King Eric and the Outlaws, Vol. 2

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/kingericandoutl00chapgoog

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

  KING ERIC

  AND

  THE OUTLAWS.

  VOL. II.

  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. II. * * * *

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

  CHAPTER I.

  When the king reached Kallundborg castle, and beheld the drawbridgeraised, and the well fortified castle in a complete state of defence, aflush of anger crossed his cheek, his hand involuntarily clenched thehilt of his sword, and for an instant he was near forgetting hispromise, and drawing it out of the scabbard. Count Henrik reined in hiswar horse impatiently before the outermost fortification, awaiting ananswer to the message he had shouted, in the king's name, to thenearest warder. "Matchless presumption!" exclaimed the king; "know theyI am here myself? and do they still tarry with an answer, when theyhave but to be silent and to obey?"

  "They take their time, my liege!" answered Count Henrik. "It isunparalleled impudence.--If you command, the trumpet shall be instantlysounded for storm; the sword burns in my hand."

  "Not yet!" answered the king, and took his hand from the hilt of hissword.

  At this moment a trumpet sounded from the outer rampart, and a tallwarrior in armour, with closed visor, stepped forth on the battlement.

  "The castle opens not to any armed man!" he shouted in a rough tone,which however appeared assumed and tremulous; "it will be defended tothe last, against every attack; this is our noble junker's strict orderand behest."

  "Madman!" exclaimed Eric; and Count Henrik seemed about to give animpetuous reply.

  "Not a word more!" continued the king, with a stern nod.--"We stoop notto further parley with rebels and traitors.--You will beleaguer thecastle on all sides, and get all in readiness for a storm; untiltwenty-four hours are over, no spear must be thrown--if the rebels dareto enact their impudent threats against the town, we shall have tothink but of saving it and quenching the flames. If aught chances here,I must know it instantly; you will not fail to find me at theFranciscan monastery." So saying, the king turned his horse's head, androde with a great part of his train into the large monastery, close tothe castle. Here stood the guardian and all the fraternity with theirshaven heads uncovered, in two rows before the stone steps in the yardof the monastery. The aged guardian, in common with the rest of hisfraternity, wore an ashen grey cloak with a cowl at the back, and athick cord round the waist. Despite the winter cold, they were allwithout shoes and stockings, with wooden sandals under their bare feet.They received the king with manifest signs of alarm and uneasiness.

  "Be easy, ye pious men," said the king, in a mild voice, as he sprangfrom his horse, and acknowledged their greeting and the guardian'spious address in a friendly manner; "I come to you as your friend andprotector. If it please God and our Lady, no evil shall happen to yourmonastery or our good and loyal town. It is not your fault that ourbrother the junker hath appointed a madman to be his commandant; for wetrust in the Lord and the mighty Saint Christopher, that our dearbrother hath not himself lost his wits. I will await him here, until hecan receive the news of my coming, and give explanation in person ofthis matter. If there is danger astir, I will share it with you; atpresent I wish but to see whether your guest-house and refectory canstand this unexpected visitation; meanwhile it shall be recompensedbeforehand to the monastery."

  "Noble sovereign," answered the guardian, "destroy not by any worldlycompensation the pleasure which you now bestow on us, in our fear andtrembling: poverty is, as you know, the first rule of our holy order.If you will vouchsafe to share the indigence of the penitent, graciousking, doubt not then our willingness to give, and share withoutrecompence; and tempt us not to accept what the holy Franciscus himselfhath strictly forbid us to touch."

  "Well, the rule is surely not so strictly kept here," said the king,with a good-natured smile, as he entered into the large guest-house ofthe monastery, and saw the door standing open to the refectory, where atable, with fasting fare, was spread for the monks, but a larger, withflasks of wine and dishes of substantial meat, was prepared for theentertainment of the distinguished worldly guests. "Here, however, weshall not come to suffer want," continued the king; "here we find notfrugal fare alone, but God's gifts, almost to superfluity."

  "What we are able to offer your grace hath been sent hither by theburghers.--Where the Lord's anointed enters he brings a blessing withhim,"--answered the guardian, making a genuflection with his handscrossed over his breast.

  "Blessing?" replied the king, a dark cloud suddenly passing over hisbrow.--"Hum! even though he be given over to the Devil and thedestruction of the fleshy venerable father?" he asked with bitterness,and in a low voice, as he drew the guardian aside and gazed at him,with a sharp, searching look.

  The aged monk turned pale at these words of the king, and involuntarilycrossed himself, as he heaved a deep sigh. "The holy church proclaimsto us absolution even for deadly sins, and justification through graceand conversion," said he, folding his lean hands. "Its curse falls onlyin reality on the head of the profligate and ungodly."

  "But when the archbishop, the prince of the Danish church, out ofrevenge and hate, hath proclaimed thy sovereign to be such an one?"

  "Were you such _in truth_, my liege and sovereign, alas! I must thenecho the dreadful sentence within my heart, though it should break indoing so, and were your wrath even to crush me," answered the old man,with deep solemnity, again pressing his folded hands upon his breast;"but the Lord preserve my soul from taking part in the counsels of therevengeful and the judgments of the unrighteous! The church's might andauthority are certainly great, noble king," he continued, "butvengeance and judgment are the Lord's, even as grace for the penitentbelongeth unto him; power is given us to build up, but not to pulldown; we can do nothing against the truth, but all for the truth. Ifeven a bishop himself should err in our true believing church, andabuse the church's authority against God's word, no priest or Christianhath leave to consent unto him, saith the holy Augustine."

  "Right, pious father! that is also my creed and my comfort, and whatthe learned Master Peter also hath told me. You have then no fear thatI bring with me a curse or evil spirits over this threshold?"

  "No assuredly!" answered the guardian solemnly, with uplifted hand andlook,--"I know my noble liege is not profane and ungodly, a despiser ofpenitence and pious works, or one whom in the power of the word it ispermitted to give over to the destruction of the flesh, f
or the soul'seternal salvation. I know, therefore, that the Prince of Darkness canhave no power over your dear-bought soul; and that no sinful curse candestroy the peace of God in your heart, or wipe off the holy ointmentfrom your crowned head."

  A mild emotion was visible in the king's countenance at these words ofthe guardian. "Give me your blessing, pious father!" he said, in asubdued tone; "you have spoken words which penetrate my inmost soul."

  "The reconciled and all-merciful God preserve your life and crown, andabove all the precious peace of your soul!" prayed the guardian, andlaid his shrivelled hand on the head of the king, who bent to receivethe blessing, "in so far as you are _yourself_ placable and merciful,"he added with emphasis, and a piercing gaze.

  "Hum, placable?" repeated the king, hastily, raising his head; "eventowards rebels and traitors?"

  "They assuredly need mercy most," answered the guardian. "Be not wroth,my liege," he continued, gently and impressively; "there is a holyword, which at this moment strangely trembles on my lips: 'If thybrother sin against thee,' it is written, 'then chastise him; but if herepents, then forgive him!'"

  "But when he does _not_ repent?" asked the king, gazing on the guardianwith an excited look.

  "Then pray for him till he does, that thy mother's son may not be acastaway; and for the sake of thine own peace!" whispered theecclesiastic.--"A brother offended is harder to be won than a strongcity, and quarrels are as bars before a palace."

  "But strong cities may fall, and the palaces of rebels may be forced,"exclaimed the king, suddenly assuming a stern tone, and the mildemotion expressed in his countenance became clouded. "The wise kingSolomon hath also taught me to count more on a faithful friend than afalse brother. Did not a prophet once say to his people, in atraitorous and corrupted time like ours--'Put not your trust in anybrother, for every brother will certainly deceive?' I could wish thatholy man were wrong. But enough of this," said Eric, hastily breakingoff the solemn converse. "Let us now think a little of worldly things,and not despise the care of the body. We have ridden a long way today,to be shut out of our own castle here." So saying, the king went withhasty strides into the refectory; the guardian followed him with asorrowful aspect, and the rejoicing of the brethren, over the king'spiety and mildness, seemed somewhat diminished.

  Kallundborg castle was now regularly beleaguered, and the warlike andexperienced Count Henrik of Mecklenborg neglected none of the necessarypreparations for a storm, as far as he was able with so small a force,and without engines for storming. Meanwhile, ere the sun went down, hesaw his force augmented, as Drost Aage with his hundred horsemengalloped into the town, and joined him without the castle walls. Assoon as the Drost had provided for the wants of his troops, and hadconsulted with Count Henrik, he repaired to the monastery of greyfriars, where he was instantly admitted to the king in the library.

  Here sat Eric in a thoughtful mood, in the guardian's great arm-chair,before an oaken table, on which lay a large annotated Bible as well asthe writings of St. Augustine and other fathers of the church, openbefore him. He held a manuscript of Master Petrus de Dacia's in hishand, in which he was diligently making marks and dashes with his pen,and seemed employed in comparing it with the passages at which thewritings of the fathers were opened. By the side of these spiritualwritings, however, lay also three worldly books in handsome red velvetbinding, which the king had brought with him. It was the famouschivalrous poem Ivain and Tristan, in Hartman von Awe's and Gottfriedvon Strasborg's version, as well as the adventurous history of Florezand Blanzeflor, which was the favourite poem of all enamoured knightsand ladies.

  When Drost Aage crossed the threshold, the king pushed aside the tableand hastily started up. "Aage, my dear Aage! do I see thee again, atlast!" he joyfully exclaimed, and went forward to meet him with openarms, but stopped in dismay, as he looked more narrowly at the youngDrost. "Is it thyself?" he continued; "how thou art changed! Truly thouhast been in murderous hands. Those accursed outlaws!" he saidpassionately, as he stamped on the floor; "why have I not rooted themout of the earth?"

  "Think no more of that, my noble liege," said Aage. "I am now wellagain, and at your service."

  "Come, rest thee; thou hast exerted thyself above thy strength. MasterPeter hath then brought thee a letter and a message?"

  "All is done as you commanded, my liege, though I fear it is astep----"

  "Leave me to care for that, Aage--met ye with opposition?"

  "Holbeck castle is in your possession; it cost not a drop of blood, butcaused great joy at the castle."

  "Good; and the junker?"

  "I saw him not; it is said, though, he was there, but escaped."

  "A bad sign, Aage! A loyal vassal would have staid, and have calledthee strictly to give account of thy authority. He asked then, not evenonce, the ground of my wrath? He ventured not an indignant remonstrancetouching injustice and violent measures?"

  "He kept quite out of sight; he must have conceived suspicions."

  "Hum! no prince flies thus from his castle, when he knows himself to beinnocent. How then can I doubt? The contumacy here, and his shamelessexpressions to Bruncke----"

  "What hath already chanced may however still be but an unhappymisunderstanding, my liege," observed Aage; "and the traitorous Brunckenone can trust."

  "Well, let Christopher speak for himself, if he is able. By all theholy men, I would willingly give the half of my life could I say withtruth, 'I have a brother.' Yet, the Lord and our holy Lady be thanked,I have still a faithful friend, and my beloved Ingeborg, and a loyaland loving people. What have I to complain of?" So saying, the kinglaid his arm confidingly on Aage's shoulder, and a repressed tearglistened in his ardent blue eye. "Since we met last, my dear Aage," hecontinued in a firm and calm tone, "I have become an excommunicated manlike thee; but it no longer terrifies me. I have long thought--now I amconvinced--that no one can condemn us save the Almighty and righteousGod: but _he_ will not condemn us; for, seest thou, he is merciful. Hewho believes in salvation and mercy, Aage, will be saved, despite allthe bishops and prelates in the world."

  "Sin not, my noble liege!" exclaimed Aage, with cautious sadness. "Ihave also found peace for my soul, and a defence against the evilspirits to whom I was given over; but it was not in defiance, it was inlove and hope, my liege."

  "Such a hope I have also, my Aage; and love!--thou knowest but littlewhat that is--thou that hast no Ingeborg! _My_ love truly is as greatas Sir Tristran's or the valiant Florez's. I shall not fear tobreak a lance for my Ingeborg with the pope himself and the wholepriesthood--if it come to the worst."

  "For Heaven's sake, my beloved liege, ponder----"

  "I _have_ pondered much, Aage; and first on what was most important,"exclaimed the king seriously, interrupting his anxious friend. "Thematter of our salvation is too important to be decided by anauthoritative word from the bishop or pope. Shall they presume to sayto thee and me, 'Thou art accursed!--thou art given over to the EvilOne?' No, truly! Where is it written that any human being hath suchpower? I always hoped--now I am assured--that the heavenly grace andmercy I believe in, alone can save me and all of us--come, I will proveit to thee; Master Petrus hath written it out for me; the church's holyfathers witness to it, and what is more, God's own unchangeable word.Yet it is too long to enter upon now; but, trust me, Aage, noarchbishop, not even the pope in Rome, can condemn us--if the churchcasts out believers, it is our church no longer, not the real and trueone. Could the devil shut against us every stone-built church in theworld, _one_ church would still stand open to us, which no devil canshut; and lo! it is every where; where two believing souls are mettogether in the Lord's name.--See how wise I am grown, Aage: it wouldbe deemed heresy in Rome, and they would doom me to the stake did theyknow it; but I am wise enough also to be silent about it. Thou onlyshalt know it, and my Ingeborg, and whoever holds my immortal soul asdear as thou dost."

  Aage was silent, and looked at him in surprise.

  "I feel secure also about state and kingdom,"
continued the king. "WithGod's help I shall defy both ban and interdict, both rebels andoutlaws, without any one injuring a hair of my head, or that of mypeople's."

  "But a letter, craving pardon of the holy father, will certainly benecessary, my liege! In the matter of the archbishop, reconciliationand clemency must in a great measure supersede justice."

  "No, Aage; I ask but justice; I ask no mercy of man, and in this matternone need expect mercy from me--let the pope judge between me andGrand! the mystery of unrighteousness shall be brought to light assurely as there is justice under the sun. If I am myself wrong in anything, which well may chance, it is time enough to think of penitenceand penance when doom is pronounced."

  "But the dispensation?" said Aage.

  "That _I_ will _dispense_ with in case of need; what hath been grantedto a hundred others cannot be denied the King of Denmark.--Shouldit be denied, it is unjust; but an injustice to which _I will not_submit. Yet, seat thyself, Aage; not a word more of these vexatiousaffairs,--my soul is weary of them. Come," he continued, gaily; "nowthou shalt hear a love poem: my dear Ingeborg hath herself written itout for me. Duchess Euphemia hath sent it to her from Norway; it willsoon be read, both in Norwegian and Swedish. Here thou shalt see what achivalrous lover can go through, and how fortune and our Lord are everwith all true and constant lovers." The king now sat down before thetable, and read, in an animated tone, out of the adventures of Florezand Blanzeflor, which, however, were already known to Aage.

  "Tristan I prefer, it is true," said the king; "and our own oldlove-songs seem far more beautiful to me; but this book I especiallylike to have in my hand. Think! she has copied every word with her ownlovely fingers."

  Meanwhile evening drew on. The vesper bell rang, and the king went withAage to the church of the monastery, where he joined in the devotionsof the Franciscans and the people, which however were not as calm andundisturbed as usual.

  As the night drew on the anxiety increased in the town with every hour.A general stillness prevailed; lights glimmered in all the houses; noone seemed any where to slumber. Around the beleaguered castle no soundwas heard save the steps and clashing arms of the sentinels. Here andthere a watch-fire gleamed in the cold winter's night, around whichsilent warriors, wrapped in ample mantles, were standing in groups;without the monastery Drost Aage's horsemen were on guard. The Drostand Count Henrik rode up and down around the castle walls, where thefaint clashing of weapons and the moving of heavy machines of defencewere heard.

  By Aage's counsel sentinels were also posted on the public quaysouth-east of the castle, and on the ancient sea-tower at thenorth-western extremity of the town, where there was also alanding-place, together with a now deserted and decayed fortification:this spot he deemed especially important whenever it might be desirableto cut off all possible communication with the castle. At midnight Aagehimself stood in the clear still starlight beside the solitary tower,at Count Henrik's side, and looked out on the bay, while theyconsidered from what quarter the castle wall might best be mounted.While thus employed, Aage observed a little fishing-boat, which layhalf hidden under the mouldering rampart of the sea-tower; and just ashe was going to draw Count Henrik's attention to it he saw a head, witha shaggy cap and a large scar resembling a hare-lip between the noseand mouth, peer forth from behind a half-fallen pillar close besidehim. The prying head, however, instantly withdrew behind the pillar,and Aage thought he recognised the notorious robber and incendiary, theLolland deserter, Ole Ark, who had often been pursued, and who it wasbelieved had been concerned in the archbishop's flight. Without anylong deliberation he nodded to Count Henrik, and drew his sword; but atthe same instant the fellow sprang out of his hiding-place, and fleddown towards the rampart to the boat.

  "Stop him!" shouted Aage to the farthest sentinel, who stood with hislance in his hand, and his back leaning against the rampart, gazing outon a distant vessel, without observing the fugitive.

  Just as the Drost's voice reached the ear of the sentinel, and he wasabout to turn round, he felt the stab of a dagger in his back, and fellto the earth with a groan of anguish, while the deserter rushed pasthim with the weapon glittering in his hand, and sprang into the boat.

  The fugitive had already placed his oars, and was preparing to push offfrom shore, but then first perceived that in his haste he had forgot toloosen the rope which moored the boat to the rampart. While he now,with desperate exertion, struck once or twice in vain with his daggeron the rope, Aage and Count Henrik stood directly opposite him withtheir drawn swords. Count Henrik hastily grasped the half-severed rope,and drew the boat towards him. The dagger of the despairing fugitivewas raised gleaming in the air, but fell with the hand of the robberinto the sea before a stroke of the Drost's sword, and, with a fearfulhowl, the wounded deserter fell back in the boat.

  At Count Henrik's call several men-at-arms hastened to the spot fromthe guard at the sea-tower, and presently bore the captive thither,after having, by the Drost's order, wrapped a cloth round his mutilatedarm, to prevent his bleeding to death. The wounded sentinel was alsocarried to the tower; and while a message was sent to fetch a surgeon,the captured robber's garments, and all that he had about him, werenarrowly searched. Besides a letter of absolution, a rosary, and anumber of costly church ornaments, which appeared to be stolenproperty, a quantity of pitch and sulphur and other combustible matterwas found on his person; and a key and a private letter were discoveredcarefully secreted in the lining of his cap. For the present noconfession could be expected from the criminal, who had fallen into aswoon. The Drost took possession of the key and the letter, andrepaired, with Count Henrik, to the nearest watch-fire. Here he openedthe letter, and read it in a low tone.

  "To no one!"--thus ran the letter.--"Obey and be silent, or thou diest!Dare the utmost! Spare not the town! Hide or burn the papers, ifneedful! Keep the trapdoor in readiness! Let his victory prove hisdownfall! I answer for the consequences. The bearer may be employed forthe whole.... Burn this private letter instantly. From no one."

  Drost Aage had jointly with the king and Prince Christopher learnt whatwas then the still rare art of writing, from a canon, under thesuperintendence of Drost Hessel, and to his dismay he thought herecognised the stiff hand of the prince through the disguised characterof the writing. He hastily folded up the letter, and turned deadlypale.

  "Now what runes[1] read ye there, Sir Drost?" asked Count Henrik.--"Youdo not feel well, I think."

  "This private letter was surely to have been brought the commandant,"exclaimed Aage, eagerly, and the blood again rushed into his cheek. "Itis from no one, and to no one; yet I think I understand it."

  "Let us see, Sir Drost--It is not surely any private love letter?--thefellow was a spy and traitor."

  "If my noble liege's peace of mind be dear to you." answered Aageanxiously, and seized his hand, "let this unhallowed secret be minealone! yet this much will I confide to you: it seems to concern theking's unhappy domestic relations; but I entreat you to be silent, evenabout this conjecture of mine. There is no proof against any one, onlya suspicion--an unhappy one--but the aim of the writer shall bedefeated: the letter must be destroyed."--So saying, he thrust his handinto his bosom, and threw the letter into the fire.

  "You are cautious, Drost," said Count Henrick, knitting his brow. "Iask not to be initiated into your dark state secrets--as Drost you mustknow best what should here be concealed or made public. I ask only, asa man-at-arms and beleaguer, if the letter, which you have heresomewhat hastily destroyed, was to have been brought into the castle,must there not be a private entrance hereabouts? Could it be found, itwere of moment to us: without storming engines, it will be a hardspring enough for us to get over the circular wall."

  "You are right; there _must_ be a secret entrance here," exclaimed Aagesuddenly, with sparkling eyes. "I have a conjecture,--a thought strikesme, there is a tradition of a secret entrance from the sea-tower.The captive must show it me. I will be myself the bearer of theletter,--not such as when it caught the
flames, and as it is now beforethe eye of the Omniscient, but rewritten, as a reconciling spiritdictates to my soul."

  "Good! I follow you with a troop."

  "No, count! that is impossible. The king's pride is aroused; hedespises stratagem; he will and must through the gate, or over thestormed walls, and both of us cannot here be spared. If the secretpassage is found, it will assuredly be difficult enough for one, aloneand unarmed, to pass through it."

  "Then let the adventure alone, Drost; for one it is too daring."

  "I will dare it nevertheless," said Aage determinedly, after a moment'sdeliberation; "but no one shall follow me, and no one must know it--noteven the king. If I am not here again to-morrow at noon, then let theking know that I am probably a prisoner at the castle, or am aboutsomething by which I may serve him, and all of you, better even thanwere I at the head of the stormers--I count on your leading the attack,as agreed on. If it succeeds, then promise me but one thing, braveCount! let not the king set his foot but where the ground hath beentried and found safe; and should you see my shoulder scarf wave on anyspot, then conclude all is not right, and let not the king approachsuch a place."

  "Ha! ha!" said Count Henrik, in a loud voice, and clapping Aage on theshoulder, "that was the secret, then, you would keep to yourself? Youmight just as well have let me read the letter, my mysterious SirDrost! We may expect pitfalls then, and such sort of foxes' tricks?Well, when one has a hint of such things they are of no importance. Ha!the high-born junker! he is a base traitor truly, to seek after thelife of his king and brother, and _such_ a king and brother!"

  "In the name of the Lord above, who says so. Sir Count?" exclaimedAage, in consternation and in a low tone: "you shout as loud as thoughyou meant to awake heaven and earth with what none may hear. Let notthose unhappy words ever pass your lips again. I tell you once more, itis but a conjecture, a fearful suspicion: it would rend the king'sheart if it came to his ears--the mere report might call forth bloodyscenes, and bring down the greatest misery on the country and the royalhouse."

  "I approve your caution in this matter, noble Drost," said Count Henrikgravely, and in a subdued tone, as he looked around, with a sharpglance; "be easy, no one can here have heard us. There you have myhand: where one word may cause such great misfortune, it shallassuredly never pass my lips. But drive that rash adventure out of thyhead; it may cost you your life,--and to what end?"

  "The saving of a more precious life," said Aage. "I must have certaintyin this matter: if I am to guard the king's feet from secret snares, Imust discover them first myself. God be with you! Farewell! He who hathbeen for two years excommunicated," he continued in a voice of emotion,"hath learnt to defy robbers and devils."

  The watch-fire lit up his pale enthusiastic countenance, and a mildlight seemed to beam from his dark blue eyes, as he raised them towardsthe starry heaven. "Follow me not!" he added. "I trust in theprotection of Heaven, and the power of good spirits--then must earthlycurses be dumb, and evil spirits fall into the bottomless pit."--Sosaying, he earnestly pressed Count Henrik's hand, and returned withhasty steps to the tower. Count Henrik shook his head, and gazed afterhim with a look of sympathy, but followed him not.