,

  IN THE THIRTEENTH CENTURY.

  BY INGEMANN

  TRANSLATED FROM THE DANISH BY JANE FRANCES CHAPMAN.

  * * * * IN THREE VOLUMES. VOL. III. * * * *

  LONDON: LONGMAN, BROWN, GREEN, & LONGMANS, PATERNOSTER-ROW. 1843.

  CHAPTER I.

  As soon as they reached the quay, Sir Helmer put his head out of thehatchway, and beheld a man jump on shore in great haste from theforecastle. Helmer had only seen his back; he was clad like a Germangrocer's apprentice; but he felt pretty certain it was the outlawedKagge. The mantle of the order of the Holy Ghost lay under theforemost rowing bench. With his drawn sword in his hand. Sir Helmernow sprang upon deck, together with the Drost's squire, whose lefthand was wrapped in his mantle. Their attire was somewhat rent andblood-stained, yet they appeared to have found time to bind up eachother's wounds, and even to arrange their dress. Without saying a word,they passed the armed crew of the vessel, with a salutation of defianceto Henrik Gullandsfar, and a jeering smile at the heavy and wrathfulRostocker, whose broad visage glowed with anger. Helmer and the squiresheathed their swords on the quay, and those who saw them come up fromthence, without noticing the spots of blood upon their clothes, tookthem for fellow-travellers, who, in all peacefulness, had arrived inthe Rostock vessel.

  "The 'prentice! mark him, Canute!" whispered Sir Helmer to the squireas they both left the quay with hasty steps, and looked around them onall sides. "What hath become of him? There!--no--that is another--ha,there!--no, another again!"

  At every turn they fancied they saw the disguised outlaw, but werefrequently deceived by a similar dress and figure. The German grocer'sapprentices thronged in busy crowds on the quay, and near the vesselsin the haven, where they were in constant occupation, and had a numberof porters at work.

  These foreign mercantile agents were usually elderly single men, mostfrequently with sour, unpleasant countenances, and maintaining muchspruce neatness in their dress, and preciseness in their deportment. Aspepper was the chief article sold in their grocers' booths, they wereusually called pepper 'prentices[1], not without a design to jeer attheir peevishness and irritability. They made themselves conspicuous bylarge silver buttons on their long-skirted coats of German cloth; awoollen cap from Garderige[2], and a long Spanish gold-headed cane,which served them at the same time for an ell measure, formed part oftheir finery; and they were so remarkable for the sameness of theirappearance and deportment, the effect of their living apart fromothers, and pursuing a uniform occupation, that they were often exposedto the jibes and jeers of the people, especially on account of theircelibacy, which was enjoined them by their Hanseatic masters, and was anecessary consequence of their position as traders in a foreign city,where they were not privileged to become residents with families.

  Sir Helmer stared attentively at every German grocer's apprentice hemet, and became at last so wroth at his frequent mistakes that he wasready to insult those personages, who in their busy vocation frequentlyjostled him in the crowd, "Those accursed pepper-'prentices, they driveme mad!" he exclaimed at length, and stamped on the ground. "I willbreak the neck of the first that brushes against my arm!"

  "That is just and reasonable, noble Sir," said the squire; "my fingersitch every time I see such a fellow. If they will be monks, they shouldnot be running here and staring every maiden in the face in broad daylight. They are as soon enamoured as any shaven crown--I had well nighsaid--St. Antony forgive me my wicked thought! Look! here we have oneagain I saw ye how he twisted his eyes in his head to goggle at thatpretty kitchen maid with the cabbage basket? Shall I buffet him down tothe Catsound, noble Sir?"

  "No, surely not, crack-brains!" answered Sir Helmer, sharply; "let usbehave reasonably. Do thou stay here in the ale-house near the haven,and keep an eye on the outlaw, that he slinks not back to the vessel;if there is law and justice in the town, he 'scapes us not. Thou dostsurely know him well?"

  "Yes, assuredly! Kagge with the scar; him from whom they scalded offhis knightly honour on the scaffold. I should know him among a thousandscoundrels, and his black horse to boot. 'Tis a sin such a handsomebeast----"

  "Perhaps it was a God's Providence we came here against our will,"interrupted Helmer. "The red hat from Rome wants to negotiate a treatyhere betwixt the king and the run-away bishop from Hammershuus; theyare now at the castle, and have got the little bishop Johan in theirclutches. It will doubtless end in nothing; but comes the king hitherwhere the Roskild bishop rules, he may chance to need both our eyes andour swords. But, what in all the world is the matter here? Look, howthe people flock together!"

  Sir Helmer now, for the first time, remarked a singular stir anddisturbance among the inhabitants of the town; there were far greaternumbers of persons in the street than were usually to be seen in themost populous towns. He went onward, still looking around in search ofthe outlawed fugitive; he now heard loud talk among the burghers andmechanics who passed him, and expressions of wild wrath against theLord Bishop Johan and his ecclesiastical guests at Axelhuus. The peopleassembled in groups in the streets, and only dispersed, grumbling andmurmuring on the appearance of a troop of men-at-arms. "The provost'speople! The bishop's men!" they muttered one to another, by way ofwarning. "Aside! make way, comrades! as yet it is not time. Down to theold strand!"

  "What means this?" said Helmer to the squire, who still followed him onthe quay, alongside the ships in the harbour, staring around withsurprise and curiosity. "It looks like sedition and mutiny."

  "Who are ye who bear arms in the bishop's town? Know ye not the rightsand town-law of Copenhagen?" said a powerful voice behind them. Theyturned round and saw a man who from his attire seemed to be a burgher,but who wore a kind of herald's mantle over his long coat, and held awhite staff in his hand, on which were painted the arms of the Bishopof Roskild. He was accompanied by a crowd of the bishop's retainers.

  "I am the king's knight and halberdier, as you see well enough,"answered Helmer. "What hath your bishop and his town-law to do withme?"

  "Ho! ho, my bold sir!--stick your finger in the ground, and smell whereye are! You surely come from worldly towns and castles where neitherorder nor discipline are kept. What's your name, Sir Halberdier?"

  "Helmer Blaa," answered the knight, laying his hand on the hilt of hissword. "You have perhaps heard that name before?--or shall I teach youto know it?"

  "By your favour, noble sir!" answered the herald in a lowered tone, andlooking at him with su
rprise; "are you the renowned knight, Helmer, whobeat all the six brothers at once, and of whom the whole town sings theballad--

  "He rides in the saddle so free."

  "That I will never deny," answered Helmer, with a nod of satisfaction;"he that made that ballad about me hath not lied. I will not pridemyself on that account," he added, "it concerned but my own life andfortune. You brave Copenhageners have won full as much honour in MarskStig's feud, and we shall soon come to an understanding I think."

  "I think so too, by my troth, Sir Helmer," said the burgher herald withcheerfulness, frankly giving him his hand at the same time. "I wouldjust as little insult you as your master, our excellent young king. Asfree as you ride in the saddle by his side, so frank and free for aughtI would hinder it, may you walk here; but the service is strict at thistime. Here's mutiny as you see against our lord, the bishop. I must inthe council's name summon every man bearing arms to the lay court, andto the council in 'Endaboth.' With the king's knights, especially witha man like you, I think, however, the lord bishop would make adifference."

  "If the bishop wills to keep his beard, he will doubtless allow theknight to keep his sword," said Helmer. "If he hath appointed you tohinder misdeed and crime then help me rather to seize an outlawedcriminal who has been set on shore here from yonder Rostocker. He hathcrept into a German pepper-'prentice coat; he seeks after the king'slife--he is easy to know, it is Kagge with the scar. If you catch himdead or alive, I will laud you as a true Danish man, and brave subjectof the king."

  "That are we all here at heart, noble Sir," answered the herald,lowering his voice, and looking cautiously around him while he made asignal to his armed followers to fall back. "Our loyalty to the king wehave, as you say yourself, shewn right honestly in Marsk Stig's feud;the king also hath recompensed us for that; he hath honourably helpedus with the fortifications of our good town, and with the new palisade.Every honest man in Copenhagen would rather obey him than the priestlyrulers; but if we would speak out aloud of any other master here thanthe bishop, we must give all our chattels to his treasury, and wanderhouseless out of the town. Go in peace, Sir Helmer; but hide your swordunder your mantle! If I light upon the evil doer ye seek, I shallassuredly seize him and summon him in your name to the council. Wheremay you be found yourself?"

  "Here, in the inn, close to St. Clement's church--you are an honest manI perceive--tell me frankly, countryman! would it avail were I to speakto the provost, or to your bishop touching yon miscreant? He is one ofthose impudent regicides. I have my eye also on that braggartRostocker; he brings false coin into the country, and hath threatenedthe king. What I know further about him I have promised not to speakof--but wherever I meet him--I am his man!"

  "You will surely get no justice here on the king's enemies, SirKnight!" whispered the herald. "If ye will take my advice ye will keepas far off from our bishop and his provost as possible! The king'sfriends are not exactly theirs, and must not, either, seem to be ours.Had I not a good dame and children, you would hardly have seen me withthis staff in hand. If you would catch hold of the pepper 'prentices,"he added, shutting one eye, "you must seek them at the dice boards inthe ale-house! What may chance there, none need do penance for--but inthe harbour and on the quay none dare touch them. On, fellows! Thestranger knight hath given account of himself like an honourable man,"cried the herald, with a voice of authority, and proceeded onwards withhis armed train.

  Helmer looked after him, and nodded to the squire. "Brisk fellows,these Copenhageners!" said he. "It is shameful they are forcedto be under the bishop's thumb! That counsel about the taverns anddraught-boards suits not my humour either. We will seek the foe in thestraight path. First, however, let us thank St. George and St. Clementfor our deliverance, and then we can with a good conscience despatchthe rascals wherever we light on them." He approached St. Clement'schurch, but found the church door locked, and marked with a large blackcross. "What means this?" he exclaimed. "Is there pestilence in God'shouse?"

  "Prohibition, interdict, son! according to the enactment 'cum ecclesiaDaciana,'" answered an old Dominican monk, who was kneeling before astone crucifix without the closed church door, and now arose slowly."The sins of the high-born are about to be visited upon those of lowdegree; our most pious bishop hath no longer dared to withhold thegreat national punishment which the holy Father hath commanded onaccount of the presumptuous imprisonment of the archbishop, contrary tothe constitution of all holy laws. Virgo amata! ora pro nobis!" hemuttered, and folded his hands.

  "The devil take those Latin laws, with reverence be it spoken,venerable father!" answered the knight. "The archbishop is at liberty;and is it now the time to punish a nation and country for that old sinof the king's, if it really was a sin?"

  "Assuredly it was a heavy sin and injustice," answered the monk; "butthe chastisement is too hard--that is the truth--and it falls on thesouls of the innocent--the people are only made ungodly and uproariousby it; as we have proofs daily. If the king is not come hither tobethink himself, and do penance, the prospect may be a drear one for usall."

  "Is he come?" asked Helmer hastily.

  "Not here to the town--but to the royal castle at Sorretslov; hisplenipotentiaries are already at Axelhuus. Alas! yes! it is high timehe should give in, ere the interdict drives the whole nation torebellion and destruction.--Ora pro nobis!" he muttered again, andturned towards the crucifix.

  "Believe ye he hath come hither to humble himself, and crouch at thebishop's feet? venerable father?" answered the knight; "then you willfind your belief to fail you in this matter, as I observe this tumultconcerns not the king, but your own little bishop and his overbearingguests. Against this stupid church-shutting, a remedy will surely befound at home. The nation is pitiful indeed which would let itself beshut out from God's house while there are sturdy axes and iron crows inthe country."

  "Alas, ye children of the world! ye worldly lords! ye will ever forwardwith might and violence,--ye would at last storm heaven's gates if yewere able," groaned the monk; "from the great and mighty doth all thatdefiance and scandal proceed; and the poor, deluded people! _they_listen but too willingly to such wild and ungodly counsel. Look! yondercomes another flock of erring sheep, who have turned into wolves! Therethey come, with spears and staves, like those who followed Judas, thatchild of wrath. Hear how they bluster and storm. God be merciful! Theyare surely rushing hither; they will assuredly open the church byforce."

  The dismayed Dominican was preparing to fly, but the insurgents placedthemselves in his way. "Tarry a little, pious father!" shouted theringleader of the troop, a tall carpenter, with a large axe in hishand. "Thou shalt read us the Holy Scripture before St. Clement'saltar; we have heard neither vespers nor mass for three days. Force thechurch door, comrades!"

  "Are ye distraught?" cried the monk; "will ye do violence to the houseof God!"

  "No chattering! Force the door, countrymen!" shouted the leader."Neither St. Peter nor our Lady have taken it amiss of us. Mass goes oncheerily in all the churches. We will hear our vespers at St. Nicholas.Well done my lads! Look! now is the interdict ended! The church doorgave way before the ponderous strokes; the insurgents poured into thechurch with a wild shout of victory, dragging the Dominican along withthem.

  "That will be but a disturbed worship, noble sir," said the squire; "wehad better reserve our piety for another time. Look, yonder comes afresh troop! Nay, look! They have balista and cross-bows with them;they will now surely assault Axelhuus."

  "That hits my fancy!" exclaimed Sir Helmer, joyfully. "This prelaticaltyranny should not be tolerated by any Danish man. I come at the righttime; there may be something to take a hand in here. If they willbesiege the bishop's nest, I Will teach them at least to do it briskly.Stay thou on the quay, and watch the pepper 'prentices, Canute! I mustset the honest burghers a little to rights with the balista." So sayingSir Helmer hastened with rapid strides down to the old strand, wherethe restless crowds of insurgents flocked together in wild tumu
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