SIDONIA THE SORCERESS

THE SUPPOSED DESTROYER OF THE WHOLE REIGNING DUCAL HOUSE OFPOMERANIA

TRANSLATED BY LADY WILDE

MARY SCHWEIDLER

THE AMBER WITCH

BY

WILLIAM MEINHOLD DOCTOR OF THEOLOGY

IN TWO VOLUMES VOL. I. 

1894

DEDICATION OF THE GERMAN EDITION. 

TO THE ILLUSTRIOUS

_LADY LUCY DUFF GORDON, _

THE

YOUNG AND GIFTED TRANSLATOR

OF

_"THE AMBER WITCH, "_

THIS WORK IS RESPECTFULLY INSCRIBED. 

PREFACE

Amongst all the trials for witchcraft with which we areacquainted, few have attained so great a celebrity as that of theLady Canoness of Pomerania, Sidonia von Bork. She was accused ofhaving by her sorceries caused sterility in many families, particularly in that of the ancient reigning house of Pomerania, and also of having destroyed the noblest scions of that house byan early and premature death. Notwithstanding the intercessionsand entreaties of the Prince of Brandenburg and Saxony, and of theresident Pomeranian nobility, she was publicly executed for thesecrimes on the 19th of August 1620, on the public scaffold, atStettin; the only favour granted being, that she was allowed to bebeheaded first and then burned. 

This terrible example caused such a panic of horror, thatcontemporary authors scarcely dare to mention her name, and, eventhen, merely by giving the initials. This forbearance arose partlyfrom respect towards the ancient family of the Von Borks, whothen, as now, were amongst the most illustrious and wealthy in theland, and also from the fear of offending the reigning ducalfamily, as the Sorceress, in her youth, had stood in a very nearand tender relation to the young Duke Ernest Louis vonPommern-Wolgast. 

These reasons will be sufficiently comprehensible to all who arefamiliar with the disgust and aversion in which the paramours ofthe evil one were held in that age, so that even upon the rackthese subjects were scarcely touched upon. 

The first public, judicial, yet disconnected account of Sidonia'strial, we find in the Pomeranian Library of Dähnert, fourthvolume, article 7, July number of the year 1755. 

Dähnert here acknowledges, page 241, that the numbers from 302 to1080, containing the depositions of the witnesses, were notforthcoming up to his time, but that a priest in Pansin, nearStargard, by name Justus Sagebaum, pretended to have them in hishands, and accordingly, in the fifth volume of the above-namedjournal (article 4, of April 1756), some very important extractsappear from them. 

The records, however, again disappeared for nearly a century, until Barthold announced, some short time since, [Footnote:"History of Rugen and Pomerania, " vol. Iv. P. 486. ] that he had atlength discovered them in the Berlin Library; but he does not saywhich, for, according to Schwalenberg, who quotes Dähnert, thereexisted two or three different copies, namely, the _ProtocollumJodoci Neumarks, _ the so-called _Acta Lothmanni, _ and thatof _Adami Moesters, _ contradicting each other in the mostimportant matters. Whether I have drawn the history of my Sidoniafrom one or other of the above-named sources, or from someentirely new, or, finally, from that alone which is longest known, I shall leave undecided. 

Every one who has heard of the animadversions which "The AmberWitch" excited, many asserting that it was only dressed-uphistory, though I repeatedly assured them it was simple fiction, will pardon me if I do not here distinctly declare whether Sidoniabe history or fiction. 

The truth of the material, as well as of the formal contents, canbe tested by any one by referring to the authorities I have named;and in connection with these, I must just remark, that in order tospare the reader any difficulties which might present themselvesto eye and ear, in consequence of the old-fashioned mode ofwriting, I have modernised the orthography, and amended thegrammar and structure of the phrases. And lastly, I trust that alljust thinkers of every party will pardon me for having here andthere introduced my supernatural views of Christianity. A man'sprinciples, as put forward in his philosophical writings, are ingeneral only read by his own party, and not by that of hisadversaries. A Rationalist will fly from a book by aSupernaturalist as rapidly as this latter from one by a Friend ofLight. But by introducing my views in the manner I have adopted, in place of publishing them in a distinct volume, I trust that allparties will be induced to peruse them, and that many will find, not only what is worthy their particular attention, but matter fordeep and serious reflection. 

I must now give an account of those portraits of Sidonia which areextant. 

As far as I know, three of these (besides innumerable sketches)exist, one in Stettin, the other in the lower Pomeranian townPlathe, and a third at Stargard, near Regenwalde, in the castle ofthe Count von Bork. I am acquainted only with the last-namedpicture, and agree with many in thinking that it is the onlyoriginal. 

Sidonia is here represented in the prime of mature beauty--a goldnet is drawn over her almost golden yellow hair, and her neck, arms, and hands are profusely covered with jewels. Her bodice ofbright purple is trimmed with costly fur, and the robe is of azurevelvet. In her hand she carries a sort of pompadour of brownleather, of the most elegant form and finish. Her eyes and mouthare not pleasing, notwithstanding their great beauty--in themouth, particularly, one can discover an expression of coldmalignity. 

The painting is beautifully executed, and is evidently of theschool of Louis Kranach. 

Immediately behind this form there is another looking over theshoulder of Sidonia, like a terrible spectre (a highly poeticalidea), for this spectre is Sidonia herself painted as a Sorceress. It must have been added, after a lapse of many years, to theyouthful portrait, which belongs, as I have said, to the school ofKranach, whereas the second figure portrays unmistakably theschool of Rubens. It is a fearfully characteristic painting, andno imagination could conceive a contrast more shudderingly awful. The Sorceress is arrayed in her death garments--white with blackstripes; and round her thin white locks is bound a narrow band ofblack velvet spotted with gold. In her hand is a kind of awork-basket, but of the simplest workmanship and form. 

Of the other portraits I cannot speak from my own personalinspection; but to judge by the drawings taken from them to whichI have had access, they appear to differ completely, not only incostume, but in the character of the countenance, from the one Ihave described, which there is no doubt must be the original, notonly because it bears all the characteristics of that school ofpainting which approached nearest to the age in which Sidonialived--namely, from 1540 to 1620--but also by the fact that asheet of paper bearing an inscription was found behind thepainting, betraying evident marks of age in its blackened colour, the form of the letters, and the expressions employed. Theinscription is as follows:--

"This Sidonia von Bork was in her youth the most beautiful and therichest of the maidens of Pomerania. She inherited many estatesfrom her parents, and thus was in her own right a possessor almostof a county. So her pride increased, and many noble gentlemen whosought her in marriage were rejected with disdain, as sheconsidered that a count or prince alone could be worthy of herhand. For these reasons she attended the Duke's court frequently, in the hopes of winning over one of the seven young princes to herlove. At length she was successful; Duke Ernest Louis von Wolgast, aged about twenty, and the handsomest youth in Pomerania, becameher lover, and even promised her his hand in marriage. Thispromise he would faithfully have kept if the Stettin princes, whowere displeased at the prospect of this unequal alliance, had notinduced him to abandon Sidonia, by means of the portrait of thePrincess Hedwig of Brunswick, the most beautiful princess in allGermany. Sidonia thereupon fell into such despair, that sheresolved to renounce marriage for ever, and bury the remainder ofher life in the convent of Marienfliess, and thus she did. But thewrong done to her by the Stettin princes lay heavy upon her heart, and the desire for revenge increased with years; besides, in placeof reading the Bible, her private hours were passed studying the_Amadis_, wherein she found many examples of how forsakenmaidens have avenged themselves upon their false lovers by meansof magic. So she at last yielded to the temptations of Satan, andafter some years learned the secrets of witchcraft from an oldwoman. By means of this unholy knowledge, along with several otherevil deeds, she so bewitched the whole princely race that the sixyoung princes, who were each wedded to a young wife, remainedchildless; but no public notice was taken until Duke Francissucceeded to the duchy in 1618. He was a ruthless enemy towitches; all in the land were sought out with great diligence andburned, and as they unanimously named the Abbess of Marienfliess[Footnote: Sidonia never attained this dignity, though Micraeliusand others gave her the title. ] upon the rack, she was brought toStettin by command of the Duke, where she freely confessed all theevil wrought by her sorceries upon the princely race. 

"The Duke promised her life and pardon if she would free the otherprinces from the ban; but her answer was that she had enclosed thespell in a padlock, and flung it into the sea, and having askedthe devil if he could restore the padlock again to her, hereplied, 'No; that was forbidden to him;' by which every one canperceive that the destiny of God was in the matter. 

"And so it was that, notwithstanding the intercession of all theneighbouring courts, Sidonia was brought to the scaffold atStettin, there beheaded, and afterwards burned. 

"Before her death the Prince ordered her portrait to be painted, in her old age and prison garb, behind that which represented herin the prime of youth. After his death, Bogislaff XIV. , the lastDuke, gave this picture to my grandmother, whose husband had alsobeen killed by the Sorceress. My father received it from her, andI from him, along with the story which is here written down. 

"HENRY GUSTAVUS SCHWALENBERG. "

[Footnote: The style of this "Inscription" proves it to have beenwritten in the beginning of the preceding century, but it is firstnoticed by Dähnert. I have had his version compared with theoriginal in Stargord--through the kindness of a friend, whoassures me that the transcription is perfectly correct, and yetcan he be mistaken? for Horst (Magic Library, vol. Ii. P. 246), gives the conclusion thus: "From whom my father received it, and Ifrom him, along with the story precisely as given here by H. G. Schwalenberg. " By this reading, which must have escaped my friend, a different sense is given to the passage; by the last reading itwould appear that the "I" was a Bork, who had taken the tale fromSchwalenberg's history of the Pomeranian Dukes, a work whichexists only in manuscript, and to which I have had no access; butif we admit the first reading, then the writer must be aSchwalenberg. Even the "grandmother" will not clear up the matter, for Sidonia, when put to the torture, confessed, at the seventhquestion, that she had caused the death of Doctor Schwalenberg (hewas counsellor in Stettin then), and at the eleventh question, that her brother's son, Otto Bork, had died also by her means. Whothen is this "I"? Even Sidonia's picture, we see, uttersmysteries. 

In my opinion the writer was Schwalenberg, and Horst seems to havetaken his version from Paulis's "General History of Pomerania, "vol. Iv. P. 396, and not from the original of Dähnert. 

For the picture at that early period was not in the possession ofa Bork, but belonged to the Count von Mellin in Schillersdorf, aspassages from many authors can testify. This is confirmed byanother paper found along with that containing the tradition, butof much more modern appearance, which states that the picture wasremoved by successive inheritors, first from Schillersdorf toStargord, from thence to Heinrichsberg (there are three towns inPomerania of this name), and finally from Heinrichsberg, in theyear 1834, was a second time removed to Stargord by the lastinheritor. 

This Schillersdorf lies between Gartz and Stettin on the Oder. WILLIAM MEINHOLD. ]

LETTER OF DR. THEODORE PLÖNNIES

TO BOGISLAFF THE FOURTEENTH, THE LAST DUKE OF POMERANIA. 

MOST EMINENT PRINCE AND GRACIOUS LORD, --Serene Prince, yourHighness gave me a commission in past years to travel through allPomerania, and if I met with any persons who could give me certain"information" respecting the notorious and accursed witch Sidoniavon Bork, to set down carefully all they stated, and bring itafterwards into _connexum_ for your Highness. It is wellknown that Duke Francis, of blessed memory, never would permit theaccursed deeds of this woman to be made public, or her confessionupon the rack, fearing to bring scandal upon the princely house. But your Serene Highness viewed the subject differently, and saidthat it was good for every one, but especially princes, to lookinto the clear mirror of history, and behold there the faults andfollies of their race. For this reason may no truth be omittedhere. 

To such princely commands I have proved myself obedient, collecting all information, whether good or evil, and concealingnothing. But the greater number who related these things to mecould scarcely speak for tears, for wherever I travelledthroughout Pomerania, as the faithful servant of your Highness, nothing was heard but lamentations from old and young, rich andpoor, that this execrable Sorceress, out of Satanic wickedness, had destroyed this illustrious race, who had held their lands fromno emperor, in feudal tenure, like other German princes, but intheir own right, as absolute lords, since five hundred years, andthough for twenty years it seemed to rest upon five goodlyprinces, yet by permission of the incomprehensible God, it has nowmelted away until your Highness stands the last of his race, andno prospect is before us that it will ever be restored, but withyour Highness (God have mercy upon us!) will be utterlyextinguished, and for ever. "Woe to us, how have we sinned!"(Lament, v. 16). [Footnote: Marginal note of Duke BogislaffXIV. -"In tuas manus commendo spiritum meum, quia tu me redemistifide deus, "]

I pray therefore the all-merciful God, that He will remove mebefore your Highness from this vale of tears, that I may notbehold the last hour of your Highness or of my poor fatherland. Rather than witness these things, I would a thousand times soonerlie quiet in my grave. 

CONTENTS

SIDONIA THE SORCERESS. 

BOOK I. 

_FROM THE RECEPTION OF SIDONIA AT THE DUCAL COURT OF WOLGASTUNTIL HER BANISHMENT THEREFROM. _

CHAPTER I. 

Of the education of Sidonia. 

CHAPTER II. 

Of the bear-hunt at Stramehl, and the strange things that befellthere. 

CHAPTER III. 

How Otto von Bork received the homage of his son-in-law, Vidantevon Meseritz--And how the bride and bridegroom proceededafterwards to the chapel--Item, what strange things happened atthe wedding-feast. 

CHAPTER IV. 

How Sidonia came to the court at Wolgast, and of what furtherhappened to her there. 

CHAPTER V. 

Sidonia knows nothing of God's Word, but seeks to learn it fromthe young Prince of Wolgast. 

CHAPTER VI. 

How the young Prince prepared a petition to his mother, theDuchess, in favour of Sidonia--Item, of the strange doings of theLaplander with his magic drum. 

CHAPTER VII. 

How Ulrich von Schwerin buries his spouse, and Doctor Gerschoviuscomforts him out of God's Word. 

CHAPTER VIII. 

How Sidonia rides upon the pet stag, and what evil consequencesresult therefrom. 

CHAPTER IX. 

How Sidonia makes the young Prince break his word--Item, how Claravon Dewitz in vain tries to turn her from her evil ways. 

CHAPTER X. 

How Sidonia wished to learn the mystery of love-potions, but ishindered by Clara and the young Prince. 

CHAPTER XI. 

How Sidonia repeated the catechism of Dr. Gerschovius, and how shewhipped the young Casimir, out of pure evil-mindedness. 

CHAPTER XII. 

Of Appelmann's knavery--Item, how the birthday of her Highness wascelebrated, and Sidonia managed to get to the dance, with theuproar caused thereby. 

CHAPTER XIII. 

How Sidonia is sent away to Stettin--Item, of the young lord'sdangerous illness, and what happened in consequence. 

CHAPTER XIV. 

How Duke Barnim of Stettin and Otto Bork accompany Sidonia back toWolgast. 

CHAPTER XV. 

Of the grand battue, and what the young Duke and Sidonia resolvedon there. 

CHAPTER XVI. 

How the ghost continued to haunt the castle, and of its daringbehaviour--Item, how the young lord regained his strength, and wasable to visit Crummyn, with what happened to him there. 

CHAPTER XVII. 

Of Ulrich's counsels--Item, how Clara von Dewitz came upon thetrack of the ghost. 

CHAPTER XVIII. 

How the horrible wickedness of Sidonia was made apparent; and howin consequence thereof she was banished with ignominy from theducal court of Wolgast. 

BOOK II. 

_FROM THE BANISHMENT OF SIDONIA FROM THE DUCAL COURT OF WOLGASTUP TO HER RECEPTION IN THE CONVENT OF MARIENFLIESS. _

CHAPTER I. 

Of the quarrel between Otto Bork and the Stargardians, whichcaused him to demand the dues upon the Jena. 

CHAPTER II. 

How Otto von Bork demands the Jena dues from the Stargardians, andhow the burgomaster Jacob Appelmann takes him prisoner, and lockshim up in the Red Sea. 

CHAPTER III. 

Of Otto Bork's dreadful suicide--Item, how Sidonia and JohannAppelmann were brought before the burgomaster. 

CHAPTER IV. 

How Sidonia meets Claude Uckermann again, and solicits him to wedher--Item, what he answered, and how my gracious Lord of Stettinreceived her. 

CHAPTER V. 

How they went on meantime at Wolgast--Item, of the Diet at Wollin, and what happened there. 

CHAPTER VI. 

How Sidonia is again discovered with the groom, Johann Appelmann. 

CHAPTER VII. 

Of the distress in Pomeranian land--Item, how Sidonia and JohannAppelmann determine to join the robbers in the vicinity ofStargard. 

CHAPTER VIII. 

How Johann and Sidonia meet an adventure at Alten Damm--Item, oftheir reception by the robber-band. 

CHAPTER IX. 

How his Highness, Duke Barnim the elder, went a-hawking atMarienfliess--Item, of the shameful robbery at Zachan, and howburgomaster Appelmann remonstrates with his abandoned son. 

CHAPTER X. 

How the robbers attack Prince Ernest and his bride in theUckermann forest, and Marcus Bork and Dinnies Kleist come to theirrescue. 

CHAPTER XI. 

Of the ambassadors in the tavern of Mutzelburg--Item, how themiller, Konnemann, is discovered, and made by Dinnies Kleist toact as guide to the robber cave, where they find all thewomen-folk lying apparently dead, through some devil's magic ofthe gipsy mother. 

CHAPTER XII. 

How the peasants in Marienfliess want to burn a witch, but arehindered by Johann Appelmann and Sidonia, who discover an oldacquaintance in the witch, the girl Wolde Albrechts. 

CHAPTER XIII. 

Of the adventure with the boundary lads, and how one of thempromises to admit Johann Appelmann into the castle of Daber thatsame night--Item, of what befell amongst the guests at the castle. 

CHAPTER XIV. 

How the knave Appelmann seizes his Serene Eminence Duke Johann bythe throat, and how his Grace and the whole castle are saved byMarcus Bork and his young bride Clara; also, how Sidonia at lastis taken prisoner. 

CHAPTER XV. 

How Sidonia demeans herself at the castle of Saatzig, and howClara forgets the injunctions of her beloved husband, when heleaves her to attend the Diet at Wollin, on the subject of thecourts--Item, how the Serene Prince Duke Johann Frederick beheadshis court fool with a sausage. 

CHAPTER XVI. 

How Sidonia makes poor Clara appear quite dead, and of the greatmourning at Saatzig over her burial, while Sidonia dances on hercoffin and sings the 109th psalm--Item, of the sermon, and theanathema pronounced upon a wicked sinner from the altar of thechurch. 

CHAPTER XVII. 

How Sidonia is chased by the wolves to Rehewinkel, and findsJohann Appelmann again in the inn, with whom she goes away asecond time by night. 

CHAPTER XVIII. 

How a new leaf is turned over at Bruchhausen in a very fearfulmanner--Old Appelmann takes his worthless son prisoner, andadmonishes him to repentance--Of Johann's wonderful conversion, and execution next morning in the churchyard, Sidonia beingpresent thereby. 

CHAPTER XIX. 

Of Sidonia's disappearance for thirty years--Item, how the youngPrincess Elizabeth Magdelene was possessed by a devil, and of thesudden death of her father, Ernest Ludovicus of Pomerania. 

CHAPTER XX. 

How Sidonia demeans herself at the Convent of Marienfliess--Item, how their Princely and Electoral Graces of Pomerania, Brandenburg, and Mecklenburg, went on sleighs to Wolgast, and of the diverspastimes of the journey. 

CHAPTER XXI. 

How Sidonia meets their Graces upon the ice--Item, how DinniesKleist beheads himself, and my gracious lord of Wolgast perishesmiserably. 

CHAPTER XXII. 

How Barnim the Tenth succeeds to the government, and how Sidoniameets him as she is gathering bilberries--Item, of the unnaturalwitch-storm at his Grace's funeral, and how Duke Casimir refuses, in consequence, to succeed him. 

CHAPTER XXIII. 

Duke Bogislaff XIII. Accepts the government of the duchy, andgives Sidonia at last the long-desired præbenda--Item, of herarrival at the convent of Marienfliess. 

BOOK III. 

_FROM THE RECEPTION OF SIDONIA INTO THE CONVENT AT MARIENFLIESSUP TILL HER EXECUTION, AUGUST 19TH, 1620. _

CHAPTER I. 

How the sub-prioress, Dorothea Stettin, visits Sidonia and extolsher virtue--Item, of Sidonia's quarrel with the dairy-woman, andhow she beats the sheriff himself, Eggert Sparling, with abroom-stick. 

CHAPTER II. 

How Sidonia visits the abbess, Magdalena von Petersdorf, andexplains her wishes, but is diverted to other objects by a sightof David Ludeck, the chaplain to the convent. 

CHAPTER III. 

Sidonia tries another way to catch the priest, but fails through amistake--Item, of her horrible spell, whereby she bewitched thewhole princely race of Pomerania, so that, to the grievous sorrowof their fatherland, they remain barren even unto this day. 

BOOK I. 

FROM THE RECEPTION OF SIDONIA AT THE DUCAL COURT OF WOLGAST UNTILHER BANISHMENT THEREFROM. 

SIDONIA THE SORCERESS

CHAPTER I. 

_Of the education of Sidonia. _

The illustrious and high-born prince and lord, Bogislaff, fourteenth Duke of Pomerania, Prince of Cassuben, Wenden, andRugen, Count of Güzkow, Lord of the lands of Lauenburg and Butow, and my gracious feudal seigneur, having commanded me, Dr. TheodorePlönnies, formerly bailiff at the ducal court, to make searchthroughout all the land for information respecting the world-famedsorceress, Sidonia von Bork, and write down the same in a book, Iset out for Stargard, accompanied by a servant, early one Fridayafter the _Visitationis Mariæ_, 1629; for, in my opinion, inorder to form a just judgment respecting the character of any one, it is necessary to make one's self acquainted with thecircumstances of their early life; the future man lies enshrinedin the child, and the peculiar development of each individualnature is the result entirely of education. Sidonia's history is aremarkable proof of this. I visited first, therefore, the scenesof her early years; but almost all who had known her were longsince in their graves, seeing that ninety years had passed sincethe time of her birth. However, the old inn-keeper at Stargard, Zabel Wiese, himself very far advanced in years (whom I canrecommend to all travellers--he lives in the Pelzerstrasse), toldme that the old bachelor, Claude Uckermann of Dalow, an aged manof ninety-two years old, was the only person who could give me theinformation I desired, as in his youth he had been one of the manyfollowers of Sidonia. His memory was certainly well nigh gone fromage, still all that had happened in the early period of his lifelay as fresh as the Lord's Prayer upon his tongue. Mine host alsorelated some important circumstances to me myself, which shallappear in their proper place. 

I accordingly proceeded to Dalow, a little town half a mile fromStargard, and visited Claude Uckermann. I found him seated by thechimney corner, his hair as white as snow. "What did I want? Hewas too old to receive strangers; I must go on to his son Wedig'shouse, and leave him in quiet, " &c. &c. But when I said that Ibrought him a greeting from his Highness, his manner changed, andhe pushed the seat over for me beside the fire, and began to chatfirst about the fine pine-trees, from which he cut hisfirewood--they were so full of resin; and how his son, a yearbefore, had found an iron pot in the turf moor under a tree, fullof bracelets and earrings, which his little grand-daughter nowwore. 

When he had tired himself out, I communicated what his Highnesshad so nobly commanded to be done, and prayed him to relate all heknew and could remember of this detestable sorceress, Sidonia vonBork. He sighed deeply, and then went on talking for about twohours, giving me all his recollections just as they started to hismemory. I have arranged what he then related, in proper order. Itwas to the following effect:--

Whenever his father, Philip Uckermann, attended the fair atStramehl, a town belonging to the Bork family, he was in the habitof visiting Otto von Bork at his castle, who, being very rich, gave free quarters to all the young noblemen of the vicinity, sothat from thirty to forty of them were generally assembled at hiscastle while the fair lasted; but after some time his fatherdiscontinued these visits, his conscience not permitting himfurther intercourse. The reason was this. Otto von Bork, duringhis residence in Poland, had joined the sect of the enthusiasts, [Footnote: Probably the sect afterwards named Socinians; for wefind that Laelius Socinus taught in Poland, even beforeMelancthon's death (1560). ] and had lost his faith there, as ayoung maiden might her honour. He made no secret of his newopinions, but openly at Martinmas fair, 1560, told the youngnobles at dinner that Christ was but a man like other people, andignorance alone had elevated Him to a God; which notion had beenencouraged by the greed and avarice of the clergy. They shouldtherefore not credit what the hypocritical priests chattered tothem every Sunday, but believe only what reason and their fivesenses told them was truth, and that, in fine, if he had his will, he would send every priest to the devil. 

All the young nobles remained silent but Claude Zastrow, a feudalretainer of the Borks, who rose up (it was an evil moment to him)and made answer: "Most powerful feudal lord, were the holyapostles then filled with greed and covetousness, who were thefirst to proclaim that Christ was God, and who left all for Hissake? Or the early Christians who, with one accord, sold theirpossessions, and gave the price to the poor?" Claude had beforethis displeased the knight, who now grew red with anger at theinsolence of his vassal in thus answering him, and replied: "Ifthey were not preachers for gain, they were at least stupidfellows. " Hereupon a great murmur arose in the hall, but theaforesaid Zastrow is not silenced, and answered: "It issurprising, then, that the twelve stupid apostles performed morethan twelve times twelve Greek or Roman philosophers. The knightmight rage until he was black in the face, and strike the table. But he had better hold his tongue and use his understanding;though, after all, the intellect of a man who believed nothing butwhat he received through his five senses was not worth much; forthe brute beasts were his equals, inasmuch as they received noevidence either but from the senses. "

Then Otto sprang up raging, and asked him what he meant; to whichthe other answered: "Nothing more than to express his opinion thatman differed from the brute, not through his understanding, but byhis faith, for that animals had evidently understanding, but notrace of faith had ever yet been discovered in them. " [Footnote:This axiom is certainly opposed to modern ontology, which deniesall ideas to the brute creation, and explains each proof of theirintellectual activity by the unintelligible word "instinct. " Theancients held very different opinions, particularly the newPlatonists, one of whom (Porphyry, liber ii. _Deabstinentia_) treats largely of the intellect and language ofanimals. Since Cartesius, however, who denied not onlyunderstanding, but even feeling, to animals, and represented themas mere animated machines (_De passionib. Pars i. Artic. Iv. Etde Methodo, _ No. 5, page 29, &c. ), these views upon thepsychology of animals produced the most mischievous results; forthey were carried out until if not feeling, at least intellect, was denied to all animals more or less; and modern philosophy atlength arrived at denying intelligence even to God, in whom and bywhom, as formerly, man no longer attains to consciousness, but itis by man and through man that God arrives to a consciousintelligent existence. Some philosophers of our time, indeed, arecondescending enough to ascribe _Understanding_ to animalsand _Reason_ to man as the generic difference between thetwo. But I cannot comprehend these new-fashioned distinctions; forit seems to me absurd to split into the two portions of reason andunderstanding one and the same spiritual power, according as theobject on which it acts is higher or lower; just as if we adoptedtwo names for the same hand that digs up the earth and directs thetelescope to heaven, or maintained that the latter was quite adifferent hand from the former. No. There is but one understandingfor man and beasts, as but one common substance for their materialforms. The more perfect the form, so much the more perfect is theintellect; and human and animal intellects are only dynamicallydifferent in human and animal bodies. 

And even if, among animals of the more perfect form, understandinghas been discovered, yet in man alone has been found the innatefeeling of connection with the supernatural, or _Faith_. Ifthis, as the generic sign of difference, be called _Reason_, I have nothing to object, except that the word generally conveys adifferent meaning. But _Faith_ is, in fact, the pure Reason, and is found in all men, existing alike in the lowestsuperstitions as well as in the highest natures. ]

Otto's rage now knew no bounds, and he drew his dagger, roaring, "What! thou insolent knave, dost thou dare to compare thy feudallord to a brute?" And before the other had time to draw hispoignard to defend himself, or the guests could in any wayinterfere to prevent him, Otto stabbed him to the heart as he satthere by the table. (It was a blessed death, I think, to die forhis Lord Christ. ) And so he fell down upon the floor withcontorted features, and hands and feet quivering with agony. Everyone was struck dumb with horror at such a death; but the knightlaughed loudly, and cried, "Ha! thou base-born serf, I shall teachthee how to liken thy feudal lord to a brute, " and striding overhis quivering limbs, he spat upon his face. 

Then the murmuring and whispering increased in the hall, and thosenearest the door rushed out and sprang upon their horses; andfinally all the guests, even old Uckermann, fled away, no oneventuring to take up the quarrel with Otto Bork. After that, hefell into disrepute with the old nobility, for which he caredlittle, seeing that his riches and magnificence always secured himcompanions enough, who were willing to listen to his wisdom, andwere consoled by his wine. 

And when I, Dr. Theodore Plönnies, inquired from the old bachelorif his Serene Highness had not punished the noble for his shamefulcrime, he replied that his wealth and powerful influence protectedhim. At least it was whispered that justice had been blinded withgold; and the matter was probably related to the prince in quite adifferent manner from the truth; for I have heard that a few yearsafter, his Highness even visited this godless knight at his castlein Stramehl. 

As to Otto, no one observed any sign of repentance in him. On thecontrary, he seemed to glory in his crime, and the neighbouringnobles related that he frequently brought in his little daughterSidonia, whom he adored for her beauty, to the assembled guests, magnificently attired; and when she was bowing to the company, hewould say, "Who art thou, my little daughter?" Then she wouldcease the salutations which she had learned from her mother, anddrawing herself up, proudly exclaim, "I am a noble maiden, doweredwith towns and castles!" Then he would ask, if the conversationturned upon his enemies--and half the nobles were so--"Sidonia, how does thy father treat his enemies?" Upon which the child wouldstraighten her finger, and running at her father, strike it intohis heart, saying, "_Thus_ he treats them. " At which Ottowould laugh loudly, and tell her to show him how the knave lookedwhen he was dying. Then Sidonia would fall down, twist her face, and writhe her little hands and feet in horrible contortions. Uponwhich Otto would lift her up, and kiss her upon the mouth. But itwill be seen how the just God punished him for all this, and howthe words of the Scriptures were fulfilled: "Err not, God is notmocked; for what a man soweth, that shall he also reap. "

The parson of Stramehl, David Dilavius, related also to oldUckermann another fact, which, though it hardly seems credible, the bachelor reported thus to me:--

This Dilavius was a learned man whom Otto had selected asinstructor to his young daughter; "but only teach her, " he said, "to read and write, and the first article of the Ten Commandments. The other Christian doctrines I can teach her myself; besides, Ido not wish the child to learn so many dogmas. "

Dilavius, who was a worthy, matter-of-fact, good, simplecharacter, did as he was ordered, and gave himself no furthertrouble until he came to ask the child to recite the first articleof the creed out of the catechism for him. There was nothing wrongin that; but when he came to the second article, he crossedhimself, not because it concerned the Lord Christ, but her ownfather, Otto von Bork, and ran somewhat thus:--

"And I believe in my earthly father, Otto von Bork, adistinguished son of God, born of Anna von Kleist, who sitteth inhis castle at Stramehl, from whence he will come to help hischildren and friends, but to slay his enemies and tread them inthe dust. "

The third article was much in the same style, but he had partlyforgotten it, neither could he remember if Dilavius had called thefather to any account for his profanity, or taught the daughtersome better Christian doctrine. In fine, this was all the oldbachelor could tell me of Sidonia's education. Yes--he rememberedone anecdote more. Her father had asked her one day, when she wasabout ten or twelve years old, "What kind of a husband she wouldlike?" and she replied, "One of equal birth. " _Ille:_[Footnote: In dialogue the author makes use of the Latin pronouns, _Ille_, he; _Illa_, she, to denote the differentcharacters taking part in it; and sometimes _Hic_ and_Hæc_, for the same purposes. _Summa_ he employs in thesense of "to sum up, " or "in short. "] "Who is her equal in thewhole of Pomerania?" _Illa:_ "Only the Duke of Pomerania, orthe Count von Ebersburg. " _Ille:_ "Right! therefore she mustnever marry any other but one of these. "

It happened soon after, old Philip Uckermann, his father, ridingone day through the fields near Stramehl, saw a country girlseated by the roadside, weeping bitterly. "Why do you weep?" heasked. "Has any one injured you?" "Sidonia has injured me, " shereplied. "What could she have done? Come dry your tears, and tellme. " Whereupon the little girl related that Sidonia, who was thenabout fourteen, had besought her to tell her what marriage was, because her father was always talking to her about it. The girlhad told her to the best of her ability; but the young lady beather, and said it was not so, that long Dorothy had told her quitedifferently about marriage, and there she went on tormenting herfor several days; but upon this evening Sidonia, with longDorothy, and some of the milkmaids of the neighbourhood, had takenaway one of the fine geese which the peasants had given her inpayment of her labour. They picked it alive, all except the headand neck, then built up a large fire in a circle, and put thegoose and a vessel of water in the centre. So the fat dripped downfrom the poor creature alive, and was fried in a pan as it fell, just as the girls eat it on their bread for supper. And the goose, having no means of escape, still went on drinking the water as thefat dripped down, whilst they kept cooling its head and heart witha sponge dipped in cold water, fastened to a stick, until at lastthe goose fell down when quite roasted, though it still screamed, and then Sidonia and her companions cut it up for their amusement, living as it was, and ate it for their supper, in proof of which, the girl showed him the bones and the remains of the fire, and thedrops of fat still lying on the grass. 

Then she wept afresh, for Sidonia had promised to take away agoose every day, and destroy it as she had done the first. So myfather consoled her by giving her a piece of gold, and said, "Ifshe does so again, run by night and cloud, and come to Dalow byStargard, where I will make thee keeper of my geese. " But shenever came to him, and he never heard more of the maiden and hergeese. 

So far old Uckermann related to me the first evening, promising totell me of many more strange doings upon the following morning, which he would try to think over during the night. 

CHAPTER II. 

_Of the bear-hunt at Stramehl, and the strange things thatbefell there. _

The following morning, by seven o'clock, the old man summoned meto him, and on entering I found him seated at breakfast by thefire. He invited me to join him, and pushed a seat over for mewith his crutch, for walking was now difficult to him. He was veryfriendly, and the eyes of the old man burned as clear as those ofa white dove. He had slept little during the night, for Sidonia'sform kept floating before his eyes, just as she had looked in thedays when he paid court to her. Alas! he had once loved herdeeply, like all the other young nobles who approached her, fromthe time she was of an age to marry. In her youth she had beenbeautiful; and old and young declared that for figure, eyes, bosom, walk, and enchanting smile, there never had been seen herequal in all Pomerania. 

"Nothing shall be concealed from you, " he said, "of all thatconcerns my foolish infatuation, that you and your children maylearn how the all-wise God deals best with His servants when Heuses the rod and denies that for which they clamour as sillychildren for a glittering knife. " Here he folded his witheredhands, murmured a short prayer, and proceeded with his story. 

"You must know that I was once a proud and stately youth, uponwhom a maiden's glance in no wise rested indifferently, trained inall knightly exercise, and only two years older than Sidonia. Ithappened in the September of 1566, that I was invited by CasparRoden to see his eel-nets, as my father intended laying down somealso at Krampehl [Footnote: A little river near Dalow] and alongthe coast. When we returned home weary enough in the evening, aletter arrived from Otto von Bork, inviting him the following dayto a bear-hunt; as he intended, in honour of the nuptials of hiseldest daughter Clara, to lay bears' heads and bears' paws beforehis guests, which even in Pomerania would have been a rarity, anddesiring him to bring as many good huntsmen with him as hepleased. So I accompanied Caspar Roden, who told me on the waythat Count Otto had at first looked very high for his daughterClara, and scorned many a good suitor, but that she was nowgetting rather old, and ready, like a ripe burr, to hang on thefirst that came by. Her bridegroom was Vidante von Meseritz, afeudal vassal of her father's, upon whom, ten years before, shewould not have looked at from a window. Not that she was as proudas her young sister Sidonia. However, their mother was to blamefor much of this; but she was dead now, poor lady, let her rest inpeace. 

So in good time we reached the castle of Stramehl, where thirtyhuntsmen were already assembled, all noblemen, and we joined themin the grand state hall, where the morning meal was laid out. Count Otto sat at the head of the table, like a prince ofPomerania, upon a throne whereon his family arms were both carvedand embroidered. He wore a doublet of elk-skin, and a cap with aheron's plume upon his head. He did not rise as we entered, butcalled to us to be seated and join the feast, as the party mustmove off soon. Costly wines were sent round; and I observed thaton each of the glasses the family arms were cut. They were alsopainted upon the window of the great hall, and along the walls, under the horns of all the different wild animals killed by Ottoin the chase--bucks, deers, harts, roes, stags, and elks--whichwere arranged in fantastical groups. 

After a little while his two daughters, Clara and Sidonia, entered. They wore green hunting-dresses, trimmed withbeaver-skin, and each had a gold net thrown over her hair. Theybowed, and bid the knights welcome. But we all remained breathlessgazing upon Sidonia, as she lifted her beautiful eyes first onone, and then on another, inviting us to eat and drink; and sheeven filled a small wine-glass herself, and prayed us to pledgeher. As for me, unfortunate youth, from the moment I beheld her Ibreathed no more through my lungs, but through my eyes alone, and, springing up, gave her health publicly. A storm of loud, animated, passionate voices soon responded to my words with loud vivas. Theguests then rose, for the ladies were impatient for the hunt, andfound the time hang heavily. 

So we set off with all our implements and our dogs, and a hundredbeaters went before us. It happened that my host, Caspar Roden, and I found an excellent sheltered position for a shot near aquarry, and we had not long been there (the beaters had not evenyet begun their work) when I spied a large bear coming down todrink at a small stream not twenty paces from me. I fired; but sheretired quickly behind an oak, and, growling fiercely, disappearedamongst the bushes. Not long after, I heard the cries of womenalmost close to us; and running as fast as possible in thedirection from whence they came, I perceived an old bear trying toclimb up to the platform where Clara and Sidonia stood. There wasa ruined chapel here--which, in the time of papacy, had containeda holy image--and a scaffolding had been erected round it, adornedwith wreaths of evergreen and flowers, from which the ladies couldobtain an excellent view of the hunt, as it commanded a prospectof almost the entire wood, and even part of the sea. Attached tothis scaffolding was a ladder, up which Bruin was anxiously tryingto ascend, in order to visit the young ladies, who were nowassailed by two dangers--the bear from below, and a swarm of beesabove, for myriads of these insects were tormenting them, tryingto settle upon their golden hair-nets; and the young ladies, screaming as if the last day had come, were vainly trying to beatthem off with their girdles, or trample them under their feet. Ahuntsman who stood near fired, indeed, at Bruin, but withouteffect, and the bees assailing his hands and face at the sametime, he took to flight and hid himself, groaning, in the quarry. 

In the meantime I had reached the chapel, and Sidonia stretchedforth her beautiful little hands, crying, along with her sister, "Help! help! He will eat us. Will you not kill him?" But the bear, as if already aware of my intention, began now to descend theladder. However, I stepped before him, and as he descended, Iascended. Luckily for me, the interval between each step was verysmall, to accommodate the ladies' little feet, so that when Bruintried to thrust his snout between them to get at me, he found itrather difficult work to make it pass. I had my dagger ready; andthough the bees which he brought with him in his fur flew on myhands, I heeded them not, but watching my opportunity, plunged itdeep into his side, so that he tumbled right down off the ladder;and though he raised himself up once and growled horribly, yet ina few seconds he lay dead before our eyes. How the ladies nowtripped down the ladder, not two or three, but four or five stepsat a time! and what thanks poured forth from their lips! I rushedfirst to Sidonia, who laid her little head upon my breast, while Iendeavoured to remove the bees which had got entangled in herhair-net. The other lady went to call the huntsman, who was hidingin the quarry, and we were left alone. Heavens! how my heartburned, more than my inflamed hands all stung by the bees, as sheasked, how could she repay my service. I prayed her for one kiss, which she granted. She had escaped with but one sting from thebees, who could not manage to get through her long, thick, beautiful hair, and she advanced joyfully to meet her father andthe hunting-train, who had heard the cries of the ladies. WhenCount Otto heard what had happened, and saw the dead bear, hethanked me heartily, praying me to attend his daughter Clara'swedding, which was to be celebrated next week at the castle, andto remain as his guest until then. There was nothing in the worldI could have desired beyond this, and I gratefully accepted hisoffer. Alas! I suffered for it after, as the cat from poisoneddainties. 

But to return to our hunt. No other bear was killed that day, butplenty of other game, as harts, stags, roes, boars--more thanenough. And now we discovered what an old hunter had conjectured, that the dead bear was the father, who had been alarmed by thegrowls of his partner, at whom I had fired whilst he wasendeavouring to carry off the honey from a nest of wild bees in aneighbouring tree. For looking around us, we saw, at the distanceof about twenty paces, a tall oak-tree, about which clouds of beeswere still flying, in which he had been following his occupation. No one dared to approach it, to bring away the honeycombs whichstill lay beneath, by reason of the bees, and, moreover, swarms ofants, by which they were covered. At length Otto Bork ordered thehuntsman to sound the return; and after supper I obtained anotherlittle kiss from Sidonia, which burned so like fire through myveins that I could not sleep the whole night. I resolved to askher hand in marriage from her father. 

Stupid youth as I was, I then believed that she looked upon mewith equal love; and although I knew all about the mode in whichshe had been brought up, and many other things beside, which havenow slipped from my memory, yet I looked on them but as idlestories, and was fully persuaded that Sidonia was sister to theangels in beauty, goodness, and perfection. In a few days, however, I had reason to change my opinion. 

Next day the two young ladies were in the kitchen, overseeing thecooking of the bear's head, and, as I passed by and looked in, they began to titter, which I took for a good omen, and asked, might I not be allowed to enter. They said, "Yes, I might come in, and help them to cleave the head. " So I entered, and they bothbegan to give me instructions, with much laughter and merryjesting. First, the bear's head had to be burned with hot irons;and when I said to Sidonia that thus she burned my heart, shenearly died of laughter. Then I cut some flesh off the mouth, broke the nose, and handed it all over to the maidens, who set iton the fire with water, wine, and vinegar. As I now played thepart of kitchen-boy, they sent me to the castle garden for thyme, sage, and rosemary, which I brought, and begged them for a tasteof the head; but they said it was not fit to eat yet--must becooled in brine first; so in place of it I asked one little kissfrom each of the maidens, which Sidonia granted, but her sisterrefused. However, I was not in the least displeased at herrefusal, seeing it was only the little sister I cared for. 

But judge of my rage and jealousy, that same day a cousin arrivedat the castle, and I observed that Sidonia allowed him to kiss herevery moment. She never even appeared to offer any resistance, butlooked over at me languishingly every time to see what I wouldsay. What could I say? I became pale with jealousy, but saidnothing. At last I rushed from the hall, mute with despair, when Iobserved him finally draw her on his knee. I only heard the pealof laughter that followed my exit, and I was just near leaving thewhole wedding-feast, and Stramehl for ever, when Sidonia calledafter me from the castle gates to return. This so melted my heart, that the tears came into my eyes, thinking that now indeed I had aproof of her love. Then she took my hand, and said, "I ought notto be so unkind. That was her manner with all the young nobles. Why should she refuse a kiss when she was asked? Her little mouthwould grow neither larger nor smaller for it. " But I stood stilland wept, and looked on the ground. "Why should I weep?" sheasked. Her cousin Clas had a bride of his own already, and onlytook a little pastime with her, and so she must cure me now withanother little kiss. 

I was now again a happy man, thinking she loved me; and theheavens seemed so propitious, that I determined to ask her hand. But I had not sufficient courage as yet, and resolved to waituntil after her sister's marriage, which was to take place nextday. What preparations were made for this event it would beimpossible adequately to describe. All the country round thecastle seemed like a royal camp. Six hundred horses were led intothe stables next day to be fed, for the Duke himself arrived witha princely retinue. Then came all the feudal vassals to offerhomage for their fiefs to Lord Otto. But as the description iswell worth hearing, I shall defer it for another chapter. 

CHAPTER III. 

_How Otto von Bork received the homage of his son-in-law, Vidante von Meseritz--And how the bride and bridegroom proceededafterwards to the chapel--Item, what strange things happened atthe wedding-feast. _

Next morning the stir began in the castle before break of day, andby ten o'clock all the nobles, with their wives and daughters, hadassembled in the great hall. Then the bride entered, wearing hermyrtle wreath, and Sidonia followed, glittering with diamonds andother costly jewels. She wore a robe of crimson silk with a capeof ermine, falling from her shoulders, and looked so beautifulthat I could have died for love, as she passed and greeted me withher graceful laugh. But Otto Bork, the lord of the castle, wassore displeased because his Serene Highness the Prince was latecoming, and the company had been waiting an hour for his presence. A platform had been erected at the upper end of the hall coveredwith bearskin; on this was placed a throne, beneath a canopy ofyellow velvet, and here Otto was seated dressed in a crimsondoublet, and wearing a hat half red and half black, from whichdepended plumes of red and black feathers that hung down nearly tohis beard, which was as venerable as a Jew's. Every instant hedespatched messengers to the tower to see if the prince were athand, and as the time hung heavy, he began to discourse hisguests. "See how this turner's apprentice [Footnote: So thisprince was called from his love of turning and carving dolls. ]must have stopped on the road to carve a puppet. God keep us fromsuch dukes!" For the prince passed all his leisure hours inturning and carving, particularly while travelling, and when thecarriage came to bad ground, where the horses had to move slowly, he was delighted, and went on merrily with his work; but when thehorses galloped, he grew ill-tempered and threw down his tools. 

At length the warder announced from the tower that the duke's sixcarriages were in sight, and the knight spoke from his throne: "Ishall remain here, as befits me, but Clara and Sidonia, go yeforth and receive his Highness; and when he has entered, thekinsman [Footnote: This was the feudal term for the next relationof a deceased vassal, upon whom it devolved to do homage for thelands to the feudal lord. ] in full armour shall ride into the hallupon his war-horse, bearing the banner of his house in his hand, and all my retainers shall follow on horses, each bearing hisbanner also, and shall range themselves by the great window of thehall; and let the windows be open, that the wind may play throughthe banners and make the spectacle yet grander. "

Then all rushed out to meet the Duke, and I, too, went, for trulythe courtyard presented a gorgeous sight--all decorated as it was, and the pride and magnificence of Lord Otto were here fullydisplayed; for from the upper storey of the castle floated thebanner of the Emperor, and just beneath it that of Lord Otto (twocrowned wolves with golden collars on a field or for the shield), and the crest, a crowned red-deer springing. Beneath this banner, but much inferior to it in size and execution, waved that of theDukes of Pomerania; and lowest of all, hung the banner of Otto'sfeudal vassals--but they themselves were not visible. Neither didthe kinsman appear to receive and greet his Highness. Otto knewwell, it seems, that he could defy the Duke (however, I think ifmy gracious Lord of Wolgast had been there, he would not havesuffered such insults, but would have taken Otto's banner andflung it in the mud). [Footnote: Marginal note of Duke Bogislaff, "And so would I. "] Be this as it may, Duke Barnim never appearedto notice anything except Otto's two daughters. He was a littleman with a long grey beard, and as he stepped slowly out of thecarriage held a little puppet by the arm, which he had beencarving to represent Adam. It was intended for a present to theconvent at Kobatz. His _superintendens generalis_, FabianusTimæus (a dignified-looking personage), accompanied him in thecarriage, for his Highness was going on the same day to attend thediet at Treptow, and only meant to pay a passing visit here. ButLord Otto concealed this fact, as it hurt his pride. The othercarriages contained the equerries and pages of his Highness, andthen followed the heavy waggons with the cooks, valets, andstewards. 

When the Prince entered the state hall, Lord Otto rose from histhrone and said: "Your Highness is welcome, and I trust willpardon me for not having gone forth with my greetings; but thoseof a couple of young damsels were probably more agreeable than thecompliments of an old knight like myself, who besides, as yourGrace perceives, is engaged here in the exercise of his duty. Andnow, I pray your Highness to take this seat at my right hand. "Whereupon he pointed to a plain chair, not in the least raisedfrom the ground, and altogether as common a seat as there was tobe found in the hall; but his Highness sat down quietly (at whichevery one wondered in silence) and took the little puppet in hislap, only exclaiming in low German, "What the devil, Otto! youmake more of yourself, man, than I do;" to which the knightreplied, "Not more than is necessary. "

"And now, " continued the old man, "the ceremony of offering homagecommenced, which is as fresh in my memory as if all had happenedbut yesterday, and so I shall describe it that you may know whatwere the usages of our fathers, for the customs of chivalry are, alas! fast passing away from amongst us. 

When Otto Bork gave the sign with his hand, six trumpets soundedwithout, whereupon the doors of the hall were thrown wide open asfar as they could go, and the kinsman Vidante von Meseritz enteredon a black charger, and dressed in complete armour, but withouthis sword. He carried the banner of his house (a pale gules withtwo foxes running), and riding straight up to Lord Otto, loweredit before him. Otto then demanded, "Who art thou, and what is thyrequest?" to which he answered, "Mighty feudal Lord, I am kinsmanof Dinnies von Meseritz, and pray you for the fief. " "And who arethese on horseback who follow thee?" "They are the feudal vassalsof my Lord, even as my father was. " And Otto said, "Ride up, mymen, and do as your fathers have done. " Then Frederick Ubeske rodeup, lowered his banner (charged with a sun and peacock's tail)before the knight, then passed on up to the great windows of thehall, where he took his place and drew his sword, while the windplayed through the folds of his standard. 

Next came Walter von Locksted--lowered his banner (bearing aspringing unicorn), rode up to the window, and drew his sword. After him, Claud Drosedow, waving his black eagle upon a white andred shield, rode up to the window and drew his sword; then JacobPretz, on his white charger, bearing two spears transverse througha fallen tree on his flag; and Dieterich Mallin, whose banner fellin folds over his hand, so that the device was not visible; andLorenz Prechel, carrying a leopard gules upon a silver shield; andJacob Knut, with a golden becker upon an azure field, and threeplumes on the crest; and Tesmar von Kettler, whose spurs caught inthe robe of a young maiden as he passed, and merry laughterresounded through the hall, many saying it was a good omen, which, indeed, was the truth, for that evening they were betrothed; andfinally came Johann Zastrow, bearing two buffaloes' horns on hisbanner, and a green five-leaved bush, rode up to the window afterthe others, and drew his sword. 

There stood the nine, like the muses at the nuptials of Peleus, [Footnote: The nine muses were present at the marriage of Peleusand Thetis. --_See Pindar, pyth. _. 3, 160] and the wind playedthrough their banners. Then Lord Otto spoke--

"True, these are my leal vassals. And now, kinsman of Meseritz, dismount and pay homage, as did thy father, ere thou canst ride upand join them. " So the young man dismounted, threw the reins ofhis horse to a squire, and ascended the platform. Then Otto, holding up a sword, spoke again--

"Behold, kinsman, this is the sword of thy father; touch it withme, and pronounce the feudal oath. " Here all the vassals rode upfrom the window, and held their swords crosswise over thekinsman's head, while he spake thus--

"I, Vidante von Meseritz, declare, vow, and swear to the mostpowerful, noble, and brave Otto von Bork, lord of the lands andcastles of Labes, Pansin, Stramehl, Regenwalde, and others, and mymost powerful feudal lord, and to his lawful heirs, a right loyalfealty, to serve him with all duty and obedience, to warn him ofall evil, and defend him from all injury, to the best of myability and power. "

Then he kissed the knight's hand, who girded his father's sword onhim, and said--

"Thus I acknowledge thee for my vassal, as my father did thyfather. "

Then turning to his attendants he cried, "Bring hither the campfurniture. " Hereupon the circle of spectators parted in two, andthe pages led up, first, Vidante's horse, upon which he sprung;then others followed, bearing rich garments and his father'ssignet, and laid them down before him, saying, "Kinsman, thegarments and the seal of thy father. " A third and a fourth bore alarge couch with a white coverlet, set it down before him, andsaid, "Kinsman, a couch for thee and thy wife. " Then came a greatcrowd, bearing plates and dishes, and napkins, and table-covers, besides eleven tin cans, a fish-kettle, and a pair of ironpot-hooks; in short, a complete camp furniture; all of which theyset down before the young man, and then disappeared. 

During this entire time no one noticed his Highness the Duke, though he was indeed the feudal head of all. Even when thetrumpets sounded again, and the vassals passed out in procession, they lowered their standards only before Otto, as if no princelypersonage were present. But I think this proud Lord Otto must havecommanded them so to do, for such an omission or breach of respectwas never before seen in Pomerania. Even his Highness seemed, atlast, to feel displeasure, for he drew forth his knife, and beganto cut away at the little wooden Adam, without taking furthernotice of the ceremony. 

At length when the vassals had departed, and many of the guestsalso, who wished to follow them, had left the hall, the Dukelooked up with his little glittering eyes, scratched the back ofhis head with the knife, and asked his Chancellor, Jacob Kleist, who had evidently been long raging with anger, "Jacob, what dostthou think of this _spectaculo?_" who replied, "Graciouslord, I esteem it a silly thing for an inferior to play the partof a prince, or for a prince to be compelled to play the part ofan inferior. " Such a speech offended Otto mightily, who drewhimself up and retorted scornfully, "Particularly a poor inferiorwho, as you see, is obliged to draw the plough by turns with hisserfs. " Hereupon the Chancellor would have flung back the scorn, but his Highness motioned with the hand that he should keepsilence, saying, "Remember, good Jacob, that we are here asguests; however, order the carriages, for I think it is time thatwe proceed on our journey. "

When Otto heard this, he was confounded, and, descending from histhrone, uttered so many flattering things, that his Highness atlength was prevailed upon to remain (I would not have consented, to save my soul, had I been the Prince--no, not even if I had topass the night with the bears and wolves in the forest before Icould reach Treptow); so the good old Prince followed him intoanother hall, where breakfast was prepared, and all the lords andladies stood there in glittering groups round the table, particularly admiring the bear's head, which seemed to please hisHighness mightily also. Then each one drained a large goblet ofwine, and even the ladies sipped from their little wine-glasses, to drink themselves into good spirits for the dance. 

Otto now related all about the hunt, and presented me to hisGrace, who gave me his hand to kiss, saying, "Well done, youngman--I like this bravery. Were it not for you, in place of awedding, and a bear's head in the dish, Lord Otto might have had afuneral and two human heads in a coffin. " His Grace then pledgedme in a silver becker of wine; and afterwards the bride andbridegroom, who had sat till then kissing and making love in acorner; but they now came forward and kissed the hand of the Dukewith much respect. The bridegroom had on a crimson doublet, whichbecame him well; but his father's jack-boots, which he woreaccording to custom, were much too wide, and shook about his legs. The bride was arrayed in a scarlet velvet robe, and bodice furredwith ermine. Sidonia carried a little balsam flask, depending froma gold chain which she wore round her neck. (She soon needed thebalsam, for that day she suffered a foretaste of the fate whichwas to be the punishment for her after evil deeds. ) And now, as weset forward to the church, a group of noble maidens distributedwreaths to the guests; but the bride presented one to the Duke, and Sidonia (that her hand might have been withered) handed one tome, poor love-stricken youth. 

It was the custom then, as now, in Pomerania, for all thebride-maidens, crowned with beautiful wreaths, to precede thebride and bridegroom to church. The crowd of lords, and ladies, and young knights pouring out of the castle gates, in order to seethem, separated Sidonia from this group, and she was left aloneweeping. Now the whole population of the little town were runningfrom every street leading to the church; and it happened that acourser [Footnote: A man who courses greyhounds. ] of Otto Bork'scame right against Sidonia with such violence, that, with a blowof his head, he knocked her down into the puddle (she was to liethere really in after-life). Her little balsam-flask was of no usehere. She had to go back, dripping, to the castle, and appeared nomore at her sister's nuptials, but consoled herself, however, bylistening to the bellowing of the huntsman, whom they were beatingblack and blue by her orders beneath her window. 

I would willingly have returned with her, but was ashamed so todo, and therefore followed the others to church. All the commonpeople that crowded the streets were allowed to enter. Then thebridegroom and his party, of whom the Duke was chief, advanced upto the right of the altar, and the bride and her party, of whichFabianus Timæus was the most distinguished, arrayed themselves onthe left. 

I had now an opportunity of hearing the learned and excellentparson Dilavius myself; for he represented his patron (who was notpresent at the feast, but apologised for his absence by allegingthat he must remain at the castle to look after the preparations)almost as an angel, and the young ladies, especially the bride, came in for even a larger share of his flattery; but he was somodest before these illustrious personages, that I observed, whenever he looked up from the book, he had one eye upon the Dukeand another on Fabianus. 

When we returned to the castle, Sidonia met the bridemaidens againwith joyous smiles. She now wore a white silk robe, laced withgold, and dancing-slippers with white silk hose. The diamondsstill remained on her head, neck, and arms. She looked beautifulthus; and I could not withdraw my eyes from her. We all nowentered the bridechamber, as the custom is, and there stood animmense bridal couch, with coverlet and draperies as white assnow; and all the bridemaids and the guests threw their wreathsupon it. Then the Prince, taking the bridegroom by the hand, ledhim up to it, and repeated an old German rhyme concerning theduties of the holy state upon which he had entered. 

When his Highness ceased, Fabianus took the bride by the hand, whoblushed as red as a rose, and led her up in the same manner to thenuptial couch, where he uttered a long admonition on her duties toher husband, at which all wept, but particularly thebride-maidens. After this we proceeded to the state hall, whereOtto was seated on his throne waiting to receive them, and whenhis children had kissed his hand the dancing commenced. Ottoinvited the Prince to sit near him, and all the young knights andmaidens who intended to dance ranged themselves on costly carpetsthat were laid upon the floor all round by the walls. The trumpetsand violins now struck up, and a band was stationed at each end ofthe hall, so that while the dancers were at the top one played, and when at the lower end the other. 

I hastened to Sidonia, as she reclined upon the carpet, andbending low before her, said, "Beautiful maiden! will you notdance?" [Footnote: It will interest my fair readers to know thatthis was, word for word, the established form employed in thosedays for an invitation to dance. ] Upon which she smilingly gave meher little hand, and I raised her up, and led her away. 

I have said that I was a proficient in all knightly exercises, sothat every one approached to see us dance. When Sidonia was tiredI led her back, and threw myself beside her on the carpet. But ina little while three other young nobles came and seated themselvesaround her, and began to jest, and toy, and pay court to her. Oneplayed with her left hand and her rings, another with the gold netof her hair, while I held her right hand and pressed it. Shecoquettishly repelled them all--sometimes with her feet, sometimeswith her hands. And when Hans von Damitz extolled her hair, shegave him such a blow on the nose with her head that it began tobleed, and he was obliged to withdraw. Still one could see thatall these blows, right and left, were not meant in earnest. Thiscontinued for some time until an Italian dance began, which shedeclined to join, and as I was left alone with her upon thecarpet, "Now, " thought I, "there can be no better time to decidemy fate;" for she had pressed my hand frequently, both in thedance and since I had lain reclining beside her. 

"Beautiful Sidonia!" I said, "you know not how you have wounded myheart. I can neither eat nor sleep since I beheld you, and thosefive little kisses which you gave me burn through my frame likearrows. "

To which she answered, laughing, "It was your pastime, youth. Itwas your own wish to take those little kisses. "

"Ah, yes!" I said, "it was my will; but give me more now and makeme well. "

"What!" she exclaimed, "you desire more kisses? Then will yourpain become greater, if, as you say, with every kiss an arrowenters your heart, so at last they would cause your death. "

"Ah, yes!" I answered, "unless you take pity on me, and promise tobecome my wife, they will indeed cause my death. " As I said this, she sprang up, tore her hand away from me, and cried with mockinglaughter, "What does the knave mean? Ha! ha! the poor, miserablevarlet!"

I remained some moments stupefied with rage, then sprung to myfeet without another word, left the hall, took my steed from thestable, and turned my back on the castle for ever. You may imaginehow her ingratitude added to the bitterness of my feelings, when Iconsidered that it was to me she owed her life. She afterwardsoffered herself to me for a wife, but she was then dishonoured, and I spat out at her in disgust. I never beheld her again tillshe was carried past my door to the scaffold. 

All this the old man related with many sighs; but hisafter-meeting with her shall be related more _in extenso_ inits proper place. I shall now set down what further hecommunicated about the wedding-feast. 

You may imagine, he said, that I was curious to know all thathappened after I left the castle, and my friend, Bogislaff vonSuckow of Pegelow, told me as follows. 

After my departure, the young lords grew still more free anddaring in their manner to Sidonia, so that when not dancing shehad sufficient exercise in keeping them off with her hands andfeet, until my friend Bogislaff attracted her whole attention bytelling her that he had just returned from Wolgast, where theducal widow was much comforted by the presence of her son, PrinceErnest Ludovick, whom she had not seen since he went to theuniversity. He was the handsomest youth in all Pomerania, andplayed the lute so divinely that at court he was compared to thegod Apollo. 

Sidonia upon this fell into deep thought. In the meanwhile, it wasevident that his Highness old Duke Barnim was greatly struck byher beauty, and wished to get near her upon the carpet; for hisGrace was well known to be a great follower of the sex, and manystories are whispered about a harem of young girls he kept at St. Mary's--but these things are allowable in persons of his rank. 

However, Fabianus Timæus, who sat by him, wished to prevent himapproaching Sidonia, and made signs, and nudged him with hiselbow; and finally they put their heads together and had a longargument. 

At last the Prince started up, and stepping to Otto, asked him, Would he not dance? "Yes, " he replied, "if your Grace will dancelikewise. " "Good, " said the Prince, "that can be soon arranged, "and therewith he solicited Sidonia's hand. At this Fabianus was soscandalised that he left the hall, and appeared no more untilsupper. After the dance, his Highness advanced to Otto, who wasreseated on his throne, and said, "Why, Otto, you have a beautifuldaughter in Sidonia. She must come to my court, and when sheappears amongst the other ladies, I swear she will make a betterfortune than by staying shut up here in your old castle. "

On which Otto replied, sarcastically smiling, "Ay, my graciousPrince, she would be a dainty morsel for your Highness, no doubt;but there is no lack of noble visitors at my castle, I am proud tosay. " Jacob Kleist, the Chancellor, was now so humbled at theDuke's behaviour that he, too, left the hall and followedFabianus. Even the Duke changed colour; but before he had time tospeak, Sidonia sprang forward, and having heard the wholeconversation, entreated her father to accept the Duke's offer, andallow her either to visit the court at Wolgast or at Old Stettin. What was she to do here? When the wedding-feast was over, no onewould come to the castle but huntsmen and such like. 

So Otto at last consented that she might visit Wolgast, but on noaccount the court at Stettin. 

Then the young Sidonia began to coax and caress the old Duke, stroking his long beard, which reached to his girdle, with herlittle white hands, and prayed that he would place her with theprincely Lady of Wolgast, for she longed to go there. People saidthat it was such a beautiful place, and the sea was not far off, which she had never been at in all her life. And so the Duke waspleased with her caresses, and promised that he would request hisdear cousin, the ducal widow of Wolgast, to receive her as one ofher maids of honour. Sidonia then further entreated that theremight be no delay, and he answered that he would send a note tohis cousin from the Diet at Treptow, by the Grand Chamberlain ofWolgast, Ulrich von Schwerin, and that she would not have to waitlong. But she must go by Old Stettin, and stop at his palace for awhile, and then he would bring her on himself to Wolgast, if hehad time to spare. 

While Sidonia clapped her hands and danced about for joy, Ottolooked grave, and said, "But, gracious Lord, the nearest way toWolgast is by Cammin. Sidonia must make a circuit if she goes byOld Stettin. "

The conversation was now interrupted by the lacqueys, who came toannounce that dinner was served. 

Otto requested the Duke to take a place beside him at table, andtreated him with somewhat more distinction than he had done in themorning; but a hot dispute soon arose, and this was the cause. AsOtto drank deep in the wine-cup, he grew more reckless and daring, and began to display his heretical doctrines as openly as he hadhitherto exhibited his pomp and magnificence, so that every onemight learn that pride and ungodliness are twin brothers. May Godkeep us from both!

And one of the guests having said, in confirmation of some fact, "The Lord Jesus knows I speak the truth!" the godless knightlaughed scornfully, exclaiming, "The Lord Jesus knows as littleabout the matter as my old grandfather, lying there in his vault, of our wedding-feast to-day. "

There was a dead silence instantly, and the Prince, who had justlifted up some of the bear's paw to his lips, with mustard sauceand pastry all round it, dropped it again upon his plate, andopened his eyes as wide as they could go; then, hastily wiping hismouth with the salvet, exclaimed in low German, "What the devil, Otto! art thou a freethinker?" who replied, "A true nobleman may, in all things, be a freethinker, and neither do all that a princecommands nor believe all that a pope teaches. " To which the Dukeanswered, "What concerns me I pardon, for I do not believe thatyou will ever forget your duty to your Prince. The times are goneby when a noble would openly offer violence to his sovereign; butfor what concerns the honour of our Lord Christ, I must leave youin the hands of Fabianus to receive proper chastisement. "

Now Fabianus, seeing that all eyes were fixed on him, grew red andcleared his throat, and set himself in a position to argue thepoint with Lord Otto, beginning--"So you believe that Christ theLord remained in the grave, and is not living and reigning for alleternity?"

_Ille_. --"Yes; that is my opinion. "

_Hic_. --"What do you believe, then? or do you believe inanything?"

_Ille_. --"Yes; I believe firmly in an all-powerful andomniscient God. "

_Hic_. --"How do you know He exists?"

_Ille_. --"Because my reason tells me so. "

_Hic_. --"Your reason does not tell you so, good sir. Itmerely tells you that something supermundane exists, but cannottell you whether it be one God or two Gods, or a hundred Gods, orof what nature are these Gods--whether spirits, or stars, ortrees, or animals, or, in fine, any object you can name, forpaganism has imagined a Deity in everything, which proves what Iassert. You only believe in _one_ God, because you sucked inthe doctrine with your mother's milk. " [Footnote: The history ofall philosophy shows that this is psychologically true. EvenLucian satirises the philosophers of his age who see God or Godsin numbers, dogs, geese, trees, and other things. But monotheisticChristianity has preserved us for nearly 2000 years from theseaberrations of philosophy. However, as the authority ofChristianity declined, the pagan tendency again became visible;until at length, in the Hegelian school, we have fallen backhelplessly into the same pantheism which we left 2000 years ago. In short, what Kant asserts is perfectly true: that the existenceof God cannot be proved from reason. For the highest objects ofall cognition--God, Freedom, and Immortality--can as little beevolved from the new philosophy as beauty from the disgustingprocess of decomposition. And yet more impossible is it to imaginethat this feeble Hegelian pantheism should ever become the crownand summit of all human thought, and final resting-place for allhuman minds. Reason, whether from an indwelling instinct, or froman innate causality-law, may assert that something supermundaneexists, but can know nothing more and nothing further. So we seethe absurdity of chattering in our journals and periodicals of theprogress of reason. The advance has been only _formal_, not_essential_. The formal advance has been in printing, railroads, and such like, in which direction we may easily supposeprogression will yet further continue. But there has been noessential advance whatever. We know as little now of our ownbeing, of the being of God, or even of that of the smallestinfusoria, as in the days of Thales and Anaximander. In short, when life begins, begins also our feebleness; "Therefore, " saysPaul, "we walk by faith, not by sight. " Yet these would-bephilosophers of our day will only walk by sight, not by faith, although they cannot see into anything--not even into themselves. ]

_Ille_. --"How did it happen, then, that Abraham arrived atthe knowledge of the _one_ God, and called on the name of theLord?"

_Hic_. --"Do you compare yourself with Abraham? Have you everstudied Hebrew?"

_Ille_. --"A little. In my youth I read through the book ofGenesis. "

_Hic_. --"Good! then you know that the Hebrew word for_name_ is _Shem_?"

_Ille_. -"Yes; I know that. "

_Hic_. --"Then you know that from the time of Enos the_name_ [Footnote: In order to understand the argument, thereader must remember that the _name_ here is taken in thesense of the Greek logos, and is considered as referringespecially to Christ. ] was preached (Genesis iv. 26), showing thatthe pure doctrine was known from the beginning. This doctrine wasdarkened and obscured by wise people like you, so that it wasalmost lost at the time of Abraham, who again preached the_name_ of the Lord to unbelievers. "

_Ille_. --"What did this primitive doctrine contain?"

_Hic_. --"Undoubtedly not only a testimony of the one livingGod of heaven and earth, but also clearly of Christ the Messiah, as He who was promised to our fallen parents in paradise (Genesisiii. 15). "

_Ille_. --"Can you prove that Abraham had the witness ofChrist?"

_Hic_. --"Yes; from Christ's own words (John viii. 56):--'Abraham, your father, rejoiced to see My day, and he sawit, and was glad. ' Item: Moses and all the Prophets have witnessedof Him, of whom you say that He lies dead in the grave. "

_Ille_. --"Oh, that is just what the priests say. "

_Hic_. --"And Christ Himself, Luke xxvi. 25 and 27. Do you notsee, young man, that you mock the Prince of Life, whom God, thatcannot lie, promised before the world began--Titus i. 2--ay, evenmore than you mocked your temporal Prince this day? Poor sinner, what does it help you to believe in one God?"

"Even the devils believe and tremble, " added Jacob Kleist theChancellor. "No, there is no other name given under heaven bywhich you can be saved; and will you be more wise than Abraham, and the Prophets, and the Apostles, and all holy ChristianChurches up to this day? Shame on you, and remember what St. Paulsays: 'Thinking themselves wise, they became fools. ' And in 1stCor. Xv. 17: 'If Christ be not risen, than is your faith vain, andour preaching also vain. Ye are yet in your sins, and they whosleep in Christ are lost. '" [Footnote: This proof of Christ'sdivinity from the Old Testament was considered of the highestimportance in the time of the Apostles; but Schleiermacher, in hisstrange system, which may be called a mystic Rationalism, endeavours to shake the authority of the Old Testament in a mostunpardonable and incomprehensible manner. This appears to me as ifa man were to tear down a building from the sure foundation onwhich it had rested for 1000 years, and imagine it could rest intrue stability only on the mere breath of his words. ]

So Otto was silenced and coughed, for he had nothing to answer, and all the guests laughed; but, fortunately, just then theoffering-plate was handed round, and the Duke laid down twoducats, at which Otto smiled scornfully, and flung in sevenrix-dollars, but laughed outright when Fabianus put down only fourgroschen. 

This seemed to affront his Highness, for he whispered to hisChancellor to order the carriages, and rose up from table with hisattendants. Then, offering his hand to Otto, said, "Take care, Otto, or the devil will have you one day in hell, like the richman in Scripture. " To which Otto replied, bowing low, "GraciousLord, I hope at least to meet good company there. Farewell, andpardon me for not attending you to the castle gates, but I may notleave my guests. "

Then all the nobles rose up, and the young knights accompanied hisHighness, as did also Sidonia, who now further entreated his Graceto remove her from her father's castle, since he saw himself howlightly God's Word was held there. Fabianus was infinitely pleasedto hear her speak in this manner, and promised to use all hisinfluence towards having her removed from this Egypt. 

Here ended all that old Uckermann could relate of Sidonia's youth;so I determined to ride on to Stramehl, and learn there furtherparticulars if possible. 

Accordingly, next day I took leave of the good old man, prayingGod to give him a peaceful death, and arrived at Stramehl with myservant. Here, however, I could obtain no information; for eventhe Bork family pretended to know nothing, just as if they neverhad heard of Sidonia (they were ashamed, I think, to acknowledgeher), and the townspeople who had known her were all dead. Thegirl, indeed, was still living whose goose Sidonia had killed, butshe was now an old woman in second childhood, and fancied that Iwas myself Sidonia, who had come to take away another goose fromher. So I rode on to Freienwald, where I heard much that shallappear in its proper place; then to Old Stettin; and, afterwaiting three days for a fair wind, set sail for Wolgast, expecting to obtain much information there. 

CHAPTER IV. 

_How Sidonia came to the court at Wolgast, and of what furtherhappened to her there. _

In Wolgast I met with many persons whose fathers had knownSidonia, and what they related to me concerning her I have summedup into connection for your Highness as follows. 

When Duke Barnim reached the Diet at Treptow, he immediately madeknown Sidonia's request to the Grand Chamberlain of Wolgast, Ulrich von Schwerin, who was also guardian to the five youngprinces. But he grumbled, and said--"The ducal widow had maids ofhonour enough to dam up the river with if she chose; and he wishedfor no more pet doves to be brought to court, particularly notSidonia; for he knew her father was ambitious, and longed to becalled 'your Grace. '"

Even Fabianus could not prevail in Sidonia's favour. So the Dukeand he returned home to Stettin; but scarcely had they arrivedthere, when a letter came from the ducal widow of Wolgast, saying, that on no account would she receive Sidonia at her court. TheDuke might therefore keep her at his own if he chose. 

So the Duke took no further trouble. But Sidonia was not so easilysatisfied; and taking the matter in her own hands she left herfather's castle without waiting his permission, and set off forStettin. 

On arriving, she prayed the Duke to bring her to Wolgast withoutdelay, as she knew there was an honourable, noble lady there whowould watch over her, as indeed she felt would be necessary at acourt. And Fabianus supported her petition; for he was muchedified with her expressed desire to crucify the flesh, with theaffections and lusts. 

Ah! could he have known her!

So the kind-hearted Duke embarked with her immediately, withouttelling any one; and having a fair wind, sailed up directly to thelittle water-gate, and anchored close beneath the Castle ofWolgast. 

Here they landed; the Duke having Sidonia under one arm, and alittle wooden puppet under the other. It was an Eve, for whomSidonia had served as the model; and truly she was an Eve in sin, and brought as much evil upon the land of Pomerania as our firstmother upon the whole world. Sidonia was enveloped in a blackmantle, and wore a hood lined with fur covering her face. The Dukealso had on a large wrapping cloak, and a cap of yellow leatherupon his head. 

So they entered the private gate, and on through the first andsecond courts of the castle, without her Grace hearing a word oftheir arrival. And they proceeded on through the gallery, untilthey reached the private apartments of the princess, from whenceresounded a psalm which her Grace was singing with her ladieswhile they spun, and which psalm was played by a little musicalbox placed within the Duchess's own spinning-wheel. Duke Barnimhad made it himself for her Grace, and it was right pleasant tohear. 

After listening some time, the Duke knocked, and a maid of honouropened the door. When they entered, her Grace was so confoundedthat she dropped her thread and exclaimed, "Dear uncle! is thismaiden, then, Sidonia?" examining her from head to foot while shespoke. The Duke excused himself by saying that he had promised herfather to bring her here; but her Grace cut short his apologieswith "Dear uncle, Dr. Martin Luther told me on my wedding-day thathe never allowed himself to be interrupted at his prayers, becauseit betokened the presence of something evil. And you have nowbroken in on our devotions; therefore sit down with the maiden andjoin our psalm, if you know it. " Then her Grace took up the reelagain, and having set the clock-work going with her foot, struckup the psalm once more, in a clear, loud voice, joined by all herladies. But Sidonia sat still, and kept her eyes upon the ground. 

When they had ended, her Grace, having first crossed herself, advanced to Sidonia, and said, "Since you arrived at my court, youmay remain; but take care that you never lift your eyes upon theyoung men. Such wantons are hateful to my sight; for, as theScripture says, 'A fair woman without discretion is like a circletof gold upon a swine's head. '"

Sidonia changed colour at this; but the Duke, who held quite adifferent opinion about such women, entreated her Grace not to bealways so gloomy and melancholy--that it was time now for her toforget her late spouse, and think of gayer subjects. To which sheanswered, "Dear uncle, I cannot forget my Philip, particularly asmy fate was foreshadowed at my bridal by a most ominousoccurrence. "

Now, the Duke had heard this story of the bridal a hundred times;yet to please her he asked, "And what was it, dear cousin?"

"Listen, " she replied. "When Dr. Martin Luther exchanged ourrings, mine fell from his hand to the ground; at which he wasevidently troubled, and taking it up, he blew on it; then turninground, exclaimed--'Away with thee, Satan! away with thee, Satan!Meddle not in this matter!' And so my dear lord was taken from mein his forty-fifth year, and I was left a desolate widow. " Hereshe sobbed and put her kerchief to her eyes. 

"But, cousin, " said the Duke, "remember you have a great blessingfrom God in your five fine sons. And that reminds me--where arethey all now?"

This restored her Grace, and she began to discourse of herchildren, telling how handsome was the young Prince Ernest, andthat he and the little Casimir were only with her now. 

Here Sidonia, as the other ladies remarked, moved restlessly onher chair, and her eyes flashed like torches, so that it wasevident some plan had struck her, for she was strengthening day byday in wickedness. 

"Ay, cousin, " cried the Duke, "it is no wonder a handsome mothershould have handsome sons. And now what think you of giving us ajolly wedding? It is time for you to think of a second husband, methinks, after having wept ten years for your Philip. The bestdoctor, they say, for a young widow, is a handsome lover. Whatthink you of myself, for instance?" And he pulled off his leathercap, and put his white head and beard up close to her Grace. 

Now, though her Grace could not help laughing at his position andwords, yet she grew as sour as vinegar again immediately; for allthe ladies tittered, and, as to Sidonia, she laughed outright. 

"Fie! uncle, " said her Grace, "a truce to such folly; do you notknow what St. Paul says--'Let the widows abide even as I'?"

"Ay, true, dear cousin; but, then, does he not say, too, 'I willthat the younger widows marry'?"

"Ah, but, dear uncle, I am no longer young. "

"Why, you are as young and active as a girl; and I engage, cousin, if any stranger came in here to look for the widow, he would findit difficult to make her out amongst the young maidens; don't youthink so, Sidonia?"

"Ah, yes, " she replied; "I never imagined her Grace was so young. She is as blooming as a rose. "

This appeared to please the Princess, for she smiled slightly andthen sighed; but gave his Grace a smart slap when he attempted toseize her hand and kiss it, saying--"Now, uncle, I told you toleave off this foolery. "

At this moment the band outside struck up Duke Bogislaff'smarch--the same that was played before him in Jerusalem when heascended the Via Dolorosa up to Golgotha; for it was the customhere to play this march half-an-hour before dinner, in order togather all the household, knights, squires, pages, and even groomsand peasants, to the castle, where they all receivedentertainment. And ten rooms were laid with dinner, and all stoodopen, so that any one might enter under the permission of theCourt Marshal. All this I must notice here, because Sidoniaafterwards caused much scandal by these means. The music nowrejoiced her greatly, and she began to move her little feet, notin a pilgrim, but in a waltz measure, and to beat time with them, as one could easily perceive by the motion underneath her mantle. 

The Grand Chamberlain, Ulrich von Schwerin, now entered, andhaving looked at Sidonia with much surprise, advanced to kiss thehand of the Duke and bid him welcome to Wolgast. Then, turning toher Grace, he inquired if the twelve pages should wait at table todo honour to the Duke of Stettin. But the Duke forbade them, saying he wished to dine in private for this day with the Duchessand her two sons; the Grand Chamberlain, too, he hoped would bepresent, and Sidonia might have a seat at the ducal table, as shewas of noble blood; besides, he had taken her likeness as Eve, andthe first of women ought to sit at the first table. Hereupon theDuke drew forth the puppet, and called to Ulrich--"Here! you haveseen my Adam in Treptow; what think you now of Eve? Look, dearcousin, is she not the image of Sidonia?"

At this speech both looked very grave. Ulrich said nothing; buther Grace replied, "You will make the girl vain, dear uncle. " AndUlrich added, "Yes, and the image has such an expression, that ifthe real Eve looked so, I think she would have left her husband inthe lurch and run with the devil himself to the devil. "

While the last verse of the march was playing--"To Zion comesPomerania's Prince"--they proceeded to dinner--the Duke and thePrinces leading, while from every door along the corridor theyoung knights and pages peeped out to get a sight of Sidonia, who, having thrown off her mantle, swept by them in a robe of crimsonvelvet laced with gold. 

When they entered the dining-hall, Prince Ernest was leaningagainst one of the pillars wearing a black Spanish mantle, fastened with chains of gold. He stepped forward to greet theDuke, and inquire after his health. 

The Duke was well pleased to see him, and tapped him on the cheek, exclaiming--

"By my faith, cousin, I have not heard too much of you. What afine youth you have grown up since you left the university. "

But how Sidonia's eyes sparkled when (for his misfortune) shefound herself seated next him at table. The Duchess now calledupon Sidonia to say the "gratias;" but she blundered andstammered, which many imputed to modesty, so that Prince Ernesthad to repeat it in her stead. This seemed to give him courage;for when the others began to talk around the table, he ventured tobid her welcome to his mother's court. 

When they rose from table, Sidonia was again commanded to saygrace; but being unable, the Prince came to her relief andrepeated the words for her. And now the evil spirit without doubtput it into the Duke's head, who had drunk rather freely, to sayto her Grace--

"Dear cousin, I have introduced the Italian fashion at my court, which is, that every knight kisses the lady next him on risingfrom dinner--let us do the same here. " And herewith he firstkissed her Grace and then Sidonia. Ulrich von Schwerin lookedgrave at this and shook his head, particularly when the Dukeencouraged Prince Ernest to follow his example; but the poor youthlooked quite ashamed, and cast down his eyes. However, when heraised them again Sidonia's were fixed on him, and she murmured, "Will you not learn?" with such a glance accompanying the words, that he could no longer resist to touch her lips. So there wasgreat laughing in the hall; and the Duke then, taking his puppetunder one arm and Sidonia under the other, descended with her tothe castle gardens, complaining that he never got a good laugh inthis gloomy house, let him do what he would. 

And the next day he departed, though the Prince sent his equerryto know would his Grace desire to hunt that day; or, if hepreferred fishing, there were some excellent carp within thedomain. But the Duke replied, that he would neither ride nor fish, but sail away at ten of the clock, if the wind were favourable. 

So many feared that his Grace was annoyed; and therefore theDuchess and Prince Ernest, along with the Grand Chamberlain, attended him to the gate; and even to please him, Sidonia wasallowed to accompany them. The Pomeranian standard also washoisted to do him honour, and finally he bade the illustriouswidow farewell, recommending Sidonia to her care. But the fairmaiden herself he took in his arms, she weeping and sobbing, andadmonished her to be careful and discreet; and so, with a fairwind, set sail from Wolgast, and never once looked back. 

CHAPTER V. 

_Sidonia knows nothing of God's Word, but seeks to learn it fromthe young Prince of Wolgast. _

Next day, Sunday, her Grace was unable to attend divine service inthe church, having caught cold by neglecting to put on her mantlewhen she accompanied the Duke down to the water-gate. However, though her Grace could not leave her chamber, yet she heard thesermon of the preacher all the same; for an ear-tube descendedfrom her apartment down on the top of the pulpit, by which meansevery word reached her, and a maid of honour always remained inattendance to find out the lessons of the day, and the otherportions of the divine service, for her Grace, who thus couldfollow the clergyman word for word. Sidonia was the one selectedfor the office on this day. 

But, gracious Heavens! when the Duchess said, Find me out theprophet Isaiah, Sidonia looked in the New Testament; and when shesaid, Open the Gospel of St. John, Sidonia looked in the OldTestament. At first her Grace did not perceive her blunders; butwhen she became aware of them, she started up, and tearing theBible out of her hands, exclaimed, "What! are you a heathen?Yesterday you could not repeat a simple grace that every childknows by heart, and to-day you do not know the difference betweenthe Old and New Testaments. For shame! Alas! what an ill weed Ihave introduced into my house. "

So the cunning wench began to weep, and said, her father had neverallowed her to learn Christianity, though she wished to do soardently, but always made a mock of it, and for this reason shehad sought a refuge with her Grace, where she hoped to become atruly pious and believing Christian. The Duchess was quitesoftened by her tears, and promised that Dr. Dionysius Gerschoviusshould examine her in the catechism, and see what she knew. He wasa learned man from Daber [Footnote: A small town in LowerPomerania. ], and her Grace's chaplain. The very idea of the doctorfrightened Sidonia so much, that her teeth chattered, and sheentreated her Grace, while she kissed her hand, to allow her atleast a fortnight for preparation and study before the doctorcame. 

The Duchess promised this, and said, that Clara von Dewitz, another of her maidens, would be an excellent person to assist herin her studies, as she came from Daber also, and was familiar withthe views and doctrines held by Dr. Gerschovius. This Clara weshall hear more of in our history. She was a year older thanSidonia, intelligent, courageous, and faithful, with a quiet, amiable disposition, and of most pious and Christian demeanour. She wore a high, stiff ruff, out of which peeped forth her headscarcely visible, and a long robe, like a stole, sweeping behindher. She was privately betrothed to her Grace's Master of theHorse, Marcus Bork by name, a cousin of Sidonia's; for, as herGrace discouraged all kinds of gallantry or love-making at hercourt, they were obliged to keep the matter secret, so that noone, not even her Grace, suspected anything of the engagement. 

This was the person appointed to instruct Sidonia in Christianity;and every day the fair pupil visited Clara in her room for anhour. But, alas! theology was sadly interrupted by Sidonia's follyand levity, for she chattered away on all subjects: first aboutPrince Ernest--was he affianced to any one? was he in love? hadClara herself a lover? and if that old proser, meaning theDuchess, looked always as sour? did she never allow a feast or adance? and then she would toss the catechism under the bed, ortear it and trample on it, muttering, with much ill-temper, thatshe was too old to be learning catechisms like a child. 

Poor Clara tried to reason with her mildly, and said--"Her Gracewas very particular on these points. The maids of honour wereobliged to assemble weekly once in the church and once in herGrace's own room, to be examined by Dr. Gerschovius, not only inthe Lutheran Catechism, which they all knew well, but also in thatwritten by his brother, Dr. Timothy Gerschovius of Old Stettin; soSidonia had better first learn the _Catechismum Lutheri_, andafterwards the _Catechismum Gerschovii_. " At last Sidoniagrew so weary of catechisms that she determined to run away fromcourt. 

But Satan had more for her to do; so he put a little syrup intothe wormwood draught, and thus it was. One day passing along thecorridor from Clara's room, it so happened that Prince Ernestopened his door, just as she came up to it, to let out the smoke, and then began to walk up and down, playing softly on his lute. Sidonia stood still for a few minutes with her eyes thrown up inecstasy, and then passed on; but the Prince stepped to the door, and asked her did she play. 

"Alas! no, " she answered. "Her father had forbidden her to learnthe lute, though music was her passion, and her heart seemedalmost breaking with joy when she listened to it. If his Highnesswould but play one little air over again for her. "

"Yes, if you will enter, but not while you are standing there atmy door. "

"Ah, do not ask me to enter, that would not be seemly; but I willsit down here on this beer-barrel in the corridor and listen;besides, music is improved by distance. "

And she looked so tenderly at the young Prince that his heartburned within him, and he stepped out into the corridor to play;but the sound reaching the ears of her Grace, she looked out, andSidonia jumped up from the beer-barrel and fled away to her ownroom. 

When Sunday came again, all the maids of honour were assembled, asusual, in her Grace's apartment, to be examined in the catechism;and probably the Duchess had lamented much to the doctor overSidonia's levity and ignorance, for he kept a narrow watch on herthe whole day. At four of the clock Dr. Gerschovius entered in hisgown and bands, looking very solemn; for it was a saying of his"that the devil invented laughter; and that it were better for aman to be a weeping Heraclitus than a laughing Democritus. " Afterhe had kissed the hand of her Grace, he said they had better nowbegin with the Commandments; and, turning to Sidonia, asked her, "What is forbidden by the seventh commandment?"

Now Sidonia, who had only learned the Lutheran Catechism, did notunderstand the question in this form out of the GerschovianCatechism, and remained silent. 

"What!" said the doctor, "not know my brother's catechism! Youmust get one directly from the court bookseller--the Catechism ofDoctor Timothy Gerschovius--and have it learned by next Sunday. "Then turning to Clara, he repeated the question, and she, havinganswered, received great praise. 

Now it happened that just at this time the ducal horse were led upto the horse-pond to water, and all the young pages and knightswere gathered in a group under the window of her Grace'sapartment, laughing and jesting merrily. So Sidonia looked out atthem, which the doctor no sooner perceived than he slapped her onthe hand with the catechism, exclaiming, "What! have you not heardjust now that all sinful desires are forbidden by the seventhcommandment, and yet you look forth upon the young men from thewindow? Tell me what are sinful desires?"

But the proud girl grew red with indignation, and cried, "Do youdare to strike me?" Then, turning to her Grace, she said, "Madam, that sour old priest has struck me on the fingers. I will notsuffer this. My father shall hear of it. "

Hereupon her Grace, and even the doctor, tried to appease her, butin vain, and she ran crying from the apartment. In the corridorshe met the old treasurer, Jacob Zitsewitz, who hated the doctorand all his rigid doctrines. So she complained of the treatmentwhich she had received, and pressed his hand and stroked hisbeard, saying, would he permit a castle and land dowered maiden tobe scolded and insulted by an old parson because she looked out ata window? That was worse than in the days of Popery. NowZitsewitz, who had a little wine in his head, on hearing this, ranin great wrath to the apartment of her Grace, where soon a greatuproar was heard. 

For the treasurer, in the heat of his remonstrance with thepriest, struck a little table violently which stood near him, andoverthrew it. On this had Iain the superb escritoire of herHighness, made of Venetian glass, in which the ducal arms werepainted; and also the magnificent album of her deceased lord, DukePhilip. The escritoire was broken, the ink poured forth upon thealbum, from thence ran down to the costly Persian carpet, apresent from her brother, the Prince of Saxony, and finallystained the velvet robe of her Highness herself, who started upscreaming, so that the old chamberlain rushed in to know what hadhappened, and then he fell into a rage both with the priest andthe treasurer. At length her Grace was comforted by hearing that achemist in Grypswald could restore the book, and mend the glassagain as good as new; still she wept, and exclaimed, "Alas! whocould have thought it? all this was foreshadowed to her by Dr. Martinus dropping her ring. "

Here the treasurer, to conciliate her Grace, pretended that henever had heard the story of the betrothal, and asked, "What doesyour Grace mean?" Whereupon drying her eyes she answered, "OMaster Jacob, you will hear a strange story"--and here she wentover each particular, though every child in the street had it byheart. So this took away her grief, and every one got to rightsagain, for that day. But worse was soon to befall. 

I have said that half-an-hour before dinner the band played tosummon all within the castle and the retainers to their respectivemesses, as the custom then was; so that the long corridor was soonfilled with a crowd of all conditions--pages, knights, squires, grooms, maids, and huntsmen, all hurrying to the apartments wheretheir several tables were laid. Sidonia, being aware of this, uponthe first roll of the drum skipped out into the corridor, dancingup and down the whole length of it to the music, so that theplayers declared they had never seen so beautiful a dancer, atwhich her heart beat with joy; and as the crowd came up, theystopped to admire her grace and beauty. Then she would pause andsay a few pleasing words to each, to a huntsman, if he werepassing--"Ah, I think no deer in the world could escape you, myfine young peasant;" or if a knight, she would praise the colourof his doublet and the tie of his garter; or if a laundress, shewould commend the whiteness of her linen, which she had never seenequalled; and as to the old cook and butler, she enchanted them byasking, had his Grace of Stettin ever seen them, for assuredly, ifhe had, he would have taken their fine heads as models for Abrahamand Noah. Then she flung largess amongst them to drink the healthof the Duchess. Only when a young noble passed, she grew timid anddurst not venture to address him, but said, loud enough for him tohear, "Oh, how handsome! Do you know his name?" Or, "It is easy tosee that he is a born nobleman"--and such like hypocriticalflatteries. 

The Princess never knew a word of all this, for, according toetiquette, she was the last to seat herself at table. So Sidonia'sdoings were not discovered until too late, for by that time shehad won over the whole court, great and small, to her interests. 

Amongst the cavaliers who passed one day were two fine young men, Wedig von Schwetzkow, and Johann Appelmann, son of the burgomasterat Stargard. They were both handsome; but Johann was a dissolute, wild profligate, and Wedig was not troubled with too much sense. Still he had not fallen into the evil courses which made the otherso notorious. "Who is that handsome youth?" asked Sidonia asJohann passed; and when they told her, "Ah, a gentleman!" sheexclaimed, "who is of far higher value in my eyes than anobleman. "

_Summa:_ they both fell in love with her on the instant; butall the young squires were the same more or less, except hercousin Marcus Bork, seeing that he was already betrothed. Likewiseafter dinner, in place of going direct to the ladies' apartments, she would take a circuitous route, so as to go by the quarterwhere the men dined, and as she passed their doors, which theyleft open on purpose, what rejoicing there was, and such runningand squeezing just to get a glimpse of her--the little puttingtheir heads under the arms of the tall, and there they began tolaugh and chat; but neither the Duchess nor the old chamberlainknew anything of this, for they were in a different wing of thecastle, and besides, always took a sleep after dinner. 

However, old Zitsewitz, when he heard the clamour, knew well itwas Sidonia, and would jump up from the marshal's table, thoughthe old marshal shook his head, and run to the gallery to have achat with her himself, and she laughed and coquetted with him, sothat the old knight would run after her and take her in his arms, asking her where she would wish to go. Then she sometimes said, tothe castle garden to feed the pet stag, for she had never seen sopretty a thing in all her life; and she would fetch crumbs ofbread with her to feed it. So he must needs go with her, andSidonia ran down the steps with him that led from the young men'squarter to the castle court, while they all rose up to look afterher, and laugh at the old fool of a treasurer. But in a short timethey followed too, running up and down the steps in crowds, to seeSidonia feeding the stag and caressing it, and sometimes trying toride on it, while old Zitsewitz held the horns. 

Prince Ernest beheld all this from a window, and was ready to diewith jealousy and mortification, for he felt that Sidonia was gayand friendly with every one but him. Indeed, since the day of thelute-playing, he fancied she shunned him and treated him coldly. But as Sidonia had observed particularly, that whenever the youngPrince passed her in the gallery he cast down his eyes and sighed, she took another way of managing him. 

CHAPTER VI. 

_How the young Prince prepared a petition to his mother, theDuchess, in favour of Sidonia--Item, of the strange doings of theLaplander with his magic drum. _

The day preceding that on which Sidonia was to repeat theCatechism of Doctor Gerschovius (of which, by the way, she had notlearned one word), the young Duke suddenly entered his mother'sapartment, where she and her maidens were spinning, and asked herif she remembered anything about a Laplander with a drum, who hadforetold some event to her and his father whilst they were atPenemunde some years before; for he had been arrested at Eldena, and was now in Wolgast. 

"Alas!" said her Grace, "I perfectly remember the horriblesorcerer. One spring I was at the hunt with your father nearPenemunde, when this wretch suddenly appeared driving two cowsbefore him on a large ice-field. He pretended that while he wastelling fortunes to the girls who milked the cows, a great stormarose, and drove him out into the wide sea, which was a terriblemisfortune to him. But your father told him in Swedish, whichlanguage the knave knew, that it had been better to prophesy hisown destiny. To which he replied, a man could as little foretellhis own fate as see the back of his own head, which every one cansee but himself. However, if the Duke wished, he would tell himhis fortune, and if it did not come out true, let all the worldhold him as a liar for his life long. 

"Alas! your father consented. Whereupon the knave began to danceand play upon his drum like one frenzied; so that it was evidentto see the spirit was working within him. Then he fell down likeone dead, and cried, 'Woe to thee when thy house is burning! Woeto thee when thy house is burning!'

"Therefore be warned, my son; have nothing to do with this fellow, for it so happened even as he said. On the 11th December '57, ourcastle was burned, and your poor father had a rib broken inconsequence. Would that I had been the rib broken for him, so thathe might still reign over the land; and this was the true cause ofhis untimely death. Therefore dismiss this sorcerer, for it isSatan himself speaks in him. "

Here Sidonia grew quite pale, and dropped the thread, as if takensuddenly ill. Then she prayed the Duchess to excuse her, andpermit her to retire to her own room. 

The moment the Duchess gave permission, Sidonia glided out; but, in place of going to her chamber, she threw herself in a languidattitude upon a seat in the corridor, just where she knew PrinceErnest must pass, and leaned her head upon her hand. He soon cameout of his mother's room, and seeing Sidonia, took her handtenderly, asking, with visible emotion--

"Dear lady, what has happened?"

"Ah, " she answered, "I am so weak that I cannot go on to my littleapartment. I know not what ails me; but I am so afraid----"

"Afraid of what, dearest lady?"

"Of that sour old priest. He is to examine me to-morrow in theCatechism of Gerschovius, and I cannot learn a word of it, do whatI will. I know Luther's Catechism quite well" (this was afalsehood, we know), "but that does not satisfy him, and if Icannot repeat it he will slap my hands or box my ears, and my ladythe Duchess will be more angry than ever; but I am too old now tolearn catechisms. "

Then she trembled like an aspen-leaf, and fixed her eyes on himwith such tenderness that he trembled likewise, and drawing herarm within his, supported her to her chamber. On the way shepressed his hand repeatedly; but with each pressure, as heafterwards confessed, a pang shot through his heart, which mighthave excited compassion from his worst enemy. 

When they reached her chamber, she would not let him enter, butmodestly put him back, saying, "Leave me--ah! leave me, graciousPrince. I must creep to my bed; and in the meantime let me entreatyou to persuade the priest not to torment me to-morrow morning. "

The Prince now left her, and forgetting all about the Laplandwizard whom he had left waiting in the courtyard, he rushed overthe drawbridge, up the main street behind St. Peter's, and intothe house of Dr. Gerschovius. 

The doctor was indignant at his petition. 

"My young Prince, " he said, "if ever a human being stood in needof God's Word, it is that young maiden. " At last, however, uponthe entreaties of Prince Ernest, he consented to defer herexamination for four weeks, during which time she could fullyperfect herself in the catechism of his learned brother. 

He then prayed the Prince not to allow his eyes to be dazzled bythis fair, sinful beauty, who would delude him as she had done allthe other men in the castle, not excepting even that old sinnerZitsewitz. 

When the Prince returned to the castle, he found a great crowdassembled round the Lapland wizard, all eagerly asking to havetheir fortunes told, and Sidonia was amongst them, as merry andlively as if nothing had ailed her. When the Prince expressed hissurprise, she said, that finding herself much relieved by lyingdown, she had ventured into the fresh air, to recreate herself, and have her fortune told. Would not the Prince likewise wish tohear his?

So, forgetting all his mother's wise injunctions, he advanced withSidonia to the wizard. The Lapland drum, which lay upon his knees, was a strange instrument; and by it we can see what arts Satanemploys to strengthen his kingdom in all places and by all means. For the Laplanders are Christians, though they in some sortworship the devil, and therefore he imparts to them much of hisown power. This drum which they use is made out of a piece ofhollow wood, which must be either fir, pine, or birch, and whichgrows in such a particular place that it follows the course of thesun; that is, the pectines, fibræ, and lineæ in the annual ringsof the wood must wind from right to left. Having hollowed out sucha tree, they spread a skin over it, fastened down with littlepegs; and on the centre of the skin is painted the sun, surroundedby figures of men, beasts, birds, and fishes, along with Christand the holy Apostles. All this is done with the rind of theelder-tree, chewed first beneath their teeth. Upon the top of thedrum there is an index in the shape of a triangle, from which hanga number of little rings and chains. When the wizard wishes topropitiate Satan and receive his power, he strikes the drum with ahammer made of the reindeer's horn, not so much to procure a soundas to set the index in motion with all its little chains, that itmay move over the figures, and point to whatever gives therequired answer. At the same time the magician murmursconjurations, springs sometimes up from the ground, screams, laughs, dances, reels, becomes black in the face, foams, twistshis eyes, and falls to the ground at last in an ecstasy, draggingthe drum down upon his face. 

Any one may then put questions to him, and all will come to passthat he answers. All this was done by the wizard; but he desiredstrictly that when he fell upon the ground, no one should touchhim with the foot, and secondly, that all flies and insects shouldbe kept carefully from him. So after he had danced, and screamed, and twisted his face so horribly that half the women fainted, andfoamed and raged until the demon seemed to have taken fullpossession of him, he fell down, and then every one put questionsto him, to which he responded; but the answers sometimes producedweeping, sometimes laughing, according as some gentle maiden heardthat her lover was safe, or that he had been struck by the mast onshipboard and tumbled into the sea. And all came out true, as wasafterwards proved. 

Sidonia now invited the Prince to try his fortune; and so, forgetting the admonitions of the Duchess, he said, "What dostthou prophesy to me?"

"Beware of a woman, if you would live long and happily, " was theanswer. 

"But of what woman?"

"I will not name her, for she is present. "

Then the Prince turned pale and looked at Sidonia, who grew palealso, but made no answer, only laughed, and advancing asked, "Whatdost thou prophesy to me?" But immediately the wizard shrieked, "Away! away! I burn, I burn! thou makest me yet hotter than I am!"

Many thought these exclamations referred to Sidonia's beauty, particularly the young lords, who murmured, "Now every one mustacknowledge her beauty, when even this son of Satan feels hisheart burning when she approaches. " And Sidonia laughed merrily attheir gallantries. 

Just then the Grand Chamberlain came by, and having heard what hadhappened, he angrily dismissed the crowd, and sending for theexecutioner, ordered the cheating impostor to be whipped andbranded, and then sent over the frontier. 

The wizard, who had been lying quite stiff, now cried out (thoughhe had never seen the Chamberlain before)--"Listen, Ulrich! I willprophesy something to thee: if it comes not to pass, then punishme; but if it does, then give me a boat and seven loaves, that Imay sail away to-morrow to my own country. "

Ulrich refused to hear his prophecy; but the wizard criedout--"Ulrich, this day thy wife Hedwig will die at Spantekow. "

Ulrich grew pale, but only answered, "Thou liest! how can thatbe?" He replied, "Thy cousin Clas will visit her; she will descendto the cellar to fetch him some of the Italian wine for which youwrote, and which arrived yesterday; a step of the stairs willbreak as she is ascending; she will fall forward upon the flask, which will cut her throat through, and so she will die. "

When he ceased, the alarmed Ulrich called loudly to the chiefequerry, Appelmann, who just then came by--"Quick! saddle the bestracer in the stables, and ride for life to Spantekow, for it maybe as he has prophesied, and let us outwit the devil. Haste, haste, for the love of God, and I will never forget it to thee!"

So the equerry rode without stop or stay to Spantekow, and hefound the cousin Clas in the house; but when he asked for the LadyHedwig, they said, "She is in the cellar. " So no misfortune hadhappened then; but as they waited and she appeared not, theydescended to look for her, and lo! just as the wizard hadprophesied, she had fallen upon the stairs while ascending, andthere lay dead. 

The mournful news was brought by sunset to Wolgast, and Ulrich, inhis despair and grief, wished to burn the Laplander; but PrinceErnest hindered him, saying, "It is more knightly, Ulrich, to keepyour word than to cool your vengeance. " So the old man stoodsilent a long space, and then said, "Well, young man, if youabandon Sidonia, I will release the Laplander. "

The Prince coloured, and the Lord Chamberlain thought that he haddiscovered a secret; but as the prophecy of the wizard came againinto Prince Ernest's mind, he said--

"Well, Ulrich, I will give up the maiden Sidonia. Here is myhand. "

Accordingly, next morning the wizard was released from prison andgiven a boat, with seven loaves and a pitcher of water, that hemight sail back to his own country. The wind, however, was duenorth, but the people who crossed the bridge to witness hisdeparture were filled with fear when they saw him change the windat his pleasure to suit himself; for he pulled out a string fullof knots, and having swung it about, murmuring incantations, allthe vanes on the towers creaked and whirled right about, all thewindmills in the town stopped, all the vessels and boats that weregoing up the stream became quite still, and their sails flapped onthe masts, for the wind had changed in a moment from north tosouth, and the north waves and the south waves clashed together. 

As every one stood wondering at this, the sailors and fishermen inparticular, the wizard sprang into his boat and set forth with afair wind, singing loudly, "Jooike Duara! Jooike Duara!"[Footnote: This is the beginning of a magic rhyme, chanted even bythe distant Calmucks--namely, _Dschie jo eie jog_. ] and soondisappeared from sight, nor was he ever again seen in thatcountry. 

CHAPTER VII. 

_How Ulrich von Schwerin buries his spouse, and DoctorGerschovius comforts him out of God's Word. _

This affair with the Lapland wizard much troubled the GrandChamberlain, and his faith suffered sore temptations. So hereferred to Dr. Gerschovius, and asked him how the prophets of Goddiffered from those of the devil. Whereupon the doctor recommendedhim to meditate on God's Word, wherein he would find a source ofconsolation and a solution of all doubts. 

So the mourning Ulrich departed for his castle of Spantekow, trusting in the assistance of God. And her Grace, with all hercourt, resolved to attend the funeral also, to do him honour. Theyproceeded forth, therefore, dressed in black robes, their horsesalso caparisoned with black hangings, and the Duchess ordered ahundred wax lights for the ceremony. Sidonia alone declinedattending, and gave out that she was sick in bed. The truth, however, was, that as Duke Ernest was obliged to remain at home totake the command of the castle, and affix his signature to allpapers, she wished to remain also. 

The mourning cortège, therefore, had scarcely left the court, whenSidonia rose and seated herself at the window, which she knew theyoung Prince must pass along with his attendants on their way tothe office of the castle. Then taking up a lute, which she hadpurchased privately, and practised night and morning in place oflearning the catechism, she played a low, soft air, to attracttheir attention. So all the young knights looked up; and whenPrince Ernest arrived he looked up also, and seeing Sidonia, exclaimed, with surprise, "Beautiful Sidonia, how have you learnedthe lute?" At which she blushed and answered modestly, "GraciousPrince, I am only self-taught. No one here understands the luteexcept your Highness. "

"Does this employment, then, give you much pleasure?"

"Ah, yes! If I could only play it well; I would give half my lifeto learn it properly. There is no such sweet enjoyment upon earth, I think, as this. "

"But you have been sick, lady, and the cold air will do you aninjury. "

"Yes, it is true I have been ill, but the air rather refreshes me;and besides, I feel the melancholy of my solitude less here. "

"Now farewell, dear lady; I must attend to the business of thecastle. "

This little word--"dear lady"--gave Sidonia such confidence, thatby the time she expected Prince Ernest to pass again on hisreturn, she was seated at the window awaiting him with her lute, to which she now sang in a clear, sweet voice. But the Princepassed on as if he heard nothing--never even once looked up, toSidonia's great mortification. However, the moment he reached hisown apartment, he commenced playing a melancholy air upon hislute, as if in response to hers. The artful young maiden no soonerheard this than she opened her door. The Prince at the sameinstant opened his to let out the smoke, and their eyes met, whenSidonia uttered a feeble cry and fell fainting upon the floor. ThePrince, seeing this, flew to her, raised her up, and tremblingwith emotion, carried her back to her room and laid her down uponthe bed. Now indeed it was well for him that he had given thatpromise to Ulrich. When Sidonia after some time slowly opened hereyes, the Prince asked tenderly what ailed her; and she said, "Imust have taken cold at the window, for I felt very ill, and wentto the door to call an attendant; but I must have fainted then, for I remember nothing more. " Alas! the poor Prince, he believedall this, and conjured her to lie down until he called a maid, andsent for the physician if she desired it; but, no--she refused, and said it would pass off soon. (Ah, thou cunning maiden! it maywell pass off when it never was on. )

However, she remained in bed until the next day, when the Princessand her train returned home from the funeral. Her Grace hadassisted at the obsequies with all princely state, and even laid acrown of rosemary with her own hand upon the head of the corpse, and a little prayer-book beside it, open at that fine hymn "PauliSperati" (which also was sung over the grave). Then the husbandlaid a tin crucifix on the coffin, with the inscription from IJohn iii. 8--"The Son of God was manifested that He might destroythe works of the devil. " After which the coffin was lowered intothe grave with many tears. 

Some days after this, being Sunday, Doctor Gerschovius and theGrand Chamberlain were present at the ducal table. Ulrich indeedate little, for he was filled with grief, only sipped a littlebroth, into which he had crumbled some reindeer cheese, not toappear ungracious; but when dinner was over, he raised his head, and asked Doctor Gerschovius to inform him now in what lay thedifference between the prophets of God and those of the devil. TheDuchess was charmed at the prospect of such a profitablediscourse, and ordered a cushion and footstool to be placed forherself, that she might remain to hear it. Then she sent for thewhole household--maidens, squires, and pages--that they too mightbe edified, and learn the true nature of the devil's gifts. Thehall was soon as full, therefore, as if a sermon were about to bepreached; and the doctor, seeing this, stroked his beard, and hebegun as follows: [Footnote: Perhaps some readers will hold therationalist doctrine that no prophecy is possible or credible, andthat no mortal can under any circumstances see into futurity; buthow then can they account for the wonderful phenomena of animalmagnetism, which are so well authenticated? Do they deny all thefacts which have been elicited by the great advance made recentlyin natural and physiological philosophy? I need not here bringforward proofs from the ancients, showing their universal beliefin the possibility of seeing into futurity, nor a cloud ofwitnesses from our modern philosophers, attesting the truth of thephenomena of somnambulism, but only observe that this very Academyof Paris, which in 1784 anathematised Mesmer as a quack, a cheat, and a charlatan or fool, and which in conjunction with all theacademies of Europe (that of Berlin alone excepted) reviled hisdoctrines and insulted all who upheld them, as witches had beenreviled in preceding centuries, and compelled Mesmer himself tofly for protection to Frankfort--this very academy, I say, on the12th February 1826, rescinded all their condemnatory verdicts, andproclaimed that the wonderful phenomena of animal magnetism hadbeen so well authenticated that doubt was no longer possible. Thisconfession of faith was the more remarkable, because the membersof the commission of inquiry had been carefully selected, onpurpose, from physicians who were totally adverse to the doctrinesof Mesmer. 

There are but two modes, I think, of explaining theseextraordinary phenomena--either by supposing them effected bysupernatural agency, as all seers and diviners from antiquity, through the Middle Ages down to our somnambulists, have pretendedthat they really stood in communication with spirit; or, bysupposing that there is an innate latent divining element in ourown natures, which only becomes evident and active under certaincircumstances, and which is capable of revealing the _future_with more or less exactitude just as the mind can recall the_past_. For _past_ and _future_ are but differentforms of our own subjective intuition of time, and because thisinternal intuition represents no figure, we seek to supply thedefect by an analogy. For time exists _within_ us, not_without_ us; it is not something which subsists of itself, but it is the form only of our internal sense. 

These two modes of explaining the phenomena present, I know, greatdifficulties; the latter especially. However, the pantheisticalsolution of the Hegelian school adopted by Kieser, Kluge, Wirth, Hoffman, pleases me still less. I even prefer that ofJung-Stilling and Kerner--but at all events one thing is certain, the _facts_ are there; only ignorance, stupidity, andobstinacy can deny them. The _cause_ is still a subject ofspeculation, doubt, and difficulty. It is only by a vast inductionof facts, as in natural philosophy, that we can ever hope toarrive at the knowledge of a general law. The crown of allcreation is _man_; therefore while we investigate so acutelyall other creatures, let us not shrink back from the strange andunknown depths of our own nature which magnetism has opened tous. ]

I am rejoiced to treat of this subject now, considering how latelythat demon Lapp befooled ye all. And I shall give you many signs, whereby in future a prophet of God may be distinguished from aprophet of the devil. 1st, Satan's prophets are not conscious ofwhat they utter; but God's prophets are always perfectlyconscious, both of the inspiration they receive and therevelations they make known. For as the Laplander grew frenzied, and foamed at the mouth, so it has been with all false prophetsfrom the beginning. Even the blind heathen called prophesying_mania_, or the wisdom of _madness_. The secret ofproducing this madness was known to them; sometimes it was by theuse of roots or aromatic herbs, or by exhalations, as in the caseof the Pythoness, whose incoherent utterances were written by thepriests of Apollo, for when the fit was over, all remembrance ofwhat she had prophesied vanished too. In the Bible we find allfalse prophets described as frenzied. In Isaiah xliv. 25--"Godmaketh the diviners mad. " In Ezekiel xiii. 3--"Woe to the foolishprophets. " Hosea ix. 7--"The prophet is a fool, the spiritual manis mad. " And Isaiah xxviii. 7 explains fully how this madness wasproduced. 

Namely, by wine and the strong drink _Sekar_. [Footnote: Itis doubtful of what this drink was composed. Hieronymus and AbenEzra imagine that it was of the nature of strong beer. Probably itresembled the potion with which the mystery-men amongst thesavages of the present day produce this divining frenzy. We findsuch in use throughout Tartary, Siberia, America, and Africa, asif the usage had descended to them from one common tradition. Witches, it is well known, made frequent use of potions, and asall somnambulists assert that the seat of the soul's greatestactivity is in the stomach, it is not incredible what Van Helmontrelates, that having once tasted the root _napellus_, hisintellect all at once, accompanied by an unusual feeling ofecstasy, seemed to remove from his brain to his stomach. ] Furtherexamples of this madness are given in the Bible, as Saul whenunder the influence of the evil spirit flung his spear at theinnocent David; and the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal, who leaped upon the altar, and screamed, and cut themselves withknives and lancets until the blood flowed; and the maiden with thespirit of divination, that met Paul in the streets of Philippi;with many others. 

But all this is an abomination in the sight of God. For as theLord came not to His prophet Elijah in the strong wind, nor in theearthquake, nor in the fire, but in the still small voice, so doesHe evidence Himself in all His prophets; and we find no record inScripture, either of their madness, or of their having forgottenthe oracles they uttered, like the Pythoness and others inspiredby Satan. [Footnote: It is well known that somnambulists neverremember upon their recovery what they have uttered during thecrisis. Therefore phenomena of this class appear to belong, insome things, to that of the divining frenzy, though in others toquite a different category of the divining life. ] Further, you mayobserve that the false prophets can always prophesy when theychoose, Satan is ever willing to come when they exorcise him; butthe true prophets of God are but instruments in the hand of theLord, and can only speak when He chooses the spirit to enter intothem. So we find them saying invariably--"This is the word whichcame unto me, " or "This is the word which the Lord spake unto me. "For the Lord is too high and holy to come at the bidding of acreature, or obey the summons of his will. St. Peter confirmsthis, 2 Pet. I. 21, that no prophecy ever came at the will of man. 

Again, the false prophets were persons of known infamouscharacter, and in this differed from the prophets of God, who werealways righteous men in word and deed. Diodorus informs us of theconduct of the Pythoness and the priests of Apollo, and also thatall oracles were bought with gold, and the answer depended on theweight of the sack. As Ezekiel notices, xiii. 19; and Micah iii. 8. Further, the holy prophets suffered all manner of persecutionfor the sake of God, as Daniel, Elias, Micah, yet remainedfaithful, with but one exception, and were severely punished ifthey fell into crime, and the gift of prophecy taken from them;for God cannot dwell in a defiled temple, but Satan can dwell inno other. 

Also, Satan's prophets speak only of temporal things, but God'speople of spiritual things. The heathen oracles, for instance, never foretold any events but those concerning peace or war, orwhat men desire in riches, health, or advancement--in short, temporal matters alone. Whereas God's people, in addition totemporal concerns, preached repentance and holiness to the Jewishpeople, and the coming of Christ's kingdom, in whom all nationsshould be blessed. For as the soul is superior to the body, so areGod's prophets superior to those of the Prince of this world. 

And in conclusion, observe that Satan's seers abounded with lies, as all heathen history testifies, or their oracles were capable ofsuch different interpretations that they became a subject ofmockery and contempt to the wise amongst the ancient philosophers. But be not surprised if they sometimes spoke truth, as the Laplandwizard has done, for the devil's power is superior to man's, andhe can see events which, though close at hand, are yet hidden fromus, as a father can foretell an approaching storm, though hislittle son cannot do so, and therefore looks upon his father'swisdom as supernatural. [Footnote: The somnambulists also canprophesy of those events which are near at hand, but never of thedistant. ] But the devil has not the power to see into futurity, nor even the angels of God, only God Himself. 

The prophets of God, on the contrary, are given power by Him tolook through all time at a glance, as if it were but a moment; fora thousand years to Him are but as a watch of the night; andtherefore they all from the beginning testified of the Saviourthat was to come, and rejoiced in His day as if they really beheldHim, and all stood together as brothers in one place, and at thesame time in His blessed presence. But what unanimity and feelinghas ever been observed by the seers of Satan, when thecontradictions amongst their oracles were notorious to every one?

And as the eyes of all the holy prophets centred upon Christ, sothe eyes of the greatest of all prophets penetrated the furthestdepths of futurity. Not only His own life, sufferings, death, andresurrection were foretold by Him, but the end of the Jewishkingdom, the dispersion of their race, the rise of His Church fromthe grain of mustard-seed to the wide, world-spreading tree; andall has been fulfilled. Be assured, therefore, that this eternalglory, which He promised to those who trust in Him, will befulfilled likewise when He comes to judge all nations. So, myworthy Lord Ulrich, cease to weep for your spouse who sleeps inJesus, for a greater Prophet than the Lapland wizard has said, "Iam the resurrection and the life, whosoever believeth in Me shallnever die. " [Footnote: In addition to the foregoing distinctionsbetween the Satanic and the holy prophets, I may add thefollowing--that almost all the diviners amongst the heathen were_women_. For instance, Cassandra, the Pythia in Delphi, Triton and Peristhæa in Dodona, the Sybils, the Velleda ofTacitus, the Mandragoras, and Druidesses, the witches of theReformation age; and in fine, the modern somnambules are all womentoo. But throughout the whole Bible we find that the propheticpower was exclusively conferred upon _men_, with twoexceptions--namely, Deborah, Judges iv. 4, and Hilda, 2 Chron. Xxxiv. 22--for there is no evidence that Miriam had a seer spirit;she was probably only God-inspired, though classed under thegeneral term prophet. We find, indeed, that woe was proclaimedagainst the divining women who prophesy out of their own head, Ezekiel xiii. 17-23; so amongst the people of God the revelationof the future was confined to _men_, amongst the heathen to_women_, or if men are mentioned in these pagan rites, it isonly as assistants and inferior agents, like animals, metals, roots, stones, and such like. See Cicero, _De Divinatione_, i. 18. ]

CHAPTER VIII. 

_How Sidonia rides upon the pet stag, and what evil consequencesresult therefrom. _

When the discourse had ended, her Grace retired to her apartmentand Ulrich to his, for it was their custom, as I have said, tosleep after dinner. Doctor Gerschovius returned home, and theyoung Prince descended to the gardens with his lute. Now was afine time for the young knights, for they had been sadly disturbedin their carouse by that godly prophesying of the doctor's, andthey now returned to their own quarter to finish it, headed by theold treasurer Zitsewitz. Then a merry uproar of laughing, singing, and jesting commenced, and as the door lay wide open as usual, Sidonia heard all from her chamber; so stepping out gently with apiece of bread in her hand, she tripped along the corridor pasttheir door. No sooner was she perceived than a loud storm ofcheers greeted her, which she returned with smiles and bows, andthen danced down the steps to the courtyard. Several rose up topursue her, amongst whom Wedig and Appelmann were the most eager. 

But they were too late, and saw nothing but the tail of her dressas she flew round the corner into the second court. Just then anold laundress, bringing linen to the castle for her Highness, passed by, and told the young men that the young lady had beenfeeding the tame stag with bread, and then jumped on its backwhile she held the horns, and that the animal had immediatelygalloped off like lightning into the second court; so that theyoung knights and squires rushed instantly after her, fearing thatsome accident might happen, and presently they heard her screamtwice. Appelmann was the first to reach the outer court, and therebeheld poor Sidonia in a sad condition, for the stag had flung heroff. Fortunately it was on a heap of soft clay, and there she layin a dead faint. 

Had the stag thrown her but a few steps further, against themanger for the knights' horses, she must have been killed. ButSatan had not yet done with her, and therefore, no doubt, preparedthis soft pillow for her head. 

When Appelmann saw that she was quite insensible, he kneeled downand kissed first her little feet, then her white hands, and atlast her lips, while she lay at the time as still as death, poorthing. Just then Wedig came up in a great passion; for thecastellan's son, who was playing ball, had flung the ball rightbetween his legs, out of tricks, as he was running by, and nearlythrew him down, whereupon Wedig seized hold of the urchin by histhick hair to punish him, for all the young knights were laughingat his discomfiture; but the boy bit him in the hip, and thensprang into his father's house, and shut the door. How little dowe know what will happen! It was this bite which caused Wedig'slamentable death a little after. 

But if he was angry before, what was his rage now when he beheldthe equerry, Appelmann, kissing the insensible maiden. 

"How now, peasant, " he cried, "what means this boldness? How darethis tailor's son treat a castle and land dowered maiden in such away? Are noble ladies made for his kisses?" And he draws hispoignard to rush upon Appelmann, who draws forth his in return, and now assuredly there would have been murder done, if Sidoniahad not just then opened her eyes, and starting up in amazementprayed them for her sake to keep quiet. She had been quiteinsensible, and knew nothing at all of what had happened. The oldtreasurer, with the other young knights, came up now, and stroveto make peace between the two rivals, holding them apart by force;but nothing could calm the jealous Wedig, who still cried, "Let meavenge Sidonia!--let me avenge Sidonia!" So that Prince Ernest, hearing the tumult in the garden, ran with his lute in his hand tosee what had happened. When they told him, he grew as pale as acorpse that such an indignity should have been offered to Sidonia, and reprimanded his equerry severely, but prayed that all wouldkeep quiet now, as otherwise the Duchess and the Lord Chamberlainwould certainly be awakened out of their after-dinner sleep, andthen what an afternoon they would all have. This calmed every one, except the jealous Wedig, who, having drunk deeply, cried outstill louder than before, "Let me go. I will give my life for thebeautiful Sidonia. I will avenge the insolence of this peasantknave!"

When Sidonia observed all this, she felt quite certain that aterrible storm was brewing for all of them, and so she ran toshelter herself through the first open door that came in her way, and up into the second corridor; but further adventures awaitedher here, for not being acquainted with this part of the castle, she ran direct into an old lumber-room, where she found, to hergreat surprise, a young man dressed in rusty armour, and wearing ahelmet with a serpent crest upon his head. This was Hans vonMarintzky, whose brain Sidonia had turned by reading the Amadiswith him in the castle gardens, and as she had often sighed, andsaid that she, too, could have loved the serpent knight, the poorlove-stricken Hans, taking this for a favourable sign, determinedto disguise himself as described in the romance, and thus secureher love. 

So when her beautiful face appeared at the door, Hans screamed forjoy, like a young calf, and falling on one knee, exclaimed--"Adored Princess, your serpent knight is here to claimyour love, and tender his hand to you in betrothal, for no otherwife do I desire but thee; and if the Princess Rosaliana herselfwere here to offer me her love, I would strike her on the face. "

Sidonia was rather thunderstruck, as one may suppose, andretreated a few steps, saying, "Stand up, dear youth; what ailsyou?"

"So I am dear to you, " he cried, still kneeling; "I am then reallydear to you, adored Princess? Ah! I hope to be yet dearer when Imake you my spouse. "

Sidonia had not foreseen this termination to their romancereading, but she suppressed her laughter, remembering how she hadlost her lover Uckermann by showing scorn; so she drew herself upwith dignity, and said, with as grave a face as a chief mourner--

"If you will not rise, sir knight, I must complain to herHighness; for I cannot be your spouse, seeing that I have resolvednever to marry. " (Ah! how willingly, how willingly you would havetaken any husband half a year after. ) "But if you will do me aservice, brave knight, run instantly to the court, where Wedig andAppelmann are going to murder each other, and separate them, or mygracious lady and old Ulrich will awake, and then we shall all bepunished. "

The poor fool jumped up instantly, and exclaiming, "Death for myadored princess!" he sprung down the steps, though ratherawkwardly, not being accustomed to the greaves; and rushing intothe middle of the crowd, with his vizor down, and the drawn swordin his hand, he began making passes at every one that came in hisway, crying, "Death for my adored princess! Long live thebeautiful Sidonia! Knaves, have done with your brawling, or Ishall lay you all dead at my feet. "

At first every one stuck up close by the wall when they saw themadman, to get out of reach of his sword, which he kept whirlingabout his head; but as soon as he was recognised by his voice, Wedig called out to him--

"Help, brother, help! Will you suffer that this peasant boorAppelmann should kiss the noble Sidonia as she lay there faint andinsensible? Yet I saw him do this. So help me, relieve me, that Imay brand this low-born knave for his daring. "

"What? My adored princess!" exclaimed the serpent knight. "Thisvalet, this groom, dared to kiss her? and I would think myselfblessed but to touch her shoe-tie;" and he fell furiously uponAppelmann. 

The uproar was now so great that it might have aroused the Duchessand Ulrich even from their last sleep, had they been in thecastle. 

But, fortunately, some time before the riot began, both had goneout by the little private gate, to attend afternoon service at St. Peter's Church, in the town. For the archdeacon was sick, andDoctor Gerschovius was obliged to take his place there. No one, therefore, was left in the castle to give orders or hold command;even the castellan had gone to hear service; and no one mindedPrince Ernest, he was so young, besides being under tutelage; andas to old Zitsewitz, he was as bad as the worst of them himself. 

The Prince threatened to have the castle bells rung if they werenot quiet; and the uproar had indeed partially subsided just atthe moment the serpent knight fell upon Appelmann. The Prince thenordered his equerry to leave the place instantly, under pain ofhis severe displeasure, for he saw that both had drunk ratherdeeply. 

So Appelmann turned to depart as the Prince commanded, but Wedig, who had been relieved by Hans the serpent, sprung after him withhis dagger, limping though, for the bite in his hip made himstiff. Appelmann darted through the little water-gate and over thebridge; the other pursued him; and Appelmann, seeing that he wasfoaming with rage, jumped over the rails into a boat. Wedigattempted to do the same, but being stiff from the bite, missedthe boat, and came down plump into the water. 

As he could not swim, the current carried him rapidly down thestream before the others had time to come up; but he was stillconscious, and called to Hans, "Comrade, save me!" So Hans, forgetting his heavy cuirass, plunged in directly, and soonreached the drowning man. Wedig, however, in his death-struggles, seized hold of him with such force that they both instantlydisappeared. Then every one sprang to the boats to try and savethem; but being Sunday, the boats were all moored, so that by thetime they were unfastened it was too late, and the two unfortunateyoung men had sunk for ever. 

What calamities may be caused by the levity and self-will of abeautiful woman! From the time of Helen of Troy up to the presentmoment, the world has known this well; but, alas! this was but thebeginning of that tragedy which Sidonia played in Pomerania, asthat other wanton did in Phrygia. 

Let us hear the conclusion, however. Prince Ernest, now beingtruly alarmed, despatched a messenger to the church for herHighness; but as Doctor Gerschovius had not yet ended hisexordium, her Grace would by no means be disturbed, and desiredthe messenger to go to Ulrich, who no sooner heard the tidingsthan he rushed down to the water-gate. There he found a greatcrowd assembled, all eagerly trying, with poles and hooks, to fishout the bodies of the two young men; and one fellow even had tieda piece of barley bread to a rope, and flung it into the water--asthe superstition goes that it will follow a corpse in the stream, and point to where it lies. And the women and children wereweeping and lamenting on the bridge; but the old knight pushedthem all aside with his elbows, and cried--"Thousand devils! whatare ye all at here?"

Every one was silent, for the young men had agreed not to betraySidonia. Then Ulrich asked the Prince, who replied, thatMarintzky, having put on some old armour to frighten the others, as he believed, they pursued him in fun over the bridge, and heand another fell over into the water. This was all he knew of thematter, for he was playing on the lute in the garden when thetumult began. 

"Thousand devils!" cries Ulrich; "I cannot turn my back a momentbut there must be a riot amongst the young fellows. Listen! younglord--when it comes to your turn to rule land and people, Icounsel you, send all the young fellows to the devil. Away withthem! they are a vain and dissolute crew. Get up the bodies, ifyou can; but, for my part, I would care little if a few more werebaptized in the same way. Speak! some of you: who commenced thistavern broil? Speak! I must have an answer. "

This adjuration had its effect, for a man answered--"Sidonia madethe young men mad, and so it all happened. " It was her own cousin, Marcus Bork, who spoke, for which reason Sidonia never couldendure him afterwards, and finally destroyed him, as shall berelated in due time. 

When Ulrich found that Sidonia was the cause of all, he raged withfury, and commanded them to tell him all. When Marcus had relatedthe whole affair, he swore by the seven thousand devils that hewould make her remember it, and that he would instantly go up toher chamber. 

But Prince Ernest stepped before him, saying, "Lord Ulrich, I havemade you a promise--you must now make one to me: it is to leavethis maiden in peace; she is not to blame for what has happened. "But Ulrich would not listen to him. 

"Then I withdraw my promise, " said the Prince. "Now act as youthink proper. "

"Thousand devils! she had better give up that game, " exclaimedUlrich. However, he consented to leave her undisturbed, anddeparted with vehement imprecations on her head, just as theDuchess returned from church, and was seen advancing towards thecrowd. 

CHAPTER IX. 

_How Sidonia makes the young Prince break his word--Item, howClara von Dewitz in vain tries to turn her from her evil ways. _

It may be easily conjectured what a passion her Grace fell intowhen the whole story was made known to her, and how she stormedagainst Sidonia. At last she entered the castle; but PrinceErnest, rightly suspecting her object, slipped up to the corridor, and met her just as she had reached Sidonia's chamber. Here hetook her hand, kissed it, and prayed her not to disgrace the youngmaiden, for that she was innocent of all the evil that hadhappened. 

But she pushed him away, exclaiming--"Thou disobedient son, have Inot heard of thy gallantries with this girl, whom Satan himselfhas sent into my royal house? Shame on thee! One of thy noblestation to take the part of a murderess!"

"But you have judged harshly, my mother. I never made love to themaiden. Leave her in peace, and do not make matters worse, or allthe young nobles will fight to the death for her. "

"Ay, and thou, witless boy, the first of all. Oh, that my belovedspouse, Philippus Primus, could rise from his grave--what would hesay to his lost son, who, like the prodigal in Scripture, lovesstrange women and keeps company with brawlers!" (Weeping. )

"Who has said that I am a lost son?"

"Doctor Gerschovius and Ulrich both say it. "

"Then I shall run the priest through the body, and challenge theknight to mortal combat, unless they both retract their words. "

"No! stay, my son, " said the Duchess; "I must have mistaken whatthey said. Stay, I command you!"

"Never! Unless Sidonia be left in peace, such deeds will be doneto-day that all Pomerania will ring with them for years. "

In short, the end of the controversy was, that the Duchess at lastpromised to leave Sidonia unmolested; and then retired to herchamber much disturbed, where she was soon heard singing the 109thpsalm, with a loud voice, accompanied by the little spindle clock. 

Sidonia, who was hiding in her room, soon heard of all that hadhappened, through the Duchess's maid, whom she kept inpay;--indeed, all the servants were her sworn friends, inconsequence of the liberal largess she gave them; and even theyoung lords and knights were more distractedly in love with herthan ever after the occurrences of the day, for her cunning turnedeverything to profit. 

So next morning, having heard that Prince Ernest was going toEldena to receive the dues, she watched for him, probably throughthe key-hole, knowing he must pass her door. Accordingly, just ashe went by, she opened it, and presented herself to his eyesdressed in unusual elegance and coquetry, and wearing a short robewhich showed her pretty little sandals. The Prince, when he sawthe short robe, and that she looked so beautiful, blushed, andpassed on quickly, turning away his head, for he remembered thepromise he had given to Ulrich, and was afraid to trust himselfnear her. 

But Sidonia stepped before him, and flinging herself at his feet, began to weep, murmuring, "Gracious Prince and Lord, accept mygratitude, for you alone have saved me, a poor young maiden, fromdestruction. "

"Stand up, dear lady, stand up. "

"Never until my tears fall upon your feet. " And then she kissedhis yellow silk hose ardently, continuing, "What would have becomeof me, a helpless, forlorn orphan, without your protection?"

Here the young Prince could no longer restrain his emotions; if hehad pledged his word to the whole world, even to the great GodHimself, he must have broken it. So he raised her up and kissedher, which she did not resist; only sighed, "Ah! if any one saw usnow, we would both be lost. " But this did not restrain him, and hekissed her again and again, and pressed her to his heart, when shetrembled, and murmured scarcely audibly, "Oh! why do I love youso! Leave me, my lord, leave me; I am miserable enough. "

"Do you then love me, Sidonia? Oh! let me hear you say it oncemore. You love me, enchanting Sidonia!"

"Alas!" she whispered, while her whole frame trembled, "what haveI foolishly said? Oh! I am so unhappy. "

"Sidonia! tell me once again you love me. I cannot credit myhappiness, for you are even more gracious with the young noblesthan with me, and often have you martyred my heart with jealousy. "

"Yes; I am courteous to them all, for so my father taught me, andsaid it was safer for a maiden so to be--but----"

"But what? Speak on. "

"Alas!" and here she covered her face with her hands; but PrinceErnest pressed her to his heart, and kissed her, asking her againif she really loved him; and she murmured a faint "yes;" then asif the shame of such a confession had killed her, she tore herselffrom his arms, and sprang into her chamber. So the young Princepursued his way to Eldena, but took so little heed about the duesthat Ulrich shook his head over the receipts for half a yearafter. 

When mid-day came, and the band struck up for dinner, Sidonia wasprepared for a similar scene with the young knights, and, as shepassed along the corridor, she gave them her white hand to kiss, glittering with diamonds, thanking them all for not havingbetrayed her, and praying them to keep her still in their favour, whereat they were all wild with ecstasy; but old Zitsewitz, notcontent with her hand, entreated for a kiss on her sweet rubylips, which she granted, to the rage and jealousy of all theothers, while he exclaimed, "O Sidonia, thou canst turn even anold man into a fool!"

And his words came true; for in the evening a dispute arose as towhich of them Sidonia liked best, seeing that she uttered the samesweet things to all; and to settle it, five of them, along withthe old fool Zitsewitz, went to Sidonia's room, and each in turnasked her hand in marriage; but she gave them all the sameanswer--that she had no idea then of marriage, she was but ayoung, silly creature, and would not know her own mind for tenyears to come. 

One good resulted from Sidonia's ride upon the stag: herpromenades were forbidden, and she was restricted henceforthentirely to the women's quarter of the castle. Her Grace and shehad frequent altercations; but with Clara she kept upon goodterms, as the maiden was of so excellent and mild a disposition. 

This peace, however, was destined soon to be broken; for thoughher Grace was silent in the presence of Sidonia, yet she neverceased complaining in private to the maids of honour of thisartful wench, who had dared to throw her eyes upon Prince Ernest. So at length they asked why her Highness did not dismiss the girlfrom her service. 

"That must be done, " she replied, "and without delay. For thatpurpose, indeed, I have written to Duke Barnim, and also to thefather of the girl, at Stramehl, acquainting them with myintention. "

Clara now gently remonstrated, saying that a little Christianinstruction might yet do much for the poor young sinner, and thatif she did not become good and virtuous under the care of herGrace, where else could she hope to have her changed?

"I have tried all Christian means, " said her Grace, "but in vain. The ears of the wicked are closed to the Word of God. "

"But let her Grace recollect that this poor sinner was endowedwith extraordinary beauty, and therefore it was no fault of hersif the young men all grew deranged for love of her. "

Here a violent tumult, and much scornful laughing, arose amongstthe other maids of honour; and one Anna Lepels exclaimed--"Icannot imagine in what Sidonia's wonderful beauty consists. Whenshe flatters the young men, and makes free with them as they arepassing to dinner, what marvel if they all run after her? Any girlmight have as many lovers if she chose to adopt such manners. "

Clara made no reply, but turning to her Grace, said with herpermission she would leave her spinning for a while, to visitSidonia in her room, who perhaps would hearken to her advice, asshe meant kindly to her. 

"You may go, " said her Grace; "but what do you mean to do? I tellyou, advice is thrown away on her. "

"Then I will threaten her with the Catechism of DoctorGerschovius, which she must repeat on Sunday, for I know that sheis greatly afraid of that and the clergyman. "

"And you think you will frighten her into giving up running afterthe young men?"

"Oh yes, if I tell her that she will be publicly reprimandedunless she can say it perfectly. "

So her Grace allowed her to depart, but with something of a weakfaith. 

Although Sidonia had absented herself from the spinning, on thepretext of learning the catechism quietly in her own room, yet, when Clara entered, no one was there except the maid, who sat uponthe floor at her work. She knew nothing about the young lady; butas she heard a great deal of laughter and merriment in the courtbeneath, it was likely Sidonia was not far off. On stepping to thewindow, Clara indeed beheld Sidonia. 

In the middle of the court was a large horse-pond built round withstones, to which the water was conducted by metal pipescommunicating with the river Peene. In the middle of the pond wasa small island, upon which a bear was kept chained. A plank wasnow thrown across the pond to the island; upon this Sidonia wasstanding feeding the bear with bread, which Appelmann, who stoodbeside her, first dipped into a can of syrup, and several of theyoung squires stood round them laughing and jesting. 

The idle young pages were wont to take great delight in shootingat the bear with blunt arrows, and when it growled and snarled, then they would calm it again by throwing over bits of breadsteeped in honey or syrup. So Sidonia, waiting to see the fun, hadgot upon the plank ready to give the bread just as the bear hadgot to the highest pitch of irritation, when he would suddenlychange his growling into another sort of speech after his fashion. All this amused Sidonia mightily, and she laughed and clapped herhands with delight. 

When the modest Clara beheld all this, and how Sidonia danced upand down on the plank, while the water splashed over her robe, shecalled to her--"Dear Lady Sidonia, come hither: I have somewhat totell thee. " But she answered tartly--"Dear Lady Clara, keep itthen: I am too young to be told everything. " And she danced up anddown on the plank as before. 

After many vain entreaties, Clara had at length to descend andseize the wild bird by the wing--I mean thereby the arm--and carryher off to the castle. The young men would have followed, but theywere engaged to attend his Highness on a fishing excursion thatafternoon, and were obliged to go and see after their nets andtackle. So the two maidens could walk up and down the corridorundisturbed; and Clara asked if she had yet learned the catechism. 

_Illa_. --"No; I have no wish to learn it. "

_Hæc_. --"But if the priest has to reprimand you publicly fromthe pulpit?"

_Illa_. --"I counsel him not to do it. "

_Hæc_. --"Why, what would you do to him?"

_Illa_. --"He will find that out. "

_Hæc_. --"Dear Sidonia, I wish you well; and therefore let metell you that not only the priest, but our gracious lady, and allthe noble maidens of the court, are sad and displeased that youshould make so free with the young men, and entice them to followyou, as I have seen but too often myself. Do it not, dear SidoniaI mean well by you;--do it not. It will injure your reputation. "

_Illa_. --"Ha! you are jealous now, you little pioushousesparrow, that the young men do not run after you too. How canI help it?"

_Hæc_. --"Every maiden can help it; were she as beautiful ascould be seen, she can help it. Leave off, Sidonia, or evil willcome of it, particularly as her Grace has heard that you areseeking to entice our young lord the Prince. See, I tell you thepure truth, that it may turn you from your light courses. Tell me, what can you mean by it?--for when noble youths demand your handin marriage, you reject them, and say you never mean to marry. Canyou think that our gracious Prince, a son of Pomerania, will makethee his duchess--thou who art only a common nobleman's daughter?"

_Illa_. --"A common nobleman's daughter!--that is good fromthe peasant-girl. You are common enough and low enough, I warrant;but my blood is as old as that of the Dukes of Pomerania, andbesides, I am a castle and land dowered maiden. But who are you?who are you? Your forefathers were hunted out of Mecklenburg, andonly got footing here in Pomerania out of charity. "

_Hæc_. --"Do not be angry, dear lady--you say true; yet I mustadd that my forebears were once Counts in Mecklenburg, and fromtheir loyalty to the Dukes of Pomerania were given possessionshere in Daber, where they have been lords of castles and lands fortwo hundred and fifty years. Yet I will confess that your race isnobler than mine; but, dear child, I make no boast of my ancestry, nor is it fitting for either of us to do so. The right royalPrince, who is given as an example and model to us all--who isLord, not over castle and land, but of the heavens and theearth--the Saviour, Jesus Christ--He took no account of His armsor His ancestry, though the whole starry universe was His banner. He was as humble to the little child as to the learned doctors inthe temple--to the chiefs among the people, as to the tremblingsinner and the blind beggar Bartimæus. Let us take, then, thisPrince for our example, and mind our life long what He says--'Comeunto Me, and learn of Me, for I am meek and lowly of heart. ' Willyou not learn of Him, dear lady? I will, if God give me grace. "

And she extended her hand to Sidonia, who dashed it away, crying--"Stuff! nonsense! you have learned all this twaddle fromthe priest, who, I know, is nephew to the shoe-maker in Daber, andtherefore hates any one who is above him in rank. "

Clara was about to reply mildly; but they happened now to bestanding close to the public flight of steps, and a peasant-girlran up when she saw them, and flung herself at Clara's feet, entreating the young lady to save her, for she had run away fromDaber, where they were going to burn her as a witch. The piousClara recoiled in horror, and desiring her to rise, said--"Artthou Anne Wolde, some time keeper of the swine to my father? Howfares it with my dearest father and my mother?"

They were well when she ran away, but she had been wandering nowfor fourteen days on the road, living upon roots and wild berries, or what the herds gave her out of their knapsacks for charity. 

_Hæc_. --"What crime wast thou suspected of, girl, to becondemned to so terrible a death?"

_Illa_. --"She had a lover named Albert, who followed hereverywhere, but as she would not listen to him he hated her, andpretended that she had given him a love-drink. "

Here Sidonia laughed aloud, and asked if she knew how to brew thelove-drink?

_Illa_. --"Yes; she learned from her elder sister how to makeit, but had never tried it with any one, and was perfectlyinnocent of all they charged her with. "

Here Clara shook her head, and wished to get rid of thewitch-girl; for she thought, truly if Sidonia learns the brewingsecret, she will poison and destroy the whole castleful, and weshall have the devil bodily with us in earnest. So she pushed awaythe girl, who still clung to her, weeping and lamenting. HereuponSidonia grew quite grave and pious all of a sudden, and said--

"See the hypocrite she is! She first sets before me the example ofChrist, and then treats this poor sinner with nothing but crossthorns! Has not Christ said, 'Blessed are the merciful, for theyshall obtain mercy'? But only see how this bigot can have Christon her tongue, but not in her heart!"

The pious Clara grew quite ashamed at such talk, and raising upthe wretch who had again fallen on her knees, said--

"Well, thou mayest remain; so get thee to my maid, and she willgive thee food. I shall also write to my father for thy pardon, and meanwhile ask leave from her Grace to allow thee to remainhere until it arrives; but if thou art guilty, I cannot promisethee my protection any longer, and thou wilt be burned here, inplace of at Daber. "

So the witch-girl was content, and importuned them no further. 

CHAPTER X. 

_How Sidonia Wished to learn the mystery of love-potions, but ishindered by Clara and the young Prince. _

When Prince Ernest returned home after an absence of some days, Sidonia had changed her tactics, for now she never lifted up hereyes when they met, but passed on blushing and confused, and inplace of speaking, as formerly, only sighed. This turned his headcompletely, and sent the blood so quickly through his veins thathe found it a hard matter to conceal his feelings any longer. Forthis reason he determined to visit Sidonia in her own room as soonas he could hit upon a favourable opportunity, and bring her thena beautiful lute, inlaid with gold and silver, which he hadpurchased for her at Grypswald. 

Now, it happened soon after, that her Grace and Clara went awayone day into the town to purchase a jerkin for the little PrinceCasimir, who accompanied them. Sidonia was immediately informed oftheir absence, and sought out Clara's maid without delay, put apiece of gold into her hand, and said--

"Send the strange girl from Daber to my room for a few minutes;she can perhaps give me some tidings of my dear father and family, for Daber is only a little way from Stramehl. But mind, " sheadded, "keep this visit a secret, as well from her Grace as fromyour mistress Clara; otherwise we shall all be scolded. "

So the maid very willingly complied, and brought the witch-girldirectly to Sidonia's little apartment, and then ran to Clara'sroom to watch for the return of her Grace in time to give notice. 

The witch-girl was quite confounded (as she afterwards confessedupon the rack) when Sidonia began--

"Thou knowest, Anne, that my entreaties alone obtained thee ashelter here, for I pitied thee from the first; and from what Ihear, it is certain that her Grace means to deal no better withthee than thy judges at Daber, therefore my advice is--escape ifthou canst. "

_Illa_, weeping. --"Where can I go? I shall die of hunger, orthey will arrest me again as an evil-minded witch, and carry meback to Daber. "

"But do not tell them, stupid goose, that thou hast come fromDaber. "

_Illa_. --"But what could she say? Besides, she had no money, and so must be lost and ruined for ever. "

"Well, I shall give thee gold enough to get thee through alldangers. I give it, mind, out of pure Christian charity; but nowtell me honestly--canst thou really make a love-drink?"

_Illa_. --"Yes; her sister had taught her. "

"Is the drink of equal power for men and women?"

_Illa_. --"Yes; without doubt, it would make either mad withlove. "

"Has it ever an injurious effect upon them? does it take awaytheir strength?"

_Illa_. --"Yes; they fall down like flies. Some lose theirmemory, others become blind or lame. "

"Has she ever tried its effects upon any one herself?"

_Illa_. --"But will the lady betray me?"

"Out, fool! When I have promised thee gold enough to insure thyescape! I betray thee!"

_Illa_. --"Then she will tell the lady the whole truth. Shedid give a love-drink to Albert, because he grew cross, and spentthe nights away from her, and complained if she idled a little, sothat her master beat her. Therefore she determined to punish him, and a rash came out over his whole body, so that he could neithersit nor lie for six weeks, and at night he had to be tied to apost with a hand-towel; but all this time his love for her grew soburning, that although he had previously hated and beaten her, yetnow if she only brought him a drink of cold water, for which hewas always screaming, he would kiss her hands and feet even thoughshe spat in his face, and he would certainly have died if hisrelations had not found out an old woman who unbewitched him;whereupon his love came to an end, and he informed against her. "

That must be a wonderful drink. Would the girl teach her how tobrew it?

But just then our Lord God sent yet another warning to Sidonia, through His angel, to turn her from her villainy, for as the girlwas going to answer, a knock was heard at the chamber-door. Theyboth grew as white as chalk; but Sidonia bethought herself of ahiding-place, and bid the other creep under the bed while she wentto the door to see who knocked, and as she opened it, so therestood Prince Ernest bodily before her eyes, with the lute in hishand. 

"Ah, gracious Prince, what brings you here? I pray your Highness, for the sake of God, to leave me. What would be said if any onesaw you here?"

"But who is to see us, my beautiful maiden? My gracious mother hasgone out to drive; and now, just look at this lute that I havepurchased for you in Grypswald. Will it please thee, sweet one?"

_Illa_. --"Alas, gracious Prince, of what use will it be tome, when I have no one to teach me how to play?"

"I will teach thee, oh, how willingly, but--thou knowest what Iwould say. "

_Illa_. --"No, no, I dare not learn from your Highness. Nowgo, and do not make me more miserable. "

"What makes thee miserable, enchanting Sidonia?"

_Illa_. --"Ah, if your Highness could know how this heartburns within me like a fire! What will become of me? Would that Iwere dead--oh, I am a miserable maiden! If your Highness were buta simple noble, then I might hope--but now. Woe is me! I must go!Yes, I must go!"

"Why must thou go, my own sweet darling? and why dost thou wish meto be only a simple noble? Canst thou not love a duke better thana noble?"

_Illa_. --"Gracious Prince, what is a poor count's daughter toyour princely Highness? and would her Grace ever consent? Ah no, Imust go--I must go!"

Here she sobbed so violently, and covered her eyes with her hands, that the young Duke could no longer restrain his feelings. Heseized her passionately in his arms, and was kissing away thecrocodile tears, when lo, another knock came to the door, andSidonia grew paler even than the first time, for there was noplace to hide the Prince in, as the witch-wench was already underthe bed, and not even quite hidden, for some of her red petticoatwas visible round the post, and one could easily see by the way itmoved that some living body was in it, for the girl was tremblingwith the most horrible fear and fright. But the Prince was tooabsorbed in love either to notice all this or to mind the knock atthe door. 

Sidonia, however, knew well that it was over with them now, andshe pushed away the young Prince, just as the door opened andClara entered, who grew quite pale, and clasped her hands togetherwhen she saw the Duke and Sidonia together; then the tears fellfast from her eyes, and she could utter nothing but--"Ah, mygracious Prince--my poor innocent Prince--what has brought youhere?" but neither of them spoke a word. "You are lost, " exclaimedClara; "the Duchess is coming up the corridor, and has juststopped to look at her pet cat and the kittens there by the page'sroom. Hasten, young Prince--hasten to meet her before she comes astep further. "

So the young lord darted out of the chamber, and found hisgracious mother still examining her kittens, whereupon he prayedher then to descend with him to the courtyard and look also at hisfine hounds, to which she consented. 

The moment Prince Ernest disappeared, Clara commenced upbraidingSidonia for her evil ways, which could not be any longerdenied--for had she not seen all with her own eyes?--and she nowconjured her by the living God to turn away from the young Duke, and select some noble of her own rank as her husband. This couldeasily be done when so many loved her; but as to the Prince, aslong as her Grace and Ulrich lived, or even one single branch ofthe princely house of Pomerania, this marriage would never bepermitted, let the young lord do or say what he chose. 

"Ah, thou pious old priest in petticoats, " exclaimed Sidonia, "whotold thee I wanted to marry the Prince? How can I help if hechooses to come in here and, though I weep and resist, takes me inhis arms and kisses me? So leave off thy preaching, and tell merather what brings thee spying to my room?"

Then Clara remembered what had really been her errand, althoughthe love-scene had put everything else out of her head until now, and replied--"I was seeking the witch-girl from Daber, for when Iwent out with her Grace, I left her in charge of my maid; but aswe returned home by the little garden gate, I slipped up to myroom by the private stairs without any one seeing me, and found mymaid looking out of the window, but no girl was to be seen. When Iasked what had become of her, the maid answered she knew not, thegirl must have slipped away while her back was turned, so I camehere to ask if you had seen the impudent hussy, for I fear if herwings are not clipped she will do harm to some one. "

Here Sidonia grew quite indignant--what could she know of a vilewitch-wench? Besides, she had not been ten minutes there in theroom. 

"But perchance the bird has found herself a nest somewhere, " saidClara, looking towards the bed; "methinks, indeed, I see some ofthe feathers, for surely a red gown never trembled that way undera bed unless there was something living inside of it. " When thewitch-girl heard this her fright increased, so that, to makematters worse, she pulled her gown in under the bed, upon whichClara kneeled down, lifted the coverlet, and found the owl in itsnest. Now she had to creep out weeping and howling, and promisedto tell everything. 

But Sidonia gave her a look which she understood well, andtherefore when she stood up straight by the bed, begged piteouslythat the Lady Clara would not scold her for having tried toescape, because she herself had threatened her with being burnedthere as well as at Daber, so not knowing where to hide, andseeing the Lady Sidonia's door open, she crept in there and gotunder the bed, intending to wait till night came and then ask heraid in effecting her flight, for the Lady Sidonia was the only onein the castle who had shown her Christian compassion. 

Hereat Sidonia rose up as if in great rage, and said, "Ha! thouimpudent wench, how darest thou reckon on my protection!" andseizing her by the hand--in which, however, she pressed a piece ofgold--pushed her violently out of the door. 

Now Clara, thinking that this was the whole truth, fell weepingupon Sidonia's neck, and asked forgiveness for her suspicions. "There, that will do, " said Sidonia, --"that will do, old preacher;only be more cautious in future. What! am I to poke under my bedto see if any one is hiding there? You may go, for I suppose youhave often hidden a lover there, your eyes turn to it sonaturally. "

As Clara grew red with shame, Sidonia drew the witch-girl againinto the room, and giving her a box on the ear that made her teethchatter--"Now, confess, " said she, "what I said to the young lordwithout knowing that you were listening. " So the poor girlanswered weeping, "Nothing but what was good did you say to him, namely, that he should go away; and then you pushed him soviolently when he attempted to kiss you, that he stumbled overagainst the bed. "

"See, now, my pious preacher, " said Sidonia, "this girl confirmsexactly what I told you; so now go along with you, you hussy, ormayhap you will come off no better than she has done. "

Hereupon Clara went away humbly with the witch-girl to her ownroom, and never uttered another word. Nevertheless the affair didnot seem quite satisfactory to her yet. So she conferred with herbetrothed, Marcus Bork, on the subject. For when he carried booksfor her Highness from the ducal library, it was his custom toscrape with his feet in a peculiar manner as he passed Clara'sdoor; then she knew who it was, and opened it. And as her maid waspresent, they conversed together in the Italian tongue; for theywere both learned, not only in God's Word, but in all otherknowledge, so that people talk about them yet in Pomeranian landfor these things. 

Clara therefore told him the whole affair in Italian, before hermaid and the witch-girl--of the visit of the young Prince, and howthe girl was lying hid under the bed, and asked him was it notlikely that Sidonia had brought her there to teach her how to brewthe love-drink, with which she would then have bewitched thePrince and all the men-folk in the castle, and ought she not towarn her Grace of the danger. 

But Marcus answered, that if the witch-girl had been at the castleweeks before, he might have supposed that Sidonia had received thesecret of the love-potion from her, since every man, old andyoung, was mad for love of her--but now he must needs confess thatSidonia's eyes and deceiving mouth were magic sufficient; and thatit was not likely she would bring a vile damsel to her room toteach her that which she knew already so perfectly. So he thoughtit better not to tell her Highness anything on the subject. Besides, if the wench were examined, who knows what she might tellof Sidonia and the young lord that would bring shame on theprincely house of Wolgast, since she had been hid under the bedall the time, and perhaps only kept silence through fear. It werewell therefore on every account not to let the matter get wind, and to shut up the wench safely in the witches' tower until theanswer came from Daber. If she were pronounced really guilty, itwould then be time enough to question her on the rack about thelove-drink and the conversation between the young lord andSidonia. 

So this course was agreed on. It is, however, much to be regrettedthat Clara did not follow the promptings of her good angel, andtell all to her Grace and old Ulrich; for then much misfortune andscandal would have been spared to the whole Pomeranian land. Butshe followed her bride-groom's advice, and kept all secret. Thewitch-girl, however, was locked up that very day in the witches'tower, to guard against future evil. 

CHAPTER XI. 

_How Sidonia repeated the catechism of Dr. Gerschovius, and howshe whipped the young Casimir, out of pure evil-mindedness. _

The Sunday came at last when Sidonia was to be examined publiclyin the catechism of Dr. Gerschovius. Her Grace was filled withanxiety to see how all would terminate, for every one suspected(as indeed was the case) that not one word of it would she be ableto repeat. So the church was crowded, and all the young menattended without exception, knowing what was to go forward, andfearing for Sidonia, because this Dr. Gerschovius was a stern, harsh man; but she herself seemed to care little about the matter, for she entered her Grace's closet as usual (which was rightopposite the pulpit), and threw herself carelessly into a corner. However, when the doctor entered the pulpit she became more grave, and finally, when his discourse was drawing near to the close, sherose up quietly and glided out of the closet, intending to descendto the gardens. Her Grace did not perceive her movement, inconsequence of the hat with the heron's plume which she wore, forthe feathers drooped down at the side next Sidonia, and the otherladies were too much alarmed to venture to draw her attention tothe circumstance. But the priest from the pulpit saw her well, andcalled out--"Maiden! maiden! Whither go you? Remember ye have torepeat your catechism!"

Then Sidonia grew quite pale, for her Grace and all thecongregation fixed their eyes on her. So when she felt quiteconscious that she was looking pale, she said, "You see from myface that I am not well; but if I get better, doubt not but that Ishall return immediately. " Here all the maids of honour put uptheir kerchiefs to hide their laughter, and the young nobles didthe same. 

So she went away; but they might wait long enough, I think, forher to come back. In vain her Grace watched until the priest leftthe pulpit, and then sent two of her ladies to look for thehypocrite; but they returned declaring that she was nowhere to beseen. 

_Summa_. --The whole service was ended, and her Grace lookedas angry as the doctor; and when the organ had ceased, and thepeople were beginning to depart, she called out from her closet--

"Let every one come this way, and accompany me to Sidonia'sapartment. There I shall make her repeat the catechism before yeall. Messengers shall be despatched in all directions until theyfind out her hiding-place. "

This pleased the doctor and Ulrich well. So they all proceeded toSidonia's little room; for there she was, to their great surprise, seated upon a chair with a smelling-bottle in her hand. Whereuponher Grace demanded what ailed her, and why she had not stayed torepeat the catechism. 

_Illa_. --"Ah! she was so weak, she would certainly havefainted, if she had not descended to the garden for a little freshair. She was so distressed that her Grace had been troubledsending for her, of which she was not aware until now. "

"Are you better now?" asked her Grace. 

_Illa_. --"Rather better. The fresh air had done her good. "

"Then, " quoth her Grace, "you shall recite the catechism here forthe doctor; for, in truth, Christianity is as necessary to you aswater to a fish. "

The doctor now cleared his throat to begin; but she stopped himpertly, saying--

"I do not choose to say my catechism here in my room, like alittle child. Grown-up maidens are always heard in the church. "

Howbeit, her Grace motioned to him not to heed her. So to hisfirst question she replied rather snappishly, "You have youranswer already. "

No wonder the priest grew black with rage. But seeing a book lyingopen on a little table beside her bed, and thinking it was thecatechism of Dr. Gerschovius which she had been studying, hestepped over to look. But judge his horror when he found that itwas a volume of the _Amadis de Gaul_, and was lying open atthe eighth chapter, where he read--"How the Prince Amadis de Gaulloved the Princess Rosaliana, and was beloved in return, and howthey both attained to the accomplishment of their desires. "

He dashed the book to the ground furiously, stamped upon it, andcried--

"So, thou wanton, this is thy Bible and thy catechism! Here thoulearnest how to make young men mad! Who gave thee this infamousbook? Speak! Who gave it to thee?"

So Sidonia looked up timidly, and said, weeping, "It was hisHighness Duke Barnim who gave it to her, and told her it was amerry book, and good against low spirits. "

Here the Duchess, who had lifted up her hand to give her a box onthe ear, let it fall again with a deep sigh when she heard of theold Prince having given her such an infamous book, and lamentedloudly, crying--

"Who will free me from this shameless wanton, who makes all thecourt mad? Truly says Scripture, 'A beautiful woman withoutdiscretion is like a circlet of gold upon a swine's head. ' Ah! Iknow that now. But I trust my messengers will soon return whom Ihave despatched to Stettin and Stramehl, and then I shall get ridof thee, thou wanton, for which God be thanked for evermore. "

Then she turned to leave the room with old Ulrich, who only shookhis head, but remained as mute as a fish. Doctor Gerschovius, however, stayed behind with Sidonia, in order to exhort her tovirtue; but as she only wept and did not seem to hear him, he grewtired, and finally went his way, also with many sighs anduplifting of his hands. 

A little after, as Sidonia was howling just out of pureill-temper, for, in my opinion, nothing ailed her, the littlePrince Casimir ran in to look for his mamma--she had gone to hearSidonia her catechism, they told him. 

"What did he want with his lady mamma?"

"His new jerkin hurt him, he wanted her to tie it another way forhim; but is it really true, Sidonia, that you do not know yourcatechism? I can say it quite well. Just come now and hear me sayit. "

It is probable that her Grace and the doctor had devised this planin order to shame Sidonia, by showing her how even a little childcould repeat it; but she took it angrily, and, calling him over, said, "Yes; come--I will hear you your catechism. " And as thelittle boy came up close beside her, she slung him across herknee, pulled down his hose, and--oh, shame!--whipped his SereneHighness upon his princely _podex_, that it would have meltedthe heart of a stone. How this shows her cruel and evildisposition--to revenge on the child what she had to bear from themother. Fie on the maiden!

And here my gracious Prince will say--"O Theodore, this mattersurely might have been passed over, since it brings a disrespectupon my princely house. "

I answer--"Gracious Lord and Prince, my most humble services aredue to your Grace, but truth must be still truth, however it maydisplease your Highness. Besides, by no other act could I have sowell proved the infernal evil in this woman's nature; for if shecould dare to lay her godless hand upon one of your illustriousrace, then all her future acts are perfectly comprehensible. [Footnote: Note by Duke Bogislaff XIV. --This is true, andtherefore I consent to let it remain; and I remember that PrinceCasimir told me long afterwards that the scene remained indeliblyimpressed on his memory. "For, " he said, "the wild eyes and theterrible voice of the witch frightened me more even than her cruelhand; as if even there I detected the devil in her, though I wasbut a little boy at the time. "] When the malicious wretch let theboy go, he darted out of the room and ran down the whole corridor, screaming out that he would tell his mamma about Sidonia; butZitsewitz met him, and having heard the story, the amorous oldfool took him up in his arms, and promised him heaps of beautifulthings if he would hold his tongue and not say a word more to anyone, and that he would give Sidonia a good whipping himself, inreturn for what she had done to him. So, in short, her Grace neverheard of the insult until after Sidonia's departure from court. "

Had her Highness been in her apartment, she must have heard thechild scream; but it so happened that just then she was walking upand down the ducal gardens, whither she had gone to cool heranger. 

Soon after a stately ship was seen sailing down the river fromPenemunde, [Footnote: A town in Pomerania. ] which attracted alleyes in the castle, for on the deck stood a noble youth, with aheron's plume waving from his cap, and he held a tame sea-gullupon his hand, which from time to time flew off and dived into thewater, bringing up all sorts of fish, great and small, in itsbeak, with which it immediately flew back to the handsome youth. 

"Ah!" exclaimed Clara, "there must be the sons of our graciousPrincess! for to-morrow is her birthday, and here comes the noblebishop, Johann Frederick of Camyn, and his brother, Duke BogislaffXIII. , to pay their respects to their gracious mother. "

Her Grace, however, would scarcely credit that the handsome youthwho was fishing after so elegant a manner was indeed her ownbeloved son; but Clara clapped her hands now, crying, "Look! yourGrace--look! there is the flag hoisted!" And indeed therefluttered from the mast now the bishop's own arms. So the warderblew his horn, which was answered by the warder of St. Peter's inthe town, and the bells in all the towers rang out, and thecastellan ordered the cannon in the courtyard to be fired off. 

Her Grace was now thoroughly convinced, and weeping for joy, randown to the little water-gate, where old Ulrich already stoodwaiting to receive the princes. As the vessel approached, however, they discovered that the handsome youth was not the bishop, butDuke Bogislaff, who had been staying on a visit at his brother'scourt at Camyn, along with several high prelates. The bishop, Johann Frederick, did not accompany him, for he was obliged toremain at home, in order to receive a visit from the Prince ofBrandenburg. 

When the Duke stepped on shore he embraced his weeping motherjoyfully, and said he came to offer her his congratulations on herbirthday, and that she must not weep but laugh, for there shouldbe a dance in honour of it, and a right merry feast at the castleon the morrow. 

Then he tumbled out on the bridge all the fish which the bird hadcaught; and her Grace wondered greatly, and stroked it as it satupon the shoulder of the Prince. So he asked if the bird pleasedher Grace, and when she answered "Yes, " he said, "Then, dearestmother, let it be my birthday gift to you. I have trained itmyself, and tried it here, as you see, upon the river. So anyafternoon that you and your ladies choose to amuse yourselves witha sail, this bird will fish for you as long as you please, whileyou row down the river. "

Ah, what a good son was this handsome young Duke!--and when Ithink that Sidonia murdered them all--all--even this noble Prince, my heart seems to break, and the pen falls from my fingers. [Footnote: Note by Duke Bogislaff XIV. --Et quid mihi, miserofilio? Domine in manus tuas commando spiritum meum, quia tu meredemisti fide Deus! (And what remains to me, wretched son? Lord, into Thy hands I commend my spirit, for Thou hast redeemed me, Thou God of truth. )--When one thinks that it was the generalbelief in that age that the whole ducal race had been destroyedand blasted by Sidonia's sorceries, it is impossible not to beaffected by these melancholy yet resigned and Christian words ofthe last orphaned and childless representative of the ancient andillustrious house of Wolgast. ]

But to continue. The Duchess embraced the fine young Prince, whostill continued talking of the dance they must have next day. Itwas time now for his gracious mother to give up mourning for herdeceased lord, he said. 

But her Grace would not hear of a dance; and replied that shewould continue to mourn for her dear lord all the rest of herlife, to whom she had been wedded by Doctor Martinus. However, theDuke repeated his entreaties, and all the young nobles addedtheirs, and finally Prince Ernest besought her Grace not to denythem permission to have a festival on the morrow, as it was tohonour her birthday. So she at last consented; but old Ulrichshook his head, and took her Grace aside to warn her of thescandal which would assuredly arise when the young nobles haddrunk and grew excited by Sidonia. Hereupon her Grace made answerthat she would take care Sidonia should cause no scandal--"As shehas refused to learn her catechism, she must not appear at thefeast. It will be a fitting punishment to keep her a prisoner forthe whole day, and therefore I shall lock her up myself in her ownroom, and put the key in my pocket. "

So Ulrich was well pleased, and all separated for the night withmuch contentment and hopes of enjoyment on the morrow. 

CHAPTER XII. 

_Of Appelmann's knavery--Item, how the birthday of her Highnesswas celebrated, and Sidonia managed to get to the dance, with theuproar caused thereby. _

Before I proceed further, it will be necessary to state whathappened a few days before concerning Prince Ernest's chiefequerry, Johann Appelmann, otherwise many might doubt the facts Ishall have to relate, though God knows I speak the pure truth. 

One came to his lordship the Grand Chamberlain--he was a shoemakerof the town--and complained to him of Appelmann, who had beencourting his daughter for a long while, and running after heruntil finally he had disgraced her in the eyes of the whole town, and brought shame and scandal into his house. So he prayed LordUlrich to make the shameless profligate take his daughter to wife, as he had fairly promised her marriage long ago. 

Now Ulrich had long suspected the knave of bad doings, for manypearls and jewels had lately been missing from her Grace'sshabrack and horse-trappings, and the groom, who always laid themon her Grace's white palfrey, knew nothing about them, though hewas even put to the torture; but as Appelmann had all these thingsin his sole keeping, it was natural to think that he was not quiteinnocent. Besides, three hundred sacks of oats were missing on thenew year, and no one knew what had become of them. 

Therefore Ulrich sent for the cheating rogue, and upbraided himwith his profligate courses, also telling him that he must wed theshoemaker's daughter immediately. But the cunning knave knewbetter, and swore by all the saints that he was innocent, andfinally prevailed upon Prince Ernest to intercede for him, so thatUlrich promised to give him a little longer grace, but thenassuredly he would bring him to a strict account. 

And Appelmann drove the Prince that same day to Grypswald, to findout more musicians for the castle band, as the march of DukeBogislaff the Great was to be played by eighty drums and fortytrumpets in the grand ducal hall, to honour the birthday of herHighness. 

One can imagine what Sidonia felt when the Duchess announced thatas she had refused to learn the catechism, and was neitherobedient to God nor her Grace, she should remain a strict prisonerin her own room during the festival, as a signal punishment forher ungodly behaviour. But her maid might bring her food of allthat she chose from the feast. 

Sidonia first prayed her Grace to forgive her for the love of God, and she would learn the whole catechism by heart. But as this hadno effect, then she wept and lamented loudly, and at length felldown upon her knees before her Grace, who would, however, beneither moved nor persuaded; and when Sidonia threatened at lastto leave her room, the Duchess went out, locked the door, and putthe key in her pocket. The prisoner howled enough then, I warrant. 

But what did she do now, the cunning minx? She gave her maid apiece of gold, and told her to go up and down the corridor, cryingand wringing her hands, and when any one asked what was thematter, to say, "That her beautiful young lady was dying of grief, because the Duchess had locked her up, like a little school-girl, in her own room, and all for not knowing the catechism of Dr. Gerschovius, which indeed was not taught in her part of thecountry, but another, which she had learned quite well in herchildhood. And so for this, her poor young lady was not to beallowed to dance at the festival. " The maid was to say all this inparticular to Prince Ernest; or if he did not pass through thecorridor, she was to stop weeping and groaning at hischamber-door, until he came out to ask what was the matter. 

The maid followed the instructions right well, and in less than anhour every soul in the castle, down to the cooks and washerwomen, knew what had happened, and everywhere the Duchess went she wasassailed by old and young, great and small, with petitions ofpardon for Sidonia. 

Her Grace, however, bid them all be silent, and threatened if theymade such shameless requests to forbid the festival altogether. But when Prince Ernest likewise petitioned in her favour, she wasangry, and said, "He ought to be ashamed of himself. It was nowplain what a fool the girl had made of him. Her maternal heartwould break, she knew it would--and this day would be one ofsorrow in place of joy to her; all on account of this girl. "

So the young Prince had to hold his peace for this time; but hesent a message, nevertheless, to Sidonia, telling her not to fret, for that he would take her out of her room and bring her to thedance, let what would happen. 

Next morning, by break of day, the whole castle and town werealive with preparations for the festival. It was now sevenyears--that is, since the death of Duke Philip--since any one haddanced in the castle except the rats and mice, and even yet thesplendour of this festival is talked of in Wolgast; and many ofthe old people yet living there remember it well, and gave me manycurious particulars thereof, which I shall set down here, that itmay be known how such affairs were conducted in old time at ourducal courts. 

In the morning, by ten of the clock, the young princes, nobles, clergy, and the honourable counsellors of the town, assembled inthe grand ducal hall, built by Duke Philip after the great fire, and which extended up all through the three stories of the castle. At the upper end of the hall was the grand painted window, sixtyfeet high, on which was delineated the pilgrimage of DukeBogislaff the Great to Jerusalem, all painted by Gerard Homer;[Footnote: A Frieslander, and the most celebrated painter on glassof his time. ] and round on the walls banners, and shields, andhelmets, and cuirasses, while all along each side, four feet fromthe ground, there were painted on the walls figures of all theanimals found in Pomerania: bears, wolves, elks, stags, deer, otters, &c. , all exquisitely imitated. 

When all the lords had assembled, the drums beat and trumpetssounded, whereupon the Pomeranian marshal flung open the greatdoors of the hall, which were wreathed with flowers from theoutside, and the princely widow entered with great pomp, leadingthe little Casimir by the hand. She was arrayed in the Pomeraniancostume--namely, a white silk under-robe, and over it a surcoat ofazure velvet, brocaded with silver, and open in front. A longtrain of white velvet, embroidered in golden laurel wreaths, wassupported by twelve pages dressed in black velvet cassocks withSpanish ruffs. Upon her head the Duchess wore a coif of scarletvelvet with small plumes, from which a white veil, spangled withsilver stars, hung down to her feet. Round her neck she had ascarlet velvet band, twisted with a gold chain; and from itdepended a balsam flask, in the form of a greyhound, which restedon her bosom. 

As her Serene Highness entered with fresh and blushing cheeks, allbowed low and kissed her hand, glittering with diamonds. Then eachoffered his congratulations as best he could. 

Amongst them came Johann Neander, Archdeacon of St. Peter's, whowas seeking preferment, considering that his present living wasbut a poor one; and so he presented her Grace with a printed_tractatum_ dedicated to her Highness, in which the questionwas discussed whether the ten virgins mentioned in Matt. Xxv. Wereof noble or citizen rank. But Doctor Gerschovius made a mock ofhim for this afterwards, before the whole table. [Footnote: Overthese exegetical disquisitions of a former age we smile, and withreason; but we, pedantic Germans, have carried our modernexegetical mania to such absurd lengths, that we are likely tobecome as much a laughing-stock to our contemporaries, as well asto posterity, as this Johannes Neander. In fact, our exegetistsare mostly pitiful schoolmasters--word-anatomists--and one couldas little learn the true spirit of an old classic poet from ourpedantic philologists, as the true sense of holy Scripture fromour scholastic theologians. What with their grammar twistings, their various readings, their dubious punctuations, theirmythical, and who knows what other meanings, theirhair-splittings, and prosy vocable tiltings, we find at last thatthey are willing to teach us everything but that which reallyconcerns us, and, like the Danaides, they let the water of liferun through the sieve of their learning. We may apply to themtruly that condemnation of our Lord's (Matt, xxiii. 24)--"Ye blindguides; ye strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel. "]

Now, when all the congratulations were over, the Duchess askedPrince Ernest if the water-works in the courtyard had beencompleted, [Footnote: The Prince took much interest in hydraulics, and built a beautiful and costly aqueduct for the town ofWolgast. ] and when he answered "Yes, " "Then, " quoth her Grace, "they shall run with Rostock beer to-day, if it took fifty tuns;for all my people, great and small, shall keep festival to-day;and I have ordered my court baker to give a loaf of bread and agood drink to every one that cometh and asketh. And now, as it isfitting, let us present ourselves in the church. "

So the bells rung, and the whole procession swept through thecorridor and down the great stairs, with drums and trumpets goingbefore. Then followed the marshal with his staff, and the GrandChamberlain, Ulrich von Schwerin, wearing his beautiful hat (apresent from her Highness), looped up with a diamond aigrette, andspangled with little golden stars. Then came the Duchess, supported on each side by the young princes, her sons; and thenobles, knights, pages, and others brought up the rear, accordingto their rank and dignity. 

As they passed Sidonia's room, she began to beat the door and crylike a little spoiled child; but no one minded her, and theprocession moved on to the courtyard, where the soldatesca fired asalute, not only from their muskets, but also from the greatcannon called "the Old Aunt, " which gave forth a deep joy-sigh. From all the castle windows hung banners and flags bearing thearms of Pomerania and Saxony, and the pavement was strewed withflowers. 

As they passed Sidonia's window she opened it, and appearedmagnificently attired, and glittering with pearls and diamonds, but also weeping bitterly. At this sight old Ulrich gnashed histeeth for rage, but all the young men, and Prince Ernest inparticular, felt their hearts die in them for sorrow. So theypassed on through the great north gate out on the castle wall, from whence the whole town and harbour were visible. Here theflags fluttered from the masts and waved from the towers, and thepeople clapped their hands and cried "Huzza!" (for in truth theyhad heard about the beer, to my thinking, before the Princess cameout upon the walls). _Summa_: There was never seen such joy;and after having service in church, they all returned to thecastle in the same order, and set themselves down to the banquet. 

I got a list of the courses at the table of the Duchess from oldKüssow, and I shall here set it down, that people may see how ourfathers banqueted eighty years ago in Pomerania; but, God help us!in these imperial days there is little left for us to grind ourteeth upon. So smell thereat, and you will still get a delicioussavour from these good old times. 

_First Course_. --1. A soup; 2. An egg-soup, with saffron, peppercorns, and honey thereon; 3. Stewed mutton, with onionsstrewed thereon; 4. A roasted capon, with stewed plums. 

_Second Course_. --1. Ling, with oil and raisins; 2. Beef, baked in oil; 3. Eels, with pepper; 4. Dried fish, with Leipsicmustard. 

_Third Course_. --1. A salad, with eggs; 2. Jellies strewedwith almond and onion seed; 3. Omelettes, with honey and grapes;4. Pastry, and many other things besides. 

_Fourth Course_. --1. A roast goose with red beet-root, olives, capers, and cucumbers; 2. Little birds fried in lard, withradishes; 3. Venison; 4. Wild boar, with the marrow served ontoasted rolls. In conclusion, all manner of pastry, with fritters, cakes, and fancy confectionery of all kinds. 

So her Grace selected something from each dish herself, anddespatched it to Sidonia by her maid; but the maiden would none ofthem, and sent all back with a message that she had no heart togormandise and feast; but her Grace might send her some bread andwater, which was alone fitting for a poor prisoner to receive. 

The young men could bear this no longer, their patience was quiteexhausted, and their courage rose as the wine-cups were emptied. So at length Prince Ernest whispered to his brother Bogislaus toput in a good word for Sidonia. He refused, however, and PrinceErnest was ashamed to name her himself; but some of the youngpages who waited on her Grace were bold enough to petition for herpardon, whereupon her Grace gave them a very sharp reproof. 

After dinner the Duchess and Prince Bogislaus went up the streamin a pleasure-boat to try the tame sea-gull, and her Gracerequested Lord Ulrich to accompany them. But he answered that hewas more necessary to the castle that evening than a night-watchin a time of war, particularly if the young Prince was to haveRostock beer play from the fountains in place of water. 

And soon his words came true, for when the Duchess had sailed awaythe young men began to drink in earnest, so that the wine ran overthe threshold down the great steps, and the peasants and boors whowere going back and forward with dried wood to the ducal kitchen, lay down flat on their faces, and licked up the wine from thesteps (but the Almighty punished them for this, I think, for theirchildren now are glad enough to sup up water with the geese). 

Meanwhile many of the youths sprang up, swearing that they wouldfree Sidonia; others fell down quite drunk, and knew nothing moreof what happened. Then old Ulrich flew to the corridor, andmarched up and down with his drawn dagger in his hand, and sworehe would arrest them all if they did not keep quiet; that as tothose who were lying dead drunk like beasts, he must treat themlike other beasts--whereupon he sends to the castle fountain forbuckets of cold water, and pours it over them. Ha! how they sprangup and raged when they felt it; but he only laughed and said--ifthey would not hold their peace he would treat them still worse;they ought to be ashamed of their filthiness and debauchery. [Footnote: Almost all writers of that age speak of the excesses towhich intoxication was carried in all the ducal courts, butparticularly that of Pomerania. ]

But now to the uproar within was added one from without, for whenthe fountains began to play with Rostock beer, all the town ranthither, and drank like leeches, while they begged theserving-wenches to bring them loaves to eat with it. How the oldshoemaker threw up his cap in the air, and shouted--"Long live herGrace! no better Princess was in the whole world--they hoped herGrace might live for many years and celebrate every birthday likethis!" Then they would pray for her right heartily, and the womenchattered and cackled, and the children screamed so that no onecould hear a word that was saying, and Sidonia tried for a longtime in vain to make them hear her. At last she waved a whitekerchief from the window, when the noise ceased for a little, andshe then began the old song, namely, "Would they release her?"

Now there were some brave fellows among them to whom she had givendrink-money, or purchased goods from, and they now ran to fetch aladder and set it up against the wall; but old Ulrich got wind ofthis proceeding, and dispersed the mob forthwith, menacingSidonia, before their faces, that if she but wagged a finger, anddid not instantly retire from the window, and bear herwell-merited punishment patiently, he would have her carriedstraightway through the guard-room, and locked up in the bastiontower. This threat succeeded, and she drew in her head. Meantimethe Duchess returned from fishing, but when she beheld the crowdshe entered through the little water-gate, and went up a windingstair to her own apartment, to attire herself for the dance. 

The musicians now arrived from Grypswald, and all the knights andnobles were assembled except Zitsewitz, who lay sick, whether fromlove or jealousy I leave undecided; so the great affair at lengthbegan, and in the state hall the band struck up Duke Bogislaus'march, played, in fact, by eighty drums and forty-three trumpets, so that it was as mighty and powerful in sound as if the greattrumpet itself had played it, and the plaster dropped off from theceiling, and the picture of his Highness the Duke, in the northwindow, was so disturbed by the vibration, that it shook andclattered as if it were going to descend from the frame and dancewith the guests in the hall, and not only the folk outside dancedto the music, but down in the town, in the great market-place, andbeyond that, even in the horse-market, the giant march was heard, and every one danced to it whether in or out of the house, andcheered and huzzaed. Now the Prince could no longer repress hisfeelings, for, besides that he had taken a good Pomeranian draughtthat day, and somewhat rebelled against his lady mother, he nowflung the fourth commandment to the winds (never had he done thisbefore), and taking three companions with him, by name Dieterichvon Krassow, Joachim von Budde, and Achim von Weyer, he proceededwith them to the chamber of Sidonia, and with great violence burstopen the door. There she lay on the bed weeping, in a green velvetrobe, laced with gold, and embroidered with other goldenornaments, and her head was crowned with pearls and diamonds, sothat the young Prince exclaimed, "Dearest Sidonia, you look like aking's bride. See, I keep my word; come now, and we shall dancetogether in the hall. "

Here he would willingly have kissed her, but was ashamed becausethe others were by, so he said, "Go ye now to the hall and see ifthe dance is still going on. I will follow with the maiden. "Thereat the young men laughed, because they saw well that thePrince did not just then desire their company, and they all wentaway, except Joachim von Budde, the rogue, who crept behind thedoor, and peeped through the crevice. 

Now, the young lord was no sooner left alone with Sidonia than hepressed her to his heart--"Did she love him? She must say yes onceagain. " Whereupon she clasped his neck with her little hands, andwith every kiss that he gave her she murmured, "Yes, yes, yes!""Would she be his own dear wife?" "Ah, if she dared. She wouldhave no other spouse, no, not even if the Emperor came himselfwith all the seven electors. But he must not make her moremiserable than she was already. What could they do? he never wouldbe allowed to marry her. " "He would manage that. " Then he pressedher again to his heart, with such ardour that the knave behind thedoor grew jealous, and springing up, called out--"If his Highnesswishes for a dance he must come now. "

When they both entered the hall, her Grace was treading a measurewith old Ulrich, but he caught sight of them directly, and withoutmaking a single remark, resigned the hand of her Grace to PrinceBogislaus, and excused himself, saying that the noise of the musichad made his head giddy, and that he must leave the hall for alittle. He ran then along the corridor down to the courtyard, fromthence to the guard, and commanded the officer with his troop, along with the executioner and six assistants, to be ready to rushinto the hall with lighted matches, the moment he waved his hatwith the white plumes from the window. 

When he returns, the dance is over, and my gracious lady, suspecting nothing as yet, sits in a corner and fans herself. ThenUlrich takes Sidonia in one hand and Prince Ernest in the other, brings them up straight before her Highness, and asks if she hadherself given permission for the Prince and Sidonia to dancetogether in the hall. Her Highness started from her chair when shebeheld them, her cheeks glowing with anger, and exclaimed, "Whatdoes this mean? Have you dared to release Sidonia?"

_Ille_. --"Yes; for this noble maiden has been treated worsethan a peasant-girl by my lady mother. "

_Illa_. --"Oh, woe is me! this is my just punishment forhaving forgotten my Philip so soon, and even consenting to tread ameasure in the hall. " So she wept, and threw herself again uponthe seat, covering her face with both hands. 

Now old Ulrich began. "So, my young Prince, this is the way youkeep the admonitions that your father, of blessed memory, gave youon his death-bed! Fie--shame on you! Did you not give your promisealso to me, the old man before you? Sidonia shall return to herchamber, if my word has yet some power in Pomerania. Speak, gracious lady, give the order, and Sidonia shall be carried backto her room. "

When Sidonia heard this, she laid her white hand, all covered withjewels, upon the old man's arm, and looked up at him withbeseeching glances, and stroked his beard after her manner, crying, with tears of anguish, "Spare a poor young maiden! I willlearn anything you tell me; I will repeat it all on Sunday. Onlydo not deal so hardly with me. " But the little hands for once hadno effect, nor the tears, nor the caresses; for Ulrich, throwingher off, gave her such a slap in the face that she uttered a loudcry and fell to the ground. 

If a firebrand had fallen into a barrel of gunpowder, it could nothave caused a greater explosion in the hall than that cry; forafter a short pause, in which every one stood silent as ifthunderstruck, there arose from all the nobles, young and old, theterrible war-cry--"Jodute! Jodute! [Footnote: The learned havepuzzled their heads a great deal over the etymology of thisenigmatical word, which is identical in meaning with the terrible"_Zettergeschrei_" of the Reformation era. It is found in theSwedish, Gothic, and Low German dialects, and in the Italian_Goduta_. One of the best essays on the subject--which, however, leads to no result--the lover of antiquarian researcheswill find in Hakeus's "Pomeranian Provincial Papers, " vol. V. P. 207. ] to arms, to arms!" and the cry was re-echoed till the wholehall rung with it. Whoever had a dagger or a sword drew it, andthey who had none ran to fetch one. But the Prince would at oncehave struck old Ulrich to the heart, if his brother Bogislaus hadnot sprung on him from behind and pinioned his arms. Then Joachimvon Budde made a pass at the old knight, and wounded him in thehand. So Ulrich changed his hat from the right hand to the left, and still kept retreating till he could gain the window and givethe promised sign to the guard, crying as he fought his waybackward, step by step, "Come on now--come on, Ernest. Murder theold grey-headed man whom thy father called friend--murder him, asthou wilt murder thy mother this night. "

Then reaching the window, he waved his hat until the sign wasanswered; then sprang forward again, seized Sidonia by the hand, crying, "Out, harlot!" Hereupon young Lord Ernest screamed stilllouder, "Jodute! Jodute! Down with the grey-headed villain! What!will not the nobles of Pomerania stand by their Prince? Down withthe insolent grey-beard who has dared to call my princely bride aharlot!" And so he tore himself from his brother's grasp, andsprang upon the old man; but her Grace no sooner perceived hisintention than she rushed between them, crying, "Hold! hold! hold!for the sake of God, hold! He is thy second father. " And as theyoung Prince recoiled in horror, she seized Sidonia rapidly, andpushing her before Ulrich towards the door, cried, "Out with theaccursed harlot!" But Joachim Budde, who had already wounded theGrand Chamberlain, now seizing a stick from one of the drummers, hit her Grace such a blow on the arm therewith that she had to letgo her hold of Sidonia. When old Ulrich beheld this, he screamed, "Treason! treason!" and rushed upon Budde. But all the youngnobles, who were now fully armed, surrounded the old man, crying, "Down with him! down with him!" In vain he tried to reach a benchfrom whence he could defend himself against his assailants; in afew moments he was overpowered by numbers and fell upon the floor. Now, indeed, it was all over with him, if the soldatesca had notat that instant rushed into the hall with fierce shouts, andMaster Hansen the executioner, in his long red cloak, with sixassistants accompanying them. 

"Help! help!" cried her Grace; "help for the Lord Chamberlain!"

So they sprang to the centre of the hall where he was lying, dashed aside his assailants, and lifted up the old man from thefloor with his hand all bleeding. 

But Joachim Budde, who was seated on the very same bench whichUlrich had in vain tried to reach, began to mock the old knight. Whereupon Ulrich asked if it were he who had struck her Grace withthe drumstick. "Ay, " quoth he, laughing, "and would that she hadgot more of it for treating that darling, sweet, beautiful Sidoniano better than a kitchen wench. Where is the old hag now? I willteach her the catechism with my drumstick, I warrant you. "

And he was going to rise, when Ulrich made a sign to theexecutioner, who instantly dropped his red cloak, under which hehad hitherto concealed his long sword, and just as Joachim lookedup to see what was going on, he whirled the sword round like aflash of lightning, and cut Budde's head clean off from theshoulders, so that not even a quill of his Spanish ruff wasdisturbed, and the blood spouted up like three horse-tails to theceiling (for he drank so much that all the blood was in his head), and down tumbled his gay cap, with the heron's plume, to theground, and his head along with it. 

In an instant all was quietness; for though some of the ladiesfainted, amongst whom was her Grace, and others rushed out of thehall, still there was such a silence that when the corpse felldown at length heavily upon the ground the clap of the hands andfeet upon the floor was quite audible. 

When Ulrich observed that his victory was complete, he waved hishat in the air, exclaiming, "The princely house of Pomerania issaved! and, as long as I live, its honour shall never be tarnishedfor the sake of a harlot! Remove Prince Ernest and Sidonia toseparate prisons. Let the rest go their ways;--this devil'sfestival is at an end, and with my consent, there shall never beanother in Wolgast. "

CHAPTER XIII. 

_How Sidonia is sent away to Stettin--Item, of the young lord'sdangerous illness, and what happened in consequence. _

Now the Grand Chamberlain was well aware that no good would resultfrom having Sidonia brought to a public trial, because the wholecourt was on her side. 

Therefore he called Marcus Bork, her cousin, to him in the night, and bid him take her and her luggage away next morning beforebreak of day, and never stop or stay until they reached DukeBarnim's court at Stettin. The wind was half-way round now, andbefore nightfall they might reach Oderkruge. He would first justwrite a few lines to his Highness; and when Marcus had made allneedful preparation, let him come here to his private apartmentand receive the letter. He had selected him for the businessbecause he was Sidonia's cousin, and also because he was the onlyyoung man at the castle whom the wanton had not ensnared in hertoils. 

But that night Ulrich had reason to know that Sidonia and herlovers were dangerous enemies; for just as he had returned to hislittle room, and seated himself down at the table, to write to hisGrace of Stettin the whole business concerning Sidonia, the windowwas smashed, and a large stone came plump down upon the ink-bottleclose beside him, and stained all the paper. As Ulrich went out tocall the guard, Appelmann, the equerry, came running up to him, complaining that his lordship's beautiful horse was lying there inthe stable groaning like a human creature, for that some wretcheshad cut its tail clean off. 

_Ille_. --"Were any of the grooms in the stable lately? or hadhe seen any one go by the window?"

_Hic_. --"No; it was impossible to see any one, on account ofthe darkness; but he thought he had heard some one creeping alongby the wall. "

_Ille_. --"Let him come then, fetch a lantern, and summon allthe grooms; he would give it to the knaves. Had he heard anythingof her Highness recently?"

_Hic_. --"A maid told him that her Grace was better, and hadretired to rest. "

_Ille_. --"Thank God. Now they might go. "

But as they proceeded along the corridor, which was now almostquite dark, the old knight suddenly received such a blow upon hishat that the beautiful aigrette was broken, and he himself thrownagainst the wall with such violence that he lay a quarter of anhour insensible; then he shook his grey head. What could thatmean? Had Appelmann seen any one?

_Hic_. --"Ah! no; but he thought he heard steps, as if of someone running away. "

So they went on to the ducal stables, but nothing was to be seenor heard. The grooms knew nothing about the matter--the guard knewnothing. Then the old knight lamented over his beautiful horse, and told Appelmann to ride next morning, with Marcus Bork andSidonia, to the Duke's castle at Stettin, and purchase the piebaldmare for him from his Grace, about which they had been bargainingsome time back; but he must keep all this secret, for the youngnobles were to know nothing of the journey. 

Ah, what fine fun this is for the cunning rogue. "If his lordshipwould only give him the purse, he would bring him back a far finerhorse than that which some knaves had injured. " Whereupon the oldknight went down to reckon out the rose-nobles--but, lo! a stonecomes whizzing past him close to his head, so that if it hadtouched him, methinks the old man would never have spoken a wordmore. In short, wherever he goes, or stops, or stands, stones andbuffets are rained down upon him, so that he has to call the guardto accompany him back to his chamber; but he lays the saddle onthe right horse at last, as you shall hear in another place. 

After some hours everything became quiet in the castle, for theknaves were glad enough to sleep off their drunkenness. And so, early in the morning before dawn, while they were all snoring intheir beds, Sidonia was carried off, scream as she would along thecorridor, and even before the young knight's chamber; not a soulheard her. For she had not been brought to the prison tower, as atfirst commanded, but to her own little chamber, likewise the younglord to his; for the Grand Chamberlain thought afterwards thisproceeding would not cause such scandal. 

But there truly was great grief in the castle when they all rose, and the cry was heard that Sidonia was gone; and some of themurderous lords threatened to make the old man pay with his bloodfor it. _Item_, no sooner was it day than Dr. Gerschovius ranin, crying that some of the young profligates had broken all hiswindows the night before, and turned a goat into the rectory, withthe catechism of his dear and learned brother tied round his neck. 

Then old Ulrich's anger increased mightily, as might be imagined, and he brought the priest with him to the Duchess, who had got butlittle rest that night, and was busily turning her wheel with thelittle clock-work, and singing to it, in a loud, clear voice, thatbeautiful psalm (120th)--"In deep distress I oft have cried. " Shepaused when they entered, and began to weep. "Was it not allprophesied? Why had she been persuaded to throw off her mourning, and slight the memory of her loved Philip? It was for this thewrath of God had come upon her house; for assuredly the Lord wouldavenge the innocent blood that had been shed. "

Then Ulrich answered that, as her Grace knew, he had earnestlyopposed this festival; but as to what regarded, the traitor whosehead he had chopped off, he was ready to answer for that blood, not only to man but before God. For had not the coward struck hisown sovereign lady the Princess with the drumstick? _Item_, was he not in the act of rising to repeat the blow, as the wholenobility are aware, only he lost his head by the way; and if thishad not been done, all order and government must have ceasedthroughout the land, and the mice and the rats rule the cats, which was against the order of nature and contrary to God's will. But his gracious lady might take consolation, for Sidonia had beencarried from the castle that morning by four of the clock, and, byGod's grace, never should set foot in it again. But there wasanother _gravamen_, and that concerned the young nobles, who, no doubt, would become more daring after the events of lastevening. Then he related what had happened to the priest. "_Item_, what did my gracious lady mean to do with thosedrunken libertines? If her Grace had kept up the huntings and thefishings, as in the days of good Duke Philip, mayhap the young menwould have been less given to debauchery; but her Grace kept anidle house, and they had nothing to do but drink and brewmischief. If her Grace had no fitting employment for these youngfellows, then he would pack them all off to the devil the verynext morning, for they brought nothing but disrespect upon theprincely house of Wolgast. "

So her Grace rejoiced over Sidonia's departure, but could notconsent to send away the young knights. Her beloved husband andlord, Philippus Primus, always kept a retinue of such youngnobles, and all the princely courts did the same. What would hercousin of Brandenburg and Mecklenburg say, when they heard thatshe had no longer knights or pages at her court? She feared herprincely name would be mentioned with disrespect. 

So Ulrich replied, that at all events, this set of youngboisterers must be sent off, as they had grown too wild andlicentious to be endured any longer; and that he would select anew retinue for her Grace from the discreetest and mostsober-minded young knights of the court. Marcus Bork, however, might remain; he was true, loyal, and brave--not a wine-bibber andprofligate like the others. 

So her Grace at last consented, seeing that no good would come ofthese young men now; on the contrary, they would be more daringand riotous than ever from rage, when they found that Sidonia hadbeen sent away; and that business of the window-smashing and thegoat demanded severe punishment. So let Ulrich look out for a newhousehold; these gay libertines would be sent away. 

While she was speaking, the door opened, and Prince Ernest enteredthe chamber, looking so pale and haggard, that her Grace claspedher hands together, and asked him, with terror, what had happened. 

_Ille. _--"Did she ask what had happened, when all Pomeraniarung with it?--when nobles were beheaded before her face as ifthey were nothing more than beggars' brats?--when the delicate andhigh-born Lady Sidonia, who had been entrusted to her care by DukeBarnim himself, was turned out of the castle in the middle of thenight as if she were a street-girl, because, forsooth, she wouldnot learn her catechism? The world would scarcely credit suchscandalous acts, and yet they were all true. But to-morrow (ifthis weakness which had come over him allowed of it) he would setoff for Stettin, also to Berlin and Schwerin, and tell the princesthere, his cousins, what government they held in Wolgast. He wouldsoon be twenty, and would then take matters into his own hands;and he would pray his guardian and dear uncle, Duke Barnim, topronounce him at once of age; then the devil might take Ulrich andhis government, but he would rule the castle his own way. "

_Her Grace_. --"But what did he complain of? What ailed him?She must know this first, for he was looking as pale as a corpse. "

_Ille_. --"Did she not know, then, what ailed him? Well, sincehe must tell her, it was anger-anger that made him so pale andweak. "

_Her Grace_. --"Anger, was it? Anger, because the falsewanton, Sidonia, had been removed by her orders from her princelycastle? Ah! she knew now what the wanton had come there for; butwould he kill his mother? She nearly sank upon the ground lastnight when he called the impudent wench his bride. But she forgavehim; it must have been the wine he drank made him so forgethimself; or was it possible that he spoke in earnest?"

_Ille_ (sighing). --"The future will tell that. " "Oh, woe isme! what must I live to hear? If thy father could look up from hisgrave, and see thee disgracing thy princely blood by a marriagewith a bower maiden!--. Thou traitorous, disobedient son, do notlie to me. I know from thy sighs what thy purpose is--for thisthou art going to Stettin and Berlin. "

The Prince is silent, and looks down upon the ground. 

_Her Grace_. --"Oh, shame on thee! shame on thee for the sakeof thy mother! shame on thee for the sake of this servant of God, thy second father, this old man here! What! a vile knave strikethy mother, before the face of all the court, and thou condemnesthim because he avenged her! Truly thou art a fine, brave son, tolet thy mother be struck before thy face, for the sake of aharlot. Canst thou deny it? I conjure thee by the living God, tellme is it thy true purpose to take this harlot to thy wife?"

_Ille_. --"He could give but one answer, the future woulddecide. "

_Her Grace_ (weeping). --"Oh, she was reserved for allmisfortunes! Why did Doctor Martinus let her ring fall? All, allhas followed from that! If he had chosen a good, humble, honestgirl, she would say nothing; but this wanton, this light maiden, that ran after every carl and let them court her!"

Here the young Prince was seized with such violent convulsionsthat he fell upon the floor, and her Grace raised him up with loudlamentations. He was carried in a dead faint to his chamber, andthe court physician, Doctor Pomius, instantly summoned. DoctorPomius was a pompous little man (for my father knew him well), dryand smart in his words, and with a face like a pair ofnutcrackers, for his front teeth were gone, so that his lipsseemed dried on his gums, like the skin of a mummy. He was withaltoo self-conceited and boastful, and malicious, full of gossip andill-nature, and running down every one that did not believe thathe (Doctor Pomius) was the only learned physician in the world. Following the celebrated rules laid down by TheophrastusParacelsus, he cured everything with trash--and asses' dung washis infallible panacea for all complaints. This pharmacopoeia wascertainly extremely simple, easily obtained, and universal in itsapplication. If the dung succeeded, the doctor drew himself up, tossed his head, and exclaimed, "What Doctor Pomius orders alwayssucceeds. " But if the wretched patient slipped out of his handsinto the other world, he shook his head and said, "There is anhour for every man to die; of course his had come--physicianscannot work miracles. "

Pomius hated every other doctor in the town, and abused them sofor their ignorance and stupidity, that finally her Grace believedthat no one in the world knew anything but Doctor Pomius, and thata vast amount of profound knowledge was expressed, if he only puthis finger to the end of his nose, as was his habit. 

So, as I have said, she summoned him to attend the young lord; andafter feeling his pulse and asking some questions respecting hisgeneral health, the doctor laid his finger, as usual, to his nose, and pronounced solemnly--"The young Prince must immediately take adose of asses' dung stewed in wine, with a little of the_laudanum paracelsi_ poured in afterwards--this will restorehim certainly. "

But it was all in vain; for the young Prince still continued dayand night calling for Sidonia, and neither the Duchess nor DoctorGerschovius could in any wise comfort him. This afflicted herGrace almost to the death; and by Ulrich's advice, she despatchedher second son, Duke Barnim the younger, and Dagobert vonSchwerin, to the court of Brunswick, to solicit in her name thehand of the young Princess Sophia Hedwig, for her son ErnestLudovicus. Now, in the whole kingdom, there was no more beautifulprincess than Sophia of Brunswick; and her Grace was filled withhope that, by her means, the influence of the detestable Sidoniaover the heart of the young lord would be destroyed for ever. 

In due time the ambassadors returned, with the most favourableanswer. Father, mother, and daughter all gave consent; and theDuke of Brunswick also forwarded by their hands an exquisiteminiature of his beautiful daughter for Prince Ernest. 

This miniature her Grace now hung up beside his bed. Would he notlook at the beautiful bride she had selected for him? Could therebe a more lovely face in all the German empire? What was Sidoniabeside her, but a rude country girl!--would he not give her up atlast, this light wench? While, on the contrary, this illustriousprincess was as virtuous as she was beautiful, and this the wholecourt of Brunswick could testify. 

But the young lord would give no heed to her Grace, and spat outat the picture, and cried to take away the daub--into the firewith it--anywhere out of his sight. Unless his dear, his beautifulSidonia came to tend him, he would die--he felt that he was dying. 

So her Grace took counsel with old Ulrich, and Doctor Pomius, andthe priest, what could be done now. The doctor mentioned that hemust have been witch-struck. Then more doctors were sent for fromthe Grypswald, but all was in vain--no one knew what ailed him;and from day to day he grew worse. 

Clara von Dewitz now bitterly reproached herself for havingconcealed her suspicions about the love-drink from herGrace--though indeed she did so by desire of her betrothed, MarcusBork. But now, seeing that the young Prince lay absolutely at thepoint of death, she could no longer hold her peace, but throwingherself on her knees before her Grace, told her the whole story ofthe witch-girl whom she had sheltered in the castle, and of herfears that Sidonia had learned from her how to brew alove-philtre, which she had afterwards given to the Prince. 

Her Grace was sore displeased with Clara for having kept all thisa secret, and said that she would have expected more wisdom anddiscretion from her, seeing that she had always counted her themost worthy amongst her maidens; then she summoned Ulrich, andlaid the evil matter before him. He shook his head; believed thatthey had hit on the true cause now. Such a sickness had nothingnatural about it--there must be magic and witchwork in it; but hewould have the whole land searched for the girl, and make her givethe young lord some potion that would take off the spell. 

Now the witch-girl had been pardoned a few days before that, andsent back to Usdom, near Daber; but bailiffs were now sent in alldirections to arrest her, and bring her again to Wolgast withoutdelay. 

So the wretched creature was discovered, before long, in Kruge, near Mahlzow, where she had hired herself as a spinner for thewinter, and brought before Ulrich and her Grace. She was thereadmonished to tell the whole truth, but persisted in asseveratingthat Sidonia had never learned from her how to make a love-drink. Her statement, however, was not believed; and Master Hansen wassummoned, to try and make her speak more. The affair, indeed, appeared so serious to Ulrich, that he himself stood by while shewas undergoing the torture, and carried on the _protocollum_, calling out to Master Hansen occasionally not to spare hissqueezes. But though the blood burst from her finger-ends, and herhip was put out of joint, so that she limped ever after, sheconfessed nothing more, nor did she alter the statement which shehad first made. 

_Item_, her Grace, and the priest, and all the bystandersexhorted her in vain to confess the truth (for her Grace waspresent at the torture). At last she cried out, "Yes, I knowsomething that will cure him! Mercy! mercy! and I will tell it. "

So they unbound her, and she was going straightway to make herwitch-potion, but old Ulrich changed his mind. Who could knowwhether this devil's fiend was telling them the truth? May be shewould kill the young lord in place of curing him. So they gave heranother stretch upon the rack. But as she still held by all herassertions, they spared her any further torture. 

But, in my opinion, the young lord must have obtained somethingfrom her, otherwise he could not have recovered all at once themoment that Sidonia was brought back, as I shall afterwardsrelate. 

_Sum total_. --The young Prince screamed day and night forSidonia, and told her Grace that he now felt he was dying, andrequested, as his last prayer upon this earth, to be allowed tosee her once more. The maiden was an angel of goodness; and if shecould but close his dying eyes, he would die happy. 

It can be easily imagined with what humour her Grace listened tosuch a request, for she hated Sidonia like Satan himself; but asnothing else could satisfy him, she promised to send for her, ifPrince Ernest would solemnly swear, by the corpse of his father, that he would never wed her, but select some princess for hisbride, as befitted his exalted rank--the Princess Hedwig, or someother--as soon as he had recovered sufficiently to be able to quithis bed. So he quickly stretched forth his thin, white hand fromthe bed, and promised his dearly beloved mother to do all she hadasked, if she would only send horsemen instantly to Stettin, forthe journey by water was insecure, and might be tedious if thewind were not favourable. 

Hereupon a great murmur arose in the castle; and young DukeBogislaus fell into such a rage that he took his way back again toCamyn, and his younger brother, Barnim, accompanied him. But theanger of the Grand Chamberlain no words can express. He told herGrace, in good round terms, that she would be the mock of thewhole land. The messengers had only just returned who had carriedaway Sidonia from the castle under the greatest disgrace; and now, forsooth, they must ride back again to bring her back with allhonour. 

"Oh, it was all true, quite true; but then, if her dearest sonErnest were to die--"

_Ille_. --"Let him die. Better lose his life than his honour. "

_Hæc_. --"He would not peril his honour, for he had sworn bythe corpse of his father never to wed Sidonia. "

_Ille_. --"Ay, he was quick enough in promising, butperforming was a different thing. Did her Grace think that thepassion of a man could be controlled by promises, as a tame horseby a bridle? Never, never. Passion was a wild horse, that no bit, or bridle, or curb could guide, and would assuredly carry hisrider to the devil. "

_Her Grace_. --"Still she could not give up her son to death;besides, he would repent and see his folly. Did not God's Wordtell us how the prodigal son returned to his father, and would nother son return likewise?"

_Ille_. --"Ay, when he has kept swine. After that he mayreturn, but not till then. The youngster was as great a fool aboutwomen as he had ever come across in his life. "

_Her Grace_ (weeping). --"He was too harsh on the young man. Had she not sent away the girl at his command; and now he wouldlet her own child die before her eyes, without hope orconsolation?"

_Ille_. --"But if her child is indeed dying, would she sendfor the devil to attend him in his last moments? Her Grace shouldbe more consistent. If the young lord is dying, let him die; herGrace has other children, and God will know how to comfort her. Had he not been afflicted himself? and let her ask Dr. Gerschoviusif the Lord had not spoken peace unto him. "

_Her Grace_. --"Ah, true; but then neither of them aremothers. Her son is asking every moment if the messengers havedeparted, and what shall she answer him? She cannot lie, but musttell the whole bitter truth. "

_Ille_. --"He saw the time had come at last for him to followthe young princes. He was of no use here any longer. Her Gracemust give him permission to take his leave, for he would sail offthat very day for his castle at Spantekow, and then she might doas she pleased respecting the young lord. "

So her Grace besought him not to leave her in her sore trouble andperplexity. Her two sons had sailed away, and there was no oneleft to advise and comfort her. 

But Ulrich was inflexible. "She must either allow her son quietlyto leave this miserable life, or allow him to leave this miserablecourt service. "

"Then let him go to Spantekow. Her son should be saved. She wouldanswer before the throne of the Almighty for what she did. Butwould he not promise to return, if she stood in any great need ordanger? for she felt that both were before her; still she mustperil everything to save her child. "

_Ille_. --"Yes, he would be ready on her slightest summons;and he doubted not but that Sidonia would soon give her troubleand sorrow enough. But he could not remain now, without breakinghis knightly oath to Duke Philip, his deceased feudal seigneur ofblessed memory, and standing before the court and the world as afool. "

So after many tears her Grace gave him his dismissal, and he rodethat same day to Spantekow, promising to return if she were inneed, and also to send her a new retinue and householdimmediately. 

This last arrangement displeased Marcus Bork mightily, for he hadmany friends amongst the knights who were now to be dismissed, andso he, too, prayed her Grace for leave to resign his office andretire from court. He had long looked upon Clara von Dewitz with aholy Christian love, and, if her Grace permitted, he would nowtake her home as his dear loving wife. 

Her Grace replied that she had long suspected thisbetrothal--particularly from the time that Clara told her of hisadvice respecting the concealment of the witch-girl's visit toSidonia; and as he had acted wrongly in that business, he must nowmake amends by not deserting her in her greatest need. Her sonsand old Ulrich had already left her; some one must remain in whomshe could place confidence. It would be time enough afterwards tobring home his beloved wife Clara, and she would wish them God'sblessing on their union. 

_Ille_. --"True, he had been wrong in concealing that businesswith the witch-girl, but her Grace must pardon him. He neverthought it would bring the young lord to his dying bed. Whateverher Grace now commanded he would yield obedience to. "

"Then, " said her Grace, "do you and Appelmann mount your horsesinstantly, ride to Stettin, and bring back Sidonia. For her dearlybeloved son had sworn that he could not die easy unless he beheldSidonia once more, and that she attended him in his last moments. "

It may be easily imagined how the good knight endeavoured todissuade her Highness from this course, and even spoke to theyoung Prince himself, but in vain. That same day he and Appelmannwere obliged to set off for Stettin, and on their arrivalpresented the following letter to old Duke Barnim:--

"MARIA, BY THE GRACE OF GOD, BORN DUCHESS OF SAXONY, &c. 

"ILLUSTRIOUS PRINCE AND MY DEAR UNCLE, --It has not been concealedfrom your Highness how our clear son Ernest Ludovicus, since thedeparture of Sidonia, has fallen, by the permission of God, intosuch a state of bodily weakness that his life even stands injeopardy. 

"He has declared that nothing will restore him but to see Sidoniaonce more. We therefore entreat your Highness, after admonishingthe aforesaid maiden severely upon her former light and unseemlybehaviour, to dismiss her with our messengers, that they mayreturn and give peace and health to our dearly beloved son. 

"If your Highness would enjoy a hunt or a fishing with a tamesea-gull, it would give us inexpressible pleasure. 

"We commend you lovingly to God's holy keeping. 

"Given from our Castle of Wolgast, this Friday, April 15, 1569. 

"MARIA. "

CHAPTER XIV. 

_How Duke Barnim of Stettin and Otto Bork accompany Sidonia backto Wolgast. _

When his Highness of Stettin had finished the perusal of herGrace's letter, he laughed loudly, and exclaimed--

"This comes of all their piety and preachings. I knew well whatthis extravagant holiness would make of my dear cousin and oldUlrich. If people would persist in being so wonderfully religious, they would soon become as sour as an old cabbage head; and Sidoniadeclared, that, for her part, a hundred horses should not drag herback to Wolgast, where she had been lectured and insulted, and allbecause she would not learn her catechism like a littleschool-girl. "

Nor would Otto Bork hear of her returning. (He was waiting atStettin to conduct her back to Stramehl. ) At last, however, hepromised to consent, on condition that his Highness would granthim the dues on the Jena. 

Now the Duke knew right well that Otto wanted to revenge himselfupon the people of Stargard, with whom he was at enmity; but hepretended not to observe the cunning knight's motives, and merelyreplied--

"They must talk of the matter at Wolgast, for nothing could bedecided upon without having the opinion of his cousin theDuchess. "

So the knight taking this as a half-promise, and Sidonia having atlast consented, they all set off on Friday with a good south windin their favour, and by that same evening were landed by thelittle water-gate at Wolgast. His Highness was received withdistinguished honours--the ten knights of her Grace's newhousehold being in waiting to receive him as he stepped on shore. 

So they proceeded to the castle, the Duke having Sidonia upon onearm, and a Cain under the other, which he had been carving duringthe passage, for the Eve had long since been finished. Ottofollowed; and all the people, when they beheld Sidonia, utteredloud cries of joy that the dear young lady had come back to them. 

This increased her arrogance, so that when her Grace received her, and began a godly admonishment upon her past levities, andconjured her to lead a modest, devout life for the future, Sidoniareplied indiscreetly--"She knew not what her Grace and her parsonmeant by a modest, devout life, except it were learning thecatechism of Dr. Gerschovius; from such modesty and devoutness shebegged to be excused, she was no little school-girl now--shethought her Grace had got rid of all her whims and caprices, bysending for her after having turned her out of the castle withoutany cause whatever--but it was all the old thing over again. "

Her Grace coloured up with anger at this bitter speech, but heldher peace. Then Otto addressed her, and begged leave to ask herGrace what kind of order was held at her court, where a priest wasallowed to slap the fingers of a noble young maiden, and achamberlain to smite her on the face? Had he known that such werethe usages at her court of Wolgast, the Lady Sidonia (such hedelighted to call her, as though she were of princely race) nevershould have entered it, and he would now instantly take her backto Stramehl, if her Grace would not consent to give him up thedues on the Jena. 

Now her Grace knew nothing about the dues, and therefore said, turning to the Duke--"Dear uncle, what does this arrogant knavemean? I do not comprehend his insolent speech. " Hereupon Ottochafed with rage, that her Grace had named him with such contempt, and cried--"Then was your husband a knave, too! for my blood is asnoble and nobler than your own, and I am lord of castles andlands. Come, my daughter; let us leave the robbers' den, or mayhapthy father will be struck even as thou wert. "

Now her Grace knew not what to do, and she lamented loudly--moreparticularly because at this moment a message arrived from PrinceErnest, praying her for God's sake to bring Sidonia to him, as heunderstood that she had been in the castle now a full quarter ofan hour. Then old Otto laughed loudly, took his daughter by thehand, and cried again, "Come--let us leave this robber hole. Come, Sidonia!"

This plunged her Grace into despair, and she exclaimed in anguish, "Will you not have pity on my dying child?" but Otto continued, "Come, Sidonia! come, Sidonia!" and he drew her by the hand. 

Here Duke Barnim rose up and said, "Sir Knight, be not soobstinate. Remember it is a sorrowing mother who entreats you. Isit not true, Sidonia, you will remain here?"

Then the cunning hypocrite lifted her kerchief to her eyes, andreplied, "If I did not know the catechism of Doctor Gerschovius, yet I know God's Word, and how the Saviour said, 'I was sick andye visited Me, ' and James also says, 'The prayer of faith shallsave the sick. ' No, I will not let this poor young lord die, if myvisit and my prayer can help him. "

"No, no, " exclaimed Otto, "thou shall not remain, unless the duesof the Jena be given up to me. " And as at this moment another pagearrived from Prince Ernest, with a similar urgent request forSidonia to come to him, her Grace replied quickly, "I promise allthat you desire, " without knowing what she was granting; so theknight said he was content, and let go his daughter's hand. 

Now the good town of Stargard would have been ruined for ever bythis revengeful man, if his treacherous designs had not beendefeated (as we shall see presently) by his own terrible death. Hehad long felt a bitter hatred to the people of Stargard, becauseat one time they had leagued with the Greifenbergers and the Dukeof Pomerania to ravage his town of Stramehl, in order to avenge aninsult he had offered to the old burgomaster, Jacob Appelmann, father of the chief equerry, Johann Appelmann. In return for thisoutrage, Otto determined, if possible, to get the control of thedues of the Jena into his own hands, and when the Stargardiansbrought their goods and provisions up the Jena, and from thenceprepared to enter the river Haff, he would force them to pay suchexorbitant duty upon everything, that the merchants and thepeople, in short, the whole town, would be ruined, for their wholesubsistence and merchandise came by these two rivers, and all thiswas merely to gratify his revenge. But the just God graciouslyturned away the evil from the good town, and let it fall uponOtto's own head, as we shall relate in its proper place. 

So, when the old knight had let go his daughter's hand, her Graceseized it, and went instantly with Sidonia to the chamber of theyoung lord, all the others following. And here a moving scene waswitnessed, for as they entered, Prince Ernest extended his thin, pale hands towards Sidonia, exclaiming, "Sidonia, ah, dearestSidonia, have you come at last to nursetend me?" then he took herlittle hand, kissed it, and bedewed it with his tears, stillrepeating, "Sidonia, dearest Sidonia, have you come to nursetendme?"

So the artful hypocrite began to weep, and said--. "Yes, mygracious Prince, I have come to you, although your priest struckme on the fingers, and your mother and old Ulrich called me aharlot, before all the court, and lastly, turned me out of thecastle by night, as if I had been a swine-herd; but I have not theheart to let your Highness surfer, if my poor prayers and help canabate your sickness; therefore let them strike me, and call me aharlot again, if they wish. "

This so melted the heart of my gracious Prince Ernest, that hecried out, "O Sidonia, angel of goodness, give me one kiss, butone little kiss upon my mouth, Sidonia! bend down to me--but one, one kiss!" Her Grace was dreadfully scandalised at such a speech, and said he ought to be ashamed of such words. Did he not rememberwhat he had sworn by the corpse of his father at St. Peter's? Butold Duke Barnim cried out, laughing--"Give him a kiss, Sidonia;that is the best plaster for his wounds; 'a kiss in honour bringsno dishonour, ' says the proverb. "

However, Sidonia still hesitated, and bending down to the youngman, said, "Wait, gracious Prince, until we are alone. "

If the Duchess had been angry before, what was it to her ragenow--"Alone! she would take good care they were never to bealone!"

Otto took no notice of this speech, probably because he saw thatmatters were progressing much to his liking between the Prince andhis daughter; but Duke Barnim exclaimed, "How now, dearest cousin, are you going to spoil all by your prudery? You brought the girlhere to cure him, and what other answer could she give? Bend theedown, Sidonia, and give him one little kiss upon the lips--I, thePrince, command thee; and see, thou needst not be ashamed, for Iwill set thee an example with his mother. Come, dear cousin, putoff that sour face, and give me a good, hearty kiss; your son willget well the sooner for it:" but as he attempted to seize hold ofher Grace, she cried out, and lifted up her hands to Heaven, lamenting in a loud voice--"Oh, evil and wicked world! may Godrelease me from this wicked world, and lay me down this day besidemy Philip in the grave!" Then weeping and wringing her hands, sheleft the chamber, while the old knight, and--God forgivehim!--even Duke Barnim, looked after her, laughing. 

"Come, Otto, " said his Grace, "let us go too, and leave this pairalone; I must try and pacify my dear cousin. " So they left theroom, and on the way Otto opened his mind to the Duke about thislove matter, and asked his Grace, would he consent to the union, if Prince Ernest, on his recovery, made honourable proposals forhis daughter Sidonia. 

But his Grace was right crafty, and merely answered--"Time enoughto settle that, Otto, when he is recovered; but methinks you willhave some trouble with his mother unless you are more civil toher; so if you desire her favour, bear yourself more humbly, Iadvise you, as befits a subject. "

This the knight promised, and the conversation ceased, as theycame up with the Duchess just then, who was waiting for them inthe grand corridor. No sooner did she perceive that Sidonia wasnot with them than she cried out, "So my son is alone with themaiden!" and instantly despatched three pages to watch them both. 

Otto had now changed his tone, and instead of retorting, thankedher Grace for the praiseworthy and Christian care she took of hisdaughter. He did not believe this at first, but now he saw it withhis own eyes. Alas, it was too true, the world was daily growingworse and worse, and the devil haunted us with his temptations, like our own flesh and blood. Then he sighed and kissed her hand, and prayed her Grace to pardon him his former bold language--but, in truth, he had felt displeased at first to see her Grace soharsh to Sidonia, when every one else at the castle received herwith rapture; but he saw now that she only meant kindly andmotherly by the girl. 

Then the Duke asked, her pardon for his little jest about thekissing. She knew well that he meant no harm; and also that it wasnot in his nature to endure any melancholy or lamentable facesaround him. 

So her Grace was reconciled to both, and when the Duke announcedthat he and the knight proposed visiting Barth [Footnote: Barth, alittle town; and Eldena was at that time a richly endowed conventnear Greifswald. ] and Eldena, from whence they would return in afew days, to take their leave of her, she said that if her dearestson Ernest grew any better, she would have a grand _battue_in honour of his Highness Duke Barnim, upon their return. 

Accordingly, after having amused themselves for a little fishingwith the tame sea-gull, the Duke and Otto rode away, and her Gracewent to the chamber of the young Prince, to keep watch thereduring the night. She would willingly have dismissed Sidonia, buthe forbade her; and Sidonia herself declared that she would watchday and night by the bedside of the young lord. So she sat thewhole night by his bed, holding his hand in hers, and told himabout her journey, and how shamefully she had been smuggled awayout of the castle by old Ulrich, because she would not learn thecatechism; and of her anguish when the messengers arrived, andtold of their young lord's illness. She was quite certain Ulrichmust have given him something to cause it, as a punishment forhaving released her from prison, for if he could strike a maiden, it was not surprising that he would injure even his futurereigning Prince to gratify his malice. It was well the oldmalignant creature was away now, as she was told, and if his Gracedid right he would play him a trick in return, and set fire to hiscastle at Spantekow as soon as he was able to move. 

Her Grace endured all this in silence, for her dear son's sake, though in truth her anger was terrible. The young lord, however, grew better rapidly, and the following day was even able to creepout of bed for a couple of hours, to touch the lute. And he taughtSidonia all, and placed her little fingers himself on the strings, that she might learn the better. Then, for the first time, hecalled for something to eat, and after that fell into a profoundsleep which lasted forty-eight hours. During this time he lay likeone dead, and her Grace would have tried to awaken him, but thephysician prevented her. At length, when he awoke, he cried outloudly, first for Sidonia, and then for some food. 

At last, to the great joy of her Grace, he was able, on the fourthday, to walk in the castle garden, and arranged to attend the huntwith his dear uncle upon his return to Wolgast. The Duke, on hisarrival, rejoiced greatly to find the young lord so well, and saidwith his usual gay manner, "Come here, Sidonia; I have been ratherunwell on the journey: come here and give me a kiss too, to makeme better!" and Sidonia complied. Whereupon her Grace lookedunusually sour, but said nothing, for fear of disturbing thegeneral joy. Indeed, the whole castle was in a state of jubilee, and her Grace promised that she and her ladies would attend thehunt on the following day. 

About this time the castle was troubled by a strangeapparition--no other than the spectre of the serpent knight, whohad been drowned some time previously. It was reported that everynight the ghost entered the castle by the little water-gate, though it was kept barred and bolted, traversed the whole lengthof the corridor, and sunk down into the earth, just over the placewhere the ducal coaches and sleighs were kept. 

Every one fled in terror before the ghost, and scarcely alansquenet could be found to keep the night watch. What thisspectre betokened shall be related further on in this littlehistory, but at present I must give an account of the grand_battue_ which took place according to her Grace's orders, and of what befell there. 

CHAPTER XV. 

_Of the grand battue, and what the young Duke and Sidoniaresolved on there. _

The preparations for the hunt commenced early in the morning, andthe knights and nobles assembled in the hall of fishes (so calledbecause the walls were painted with representations of all thefishes that are indigenous to Pomerania). Here a superb breakfastwas served, and pages presented water in finger-basins of silverto each of the princely personages. Then costly wines were handedround, and Duke Barnim, having filled to the brim a cup bearingthe Pomeranian arms, rose up and said, "Give notice to the warderat St. Peter's. " And immediately, as the great bell of the townrang out, and resounded through the castle and all over the town, his Grace gave the health of Prince Ernest, who pledged him inreturn. Afterwards they all descended to the courtyard, and hisGrace entered the ducal mews himself, to select a horse for theday. Now these mews were of such wonderful beauty, that I mustneeds append a description of them here. 

First there was a grand portico, and within a corridor with rangesof pillars on each side, round which were hung antlers and hornsof all the animals of the chase. This led to the pond with theisland in the centre, where the bear was kept, as I have alreadydescribed. When Duke Barnim and the old knight emerged from theportico to enter the stable, they were met by Johann Appelmann, the chief equerry, who spread before the feet of his Highness ascarlet horse-cloth, embroidered with the ducal arms, whereon helaid a brush and a riding-whip; and then demanded his_Trinkgeld_. 

On entering, they observed numerous stalls filled with Pomeranian, Hungarian, Frisian, Danish, and Turkish horses--each race byitself, and each horse standing ready saddled and bridled sincethe morning. _Item_, all along the walls were ranged enormousbrazen lions' heads, which conveyed water throughout the building, and cleansed the stables completely every day. 

Otto wondered much at all this magnificence, and asked his Gracewhat could her Highness want with all these horses. 

"They eat their oats in idleness, for the most part, " replied theDuke. "No one uses them but the pages and knights of thehousehold, who may select any for riding that pleases them; buther Highness would never diminish any of the state maintained byher deceased lord, Duke Philip. So there has been always, sincethat time, particular attention paid to the ducal stables atWolgast. "

Now the train began to move towards the hunt, in all about ahundred persons, and in front rode her Grace upon an amblingpalfrey, dressed in a riding-habit of green velvet, and wearing ayellow hat with plumes. Her little Casimir rode by her side on aSwedish pony; then followed her ladies-in-waiting, amongst whomrode Sidonia, all likewise dressed in green velvethunting-dresses, fastened with golden clasps; but in place ofyellow, they wore scarlet hats, with gilded herons' plumes. DukeBarnim and Prince Ernest rode along with her Grace; and thoughnone but those of princely blood were allowed to join this group, yet Otto strove to keep near them, as if he really belonged to theparty, just as the sacristan strives to make the people think heis as good as the priest by keeping as close as he can to himwhile the procession moves along the streets. 

After these came the marshal, the castellan, and then thetreasurer, with the office-bearers, knights, and esquires of thehousehold. Then the chief equerry, with the master of the houndsand the principal huntsmen. But the beaters, pages, lacqueys, drummers, coursers, and runners had already gone on before a goodway; and never had the Wolgastians beheld such a stately hunt asthis since the death of good Duke Philip. So the whole town rantogether, and followed the procession for a good space, up to thespot where blue tents were erected for her Grace and her ladies. The ground all round was strewed with flowers and evergreens, andbefore the tents palisades were erected, on which lay loadedrifles, ready to discharge at any of the game that came that way;and for two miles round the master of the hunt had laid down nets, which were all connected together at a point close to the princelytent. 

When the beaters and their dogs had started the animals, he leftthe tent to reconnoitre, and if the sport promised to beplentiful, he ordered the drums to beat, in order to give herHighness notice. Then she took a rifle herself, and brought downseveral head, which was easily accomplished, when they passed uponeach other as thick as sheep. Sidonia, who had often attended thehunts at Stramehl, was a most expert shot, and brought down tenroes and stags, whereon she had much jesting with the young lords, who had not been half so successful. And let no one imagine thatthere was danger to her Highness and her ladies in thus firing atthe wild droves from her tent, for it was erected upon ascaffolding raised five feet from the ground, and surrounded bypalisades, so that it was impossible the animals could ever reachit. 

On that day, there were killed altogether one hundred and fiftystags, one hundred roes, five hundred hares, three hundred foxes, one hundred wild boars, seven wolves, five wild-cats, and onebear, which was entangled in the net and then shot. And at lastthe right hearty pleasure of the day began. 

For it was the custom at the ducal court for each huntsman, fromthe master of the hunt down, to receive a portion of the game; andher Grace took much pleasure now in seeing the mode in which thedistribution was made. It was done in this wise: each man receivedthe head of the animal, and as much of the neck as he could coverwith the ears, by dragging them down with all his might. 

So the huntsmen stood now toiling and sweating, each with one footfirmly planted against a stone and the other on the belly of thebeast, dragging down the ears with all his force to the veryfurthest point they could go, when another huntsman, standing by, cut off the head at that point with his hunting-knife. 

Then each man let his dog bite at the entrails of a stag, whilethey repeated old charms and verses over them, such as:--

 "Diana, no better e'er track'd a wood; There's many a huntsman not half so good. "

Or, in Low German:--

 "Wasser, if ever the devil you see, Bite his leg for him, or he will bite me. "

These old rhymes pleased the young Casimir mightily: if his ladymother would only lend him a ribbon, he would lead up littleBlaffert his dog to them, and have a rhyme said over him. So herGrace consented, and broke off her sandal-tie to fasten in thelittle dog's collar, because in her hurry she could find no otherstring, and left the tent herself with the child to conduct him tothe huntsmen. 

Now the moment her Grace had taken her eyes off Sidonia, and thatall the other ladies had left the tent to follow her and thelittle boy, who was laughing and playing with his dog, the youngmaiden, looking round to see that no one was observing her, slipped out and ran in amongst the bushes, and my lord, PrinceErnest, slipped after her. No one observed them, for all eyes wereturned upon the princely child, who sprang to a huntsman andbegged of him to say a rhyme or two over his little dog Blaffert. The carl rubbed his forehead, and at last gave out his psalm, asfollows, in Low German:--

 "Blaffert, Blaffert, thou art fat! If my lord would only feed All his people like to that 'Twould be well for Pommern's need. "

 [Footnote: Pomerania. ]

All the bystanders laughed heartily, and then the hounds weregiven their dinner according to the usage, which was this:--Anumber of oak and birch trees were felled, and over every two andtwo there was spread a tablecloth--that is, the warm skin of adeer or wild-boar; into this, as into a wooden trencher, waspoured the warm blood of the wild animals, which the hounds lappedup, while forty huntsmen played a march with drums and trumpets, which was re-echoed from the neighbouring wood, to the greatdelight of all the listeners. When the hounds had lapped up allthe blood, they began to eat up the tablecloths likewise; but asthese belonged to the huntsmen, a great fight took place betweenthem and the dogs for the skins, which was right merry to behold, and greatly rejoiced the ducal party and all the people. 

In the meantime, as I said, Sidonia had slipped into the wood, andthe young lord after her. He soon found her resting under theshadow of a large nut-tree, and the following conversation tookplace between them, as he afterwards many times related:--

"Alas, gracious Prince, why do you follow me? if your lady motherknew of this we should both suffer. My head ached after all thatfiring, and therefore I came hither to enjoy a little rest andquietness. Leave me, leave me, my gracious lord. "

"No, no, he would not leave her until she told him whether shestill loved him; for his lady mother watched him day and night, like the dragon that guarded the Pomeranian arms, and until thismoment he had never seen her alone. "

"But what could he now desire to say? Had he not sworn by thecorpse of his father never to wed her?"

"Yes; in a moment of anguish he had sworn it, because he wouldhave died if she had not been brought back to the castle. "

"But still he must hold by his word to his lady mother, would henot?"

"Impossible! all impossible! He would sooner renounce land andpeople for ever than his beautiful Sidonia. How he felt, for thefirst time, the truth of the holy words, 'Love is strong asdeath. '" [Footnote: Song of Solomon viii. 6. ] Then he throws hisarms round her and kissed her, and asked, would she be his?

Here Sidonia covered her face with both hands, and sinking downupon the grass, murmured, "Yours alone, either you or death. "

The Prince threw himself down beside her, and besought her not toweep. "He could not bear to see her tears; besides, there was goodhope for them yet, for he had spoken to old Zitsewitz, who wishedthem both well, and who had given him some good advice. "

_Sidonia_ (quickly removing her hands). --"What was it?"

"To have a private marriage. Then the devil himself could notseparate them, much less the old bigot Ulrich. There was a priestin the neighbourhood, of the name of Neigialink. He lived inCrummyn, [Footnote: A town near Wolgast. ] with a nun whom he hadcarried off from her convent and married; therefore he would beable to sympathise with lovers, and would help them. "

"But his Highness should remember his kingly state, and not bringmisery on them both for ever. "

"He had considered all that, they should therefore keep thismarriage private for a year; she could live at Stramehl duringthat period, and receive his visits without his mother knowing ofthe matter. At the end of that year he would be of age, and hisown master. "

_Sidonia_ (embracing him). --"Ah, if he really loved her so, then the sooner the better to the church. But let him take carethat evil-minded people would not separate them for ever, andbring her to an early grave. Had the priest been informed that hewould be required to wed them?"

"Not yet; but if he continued as strong as he felt to-day, hewould ride over to Crummyn himself (for it was quite near toWolgast) the moment Duke Barnim and her father quitted thecastle. "

"But how would she know the result of his visit? his motherwatched her day and night. Could he send a page or a serving-maidto her?--though indeed there were none now he could trust, forUlrich had dismissed all her good friends. And if he came himselfto her room, evil might be spoken of it. "

"He had arranged all that already. There was the bear, as sheremembered, chained upon the little island in the horse-pond, justunder her window. Now when he returned from Crummyn, he would goout by seven in the morning, before his lady mother began herspinning, and commence shooting arrows at the bear, by way ofsport; then, as if by chance, he would let fly an arrow at herwindow and shiver the glass, but the arrow would contain a littlenote, detailing his visit to the priest at Crummyn, and thearrangement he had made for carrying her away secretly from thecastle. She must take care, however, to move away her seat fromthe window, and place it in a corner, lest the arrow might strikeherself. "

But then a loud "Sidonia! Sidonia!" resounded through the wood, and immediately after, "Ernest! Ernest!"

So she sprang up, and cried, "Run, dearest Prince, run as fast asyou are able, to the other side, where the huntsmen are gathering, and mix with them, so that her Grace may not perceive you. " Thishe did, and began to talk to the huntsmen about their dogs and thesweep of the chase, and as her Grace continued calling "Ernest!Ernest!" he stepped slowly towards her out of the crowd, and askedwhat was her pleasure? So she suspected nothing, and grew quitecalm again. 

Duke Barnim now began to complain of hunger, and asked her Gracewhere she meant to serve them a collation, for he could never holdout until they reached Wolgast, and his friend Otto also wasgrowing as ravenous as a wolf. 

Her Grace answered, the collation was laid in the Cisan tower, close beside them, and as the weather was good, his Grace couldamuse himself with the _tubum opticum_, which a Pomeraniannoble had bought in Middelburg from one Johann Lippersein, [Footnote: An optician, and the probable inventor of thetelescope, which was first employed about the end of the sixteenthand the beginning of the seventeenth century. ] and presented toher. By the aid of this telescope he would see as far as his owntown of Stettin. Neither the Duke nor Otto Bork believed itpossible to see Stettin, at the distance of thirteen or fourteenmiles, with any instrument. But her Grace, who had heard of Otto'sgodless infidelity, rebuked him gravely, saying, "You will soon beconvinced, sir knight; so we often hold that to be impossible inspiritual matters, which becomes not only possible, but certain, when we look through the telescope which the Holy Spirit presentsto us, weak and short-sighted mortals. God give to every infidelsuch a _tubum opticum_!" The Duke, fearing now that her Gracewould continue her sermon indefinitely, interrupted her in hisjesting way--"Listen, dear cousin! I will lay a wager with you. IfI cannot see Stettin, as you promise, you shall give me a kiss;but if I see it and recognise it clearly, then I shall give you akiss. "

Her Grace was truly scandalised, as one may imagine, and repliedangrily--"Good uncle! if you attempt to offer such indignities tome, the princely widow, I must pray your Grace to leave my courtwith all speed, and never to return!" This rebuke made every onegrave until they reached the Cisan tower. This building lay onlyhalf a mile from the hunting-ground, and was situated on thesummit of the Cisanberg, from whence its name. It was built ofwood, and contained four stories, besides excellent stabling forhorses. The apartments were light, airy, and elegant, so that herGrace frequently passed a portion of the summer time there. Theupper story commanded a view of the whole adjacent country. At thefoot of the hill ran the little river Cisa into the Peen, and manylight, beautiful bridges were thrown over it at different points. The hill itself was finely wooded with pines and other trees, andthe tower was made more light and airy than that which Duke JohannFrederick afterwards erected at Friedrichswald, and commanded afar finer prospect, seeing that the Cisanberg is the highest hillin Pomerania. 

While the party proceeded to the tower, Sidonia rode along by herfather, and to judge from her animation and gestures, she was, nodoubt, communicating to him all that the young lord had promised, and her hopes, in consequence, that a very short period wouldelapse before he might salute her as Duchess of Pomerania. 

When they reached the tower, all admired the view even from thelower window, for they could see the Peen, the Achterwasser, andeight or nine towns, besides the sea in the distance. I saynothing of Wolgast, which seemed to lie just beneath their feet, with its princely castle and cathedral perfectly distinct, and allits seats laid out like a map, where they could even distinguishthe people walking. Then her Grace bade them ascend to the upperstory, and look out for Stettin, but they sought for it in vainwith their unassisted eyes; then her Grace placed the _tubumopticum_ before the Duke, and no sooner had he looked throughit than he cried out, "As I live, Otto, there is my strong towerof St. James's, and my ducal castle to the left, lying far behindthe Finkenwald mountain. " But the unbelieving Thomas laughed, andonly answered, "My gracious Prince! do not let yourself be soeasily imposed upon. "

Hereupon the Duke made him look through the telescope himself; andno sooner had he applied his eye to the glass than he jumped back, rubbed his eyes, looked through a second time, and thenexclaimed--

"Well, as true as my name is Otto Bork, I never could havebelieved this. "

"Now, sir knight, " said her Grace, "so it is with you as concernsspiritual things. How if you should one day find that to be truewhich your infidelity now presumptuously asserts to be false? Willnot your repentance then be bitter? If you have found my wordstrue--the words of a poor, weak, sinful woman, will you not muchmore find those of the holy Son of God? Yes, to your horror anddismay, you will find His words to be truth, of whom even Hisenemies testified that He never lied--Matt. Xxii. 16. Tremble, sirknight, and bethink you that what often seems impossible to man ispossible to God. "

The bold knight was now completely silenced, and the good-naturedDuke, seeing that he had not a word to say in reply, advanced tohis rescue, and changed the conversation by saying--

"See, Otto, the wind seems so favourable just now, that I think wehad better say '_Vale_' to our gracious hostess in themorning, and return to Stettin. "

Not a word did his Grace venture to say more about the wager ofthe kisses, for his dear cousin's demeanour restrained even hishilarity. Otto had nothing to object to the arrangement; and herGrace said, if they were not willing longer to abide at herwidowed court, she would bid them both Godspeed upon theirjourney. "And you, sir knight, may take back your daughterSidonia, for our dear son, as you may perceive, is now quiterestored, and no longer needs her nursing. For the good deed shehas wrought in curing him, I shall recompense her as befits me. But at my court the maiden can no longer abide. "

The knight was at first so thunderstruck by these words that hecould not speak; but at last drawing himself up proudly, he said, "Good; I shall take the Lady Sidonia back with me to my castle;but as touching the recompense, keep it for those who need it. "Sidonia, however, remained quite silent, as did also the younglord. 

But hear what happened. The festival lasted until late in thenight, and then suddenly such a faintness and bodily weakness cameover the young Prince Ernest that all the physicians had to besent for; and they with one accord entreated her Grace, if shevalued his life, not to send away Sidonia. 

One can imagine what her Grace felt at this news. Nothing wouldpersuade her to believe but that Sidonia had given him somewitch-drink, such as the girl out of Daber had taught her to make. 

No one could believe either that his Highness affected thissickness, in order to force his mother to keep Sidonia at thecourt; indeed, he afterwards strongly asseverated, and this at atime when he would have killed Sidonia with a look, if it had beenpossible, that this weakness came upon him suddenly like an ague, and that it could not have been caused by anything she had givenhim, for he had eaten nothing, except at the banquet at the Cisantower. 

In short, the young Prince became as bad as ever; but Sidonianever heeded him, only busied herself packing up her things, as ifshe really intended going away with Otto, and finally, as eighto'clock struck the next morning, she wrapped herself in her mantleand hood, and went with her father and Duke Barnim to take leaveof her Grace. She looked as bitter and sour as avinegar-cruet--nothing would tempt her to remain even for one daylonger. What was her Grace to do? the young lord was dying, andhad already despatched two pages to her, entreating for one sightof Sidonia! She must give the artful hypocrite good words--butthey were of no avail--Sidonia insisted on leaving the castle thatinstant with her father; then turning to Duke Barnim, sheexclaimed with bitter tears, "Now, gracious Prince, you seeyourself how I am treated here. "

Neither would the cunning Otto permit his daughter to remain onany account, unless, indeed, her Grace gave him a writtenauthority to receive the dues on the Jena. Such shameless knaveryat last enraged the old Duke Barnim to such a degree that he criedout--"Listen, Otto, my illustrious cousin here has no more to dowith the dues on the Jena than you have; they belong to me alone, and I can give no promise until I lay the question before mycouncil and the diet of the Stettin dukedom: be content, therefore, to wait until then. " One may easily guess what was thetermination of the little drama got up by Otto and his fairdaughter--namely, that Otto sailed away with the Duke, and thatSidonia remained at the court of Wolgast. 

CHAPTER XVI. 

_How the ghost continued to haunt the castle, and of its daringbehaviour--Item, how the young lord regained his strength, and wasable to visit Crummyn, with what happened to him there. 

So Sidonia was again seated by the couch of the young Prince, withher hand in his hand; but her Grace, as may well be imagined, wasnever very far off from them; and this annoyed Sidonia so much, that she did not scruple to treat the mourning mother and princelywidow with the utmost contempt; at last disdaining even to answerthe questions addressed to her by her Grace. All this the Duchessbore patiently for the sake of her dear son. But even PrinceErnest felt, at length, ashamed of such insolent scorn beingdisplayed towards his mother, and said--

"What, Sidonia, will you not even answer my gracious mother?"

Hereupon the hypocrite sighed, and answered--

"Ah, my gracious Prince! I esteem it better to pray in silencebeside your bed than to hold a loud chattering in your ears. Besides, when I am speaking to God I cannot, at the same time, answer your lady mother. "

This pleased the young man, and he pressed her little hand, andkissed it. And very shortly after, his strength returned to himwonderfully, so that her Grace and Sidonia only watched by him onenight. The next day he fell into a profound sleep, and awoke fromit perfectly recovered. 

In the meantime, the ghost became so daring and troublesome, thatall the house stood in fear of it. Oftentimes it would be seeneven in the clear morning light; and a maid, who had forgotten tomake the bed of one of the grooms, and ran to the stables at nightto finish her work, encountered the ghost there, and nearly diedof fright. _Item_, Clara von Dewitz, one beautiful moonlightnight, having gone out to take a turn up and down the corridor, because she could not sleep from the toothache, saw theapparition, just as day dawned, sinking down into the earth, notfar from the chamber of Sidonia, to her great horror andastonishment. _Item_, her Grace, that very same night, havingheard a noise in the corridor, opened her door, and there stoodthe ghost before her, leaning against a pillar. She washorror-struck, and clapped to her door hastily, but said nothingto the young Prince, for fear of alarming him. 

He had recovered, as I have said, in a most wonderful manner, andthough still looking pale and haggard, yet his love for the maidenwould not permit him to defer his visit to Crummyn any longer;particularly as it lay only half a mile from the castle, but onthe opposite bank of the river, near the island of Usdom. 

Thereupon, on the fourth night, he descended to the littlewater-gate, having previously arranged with his chief equerry, Appelmann, to have a boat there in readiness for him, and also agood horse, to take across the ferry with them to the other side. So, at twelve o'clock, he and Appelmann embarked privately, withJohann Bruwer, the ferryman, and were safely landed at Mahlzow. Here he mounted his horse, and told the two others to await hisreturn, and conceal themselves in the wood if any one approached. Appelmann begged permission to accompany his Highness, which, however, was denied; the young Prince charging them strictly tohold themselves concealed till his return, and never reveal tohuman being where they had conducted him this evening, on pain ofhis severe anger and loss of favour for ever; but if they heldtheir secret close, he would recompense them at no distant time, in a manner even far beyond their hopes. 

So his Highness rode off to Crummyn, where all was darkness, except, indeed, one small ray of light that glanced from the lowerwindows of the cloister--for it was standing at that time. Hedismounted, tied his horse to a tree, and knocked at the window, through which he had a glimpse of an old woman, in nun's garments, who held a crucifix between her hands, and prayed. 

"Who are you?" she demanded. "What can you want here at such anhour?"

"I am from Wolgast, " he answered, "and must see the priest ofCrummyn. "

"There is no priest here now. "

"But I have been told that a priest of the name of Neigialinklived here. "

_Illa_. --"He was a Lutheran swaddler and no priest, otherwisehe would not live in open sin with a nun. "

"It is all the same to me; only come and show me the way. "

_Illa_. --"Was he a heathen or a true Christian?"

His Highness could not make out what the old mother meant, butwhen he answered, "I am a Christian, " she opened the door, and lethim enter her cell. As she lifted up the lamp, however, shestarted back in terror at his young, pale, haggard face. Then, looking at his rich garments, she cried--

"This must be a son of good Duke Philip's, for never were twofaces more alike. "

The Prince never imagined that the old mother could betray him, and therefore answered, "Yes; and now lead me to the priest. "

So the old mother began to lament over the downfall of the pureChristian doctrine, which his father, Duke Philip, had upheld sobravely. And if the young lord held the true faith (as she hopedby his saying he was a Christian), if so, then she would diehappy, and the sooner the better--even if it were this night, forshe was the last of all the sisterhood, all the other nuns havingdied of grief; and so she went on chattering. 

Prince Ernest regretted that he had not time to discourse with herupon the true faith, but would she tell him where the priest wasto be found. 

_Illa_. --"She would take him to the parson, but he must firstdo her a service. "

"Whatever she desired, so that it would not detain him. "

_Illa_. --"It was on this night the vigil of the holy St. Bernard, their patron saint, was held; now, there was no one tolight the altar candles for her, for her maid, who had grown oldalong with her, lay a-dying, and she was too old and weak herselfto stretch up so high. And the idle Lutheran heretics of the townwould mock, if they knew she worshipped God after the manner ofher fathers. The old Lutheran swaddler, too, would not suffer it, if he knew she prayed in the church by nights. But she did notcare for his anger, for she had a private key that let her in atall hours; and his Highness, the Prince, at her earnest prayers, had given her permission to pray in the church, at any time shepleased, from then till her death. "

So the old mother wept so bitterly, and kissed his Highness'shand, entreating him with such sad lamentations to remain with heruntil she said a prayer, that he consented. And she said, if theheretic parson came there to scold her, which of a surety hewould, knowing that she never omitted a vigil, he could talk tohim in the church, without going to disturb him and his harlot nunat their own residence. Besides, the church was the safest placeto discourse in, for no one would notice them, and he would beable to protect her from the parson's anger besides. 

Here the old mother took up the church keys and a horn lantern, and led the young Prince through a narrow corridor up to thechurch door. Hardly, however, had she put the key in the lock, when the loud bark of a dog was heard inside, and they soon heardit scratching, and smelling, and growling at them close to thedoor. 

"What can that dog be here for?" said his Highness in alarm. 

"Alas!" answered the nun, "since the pure old religion wasdestroyed, profanity and covetousness have got the upper hand; soevery church where even a single pious relic of the wealth of thegood old times remains, must be guarded, as you see, by dogs. [Footnote: It is an undeniable fact, that the immorality of thepeople fearfully increased with the progress of the Reformationthroughout Pomerania. An old chronicler, and a Protestant, thustestifies, 1542:--"And since this time (the Reformation) a greatchange has come over all things. In place of piety, we haveprofanity; in place of reverence, sacrilege and the plundering ofGod's churches; in place of alms-deeds, stinginess andselfishness; in place of feasts, greed and gluttony; in place offestivals, labour; in place of obedience and humility of children, obstinacy and self-opinion; in place of honour and veneration forthe priesthood, contempt for the priest and the church ministers. So that one might justly assert that the preaching of theevangelism had made the people worse in place of better. "

Another Protestant preacher, John Borkmann, asserts, 1560:--"Asfor sin, it overflows all places and all stations. It is growingstronger in all offices, in all trades, in all employments, inevery station of life--what shall I say more?--in everyindividual"--and so on. I would therefore recommend the blindeulogists of the good old times to examine history for themselves, and not to place implicit belief either in the pragmaticalrepresentations of the old and new Lutherans. "] And she had herselflocked up her pretty dog Störteback [Footnote: The name of anotorious northern pirate. ] here, that no one might rob the altarof the golden candlesticks and the little jewels, at least as longas she lived. "

So she desired Störteback to lie still, and then entered thechurch with the Prince, who lit the altar candles for her, andthen looked round with wonder on the silver lamps, the golden pixand caps, and other vessels adorned with jewels, used by thePapists in their ceremonies. 

The old mother, meanwhile, took off her white garment and blackscapulary, and being thus naked almost to the waist, descendedinto a coffin, which was lying in a corner beside the altar. Hereshe groped till she brought up a crucifix, and a scourge ofknotted cords. Then she kneeled down within the coffin, lashingherself with one hand till the blood flowed from her shoulders, and with the other holding up the crucifix, which she kissed fromtime to time, whilst she recited the hymn of the holy St. Bernard:--

 "Salve caput cruentatum, Totum spinis coronatum, Conquassatum, vulneratum, Arundine verberatum Facie sputis illita. "

When she had thus prayed, and scourged herself a while, sheextended the crucifix with her bleeding arm to the Prince, andprayed him, for the sake of God, to have compassion on her, and sowould the bleeding Saviour and all the saints have compassion uponhim at the last day. And when his Highness asked her what he coulddo for her, she besought him to bring her a priest from Grypswald, who could break the Lord's body once more for her, and give herthe last sacrament of extreme unction here in her coffin. Thenwould she never wish to leave it, but die of joy if this only wasgranted to her. 

So the Prince promised to fulfil her wishes; whereupon shecrouched down again in the coffin, and recommenced the scourging, while she repeated with loud sobs and groans the two last versesof the hymn. Scarcely had she ended when a small side-door opened, and the dog Störteback began to bark vociferously. 

"What!" exclaimed a voice, "is that old damned Catholic witch ather mummeries, and burning my good wax candles all for nothing?"

And, silencing the dog, a man stepped forward hastily, but, seeingthe Prince, paused in astonishment. Whereupon the old motherraised herself up out of the coffin, and said, "Did I not tellyour Grace that you would see the hardhearted heretic here?--thatis the man you seek. " So the Prince brought him into the choir, and told him that he was Prince Ernest Ludovicus, and came here torequest that he would privately wed him on the following night, without knowledge of any human being, to his beloved and affiancedbride, Sidonia von Bork. 

The priest, however, did not care to mix himself up with such abusiness, seeing that he feared Ulrich mightily; but his Gracepromised him a better living at the end of the year, if he wouldundertake to serve him now. 

To which the priest answered--"Who knows if your Highness will bealive by the end of the year, for you look as pale as a corpse?"

"He never felt better in his life. He had been ill lately, but nowwas as sound as a fish. Would he not marry him?"

_Hic_. --"Certainly not; unless he received a handsomeconsideration. He had a wife and dear children; what would becomeof them if he incurred the displeasure of that stern LordChamberlain and of the princely widow?"

"But could he not bring his family to Stettin; for he and hisyoung bride intended to fly there, and put themselves under theprotection of his dear uncle, Duke Barnim?"

_Hic_. --"It was a dangerous business; still, if his Highnessgave him a thousand gulden down, and a written promise, signed andsealed, that he would provide him with a better living before theyear had expired, why, out of love for the young lord, he wouldconsent to peril himself and his family; but his Highness must notthink evil of him for demanding the thousand gulden paid downimmediately, for how were his dear wife and children to besupported through the long year otherwise?"

His Highness, however, considered the sum too large, and said thathis gracious mother had scarcely more a year for herself than athousand gulden--she that was the Duchess of Pomerania. 

However, they finally agreed upon four hundred gulden; for hisHighness showed him that Doctor Luther himself had only fourhundred gulden a year, and surely he would not require more thanthe great _reformator ecclesia_. 

So everything was arranged at last, the priest promising toperform the ceremony on the third night from that; "For sometime, " he said, "would be necessary to collect people to assistthem in their flight, and money must be distributed; but hisHighness would, of course, repay all that he expended in hisbehalf, and further promise to give him and his family freequarters when they reached Stettin. "

After the ceremony, they could reach the boat through the conventgarden, and sail away to Warte. [Footnote: A town near Usdom. ]Then he would have four or five peasants in waiting, withcarriages ready, to escort them to East Clune, from whence theycould take another boat and cross the Haff into Stettin; for, asthey could not reckon on a fair wind with any certainty, it wasbetter to perform the journey half by land and half by water;besides, the fishermen whom he intended to employ were notaccustomed to sail up the Peen the whole way into the Haff, fortheir little fishing-smacks were too slight to stand a strongcurrent. 

Hereupon the Prince answered, that, since it was necessary, hewould wait until the third night, when the priest should haveeverything in readiness, but meanwhile should confide the secretto no one. So he turned away, and comforted the old mother againwith his promises as he passed out. 

The next morning, having written all down for Sidonia, andconcealed the note in an arrow, he went forth as he had arranged, and began to tease the bear by shooting arrows at him, till thebeast roared and shook his chain. Then, perceiving that Sidoniahad observed him from the window, he watched a favourableopportunity, and shot the arrow up, right through her window, sothat the pane of glass rattled down upon the floor. In the billettherein concealed he explained the whole plan of escape; and askedher to inform him, in return, how she could manage to come to himon the third night. Would his dearest Sidonia put on the dress ofa page? He could bring it to her little chamber himself the nextnight. She must write a little note in answer, and conceal it inthe arrow as he had done, then throw it out of the window, and hewould be on the watch to pick it up. 

So Sidonia replied to him that she was content; but, as regardedthe page's dress, he must leave it, about ten o'clock the nextnight, upon the beer-barrel in the corridor, but not attempt tobring it himself to her chamber. Concerning the manner in whichshe was to meet him on the third night, had he forgotten that theold castellan barred and bolted all that wing of the castle byeleven o'clock, so that she could never leave the corridor by theusual way; but there was a trapdoor near her little chamber whichled down into the ducal stables, and this door no one ever thoughtof or minded--it was never bolted night or day, and was quitelarge enough for a man to creep through. Her dear Prince mightwait for her, by that trap-door, at eleven o'clock on theappointed night. He could not mistake it, for the large basket layclose behind, in which her Grace kept her darling little kittens;from thence they could easily get into the outer courtyard, whichwas never locked, and, after that, go where they pleased. If heapproved of this arrangement, let him shoot another arrow into herroom; but, above all things, he was to keep at a distance from herduring the day, that her Grace might not suspect anything. 

Having thrown the arrow out of the window, and received another inanswer from the Prince, which the artful hypocrite flung out as ifin great anger, she ran to Clara's room, and complained bitterlyhow the young lord had broken her window, because, forsooth, hemust be shooting arrows at the bear; and so she had to come intoher room out of the cold air, until the glazier came to put in theglass. When Clara asked how she could be so angry with the youngPrince--did she not love him any longer?--Sidonia replied, thattruly she had grown very tired of him, for he did nothing but sighand groan whenever he came near her, like an asthmatic old woman, and had grown as thin and dry as a baked plum. There was nothingvery lovable about him now. Would to Heaven that he were quitewell, and she would soon bid farewell to the castle and every onein it; but the moment she spoke of going his sickness returned, sothat she was obliged to remain, which was much against herinclination; and this she might tell Clara in confidence, becauseshe had always been her truest friend. 

Then she pretended to weep, and cursed her beauty, which hadbrought her nothing but unhappiness; thereupon the tender-heartedClara began to comfort her, and kissed her; and the moment Sidonialeft her to get the glass mended, Clara ran to her Grace to tellher the joyful tidings; but, alas! that very day the wickedness ofthe artful maiden was brought to light. For what happened in theafternoon? See, the nun of Crummyn steps out of a boat at thelittle water-gate, and places herself in a corner of thecourtyard, where the people soon gather round in a crowd, to laughat her white garments and black scapulary; and the boys begin topelt the poor old mother with stones, and abuse her, calling herthe old Papist witch; but by good fortune the castellan comes by, and commands the crowd to leave off tormenting her, and then asksher business. 

_Illa. _--"She must speak instantly to her Grace the princelywidow. "

So the old man brings her to her Grace, with whom Clara was stillconversing, and the old nun, after she had kneeled to the Duchessand kissed her hand, began to relate how her young lord, PrinceErnest, had been with her the night before, while she was keepingthe _vigilia_ of holy St. Bernard to the best of her ability, and had urgently demanded to see the Lutheran priest namedNeigialink, and that when this same priest came into the church toscold her, as was his wont, he and the Prince had retired into thechoir, and there held a long conversation which she did notcomprehend. But the priest's mistress had told her the wholebusiness this morning, under a promise of secrecy--namely, thatthe priest, her leman, had promised to wed Prince Ernestprivately, on the third night from that, to a certain young damselnamed Sidonia von Bork. That the Prince had given him a thousandgulden for his services, and a promise of a rich living when hesucceeded to the government, so that in future she could live asgrand as an abbess, and have what beautiful horses she chose fromthe ducal stables. 

"And this, " said the nun, "was told me by the priest's mistress;but as I have a true Pomeranian heart, although, indeed, thePrince has left the good old religion, I could not rest in peaceuntil I stepped into a boat, weak and old as I am, and sailed offhere direct to inform your Grace of the plot. " She only asked onefavour in return for her service. It was that her Grace wouldpermit her to end the rest of her days peaceably in the cloister, and protect her from the harshness of the Lutheran priests and thefury of the mob, who fell on her like mad dogs here in the castlecourt, and would have torn her to pieces if the castellan had notcome by and rescued her. But above all, she requested and prayedher Grace to permit a true priest to come to her from Grypswald, who could give her the holy Eucharist, and prepare her for death. But her Grace was struck dumb by astonishment and alarm, and Claracould not speak either, only wrung her hands in anguish. And herGrace continued to walk up and down the room weeping bitterly, until at last she sat down before her desk to indite a note to oldUlrich, praying for his presence without delay, and straightwaydespatched the chief equerry, Appelmann, with it to Spantekow. 

The old nun still continued crying, would not her Grace send her apriest? But her Grace refused; for in fact she was a sternupholder of the pure doctrine. Anything else the old motherdemanded she might have, but with the abominations of Popery herGrace would have nothing to do. Still the old nun prayed andwrithed at her feet, crying and groaning, "For the love of God, apriest! for the love of God, a priest!" but her Grace drew herselfup stiff and stern, and let the old woman writhe there unheeded, until at length she motioned to Clara to have her removed to thecourtyard, where the poor creature leaned up against the pump inbitter agony, and drew forth a crucifix from her bosom, kissed it, and looking up to heaven, cried, "Jesu! Jesu! art Thou come atlast?" and then dropped down dead upon the pavement, which thecrowd no sooner observed than they gathered round the corpse, screaming out, "The devil has carried her off! See! the devil hascarried off the old Papist witch!" Hearing the uproar, her Gracedescended, as did also the young lord and Sidonia, who bothappeared as if they knew nothing at all about the old nun. And herGrace commanded that the executioner should by no means drag awaythe body, as the people demanded, who were now rushing to the spotfrom all quarters of the town, but that it should be decentlylifted into the boat and conveyed back again to Crummyn, there tobe interred with the other members of the sisterhood at thecloister. 

No word did she speak, either to her undutiful son or to Sidonia, about what she had heard; only when the latter asked her what thenun came there for, she answered coldly, "For a Popish priest. "Hereupon the young Prince was filled with joy, concluding thatnothing had been betrayed as yet. And it was natural the old nunshould come with this request, seeing that she had made the sameto him. Her Grace also strictly charged Clara to observe aprofound silence upon all they had heard, until the oldchamberlain arrived, and this she promised. 

CHAPTER XVII. 

_Of Ulrich's counsels--Item, how Clara von Dewitz came upon thetrack of the ghost. _

At eleven o'clock that same night, the good and loyal Lord Ulricharrived at the castle with Appelmann, from Spantekow, and justwaited to change his travelling dress before he proceeded to theapartment of her Grace. He found her seated with Clara and anothermaiden, weeping bitterly. Dr. Gerschovius was also present. Whenthe old man entered, her Grace's lamentations became yetlouder--alas! how she was afflicted! Who could have believed thatall this had come upon her because the devil, out of malice, hadmade Dr. Luther drop her wedding-ring at the bridal! And when theknight asked in alarm what had happened, she replied that tearsprevented her speaking, but Dr. Gerschovius would tell him all. 

So the doctor related the whole affair, from the declaration ofthe old nun to the hypocritical conduct of Sidonia towards Claravon Dewitz, upon which the old knight shook his head, and said, "Did I not counsel your Grace to let the young lord die, in God'sname, for better is it to lose life than honour. Had he died then, so would the Almighty have raised him pure and perfect at the lastday, but now he is growing daily in wickedness as a young wolf inferocity. "

Then her Grace made answer, the past could not now be recalled;and that she was ready to answer before God for what she had donethrough motherly love and tenderness. They must now advise her howto save her infatuated son from the snares of this wanton. Dr. Gerschovius, thereupon, gave it as his opinion that they shouldeach be placed in strict confinement for the next fourteen days, during which time he would visit and admonish them twice a day, bywhich means he hoped soon to turn their hearts to God. 

Here old Ulrich laughed outright, and asked the doctor, was hestill bent upon teaching Sidonia her catechism? As to the younglord, no admonition would do him good now; he was thoroughlybewitched by the girl, and though he made a hundred promises togive her up, would never hold one of them. Alas! alas! that theson of good Duke Philip should be so degenerate. 

But her Grace wept bitterly, and said, that never was there a moreobedient, docile, and amiable child than her dear Ernest; skilledin all the fine arts, and gifted by nature with all that couldensure a mother's love. "But how does all this help him now?"cried Ulrich. "It is with a good heart as with a good ship, unlessyou guide it, it will run aground--stand by the helm, or the bestship will be lost. What had the country to expect from a Princewho would die, forsooth? unless his mistress sat by his bedside?Ah! if he could only have followed the funeral of the young lord, he would have given a hundred florins to the poor that very day!"

"It was not her son's fault--that base hypocrite had caused it allby some hell magic. "

_Ille_. --"That was quite impossible; however, he wouldbelieve it to please her Grace. "

"Then let him speak his opinion, if the counsel of Dr. Gerschoviusdid not please him. "

_Ille_. --"His advice, then, was to keep quiet until the thirdnight, then secretly place a guard round the castle and at thewing, and when the bridal party met, take them out prisoners, sendmy young lord to the tower, but disgrace Sidonia publicly, andsend her off where she pleased--to the fiend, if she liked. "

"Then they would have the same old scene over again; her son wouldfall sick, and Sidonia could not be brought back to cure him, ifonce she had been publicly disgraced before all the people. Somatters would be worse than ever. "

Hereupon old Ulrich fell into such a rage that he cursed andswore, that her Grace treated him no better than a fool, to bringhim hither from Spantekow, and then refuse to take his advice. Asto Sidonia, her Grace had already brought disgrace upon herprincely house, by first turning her out, and then praying her tocome back before three days had elapsed. All Pomerania talked ofit, and old Otto Bork did not scruple to brag and boasteverywhere, that her Grace had no peace or rest from herconscience until she had asked forgiveness from the Lady Sidonia(as the vain old knave called her) and entreated her to return. Now if she took the advice of Doctor Gerschovius, and firstimprisoned and then turned away Sidonia, no one would believe inher story of the intended marriage, but look on her conduct asonly a confirmation of all the hard treatment which her Grace wasreported to have employed towards the girl; whereas if she onlywaited till the whole bridal party were ready to start, and thenarrested Sidonia, her Grace was justified before the whole world, for what greater fault could be committed than thus to entrap theyoung Prince into a secret marriage, and run away with him bynight from the castle? Let her Grace then send for theexecutioner, and let him give Sidonia a public whipping before allthe people. No one would think the punishment too hard, forseducing a Prince of Pomerania into a marriage with her. 

So the princely widow of Duke Philip will be justified before allthe world; and when the young lord sees his bride so disgraced, hewill assuredly be right willing to give her up; even if he fallsick, it is impossible that he could send for a maiden to sit byhis bed who had been publicly whipped by the executioner. Thosewere stern measures, perhaps, but a branch of the old Pomeraniantree was decayed; it must be lopped, or the whole tree itselfwould soon fall. 

When the Grand Chamberlain ceased speaking, her Grace consideredthe matter well, and finally pronounced that she would follow hisadvice, whereupon, as the night waxed late, she dismissed theparty to their beds, retaining only Clara with her for a littlelonger. 

But a strange thing happened as she, too, finally quitted herGrace, and proceeded along the corridor to her own littleapartment--and here let every one consider how the hand of God isin everything, and what great events He can bring forth from theslightest causes, as a great oak springs up from a little acorn. 

For as the maiden walked along, her sandal became unfastened, andtripped her, so that she nearly fell upon her face, whereupon shepaused, and placing her foot upon a beer-barrel that stood againstthe wall not far from Sidonia's chamber, began to fasten it, butlo! just at that moment the head of the ghost appeared risingthrough the trap-door, and looked round, then, as if aware of herpresence, drew back, and she heard a noise as if it had jumpeddown on the earth beneath. She was horribly frightened, and crepttrembling to her bed; but then on reflecting over this apparitionof the serpent knight, it came into her head that it could not bea ghost, since it came down on the ground with such a heavy jump;she prayed to God, therefore, to help her in discovering thismatter, and as she could not sleep, rose before the first glimmerof daylight to examine this hole which lay so close to Sidonia'schamber, and there truly she discovered the trap-door, and havingopened, found that it lay right over a large coach in the ducalstables; thereupon she concluded that the ghost was no other thanthe Prince himself who thus visited Sidonia. 

Then she remembered that the ghost had been particularly activewhile the young Prince lay sick on his bed watched by his mother;so to make the matter clearer she went the next evening into thestables, and observing the coach, which lay just beneath the hole, sprinkled fine ash-dust all round it. Then returning to her room, she waited until it grew quite dark, and as ten o'clock struck andall the doors of the corridor leading to the women's apartmentswere barred and bolted, she wrapped herself in a black mantle andstole out with a palpitating heart into the gallery. Rememberingthe large beer-barrel near Sidonia's room, she crouched downbehind it, and from thence had a distinct view of the trap-door, and also of Sidonia's chamber. There she waited for about an hour, when she perceived the young Prince coming, but not through thetrap-door. He knocked lightly at Sidonia's door, who opened itinstantly, and they held a long whispering conversation together. He had brought her the page's dress, and there was nothing to befeared now, for he had examined the trap and found they couldeasily get out through it on the top of the coach, and from thenceinto the stables. After that the way was clear. Surely some goodangel had put the idea into her head. Then he kissed her tenderly. 

_Illa_. --"What did the old nun come for? Could she havebetrayed them?"

_Hic_. --"Impossible. She did not know a syllable of theiraffairs, and had come to ask his lady mother to send her a Popishpriest, as she had asked himself. " Then he kissed her again, butshe tore herself from his arms, threw the little bundle into theroom, and shut the door in his face. Whereupon the young Princewent his way, sighing as if his heart would break. 

Now Clara concluded, with reason, that the young lord was not theghost, inasmuch as he did not creep through the trap-door, nor didhe wear helmet or cuirass, or any sort of disguise. But when sheheard Sidonia talk with such knowledge of the trap-door, sheguessed there was some knavery in the matter, and though she satthe night there she was determined to watch. And behold! at twelveo'clock there was a great clattering heard below, and presently ahelmet appeared rising through the hole, and then the entirefigure of the ghost clambered up through it, and after cautiouslylooking round it, approached Sidonia's door, and knocked lightly. Immediately she opened it herself, admitted the ghost, and Claraheard her drawing the bolts of the door within. 

The pious and chaste maiden felt ready to faint with shame; for itwas now evident that Sidonia deceived the poor young Prince aswell as every one else, and that this ghost whom she admitted mustbe a favoured lover. She resolved to watch until he came out. Butit was about the dawn of morning before he again appeared, andtook his hellish path down through the trap-door, in the same wayas he had risen. But to make all certain she took a brush, andbefore it was quite day, descended to the stables, where, indeed, she observed large, heavy footprints in the ashes all round thecoach, quite unlike those which the delicate little feet of hisHighness would have made. So she swept them all clean away toavoid exciting any suspicion, and crept back noiselessly to herlittle room. Then waiting till the morning was somewhat advanced, she despatched her maid on some errand into the town, in order toget rid of her, and then watched anxiously for her bridegroom, Marcus Bork, who always passed her door going to his office; andhearing his step, she opened her door softly, and drew him in. Then she related fully all she had heard and seen on the pastnight. 

The upright and virtuous young man clasped his hands together inhorror and disgust, but could not resolve whether it were fitterto declare the whole matter to her Highness instantly or not. Clara, however, was of opinion that her Grace would derive greatcomfort from the information, because when the Prince found howSidonia had betrayed him, he would give up the creature of his ownaccord. To which Marcus answered, that probably the Prince wouldnot believe a word of the story, and then matters would be in aworse way than ever. 

_Illa_. --"Was he afraid to disgrace Sidonia because she washis kinswoman? Was it the honour of his name he wished to shieldby sparing her from infamy?"

_Hic_. --"No; she wronged him. If she were his sister, hewould still do his duty towards her Grace. The honour of the wholePomeranian house was perilled here, and he would save it at anycost. But did his darling bride know who the ghost was?"

_Illa_. --"No; she had been thinking the whole night about himtill her head ached, but in vain. "

At this moment the Grand Chamberlain passed the room on his way tothe Duchess, and they both went to the door, and entreated him tocome in and give them his advice. How the old knight laughed forjoy when he heard all; it was almost as good news to him as thedeath of the young lord would have been. But no; they must notbreathe a syllable of it to her Highness. Wait for this night, andif the dear ghost appeared again, he would give him and hisparamour something to think of to the end of their lives. Then hewalked up and down Clara's little room, thinking over what shouldbe done; and finally resolved to open the matter to the youngPrince that night between ten and eleven o'clock, and show himwhat a creature he was going to make Duchess of Pomerania. Afterwhich they should all, Marcus included, go armed to thestables--for the Prince, no doubt, would be slow of belief--andthere conceal themselves in the coach until the ghost arrived. Ifhe came, as was almost certain, they would follow him to Sidonia'sroom, break it open, and discover them together. In order thatwitnesses might not be wanting, he would desire all the pages andhousehold to be collected in his room at that hour; and the momentthey were certain of having trapped the ghost, Marcus should slipout of the coach, and run to gather them all together in the grandcorridor. To ensure all this being done, he would take the keysfrom the castellan himself that night, and keep them in his ownpossession. But, above all things, they were to keep still andquiet during the day; and now he would proceed to her Grace. 

But Marcus Bork begged to ask him, if the ghost did not come thatnight, what was to be done? For the next was to be that of themarriage, and unless the Prince was convinced by his own eyes, nothing would make him credit the wickedness of his intendedbride. Sidonia would swear by heaven and earth that the story wasa malicious invention, and a plot to effect her utter destruction. 

This view of the case puzzled the old knight not a little, and herubbed his forehead and paced up and down the room, till suddenlyan idea struck him, and he exclaimed--"I have it, Marcus! You area brave youth, dear Marcus, and a loyal subject and servant to herGrace. Your conduct will bring as much honour upon the noble nameof Bork as Sidonia's has brought disgrace. Therefore I will trustyou. Listen, Marcus. If the ghost does not appear to-night, thenyou must ride the morrow morn to Crummyn. Bribe the priest withgold. Tell him that he must write instantly to the young Prince, saying, that the marriage must be delayed for eight days, forthere was no boat to be had safe enough to carry him and his brideup the Haff, seeing that all the boats and their crews wereengaged at the fisheries, and would not be back to Crummyn untilthe following Saturday. The young lord, therefore, must havepatience. Should the priest hesitate, then Marcus must threatenhim with the loss of his living, as the whole princely houseshould be made acquainted with his villainy. He will then consent. I know him well!

"If that is once arranged, then we shall seat ourselves everynight in the coach until the ghost comes; and, methinks, he willnot long delay, since hitherto he has managed his work with suchsecurity and success. "

The discreet and virtuous Marcus promised to obey Ulrich in allthings, and the Grand Chamberlain then went his way. 

CHAPTER XVIII. 

_How the horrible wickedness of Sidonia was made apparent; andhow in consequence thereof she was banished with ignominy from theducal court of Wolgast_. 

The night came at last. And the Grand Chamberlain collected, as hehad said, all the officials and pages of the household together inhis office at the treasury, and bid them wait there until hesummoned them. No one was to leave the apartment under pain of hissevere displeasure. _Item_, he had prayed her Grace not toretire to rest that night before twelve of the clock; and when sheasked wherefore, he replied that she would have to take leave of avery remarkable visitor that night; upon which she desired to knowmore, but he said that his word was passed not to reveal more. Soher Grace thought he meant himself, and promised to remain up. 

As ten o'clock struck, the castellan locked, up, as was his wont, all that portion of the castle leading to the women's apartments. Whereupon Ulrich asked him for the keys, saying that he would keepthem in his own charge. Then he prayed his Serene Highness PrinceErnest to accompany him to the lumber-room. 

His Highness consented, and they both ascended in the dark. Onentering, Ulrich drew forth a dark lantern from beneath his cloak, and made the light fall upon an old suit of armour. Then turningto the Prince--"Do you know this armour?" he said. 

"Ah, yes; it was the armour of his dearly beloved father, DukePhilip. "

_Ille_. --"Right. Did he then remember the admonitions whichthe wearer of this armour had uttered, upon his deathbed, to himand his brothers?"

"Oh yes, well he remembered them; but what did this long sermondenote?"

_Ille_. --"This he would soon know. Had he not given his righthand to the wearer of that armour, and pledged himself ever to seta good example before the people committed to his rule?"

_Hic_. --"He did not know what all this meant. Had he even seta bad example to his subjects?"

_Ille_. --"He was on the high-road to do it, when he hadresolved to wed himself secretly to a maiden beneath his rank. (Here the young Prince became as pale as a corpse. ) Let him deny, if he could, that he had sworn by his father's corpse, with hishand upon the coffin, to abandon Sidonia. He would not upbraid himwith his broken promises to him, but would he bring his lovingmother to her grave through shame and a broken heart? Would hemake himself on a level with the lowest of the people, by weddingSidonia the next night in the church at Crummyn?"

_Hic_. --"Had that accursed Catholic nun then betrayed him?Ah, he was surrounded by spies and traitors; but if he could notobtain Sidonia now, he would wed her the moment he was of age andsucceeded to the government. If he could in no way have Sidonia, then he would never wed another woman, but remain single and adead branch for his whole life long. Her blood was as noble as hisown, and no devil should dare to part them. "

_Ille. --"But if he could prove, this very night, to the younglord, that Sidonia was not an honourable maiden, but a dishonouredcreature----" Here the young Prince drew his dagger and rushedupon the old man, with lips foaming with rage; but Ulrich sprangbehind the armour of Duke Philip, and said calmly, "Ernest, ifthou wouldst murder me who have been so leal and faithful aservant to thee and thine, then strike me dead here through thelinks of thy father's cuirass. "

And as the young man drew back with a deep groan, hecontinued--"Hear me, before thou dost a deed which eternity willnot be long enough to repent. I cannot be angry with thee, for Ihave been young myself, and would have stricken any one to theearth who had called my own noble bride dishonoured. Listen to me, then, and strike me afterwards, if thou wilt. " Hereupon the oldknight stepped out from behind the armour, which was fixed upon awooden frame in the middle of the apartment, with the helmetsurmounting it, and leaning against the shoulder-piece, heproceeded to relate all that Clara had seen and heard. 

The young Prince turned first as red as scarlet, then pale as acorpse, and sunk down upon a pile of old armour, unable to utteranything but sighs and groans. 

Ulrich then asked if he remembered the silly youth who had beendrowned lately in consequence of Sidonia's folly; for it was hisapparition in the armour he then wore which it was reportedhaunted the castle. And did he remember also how that armour (inwhich the poor young man's father also had been killed fightingagainst the Bohemians) had been taken off the corpse and hung upagain in that lumber-room?

_Hic_. --"Of course he remembered all that; it had happenedtoo lately for him to forget the circumstance. "

_Ille_. --"Well, then, let him take the lantern himself, andsee if the armour hung still upon the wall. " So the young lordtook the lantern with trembling hands, and advanced to the place;but no--there was no armour there now. Then he looked all roundthe room, but the armour with the serpent crest was nowhere to beseen. He dropped the lantern with a bitter execration. Hereuponthe old knight continued--"You see, my gracious Prince, that theghost must have flesh and blood, like you or me. The castellantells me that when the ghost first began his pranks, the helmetand cuirass were still found every morning in their usual placehere. But for eight days they have not been forthcoming; for theghost, you see, is growing hardy and forgetting his usualprecautions. However, the castellan had determined to watch him, and seize hold of him, for, as he rightly conjectured, a spiritcould not carry away a heavy iron suit of armour on him; but hiswife had dissuaded him from those measures up to the present time. Come now to the stables with me, " continued Ulrich, "and let usconceal ourselves in the coach which I mentioned to you; MarcusBork shall accompany us, and let us wait there until the ghostappears, and creeps through the trapdoor. After some time we shallfollow him; and then this wicked cheat will be detected. Butbefore we move, swear to me that you will await the issuepeaceably and calmly in the coach; you must neither sigh norgroan, nor scarcely breathe. No matter what you hear or see, ifyou cannot control your fierce, jealous rage, all will be lost. "

Then the young Prince gave him his hand, and promised to keepsilence, though it should cost him his life, for no one could bemore anxious to discover the truth or falsehood of this matterthan he himself. So they both descended now to the courtyard, Ulrich concealing the lantern under his mantle; and they crouchedalong by the wall till they reached the horse-pond, where MarcusBork stood awaiting them; then they glided on, one by one, intothe stables, and concealed themselves within the coach. 

It was well they did so without longer delay, for scarcely hadthey been seated when the ghost appeared. No doubt he had heard ofthe intended marriage, and wished to take advantage of his lastopportunity. As the sound of his feet became audible approachingthe coach, the Prince almost groaned audibly; but the stout oldknight threw one arm powerfully round his body, and placed thehand of the other firmly over his mouth. The ghost now began toascend the coach, and they heard him clambering up the hind wheel;he slipped down, however (a bad omen), and muttered a half-curse;then, to help himself up better, he seized hold of the sash of thewindow, and with it took a grip of Ulrich's beard, as he wasleaning close to the side of the coach to watch his proceedings. Not a stir did the brave old knight make, but sat as still asmarble, and even held his breath, lest the ghost might feel itwarm upon his hand, and so discover their ambuscade. 

At last he was up; and they heard him clattering over their heads, then creeping through the trap-door into the corridor, and alittle after, the sound of a door gently opening. 

All efforts were in vain to keep the Prince quiet. He must followhim. He would rush through the trap-door after him, though it costhim his life! But old Ulrich whispered in his ear, "Now I knowthat Prince Ernest has neither honour nor discretion, andPomerania has little to hope from such a ruler. " All in vain--hesprings out of the coach, but the knight after him, who hastilygave Marcus Bork the keys of the castle, and bade him go fetch thehousehold, down to the menials, here to the gallery. Marcus tookthem, and left the stables instantly. Then Ulrich seized the handof Prince Ernest, who was already on the top of the coach, andasked him was it thus he would, leave an old man without any oneto assist him. Let him in first through the trap-door, while thePrince held the lantern. To this he consented, and helped the oldknight up, who, having reached the trap-door, put his headthrough; but, alas! the portly stomach of the stout old knightwould not follow. He stretched out his head, however, on everyside, as far as it could go, and heard distinctly low whisperingvoices from Sidonia's little room; then a sound as of the tramp ofmany feet became audible in the courtyard, by which he knew thatMarcus and the household were advancing rapidly. 

But the young lord, who was waiting at the top of the coach, grewimpatient, and pulled him back, endeavouring to creep through thehole himself. Praised be Heaven, however, this he failed to dofrom weakness; so he was obliged to follow the Grand Chamberlain, who whispered to him to come down, and they could reach thecorridor through the usual entrance. Hereupon they both left thestables, and met Marcus in the courtyard with his company. 

Then all ascended noiselessly to the gallery, and rangedthemselves around Sidonia's door. Ulrich now told eight of thestrongest carls present to step forward and lean their shouldersagainst the door, but make no stir until he gave a sign; then whenhe cried "Now!" they should burst it open with all their force. 

As to the young Prince, he was trembling like an aspen leaf, andhis weakness was so great that two young men had to support him. In short, as all present gradually stole closer and closer up tothe door of Sidonia's room, the old knight drew forth his lantern, and signed to the men, who stood with their shoulders pressedagainst it; then when all was ready, he cried "Now!" and the doorburst open with a loud crash. Every lock, and bar, and boltshivered to atoms, and in rushed the whole party, Ulrich at theirhead, with his lantern lifted high up above them all. 

Sidonia and her visitor were standing in the middle of the room. Ulrich first flashed the light upon the face of the man. Who wouldhave believed it?--no other than Johann Appelmann! The knight hithim a heavy blow across the face, exclaiming, "What! thou commonhorse-jockey--thou low-born varlet--is it thus thou bringestdisgrace upon a maiden of the noblest house in Pomerania? Ha, thoushalt be paid for this. Wait! Master Hansen shall give thee someof his gentle love-touches this night!"

But meanwhile the young Prince had entered, and beheld Sidonia, asshe stood there trembling from shame, and endeavouring to coverher face with her long, beautiful golden hair that fell almost toher knees. "Sidonia!" he exclaimed, with a cry as bitter as if adagger had passed through his heart--"Sidonia!" and fellinsensible before her. 

Now a great clamour arose amongst the crowd, for beside the couchlay the helmet and cuirass of the ghost; so every one knew now whoit was that had played this trick on them for so long, and keptthe castle in such a state of terror. 

Then they gathered round the poor young Prince, who lay there asstiff as a corpse, and lamented over him with loud lamentations, and some of them lifted him up to carry him out of the chamber;but the Grand Chamberlain sternly commanded them to lay him downagain before his bride, whom he had arranged to wed privately atCrummyn on the following night. Then seizing Sidonia by the hand, and dashing back her long hair, he led her forward before all thepeople, and said with a loud voice, "See here the illustrious andhigh-born Lady Sidonia, of the holy Roman Empire, Duchess ofPomerania, Cassuben, and Wenden, Princess of Rügen, Countess ofGützkow, and our Serene and most Gracious Lady, how she honoursthe princely house of Pomerania by sharing her love with thisstable groom, this tailor's son, this debauched profligate! Oh! Icould grow mad when I think of this disgrace. Thou shameless one!have I not long ago given thee thy right name? But wait--the nameshall be branded on thee this night, so that all the world mayread it. "

Just then her Grace entered with Clara, followed by all the othermaids of honour; for, hearing the noise and tumult, they hadhastened thither as they were, some half undressed, others withonly a loose night-robe flung round them. And her Grace, seeingthe young lord lying pale and insensible on the ground, wrung herhands and cried out, "Who has killed my son? who has murdered mydarling child?"

Here stepped forward Ulrich, and said, "The young lord was notdead; but, if it so pleased God, was in a fair way now to regainboth life and reason. " Then he related all which had led to thisdiscovery; and how they had that night been themselves thewitnesses of Sidonia's wickedness with the false ghost. Now herGrace knew his secret, which he had not told until certain ofsuccess. 

As he related all these things, her Grace turned upon Sidonia andspat on her; and the young lord, having recovered somewhat inconsequence of the water they had thrown on him, cried out, "Sidonia! is it possible? No, Sidonia, it is not possible!"

The shameless hypocrite had now recovered her self-possession, andwould have denied all knowledge of Appelmann, saying that heforced himself in when she chanced to open the door; but he, interrupting her, cried, "Does the girl dare to lay all the blameon me? Did you not press my hand there when you were lying afteryou fell from the stag? Did you not meet me afterwards in thelumber-room--that day of the hunt when Duke Barnim was here last?"

"No, no, no!" shrieked Sidonia. "It is a lie, an infamous lie!"But he answered, "Scream as you will, you cannot deny that thisdisguise of the ghost was your own invention to favour my visitsto you. Did you not drop notes for me down on the coach, throughthe trap-door, fixing the nights when I might come? and bethinkyou of last night, when you sent me a note by your maid, wrappedup in a little horse-cloth which I had lent you for your cat, withthe prayer that I would not fail to be with you that night nor thenext"--Oh, just Heaven! to think that it was upon that very nightthat Clara should break her shoe-string, by which means theAlmighty turned away ruin and disgrace from the ancient, illustrious, and princely house of Pomerania--all by a brokenshoe-string! For if the ghost had remained away but that onenight, or Clara had not broken her shoestring, Sidonia would havebeen Duchess of Pomerania; but what doth the Scripture say? "Man'sgoings are of the Lord. What man understandeth his own way?"(Prov. Xx. 24). 

When Sidonia heard him tell all this, and how she had writtennotes of entreaty to him, she screamed aloud, and springing at himlike a wild-cat, buried her ten nails in his hair, shrieking, "Thou liest, traitor; it is false! it is false!"

Now Ulrich rushed forward, and seized her by her long hair to partthem, but at that moment Master Hansen, the executioner, enteredin his red cloak, with six assistants (for Ulrich had privatelysent for him), and the Grand Chamberlain instantly let go his holdof Sidonia, saying, "You come in good time, Master Hansen; takeaway this wretched pair, lock them up in the bastion tower, and onthe morn bring them to the horse-market by ten of the clock, andthere scourge and brand them; then carry them both to the frontierout of our good State of Wolgast, and let them both go their waysfrom that, whither it may please them. "

When Sidonia heard this, she let go her paramour and fell faintingupon the bed; but recovering herself in a little time, sheexclaimed, "What is this you talk of? A noble maiden who is asinnocent as the child in its cradle, to be scourged by the commonexecutioner? Oh, is there no Christian heart here to take pity ona poor, helpless girl! Gracious young Prince, even if all theworld hold me guilty, you cannot, no, you cannot; it isimpossible!"

Hereupon the young lord began to tremble like an aspen leaf, andsaid in a broken voice, "Alas, Sidonia! you betrayed yourself: ifyou had not mentioned that trap-door to me, I might still havebelieved you innocent (I, who thought some good angel had guidedyou to it!); now it is impossible; yet be comforted, theexecutioner shall never scourge you nor brand you--you are brandedenough already. " Then turning to the Grand Chamberlain he said, that with his consent a hangman should never lay his hands uponthis nobly born maiden, whom he had once destined to be Duchess ofPomerania; but Appelmann, this base-born vassal, who had eaten ofhis bread and then betrayed him like a Judas, let him be floggedand branded as much as they pleased; no word of his should savethe accursed seducer from punishment. 

Notwithstanding this, old Ulrich was determined on having Sidoniascourged, and my gracious lady the Duchess must have her scourgedtoo. "Let her dear son only think that if the all-merciful God hadnot interposed, he would have been utterly ruined and his princelyhouse disgraced, by means of this girl. Nothing but evil had shebrought with her since first she set foot in the castle: she hadcaused his sickness; item, the death of two young knights bydrowning; item, the terrible execution of Joachim Budde, who wasbeheaded at the festival; and had she not, in addition, whippedher dear little Casimir, which unseemly act had only lately cometo her knowledge? and had she not also made every man in thecastle that approached her mad for love of her, all by herdiabolical conduct? No--away with the wretch: she merits herchastisement a thousand and a thousand-fold!" And old Ulrichexclaimed likewise, "Away with the wretch and her paramour!"

Here the young lord made an effort to spring forward to save her, but fell fainting on the ground; and while the attendants werebusy running for water to throw over him, Clara von Dewitz, turning away the executioner with her hand from Sidonia, fell downon her knees before her Grace, and besought her to spare at leastthe person of the poor, unfortunate maiden; did her Grace thinkthat any punishment could exceed what she had already suffered?Let her own compassionate heart plead along with her words--anddid not the Scripture say, "Vengeance is mine, saith the Lord. "

Hereupon her Grace looked at old Ulrich without speaking; but heunderstood her glance, and made answer--"No; the hangman must dohis duty towards the wretch!" when her Grace said mildly, "But forthe sake of this dear, good young maiden, I think we might let hergo, for, remember, if she had not opened out this villainy to us, the creature would have been my daughter-in-law, and my princelyhouse disgraced for evermore. "

Now Marcus Bork stepped forward, and added his prayers that thenoble name he bore might not be disgraced in Sidonia. "He had everbeen a faithful feudal vassal to her princely house, and had noteven scrupled to bring the secret wicked deeds of his cousinbefore the light of day, though it was like a martyrdom of his ownflesh and blood for conscience' sake. "

Here old Ulrich burst forth in great haste--"Seven thousanddevils! Let the wench be off, then. Not another night should sherest in the castle. Let her speak--where would she go to? whereshould they bring her to?"

And when Sidonia answered, sobbing, "To Stettin, to her graciouslord, Duke Barnim, who would take pity on her because of herinnocence, " Ulrich laughed outright in scorn. "I shall give thedriver a letter to him, and another to thy father. Perhaps hisGrace will show thee true pity, and drive thee with his horsewhipto Stramehl. But thou shalt journey in the same coach whereon thyleman clambered up to the trap-door, and Master Hansen shall siton the coach-box and drive thee himself. As to thy darlingstablegroom here, the master must set his mark on him before hegoes; but that can be done when the hangman returns from Stettin. "

When Appelmann heard this, he fell at the feet of the LordChamberlain, imploring him to let him off too. "Had he not riddento Spantekow, without stop or stay, at the peril of his life, tooblige Lord Ulrich that time the Lapland wizard made the evilprophecy; and though his illustrious lady died, yet that was fromno fault of his, and his lordship had then promised not to forgethim if he were but in need. So now he demanded, on the strength ofhis knightly word, that a horse should be given him from the ducalstables, and that he be permitted to go forth, free and scathless, to ride wherever it might please him. His sins were truly heavyupon him, and he would try and do better, with the help of God. "

When the old knight heard him express himself in this godly sort(for the knave knew his man well), he was melted to compassion, and said, "Then go thy way, and God give thee grace to repent ofthy manifold sins. "

Her Grace had nothing to object; only to put a fixed barrierbetween the Prince and Sidonia, she added, "But send first for Dr. Gerschovius, that he may unite this shameless pair in marriagebefore they leave the castle, and then they can travel awaytogether. "

Hereupon Johann Appelmann exclaimed, "No, never! How could he hopefor God's grace to amend him, living with a thing like that, tiedto him for life, which God and man alike hold in abhorrence?" Atthis speech Sidonia screamed aloud, "Thou lying and accursedstable-groom, darest thou speak so of a castle and land doweredmaiden?" and she flew at him, and would have torn his hair, butMarcus Bork seized hold of her round the waist, and dragged herwith great effort into Clara's room. 

Now the tears poured from the eyes of her Grace at such adisgraceful scene, and she turned to her son, who was slowlyrecovering--"Hast thou heard, Ernest, this groom--this servant ofthine--refuses to take the girl to wife whom thou wast going tomake Duchess of Pomerania? Woe! woe! what words for thy poormother to hear; but it was all foreshadowed when Dr. Luther--" &c. &c. 

In short, the end of the infamous story was, that Sidonia wascarried off that very night in the identical coach we know of, andMaster Hansen was sent with her, bearing letters to the Duke andOtto from the Grand Chamberlain, and one also to the burgomasterAppelmann in Stargard; and the executioner had strict orders todrive her himself the whole way to Stettin. As for Appelmann, hesprung upon a Friesland clipper, as the old chamberlain hadpermitted, and rode away that same night. But the young lord wasso ill from grief and shame, that he was lifted to his bed, andall the _medici_ of Grypswald and Wolgast were summoned toattend him. 

And such was the end of Sidonia von Bork at the ducal court ofWolgast. But old Küssow told me that for a long while she was thewhole talk of the court and town, many wondering, though they knewwell her light behaviour, that she should give herself up toperdition at last for a common groom, no better than a menialcompared to her. But I find the old proverb is true for her aswell as for another, "The apple falls close to the tree; as is thesheep, so is the lamb;" for had her father brought her up in thefear of God, in place of encouraging her in revenge, pride, andhaughtiness, Sidonia might have been a good and honoured wife forher life long. But the libertine example of her father sodestroyed all natural instincts of modesty and maidenly reservewithin her, that she fell an easy prey to the first temptation. 

In short, my gracious Prince Bogislaus XIV. , as well as all thosewho love and honour the illustrious house of Wolgast, willdevoutly thank God for having turned away this disgrace in amanner so truly wonderful. 

I have already spoken of the broken shoe-tie, but in addition, Imust point out that if Sidonia had counselled her paramour to takethe armour of Duke Philip, which hung in the same lumber-room, inplace of that belonging to the serpent knight, that wickednesswould never have come to light. For assuredly all in the castlewould have believed that it was truly the ghost of the dead duke, who came to reproach his son for not holding the oath which he hadsworn on his coffin, to abandon Sidonia. And consequently, respectand terror would have alike prevented any human soul in the castlefrom daring to follow it, and investigate its object. Thereforelet us praise the name of the Lord who turned all things to good, and fulfilled, in Sidonia and her lover, the Scripture whichsaith, "Thinking themselves wise, they became fools" (Rom. I. 21). 

END OF FIRST BOOK. 

BOOK II. 

FROM THE BANISHMENT OF SIDONIA FROM THE DUCAL COURT OF WOLGAST UPTO HER RECEPTION IN THE CONVENT OF MARIENFLIESS. 

CHAPTER I. 

_Of the quarrel between Otto Bork and the Stargardians, whichcaused him to demand the dues upon the Jena. _

MOST EMINENT AND ILLUSTRIOUS PRINCE!--Your Grace must be informed, that much of what I have here set down, in this second book, wascommunicated to me by that same old Uckermann of Dalow of whom Ihave spoken already in my first volume. 

Other important facts I have gleaned from the Diary of Magdalenavon Petersdorfin, _Priorissa_ of the convent of Marienfliess. She was an old and worthy matron, whom Sidonia, however, used tomock and insult, calling her the old cat, and such-like names. Butshe revenged herself on the shameless wanton in no other way thanby writing down what facts she could collect of her disgracefullife and courses, for the admonition and warning of the holysisterhood. 

This little book the pious nun left to her sister Sophia, who isstill living in the convent at Marienfliess; and she, at myearnest entreaties, permitted me to peruse it. 

Before, however, I continue the relation of Sidonia's adventures, I must state to your Grace what were the circumstances whichinduced Otto von Bork to demand so urgently the dues upon the Jenafrom their Highnesses of Stettin and Wolgast. In my opinion, itwas for nothing else than to revenge himself upon the burgomasterof Stargard, Jacob Appelmann, father of the equerry. The quarrelhappened years before, but Otto never forgot it, and only waited afitting opportunity to take vengeance on him and the people ofStargard. 

This Jacob Appelmann was entitled to receive a great portion ofthe Jena dues, which were principally paid to him in kind, particularly in foreign spices, which he afterwards sold to thePolish Jews, at the annual fair held in Stramehl. 

It happened, upon one of these occasions, as Jacob, with two ofhis porters, appeared, as usual, carrying bags of spices, to sellto the Polish Jews, that Otto met him in the market-place, andinvited him to come up to his castle, for that many nobles wereassembled there who would, no doubt, give him better prices forhis goods than the Polish Jews, and added that the worthyburgomaster must drink his health with him that day. 

Now, Jacob Appelmann was no despiser of good cheer or of broadgold pieces; so, unfortunately for himself, he accepted theinvitation. But the knight had only lured him up to the castle toinsult and mock him. For when he entered the hall, a loud roar oflaughter greeted his appearance, and the half-drunk guests, whowere swilling the wine as if they had tuns to fill, and notstomachs, swore that he must pledge each of them separately, in alusty draught. So they handed him an enormous becker, cut withOtto's arms, bidding him drain it; but as the Herr Jacobhesitated, his host asked him, laughing, was he a Jesu disciple, that he refused to drink?

Hereupon the other answered, he was too old for a disciple, but hewas not ashamed to call himself a servant of Jesus. 

Then they all roared with laughter, and Otto spoke--

"My good lords and dear friends, ye know how that the Stargardknaves joined with the Pomeranian Duke to ravage my good town ofStramehl, so that it can be only called a village now. And it isalso not unknown to you that my disgrace then passed into aproverb, so that people will still say, 'He fell upon me as theStargardians upon Stramehl. ' Let us, then, revenge ourselvesto-day. If this Jesu's servant will not drink, then tear open hismouth, put a tun-dish therein, and pour down a good draught tillthe knave cries 'enough!' As to his spices, let us scatter thembefore the Polish Jews, as pease before swine, and it will bemerry pastime to see how the beasts will lick them up. Thus willStramehl retort upon Stargard, and the whole land will shout withlaughter. For wherefore does this Stargard pedlar come here to myfairs? Mayhap I shall visit his. "

Peals of laughter and applause greeted Otto's speech; but Jacob, when he heard it, determined, if possible, to effect his escape;and watching his opportunity, for he was the only one there notdrunk, sprang out of the hall, and down the flight of steps, andbeing young then, never drew breath till he reached themarket-place of Stramehl, and jumped into his own waggon. 

In vain Otto screamed out to "stop him, stop him!" all hisservants were at the fair, where, indeed, the people of the wholecountry round were gathered. Then the host and the guests sprangup themselves, to run after Jacob Appelmann, but many could notstand, and others tumbled down by the way. However, with a chorusof cries, curses, and threats, Otto and some others at lastreached the waggon, and laid hold of it. Then they dragged out thebags of spices, and emptied them all down upon the street, crying--

"Come hither, ye Jews; which of you wants pepper? Who wantscloves?"

So all the Jews in the place ran together, and down they went onall-fours picking up the spices, while their long beards swept thepavement quite clean. Hey! how they pushed and screamed, and dealtblows about among themselves, till their noses bled, and the placelooked as if gamecocks had been fighting there, whereat Otto andhis roistering guests roared with laughter. 

One of the bags they pulled out of the waggon contained cinnamon;but a huntsman of Otto Bork's, not knowing what it was, poured itdown likewise into the street. Cinnamon was then so rare, that itsold for its weight in gold. So an old Jew, spying the preciousmorsel, cried out, "Praise be to God! Praise be to God!" and ranthrough Otto Bork's legs to get hold of a stick of it. This madethe knight look down, and seeing the cinnamon, he straightway bidthe huntsman gather it all up again quick, and carry it safelyhome to the castle. 

But the old Jew would by no means let go his hold of the booty, and kept the sticks in one hand high above his head, while withthe other he dealt heavy buffets upon the huntsman. An apprenticeof Jacob Appelmann's beheld all this from the waggon, and knowingwhat a costly thing this cinnamon was, he made a long arm out ofthe waggon, and snapped away the sticks from the Jew. Upon thisthe huntsman sprang at the apprentice; but the latter, seizing apair of pot-hooks, which his master had that day bought in thefair, dealt such a blow with them upon the head of the huntsman, that he fell down at once upon the ground quite dead. 

Now every one cried out "Murder! murder! Jodute! Jodute! Jodute!"and they tore the bags right and left from the waggon, Jews aswell as Christians; but Otto commanded them to seize theapprentice also. So they dragged him out too. He was a fine youngman of twenty-three, Louis Griepentroch by name. There was such anuproar, that the men who held the horses' heads were forced away. Whereupon the burgomaster resolved to seize this opportunity forescape; and without heeding the lamentations of the otherapprentice, Zabel Griepentroch, who prayed him earnestly to stopand save his poor brother, desired the driver to lash the horsesinto a gallop, and never stop nor stay until the unlucky town wasleft far behind them. 

Otto von Bork ordered instant pursuit, but in vain. Theburgomaster could not be overtaken, and reached Wangerin insafety. There he put up at the inn, to give the panting horsesbreathing-time; and now the aforesaid Zabel besought him, withmany tears, to write to Otto Bork on behalf of his poor brother, to which the burgomaster at last consented; for he loved these twoyouths, who were orphans and twins, and he had brought them upfrom their childhood, and treated them in all things like a trueand loving godfather. So he wrote to Otto, "That if aught of illhappened to the young Louis Griepentroch, he (the burgomaster)would complain to his Grace of Stettin, for the youth had onlydone his duty in trying to save the property of his master fromthe hands of robbers. " The good Jacob, however, admonished Zabelto make up his mind for the worst, for the knight was not a manwhose heart could be melted, as he himself had experienced but toowell that day. 

But the sorrowing youth little heeded the admonitions, only seizedthe letter, and ran with it that same evening back to Stramehl. Here, however, no one would listen to him, no one heeded him; andwhen at last he got up to Otto and gave him the letter, the knightswore he would flay him alive if he did not instantly quit thetown. Now the poor youth gnashed his teeth in rage and despair, and determined to be revenged on the knight. 

Just then came by a great crowd leading his brother Louis to thegallows; and on his head they had stuck a high paper cap with theStargard arms painted thereon, namely, a tower with two griffins(Sidonia, indeed, had painted it, and she was by, and clapping herhands with delight); and for the greater scandal to Stargard, theyhad tied two hares' tails to the back of the cap, with theinscription written in large letters above them--"So came theStargardians to Stramehl!"

And Otto and his guests gathered round the gallows, and all themarket-folk, with great uproar and laughter. _Summa_, whenthe poor carl saw all this, and that there was no hope for hisheart's dear brother, neither could he even get near him just tosay a last "good-night, " he ran like mad to the castle, which wasalmost empty now, as every one had gone to the market-place; andthere, on the hill, he turned round and saw how the hangman hadshoved his dear Louis from the ladder, and the body was swinginglamentably to and fro between heaven and earth. So he seized abrand and set fire to the brew-house, from which a thick smoke andlight flames soon rose high into the air. Now all the peoplerushed towards the castle, for they suspected well who had donethe deed, particularly as they had observed a young fellowrunning, as if for life or death, in the opposite directiontowards the open country. So they pursued him with wild shoutsfrom every direction; right and left they hemmed him in, and cutoff his escape to the wood. And Otto Bork sprang upon a freshhorse, and galloped along with them, roaring out, "Seize therascal!--seize the vile incendiary! He who takes him shall have atun of my best beer!" But others he despatched to the castle toextinguish the flames. 

Now the poor Zabel knew not what to do, for on every side hispursuers were gaining fast upon him, and he heard Otto's voiceclose behind crying, "There he runs! there he runs! Seize thegallows-bird, that he may swing with his brother this night. A tunof my best beer to the man who takes him! Seize the incendiary!"So the poor wretch, in his anguish, threw off his smock upon thegrass and sprang into the lake, hoping to be able to swim to theother side and reach the wood. 

"In after him!" roared Otto; and a fellow jumped in instantly, andseizing hold of Zabel by the hose, dragged him along with him; butthey were soon both carried into deep water--Zabel, however, wasthe uppermost, and held the other down tight to stifle him. Another seeing this, plunged in to rescue his companion, and fromthe bank dived down underneath Zabel, intending to seize him roundthe body; but it so happened that the fishermen of Stramehl hadlaid their nets close to the place, and he plunged direct into themiddle of the largest, and stuck there miserably; which when Zabelobserved, he let the other go, who was now quite dead, and struckout boldly for the opposite bank. The fishermen sprang into theirboats to pursue him, and the crowd ran round, hoping to cut offthe pass before he could gain the bank; but he was a brave youth, and distanced them all, jumped on land before one of them couldreach him, and plunged into the thick wood. Here it was vain tofollow him, for night was coming on fast; so he pursued his pathin safety, and returned to his master at Stramehl. 

Otto von Bork, however, would not let the matter rest here, for hehad sustained great loss by the burning of his brew-house (theother buildings were saved); therefore he wrote to the honourablecouncil at Stargard--"That by the shameful and scandalous burningof his brew-house, he had lost two fine hounds named Stargard andStramehl, which he had brought himself from Silesia; _item_, two old servants and a woman; _item_, in the lake, two otherservants had been drowned; and all by the revenge of anapprentice, because he had justly caused his brother to beexecuted. Therefore this apprentice must be given up to him, thathe might have him broken on the wheel, otherwise their vassals onthe Jena should suffer in such a sort, that the Stargardians wouldlong have reason to remember Otto Bork. "

Now, some of the honourable councillors were of opinion that theyshould by no means give up the apprentice; first, because Otto hadinsulted the Stargard arms, and secondly, lest it might appear asif they feared he would fulfil his threats respecting the Jena. 

But Jacob Appelmann, the burgomaster, who lay sick in his bed fromthe treatment he had received at Stramehl, entirely disapproved ofthis resolution; and when they came to him for his advice, proposed to give for answer to the knight that he should firstindemnify him for the loss of his costly spices, which he valuedat one thousand florins, and when this sum was paid down, theymight treat of the matter concerning the apprentice. 

The knight, however, mocked them for making such an absurd demandas compensation, and reiterated his threats, that if the young manwere not delivered up to him, he would punish Stargard with agreat punishment. 

The council, however, were still determined not to yield; and asthe burgomaster lay sick in his bed, they released the apprenticefrom prison; and replied to Otto, "That if he broke the publicpeace of his Imperial Majesty, let the consequences fall on hisown head--there was still justice for them to be had inPomerania. "

When the burgomaster heard of this, he had himself carried in alitter, sick as he was, to the honourable council, and asked them, "Was this justice, to release an incendiary from prison? If theysought justice for themselves, let them deal it out to others. Noone had lost more by the transaction than he: his income for thenext two years was clean gone, and the care and anxiety he hadundergone, besides, had reduced him to this state of bodilyweakness which they observed. It was a heart-grief to him to giveup the young man, for he had reared him from the baptism water, and he had been a faithful servant unto him up to this day. Couldhe save him, he would gladly give up his house and all he wasworth, and go and take a lodging upon the wall; for this young manhad once saved his life, by slaying a mad dog which had seized himby the tail of his coat; but it was not to be done. They must setan honourable example, as just and upright citizens and fearlessmagistrates, who hold that old saying in honour--'_Fiat justitiaet pereat mundus_;' which means, 'Let justice be done, thoughlife and fortune perish. ' But the punishment of the wheel was, heconfessed, altogether too severe for the poor youth; and thereforehe counselled that they should hang him, as Otto had hung hisbrother. "

This course the honourable society consented at last to adopt; butthe knight had disgraced their arms, and they ought in return todisgrace his. They could get the court painter from Stettin at thepublic expense, and let him paint Otto Bork's arms on the back ofthe young man's hose. 

Here the burgomaster again interfered--"Why should the honourablecouncil attempt a stupid insult, because the knight had done so?"But he talked in vain; they were determined on this retaliation. At last (but after a great deal of trouble) he obtained a promisethat they would have the arms painted before, upon his smock, andnot behind, upon the hose, for that would be a sore disgrace toOtto, and bring his vengeance upon them. "Why should they do moreto him than he had done unto them? The Scripture said, 'Eye foreye, tooth for tooth, ' and not two eyes for an eye, two teeth fora tooth. " Hereupon the honourable council pronounced sentence onthe young man, and fixed the third day from that for hisexecution. But first the executioner must bring him up before thebed of the burgomaster, who thus spoke--"Ah, Zabel, whereforedidst thou not behave as I admonished thee in Wangerin?" And asthe young man began to weep, he gave him his hand, and admonishedhim to be steadfast in the death-hour, asked his forgiveness forhaving condemned him, but it was his duty as a magistrate so todo--thanked him for having saved his life by slaying the mad dog;finally, bid him "Good-night, " and then buried his face in thepillow. 

So the hangman carried back the weeping youth to the council-hall, where the honourable councillors had the Bork arms fastened uponhis smock, and out of further malice against Otto (for they knewthe burgomaster, being sick in his bed, could not hinder them), they placed over them a large piece of pasteboard, on which waswritten, "So did the Stargardians with Stramehl. " _Item_, they fastened to the two corners a pair of wolf's ears, becauseBork, in the Wendig tongue, signifies wolf. This was to revengethemselves for the hares' tails. 

Then the poor apprentice was carried to the gallows, amid loudlaughter from the common people. And even the honourablecouncillors waxed merry at the sight; and as the hangman pushedhim from the ladder, they cried out, "So will the Stargardians doto Stramehl!"

Now Otto heard tidings of all these doings, but he feared tocomplain to his Highness the Duke, because he himself had begunthe quarrel, and they had only retorted as was fair. _Item_, he did not dare to stop the boats upon the Jena--for he knew thatalthough Duke Barnim was usually of a soft and placable temper, yet when he was roused there was no more dangerous enemy. And ifthe Stargardians leagued with him, they might fall upon his townof Stramehl, as they had done once before. 

Therefore he waited patiently for an opportunity of revenge, andheld his peace until Sidonia acquainted him with the love of theyoung Prince Ernest. Then he resolved to demand the dues upon theJena to be given up to him, and if his wicked desire had beengratified, I think the good citizens of Stargard might have takento the beggar's staff for the rest of their days, for like all theold Hanseatic towns, their entire subsistence came to them bywater, and all their wares and merchandise were carried up theJena in boats to the town. These the knight would have rated sohighly, if he had been made owner of the dues, that the town andpeople would have been utterly ruined. 

It has been already stated that the Duke Barnim gave an ambiguousanswer to Otto upon the subject; but the knight, after his visitto Wolgast, was so certain of seeing his daughter in a short timeDuchess of Pomerania, that he already looked upon the Jena dues ashis own, and proceeded to act as shall be related in the nextchapter. 

CHAPTER II. 

_How Otto von Bork demands the Jena dues from the Stargardians, and how the burgomaster Jacob Appelmann takes him prisoner, andlocks him up in the Red Sea. _ [Footnote: A watch-tower, builtin the Moorish style, upon the town wall of Stargard, from whichthe adjacent streets take their name. ]

As the aforesaid knight and my gracious lord, Duke Barnim, journeyed home from Wolgast, the former discoursed much on thismatter of the Jena dues, but his Grace listened in silence, afterhis manner, and nicked away at his doll. (I think, however, thathis Grace did not quite understand the matter of the Jena dueshimself. )

_Summa_, while Otto was at Stettin, he received informationthat three vessels, laden with wine and spices, and all manner ofmerchandise, were on their way to Stargard. So he took this for agood sign, and went straight to the town and up to theburgomaster, Jacob Appelmann, would not sit down, however, butmade himself as stiff as if his back would break, and askedwhether he (Appelmann) was aware that the lands of the Bork familybordered close upon the Jena. 

_Ille. _--"Yes, he knew it well. "

_Hic. _--"Then he could not wonder if he now demanded duesfrom every vessel that went up to Stargard. "

_Ille. _--"On the contrary, he would wonder greatly; since byan Act passed in the reign of Duke Barnim the First, A. D. 1243, the freedom of the Jena had been secured to them, and they hadenjoyed it up to the present date. "

_Hic_. --"Stuff! what was the use of bringing up these oldActs. His Grace of Stettin, as well as the Duchess of Wolgast, hadnow given them over to him. "

_Ille_. --"Then let his lordship produce his charter; if hehad got one, why not show it?"

_Hic_. --"No, he had not got the written order yet, but hewould soon have it. "

_Ille_. --"Well, until then they would abide by the old law. "

_Hic_. --"By no means. This very day he would insist on beingpaid the dues. "

_Ille_. --"That meant, that he purposed to break the peace ofour lord the Emperor. Let him think well of it. It might cost himdear. "

_Hic_. --"That was his care. The Stargardians should not asecond time hang his arms on the gallows. "

_Ille_. --"It was a simple act of retaliation; had he notread, 'An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth'?"

_Hic_. --"Nonsense! was that retaliation, when a set of lowburgher carls took upon themselves to disgrace the lord of castlesand lands; as well might one of his serfs, when he struck him, strike him in return; that would be retaliation too. Ha! ha! ha!"

_Ille_. --"What did his lordship mean? He was no villagejustice, nor were the burghers of this good town serfs or boors. "

_Hic_. --"If he knew not now what he meant, he would soonlearn; ay, and take off his hat so low to the Bork arms that itwould touch the ground. Then, too, he might himself get a lessonin retaliation. "

And herewith the knight strode firmly out of the room, withouteven saluting the burgomaster; but Jacob knew well how to dealwith him, so he sent instantly for the keeper of the forest, wholived in the thick wood on the banks of the Jena, and told him towatch by night and day, and if he observed anything unusual goingon, to spring upon a horse and bring him the intelligence withoutdelay. 

Meanwhile the knight summoned all his feudal vassals around him atStramehl, and told them how his Grace had bestowed the Jena duesupon him, but the sturdy burghers of Stargard had dared to impugnhis rights; therefore let each of them select two trustyfollowers, and meet all together on the morrow morn at Putzerlin, close to the Jena ferry. Then, if there came by any vessels ladenwith choice wines, let them be sure and drink a health toStargard. So they all believed him, and came to the appointedplace with twenty horsemen, and the knight himself brought twentymore. There they unsaddled and turned into the meadow, then set towork to throw a bridge over the river. As soon as the forestranger spied them, he saddled his wild clipper, which he himselfhad caught in the Uckermund country, and flew like wind to thetown (for the wild horses are much stouter and fleeter than thetame, but there are none to be found now in all Pomerania). 

When the burgomaster heard this tale, he told him to go back theway he came, and keep perfectly still until he saw a rocket risefrom St. Mary's Tower, then let him loose all his hounds upon thehorses in the meadow, and he and the burghers would follow soon, and make a quick end of the robber knights and freebooters; but hewould wait for three hours before giving the promised sign fromSt. Mary's Tower, that he might have time to get back to the wood. Still the knight and his followers continued working at the bridgeright merrily. They took the ferryman's planks and poles, and cutdown large oak-trees, and every one that went across the ferrymust stop and help them; but their work was not quite completed, when three vessels appeared in sight, laden with all sorts ofmerchandise, and making direct for Stargard. As soon as Ottoperceived them, he took half-a-dozen fellows with him, and jumpedinto a ferry-boat, crying, "Hold! until the dues are paid, you cango no farther. The river and the land alike belong to me now, andI must have my dues, as his Grace of Stettin has commanded. "

The crew, however, strictly objected, saying that in the memory ofman they had never paid dues upon their goods, and they would notpay them now; but Otto and his knights jumped on deck, followed bytheir squires, and having asked for the bill of lading, decimatedall the goods, as a priest collecting his tithe of the sheaves. Then he took the best cask of wine, had it rolled on land, andcalled out to the crew, who were crying like children, "Now, goodpeople, you may go your ways. "

But the poor devils were in despair, and followed him on land, praying and beseeching him not to ruin them, but to restore theirproperty, at which Otto laughed loudly, and bid the strongest ofhis followers chase the miserable varlets back to their vessel. 

Meanwhile the cask of wine had been rolled up against a tree, andthe knight and his followers set themselves round it upon thegrass, and because they had no glasses, they drank out of kettles, and pots, and bowls, and dishes, or whatever the ferryman couldgive them. Yea, some of them drew off their boots and filled themwith the wine, others drank it out of their caps, and so therethey lay on the grass, swilling the wine, and the different waresthey had seized lay all scattered round them, and they laughed anddrank, and roared, "Thus we drink a health to Stargard!" Hereuponthe crew, seeing that nothing could be got from the robbers, wenttheir way with curses and imprecations, to which the knight andhis party responded only with peals of laughter. 

But the vessel had scarcely set sail, when a woman's voice washeard crying out loudly from the deck--"Father! father! I am here. Listen, Otto von Bork, your daughter Sidonia is here!"

When the knight heard this, he felt as if stunned by a blow, butimmediately comforted himself by thinking that no doubt PrinceErnest was with her, particularly as he could observe in thetwilight the figure of a man seated beside her on a bundle ofgoods. "This surely must be the Prince, " he said to himself, andso called out with a joyful voice, "Ah, my dearest daughter, Sidonia! how comest thou in the merchant vessel?"

Then he screamed to the sailors to stop and cast anchor; but theyheeded neither his cries nor commands, and in place of stopping, began to crowd all sail. Otto now tried entreaties, and promisedto restore all their goods, and even pay for the wine drunk, ifthey would only stop the vessel. This made them listen to him, butthey demanded, beside, a compensation money of one hundredflorins, for all the anxiety and delay they had suffered. This hepromised also, only let them stop instantly. However, they wouldnot trust his word, and not until he had pledged his knightlyfaith would they consent to stop. Some, indeed, were not evencontent with this, and required that he should stand bareheaded onthe bank, and take a solemn oath, with his hand extended toheaven, that he would deal with them as he had promised. 

To this also the knight consented, since they would not believe heheld his knightly word higher than any oath; though, in myopinion, he would have done anything they demanded, such was hisanxiety to behold the Prince and Princess of Pomerania, for hecould imagine nothing else, but that his daughter and her husbandhad been turned out of Wolgast by the harsh Duchess and the oldGrand Chamberlain, and were now on their way to his castle atStramehl. 

Here my gracious Prince will no doubt say, "But, Theodore, why didshe not call on her father sooner, when, as you told me, he was onboard this very vessel plundering the wares?"

I answer--"Serene Prince! your Grace must know that she and herparamour were at that time crouching in the cabin, through fear ofOtto, for the sailors did not know her, or who she was. They hadtaken her and Appelmann in at Damm, and believed this story: thathe was secretary to the Duke at Stettin, and Sidonia was his wife;they were on their way to Stargard, but preferred journeying bywater, on account of the robbers who infested the high-roads, andwho, they heard, had murdered three travellers only a few daysbefore. "

But when Sidonia had found what her father had done, and heard thecrew cursing and vowing vengeance on him, she feared it would beworse for her even to fall into the hands of the Stargardians thaninto her father's, and therefore rushed up on deck and called outto him, though her paramour conjured her by heaven and earth tokeep quiet, and not bring him under her father's sword. 

_Summa_, as the vessel once more stood still, the knightsprang quick as thought into the ferry-boat along with some of hisfollowers, and rowed off to the vessel, where his daughter satupon a bundle of merchandise and wept, but Appelmann crept downagain into the cabin. When the knight stepped on board, he kissedand embraced her--but where was the young Prince whom he had seenstanding beside her?

_Illa_. --"Alas! it was not the Prince; the young lord hadshamefully deceived her!" (weeping. )

_Hic_. --"He would make him suffer for it, then; let her tellhim the whole business. If he had trifled with her, she should berevenged. Was he not as powerful as any duke in Pomerania?"

_Illa_. --"He must send away all the bystanders first; did henot see how they all stood round, with their mouths open fromwonder?" Hereupon the knight roared out, "Away, go all, all of ye, or I'll stick ye dead as calves. The devil take any of you whodare to listen!" His whole frame trembled meanwhile as an aspenleaf, and he could scarcely wait till the carls clambered over thebundles of goods--"What had happened? In the name of all thedevils, let her speak, now that they were alone. "

But here the cunning wanton began to weep so piteously, that not aword could she utter; however, as old Otto grew impatient, andbegan to curse and swear, and shake her by the arm, she at lastcommenced (while Appelmann was listening from the cabin):--

"Her dearest father knew how the young lord had bribed a priest inCrummyn to wed them privately; but this was all a trick which hiswicked mother had suggested to him, in order to bring her to utterruin; for on the very wedding night, while she was waiting for thePrince in her little room, according to promise, to flee with himto Crummyn, the perfidious Duchess, who was aware of the wholearrangement, sent a groom to her chamber at the appointed hour, and she being in the dark, embraced him, thinking he was thePrince. In the self-same instant the door was burst open, and theold revengeful hag, with Ulrich von Schwerin, rushed in, alongwith the young Prince and Marcus Bork, her cousin, amid a greatcrowd of people with lanterns. And no one would listen to her orheed her; so she was thrust that same night out of the castle, like a common swine-maid, though the young lord, when he saw thefull extent of his wicked mother's treachery, fell down in a deadfaint at her feet. "

And here she wept and groaned, as if her heart would break. 

"Who, then, was the gay youth who sat beside her there on thebundle?" screamed Otto. 

_Illa_. --"That was the very groom that she had embraced, forthey had sent him away with her, to make their wicked story seemtrue. "

_Hic_. --"But what was his name? May the devil take her, tohave gone off with a base-born groom. What was his name?"

_Illa_ (weeping). --"What did he think of her, that she shouldlove a common groom? truly, he had the title of equerry, but thenhe was nothing better than a common burgher carl. What could shedo, when they turned her by night and cloud out of the castle? Shemust thank God for having had even this groom to protect her, butthat he was her lover--fie!--no; that was, indeed, to think littleof her. "

_Hic_. --"He would strike her dead if she did not answer. Whowas the knave? Where did he come from?"

_Illa_. --"He was called Johann Appelmann, and was son to theburgomaster of Stargard. "

Here the knight raved and chafed like a wild beast, and drew hissword to kill Sidonia, but she fled away down to her paramour inthe cabin. However, he had heard the whole conversation, and flewat her to beat her, crying, "Am I then a base-born groom? Ha! thouproud wanton, didst thou not run after me like a commonstreet-girl? I will teach thee to call me a groom!"

And as the knight listened to all this, the sword dropped from hishands and fell into the hold, so that he could not get it upagain. Then he was beside himself for rage, and seized a stone ofthe ballast, to rush down with it to the cabin. 

But, behold! a rocket shot up from St. Mary's Tower, and pouredits clear light upon the deepening twilight, like a starry meteor, and, at the same instant, the deep bay of ten or twelveblood-hounds resounded fearfully across the meadow where thehorses were grazing, and the dogs flew on them, and tore some ofthem to the ground, and bit others, so that they dashed nearly totheir masters, who were lying round the wine-cask, and others fledinto the wood bleeding and groaning with pain and agony, as ifthey had been human creatures. 

Then all the fellows jumped up from their wine-cask, and screamedas if the last day had come, and Otto let the stone fall from hishand with horror; but still called out boldly to his men to knowwhat had happened. "Was the devil himself among them that accursedevening?"

Then they shouted in return, that he must hasten to land, for theStargardians were upon them, and had killed all their horses. 

"Strike them dead, then; kill all, and himself the last, but hewould go over and help them. "

So he jumped into the boat with his companions, but had not timeto set foot on shore, when the Stargardians, horse and foot, withthe burgomaster at their head, dashed forth from the wood, shouting, "So fall the Stargardians upon Stramehl!"

At this sight the knight could no longer restrain his impatience, but jumped out of the boat; and although the water reached upunder his arms, strode forward, crying--

"Courage, my brave fellows; down with the churls. Kill, slay, giveno quarter. He who brings me the head of the burgomaster shall bemy heir! His vile son hath brought my daughter to shame. Killall--all! I will never outlive this day. Ye shall all be myheritors--only kill! kill! kill!"

Then he jumps on land and goes to draw his sword, but he hasnone--only the scabbard is hanging there; and as the Stargard menare already pressing thick upon them, he shouts--

"A sword, a sword! give me a sword! My good castle of Stramehl fora sword, that I may slay this base-born churl of a burgomaster!"

But a blood-hound jumped at his throat, and tore him to theground, and as he felt the horrible muzzle closer to his face, hescreamed out--

"Save me! save me! Oh, woe is me!"

And at the same moment, Sidonia's voice was heard from the vessel, shrieking--

"Father, father, save me! this groom is beating me to death--he iskilling me!" while a loud roar of laughter from the crewaccompanied her cries. 

No one, however, came to save the knight; for the Stargardianswere slaying right and left, and Otto's followers were utterlydiscomfited. So the knight tried to draw his dagger, and havinggot hold of it, plunged it with great force into the heart of theferocious animal, who fell back dead, and Otto sprang to his feet. Just then, however, a tanner recognised him, and seizing hold ofhim by the arms, carried him off to the other prisoners. 

Now, indeed, might he call on the mountains to fall on him, andthe hills to cover him (Hosea x. ); and now he might feel, too, what a terrible thing it is to fall into the hands of the livingGod (Hebrews x. ); for the Jesu wounds, I'm thinking, burned thenlike hell-fire in his heart. 

_Summa_, as the wretched man was brought before theburgomaster, who sat down upon a bank and wiped his sword in thegrass, the latter cried out--

"Well, sir knight, you would not heed me; you have worked yourwill. Now, do you understand what retaliation means--'An eye foran eye, a tooth for a tooth'?"

And as the other stood quite silent, he continued--

"Where is your charter for the Jena dues? Perchance it iscontained in this letter, which I have received to-day from herGrace of Wolgast, addressed to you. Hand a lantern here, that theknight may read it! If the charter is not therein, then he shallbe flung into prison this night with his followers, until my lord, Duke Barnim, pronounces judgment upon him. "

The ferryman advanced and held a light; but Otto had scarcelylooked over the letter when he began to tremble as if he wouldfall to the ground, and then sighed forth, like the rich man inhell--

"Have mercy on me, and give me a drink of water!"

They brought him the water, and then he added--

"Jacob, hast thou, too, had any tidings of our children?"

"Alas!" the other answered; "Ulrich has written all to me. "

"Then have mercy on me. Listen how your godless son there in thevessel is beating my daughter to death, and how she is shriekingfor help. "

As the burgomaster heard these unexpected tidings, he sentmessengers to the vessel, with orders to bring the pairimmediately before him. 

Meanwhile the other prisoners besought the burgomaster to let themgo, for they were feudal vassals of Otto Bork, and must do as hecommanded them. Besides, he told them that Duke Barnim had givenhim the dues, and therefore they held it their duty to assist himin collecting them. 

And as Otto confirmed their words, saying that he had indeeddeceived them, the burgomaster turned to his party, and cried--

"How say you then, worthy burghers and dear friends, shall we letthe vassals run, and keep the lord? for, if the master lies, arethe servants to be punished if they believe him? Speak, worthyfriends. "

Then all the burghers cried--

"Let them go, let them go; but keep the knight a prisoner. "

Upon which all the retainers took to their heels, not forgetting, though, to hoist the cask of wine upon their shoulders, and sothey fled away into the wood. 

Now comes a great crowd from all the vessels, accompanying theinfamous pair, mocking, and gibing, and laughing at them, so thatno one can hear a word for the tumult. But the burgomaster bidsthem hold their peace, and let the guilty pair be placed beforehim. 

He remained a long while silent, gazing at them both, then sighingdeeply, addressed his son--

"Oh, thou lost son, hast thou not yet given up thy dissolutecourses? What is this I hear of thee in Wolgast? Now thou mustneeds humble this noble maiden, and bring dishonour on herhouse--flinging all thy father's admonitions to the wind--"

Here the son interrupted--

"True; but this noble maiden had thrown herself in his way, like acommon girl, and he was only flesh and blood like other men. Whydid she follow him so?"

Whereupon the father replied--

"Oh, thou shameless child, who, like the prodigal in Scripture, hast destroyed thy substance with harlots and riotous living, inplace of humbleness and repentance, dost thou impudently tell ofthis poor young maiden's shame before all the world? Oh, son! oh, son! even the blind heathen said, '_Ego illum periisse puto, cuiquidem periit pudor_' [Footnote: Plautus in Bacchid. ]--whichmeans, 'I esteem him dead in whom shame is dead. ' Therefore is thysin doubled, being a Christian, for thou hast boasted of thy shamebefore the people here, and held up the young maiden to theircontempt, besides having beaten her so on board the vessel thatmany heard her screams, as if she were only a common wench, andnot a castle and land dowered maiden. "

To which Appelmann answered, that she had called him a commongroom and a base-born burgher churl. But his father commanded himto be silent, and bid his men first bind the knight's hands behindhis back, and then those of his son, and so carry them both toprison; but to let the maiden go free. 

When the knight heard that he was to be bound, his pride revolted, and he offered any ransom, or to give any compensation that couldbe demanded for the injury he had done them. Every one knew hiswealth, and that he had power to keep his word to the uttermost. But the burgomaster made answer, "Eye for eye, and tooth fortooth; how say you, sir knight--speak the truth, if you had takenme prisoner, as I have taken you, would you have bound my hands ornot?" To which the knight replied, "Well, Jacob, I will not speaka falsehood, for I feel that my end is near;--I would have boundyour hands. "

Hereupon the brave burgomaster answered, "I know it well; however, as you have answered me honestly, I will spare you. Burghers, donot bind his hands, neither those of my son. Ye have enough tosuffer yet before ye, and God give you both grace to repent. Andnow to the town! The crew shall declare to-morrow morn, before thehonourable council, what they have lost by the knight's means; andhe shall make it all good again to them. "

So all the people returned with great uproar and rejoicing back tothe town, and the bell from St. Mary's and St. John's rung forthmerry peals, and all the people of the town ran forth to meetthem; but when they saw the knight a prisoner, and his emptyscabbard hanging by his side, they clapped their hands andhuzzaed, shouting, "So fell the Stargardians upon Stramehl. " Thuswith merry laughter, and jests, and mockings, they carried him upthe street to the tower called the Red Sea, and there locked himup, well guarded. 

Here again he prayed the burgomaster to accept a ransom, but invain. Whereupon he at last solicited pen, paper, and ink, and alight, that he might indite a letter to his Grace, Duke Barnim;and this was granted to him. 

As for his unworthy son, the burgomaster had him carried to hisown house, and there placed him in a room, with three stoutburghers as a guard over him. And Sidonia was placed by herself inanother little chamber. 

CHAPTER III. 

_Of Otto Bark's dreadful suicide--Item, how Sidonia and JohannAppelmann were brought before the burgomaster. _

During that night there was a strong suspicion upon every one'smind that something terrible was going to happen; for a greatstorm arose at midnight, and raged fearfully round the Red Seatower, so that it seemed to rock, and when the night-watch wentround to examine it, behold three toads crept out, and setthemselves upright upon the parapet like little manikins, as thehares sometimes make themselves into manikins. 

What all this denoted was discovered next morning, for when thejailer entered Otto's cell in the tower, he saw him lying on thefloor in a pool of blood, with his own dagger sticking in hisheart. On the table stood the lamp which he had asked for, stillburning feebly, and near it a great many written papers. 

The man instantly ran for the burgomaster, who followed him withall speed to the tower. They felt the corpse, but it was alreadyquite cold. So then a messenger was despatched for the chirurgeon, to hold a _visum repertum_ over him. 

Meantime they examined the papers, and found first my graciousLady of Wolgast's letter to the unfortunate father--the same whichhad made him tremble so the day before--and therein was relatedall the shameful circumstances concerning Sidonia, just as Ulrichhad stated them in the letter to the burgomaster. Then they cameupon his last will and testament; but where the seal ought to havebeen, there lay a large drop of blood, with this memorandumbeneath it: "This is my heart's first blood which I have affixedhere, in place of a seal, and may he who slights it be accursedfor evermore, even as my daughter Sidonia. "

In this testament he had completely disinherited his daughterSidonia, and made his son Otto sole inheritor of all his property, castles, and lands (for his daughter Clara was already dead, andhad left no children). Nothing should his daughter Sidonia havebut two farm-houses in Zachow, [Footnote: A small town nearStramehl, a mile and a half from Regenwalde. ] just to keep herfrom beggary, and to save the ancient, illustrious name of theirhouse from falling into further contempt. Yet should his son thinkproper to give her further _alimentum_, he was at liberty soto do. Lastly, for the second and third time, he cursed hisdaughter, to whom he owed all his misery, from the affair with theapprentice to that concerning the Jena dues, up to this his mostmiserable and wretched death. _Item_, the burgomaster pickedup another letter, which was addressed to himself, and wherein theknight prayed, first, that his body might not be drawn by theexecutioner to burial, as was the custom with suicides, butconveyed honourably to Stramehl, and there deposited in the vaultof his family; secondly, that his daughter Sidonia might be sentto Zachow, there to learn how to live humbly as a peasantmaid--for that she might look to being a Duchess of Pomerania, only when she could keep her evil desires still for even a coupleof days. 

Then he cursed her so that it was pitiable to read; and provedthat, if he had been a more God-fearing father, she might havebeen a different daughter; for as St. Paul says (Galatians vi. ), "What a man soweth, that shall he also reap. " The letter furthersaid, that, for the good deed done to his corpse, the burgomastershould take all the gold found upon his person, consisting ofeighty good rose-nobles, and indemnify himself therewith for theloss of his spices that day in Stramehl when they were scatteredbefore the Jews. He lastly desired his last will and testament tobe conveyed to his son, along with his corpse; and further, hisson was to send compensation to the crew for the cask of wine andwhatever other losses they had sustained, according to hisknightly word which he had pledged to them. 

_Summa_, when the chirurgeon arrived and the body wasexamined, there was found upon the unfortunate knight a purse, embroidered with pearls and diamonds, containing eightyrose-nobles, which the burgomaster in no wise disdained toreceive, and then laid the whole matter before the honourablecouncil, with the petition of Otto concerning the corpse. Thehonourable council fully justified the burgomaster for all he haddone, and gave their opinion, that as the good town had nojurisdiction over the knight, so they could have none over hisbody, and therefore let it be removed with all honour to Stramehl, particularly as he had in all things made amends for the wrong hehad done them. As regarded Sidonia, two porters should be sent toconvey her to Zachow. 

Meantime Sidonia had heard of her father's horrible death, and layon the ground nearly insensible from grief. Just then theburgomaster returned from the council-hall, and commanded that sheand his profligate son should be brought before him. When theyarrived, he asked how it happened that they were both found in thevessel, for Ulrich, the Grand Chamberlain, had written to informhim that Sidonia had been sent away in a coach to Stettin, withthe executioner on the box. 

Here Sidonia sobbed so violently that no word could she utter;therefore the son replied that such had been done, but that hehad been given a horse from the ducal stables, and had followedthe coach; and when they stopped at Uckermund for the night, hehad secretly got speech with Sidonia, and advised her to try andremove the planks from the bottom of the carriage and escape tohim, for that he would be quite close at hand. And he did what hecould that night to loosen the boards himself. So in the morningSidonia got them up easily, and first dropped her baggage outthrough the hole, which he picked up; and then, as they came to asoft, sandy tract where the coach had to go very slowly, she letherself also down through it, and sinking in the deep sand, letthe coach go over her without any hurt. Then he came to her, andthey fled to the next town, where he bought a waggon from somepeasants, for her and her luggage to proceed into Stargard, forshe was ashamed to appear before Duke Barnim, and wished to get onfrom Stargard to Stramehl; but when they reached Damm, they heardsuch wild tales of the robbers and partisans who infested theroads, that Sidonia grew alarmed, and made him go by water forsafety. So he left the horse and waggon at the inn, and took shipwith the merchants who were going to Stargard. These were theiradventures. The rest his father knew as well as himself. 

The burgomaster then asked Sidonia had he spoken truth. So shedried her eyes, and nodded her head for "Yes. "

Then he admonished her gravely, for that she, a noble maiden, could have dishonoured herself with a mere burgher's son, like hisJohann, in whom even he, his own father, must say, there wasnothing to tempt any girl. And now she knew the truth of thosewords of St. James: "Lust, when it hath conceived, bringeth forthsin; and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. "

Her sin had, indeed, brought forth her father's death;--would thathe could say only his _temporal_ death. This her father hadhimself asserted in his testament, which he held now in his hands, and for this cause had left all his goods, lands, and castles toher brother Otto--only giving her two farm-houses in Zachow tosave her from the beggar's staff, and their noble name fromfalling into yet greater contempt--and, in addition, he had cursedher with terrible curses; but these might be yet turned away, ifshe would incline her heart to God, and lead a pious, honest lifefor the rest of her days. And much more the worthy man preached toher; but she interrupted him, having found her tongue at last, andexclaimed in wrath, "What! has the good-for-nothing old churlwritten this? Let me see it; it cannot be true. "

So the burgomaster reached her the paper, and, as she read, hercolour changed, and at last she shrieked aloud and fell downbefore the burgomaster, clasping his knees, and praying by theJesu cross not to send such a testament to her brother, for thathe was still harder than her father, because he was by natureavaricious, and would grudge her even salt with her bread. Let himremember that his son had promised her marriage, and would hedestroy his own children?

Then Jacob Appelmann turned to his profligate son, and asked, "Does she speak the truth? Have you promised her marriage?"

But the shameless knave answered, "True, I so promised her, whenwe were at Uckermund; but now that she has no money, I wash myhands of her. "

Such villainy made the old man flame with indignation. "He wouldmake him know that he must stand by his word--he would force himto it, if he could only think it would be for the advantage ofthis wretched girl. But he would admonish her to give him up; didshe not see that he was shameless, cruel, and selfish? and howcould she ever hope to turn to God and lead a new life with suchan infamous partner? _Item_, his son should be made to work, and to feel poverty, so that his evil desires might be stifled;and as for her, let her go in God's name to Zachow, and there insolitude repent her sins, and strive to win the favour of God. "

But that was no water for her mill; so she continued to lament, and weep, and pray the burgomaster not to send the will to herharsh brother; upon which he answered mildly, "Wert thou to lie atmy feet till morning, it would not help thee: the testament goesthis day to Stramehl; but I will do this for thee. Thy father leftme some rose-nobles, in a purse which he carried about with him, as a compensation for my spices, which he strewed before the Jewsin Stramehl, of which deed thou, too, wert also guilty, as I know;therefore I was not ashamed to take the money. But of the pursethy father said naught; so I had it in my mind to keep it--for, intruth, it is of more worth than the nobles it contained. If Imistake not, these are true pearls and diamonds with which it isbroidered. Look, here it is. What sayest thou?"

Here she sobbed, and answered, "She knew it well; she hadbroidered the purse herself. They were her mother's pearls anddiamonds, and part of her bridal gear; truly they were worth threethousand florins. "

"Then, " said the brave old man, "I will give thee this purse, since it was not named either for me or for thy brother atStramehl. Take it to Zachow; thou wilt make a good penny of it. Bepious, and God-fearing, and industrious, remembering what the HolyScripture says (Prov. Xxxi. ): 'A virtuous woman takes wool andflax, and labours diligently with her hands. She stretches out herhands to the wheel, and her fingers grasp the spindle. ' Hadst thoulearned this, in place of thy costly broidery, methinks it wouldhave been better with thee this day. "

As he thus spoke, he put the purse in her hands, and she instantlyhid it in her pocket. But the profligate Johann now suddenlybecame repentant, for he thought, if I can obtain nothing goodfrom my father, I may at least get the purse. So he began to weepand lament, and fell down, too, at his father's feet, saying, ifhe would only pardon him this once, he would indeed take this poormaiden to wife, as he had promised her, for he alone was guilty ofher sin; only would his heart's dearest father forgive him? And sothe hypocrite went on with his lies. 

Whereupon his father made answer honourably and mildly--"Suchpromises thou hast often made, but never kept. However, I will trythee yet again. If thou wilt spend each day diligently writing inthe council-office, and return each night to sleep in my chamber, and continue this good conduct for a few years, to testify thyrepentance, as a brave and upright son, and Sidonia meanwhilecontinues to lead a godly and humble life at Zachow, then, inGod's name, ye shall both marry, and make amends for your sin; butnot before that. "

As he said this, and bid his son stand up, the hypocrite answered, yes, he would do the will of his dear father; but then he mustkeep back this testament; so would his children be happy. Otherwise, wherefore should they marry?--what could they live on?A couple of cabins in Zachow would not be enough. 

"Truly, " replied the old man, "if I were as great a knave as thouart, I would do as thou hast said; yet, though the loss of thespices, which her father wickedly destroyed, did me such injurythat I had to sell my house, to get the means of living andkeeping thee at the University of Grypswald, I will keep my handspure from the property of another, even if this property belongedto my greatest enemy, and the enemy of this good town also. _Summa_, this day thou shalt go to the council-office, thetestament to Stramehl, and Sidonia to Zachow. "

So the knave was silent: but Sidonia still resisted; she would notgo to Zachow--never; but if he would send her to Stettin, she wascertain the good Duke Barnim would be kind to an unfortunatemaiden, who had done nothing more than what thousands do insecret. And whatever the gracious Prince resolved concerning her, she would abide by. 

When the burgomaster heard this speech, he saw that no amendmentwas to be expected from her; and as he had no authority to compelher to Zachow, he promised, at last, to send her to Stettin on thefollowing day, for there were two market waggons going, and shecould travel in one, and thereby be more secure against alldanger. And so it was done. 

CHAPTER IV. 

_How Sidonia meets Claude Uckermann again, and solicits him towed her--Item, what he answered, and how my gracious Lord ofStettin received her. _

Sidonia, next morning, got a good soft seat in the waggon, uponthe sack of a cloth merchant; he was cousin to the burgomaster, and promised to take her with him, out of friendship for him. Allthe men in the waggon were armed with spears and muskets, for fearof the robbers, who were growing more daring every day. 

So they proceeded; but had not got far from the town when ahorseman galloped furiously after them, and called out that hewould accompany them; and this was Claude Uckermann, of whom Ihave spoken so much in my former book. He, too, was going toStettin. Now when Sidonia saw him, her eyes glistened like a cat'swhen she sees a mouse, and she rejoiced at the prospect of suchgood company, for since the wedding of her sister, never had thishandsome youth come across her, though she was constantly lookingout for him. So as he rode up by the waggon, she greeted him, andprayed him to alight and come and sit by her upon the sack, thatthey might talk together of dear old times. 

She imagined, no doubt, that he knew nothing of all that hadhappened; but her disgrace was as public at Stargard as if it hadbeen pealed from the great bell of St. Mary's. He therefore knewher whole story, and answered, that sitting by her wasdisagreeable to him now; and he rode on. This was plain enough, one would think; but Sidonia still held by her delusion; for asthey reached the first inn, and stopped to feed the horses, shesaw him stepping aside to avoid her, and seating himself at somedistance on a bank. So she put on her flattering face, andadvanced to him, saying, "Would not the dear young knight make upwith her?--what ailed him?--it was impossible he could resent hersilly fun at her sister's wedding. Oh! if he had come again andasked her seriously to be his wife, in place of there in themiddle of the dancing, as if he had been only jesting, she wouldnever have had another husband, for from that till now, never hadso handsome a knight met her eyes; but she was still free. "

Hereupon the young man (as he told me himself) made answer--"Yes, she had rightly judged, he was only jesting, and taking hispastime with her, as they sat there upon the carpet, for he heldin unspeakable aversion and disgust a cup from which every onesipped. "

Still Sidonia would not comprehend him, and began to talk aboutWolgast. But he looked down straight before him in the grass, andnever spake a word, but turned on his heel, and entered the inn, to see after his horse. So he got rid of her at last. 

As the waggon set off again, she began to sing so merrily andloudly, that all the wood rang with it. And the young knight wasnot so stupid but that he truly discerned her meaning, which wasto show him that she cared little for his words, since she couldgo away in such high spirits. 

_Summa_, when they reached the inn at Stettin, Sidonia gotall her baggage carried in from the waggon, and there dressedherself with all her finery: silken robes, golden hairnet, andgolden chains, rings, and jewels, that all the people saluted herwhen she came forth, and went to the castle to ask for hisHighness the Duke. He was in his workshop, and had just finishedturning a spinning-wheel; he laughed aloud when she entered, ranto her, embraced her, and cried, "What! my treasure!--where hastthou been so long, my sugar-morsel? How I laughed when MasterHansen, whom my old, silly, sour cousin of Wolgast sent with thee, came in lately into my workshop, and told me he had brought theehither in a ducal coach! I ran directly to the courtyard; but whenthe knave opened the door, my little thrush had flown. Where hastthou been so long, my sugar-morsel?"

As his Grace put all these questions, he continued kissing her, sothat his long white beard got entangled in her golden chains; andas she pushed him away, a bunch of hair remained sticking to herbrooch, so that he screamed for pain, and put his hand to hischin. At this, in rushed the court marshal and the treasurer (whowere writing in the next chamber) as white as corpses, and asked, "Who is murdering his Grace?" but his Grace held up his hand overhis bleeding mouth, and winked to them to go away. So when theysaw that it was only a maiden combat, they went their waylaughing. 

Hereupon speaks his Grace--"See now, treasure, what thou hastdone! Thou canst be so kind to a groom, yet thy own graciousPrince will treat so harshly!"

But Sidonia began to weep bitterly. "What did he think of her? Thewhole story was an invention by his old sour cousin of Wolgast toruin her because she would not learn her catechism (and then shetold the same tale as to her father); but would not his Grace takepity on a poor forsaken maiden, seeing that Prince Ernest couldnot deny he had promised to make her his bride, and wed herprivately at Crummyn, on the very next night to that on which herGrace had so shamefully outraged her?"

"My sweet treasure!" answered the Duke, "the young Prince was onlymaking a fool of you; therefore be content that things are noworse. For even if he had wedded you privately, it would have beenall in vain, seeing that neither the princely widow nor theElector of Brandenburg, his godfather, nor any of the princes ofthe holy Roman Empire, nor lastly, the Pomeranian States, wouldever have permitted so unequal a marriage. Therefore, what thepriest joined in Crummyn would have been put asunder next day bythe tribunals. My poor nephew is a silly enthusiast not to haveperceived this all along, before he put such absurdities in yourhead. That he talked gallantry to you was very natural, and Iwished him all success; but that he should ever have talked ofmarriage shows him to be even sillier than I expected from hisyears. "

Here Sidonia's tears burst forth anew. "Who would care for her nowthat her father was dead, and had left her penniless? All becausehe believed that old hypocrite of Wolgast more than his owndaughter. Alas! alas! she was a poor orphan now! and all herpossessions would be torn from her by her hard-hearted, avariciousbrother. Yet surely his Grace might at least take pity on herinnocence. "

His Grace wondered much when he heard of Otto's death, for theletters brought by the market waggon from the honourable council, acquainting him with the matter, had not yet arrived, and hescratched behind his ear, and said, "It was an evil deed of thatproud devil her father, to claim the Jena dues. He had got hisanswer at Wolgast, and ought to have left the dues alone. Whatright had he to break the peace of the land, to gratify his lustand greed? It was well that he was dead; but as concerning histestament, that must not be interfered with, he had no power overthe property of individuals. Each one might leave his goods asbest pleased him; yet he would make his treasurer write a letterin her favour to her brother Otto: that was all that he could do. "

This threw Sidonia into despair; she fell at his feet, and toldhim, that let what would become of her, she would never go a stepto Zachow, and her harsh brother would never give her onegroschen, unless he were forced to it. His Grace ought to rememberthat it was by his advice she had gone to Wolgast, where all hermisery had commenced; for by the traitorous conduct of the widow, there she had been robbed, not only of her good name, but also ofher fortune. So his Grace comforted her, and said that as long ashe lived she would want for nothing. He had a pretty house behindSt. Mary's, and six young maidens lived there, who had nothing todo but spin and embroider, or comb out the beautiful herons'feathers as the birds moulted; for he had a large stock of heronsclose to the house; and there was a darling little chamber there, which she could have immediately for herself. As to clothes, theymight all get the handsomest they pleased, and their meals weresupplied from the ducal kitchen. 

As his Grace ended, and lifted up Sidonia and kissed her, she weptand sighed more than ever. "Could he think this of her? No; shewould never enter the house which was the talk of all Pomerania. If she consented, then, indeed, would the world believe all thefalsehoods that were told of her--of her, who was as innocent as achild!" Hereupon his Grace answered stiff and stern (yet this wasnot his wont, for he was a right tender master), "Then go yourways. Into that house or nowhere else. " (Alas! let every maidentake warning, by this example, to guard against the first falsestep. Amen, chaste Jesus! Amen. )

That evening Sidonia took up her abode in the house. But that sameevening there was a great _scandalum, _ and tearing of eachother's hair among the girls. For one of them, named TrinaWehlers, was a baker's daughter from Stramehl, and on the occasionof Clara's wedding she had headed a procession of young peasantsto join the bridal party, but Sidonia had haughtily pushed herback, and forbid them to approach. This Trina was a fine rosywench, and my Lord Duke took a fancy to her then, so that shelooked with great jealousy on any one that threatened to rob herof his favour. Now when Sidonia entered the house and saw thebaker's daughter, she commenced again to play the part of thegreat lady, but the other only laughed, and mockingly asked her, "Where was the princely spouse, Duke Ernest of Wolgast? Would hisHighness come to meet her there?"

Then Sidonia raged from shame and despair, that this peasant girlshould dare to insult her, and she ran weeping to her chamber; butwhen supper was served, the _scandalum_ broke out in earnest. For Sidonia had now grown a little comforted, and as there weremany dainty dishes from the Duke's table sent to them, she beganto enjoy herself somewhat, when all of a sudden the baker'sdaughter gave her a smart blow over the fingers with a fork. Sidonia instantly seized her by the hair; and now there was suchan uproar of blows, screams, and tongues, that my gracious lord, the Duke, was sent for. Whereupon he scolded the baker's daughterright seriously for her insolence, and told her that as Sidoniawas the only noble maiden amongst them, she was to bear rule. Andif the others did not obey her humbly, as befitted her rank, theyshould all be whipped. His Grace wore a patch of black plaister onhis chin, and attempted to kiss Sidonia again, but she pushed himaway, saying that he must have told all that happened at Wolgastto these girls, otherwise how could the baker's daughter havemocked her about it. 

Whereupon my gracious lord consoled her, and said that if she werequiet and well-behaved, he would take her with him to the Diet atWollin, for all the young dukes of Pomerania were to attend it, and Prince Ernest amongst the number, seeing that he had summonedthem all there, in order to give up the government of the landinto their hands, as he was too old now himself to be tormentedwith state affairs. 

When Sidonia heard this, hope sprang up within her heart, and sheresolved to bear her destiny calmly. 

CHAPTER V. 

_How they went on meantime at Wolgast--Item, of the Diet atWollin, and what happened there. _

With regard to their Serene Highnesses of Wolgast, I have alreadyrelated, _libro primo, _ that the young lord, ErnestLudovicus, was carried out of Sidonia's chamber like one dead, when he beheld her abominable wickedness with his own eyesand all can easily believe that he lay for a long while sick untodeath. In vain Dr. Pomius offered his celebrated specific; hewould take nothing, did nothing day or night but sigh and groan--

"Ah, Sidonia; ah, my beloved heart's bride, Sidonia, can it bepossible? Adored Sidonia, my heart is breaking. Sidonia, Sidonia, can it be possible?"

At last the idea struck Dr. Pomius that there must be magic anddevil's work in it. So he searched through all his learned books, and finally came upon a recipe which was infallible in such cases. This was to burn the tooth of a dead man to powder, and let thesick bewitched person smoke the ashes. Such was solemnlyrecommended by Petrus Hispanus Ulyxbonensis, who, under the nameof John XXII. , ascended the papal throne. See his _ThesaurusPauperum, _ cap. Ult. 

But the Prince would neither take anything nor smoke anything, andthe _delirium amatorium_ grew more violent and alarming dayby day, so that the whole ducal house was plunged into the deepestgrief and despair. 

Now there was a prisoner in the bastion tower at Wolgast, a carlfrom Katzow, who had been arrested and condemned for practisinghorrible sorceries and magic--namely, having changed the calves ofhis neighbours into young hares, which instinctively started offto the woods, and were never seen more, as the whole towntestified; and other devil's doings he had practised, which I nowforget; but they were fully proved against him, and so he wassentenced to be burned. 

This man now sent a message to the authorities, that if theypardoned him and allowed him free passage from the town, he wouldtell of something to cure the young lord. This was agreed to; andwhen he was brought to the chamber of the Prince, he laid his eardown upon his breast, to listen if it were witchcraft that ailedhim. Then he spake--

"Yes; the heart beats quite unnaturally, the sound was like thewhimpering of a fly caught in a spider's web; their lordshipsmight listen for themselves. "

Whereupon all present, one after the other, laid their ear uponthe breast of the young Prince, and heard really as he haddescribed. 

The earl now said that he would give his Highness a potion whichwould make him, from that hour, hate the woman who had bewitchedhim as much as he had adored her. _Item, _ the young lord mustsleep for three days, and when he woke, his strength would havereturned to him; to procure this sleep, he must anoint his templeswith goat's milk, which they must instantly bring him, and duringhis sleep the Lady Duchess must, every two hours, lay freshox-flesh upon his stomach. 

When her Grace heard this, she rejoiced that her dear son would sosoon hold the harlot in abhorrence who had bewitched him. And theearl gave him a red syrup, which he had no sooner swallowed thanall care for Sidonia seemed to have vanished from his mind. Evenbefore the goat's milk came, he exclaimed--

"Now that I think over it, what a great blessing that we have gotrid of Sidonia. "

And no sooner were his temples bathed with the milk than he fellinto a deep sleep, which lasted for three days, and when he openedhis eyes, his first words were--

"Where is that Sidonia? Is the wanton still here? Bring her beforeme, that I may tell her how I hate her. Oh, fool that I was, toperil my princely honour for a harlot. Where is she? I must havemy revenge upon the light wanton. "

Her Grace could hardly speak for joy when she heard these words;and she gave the earl, who had watched all the time by the bedsideof the young Prince, so much ham and sausages from the ducalkitchen, that he finally could not walk, but was obliged to bedrawn out of the town in a car. Then she asked Dr. Pomius how sucha miracle could have been effected. At which he laid his finger onhis nose, after his manner, and replied, such was accomplishedthrough the introduction of the natural Life Balsam, which thelearned called _confermentationem Mumie_, and so the foolwent on prating, and her Grace devouring his words as if they weregospel. 

_Summa. _--After a few days the young lord was able to leavehis bed, and as they kept fresh ox-flesh continually applied tohis stomach, he soon regained his strength, so that, in a coupleof weeks, he could ride, fish, and hunt, and his cheeks were asfresh and rosy as ever. One day he mentioned "the groom'smistress, " as he called her, and wished he could give her a lessonin lute-playing, it would be one to make her tremble. But when theletter arrived from Duke Barnim, declaring that, from his greatage, he proposed resigning the government of Pomerania into thehands of her Grace's sons, there was no end to the rejoicings atWolgast, and her Grace declared that she would herself accompanythem to the Diet at Wollin. 

We shall now see what a treat was waiting her at the old castlethere. It was built wholly of wood, and has long since fallen; butat the time I write of, it was standing in all its glory. 

Monday, the 15th May 1569, at eleven in the forenoon, his Grace ofStettin came with seven coaches and two hundred and fourteenhorsemen into the courtyard. And there, on the steps of thecastle, stood my gracious Lady of Wolgast, holding the littleCasimir by the hand, in waiting to receive his Highness, and allher other sons stood round her--namely, the illustrious Bishop ofCamyn, Johann Frederick, in his bishop's robes, with the staff andmitre. _Item, _ Duke Bogislaus, who had presented her Gracewith a tame sea-gull. _Item, _ Ernest Ludovicus, in a Spanishmantle of black velvet, embossed in gold, and upon his head ablack velvet Spanish hat, looped up with diamonds, from which longwhite plumes descended to his shoulder. _Item, _ Barnim theyounger, who wore a dress similar to his brother's. _Item, _the Grand Chamberlain, Ulrich von Schwerin, and with him a greatcrowd of the counsellors and state officers of Wolgast, besidesall the nobles, prelates, knights, and chief burghers of theduchy. Among the nobles stood Otto von Bork, brother to Sidonia;and the burgomaster, Jacob Appelmann, held his place among thecitizens. 

As Duke Barnim drove up to the castle, the guards fired a salute, and the bells rang, and the cannon roared, and all the vessels inthe harbour hoisted their flags, while the streets, houses, andcourtyards were decorated with flowers, and all the people of thelittle town trotted round the carriage, shouting, "Vivat! vivat!vivat!" so that the like was never seen before in Wollin. 

Now, when the coach stopped, her Grace the Duchess advanced tomeet his Highness; and as old Duke Barnim's head appeared at thewindow, with his long white beard and yellow leather cap, herGrace stepped forward, and said--"Welcome, dearest Un------"

But she could get no farther, and stood as stiff as Lot's wifewhen she was turned into a pillar of salt, for there was Sidoniaseated in the carriage beside the Duke! Old Ulrich, who followed, soon spied the cause of her Grace's dismay, and exclaimed--

"Three thousand devils, what does your Highness mean by bringingthe accursed harlot a third time amongst us?"

But his Highness only laughed, and drew forth his last puppet, itwas a Satan as he tempted Eve, saying--

"Hold this for me, good Ulrich, till I am out of the coach, andthen I shall hear all about it. "

To which the other answered--

"If you let me catch hold of this other Satan, whom ye bring withyou, I think it were wiser done!"

Prince Ernest now sprang down the steps, his eye flaming withrage, and drawing his sword, cried--

"Hold me, or I will stab the serpent to the heart, who sodisgraced me and my family honour. I will murder her there in thecoach before your eyes. "

Whereupon old Ulrich flung the little wooden Satan to the ground, and seized the young man by the arm, while Sidonia screamedviolently. But the old Duke stepped deliberately out of the coach. Seeing, however, his wooden Satan lying broken on the ground, hebecame very wroth, and called loudly for a turner with hisglue-pot. Then he ascended the steps, and when all had greeted himdeferentially, he began--

"Dear niece, worthy cousins, and friends, ye have no doubt heardof the misfortune which hath befallen Sidonia von Bork, who sitsthere in the carriage. Her father has died; and, further, she hasbeen disinherited. Thereupon she fled to me to seek a refuge. Nowye all know well that the Von Borks are an ancient, honourable, and illustrious race--none more so; therefore I had compassionupon the orphan, and brought her hither to effect a reconciliationbetween her and Otto Bork, her brother. Step forward, Otto Bork, where are you hiding? Step forth, and hand your sister from thecarriage; I saw you amongst the nobles here to-day. Step forth!"

But Otto had disappeared; and as the Duke found he would notanswer to his summons, he bid Sidonia come forth herself. Whereupon the young Prince swore fiercely that, if she but put afoot upon the step he would murder her. "What the devil! youngman, " said the Duke, laughing; "first you must needs wed her, andnow you will slay her dead at our feet! This is somewhatinconsistent. Come forth, Sidonia; he will not be so cruel. "

But she sat in the coach, and wept like a child who has lost itsnurse. So my gracious lady stepped forward, and commanded thecoachman to drive instantly with the maiden to the town inn; andso it was done. 

Now the old Duke never ceased for the whole forenoon solicitingOtto Bork to take the poor orphan home with him, and there totreat her as a faithful and kind brother, in compensation for herfather's harsh and unnatural will; but it was all in vain, as sheindeed had prophesied. "Not the weight of a feather more shouldshe get than the two farmhouses in Zachow; and never let her callhim brother, for ancient as his race was, never had one of themborne the brand of infamy till now. "

In the afternoon, all the prelates, nobles, and burghers assembledin the grand hall; then entered the ducal family, Barnim the elderat their head. He was dressed in a long black robe, such as thepriests wear now, with white ruffles and Spanish frill, and wasbareheaded. He took his seat at the top of the table, and thusspake--

"Illustrious Princess, dear cousins, nobles, and faithfulburghers, ye all know that I have ruled this Pomeranian land forfifty years, upholding the pure doctrine of Doctor Martin Luther, and casting down papacy in all places and at all times. But as Iam now old, and find it hard sometimes to keep my unruly vassalsin order, whereof we have had a proof lately, it is my will andpurpose to resign the government into the hands of my dearcousins, the illustrious Princes von Pommern-Wolgast, and retireto Oderburg in Old Stettin, there to rest in peace for theremainder of my days; but there are four princes (for the fifth, Casimir, to-morrow or next day shall get a church endowment) andbut two duchies. For ye know that, by the Act passed in 1541, theDuchy of Pomerania can only be divided into two portions, theother princes of the family being entitled but to life-annuities. Therefore I have resolved to let it be decided by lot amongst thefour Pomeranian princes (according to the example set us by theholy apostles), which of them shall succeed me in Stettin, whichis to rule in Wolgast in the room of my loved brother, PhilippusPrimus of blessed memory; and, finally, which is to be contentonly with the life-annuity. And this shall now be ascertained inyour presence. "

Having ended, he commanded the Grand Marshal, Von Flemming, tobring the golden lottery-box with the tickets, and beckoned theyoung princes to the table. Then, while they drew the lots, hecommanded all the nobles, knights, and burghers present to lift uptheir hands and repeat the Lord's Prayer aloud. So every hand waselevated, even the Duke and my gracious lady uplifting theirs, andthe three young princes drew the lots, but not the fourth, andthis was Bogislaff. So Duke Barnim wondered, and asked the reason. Whereupon he answered, "That he would not tempt God in aught. Togovern a land was a serious thing; and he who had little to rulehad little to be responsible for before God. He would thereforefreely withdraw his claims, and be content with the annuity; thenhe could remain with his dear mother, and console her in herwidowhood. He did not fear that he would ever repent his choice, for he had more pleasure in study than in the pomp of the world;and if he took the government, then must his beloved library begiven up for food to the moths and spiders. "

All arguments were vain to turn him from his resolve: so the lotswere drawn, and it was found that Johann Frederick had come by theDukedom of Stettin, and Ernest Ludovicus by that of Wolgast. 

But as Barnim the younger went away empty, he was filled with envyand mortification, showing quite a different spirit from his meek, humble-minded brother, Bogislaff. He swore, and cursed his illluck. "Why did not that fool of a bookworm give over his chance tohim, if he would not profit by it himself? Why the devil should hedescend to play the commoner, when he was born to play theprince?" and suchlike unamiable and ill-tempered speeches. However, he was now silenced by the drums and trumpets, whichstruck up the _Te Deum_, in which all present joined. ThenDoctor Dannenbaum offered up a prayer, and so that grand ceremonyconcluded. But the feasting and drinking was carried on with suchspirit all through the evening, and far into the night, that allthe young lords, except Bogislaff, had well nigh drowned theirsenses in the wine-cup; and Ernest started up about midnight, declaring that he would go to the inn and murder Sidonia. Barnimwas busy quarrelling with Johann Frederick about his annuity. SoErnest would certainly have gone to Sidonia, if one of the nobles, by name Dinnies Kleist, a man of huge strength, had not detainedhim in a singular manner. For he laid a wager that, just with hislittle finger in the girdle of the young Prince, he would hold himfast; and if he (the Prince) moved but one inch from the spotwhere he stood, he was content to lose his wager. 

And, in truth, Prince Ernest found that he could not stir one stepfrom the spot where Dinnies Kleist held him; so he called a nobleto assist him, who seized his hand and tried to draw him away, butin vain; then he called a second, a third, a fourth, up to adozen, and they all held each other by the hand, and pulled andpulled away till their heads nearly touched the floor, but invain; not one inch could they make the Prince to move. So DinniesKleist won his wager; and the Duke, Johann Frederick, was sodelighted with this proof of his giant strength, that he took himinto his service from that hour. So the whole night Dinnies amusedthe guests by performing equally wonderful feats even until daydawned. 

Now, there was an enormous golden becker which Duke Ratibor I. Hadtaken away from the rich town of Konghalla, in Norway land, whenhe fell upon it and plundered it. This becker stood on the tablefilled with wine, and as the Duke handed it to him to pledge him, Dinnies said, "Shall I crush this in my hand, like fresh bread, for your Grace?" "You may try, " said the Duke, laughing; andinstantly he crushed it together with such force, that the winedashed down all over the table-cover. _Item_, the Duke threwdown some gold and silver medals--"Could he break them?"

"Ay, truly, if they were given to him; not else. "

"Take, then, as many as you can break, " said the Duke. So he brokethem all as easily as altar wafers, and thrust them, laughing, into his pocket. 

_Item_, there had been large quantities of preserved cherriesat supper, and the lacqueys had piled up the stones on a dish likea high mountain. From this mountain Dinnies took handful afterhandful, and squeezed them together, so that not a single stoneremained whole in his hand. We shall hear a great deal more ofthis Dinnies Kleist, and his strength, as we proceed; thereforeshall let him rest for the present. 

CHAPTER VI. 

_How Sidonia is again discovered with the groom, JohannAppelmann. _

It was a good day for Johann Appelmann, when his father went tothe Diet at Wollin. For as the old burgomaster held strictly byhis word, and sent him each day to the writing-office, and lockedhim up each night in his little room, the poor young man had foundlife growing very dull. Now he was his mother's pet, and all hissins and wickedness were owing to her as much as Sidonia's to herfather. She had petted and spoiled him from his youth up, andstiffened his back against his father. For whenever worthy Jacoblaid the stick upon the boy's shoulders, she cried and roared, andcalled him nothing but an old tyrant. Then how she was alwaysstuffing him up with tit-bits and dainties, whenever his father'sback was turned; and if there were a glass of wine left in thebottle, the boy must have it. Then she let him and his brotherbeat and abuse all the street-boys and send them away bleedinglike dogs; and some were afraid to complain of them, as they weresons of the burgomaster; and if others came to the house to do so, she took good care to send them away with a stout blow or bloodynose. 

And as the lads grew up, how she praised their beauty, and curledtheir hair and beards herself, telling them they were not to thinkof citizen wives, but to look after the richest and highest, forthe proudest in the land might be glad to get them as husbands. Soshe prated away during her husband's absence, for he was in hisoffice all day and most part of the evening. And God knows, badfruit she brought forth with such rearing--not alone in Johann, but also in his brother Wittich, who, as I afterwards heard, goton no better in Pudgla, where he held the office of magistrate. Sotrue it is what the Scripture says, "A wise woman buildeth herhouse, but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands" (Prov. Xiv. ) Then, another Scripture, "As moths from a garment, so from awoman wickedness" (Sirach xlii. )

For what did this fool do now? As soon as her upright and worthyhusband had left the house, forgetting and despising all hisadmonitions respecting this son Johann, she called together allher acquaintance, and kept up a gormandising and drinking dayafter day, all to comfort her heart's dear pet Johann, who hadbeen used so harshly by his cross father. Think of her fine, handsome son being stuck down all day to a clerk's desk. Ah! wasthere ever such a tyrant as her husband to any one, but especiallyto his own born children?

And so she went on complaining how she had thrown herself awayupon such a hard-hearted monster, and had refused so many fineyoung carls, all to wed Satan himself at least. She could not makeout why God had sent such a curse upon her. 

When the brave Johann heard all this, he begged money from hismother, that he might seek another situation. Now that there was anew duke in Stettin, he would assuredly get employment there, butthen he must treat all the young fellows and pages about thecourt, otherwise they would not put in a good word for him. Therefore he would give them a great carouse at the White Horse inthe Monk's Close, and then assuredly he would be appointed chiefequerry. So she believed every word he uttered; but as old Jacobhad carried away all the money that was in the house with him, shesold the spices that had just come in, for a miserable sum, alsoher own pearl earrings and fur mantle, that her dear heart's sonmight have a gay carouse, to console him for all his father's hardtreatment. 

_Summa_. --When the rogue had got all he could from her, hetook his father's best mare from the stable, and rode up toStettin, where he put up at the White Horse Inn, and soon scrapedacquaintance with all the idle young fellows about the court. Sothey drank and caroused until Johann's last penny was spent, buthe had got no situation except in good promises. Truly the youngpages had mentioned him to the Duke, and asked the place ofequerry for their jovial companion, but his Highness, Duke Johann, had heard too much of his doings at Wolgast, and would by no meanscountenance him. 

Then Johann bethought himself of Sidonia, for he had heard fromhis boon companions that she was in the Duke's house behind St. Mary's. And he remembered that purse embroidered with pearls anddiamonds which his father had given her, so he went many daysspying about the house, hoping to get a glimpse of Sidonia; but asshe never appeared, he resolved to gain admission by playing thetailor. Wherefore, he tied on an apron, took a tailor's measureand shears, and went straight up to the house, asking boldly, if ayoung maiden named Sidonia did not live there? for he had gotorders to make her a garment. Now the baker's daughter, TrimWehlers, suspected all was not right, for she had seen my gayyouth spying about the house before, and staring up at all thewindows. However, she showed the tailor Sidonia's room, and thenset herself down to watch. But the wonders of Providence aregreat. Although she could not hear a word they said, yet all thatpassed in Sidonia's room was made evident--it was in this wise. Just before the house rose up the church of St. Mary's, with allits stately pillars, and as if God's house wished in wrath toexpose the wickedness of the pair, everything that passed in theroom was shadowed on these pillars; so when Trina observed this, she ran for the other girls, crying, "Come here, come here, andsee how the two shadows are kissing each other. They can be noother than Sidonia and her tailor. This would be fine news for ourgracious lord!" They would tell him the whole story when hisHighness came that evening, and so get rid of this proud, haughtydragon who played the great lady amongst them, and ruledeverything her own way. Therefore they all set themselves to watchfor the tailor when he left Sidonia's room; but the whole daypassed, and he had not done with his measurement. Whereupon theyconcluded she must have secreted him in her chamber. 

Now the Duke had a private key of the house, and was in the habitof walking over from Oderburg after dusk almost every evening; butas there was no sign of him now, they despatched a messenger, bidding him come quick to his house, and his Grace would hear andsee marvels. How the young girls gathered round him when heentered, all telling him together about Sidonia. And when at lasthe made out the story, his Grace fell into an unwonted rage (forhe was generally mild and good-tempered) that a poacher should getinto his preserves. So he runs to Sidonia's door and tries to openit, but the bolts are drawn. Then he threatened to send for MasterHansen if she did not instantly admit him, at which all the girlslaughed and clapped their hands with joy. Whereupon Sidonia atlast came to the door with looks of great astonishment, anddemanded what his Grace could want. It was bed-time, and so, ofcourse, she had locked her door to lie down in safety. 

_Ille_. -"Where is that tailor churl who had come to her inthe morning?"

_Illa_. -"She knew nothing about him, except that he had goneaway long ago. "

So the girls all screamed "No, no, that is not true! She and thetailor had been kissing each other, as they saw by the shadows onthe wall, and making love. "

Here Sidonia appeared truly horrified at such an accusation, forshe was a cunning hypocrite; and taking up the coif-block[Footnote: A block for head-gears. ] with an air of offendeddignity, said, turning to his Grace, "It was this coif-block, methinks, I had at the window with me, and may those be accursedwho blackened me to your face. " So the Duke half believed her, andstood silent at the window; but Trina Wehlers cried out, "It isfalse! it is false! a coif-block could not give kisses!" WhereuponSidonia in great wrath snatched up a robe that lay near her on acouch, to hit the baker's daughter with it across the face. Butwoe! woe! under the robe lay the tailor's cap, upon which all thegirls screamed out, "There is the cap! there is the cap! now we'llsoon find the tailor, " pushing Sidonia aside, and beginning tosearch in every nook and corner of the room. Heyday, what anuproar there was now, when they caught sight of the tailor himselfin the chimney and dragged him down; but he dashed them aside withhis hands, right and left, so that many got bleeding noses, hithis Grace, too, a blow as he tried to seize him, and rushed out ofthe house. 

Still the Duke had time to recognise the knave of Wolgast, and wasso angry at his having escaped him, that he almost beat Sidonia. "She was at her old villainy. No good would ever come of her. Hesaw that now with his own eyes. Therefore this very night she andher baggage should pack off, to the devil if she chose, but he haddone with her for ever. "

When Sidonia found that the affair was taking a bad turn, shetried soft words, but in vain. His Highness ordered up her twoserving wenches to remove her and her luggage. And so, to thegreat joy of the other girls, who laughed and screamed, andclapped their hands, she was turned out, and having nowhere to goto, put up once more at the White Horse Inn. 

Now Johann knew nothing of this until next morning, when, as hewas toying with one of the maids, he heard a voice from thewindow, "Johann! Johann! I will give thee the diamond. " Andlooking up, there was Sidonia. So the knave ran to her, and sworehe was only jesting with the maid in the court, for that he wouldmarry no one but her, as he had promised yesterday, only he mustfirst wait till he was made equerry, then he would obtain lettersof nobility, which could easily be done, as he was the son of a_patricius_; but gold, gold was wanting for all this, and tokeep up with his friends at the court. Perhaps this very day hemight get the place, if he had only some good claret to entertainthem with; therefore she had better give him a couple of diamondsfrom the purse. And so he went on with his lies and humbug, untilat last he got what he wanted. 

Sidonia now felt so ashamed of her degradation, that she resolvedto leave the White Horse, and take a little lodging in the Monk'sClose until Johann obtained the post of equerry. But in vain shehoped and waited. Every day the rogue came, he begged for anotherpearl or diamond, and if she hesitated, then he swore it would bethe last, for this very day he was certain of the situation. Atlast but two diamonds were left, and beg as he might, these heshould not have. Then he beat her, and ran off to the White Horse, but came back again in less than an hour. Would she forgive him?Now they would be happy at last; he had received his appointmentas chief equerry. His friends had behaved nobly and kept theirword, therefore he must give them a right merry carouse out ofgratitude; she might as well hand him those two little diamonds. Now they would want for nothing at last, but live like princes atthe table of his Highness the Duke. Would she not be ready tomarry him immediately?

Thereupon the unfortunate Sidonia handed over her two last jewels, but never laid eyes on the knave for two days after, when he cameto tell her it was all up with him now, the traitors had deceivedhim, he had got no situation, and unless she gave him more moneyor jewels he never could marry her. She had still golden armletsand a gold chain, let her go for them, he must see them, and trywhat he could get for them. But he begged in vain. Then hestormed, swore, threatened, beat her, and finally rushed out ofthe house declaring that she might go to the devil, for as to himhe would never give himself any further trouble about her. 

CHAPTER VII. 

_Of the distress in Pomeranian land--Item, how Sidonia andJohann Appelmann determine to join the robbers in the vicinity ofStargard. _

When my gracious lord, Duke Johann Frederick, succeeded to thegovernment, he had no idea of hoarding up his money in old pots, but lavished it freely upon all kinds of buildings, hounds, horses--in short, upon everything that could make his court andcastle luxurious and magnificent. 

Indeed, he was often as prodigal, just to gratify a whim, as whenhe flung the gold coins to Dinnies Kleist, merely to see if hecould break them. For instance, he was not content with the oldducal residence at Stettin, but must pull it down and buildanother in the forest, not far from Stargard, with churches, towers, stables, and all kinds of buildings; and this newresidence he called after his own name, Friedrichswald. 

_Item_, my gracious lord had many princely visitors, whowould come with a train of six hundred horses or more; and hisprincely spouse, the Duchess Erdmuth, was a lady of munificentspirit, and flung away gold by handfuls; so that in a short timehis Highness had run through all his forefathers' savings, and hisincoming revenue was greatly diminished by the large annuity whichhe had to pay to old Duke Barnim. 

Therefore he summoned the states, and requested them to assist himwith more money; but they gave answer that his Highness wantedprudence; he ought to tie his purse tighter. Why did he build thatnew castle of Friedrichswald? Was it ever heard in Pomerania thata prince needed two state residences? But his Highness neverentered the treasury to look after the expenditure of theduchy--he did nothing but banquet, hunt, fish, and build. Thestates, therefore, had no gold for such extravagances. 

When his Highness had received this same answer two or three timesfrom the states, he waxed wroth, and threatened to pronounce the_interdictum seculars_ over his poor land, and finally closethe royal treasury and all the courts of justice, until the stateswould give him money. 

Now the old treasurer, Jacob Zitsewitz, who had quitted Wolgast toenter the service of his Grace, was so shocked at theseproceedings, that he killed himself out of pure grief and shame. He was an upright, excellent man, this old Zitsewitz, thoughperchance, like old Duke Barnim, he loved the maidens and a lustyPomeranian draught rather too well. And he foretold all the evilthat would result from this same interdict; but his Highnessresisted his entreaties; and when the old man found his warningsunheeded and despised, he stabbed himself, as I have said, therein the treasury, before his master's eyes, out of grief and shame. 

The misery which he prophesied soon fell upon the land; for it wasjust at that time that the great house of Loitz failed in Stettin, leaving debts to the amount of twenty tons of gold, it was said;by reason of which many thousand men, widows, and orphans, wereutterly beggared, and great distress brought upon all ranks of thepeople. Such universal grief and lamentation never had been knownin all Pomerania, as I have heard my father tell, of blessedmemory; and as the princely treasury was closed, as also all thecourts of justice, and no redress could be obtained, manymisguided and ruined men resolved to revenge themselves; and thiswas now a welcome hearing to Johann Appelmann. 

For having given up all hope of the post of equerry, he madeacquaintance with these disaffected persons, amongst whom was amiller, one Philip Konneman by name, a notorious knave. With thisKonneman he sits down one evening in the inn to drink Rostockbeer, begins to curse and abuse the reigning family, who hadruined and beggared the people even more than Hans Loitz. Theyought to combine together and right themselves. Where was thecrime? Their cause was good; and where there were no judges in theland, complaints would do little good. He would be their captain. Let him speak to the others about it, and see would they consent. He knew of many churches where there were jewels and othervaluables still remaining. Also in Stargard, where his dear fatherplayed the burgomaster, there was much gold. 

So they fixed a night when they should all meet at Lastadie, [Footnote: A suburb of Stettin. ] near the ducal fish-house; andJohann then goes to Sidonia to wheedle her out of the gold chain, for handsel for the robbers. 

"Now, " he said, "the good old times were come back in Pomerania, when every one trusted to his own good sword, and were not ledlike sheep at the beck of another; for the treasury and all thecourts of justice were closed. So the glorious times ofknight-errantry must come again, such as their forefathers hadseen. " His companions had promised to elect him captain; but thenhe must give them handsel for that, and the gold chain would justsell for the sum he wanted. What use was it to her? If she gaveit, then he would take her with him, and the first rich prize theygot he would marry her certainly, and settle down in Polandafterwards, or wherever else she wished. That would be a gloriouslife, and she would never regret the young Duke. And had not allthe nobles in old time led the same life, and so gained theircastles and lands?

But Sidonia began to weep. "Let him do what he would, she wouldnever give the chain; and if he beat her, she would scream forhelp through the streets, and betray all his plans to theauthorities. Now she saw plainly how she had been deceived. He hadtalked her out of all her gold, and now wanted to bring her to thegallows at last. No, never should he get the chain--it was all shehad left; and she had determined at last to go and live quietly ather farm in Zachow, as soon as she could obtain a vehicle fromRegenswald to Labes. "

When Johann heard this, he was terribly alarmed, and kissed herlittle hands, and coaxed and flattered her--"Why did she weep?There were plenty of herons' feathers now in the garden behind St. Mary's, for the birds were moulting. She could easily get some ofthem, and they were worth three times as much as the gold chain. Did she think it a crime to take a few feathers from that oldsinner, Duke Barnim, or his girls? And if she really wished toleave him, she could sell the feathers even better in Dresden thanhere. "

It was all in vain. Sidonia continued weeping--"Let him talk as heliked, she would never give the chain. He was a knave through andthrough. Woe to her that she had ever listened to him! He was thecause of all her misery!" and so she went on. 

But the cunning fox would not give up his prey so easily. He nowtried the same trick which he had played so successfully atWolgast upon old Ulrich, and at Stargard upon his father; inshort, he played the penitent, and began to weep and lament overhis errors, and all the misery he had caused her. "It was, indeed, true that he was to blame for all; but if she would only forgivehim, and say she pardoned him, he would devote his life to her, and revenge her upon all her enemies. The moment for doing so wasnigh at hand; for the young lord, Prince Ernest, who had soshamefully abandoned her, was coming here to Stettin with hisyoung bride, the Princess Hedwig of Brunswick, to spend thehoneymoon, and would he not take good care to waylay them on theirjourney to Wolgast, and give them something to think of for therest of their lives?"

When Sidonia heard these tidings, her eyes flashed like a cat's inthe dark. "Who told him that? She would not believe it, unlesssome one else confirmed the story. "

So he answered--"That any one could confirm it, for the wholecastle was filled with workmen making preparations for theirreception; the bridal chamber had been hung with new tapestry, andpainters and carvers were busy all day long painting and carvingthe united arms of Pomerania and Brunswick upon all the furnitureand glass. "

_Illa_. --"Well, she would go into the town to inquire, and ifhis tale were true, and that he swore to marry her, he should havethe chain. "

_Ille_. --"There was a carver going by with his basket andtools--let her call him in, and hear what he said on the matter. "

So my cunning fellow called out to the workman, who stepped inpresently with his basket, and assured the lady politely, that infourteen days the young Duke of Wolgast and his princely bridewere to arrive at the castle, for the Court Marshal had told himthis himself, and given him orders to have a large number ofglasses cut with their united arms ready with all diligence. 

When Sidonia heard this, and saw the glasses in his basket, shehanded the golden chain to Johann, and the carver went his way. Then the aforesaid rogue fell down on his knees, swearing to marryher, and never to leave her more, for she had now given him all;and if this, too, were lost, she must beg her way to Zachow. 

So the gallows-bird went off with the chain, turned it into money, drank and caroused, and with the remainder set off for Lastadie, to meet the ringleaders, near the ducal fishhouse, as agreed upon. 

But Master Konneman had only been able to gather ten fellowstogether; the others held back, though they had talked so boldlyat first, thinking, no doubt, that when the courts of justice werereopened, they would all be brought to the gallows. 

So Johann thought the number too small for his purposes, andagreed with the others to send an envoy to the robber-band of theStargard Wood, proposing a league between them, and offeringhimself (Johann Appelmann, a knight of excellent family andendowments) as their captain. Should they consent, the said Johannwould give them right good handsel; and on the appointed day, meetthem in the forest, with his illustrious and noble bride; and as asign whereby they should know him, he would whistle three timesloudly when he approached the wood. 

Konneman undertook to be the bearer of the message, and returnedin a few days, declaring that the robbers had received theproposal with joy. He found them encamped under a large nut-treein the forest, roasting a sheep upon a spear, at a large fire. Sothey made him sit down and eat with them, and told him it was aright jolly life, with no ruler but the great God above them. Better to live under the free heaven than die in their squalidcabins. The band was strong, besides many who had joined lately, since the bankruptcy of Hans Loitz, and there were some gipsiestoo, amongst whom was an old hag who told fortunes, and had latelyprophesied to the band that a great prize was in store for them;they had just returned with some booty from the little town ofDamm, where they had committed a robbery. One of their party, however, had been taken there. 

When Johann heard the good result of his message, he summoned allhis followers to another meeting at the ducal fish-house, gavethem each money, and swore them to fidelity; then bid themdisperse, and slip singly to the band, to avoid observation, andhe would himself meet them in the forest next day. 

CHAPTER VIII. 

_How Johann and Sidonia meet an adventure, at Alten Damm--Item, of their reception by the robber-band. _

Now Johann Appelmann had a grudge against the newly appointedequerry to his Highness, for the man had swilled his claret, andbeen foremost in his promises, and yet now had stepped into theplace himself, and left Johann in the lurch. The knave, therefore, determined on revenge; so invented a story, how that his father, old Appelmann, had sent for him to give him half of all he wasworth, and as he must journey to Stargard directly, he prayed hisfriend the equerry to lend him a couple of horses and a waggon outof the ducal stables, with harness and all that would benecessary, swearing that when he brought them back he would givehim and his other friends such a carouse at the inn, as they hadnever yet had in their lives. 

And when the other asked, would not one horse be sufficient, Johann replied no, that he required the waggon for his luggage, and two horses would be necessary to draw it. _Summa_, thefool gives him two beautiful Andalusian stallions, with harnessand saddles; _item_, a waggon, whereon my knave mounted nextmorning early, with Sidonia and her luggage, and took the miller, Konneman, with him as driver. 

But as they passed through Alten Damm, a strange adventurehappened, whereby the all-merciful God, no doubt, wished to turnthem from their evil way; but they flung His warnings to the wind. 

For the carl was going to be executed who belonged to therobber-band, that had committed a burglary there, in the town, some days previously. However, the gallows having been blown downby a storm, the linen-weavers, according to old usage, came toerect another. This angered the millers, who also began to erectone of their own, declaring that the weavers had only a right tosupply the ladder, but they were to erect the gallows. A greatfight now arose between weavers and millers, while the poor thiefstood by with his hands tied behind his back, and arrayed in hiswinding-sheet. But the sheriffs, and whatever other honourablecitizens were by, having in vain endeavoured to appease thequarrel, returned to the inn, to take the advice of the honourablecouncil. 

Just at this moment Johann and Sidonia drove into the middle ofthe crowd, and the former leaped off and laughed heartily, for amiller had thrown down a poor lean weaver close behind thecriminal, and was belabouring him stoutly with his floured fists, whilst the poor wretch screamed loudly for succour or assistanceto the criminal, who answered in his _Platt Deutsch_, "Icannot help thee, friend, for, see, my hands are bound. " Uponthis, Johann draws his knife from his girdle, and slipping behindthe felon, cuts the ropes binding him. 

He straightway, finding himself free, jumped upon the miller, andturned the flour all red upon his face with his heavy blows. Thenhe ran towards the waggon, but the guardsman caught hold of him bythe shoulder, so the poor wretch left the winding-sheet in hishand, and jumping, naked as he was, on the back of one of thehorses, set off, at top speed, to the forest, with Sidoniascreaming and roaring fleeing with him. 

Millers and weavers now left off their wrangling, and joinedtogether in pursuit, but in vain; the fellow soon distanced themall, and was lost to sight in the wood. 

When he had driven the waggon a good space, and still hearing theroaring of the people in pursuit, he stopped the horses, andjumped off, to take to his heels amongst the trees. WhereuponKonneman threw him a horse-cloth from the waggon, bidding himcover himself with it; so the carl snapped it up, and rolled itabout his body with all alacrity. Now this horse-cloth wasembroidered with the Pomeranian arms, and the poor Adam looked soabsurd running away in such a garment, that Sidonia, notwithstanding all her fright, could not help bursting into aloud mocking laughter. 

Whereupon the crowd came up, cursing, swearing, and cursing, thatthe thief had escaped them; Johann Appelmann, who was amongstthem, and was just in the act of stepping up to the waggon, whenPrince Johann Frederick and a company of carbineers galloped upalong with the chief equerry and a large retinue, all on their wayto Friedrichswald. 

The Duke stopped to hear the cause of the tumult, and when theytold him, he laughingly said, he would soon return with thegallows-knaves; then, turning to Appelmann, he asked who he was, and what brought him there?

When Johann gave his name, and said he was going to Stargard, hisGrace exclaimed, with surprise--

"So thou art the knave of whom I have heard so much; and this womanhere, I suppose, is Sidonia? Pity of her. She is a handsome wench, I see. "

Then, as Sidonia blushed and looked down, he continued--

"And where did the fellow get these fine horses? Would he sellthem?"

Now Appelmann had a great mind to tell the truth, and say he gotthem from the equerry, who was already turning white with purefear; but recollecting that he might come in for some of thepunishment himself, besides hoping to play a second trick upon hisHighness, he answered, that his father at Stargard had made them apresent to him. 

The Duke, now turning to his equerry, asked him--

"Would not these horses match his Andalusian stallions perfectly?"

And as the other tremblingly answered, "Yes, perfectly, " his Gracedemanded if the knave would sell them. 

_Ille_. --"Oh yes; to gratify his Serene Highness the Duke, hewould sell the horses for 3000 florins. "

"Let it be so, " said the Duke; "but I must owe thee the money, fellow. "

_Ille_. --"Then he would not make the bargain, for he wantedthe money directly to take him to Stargard. "

So the Duke frowned that he would not trust his own Prince; and asAppelmann attempted to move off with the waggon, his Highness tookhis plumed cap from his head, and cutting off the diamond agrafewith his dagger, flung it to him, exclaiming--

"Stay! take these jewels, they are worth 1300 florins, but leaveme the horses. "

Now the chief equerry nearly fell from his horse with shame as theknave picked up the agrafe, and shoved it into his pocket, thenhumbly addressing his Highness, prayed for permission just toleave the maiden and her luggage in Stargard, and then he wouldreturn instantly with both horses, and bring them himself to hisgracious Highness at Friedrichswald. 

The Duke having consented, the knave sprang up upon the waggon, and turning off to another road, drove away as hard as he couldfrom the scene of this perilous adventure. After some time hewhistled, but receiving no response, kept driving through theforest until evening, when a loud, shrill whistle at last repliedto his, and on reaching a cross-road, he found the whole banddancing with great merriment round a large sign-board which hadbeen stuck up there by the authorities, and on which was painted agipsy lying under the gallows, while the executioner stood overhim in the act of applying the torture, and beneath ran theinscription--

 "Gipsy! from Pomerania flee, Or thus it shall be done to thee. "

These words the robber crew had set to some sort of rude melody, and now sang it and danced to it round the sign, the fellow withthe horse-cloth in the midst of them, the merriest of them all. 

The moment they got a glimpse of their captain, men, women, andchildren ran off like mad to the waggon, clapping their hands andshouting, "Huzzah! huzzah! what a noble captain! Had he broughtthem anything to drink?" And when he said "Yes, " and handed outthree barrels of wine, there was no end to the jubilee ofcheering. Then he must give them handsel, and after that theywould make a large fire and swear fealty to him round it, as wasthe manner of the gipsies, for the band was mostly composed ofgipsies, and numbered about fifty men altogether. 

_Summa_. --A great fire was kindled, round which they all tookthe oath of obedience to their captain, and he swore fidelity tothem in return. Then a couple of deer were roasted; and after theyhad eaten and drunk, the singing and dancing round the greatsign-board was resumed, until the broad daylight glanced throughthe trees. 

People may see from this to what a pitch of lawlessness anddisorder the land came under the reign of Duke Johann. For, methinks, these robbers would never have dared to make such a mockof the authorities, only that my Lord Duke had shut up all thecourts of justice in the kingdom. 

During their jollity, our knave Appelmann cast his eyes upon agipsy maiden, called the handsome Sioli; a tall, dark-eyed wench, but with scarcely a rag to cover her. Therefore he bade Sidoniarun to her luggage, and take out one of her own best robes for thegirl; but Sidonia turned away in great wrath, exclaiming--

"This was the way he kept his promise to her. She had given himall, and followed him even hither, and yet he cared more for aragged gipsy girl than for her. But she would go away that verynight, anywhere her steps might lead her, if only away from herpresent misery. Let him give her the Duke's diamonds, and shewould leave him all the herons' feathers, and never come near himany more. "

But my knave only laughed, and bid her come take the diamonds ifshe wanted them, they were in his bosom. Then the gipsy girl andher mother, old Ussel, began to mock the fine lady. So Sidonia satthere weeping and wringing her hands, while Johann laughed, danced, drank, and kissed the gipsy wench, and finally threatenedto go and take a robe himself out of the luggage, if Sidonia didnot run for one instantly. 

However, she would not stir; so Konnemann, the miller, took pityon her, and would have remonstrated, but Johann cut him short, saying--

"What the devil did he mean? Was he not the captain? and whyshould Konnemann dare to interfere with him?"

Then he strode over to the waggon to plunder Sidonia's baggage, which, when she observed, her heart seemed to break, and shekneeled down, lifted up her hands, and prayed thus:--

"Merciful Creator, I know Thee not, for my hard and unnaturalfather never brought me to Thee; therefore on his head be my sins. But if Thou hast pity on the young ravens, who likewise know Theenot, have pity upon me, and help me to leave this robber den withThy gracious help. "

Here such a shout of laughter resounded from all sides, that shesprang up, and seizing the best bundle in the waggon, plunged intothe wood, with loud cries and lamentation; whilst Appelmann onlysaid--

"Never heed her, let her do as she pleases; she will be back againsoon enough, I warrant. "

Accordingly, scarcely an hour had elapsed, when the unhappy maidenappeared again, to the great amusement of the whole band, whomocked her yet more than before. She came back crying andlamenting--

"She could go no further, for the wolves followed her, and howledround her on all sides. Ah! that she were a stone, and buriedfathoms deep in the earth! That shameless knave, Appelmann, mightindeed have pitied her, if he hoped for pity from God; but had henot taken her robe to put it on the gipsy beggar? She nearly diedof shame at the sight. But she would never forgive the beggar'sbrat to the day of judgment for it. All she wanted now was somegood Christian to guide her out of the wild forest. Would no onecome with her? that was all she asked. "

And so she went on crying, and lamenting in the deepest grief. 

_Summa_. --When the knave heard all this, his heart seemed torelent; perhaps he dreaded the anger of her relations if she weretreated too badly, or, mayhap, it was compassion, I cannot say;but he sprang up, kissed her, caressed her, and consoled her. 

"Why should she leave them? He would remain faithful and constantto her, as he had sworn. Why should the gown for the beggar-girlanger her? When they get the herons' feathers on the morrow, hewould buy her ten new gowns for the one he had taken. " And so hecontinued in his old deceiving way, till she at last believed him, and was comforted. 

Here the roll of a carriage was heard, and as many of the band aswere not quite drunk seized their muskets and pikes, and rushed inthe direction of the sound. But behold, the waggon and horses, with all Sidonia's luggage, was off! For, in truth, the equerry, seeing Johann's treachery, had secretly followed him, hidinghimself in the bushes till it grew dark, but near enough toobserve all that was going on; then, watching his opportunity, andknowing the robbers were all more or less drunk, he sprang uponthe waggon, and galloped away as hard as he could. Johann gavechase for a little, but the equerry had got too good a start to beovertaken; and so Johann returned, cursing and raging, to theband. Then they all gathered round the fire again, and drank andcaroused till morning dawned, when each sought out a goodsleeping-place amongst the bushwood. There they lay till morn, when Johann summoned them to prepare for their excursion to theDuke's gardens at Zachan. 

CHAPTER IX. 

_How his Highness, Duke Barnim the elder, went a-hawking atMarienfliess--Item, of the shameful robbery at Zachan, and howburgomaster Appelmann remonstrates with his abandoned son. _

After Duke Barnim the elder had resigned the government, he betookhimself more than ever to field-sports; and amongst others, hawking became one of his most favourite pursuits. By this sport, he stocked his gardens at Zachan with an enormous number ofherons, and made a considerable sum annually by the sale of thefeathers. These gardens at Zachan covered an immense space, andwere walled round. Within were many thousand herons' nests; andall the birds taken by the falcons were brought here, and theirwings clipped. Then the keepers fed them with fish, frogs, andlizards, so that they became quite tame, and when their wings grewagain, never attempted to leave the gardens, but diligently builttheir nests and reared their young. Now, though it cost a greatsum to keep these gardens in order, and support all the peoplenecessary to look after the birds, yet the Duke thought little ofthe expense, considering the vast sum which the feathers broughthim at the moulting season. 

Accordingly, during the moulting time, he generally took up hisabode at a castle adjoining the gardens, called "The StoneRampart, " to inspect the gathering in of the feathers himself; andhe was just on his journey thither with his falconers, hunters, and other retainers, when the robber-band caught sight of him fromthe wood. His Highness was seated in an open carriage, with TrinaWehlers, the baker's daughter, by his side; and Sidonia, whorecognised her enemy, instantly entreated Johann to revenge her onthe girl if possible; but, as he hesitated, the old gipsy motherstepped forward and whispered Sidonia, "that she would help her toa revenge, if she but gave her that little golden smelling-bottlewhich she wore suspended by a gold chain on her neck. " Sidoniaagreed, and the revenge soon followed; for the Duke left thecarriage, and mounted a horse to follow the chase, the falconerhaving unloosed a couple of hawks and let them fly at a heron. Trina remained in the coach; but the coachman, wishing to see thesport, tied his horses to a tree, and ran off, too, after theothers into the wood. The hawk soared high above the heron, watching its opportunity to pounce upon the quarry; but the heron, just as it swooped down upon it, drove its sharp bill through thebody of the hawk, and down they both came together covered withblood, right between the two carriage horses. 

No doubt this was all done through the magic of the gipsy mother;for the horses took fright instantly, plunged and reared, anddashed off with the carriage, which was over-turned some yardsfrom the spot, and the baker's daughter had her leg broken. Hearing her screams, the Duke and the whole party ran to the spot;and his Highness first scolded the coachman for leaving hishorses, then the falconer for having let fly his best falcon, which now lay there quite dead. The heron, however, was alive, andhis Grace ordered it to be bound and carried off to Zachan. Thebaker's daughter prayed, but in vain, that the coachman might behung upon the next tree. Then they all set off homeward, but Trinascreamed so loudly, that his Grace stopped, and ordered a coupleof stout huntsmen to carry her to the neighbouring convent ofMarienfliess, where, as I am credibly informed, in a short timeshe gave up the ghost. 

Now, the robber-band were watching all these proceedings from thewood, but kept as still as mice. Not until his Grace had drivenoff a good space, and the baker's daughter had been carried away, did they venture to speak or move; then Sidonia jumped up, clapping her hands in ecstasy, and mimicking the groans andcontortions of the poor girl, to the great amusement of the band, who laughed loudly; but Johann recalled them to business, andproposed that they should secretly follow his Highness, and hidethemselves at Elsbruck, near the water-mill of Zachan, until theevening closed in. In order also to be quite certain of the placewhere his Grace had laid up all the herons' feathers of thatseason, Johann proposed that the miller, Konnemann, should visithis Grace at Zachan, giving out that he was a feather merchantfrom Berlin. Accordingly, when they reached Elsbruck, the millerput on my knave's best doublet (for he was almost naked before), and proceeded to the Stone Rampart, Sidonia bidding him, over andover again, to inquire at the castle when the young Lord ofWolgast and his bride were expected at Stettin. The Duke receivedKonnemann very graciously, when he found that he was a wealthyfeather merchant from Berlin, who, having heard of the number andextent of his Grace's gardens at Zachan, had come to purchase allthe last year's gathering of feathers. Would his Highness allowhim to see the feathers?

_Summa_. --He had his wish; for his Grace brought him into alittle room on the ground-floor, where lay two sacks full of themost perfect and beautiful feathers; and when the Duke demanded athousand florins for them, the knave replied, "That he wouldwillingly have the feathers, but must take the night to think overthe price. " Then he took good note of the room, and the garden, and all the passages of the castle, and so came back in thetwilight to the band with great joy, assuring them that nothingwould be easier than to rob the old turner's apprentice of hisfeathers. 

Such, indeed, was the truth; for at midnight my knave Johann, withKonnemann and a few chosen accomplices, carried away those twosacks of feathers; and no one knew a word about the robbery untilthe next morning, when the band were far off in the forest, no oneknew where. But a quarrel had arisen between my knave and Sidoniaover the feathers: she wanted them for herself, that she mightturn them into money, and so be enabled to get back to her ownpeople; but Johann had no idea of employing his booty in this way. "What was she thinking of? If those fine stallions, indeed, hadnot been stolen from him, he might have given her the feathers;but now there was nothing else left wherewith to pay the band--shemust wait for another good prize. Meantime they must settleaccounts with the young Lord of Wolgast, who, as Konnemann hadfound out, was expected at Stettin in seven days. "

Now, the daring robbery at Zachan was the talk of the wholecountry, and as the old burgomaster, Appelmann, had heard atFriedrichswald about the horses and waggon, and his son's shamefulknavery, he could think of nothing else but that the same rascalhad stolen the Duke's feathers at So he took some faithfulburghers with him, and set off for the forest, to try and find hislost son. At last, after many wanderings, a peasant, who wascutting wood, told them that he had seen the robber-band encampedin a thick wood near Rehewinkel; [Footnote: Two miles and a halffrom Stargard, and the present dwelling-place of the editor. ] andwhen the miserable father and his burghers arrived at the place, there indeed was the robber-band stretched upon the long grass, and Sidonia seated upon the stump of a tree--for she must play thelute, while Johann, his godless son, was plaiting the long blackhair of the handsome Sioli. 

Methinks the knave must have felt somewhat startled when hisfather sprang from behind an oak, a dagger in his hand, exclaimingloudly, "Johann, Johann, thou lost, abandoned son! is it thus Ifind thee?"

The knave turned as white as a corpse upon the gallows, and hishands seemed to freeze upon the fair Sioli's hair; but the bandjumped up and seized their arms, shouting, "Seize him! seize him!"The old man, however, cared little for their shouts; and stillgazing on his son, cried out, "Dost thou not answer me, thouGod-forgetting knave? Thou hast deceived and robbed thy ownPrince. Answer me--who amongst all these is fitter for the gallowsthan thou art?"

So my knave at last came to his senses, and answered sullenly, "What did he want here? He had done nothing for him. He must earnhis own bread. "

_Ille_. --"God forgive thee thy sins; did I not take thee backas my son, and strive to correct thee as a true and loving father?Why didst thou run away from my house and the writing-office?"

_Hic. _--"He was born for something else than to lead the lifeof a dog. "

_Ille_. --"He had never made him live any such life; and evenif he had, better live like a dog than as a robber wolf. "

_Hic_. --"He was no robber. Who had belied him so? He and hisfriends were on their way to Poland to join the army. "

_Ille_. --"Wherefore, then, had he tricked his Highness ofStettin out of the horses?"

_Hic_. --"That was only a revenge upon the equerry, to pay himback in his own coin, for he was his enemy, and had broken faithwith him. "

_Ille_. --"But he had robbed his Grace Duke Barnim, likewise, of the herons' feathers. No one else had done it. "

_Hic_. --"Who dared to say so? He was insulted and belied byevery one. " Then he cursed and swore that he knew nothing whateverof these herons' feathers which he was making such a fuss about. 

Meanwhile the band stood round with cocked muskets, and as theburghers now pressed forward, to save their leader, if anyviolence were offered, Konnemann called out, "Give the word, master--shall I shoot down the churl?"

Here Johann's conscience was moved a little, and he shouted, "Back! back!--he is my father!"

But the old gipsy mother sprang forward with a knife, crying, "Thyfather, fool?--what care we for thy father? Let me at him, andI'll soon settle thy father with my knife. "

When the unfortunate son heard and saw this, he seized a heavystick that lay near him, and gave the gipsy such a blow on thecrown, that she rolled, screaming, on the ground. Whereupon thewhole band raised a wild yell, and rushed upon the burgomaster. 

Then Johann cried, almost with anguish, "Back! back! he is myfather! Do ye not remember your oaths to me? Spare my father!Wait, at least; he has something of importance to tell me. "

And at last, though with difficulty, he succeeded in calming thesechildren of Belial. Then drawing his father aside, under the shadeof a great oak, he began--"Dearest father mine, it was fear ofyou, and despair of the future, that drove me to this work; but ifyou will now give me three hundred florins, I will go forth intothe wide world, and take honourable service, wherever it is to behad, during the wars. "

_Ille_. --"Had he yet married that unfortunate Sidonia, who heobserved, to his surprise, was still with him?"

_Hic_. --"No; he could never marry the harlot now, for she hadrun away from old Duke Barnim, and followed him here to theforest. "

_Ille_. --"What would become of her, then, when he joined thearmy?"

_Hic_. --"That was her look-out. Let her go to her farm atZachow. "

Hereupon the old man held his peace, and rested his arm againstthe oak, and his grey head upon his arm, and looked down long uponthe grass without uttering a word; then he sighed deeply, andlooking up, thus addressed Johann:--

"My son, I will trust thee yet again; but it shall be the lasttime; therefore take heed to what I say. Between Stargard andPegelow there stands an old thorn upon the highway; there, to-morrow evening, by seven of the clock, my servant Caspar, whomthou knowest, shall bring thee three hundred florins; but on thisone condition, that thou dost now swear solemnly to abandon thisvillainous robber-band, and seek an honourable living far away, insome other country, where thou must pray daily to God the Lord, toturn thee from thy evil ways, and help thee by His grace. "

So the knave knelt down before his father, wept, and prayed forhis father's forgiveness; then swore solemnly to abandon hissinful life, and with God's help to perform all that his fatherhad enjoined. "And would he not give his last farewell to hisdear, darling mother?" "Thy mother!--ah, thy mother!" sighed theold man; "but rise, now, and let me and mine homewards. God grantthat my eyes have beheld thee for the last time. Come, I will takethis Sidonia back with me. "

So they forthwith joined the robber crew again, who were stillmaking a great uproar, which, however, Johann appeased, and aftersome time obtained a free passage for his father and the burghers;but Sidonia would not accompany them. The upright old burgomasteradmonished first, then he promised to drive her with his ownhorses to her farm at Zachow; but his words were all in vain, forthe knave privately gave her a look, and whispered something inher ear, but no one knew what it was. 

Nor did the old man omit to admonish the whole band likewise, telling them that if they did not now look up to the high God, they would one day look down from the high gallows, for allthieves and robbers came to dance in the wind at last: ten hung inStargard, and he had seen twenty at Stettin, and not even thesmallest town had its gallows empty. Hereat Konnemann cried out, "Ho! ho! who will hang us now? We know well the courts of justiceare closed in all places. " And as the old man sighed, and preparedto answer him, the whole band set up such a shout of laughter thathe stood silent a space; then turning round, trod slowly out ofthe thick wood with all his burghers, and was soon lost to view. 

The next evening Johann received the three hundred florins at thethorn-bush, along with a letter from his father, admonishing himyet again, and conjuring him to fulfil his promise speedily ofabandoning his wicked life. Upon which, my knave gave some of themoney to a peasant that he met on the highway, and bid him go intothe town, purchase some wine and all sorts of eatables, and fetchthem to the band in the wood, that they might have a merry carousethat same night. This very peasant had been one of theiraccomplices, and great was his joy when he beheld them all again, and, in particular, the gipsy mother. He told her that all herprophecy had come out true, for his daughter had been deserted, and her lover had taken Stina Krugers to wife; could she not, therefore, give him something that would make Stina childless, andcause her husband to hate her?

"Ay, if he crossed her hand with silver. "

This the peasant did. Whereupon she gave him a padlock, andwhispered some words in his ear. 

When Sidonia heard that the man could be brought to hate his wifeby some means, her eyes flashed wildly, and she called thehorrible old gipsy mother aside, and asked her to tell her thecharm. 

_Illa_. --"Yes; but what would she give her? She had twopretty golden rings on her finger; let her give them, and sheshould have the secret. "

_Hæc_. --"She would give one ring now, and the other if thecharm succeeded. The peasant had only given her a few groschen. "

_Illa_. --"Yes; but she had only given him half the charm. "

_Hæc_. --"Was it anything to eat or drink?"

_Illa_. --"No; there was no eating or drinking: the charm didit all. "

_Hæc_. --"Then let her teach it to her, and if it succeeded bythe young Lord of Wolgast, she would have both rings; if not, butone. "

_Illa_. --"It would succeed without doubt; if his young wifehad no promise of offspring as yet, she would remain childless forever. "

_Summa_. --The old gipsy taught her the charm, the same withwhich she afterward bewitched the whole princely Pomeranian race, so that they perished childless from off the face of the earth;[Footnote: Marginal note of Duke Bogislaff XIV. --"O ter quaterquedetestabilem! Et ego testis adfui tametsi in actis de industriahand notatis. (Oh, thrice accursed! And I, too, was present atthis confession, although I am not mentioned in the protocol. )"]and this charm Sidonia confessed upon the rack afterwards, in theGreat Hall of Oderburg, July 28, A. D. 1620. 

CHAPTER X. 

_How the robbers attack Prince Ernest and his bride in theUckermann forest, and Marcus Bork and Dinnies Kleist come to theirrescue. _

The young Lord of Wolgast and his young bride, the Princess SophiaHedwig, arrived in due time at the court of Stettin, on a visit totheir illustrious brother, Duke Johann Frederick. During the tendays of their stay, there was no end to the banquetings, huntings, fishings, and revellings of all kinds, to do honour to theirpresence. 

The young lord has quite recovered from his long and strangeillness. But the young bride complains a little. Whereupon my Lordof Stettin jests with her, and the courtiers make merry, so thatthe young bride blushes and entreats her husband to take her awayfrom this impudent court of Stettin, and take her home to hisillustrious mother at Wolgast. 

Prince Ernest consents, but as the wind is contrary, he arrangesto make the journey with a couple of carriages through theUckermann forest, not waiting for the grand escort of cavaliersand citizens which his lady mother had promised to send toStettin, to convey the bride with all becoming honour to her ownfuture residence at Wolgast. 

His brother reminded him of the great danger from the robber-bandin the wood, now that the courts of justice were closed, and thatSidonia and Johann were hovering in the vicinity, ready for anyiniquity. Indeed, he trusted the states would soon be brought toreason by the dreadful condition of the country, and give him thegold he wanted. These robbers would do more for him than he coulddo for himself. And this was not the only band that was to befeared; for, since the fatal bankruptcy of the Loitz family, robbers, and partisans, and freebooters had sprung up in everycorner of the land. Then he related the trick concerning his twoAndalusian stallions. And Duke Barnim the elder told him of hisloss at Zachan, and that no one else but the knave Appelmann hadbeen at the bottom of it. So, at last, Prince Ernest half resolvedto await the escort from Wolgast. However, the old Duke continuedjesting with the bride, after his manner, so that the youngPrincess was blushing with shame every moment, and finallyentreated her husband to set off at once. 

When his Grace of Stettin found he could prevail nothing, he badethem a kind farewell, promising in eight days to visit them atWolgast, for the wedding festivities; and he sent stout DinniesKleist, with six companions, to escort them through the mostdangerous part of the forest, which was a tract extending forabout seven miles. 

Now, when they were half-way through the forest, a terrible stormcame on of hail, rain, thunder, and lightning; and though thePrince and his bride were safe enough in the carriage, yet theirescort were drenched to the skin, and dripped like rivulets. Theprincely pair therefore entreated them to return to Falkenwald, and dry their clothes, for there was no danger to be apprehendednow, since they were more than half through the wood, and close tothe village of Mutzelburg. 

So Dinnies and his companions took their leave, and rode off. Shortly after the galloping of a horse was heard, and this wasMarcus Bork; for he was on his way to purchase the lands ofCrienke, previous to his marriage with Clara von Dewitz, and had aheavy sack of gold upon his shoulder, and a servant along withhim. Having heard at Stettin that the Prince and his young bridewere on the road, he had followed them, as fast as he could, tokeep them company. 

By this time they had reached Barnim's Cross, and the Princehalted to point it out to his bride, and tell her the legendconcerning it; for the sun now shone forth from the clouds, andthe storm was over. But he first addressed his faithful Marcus, and asked, had he heard tidings lately of his cousin Sidonia? Buthe had heard nothing. He would hear soon enough, I'm thinking. 

Then seeing that his good vassal Marcus was thoroughly wet, hisGrace advised him to put on dry clothes; but he had none with him. Whereupon his Grace handed him his own portmanteau out of thecoach window, and bid him take what he wanted. 

Marcus then lifted the money-bag from his shoulder, which hisGrace drew into the coach through the window--and sprang into thewood with the portmanteau, to change his clothes. While the Princetarried for him, he related the story of Barnim's Cross to hisyoung wife, thus:--

"You must know, dearest, that my ancestor, Barnim, the second ofthe name, was murdered, out of revenge, in this very spot by oneof his vassals, named Vidante von Muckerwitze. For this aforesaidancestor had sent him into Poland under some pretence, in orderthe better to accomplish his designs upon the beautiful Mirostavaof Warborg, Vidante's young wife. But the warder of Vogelsang, avillage about two miles from here, pleasantly situated on theriver Haff, and close to which lay the said Vidante's castle, discovered the amour, and informed the knight how he wasdishonoured. His wrath was terrible when the news was brought tohim, but he spoke no word of the matter until St. John's day inthe year----"

But here his Grace paused in his story, for he had forgotten theyear; so he drove on the carriage close up to the cross, where hecould read the date--"St John's day, A. D. MCCXCII. "--and therestopped, with the blessed cross of our Lord covering and fillingup the whole of the coach window. 

Ah, well it is said--Prov. Xx. 24--"Each man's going is of theLord, what man is there who understandeth his way?"

Now when the Princess had read the date for herself, she asked, what had happened to the Duke, his ancestor? To which the Princereplied--

"Here, in these very bushes, the jealous knight lay concealed, while the Duke was hunting. And here, in this spot, the Duke threwhimself down upon the grass to rest, for he was weary. And hewhistled for his retinue, who had been separated from him, whenthe knight sprang from his hiding-place and murdered him where helay. His false wife he reserved for a still more cruel death. 

"For he brought a coppersmith from Stettin, and had him make acopper coffin for the wretched woman, who was obliged to help himin the work. Then he bade her put on her bridal dress, and forcedher to enter the coffin, where he had her soldered up alive, andburied. And the story goes, that when any one walks over the spot, the coffin clangs in the earth like a mass-bell, to this veryday. " Meanwhile Marcus had retreated behind a large oak, to dresshimself in the young Duke's clothes; but the wicked robber crewwere watching him all the time from the wood, and just as he drewthe dry shirt over his head, before he had time to put on a singleother garment, they sprang upon him with loud shouts, Sidonia theforemost of all, screaming, "Seize the knave! seize the base spy!he is my greatest enemy!" So Marcus rushed back to the coach, justas he was, and placing the cross as a shield between him and therobbers, cried out loudly to his Highness for a sword. 

The Prince would have alighted to assist him, but his young bridewound her arms so fast around him, shrieking till the whole woodre-echoed, that he was forced to remain inside. Up came therobber-band now, and attacked the coach furiously; musket aftermusket was fired at it and the horses, but luckily the rain hadspoiled the powder, so they threw away their muskets, whileSidonia screamed, "Seize the false-hearted liar, who broke hismarriage promise to me! seize his screaming harlot! drag her fromthe coach! Where is she?--let me see her!--we will cram her intothe old oak-tree; there she can hold her marriage festival withthe wild-cats. Give her to me!--give her to me! I will teach herwhat marriage is!" And she sprang wildly forward, while the othersflung their spears at Marcus. But the blessed cross protected him, and the spears stuck in the wood or in the body of the carriage, while he hewed away right and left, striking down all thatapproached him, till he stood in a pool of blood, and the whiteshirt on him was turned to red. 

As Sidonia rushed to the coach, he wounded her in the hand, uponwhich, with loud curses and imprecations, she ran round to theother coach window, calling out, "Come hither, come hither, Johann! here is booty, here is the false cat! Come hither, anddrag her out of the coach window for me!" And now Marcus Bork wasin despair, for the coachman had run away from fear, and thoughhis sword did good service, yet their enemies were gathering thickround them. So he bade the Princess, in a low voice, to tear openhis bag of money, for the love of heaven, with all speed, andscatter the gold out of the windows with both hands; for help wasnear, he heard the galloping of a horse; could they gain but a fewmoments, they were saved. Thereupon the Princess rained the goldpieces from the window, and the stupid mob instantly left all elseto fling themselves on the ground for the bright coins, fightingwith each other as to who should have them. In vain Johann roared, "Leave the gold, fools, and seize the birds here in this cage; yecan have the gold after. " But they never heeded him, though hecursed and swore, and struck them right and left with his sword. 

But Marcus, meanwhile, had nearly come to a sad end; for the oldgipsy hag swore she would stab him with her knife, and while thepoor Marcus was defending himself from a robber who had rushed athim with a dagger, she crept along upon the ground, and lifted hergreat knife to plunge into his side. 

Just then, like a messenger from God, comes the stout DinniesKleist, galloping up to the rescue; for after he had ridden a goodpiece upon the homeward road, he stopped his horse to empty thewater out of his large jack-boots, for there it was plumping upand down, and he was still far from Falkenwald. While one of hismen emptied the boots, another wandered through the wood pickingthe wild strawberries, that blushed there as red as scarlet alongthe ground. 

While he was so bent down close to the earth, the shrieks of mygracious lady reached his ear, upon which he ran to tell hismaster, who listened likewise; and finding they proceeded from thevery direction where he had left the bridal pair, he suspectedthat some evil had befallen them. So springing into his saddle, hebade his fellows mount with ail speed, and dashed back to the spotwhere they had left the carriage. 

Marcus was just now fainting from loss of blood, and his wearyhand could scarcely hold the sword, while his frame swayed backand forward, as if he were near falling to the ground. The gipsyhag was close beside him, with her arm extended, ready to plungethe knife into his side, when the heavy stroke of a sword camedown on it, and arm and knife fell together to the ground, andDinnies shouting, "Jodute! Jodute!" swung round his sword a secondtime, and the head of the robber carl fell upon the arm of thehag. Then he dashed round on his good horse to the other side ofthe carriage, hewed right and left among the stupid fools who werescraping up the gold, while his fellows chased them into the wood, so that the alarmed band left all this booty, and ran in everydirection to hide themselves in the forest. In vain Johann roared, and shouted, and swore, and opposed himself single-handed to theknight's followers. He received a blow that sent him flying, too, after his band, and Sidonia along with him, so that none but thedead remained around the carriage. 

Thus did the brave Dinnies Kleist and Marcus Bork save the Princeand his bride, like true knights as they were; but Marcus isfaint, and leans for support against the carriage, while beforehim lie three robber carls whom he had slain with his own hand, although he fought there only in his shirt; but the blessed crosshad been his shield. And there, too, lay the gipsy's arm with theknife still clutched in the hand, but the hag herself had fledaway; and round the brave Dinnies was a circle of dead men, sevenin number, whom he and his followers had killed; and the earth allround looked like a ripe strawberry field, it was so red withblood. 

One can imagine what joy filled the hearts of the princely pair, when they found that all their peril was past. They alighted fromthe coach, and when the Princess saw Marcus lying there in a deadfaint, with his garment all covered with blood, she lamentedloudly, and tore off her own veil to bind up his wounds, andbrought wine from the carriage, which she poured herself throughhis lips, like a merciful Samaritan; and when he at last openedhis eyes, and kissed the little hands of the Princess out ofgratitude, she rejoiced greatly. And the Prince himself ran to thewood for the portmanteau, which they found behind the oak, andhelped to dress the poor knight, who was so weak that he could notraise a finger. 

Then they lifted him into the coach, while the Prince comfortedhim, saying, he trusted that he would soon be well again, for hewould pray daily to the Lord Jesus for him, whose blessed crosshad been their protection, and that he should have all his goldagain, and the lands of Crienke in addition. So faithful a vassalmust never be parted from his Prince, for inasmuch as he hatedSidonia, so he loved and praised him. They were like the twoJudases in Scripture, of whom some one had said, "What one gave tothe devil, the other brought back to God. "

And now he saw the wonderful hand of God in all; for if it had notrained, the powder of the robber-band would have been dry, andthen they were all lost. _Item_, the knight would not havestopped to empty his boots, and they never would have heard thescreams of his dear wife. _Item_, if he had himself notforgotten the date, he would never have driven up close to thecross, which cross had saved them all, but, in particular, savedtheir dear Marcus, after a miraculous manner. "Look how theblessed wood is everywhere pierced with spears, and yet we are allliving! Therefore let us hope in the Lord, for He is our helperand defender!"

Then the Duke turned to the stout Dinnies, and prayed him to enterhis service, but in vain, for he was sworn vassal to his Highnessof Stettin. So his Grace took off his golden collar, and put it onhis neck, and the Princess drew off her diamond ring to give him, whereupon her spouse laughed heartily, and asked, Did she thinkthe good knight had a finger for her little ring? To which shereplied, But the brave knight may have a dear wife who could wearit for her sake, for he must not go without some token of hergratitude. 

However, the knight put back the ring himself, saying that he hadno spouse, and would never have one; therefore the ring wasuseless. So the Princess wonders, and asks why he will have nospouse; to which he replied, that he feared the fate of Samson, for had not love robbed him of his strength? He, too, might meet aDelilah, who would cut off his long hair. Then riding up close tothe carriage, he removed his plumed hat from his head, and downfell his long black hair, that was gathered up under it, over hisshoulders like a veil, even till it swept the flanks of his horse. Would not her Grace think it a grief and sorrow if a woman shearedthose locks? In such pleasant discourse they reached Mutzelburg, where, as the good Marcus was so weak, they resolved to put up forthe night, and send for a chirurgeon instantly to Uckermund. Andso it was done. 

CHAPTER XI. 

_Of the ambassadors in the tavern of Mutzelburg--Item, how themiller, Konnemann, is discovered, and made by Dinnies Kleist toact as guide to the robber cave, where they find all thewomen-folk lying apparently dead, through some devil's magic ofthe gipsy mother. _

When their Highnesses entered the inn at Mutzelburg, they found itfilled with burghers and peasants out of Uckermund, Pasewalk, andother adjacent places, on their way to Stettin, to petition hisGrace the Duke to open the courts of justice, for thieves androbbers had so multiplied throughout the land, that no road wassafe; and all kinds of witchcraft, and imposture, and devil's workwere so rife, that the poor people were plagued out of theirlives, and no redress was to be had, seeing his Grace had closedall the courts of justice. Forty burghers had been selected topresent the petition, and great was the joy to meet now with hisGrace Prince Ernest, for assuredly he would give them a letter tohis illustrious brother, and strengthen the prayer of theirpetition. The Prince readily promised to do this, particularly ashis own life and that of his bride had just been in such soreperil, all owing to the obstinacy of his Grace of Stettin in notopening the courts. 

Meanwhile the leech had visited good Marcus Bork, who was mucheasier after his wounds were dressed, and promised to do well, tothe great joy of their Graces; and Dinnies Kleist went to thestable to see after his horse, there being so many there, inconsequence of this gathering of envoys, that he feared they mightfight. Now, as he passed through the kitchen, the knight observeda man bargaining with the innkeeper; and he had a kettle beforehim, into which he was cramming sausages, bread, ham, and allsorts of eatables. But he would have taken no further heed, onlythat the carl had but one tail to his coat, which made the knightat once recognise him as the very fellow whose coat-tail he hadhewed off in the forest. He sprang on him, therefore; and as theman drew his knife, Dinnies seized hold of him and plumped himdown, head foremost, into a hogshead of water, holding himstraight up by the feet till he had drunk his fill. So the poorwretch began to quiver at last in his death agonies; whereupon theknight called out, "Wilt thou confess? or hast thou not drunkenough yet?"

"He would confess, if the knight promised him life. His name wasKonnemann; he had lost his mill and all he was worth, by the Loitzbankruptcy, therefore had joined the robber-band, who held theirmeeting in an old cave in the forest, where also they kept theirbooty. " On further question, he said it was an old, ruined place, with the walls all tumbling down. A man named Muckerwitze hadlived there once, who buried his wife alive in this cave, therefore it had been deserted ever since. 

Then the knight asked the innkeeper if he knew of such a place inthe forest; who said, "Yes. " Then he asked if he knew this fellow, Konnemann; but the host denied all knowledge of him (though heknew him well enough, I think). Upon which Konnemann said, "Thathe merely came to buy provisions for the band, who were hungry, and had despatched him to see what he could get, while theyremained hiding in the cave. " The knight having laid these factsbefore their Graces and the envoys, it was agreed that they shouldsteal a march upon the robbers next morning, and meanwhile keepKonnemann safe under lock and key. 

Next morning they set off by break of day, taking Konnemann asguide, and surrounded the old ruin, which lay upon a hill buriedin oak-trees; but not a sound was heard inside. They approachednearer--listened at the cave--nothing was to be heard. Thisangered Dinnies Kleist, for he thought the miller had played atrick on them, who, however, swore he was innocent; and as theknight threatened to give him something fresh to drink in thecastle well, he offered to light a pine torch and descend into thecave. Hardly was he down, however, when they heard himscreaming--"The robbers have murdered the women--they are alllying here stone dead, but not a man is to be seen. "

The knight then went down with his good sword drawn. True enough, there lay the old hag, her daughter, and Sidonia, all stained withblood, and stiff and cold, upon the damp ground. And when theknight asked, "Which is Sidonia?" the fellow put the pine torchclose to her face, which was blue and cold. Then the knight tookup her little hand, and dropped it again, and shook his head, forthe said little hand was stiff and cold as that of a corpse. 

_Summa_. --As there was nothing further to be done here, theknight left the corpses to moulder away in the old cellar, andreturned with the burghers to Mutzelburg, when his Highnesswondered much over the strange event; but Marcus rejoiced that hiswicked cousin was now dead, and could bring no further disgraceupon his ancient name. 

But was the wicked cousin dead? She had heard every word that hadbeen said in the cave; for they had all drunk some broth made bythe gipsy mother, which can make men seem dead, though they hearand see everything around them. Such devil's work is used byrobbers sometimes in extremity, as some toads have the power ofseeming dead when people attempt to seize them. It will soon beseen what a horrible use Sidonia made of this devil's potion. 

Wherefore she tried its effect upon herself now, I know not--Ihave my own thoughts upon the subject--but it is certain that theinnkeeper, who was a secret friend of the robbers (as mostinnkeepers were in those evil times), had sent a messenger bynight to warn them of their danger. So, while the band savedthemselves by hiding in the forest, perhaps the old hagrecommended this plan for the women, as they had got enough ofcold steel the day before; or perhaps the robbers wished to have aproof of the power of this draught, in case they might want tosave themselves, some time or other, by appearing dead. Still Icannot, with any certainty, assert why they should all threechoose to simulate death. 

Further, just to show the daring of these robber-bands, now thathis Highness had closed the courts, I shall end this chapter byrelating what happened at Monkbude, a town through which theirHighnesses passed that same day, and which, although close to theStettin border, belongs to Wolgast. 

It was Sunday, and after the priest had said Amen from the pulpit, the sexton rung the kale-bell. This bell was a sign throughout allPomerania land, to the women-folk who were left at home in thehouses, to prepare dinner; for then, in all the churches, theclosing hymn began--"Give us, Lord, our daily bread. " So the maid, at the first stroke of the bell, lifted off the kale-pot from thefire, and had the kale dished, with the sausages, and whateverelse was wanting, by the time that the hymn was over, and fatherand mother had come out of church. Then, whatever poor wretch hadfasted all the week, and never tasted a morsel of blessed bread, if he passed on a Sunday through the town, might get his fill; forwhen the hymn is sung, "Give us, Lord, our daily bread, " the doorslie open, and no stranger or wayfarer is turned away empty. 

Just before their Highnesses had entered the town, this kale-bellhad been rung, and each maid in the houses had laid the kale andmeat upon the table, ready for the family, when, behold! in rush atroop of robbers from the forest, Appelmann at their head--seizeevery dish with the kale and meat that had been laid on thetables, stick the loaves into their pockets, and gallop away ashard as they can across into the Stettin border. 

How the maids screamed and lamented I leave unsaid; but if any oneof them followed and seized a robber by the hair, he drew hisknife, so she was glad enough to run back again, while theimpudent troop laughed and jeered. Thus was it then in dearPomerania land! It seemed as if God had forsaken them; for thenobles began their feuds, as of old, and the Jews were tormentedeven to the death--yea, even the pastors were chased away, as if, indeed, they had all learned of Otto Bork, these nobles saying, "What need of these idle, prating swaddlers, with their prosysermons and whining psalms, teaching, forsooth, that all men areequal, and that God makes no difference between lord and peasant?Away with them! If the people learn such doctrine, no wonder ifthey grow proud and disobedient--better no priests in the land. "And such-like ungodly talk was heard everywhere. 

CHAPTER XII. 

_How the peasants in Marienfliess want to burn a witch, but arehindered by Johann Appelmann and Sidonia, who discover an oldacquaintance in the witch, the girl Wolde Albrechts. _

At this time, one David Grosskopf was pastor of Marienfliess. Hewas a learned and pious man, and like other pious priests, was inthe habit of gathering all the women-folk of the parish in hisstudy of a winter's evening, particularly the young maidens, withtheir spinning-wheels. And there they all sat spinning round thecomfortable fire, while he read out to them from God's Word, andquestioned them on it, and exhorted them to their duties. Thus wasit done every evening during the winter, the maidens spinningdiligently till midnight without even growing weary; or if one ofthem nodded, she was given a cup of cold water to drink, to makeher fresh again. So there was plenty of fine linen by each NewYear's day, and their masters were well pleased. No peasant kepthis daughter at home, but sent her to the priest, where shelearned her duties, and was kept safe from the young men. Even oldmothers went there, among whom Trina Bergen always gave the bestanswers, and was much commended by the priest in consequence. Thispleased her mightily, so that she boasted everywhere of it; butwithal she was an excellent old woman, only the neighbours lookedrather jealously on her. 

This same priest, with all his goodness and learning, was yet abad logician; for by his careless speaking in one of his sermons, much commotion was raised in the village. In this sermon heasserted that anything out of the usual course of nature must bedevil's work, and ought to be held in abhorrence by all goodChristians: he suffered for this after-wards, as we shall see. Onthe Monday after this discourse, he journeyed into Poland, tovisit a brother who dwelt in some town there, I know not which. 

Then arose a great talking amongst the villagers concerning thesaid Trina Bergen; for the cocks began to sit upon the eggs inplace of the hens, in her poultry-yard, and all the people cametogether to see the miracle, and as it was against the course ofnature, it must be devil's work, and Trina Bergen was a witch. 

In vain the old mother protested she knew nothing of it, then runsto the priest's house, but he is away; from that to the mayor ofthe village, but he is going out to shoot, and bid her and thevillagers pack off with their silly stories. 

So the poor old mother gets no help, and meanwhile the peasantsstorm her house, and search and ransack every corner for proofs ofher witchcraft, but nothing can be found. Stay! there in thecellar sits a woman, who will not tell her name. 

They drag her out, bring her up to the parlour, while the oldmother sits wringing her hands. Who was this woman? and how didshe come into the cellar?

_Illa_. --"She had hired her to spin, because her daughter wasout at service till autumn, and she could not do all the workherself. "

"Why then did she sit in the cellar, as if she shunned the light?"

_Illa_. --"The girl had prayed for leave to sit there, becausethe screaming of the young geese in the yard disturbed her;besides, she had been only two days with her. "

"But who in the devil's name was the girl? It was easy to see shehad bewitched the hens, for everything against the course ofnature must be devil's work. "

_Illa_. --"Ah, yes! this must be the truth. Let them chase thedevil away. Now she saw why the girl would not sit in the light, and had refused to enter the blessed church with her the daybefore. "

"What was her name? They should both be sent to the devil, if shedid not tell the girl's name. "

_Illa_. --"Alas! she had forgotten it, but ask herself. Herstory was, that she had been married to a peasant in Usdom, whodied lately, and his relations then turned her out, that she wasnow going to Daber, where she had a brother, a fisher in theservice of the Dewitz family, and wanted to earn a travellingpenny by spinning, to convey her there. "

Now as the rumour of witchcraft spread through the village, allthe people ran together, from every part, to Trina's house. And apale young man pressed forward from amongst the crowd, to look atthe supposed witch. When he stood before her, the girl cast downher eyes gloomily, and he cried out, "It is she! it is the veryaccursed witch who robbed me of my strength by her sorceries, andbarely escaped from the fagot--seize her--that is Anna Wolde. Nowhe knew what the elder sticks meant, which he found set up as agallows before his door this morning--the witch wanted to stealaway his manhood from him again--burn her! burn her! Come and seethe elder sticks, if they did not believe him!"

So the whole village ran to his cottage, where he had just broughthome a widow, whom he was going to marry, and there indeed stoodthe elder sticks right before his door in the form of a gallows, upon which the sheriff was wroth, and commanded the girl to bebrought before him with her hands bound. 

But as she denied everything, Zabel Bucher, the sheriff, orderedthe hangman to be sent for, to see what the rack might do ineliciting the truth. Further, he bade the people make a fire inthe street, and burn the elder sticks therein. 

So the fire is lit, but no one will touch the sticks. Then thesheriff called his hound and bade him fetch them; but Fixlein, whowas acute enough at other times, pretended not to know what hismaster wanted. In vain the sheriff bent down on the ground, pointing with his finger, and crying, "Here, Fixlein! fetch, Fixlein!" No, Fixlein runs round and round the elder sticks tillthe dust rises up in a cloud, and yelps, and barks, and jumps, andstares at his master, but never touches the sticks, only at lastseizes a stone in his mouth, and runs with it to the sheriff. 

Now, indeed, there was a commotion amongst the people. Not eventhe dog would touch the accursed thing. So at last the sheriffcalled for a pair of tongs, to seize the sticks himself and flingthem into the fire. Whereupon his wife screamed to prevent him;but the brave sheriff, strengthening his heart, advanced andtouched them; whereupon Fixlein, as if he had never known untilnow what his master wanted, made a grab at them, but the sheriffgave him a blow on the nose with the tongs which sent him awayhowling, and then, with desperate courage and a stout heart, seizing the elder twigs in the tongs, flung them boldly into thefire. 

Meanwhile Peter Bollerjahn, the hangman, has arrived, and when hehears of the devilry he shakes his head, but thinks he could makethe girl speak, if they only let him try his way a little. Butthey must first get authority from the mayor. Now the mayor hadnot gone to the hunt, for some friends arrived to visit him, whomhe was obliged to stay at home and entertain, so the whole crowd, with the sheriff, Zabel Bucher, at the head, set off to themayoralty, bringing the witch with them, and prayed his lordshipto make a terrible example of her, for that witchcraft wasspreading fearfully in the land, and they would have no peaceelse. 

Whereupon he came out with his guests to look at the miserablecriminal, who, conscious of her guilt, stood there silent andglowering; but he could do nothing for them--did they not knowthat his Highness had closed all the courts of justice, thereforehe could not help them, nor be troubled about their affairs? Uponwhich the sheriff cried out, "Then we shall help ourselves; let usburn the witch who bewitches our hens, and sticks up elder sticksbefore people's doors. Come, let us right ourselves!" So the mayorsaid they might do as they pleased, he had no power to hinderthem, only let them remember that when the courts reopened, theywould be called to a strict account for all this. And he went intohis house, but the people shouted and dragged away the witch, withloud yells, to the hangman, bidding him stretch her on the rackbefore all their eyes. 

When the girl saw and heard all this, and remembered how the oldLord Chamberlain at Wolgast had stretched her till her hip wasbroken, she cried out, "I will confess all, only spare me thetorture, for I dread it more than death. "

Upon this, the sheriff said, "He would ask her three questions, and pronounce judgment accordingly. " (Oh! what evil times for dearPomerania land, when the people could thus take the law into theirown hands, and pronounce judgment, though no judges were there. Had the bailiff given her a little twist of the rack, just to getat the truth, it would at least have been more in accordance withthe usages, although I say not he would have been justified in sodoing; but without using the rack at all, to believe what thisdevil's wretch uttered, and judge her thereupon, was grosslyimproper and absurd. ) _Summa_, here are the threequestions:--

"First, whether she had bewitched the hens; and for what?"

_Respond_. --"Simply to amuse herself; for the time hung heavyin the cellar, and she could see them through the chinks in thewall. " (Let her wait; Master Peter will soon give her something toamuse her. )

"Second, why and wherefore had she stuck up the elder twigs?"

_Respond_. -"Because she had been told that Albert was goingto marry a widow; for he had promised her marriage, as all theworld knew, and even called her by his name, Wolde Albrechts, andtherefore she had put a spell upon him of elder twigs, that hemight turn away the widow and marry her. " (Let her wait; MasterPeter will soon stick up elder twigs for her. )

"Third, whether she had a devil; and how was he named?"

Here she remained silent, then began to deny it, but was remindedof the rack, and Master Peter got ready his instruments as if forinstant use; so she sighed heavily, and answered, "Yes, she had afamiliar called Jurge, and he appeared always in the form of aman. "

Upon this confession the sheriff roared, "Burn the witch!" and allthe people shouted after him, "Burn the witch! the accursedwitch!" and she was delivered over to Master Peter. 

But he made answer that he had never burned a witch; he would, however, go over to Massow in the morning, to his brother-in-law, who had burned many, and learn the mode from him. Meanwhile thepeasants might collect ten or twelve clumps of wood upon theKoppenberg, and so would they frighten all women from practisingthis devil's magic. Would they not burn Trina Bergen likewise--theold hag who had the witch in her cellar? It would be a rightpleasant spectacle to the whole town. 

This, however, the peasants did not wish. Upon which the carlasked what he was to be paid for his trouble? Formerly the statepaid for the criminal, but the courts now would have nothing to dowith the business. What was he to get? So the peasants consultedtogether, and at last offered him a sack of oats at Michaelmas, just that they might have peace in the village. Whereupon heconsented to burn her; only in addition they must give him a freejourney to Massow on the morrow. 

_Summa_. --When the third morning dawned, all the village cametogether to accompany the witch up the Koppenberg: theschoolmaster, with all his school going before, singing, "Now praywe to the Holy Ghost;" then came Master Peter with the witch, hebearing a pan of lighted coal in his hand. But, lo! when theyreached the pile on the Koppenberg, behold it was wet wood whichthe stupid peasants had gathered. 

Now the hangman fell into a great rage. Who the devil could burn awitch with wet wood? She must have bewitched it. This was as badas the hen business. 

Some of the people then offered to run for some dry wood and hay;but my knave saw that he might turn the matter to profit, so heproposed to sack the witch in place of burning her; "for, " saidhe, "it will be a far more edifying spectacle and example to yourchildren, this sacking in place of burning. There was a lake quiteclose to the town, and, indeed, he had forgotten yesterday topropose it to them. The plan was this. They were to tie her up ina leathern sack, with a dog, a cock, and a cat. (Ah, what a pityhe had killed the wild-cat which he had caught some weeks beforein the fox-trap. ) Then they would throw all into the lake, wherethe cat and dog, and cock and witch, would scream and fight, andbite and scratch, until they sank; but after a little while upwould come the sack again, and the screaming, biting, and fightingwould be renewed until they all sank down again and for ever. Sometimes, indeed, they would tear a hole in the sack, whichfilled with water, and so they were all drowned. In any case itwas a fine improving lesson to their children; let them ask theschoolmaster if the sacking was not a far better spectacle for thedear children than the burning. "

"Ay, 'tis true, " cried the schoolmaster; "sacking is better. "

Upon which all the people shouted after him, "Ay, sack her! sackher!"

When the knave heard this, he continued--

"Now, they heard what the schoolmaster said, but he could not doall this for a sack of oats, for, indeed, leather sacks were verydear just now; but if each one added a sack of meal and a goose atMichaelmas, why, he would try and manage the sacking. The lake wasbroad and deep, and it lay right beneath them, so that all thedear children could see the sight from the hill. "

However, the peasants would by no means agree to the sack of meal, whereupon a great dispute arose around the pile, and a bargainingabout the price with great tumult and uproar. 

Now the robber-band were in the vicinity, and Sidonia, hearing thenoise, peeped out through the bushes and recognised Anna Wolde;then, guessing from the pile what they were going to do to her, she begged of Johann to save the poor girl, if possible; forSidonia and the knave were now on the best of terms, since he hadchased away the gipsy hag and her daughter for robbing him. 

So Johann gives the word, and the band, which now numbered onehundred strong, burst forth from the wood with wild shouts andcries. Ho! how the people fled on all sides, like chaff before thewind! The executioner is the first off, throws away his pan ofcoals, and takes to his heels. _Item_, the schoolmaster, withall his school, take to their heels; the sheriff, the women, peasants, spectators-all, with one accord, take to their heels, screaming and roaring. 

The witch alone remains, for she is lame and cannot run; but shescreams, too, and wrings her hands, crying--

"Take me with you; oh, take me with you; for the love of God takeme with you; I am lame and cannot run!"

_Summa_. --One can easily imagine how it all ended. Thewitch-girl was saved, and, as she now owed her life a second timeto Sidonia, she swore eternal fidelity and gratitude to the lady, promising to give her something in recompense for all the benefitsshe had conferred on her. Alas, that I should have to say toChristian men what this was! [Footnote: Namely, the evil spiritChim. See Sidonia's confession upon the rack, vol. Iv. Dahnert'sPomeranian Library, p. 244. ]

And when Sidonia asked how things went on in Daber, great was herjoy to hear that the whole castle and town were full of company, for the nuptials of Clara von Dewitz and Marcus Bork werecelebrated there. And the old Duchess from Wolgast had arrived, along with Duke Johann Frederick, and the Dukes Barnim, Casimir, and Bogislaff. _Item_, a grand cavalcade of nobles had riddento the wedding upon four hundred horses, and lords and ladies fromall the country round thronged the castle. 

Now Johann Appelmann would not credit the witch-girl, for he hadseen none of all this company upon the roads; but she said herbrother the fisherman told her that their Graces travelled bywater as far as Wollin, for fear of the robbers, and from thenceby land to Daber. 

When Sidonia heard this she fell upon Johann's neck, exclaiming--

"Revenge me now, Johann! revenge me! Now is the time; they are allthere. Revenge me in their blood!"

This seemed rather a difficult matter to Johann, but he promisedto call together the whole band, and see what could be done. So hewent his way to the band, and then the evil-minded witch-girlbegan again, and told Sidonia, that if she chose to burn thecastle at Daber, and make an end of all her enemies at once, therewas some one hard by in the bush who would help her, for he wasstronger than all the band put together. 

_Illa_. --"Who was her friend? Let her go and bring him. "

_Hæc_. --"She must first cross her hand with gold, and give apiece of money for him; [Footnote: According to the witches, everyevil spirit must be purchased, no matter how small the price, butsomething must be given-a ball of worsted, a kerchief, &c. ] thenhe would come and revenge her. "

Sidonia's eyes now sparkled wildly, and she put some money in thewoman's hand, who murmured, "For the evil one;" then steppedbehind a tree, and returned in a short time with a black catwrapped up in her apron. 

"This, " she said, "was the strong spirit Chim. [Footnote:Joachim. ] Let her give him plenty to eat, but show him to no one. When she wanted his assistance, strike him three times on thehead, and he would assume the form of a man. Strike him six timesto restore him again to this form. "

Now Sidonia would scarcely credit this; so, looking round to seeif they were quite alone, she struck the animal three times on thehead, who instantly started up in the form of a gay young man, with red stockings, a black doublet, and cap with stately heron'splumes. 

"Yes, yes, " he exclaimed, "I know thy enemies, and will revengethee, beautiful child. I will burn the castle of Daber for thee, if thou wilt only do my bidding; but now, quick! strike me againon the head, that I may reassume my original form, for some onemay see us; and put me in a basket, so can I travel with theewheresoever thou goest. "

And thus did Sidonia with the evil spirit Chim, as she afterwardsconfessed upon the rack, when she was a horrible old hag ofeighty-four years of age. 

And he went with her everywhere, and suggested all the evil to herwhich she did, whereof we shall hear more in another place. [Footnote: Dahnert. --This belief in the power of evil spirits toassume the form of animals, comes to us from remotestantiquity--example, the serpent in Paradise. In all religions, andamongst all nations, this belief seems firmly rooted; but even ifwe do not see a visible devil, do we not, alas! know and feel thatthere is one ever with us, ever pre-sent, ever suggesting allwickedness to us, as this devil to Sidonia?-even our own evilnature. For what else is the Christian life, but a warfare betweenthe divine within us and this ever-present Satan?--and throughGod's grace alone can we resist this devil. ]

CHAPTER XIII. 

_Of the adventure with the boundary lads, and how one of thempromises to admit Johann Appelmann into the castle of Daber thatsame night-Item, of what befell amongst the guests at thecastle. _

When Johann and Sidonia proposed to the band that they shouldpillage the castle of Daber, they all shouted with delight, andswore that life and limb might be perilled, but the castle shouldbe theirs that night. Nevertheless my knave Johann thought it adangerous undertaking, for they knew no one inside the walls, andAnna Wolde, the witch, could not come with them, seeing that shewas lame. So at last he thought of sending Konnemann disguised asa beggar, to examine the courtyard and all the outoffices--perchance he might spy out some unguarded door by whichthey could effect an entrance. 

Then Sidonia said she would go too, and although Johann tried hardto persuade her, yet she begged so earnestly for leave thatfinally he consented. Yes, she must see the very spot where theviper was hatched which had stung her to death. Ah, she would brewsomething for her in return; pity only that the wedding was over, otherwise the little bride should never have touched awedding-ring, if she could help it; but it was too late now. 

So the three Satan's children slipped out upon the highway fromthe wood, and travelled on so near to the castle that the noise, and talking, and laughing, and barking of dogs, and neighing ofhorses, were all quite audible to their ears. 

Now the castle of Daber is built upon a hill which is entirelysurrounded by water, so that the castle can be approached only bytwo bridges--one southwards, leading from the town; the othereastwards, leading direct through the castle gardens. The castleitself was a noble, lofty pile, with strong towers andspires--almost as stately a building as my gracious lord's castleat Saatzig. 

When Johann observed all this, his heart failed him, and as he andhis two companions peeped out at it from behind a thorn-bush, theyagreed that it would be hard work to take such a castle, garrisoned, as it was now, by four hundred men or more, with theirmere handful of partisans. 

But Satan knows how to help his own, for what happened while theywere crouching there and arguing? Behold, the old Dewitz, as anoffering to the church at Daber upon his daughter's marriage, hadpromised twenty good acres of land to be added to the glebe. Andhe comes now up the hill, with a great crowd of men to dig theboundary. So the Satan's children behind the thorn-bush fearedthey would be discovered; but it was not so, and the crowd passedon unheeding them. 

Old Dewitz now called the witnesses, and bid them take note of theposition of the boundary. There where the hill, the wildapple-tree, and the town tower were all in one line, was thelimit; let them keep this well in their minds. Then calling oversix lads, he bid them take note likewise of the boundary, thatwhen the old people were dead they might stand up as witnesses;but as such things were easily forgotten, he, the priest, and thechurchwarden would write it down for them, so that it never, byany chance, could escape their memory. 

Upon which the good knight, being lord and patron, took a stoutstick the first, and cudgelled the young lads well, asking thembetween terms--

"Where is the boundary?"

To which they answered, screaming and roaring--

"Where the hill, the apple-tree, and the town tower are all in oneline. "

Then the knight, laughing, handed over the stick to the priest, saying--

"It was still possible they might forget; they better, therefore, have another little memorandum from his reverence. "

"No! no!" screamed the boys, "we will remember it to eternity. "

However, his reverence just gave them a little touch of the stickin fun, till they roared out the boundary marks a second time. 

But now stepped forth the churchwarden, to take his turn with thestick on the boys' backs. This man had been a forester of the oldBaron Dewitz, and had often taken note of one of the young fellowspresent, how he had poached and stolen the buck-wheat, so hegladly seized this opportunity to punish him for all his misdeeds, and laying the cudgel on his shoulders, thrashed and belabouredhim so unmercifully, that the lad ran, shrieking, cursing, howling, and roaring, far away in amongst the bushes to hidehimself, while the churchwarden cried out--

"Well! if all the other lads forget the boundary, I think my finefellow here will bear the memorandum to the day of judgment. "

And so they went away laughing from the place, and returned to thecastle. 

But the devil drew his profit from all this, for where should thelad run to, but close to the very spot where the robbers werehiding, and there he threw himself down upon the grass, writhingand howling, and swearing he would be revenged upon thechurchwarden. This is a fine hearing for my knave in the bush, sohe steps forward, and asks--

"What vile Josel had dared to ill-treat so brave a youth? He wouldhelp him to a revenge upon the base knave, for injustice was athing he never could suffer. The tears really were in his eyes tothink that such wickedness should be in the world;" and here hepretended to wipe his eyes. So the lad, being quite overcome bysuch compassionate sympathy, howled and cried ten times more--

"It was the forester Kell, the shameless hound; but he would playhim a trick for it. "

_Ille_. --"Right. He owed the fellow a drubbing alreadyhimself, and now he would have a double one, if he could only gethold of him. "

_Hic_. --"He would run and tell him that a great lord wantedto speak to him here in the forest. "

_Ille_. -"No, no; that would scarcely answer; but where didthe fellow live?"

_Hic_. -"In the castle, where his father lived likewise. "

_Ille_. -"Who was his father?"

_Hic_. --"His father was the steward. "

_Ille_. --"Ah, then, he kept the keys of the castle?"

_Hic_. --"Oh yes, and the key of the back entrance also, whichled through the gardens. His father kept one key, and the gardenerthe other. "

_Ille_. --"Well, he would tell him a secret. This very Kellhad deceived him once, like a knave as he was, and he was watchingto punish him, but he daren't go up to the castle in the broaddaylight, particularly now while the wedding was going on. Howlong would it last?"

_Hic_. --"For three days more; it had lasted three daysalready, and the castle was full of company, and great lords fromall the country round, a great deal grander even than old Dewitz, were there. "

_Ille_. --"Well, then, it would be quite impossible to go upto the castle and flog the churchwarden before all the company--hecould see that himself. But supposing he let him in at nightthrough the garden door, couldn't they get the knave out on somepretence, and then drub him to their heart's content?"

So the lad was delighted with the plan, particularly on hearingthat he was to help in the drubbing; but then if the foresterrecognised him, what was to be done? he would be ruined. To whichJohann answered--

"Just put on an old cloak, and speak no word; then, neither bydress nor voice will he know thee; besides, the night will bequite dark, so fear nothing. We'll teach him, I engage, how tobeat a fine young fellow again, or to rob me of my gold, as hedid, the base, unworthy knave. "

Here the lad laughed outright with joy. "Yes, yes, that would justdo; and he could put on his father's old mantle, and bring a stoutcrab-stick along with him. "

_Hic_. --"All right, young friend; but how was he to get intothe castle garden? Was there not a drawbridge which was liftedevery night?"

_Hic. _--"Oh yes; but his father very often sent him to drawit up, and he could leave it down for tonight; then he would getthe forester, by some means, into the shrubbery, where it was darkas pitch, and they could thrash the dog there without any oneknowing a word about it. "

_Ille. _-"Good! Then when the tower-clock struck nine, let himcome himself and admit him into the garden--time enough after torun for the forester, while he was hiding himself in theshrubbery, for no one must know a word about his being there. "Then he gave the lad a knife, and told him if all turned out wellhe should have a piece of gold in addition. "Ah! they would givehim a warm greeting, this dog of a forester! But after he hadcalled him out, the lad must pretend as if he had nothing to dowith the matter, and go back to the house, or slip down someby-path. "

So the lad jumped with joy when he got hold of the knife, andskipped off to the castle, promising to be at the drawbridge whennine o'clock struck from the tower, to admit his good friend intothe garden. 

Meanwhile my gracious Lady of Wolgast was making preparations forher departure on the morrow from the castle, for she had beenattending the wedding festivities with her four sons, and Ulrich, the Grand Chamberlain; but previous to taking leave of her dearson, Duke Johann Frederick, she wished to make one more attempt toinduce him to take off the interdict from the country, and allowthe courts of justice to be re-opened, for thus would the land befreed from these wild hordes who haunted every road, and filledall hearts with fear. 

For this purpose she went up to his own private chamber in thecastle, bringing old Ulrich along with her; and when they entered, old Ulrich, having closed the door, began--"Now, gracious lady, speak to your son as befits a mother and your princely Grace todo. "

Upon which he took his seat at the table, looking around him assour as a vinegar-cruet. 

So the Duchess lifted up her voice with many tears, and prayed hisHighness of Stettin to stem all this violence that raged in theland, as a loving Prince and father towards his subjects. He hadresisted all her entreaties until now, with those of his dearbrothers and old Ulrich; and had not even his host and the wholenobility tried to soften his heart towards his people, who weresuffering by his hard resolve? But surely he would not refuse hernow, for she had come to take her leave of him, and had broughthis old guardian and his brothers to plead along with her;besides, who knew what might happen next? For she heard, to herastonishment, that Sidonia was not dead at all, as they supposed, but roaming through the country with her accursed paramour. Hadshe known this, never would she have permitted this long journey, dear even as the bride was to her heart, but would have stayed atWolgast to watch over her heart's dear son, Ernest, and his youngspouse, who rightly feared to put themselves in danger again, after the sore peril they had encountered in the Stettin forest;and who knew what might happen to her on the journey homeward? forif she encountered Sidonia, what could she expect from her but thebitterest death? (weeping. ) Ah, this all came upon them becausethe young Duke had despised the admonitions of his blessed fatherupon his death-bed, and thought not of that Scripture which saith, "The father's blessing buildeth the children's houses, but thecurse of the mother pulleth them down. " [Footnote: Sirach iii. II. ] She had never cursed him yet, but that day might come. 

Then Duke Johann answered, "He was sad to see his darling motherchafe and fret about these same courts of justice, but hisprincely honour was pledged, and he could not retract one worduntil the states came back to their duty, and gave him the gold hedemanded. For how could he stand before the world as a fool? Hehad begun this castle of Friedrichswald, and had ordered all kindsof statues, paintings, &c. , from Italy, for which gold must bepaid. How, then, if he had none?"

"But those were idle follies, " his mother answered, "and showedhow true were the words of Solomon--'When a prince wantethunderstanding, there is great oppression. '" [Footnote: Prov. Xxviii. 16. ]

Here the Duke grew angry. "It was false; he did not wantunderstanding. Well it was that no one had dared to say this tohim but his mother. "

But my gracious lady could not hear him plainly; for his SereneHighness, Barnim the younger, who had drunk rather freely atdinner, began to snore so loudly, that he snored away a paperwhich lay before old Ulrich, upon which he had been sketching alist of _propositions_ for the reconciliation of the Duke andthe estates of the kingdom. 

Hereupon the old chamberlain cursed and swore--"May the seventhousand devils take them! One snarls at his mother, and the othersnores away his paper! Did the Prince think that Pomerania waslike Saxony, when he began these fine buildings at Friedrichswald?His Grace had a house at Stettin; what did he want with a second?Was his Grace better than his forefathers? And would not his Gracehave Oderburg when old Duke Barnim died? and castles and towns allround the land?"

But the Duke answered proudly, "That Ulrich should remember hisguardianship had ended. He knew himself what to do and what toleave undone. "

Herewith the young Lord Bogislaff broke in--"Yet, dearest brother, be advised by us. Bethink you how I resigned my chance of theduchy at the Diet of Wollin, and now I am ready to give you up theannuity which I then received, if it will help your necessities, and that you promise thereupon to release the land from theinterdict, that all this fearful villainy and lawlessness which isdevastating the country may have an end. "

_Ille_. --"Matters were not so bad as he thought; besides, whycannot the people defend themselves, and take care of their ownskin?"

_Hic_. --"So they do; but this only increased injustice andlawlessness. " Then he related many examples of how the despairingpeople of the different towns had executed justice, after theirown manner, upon the robbers who fell into their hands. InStolpschen, for instance, three fellows had been caught plunderingthe corn, and the peasants nailed them up to a tree, and whippedthem till they dropped down dead. Well might Satan laugh over thesin and wickedness that reigned now in poor Pomerania. 

_Item_, he related how the peasants in Marienfliess weregoing to burn a witch, without trial or sentence. _Item_, howmany peasants and villagers had hung up their own bailiffs, orstrangled them. _Item_, how the priests had been chased awayfrom many places, so that they now had to beg their bread upon thehighway; and in such towns God's service was no more heard, buteach one lived as it pleased him, and the peasants did as theychose. And now he would ask his heart's dear brother, which wouldbe more upright and honourable in the sight of the great God--tobuild up this castle of Friedrichswald, or to let it fall, andbuild up the virtue and happiness of his people? He could notbuild the castle without money, and he had none; but he couldrestore his land to peace and happiness by a word. Let him, then, open these long-closed courts of justice, for this was his duty asa Prince; and let him remember that every prince was ordained ofGod, and must answer to Him for his government. 

Hereupon the Stettin Duke made answer--"Pity, good Bogislaff, thouwert not a village priest! Hast thou finished thy sermon? Trulythou wert never meant for a prince, as we heard from thy own lips, the day of the Diet at Wollin. Thou hast no sense of princelyhonour, I see, but I stand by mine; and now, by my princelyhonour, I pledge my princely word, that, until the states give methe money, the land shall remain in all things as it is. "

Here old Ulrich sprang to his feet (while my gracious lady sobbedaloud), clapped the table, and roared--"Seven thousand devils, mylord! are we to be robbed and murdered by those vile cut-throatsthat infest the land, and your Grace will fold your hands and donothing, till they drive your Grace yourself out of the land, orrun a spear through your body, as they would have done to yourprincely brother of Wolgast, only he had faithful vassals todefend him? If it is so to be, then must the nobles make theirpetition to the Emperor, and we shall see if his Imperial Majestycannot bring your Grace to reason, though your mother and we allhave failed to move you. "

Here the little Casimir, who was playing with the paper which hisbrother had snored away, ran up to his mother, and pulling her bythe gown, said, "Gracious lady mamma, what ails my brother, theStettin Duke? Is he drunk, too?"

At which they all laughed, except Duke Johann, who gave a kick tohis little brother, and then strode out of the room, exclaiming, "Sooner my life than my honour; I shall stay here no longer to betutored and lectured, but will take my journey homewards this verynight. " And so he departed, but by a small side-door, for oldUlrich had locked the chief door on entering. 

Now, indeed, her Grace wept bitterly: ah! she thought the evil hadleft her house, which the fatal business at her wedding hadwrought on it, when Dr. Martinus dropped the ring; but, alas! itwas only beginning now; and yet she could not curse him, for hewas her son, and she had borne him in pain and sorrow. 

_Summa_. --If many were displeased at these proceedings of hisGrace, so also was the Lord God, as was seen clearly by manystrange signs; for on that same night Duke Barnim the elder diedat Oderburg, and all the crosses, knobs, and spires throughout thewhole town turned quite black, though they had only been newlygilded a year before, and no rain, lightning, or thunder had beenobserved. [Footnote: The Duke died 29th September 1573, aged 72years. --_Micraelius_. 369. ]

But this was all clearly to show the anger of God over the sins ofthe young Duke, and by these signs He would admonish him torepentance, as a father might gently threaten a refractory child. As to what further happened his Grace when he went out by thelittle door, and the danger that befell him there, we shall hearmore in another chapter. 

CHAPTER XIV. 

_How the knave Appelmann seizes his Serene Eminence Duke Johannby the throat, and how his Grace and the whole castle are saved byMarcus Bork and his young bride Clara; also, how Sidonia at lastis taken prisoner. _

The castle was now almost quite still, for as the festival hadalready lasted three days, the guests were pretty well tired ofdancing and drinking, and most of them, like young Prince Barnim, had lain down to snore. Yet still there were many drinking in thegreat hall, or dancing in the saloon, for the fiddles fiddled awaymerrily until far in the night. 

And it was a beautiful night this one; not too dark, but starry, bright, and soft and still, so that Marcus and his young brideglided away from the dancing and drinking, to wander in the cool, fresh air of the shrubbery, before they retired to their chamber. So they passed down the broad path that led from the garden to thedrawbridge by the water-mill, and seating themselves on a bankunder the shade of the trees, began to kiss and caress, as maywell become a young bridal pair to do. 

Soon they heard nine o'clock strike from the town, and immediatelyafter, stealthy footsteps coming along the shrubbery towards them. They held their breath, and remained quite still, thinking it wassome half-drunken guest from the castle wandering this way; butthen the drawbridge was lowered, and three persons advanced to ayouth, as they could see plainly. One said, "Now?" to whichanother answered, "No, when I whistle!" He who had so asked, thenwent back again, but Sidonia and my knave came on with theboundary lad over the bridge (for, of course, every one will haveguessed them) and entered the shrubbery where the young bridalpair were seated, but perfectly hidden, by reason of the darkness. 

The boundary lad would now have drawn up the bridge, but the knavehindered him--"Let him leave it down; how would he escape else, ifthe carl roared, and all came running out of the castle to seewhat was the matter?" Then Sidonia asked the boy, if he thoughtthe castle folk would hear him? To which he answered, no. Theycould thrash the hound securely, and he had brought a short cudgelwith him for the purpose. Upon which my knave murmured to him, "Lead on, then; I must get out of this dark place to see what I amabout. And when we get to the end of it, do you run and bring himout here. Then we shall both pay him off bravely. "

So they crept on in the darkness towards the castle, but the youngwedded pair had plenty of time to recognise both Sidonia andAppelmann by their voices. Therefore Marcus argued truly that theknave and his paramour could be about no good, for the whole landrang with their wickedness. And, no doubt, the band was in thevicinity, because Appelmann had answered, "No, when I whistle!"

So the good Marcus grew wroth over the villainy of this shamelesspair, who had evidently resolved on nothing less than thedestruction of the whole princely race, and even this castle ofDaber was not to be spared, which belonged to his dear bride'sfather, so that their wicked purposes might be fulfilled. Then hewhispered, did his dear wife know of any byway that led to thecastle? as she was born here, perhaps some such little path mightbe known to her, so that she would escape meeting the villain. Andas she whispered in return, "Yes, there was such a path, " he bidher run along it quick as thought, have all the bells rung whenshe reached the castle, and even the cannon fired, which was readyloaded for the farewell salute to the Lady of Wolgast on themorrow; and to gather as many people together, of all stations andages, as could be summoned on the instant, and let them shout"Murder! murder!" Meanwhile he would run and draw up the bridge, then track the fellow along the shrubbery, and seize him ifpossible. 

How Clara trembled and hesitated, as a young girl might; but sooncollecting herself, she said, although with much agitation, "Iwill trust in God: the Lord is my strength, of whom then should Ibe afraid?" and plunged alone into the darkest part of theshrubbery. 

Marcus instantly ran down to the garden door, and began to draw upthe bridge with as little noise as possible. "What are you doing?"called out a voice to him from the other side. "I hear steps, " heanswered, "and perchance it is the castellan on his rounds; hewould discover all. " So he draws up the bridge, and then glidedalong the shrubbery after my knave. 

Meanwhile Appelmann and Sidonia, with the boundary lad, hadreached the door of the castle, through which he was determined tomake good his entrance after the lad by any means. 

But at that very instant it opened, and my gracious lord DukeJohann Frederick stood before them. For it has been alreadymentioned, that he left the chamber in which the family councilwas held, by a small private door which led down to this portionof the castle. Here he was looking about for his court-jester, Clas Hinze, to bid him order the carriages to convey him and hissuite that very night to Freienwald, and by chance opened thisvery door which led out to the shrubbery. 

Seeing no one from the darkness, the Duke called out, "Is Clasthere?" to which Appelmann answered, "Yes, my lord" (for he hadrecognised the Duke by his voice), and at the same time heretreated a few steps into the shrubbery, hoping the Duke wouldfollow him. 

But the Duke called out again, "Where art thou, Clas?" "Here!"responded Appelmann, retreating still further. Whereupon theboundary lad whispered, "That is not him!" His Grace, however, heard the whisper, and called out angrily, while he advanced fromthe door, "What meanest thou, knave? It is I who call! Art thoudrunk, fool? If so, thou must have a bucket of water on thy head, for we ride away this night. "

So speaking, his Highness went on still further into theshrubbery, upon which my knave makes a spring at his throat andhurls him to the ground, while he gives a loud, shrill whistlethrough the fingers of his other hand. Now the boundary ladscreamed in earnest; but Sidonia threatened him, and bade him holdhis tongue, and run for the other fellows, and not mind them. Butshe screamed yet louder herself, when a powerful arm seized herround the waist, and she found herself in the grasp of MarcusBork. 

Appelmann, who had stuffed his kerchief into the Duke's mouth tostifle his cries, and placed one knee upon his breast, now sprangup in terror at her scream, while at the same instant the bellsrang, the cannon was fired, and all the court was filled withpeople shouting, "Murder! murder!" So he let go his hold of theDuke, and without waiting to release Sidonia, darted down theshrubbery, reached the bridge, and finding it raised, plunged intothe water, and swam to the other side. 

And here we see the hand of the all-merciful God; for had thebridge been down, the band would have rushed over at theircaptain's whistle, and then, methinks, there would have been a sadend to the whole princely race, for, as I have said, half theguests were drunk and half were snoring, so that but for Marcusthis evil and accursed woman would have destroyed them all, as shehad sworn. True, they were destroyed by her at last, but not untilGod gave them over to destruction, in consequence of their sins, no doubt, and of the wickedness of the land. 

_Summa_. --When my gracious lord felt himself free, he sprangup, crying, "Help! help!" and ran as quick as he could back intothe castle. Marcus Bork followed with Sidonia, who drew a knife tostab him, but he saw the glitter of the blade by the light of thelanterns (for one can easily imagine that the bells and the cannonhad brought all the snorers to their legs), and giving her a blowupon the arm that made her drop the knife, dragged her through thelittle door, after the Duke, as fast as he was able. 

So the whole princely party stood there, and great and smallshouted when the upright Marcus appeared, holding Sidonia firmlyby the back, while she writhed and twisted, and kicked him withher heels till the sweat poured down his face. 

But when old Ulrich beheld her, he exclaimed, "Seven thousanddevils!--do my eyes deceive me, or is this Sidonia again?" HerGrace, too, turned pale, and all were horrified at seeing the evilone, for they knew her wickedness. 

Then Marcus must relate the whole story, and how he came to bringto nought the counsel of the devil. 

And when Duke Johann heard the whole extent of the danger fromwhich he had been saved, he fell upon the neck of the loyalMarcus, and, pressing him to his heart, exclaimed, "Well-belovedMarcus, and dear friend, thou hast saved my brother of Wolgast inthe Stettin forest, so hast thou saved me this night, thereforeaccept knighthood from my hands; and I make thee governor of myfortress of Saatzig. "

To which the other answered, "He thanked his Grace heartily forthe honours; but he had already promised to remain in the serviceof his princely brother of Wolgast; and for that object had madepurchase of the lands of Crienke. "

But his Highness would hear of no refusal. Only let him look atSaatzig; it was the finest fortress in the land. What would he doin a miserable fishing village? The castle was almost grander thanhis own ducal house at Stettin; and the knights' hall, with itsstone pillars and carved capitals, was the most stately work ofarchitecture in the kingdom. Where would he find such a dwellingin his village nest? Old Kleist, the governor, had just died, andto whom could he give the castle sooner than to his right worthyand loyal Marcus?

When old Dewitz heard this (he was a little, dry old man, withlong grey hair), he pressed forward to his son-in-law, and badehim by no means refuse a Prince's offer; besides, Saatzig was buttwo miles off, and they could see each other every Sunday. Also, if they had a hunt, a standard erected on the tower of one castlecould be seen plainly from the tower of the other, and so theycould lead a right pleasant, neighbourly life, almost as if theyall lived together. 

Still Marcus will not consent. Upon which his mother-in-law can nolonger suppress her feelings, and comes forward to entreat him. (She was a good, pious matron, and as fat as her husband wasthin. ) So she stroked his cheeks--"And where in the land, as faras Usdom, could he find such fine muranes and maranes [Footnote:The great marana weighs from ten to twelve pounds, and is aspecies of salmon-trout. The murana is of the same race, but notlarger than the herring. It must not be confounded with the_murana_ of which the Romans were so fond, which was aspecies of eel. ]--this fish he loved so much?--and where was suchfine flax to be had, for his young wife to spin?--no flax in theland equalled that of Saatzig!--since ever she was a little girl, people talked of the fine Saatzig flax. Let her dear daughterClara come over, and see could she prevail aught with her sternhusband. Why, they could send pudding hot to each other, thecastles were so near. "

And now the mild young bride approached her husband, and takinghis hand gently, looked up into his eyes with soft, beseechingglances, but spake no word; so that the princely widow of Wolgastwas moved, and said, "Good Marcus, if you only fear to offend myson of Wolgast by taking service at Saatzig, be composed on thathead, for I myself will make your peace. Great, indeed, would bemy joy to have you and your young spouse settled at Crienke, which, you know, is but half a mile from Pudgla, my dower-castle, where I mean to reside; yet these beseeching glances of my littleClara fill my heart with compassion, for do I not read in herclear eyes that she would love to stay near her dear parents, asindeed is natural? Therefore, in God's name accept the offer ofyour Prince. I myself command you. "

Hereupon Marcus inclined himself gracefully to the Duchess andDuke Johann, and pressed his little wife to his heart. "But whatneed, gracious Prince, of a governor at Saatzig, when all thecourts are closed and no justice can be done? I shall eat my breadin idleness, like a worn-out hound. But, marry, if your Graceconsents to open the courts, I will accept your offer with thanks, and do my duty as governor with all justice and fidelity. " Thenhis Grace answered, "What! good Marcus, dost thou begin again onthat old theme which roused my wrath so lately, and made me fallinto that peril? But I bethink me of thy bravery, and will say nobitter word; only, thou mayest hold thy peace, for I have sworn bymy princely honour, and from that there is no retreating. However, thou hast leave to hold jurisdiction in thy own government, andexecute justice according to thy own upright judgment. "

So Marcus was silent; but the Duchess and the other princes tookup the subject, and assailed his Highness with earnestpetitions--"Had he not himself felt and seen the danger ofpermitting these freebooters to get such a head in the land? Hadnot the finger of God warned him this very night, in hopes ofturning him back to the right path? Let him reflect, for the peaceof his land was at stake. " But all in vain. Even though old Ulrichtumbled into the argument with his seven thousand devils, yetcould they obtain no other answer from his Highness but--"If thestates give me gold, I shall open the courts; if they give nogold, the courts shall remain closed for ever. Were he to bebrought before the Emperor, or Pontius Pilate himself, it was allalike; they might tear him in pieces, but not one nail's breadthof his princely word would he retreat from, or break it like awoman, for their prayers. "

Then he rose, and calling his fool Clas to him, bid him run to theold priest, and tell him he would sleep at his quarters thatnight, for he must have peace; but the merry Clas, as he wasrunning out, got behind his Highness, and stuck his fool's capupon the head of his Grace, crying out, "Here, keep my cap forme. "

However, his Highness did not relish the joke, for every onelaughed; and he ran after the fool, trying to catch him, andthreatening to have his head cut off; but Clas got behind theothers, and clapping his hands, cried out, "You can't, for thecourts are closed. Huzza! the courts are closed!" Whereupon heruns out at the door, and my gracious lord after him, with thefool's cap upon his head. Nor did he return again to the hall, butwent to sleep at the priest's quarters, as he had said; and nextmorning, by the first dawn of day, set off on his journeyhomeward. 

All this while no one had troubled himself about Sidonia. Mygracious lady wept, the young lords laughed, old Ulrich swore, whilst the good Marcus murmured softly to his young wife, "Behappy, Clara; for thy sake I shall consent to go to Saatzig. Ihave decided. "

This filled her with such joy that she danced, and smiled, andflung herself into her mother's arms; nothing was wanting now toher happiness! Just then her eyes rested upon Sidonia, who wasleaning against the wall, as pale as a corpse. Clara grew quitecalm in a moment, and asked, compassionately, "What aileth thee, poor Sidonia?"

"_I am hungry!_" was the answer. At this the gentle bride wasso shocked, that the tears filled her eyes, and she exclaimed, "Wait, thou shalt partake of my wedding-feast;" and away went she. 

The attention of the others was, by this time, also directed toSidonia. And old Ulrich said, "Compose yourself, gracious lady; Itrust your son, the Prince, will not be so hard and stern as hepromises; now that the water has touched his own neck, methinks hewill soon come to reason. But what shall we do now with Sidonia?"

Upon which my Lady of Wolgast turned to her, and asked if she wereyet wedded to her gallows-bird? "Not yet, " was the answer; "butshe would soon be. " Then my gracious lady spat out at her; and, addressing Ulrich, asked what he would advise. 

So the stout old knight said, "If the matter were left to him, hewould just send for the executioner, and have her ears and noseslit, as a warning and example, for no good could ever come of hernow, and then pack her off next day to her farm at Zachow; for ifthey let her loose, she would run to her paramour again, and comeat last to gallows and wheel; but if they just slit her nose, thenhe would hold her in abhorrence, as well as all other men-folk. "

During this, Clara had entered, and set fish, and wild boar, andmeat, and bread, before the girl; and as she heard Ulrich's lastwords, she bent down and whispered, "Fear nothing, Sidonia, I hopeto be able to protect thee, as I did once before; only eat, Sidonia! Ah! hadst thou followed my advice! I always meant well bythee; and even now, if I thought thou wouldst repent truly, poorSidonia, I would take thee with me to the castle of Saatzig, andnever let thee want for aught through life. "

When Sidonia heard this, she wept, and promised amendment. Onlylet Clara try her, for she could never go to Zachow and play thepeasant-girl. Upon which Clara turned to her Highness, and prayedher Grace to give Sidonia up to her. See how she was weeping;misfortune truly had softened her, and she would soon be broughtback to God. Only let her take her to Saatzig, and treat her as asister. At this, however, old Ulrich shook his head--"Clara, Clara, " he exclaimed, "knowest thou not that the Moor cannotchange his skin, nor the leopard his spots? I cannot, then, letthe serpent go. Think on our mother, girl; it is a bad workplaying with serpents. "

Her Grace, too, became thoughtful, and said at last--

"Could we not send her to the convent at Marienfliess, orsomewhere else?"

"What the devil would she do in a convent?" exclaimed the oldknight. "To infect the young maidens with her vices, or plaguethem with her pride? Now, there was nothing else for her but to bepacked off to Zachow. "

Now Clara looked up once again at her husband with her soft, tearful eyes, for he had said no word all this time, but remainedquite mute; and he drew her to him, and said--

"I understand thy wish, dear Clara, but the old knight is right. It is a dangerous business, dear Clara! Let Sidonia go. "

At this Sidonia crawled forth like a serpent from her corner, andhowled--

"Clara had pity on her, but he would turn her out to starve--he, who bore her own name, and was of her own blood. "

Alas! the good knight was ashamed to refuse any longer, andfinally promised the evil one that she should go with them toSaatzig. So her Grace at last consented, but old Ulrich shook hisgrey head ten times more. 

"He had lived many years in the world, but never had it come tohis knowledge that a godless man was tamed by love. Fear was theonly teacher for them. All their love would be thrown away on thisharlot; for even if the stout Marcus kept her tight with bit andrein, and tried to bring her back by fear, yet the moment his backwas turned, Clara would spoil all again by love and kindness. "

However, nobody minded the good knight, though it all came to passjust as he had prophesied. 

CHAPTER XV. 

_How Sidonia demeans herself at the castle of Saatzig, and howClara forgets the injunctions of her beloved husband, when heleaves her to attend the Diet at Wollin, on the subject of thecourts--Item, how the Serene Prince Duke Johann Frederick beheadshis court fool with a sausage. _

Summa. --Sidonia went to the castle of Saatzig, and her worthycousin Marcus gave her a little chamber to herself, in the thirdstory, close to the tower. It was the same room in which sheafterwards sat as a witch, for some days ere she was taken toOderburg. There was a right cheerful view from the windows downupon the lake, which was close to the castle, and over the littletown of Jacobshagen, as far even as the meadows beyond. Here, too, was left a Bible for her, and the _Opera Lutheri_ inaddition, with plenty of materials for spinning and embroidery, for she had refused to weave. _Item_, a serving-wench wasappointed to attend on her, and she had permission to walk whereshe pleased within the castle walls; but if ever seen beyond thedomain, the keepers had orders to bring her back by force, if shewould not return willingly. 

In fine, the careful knight took every precaution possible torender her presence as little baneful as could be, for, truth tosay, he had no faith whatever in her tears and seeming repentance. 

First, he strictly forbade all his secretaries to interchange aword with her, or even look at her. They need not know his reason, but any one who transgressed his slightest command in thisparticular, should be chased away instantly from the castle. 

Secondly, he prayed his dear wife to let Sidonia eat her mealsalone, in her own little room, and never to see her but in thepresence of a third person. 

Also, never to accept the slightest gift from her hand--fruit, flower, or any kind of food whatsoever. These injunctions were themore necessary, as the young bride had already given hopes of anheir. Sidonia's rage and jealousy at this prospect of completehappiness for Clara may be divined from her words to her maid, Lene Penkun, a short time after she reached the castle--

"Ha! they are talking of the baptism already, forsooth; but itmight have been otherwise if I had come across her a littlesooner!"

This same maid also she sent to Daber for the spirit Chim, whichhad been left behind at the last resting-place of the robbers, never telling her it was a spirit, however, only a tame cat, thatwas a great pet of hers. "It must be half dead with hunger now, for it was four days since she had left it in the hollow of an oldoak in the forest, the poor creature! So let the maid take a flaskof sweet milk and a little saucer to feed it. She could not missher way, for, when she stepped out of the high-road at Daber intothe forest, there was a thorn-bush to her left hand, and justbeyond it a large oak where the ravens had their nests; in ahollow of this oak, to the north side, lay her dear little cat. But she must not tell any one about the matter, or they wouldlaugh at her for sending her maid two miles and more to look for acat. Men had no compassion or tenderheartedness nowadays to eachother, much less to a poor dumb animal. No; just let her say thatshe went to fetch a robe which her mistress had left in the oak. Here was an old gown; take this with her, and it would do to wrapup the poor little pussy in it after she had fed it and warmed it, so that no one might see it, for what a mock would all thesepitiless men make of her, if they heard the object of her message;but she was not cruel like them. "

Now, after some time, it happened that the states of the duchyassembled at Wollin, to come to some arrangement with his Highnessrespecting the opening of the courts of justice; and Marcus Bork, along with all the other nobles, was summoned to attend the Diet. So, with great grief, he had to leave his dear wife, but promised, if possible, to return before she was taken with her illness. Thenhe bid her be of good courage, and, above all things, to guardherself, against Sidonia, and mind strictly all his injunctionsconcerning her. 

Alas! she too soon flung them all to the winds! For, behold, scarcely had the good knight arrived at Wollin, when Clara wasdelivered of a little son, at which great joy filled the wholecastle. And one messenger was despatched to Marcus, and another toold Dewitz and his wife, with the tidings; but woe, alas! the goodold mother was going to stand sponsor for a nobleman's child inthe neighbourhood, and could not hasten then to save her deardaughter from a terrible and cruel death. She cooked some broth, however, for the young mother, and pouring it into a silver flask, bid the messenger ride back with all speed to Saatzig, that itmight not be too cold. She herself would be over in the morningearly with her husband, and let her dear little daughter keepherself warm and quiet. 

Meanwhile Sidonia had heard of the birth, and sent her maid towish the young mother joy, and ask her permission just to give onelittle kiss to her new cousin, for they told her he was abeautiful infant. 

Alas, alas! that Clara's joy should make her forget the judiciouscautions of her husband! Permission was given to the murderess, and down she comes directly to offer her congratulations; evenaffecting to weep for joy as she kissed the infant, and praying tobe allowed to act as nurse until her mother came from Daber. 

"Why, she had no one about her but common serving-women! How couldshe leave her dearest friend to the care of these old hags, whenshe was in the castle, who owed everything to her dear Clara?"

And so she went on till poor Clara, even if she did not quitebelieve her, felt ashamed to doubt so much apparent affection andtenderness. 

_Summa_. --She permitted her to remain, and we shall soon seewhat murderous deeds Sidonia was planning against the poor youngmother. But first I must relate what happened at the Diet ofWollin, to which Marcus Bork had been summoned. 

His Highness Duke Johann had become somewhat more gracious to thestates since they had come to the Diet at their own cost, whichwas out of the usage; and further, because, as old Ulrichprophesied, he himself had felt the inconveniences resulting fromthe present lawless state of the country. 

Still he was ill-tempered enough, particularly as he had a feveron him; and when the states promised at last that they would lethim have the money, he said, "So far good; but, till he saw thegold, the courts should not be opened. Not that he misdoubtedthem, but then he knew that they were sometimes as tedious inhanding out money as a peasant in paying his rent. The courts, therefore, should not be opened until he had the gold in his pot, so it would be to their own profit to use as much diligence aspossible. " At this same Diet his Grace related how he first metClas, his fool, which story I shall set down here for the reader'spastime. 

This same fool had been nothing but a poor goose-herd; and one dayas he was on the road to Friedrichswald with his flock, mygracious lord rode up, and growing impatient at the geese runninghither and thither in his path, bid the boy collect them together, or he would strike them all dead. 

Upon which the knave took up goose after goose by the throat, andstuck them by their long necks into his girdle, till a circle ofgeese hung entirely round his body, all dangling by the head fromhis waist. 

This merry device pleased my lord so much, that he made the ladcourt-jester from that day, and many a droll trick he had playedfrom that to this, particularly when his Highness was gloomy, soas to make him laugh again. Once, for instance, when the Duke wassore pressed for money, by reason of the opposition of the states, he became very sad, and all the doctors were consulted, but coulddo nothing. For unless his Grace could be brought to laugh (theysaid to the Lady Erdmuth), it was all over with him. Then mygracious lady had the fool whipped for a stupid jester, who couldnot drive his trade; for if he did not make the Duke laugh, whyshould he stay at all in the castle?

What did my fool? He collected all the princely soldatesca, andgot leave from their Graces to review them; and surely never wereseen such strange evolutions as he put them through, for they mustdo everything he bid them. And when his Highness came forth tolook, he laughed so loud as never had fool made him laugh before;and calling the Duchess, bid him repeat his _experimentum_many times for her. In fine, the fool got the good town ofButterdorf for his fee, which changed its name in honour of him, and is called Hinzendorf to this day (for his name was Hinze). 

But Clas Hinze had not been able to cure my Lord Duke of hisfever, which attacked him at the Diet at Wollin, nor all thedoctors from Stettin, nor even Doctor Pomius, who had been sentfrom Wolgast by the old Duchess, to attend her dear son; and asthe doctor (as I have said) was a formal, priggish little man, heand the fool were always bickering and snarling. 

Now, one day at Wollin, the weather being beautiful, his Grace, with several of the chief prelates, and many of the nobility, wentforth to walk by the river's side, and the fool ran along withthem; _item_, Doctor Pomius, who, if he could not run, atleast tried to walk majestically; and he munched a piece of sugarall the time, for he never could keep his mouth still a moment. Seeing his Grace now about to cross the bridge, the doctor startedforward with as much haste as was consistent with his dignity, andseizing his Highness by the tail of the coat, drew him back, declaring, "That he must not pass the water; all water would givestrength to the fever-devil. " But his Highness, who was talkingLatin to the Deacon of Colberg, turned on the doctor with--"Apagete asine!" and strode forward, whilst one of the nobles gave afree translation aloud for the benefit of the others, saying, "Andthat means: Begone, thou ass!"

When the fool heard this, he clapped the little man on the back, shouting, "Well done, ass! and there is thy fee for curing ourgracious Prince of his fever. "

This so nettled the doctor that he spat out the lump of sugar forrage, and tried to seize the fool; but the crowd laughed stilllouder when Clas jumped on the back of an old woman, giving herthe spur with his yellow boots in the side, and shaking his headwith the cap and bells at the little doctor in mockery, who couldnot get near him for the crowd. So the woman screamed and roared, and the people laughed, till at last the Duke stopped in themiddle of the bridge to see what was the matter. When the foolobserved this, he sprang off the old woman's back, and calling outto the doctor--"See how I cure our gracious lord's fever, " ranupon the bridge like wind, and, seizing the Duke with all hisforce, jumped with him into the water. 

Now the people screamed from horror, as much as before from mirth, and thirty or forty burghers, along with Marcus Bork, plunged into rescue his Highness, whilst others tried to seize the fool, threatening to tear him in pieces. This was a joyful hearing toDoctor Pomius. He drew forth his knife--"Would they not finish theknave at once? Here was a knife just ready. "

But the fool, who was strong and supple, swung himself up to thebridge, and crouched in between the arches, catching hold of thebeams, so that no one dared to touch him there, and his Highnesswas soon carried to land. He was in a flaming rage as he shook offthe water. 

"Where is that accursed fool? He had only threatened to cut offhis head at Daber, but now it should be done in earnest. "

So the fool shouted from under the bridge--"Ho! ho! the courts areall closed! the courts are all closed!" At which the crowd laughedso heartily, that my Lord Duke grew still more angry, andcommanded them to bring the fool to him dead or alive. 

Hearing this, the fool crept forward of himself, and whimpered inhis Low Dutch, "My good Lord Duke, praise be to God that we'vemade the doctor fly. I'll give him a little piece of drink-moneyfor his journey, and then I'll be your doctor myself. For if thefright has not cured you, marry, let the deacon be your fool, andI will be your deacon as long as I live. "

However, my gracious lord was in no humour for fun, but bid themcarry off the fool to prison, and lock him up there; for though, indeed, the fever had really quite gone, as his Highness perceivedto his joy, yet he was resolved to give the fool a right goodfright in return. 

Therefore, on the third day from that, he commanded him to bebrought out and beheaded on the scaffold at Wollin. He wore awhite shroud, bordered with black gauze, over his motley jacket, and a priest and melancholy music accompanied him all the way; butMaster Hansen had directions that, when the fool was seated in thechair with his eyes bound, he should strike the said fool on theneck with a sausage in place of the sword. 

However, no one suspected this, and a great crowd followed thepoor fool up to the scaffold; even Doctor Pomius was there, andkept close up to the condemned. As the fool passed the ducalhouse, there was my lord seated at a window looking out, and thefool looked up, saying, "My gracious master, is this a fool's jestyou are playing me, or is it earnest?"

To which the Duke answered, "You see it is earnest. "

Then answered the fool, "Well, if I must, I must; yet I crave oneboon!"

When the promise was granted, the knave, who could not give up hisjesting even on the death-road, said, "Then make Doctor Pomiusherewith to be fool in my place, for look how he is learning allmy tricks from me--sticking himself close up to my side. "

Hereat a great shout of laughter pealed from the crowd, and theDuke motioned with the hand to proceed to the scaffold. 

Still the poor fool kept looking round every moment, thinking hisGrace would send a message after them to stop the execution, butno one appeared. Then his teeth chattered, and he trembled like anaspen leaf; for Master Hansen seized hold of him now, and put himdown upon the chair, and bound his eyes. Still he asked, with hiseyes bound, "Master, is any one coming?"

"No!" replied the executioner; and throwing back his red cloak, drew forth a large sausage in place of a sword, to the greatamusement of the people. With this he strikes my fool on the neck, who thereupon tumbles down from the stool, as stone dead from themere fright as if his head and body had parted company--yea, moredead, for never a finger or a muscle did the poor fool move more. 

This sad ending moved his Grace even to tears; and he fell into ayet greater melancholy than before, crying, "Woe! alas! He gave memy life through fright, and through fright I have taken away hispoor life! Ah, never shall I meet with so good and merry a foolagain!"

Then he gave command to all the physicians to try and restore him, and he himself stood by while they bled him and felt his pulse, but all was in vain; even Doctor Pomius tried his skill, butnothing would help, so that my lord cried out angrily--

"Marry, the fool was right. The fools should be doctors, for thedoctors are all fools. Away with ye all, and your gibberish, tothe devil!"

After this he had the said fool placed in a handsome black coffin, and conveyed to his own town of Hinzendorf, there to be buried;and over his grave my lord erected a stately monument, on whichwas represented the poor fool, as large as life, with his cap andbells, and staff in his hand; and round his waist was a girdle, from which many geese dangled, all cut like life, while at hisside lay his shepherd's bag, and at his feet a beer-can. Thefigure is five feet two inches long, and bears a Latin inscriptionabove it, which I forget; but the initials G. H. Are carved uponeach cheek. [Footnote: His original name was Gürgen Hinze, notClas. The Latin inscription is nearly effaced, but the beginningis still visible, and runs thus: "Caput ecce manus gestus que;"from which Oelrichs concludes that the whole was written inhexameters. (See his estimable work, "Memoirs of the PomeranianDukes, " p. 41. )]

Shortly after the death of the fool a messenger arrived fromSaatzig to Marcus Bork, bringing him the joyful tidings that theLord God had granted him the blessing of a little son. So he isaway to my Lord Duke, to solicit permission to leave the Diet andreturn to his castle. This the Duke readily granted, seeing thathe himself was going away to attend the funeral of the poor foolat Hinzendorf. Then he wished Marcus joy with all his heart, whichso emboldened the knight that he ventured to make one more effortabout the opening of the courts, praying his Grace to put faith inthe word of his faithful states, and open the courts and thetreasury without further delay. 

But his Grace is wroth: "What should he be troubled for? Thestates could give the money when they chose, and then all would beright. Let the nobles do their duty. He never saw a penny come outof their pockets for their Prince. "

"But his Highness knew the poor peasants were all beggared; andwhere could the nobles get the money?"

"Let them go to their saving-pots, then, where the money wasturning green from age; better for them if they had less avarice. Why did not he himself bring him some gold, in place of dressingup his wife in silks and jewels, finer than the Princess Erdmuthherself, his own princely spouse? Then, indeed, the courts mightbe soon opened, " &c. So the sorrowing knight took his leave, andeach went his different way. 

CHAPTER XVI. 

_How Sidonia makes poor Clara appear quite dead, and of thegreat mourning at Saatzig over her burial, while Sidonia dances onher coffin and sings the 109th psalm--Item, of the sermon and theanathema pronounced upon a wicked sinner from the altar of thechurch. _

I must first state that this horrible wickedness of Sidonia, whichno eye had seen nor ear heard, neither had it entered into theheart of man to conceive (for only in hell could such have beenimagined), never would have come to light but that she herselfmade confession thereof to Dr. Cramero, thy well-belovedgodfather, in her last trial. And he, to show how far Satan canlead a poor human creature who has once fallen from God, relatedthe same to my worthy father-in-law, Master David Reutzio, sometime superintendent at the criminal court, from whose own lips Ireceived the story. 

And this was her confession:--That when the messenger returnedfrom Daber with the broth, he had ridden so fast that it wasstill, in truth, quite hot, but she (the horrible Sidonia), whowas standing at the bed of the young mother, along with the otherwomen, pretended that it was too cold for a woman in her state, and must just get one little heating on the fire. 

The poor Clara, indeed, showed unwillingness to permit this, butshe ran down with it, and secretly, without being seen by any ofthe other women, poured in a philtrum that had been given her bythe gipsy hag, and then went back again for a moment. Thisphiltrum was the one which produced all the appearance of death. It had no taste, except, perhaps, that it was a little saltish. Therefore Clara perceived nothing wrong, only when she tasted it, said, "My heart's dearest mother, in her joy, has put a little toomuch salt into her broth; still, what a heart's dearest mothersends, must always taste good!" However, in one hour after that, Clara lay as stiff and cold as a corpse, only her breath came alittle; but even this ceased in a short time, and then a great cryand lamentation resounded through the whole castle. No onesuspected Sidonia, for many said that young women died so often;but even the old mother, who arrived a few hours after, andhearing the cries from the castle while she was yet far off, beganto weep likewise; for her mother's heart revealed the cause to herere she had yet descended from the carriage. 

But it was a sadder sight next evening, when the husband arrivedat the castle from Wollin. He could not take his eyes from thecorpse. One while he kissed the infant, then fixed his eyes againupon his dead wife, and sighed and groaned as if he lay upon therack. He alone suspected Sidonia, but when she cried more thanthey all, and wrung her hands, exclaiming, who would have pity onher now, for her best friend lay there dead! and flung herselfupon the seeming corpse, kissing it and bedewing it with hertears, and praying to have leave to watch all night beside it, forhow could she sleep in her sore grief and sorrow? the knight wasashamed of his suspicions, and even tried to comfort her himself. 

Then came the physicians out of Stargard and other places, who hadbeen summoned in all haste, and they gabbled away, saying, "Itcould not have been the broth, but puerperal fever. " This at leastwas Dr. Hamster's opinion, who knew all along it would be a badcase. Indeed, the last time he was at the castle visiting themower's wife, he was frightened at the look of the poor lady. Still, if they had only sent for him in time, this great evilcould not have happened, for his _pulvis antispasmodicus_ wasnever known to fail; and so he went on chattering, by which onecan see that doctors have always been the same from that time eventill now. 

_Summa_. --On the third day the poor Clara was laid in hercoffin, and carried to her grave, with such weeping andlamentation of the mourners and bearers as never had been heardtill then. And all the nobles of the vicinage, with the knightsand gentlemen, came to attend her funeral at Saatzig Cathedral, for she was to be buried in this new church just finished by hisGrace Duke Johann, and but one corpse had been laid in the vaultsbefore her. [Footnote: The beautifully painted escutcheon of DukeJohann and his wife, Erdmuth of Brandenburg, is still to be seenon the chancel windows of this stately staircase. ]

But what does the devil's sorceress do now? She knew that the poorClara would awake the next day (which was Sunday) about noon, andif any should hear her cries, her plans would be detected. Therefore, about ten of the clock she ran to Marcus, with her hairall flowing down her shoulders, saying, that he must let her awaythat very day to Zachow, for what would the world say if she, ayoung unmarried thing, should remain here all alone with him inhis castle? No; sooner would she swallow the bitter cup her fatherhad left her than peril her name. But first, would he allow her togo and pray alone in the church? Surely he would not deny herthis. 

Thereupon the simple knight gave her instant leave--"Let her goand pray, in God's name. He himself would soon be there to hearthe Reverend Dr. Wudargensis preach the funeral sermon over hisheart's dear wife. And after service he would desire a carriage tobe in readiness to convey her to Zachow. "

Then he called to the warder from the window, bidding him letSidonia pass. So she went forth in deep mourning garments, glidedthrough the castle gardens, and concealing herself by the trees, slipped into the church without any one having perceived her; forthe sexton had left the door open to admit fresh air, on accountof the corpse. Then she stepped over to the little grated doornear the altar, which led down into the vault, and softly liftingit, stepped down, drawing the door down again close over her head. Clara's coffin was lying beneath, and first she laid her ear on itand listened, but all was quite still within. Then removing thepall, she sat herself down upon the lid. Time passed, and still nosound. The sexton began to ring the bell, and the people wereassembling in the church above. Soon the hymn commenced, "Now inpeace the loved one sleepeth, " and ere the first verse had ended, a knocking was heard in the coffin, then a cry--"Where am I? Whatbrought me here? Let me out, for God's sake let me out! I am notdead. Where is my child? Where is my good Marcus? Ah! there issome one near me. Who is it? Let me out! let me out!" Then (oh!horror of horrors!) the devil's harlot on her coffin answered, "Itis I, Sidonia! this pays thee for acting the spy at Wolgast. Liethere and writhe till thou art stifled in thy blood!" Now thevoice came again from the coffin, praying and beseeching, so thatmany times it went through her stony heart like a sword. And justthen the first verse of the hymn ended, and the voice of thepriest was heard asking the lord governor whether they should goand sing the remainder over the vault of his dear spouse, for itwas indeed sung in her honour, seeing she had been ever a motherto the orphan, and a holy, pious, and Christian wife; or, sincethe people all knew her worth, and mourned for her with bittermourning, should they sing it here in the nave, that the wholecongregation might join in chorus? [Footnote: These interruptionswere by no means unusual at that period. ]

To this the governor, in a loud yet mournful voice, gave answer--

"Alas, good friends, do what you will in this sad case; I amcontent. "

But Sidonia, this devil's witch, was in a horrible fright, lestthe priest would come up to the altar to sing the hymn, and sohear the knocking within the coffin. However, the devil protectshis own, for, at that instant, many voices called out--

"Let the hymn be sung here, that we may all join to the honour ofthe blessed soul of the good lady. "

And mournfully the second verse was heard pealing through thechurch, from the lips of the whole congregation, so that poorClara's groans were quite smothered. For, when the voice of herdear husband reached her ear, she had knocked and cried out withall her strength--

"Marcus! Marcus! Alas, dear Lord, will you not come to me!" Thenagain--"Sidonia, by the Jesu cross, I pray thee have pity on me. Save me--save me--I am stifling. Oh, run for some one, if thoucanst not lift the lid thyself!"

But the devil made answer to the poor living corpse--

"Dost thou take me for a silly fool like thyself, that I shouldnow undo all I have done?"

And as the voice went on from the coffin, but feebler andfainter--

"Think on my husband--on my child, Sidonia!"

She answered--

"Didst thou think of that when, but for thee, I might have been aDuchess of Pomerania, and the proud mother of a prince, in placeof being as I now am. "

Then all became still within the coffin, and Sidonia sprang uponit and danced, chanting the 109th psalm; [Footnote: Superstitionhas found many sinful usages for this psalm. The Jews, forexample, took a new vessel, poured a mixture of mustard and watertherein, and after repeating this psalm over it for threeconsecutive days, poured it out before the door of their enemy, asa certain means to ensure his destruction. In the middle agesmonks and nuns were frequently obliged to repeat it insuperstitious ceremonies, at the command of some powerfulrevengeful man. And that its efficacy was Considered as somethingmiraculously powerful, even by the evangelical Church, is provedby this example of Sidonia, who made frequent use of this terriblepsalm in her sorceries, as any one may see by referring to therecords of the trial in Dähnert. And other interesting examplesare found in the treatise of Job. Andreas Schmidii, _AbususPsalmi 109 imprecatorii_; vulgo, _The Death Prayer_, Helmstadt, 1708. ] and as she came to the words, "Let none showmercy to him; let none have pity on his orphans; let his posteritybe cut off and his name be blotted out, " there was a loud knockingagain within the coffin, and a faint, stifled cry--"I am dying!"then followed a gurgling sound, and all became still. At thatmoment the congregation above raised the last verse of the hymn:--

 "In the grave, with bitter weeping, Loving hands have laid her down; There she resteth, calmly sleeping, Till an angel lifts the stone. "

But the sermon which now followed she remembered her life long. Itwas on the tears, the soft tears of our Lord and Saviour JesusChrist. And as her spirit became oppressed by the silence in thevault, now that all was still within the coffin, she lifted thelid after the exordium, to see if Clara were indeed quite dead. 

It was an easy matter to remove the cover, for the screws were notfastened; but--O God! what has she beheld? A sight that will nevermore leave her brain! The poor corpse lay all torn and disfiguredfrom the writhings in the coffin, and a blood-vessel must haveburst at last to relieve her from her agony, for the blood lay yetwarm on the hands as she lifted the cover. But more horrible thanall were the fixed glassy eyes of the corpse, staring immovablyupon her, from which clear tears were yet flowing, and blendingwith the blood upon the cheek; and, as if the priest above hadknown what was passing beneath, he exclaimed--

"Oh, let us moisten our couch with tears; let tears be our meatday and night. They are noble tears that do not fall to earth, butascend up to God's throne. Yea, the Lord gathers them in Hisvials, like costly wine. They are noble tears, for if they fillthe eyes of God's chosen in this life, yet, in that other world, the Lord Jesus will wipe away tears from off all faces, as the dewis dried by the morning sun. Oh, wondrous beauty of those eyeswhich are dried by the Lord Jesus! Oh, blessed eyes! Oh, sun-cleareyes! Oh, joyful and ever-smiling eyes!"

She heard no more, but felt the eyes of the corpse were upon her, and fell down like one dead beside the coffin; and Clara's eyesand the sermon never left her brain from that day, and often havethey risen before her in dreams. 

But the Holy Spirit had yet a greater torment in store for her, ifthat were possible. 

For, after the sermon, a consistorium was held in the church upona grievous sinner named Trina Wolken, who, it appeared, had manytimes done penance for her unchaste life, but had in no wiseamended. And she heard the priest asking, "Who accuseth thiswoman?" To which, after a short silence, a deep, small voiceresponded--

"I accuse her; for I detected her in sin, and though I besoughther with Christian words to turn from her evil ways, and that Iwould save her from public shame if she would so turn, yet shegave herself up wholly to the devil, and out of revenge bewitchedmy best sheep, so that it died the very day after it had broughtforth a lamb. Alas! what will become of the poor lamb? And it wassuch a beautiful little lamb!"

When Marcus Bork heard this, he began to sob aloud; and each wordseemed to run like a sharp dagger through Sidonia's heart, so thatshe bitterly repented her evil deeds. And all the congregationbroke out into loud weeping, and even the priest continued, in abroken voice, to ask the sinner what she had to say to thisterrible accusation. 

Upon which a woman's voice was heard swearing that all was amalignant lie, for her accuser was a shameless liar and opensinner, who wished to ruin her because she had refused his son. 

Then the priest commanded the witnesses to be called, not only toprove the unchastity, but also the witchcraft. And after this, shewas asked if she could make good the loss of the sheep? No; shehad no money. And the people testified also that the harlot hadnothing but her shame. Thereupon the priest rose up, and said--

"That she had long been notorious in the Christian communion forher wicked life, and that all her penance and repentance havingproved but falsehood and deceit, he was commissioned by thehonourable consistorium to pronounce upon her the solemn curse andsentence of excommunication. For she had this day been convictedof strange and terrible crimes, on the testimony of competentwitnesses. Therefore he called upon the whole Christiancongregation to stand up and listen to the words of the anathema, by which he gave over Trina Wolken to the devil, in the name ofthe Almighty God. "

And as he spoke the curse, it fell word by word upon the head ofSidonia, as if he were indeed pronouncing it over herself--

"Dear Christian Friends, --Because Trina Wolken hath broken herbaptismal vows, and given herself over to the devil, to work alluncleanness with greediness; and though divers times admonished torepentance by the Church, yet hath stiffened her neck incorruption, and hardened her heart in unrighteousness, thereforewe herewith place the said Trina Wolken under the ban of theexcommunication. Henceforth she is a thing accursed--cast off fromthe communion of the Church, and participation in the holysacraments. Henceforth she is given up to Satan for this life andthe next, unless the blessed Saviour reach forth His hand to heras He did to the sinking Peter, for all things are possible withGod. And this we do by the power of the keys granted by Christ toHis Church, to bind and loose on earth as in heaven, in the nameof the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen. "

And now Sidonia heard distinctly the screams of the wretchedsinner, as she was hunted out of the church, and all thecongregation followed soon after, and then all was still above. 

Now, indeed, terror took such hold of her that she trembled likean aspen leaf, and the lid fell many times from her hand withgreat clatter on the ground, as she tried to replace it on thecoffin. For she had closed her eyes, for fear of meeting theghastly stare of the corpse again. At last she got it up, and thecorpse was covered; but she would not stay to replace the screws, only hastened out of the vault, closing the little grated doorafter her, reached the church door, which had no lock, but only alatch, and plunged into the castle gardens to hide herself amongstthe trees. 

Here she remained crouched for some hours, trying to recover herself-possession; and when she found that she could weep as well asever when it pleased her, she set off for the castle, and met hercousin Marcus with loud weeping and lamentations, entreating himto let her go that instant to Zachow. Eat and drink could she notfrom grief, though she had eaten nothing the whole morning. So themournful knight, who had himself risen from the table withouteating, to hasten to his little motherless lamb, asked her whereshe had passed the morning, for he had not seen her in the church?To which she answered, that she had sunk down almost dead on thealtar-steps; and, as he seemed to doubt her, she repeated part ofthe sermon, and spoke of the curse pronounced upon the girl, andtold how she had remained behind in the church, to weep and prayalone. Upon which he exclaimed joyfully--

"Now, I thank God that my blessed spouse counselled me to takethee home with us. Ah! I see that thou hast indeed repented of thysins. Go thy ways, then; and, with God's help, thou shalt neverwant a true and faithful friend while I live. "

He bid her also take all his blessed wife's wardrobe with her, amongst which was a brocaded damask with citron flowers, which shehad only got a year before; _item_, her shoes and kerchiefs:_summa_, all that she had worn, he wished never to see themagain. And so she went away in haste from the castle, after havinggiven a farewell kiss to the little motherless lamb. For thoughthe evil spirit Chim, which she carried under her mantle, whispered to her to give the little bastard a squeeze that wouldmake him follow his mother, or to let him do so, she would notconsent, but pinched him for his advice till he squalled, thoughMarcus certainly could not have heard him, for he was attendingSidonia to the coach; but then the good knight was so absorbed ingrief that he had neither ears nor eyes for anything. 

CHAPTER XVII. 

_How Sidonia is chased by the wolves to Rehewinkel, and findsJohann Appelmann again in the inn, with whom she goes away asecond time by night. _

When Sidonia left Saatzig, the day was far advanced, so that thegood knight recommended her to stop at Daber that night with hisblessed wife's mourning parents, and, for this purpose, sent aletter by her to them. Also he gave a fine one-year-old foal incharge to the coachman, who tied it to the side of the carriage;and Marcus bid him deliver it up safely to the pastor ofRehewinkel, his good friend, for he had only been keeping theyoung thing at grass for him, and the pastor now wished itback--they must therefore go by Rehewinkel. So they drove away;but many strange things happened by reason of this same foal; forit was so restive and impatient at being tied, that many timesthey had to stop and quiet it, lest the poor beast might get hurtby the wheel. 

This so delayed their journey, that evening came on before theywere out of the forest; and as the sun went down, the wolves beganto appear in every direction. Finally, a pack of ten or twelvepursued the carriage; and though the coach-man whipped his horseswith might and main, still the wolves gained on them, and staredup in their faces, licking their jaws with their red tongues. Someeven were daring enough to spring up behind the carriage, butfinding nothing but trunks, had to tumble down again. 

This so terrified Sidonia that she screamed and shrieked, and, drawing forth a knife, cut the cords that bound the foal, whichinstantly galloped away, and the wolves after it. How the carldrove now, thinking to get help in time to save the poor foal! butnot so. The poor beast, in its terror, galloped into the town ofRehewinkel; and as the paddock is closed, it springs into thechurchyard, the wolves after it, and runs into the belfry-tower, the door of which is lying open--the wolves rush in too, and therethey tear the poor animal to pieces, before the pastor couldcollect peasants enough to try and save it. 

Meanwhile Sidonia has reached the town likewise; and as there is agreat uproar, some of the peasants crowding into the churchyard, others setting off full chase after the wolves, which had takenthe road to Freienwald, Sidonia did not choose to move on (for shemust have travelled that very road), but desired the coachman todrive up to the inn; and as she entered, lo! there sat my knave, with two companions, at a table, drinking. Up he jumps, and seizesSidonia to kiss her, but she pushed him away. "Let him not attemptto come near her. She had done with such low fellows. "

So the knave feigned great sorrow--"Alas! had she quite forgottenhim--and he treasured her memory so in his heart! Where had shecome from? He saw a great many trunks and bags on the carriage. What had she in them?"

_Illa_. --"Ah! he would, no doubt, like to get hold of them;but she would take care and inform the people what sort of robbercarls they had now in the house. She came from Saatzig, and wasgoing to Daber; for as old Dewitz had lost his daughter, heintended to adopt her in the place of one. Therefore let him notattempt to approach her, for she was now, more than ever, a castleand land dowered maiden, and from such a low burgher carl as hewas, would cross and bless herself. "

But my knave knew her well; so he answered--"Woe is me, Sidonia!do not grieve me by such words; for know that I have given up myold free courses of which you talk; and my father is so pleasedwith my present mode of life, that he has promised to give me myheritage, and even this very night I am to receive it atBruchhausen, and am on my way there, as you see. Truly I meant topurchase some land in Poland with the money, and then searchthroughout all places for you, that we might be wedded like piousChristians. Alas! I thought to have sold your poor cabins atZachow, and brought you home to my castle in Poland; but for allmy love you only give me this proud answer!"

Now Sidonia scarcely believed the knave; so she called one of hiscomrades aside, and asked him was it true, and where they camefrom. Upon which he confirmed all that Johann had said--"The devilhad dispersed the whole band, so that only two were left with thecaptain--himself and Konnemann; and they came from Nörenburg, where the master had been striking a bargain with Elias von Wedel, for a town in Poland. The town was called Lembrowo, and there wasa stately castle there, as grand almost as the castle of oldDewitz at Daber. They were going this very night to Bruchhausen, to get gold from the old stiff-neck of Stargard, so that thebargain might be concluded next day. "

This was a pleasant hearing for Sidonia. She became more friendly, and said, "He could not blame her for doubting him, as he haddeceived her so often; still it was wonderful how her heart clungto him through all. Where had he been so long? and what hadhappened since they parted?"

Hereupon he answered, "That he could not speak while the peoplewere all going to and fro in the inn; but if she came out with him(as the night was fine), they could walk down to the river-side, and he would tell her all. "

_Summa_. --She went with him, and they sat down upon the greengrass to discourse, never knowing that the pastor of Rehewinkelwas hid behind the next tree; for he had gone forth to lament overthe loss of his poor foal, and sat there weeping bitterly. He hadgot it home to sell, that he might buy a warm coat for the winter, which now he cannot do; therefore the old man had gone forthmournfully into the clear night, thrown himself down, and wept. 

By this chance he heard the whole story from my knave, and relatedit afterwards to the old burgomaster in Stargard. It was asfollows:--

Some time after his flight from Daber, a friend from Stettin toldhim that Dinnies von Kleist (the same who had spoiled their workin the Uckermund forest) had got a great sum of gold in hisknapsack, and was off to his castle at Dame, [Footnote: A townnear Polzin, in Lower Pomerania, and an ancient feudal hold of theKleists. ] while the rest were feasting at Daber. This sum he hadwon by a wager from the Princes of Saxony, Brandenburg, andMecklenburg. For he had bet, at table, that he would carry fivecasks of Italian wine at once, and without help, up from thecellar to the dining-hall, in the castle of Old Stettin. DukeJohann refused the bet, knowing his man well, but the others tookit up; upon which, after grace, the whole noble company stood upand accompanied him to the cellar. Here Dinnies took up a caskunder each arm, another in each hand by the plugs, and a fifthbetween his teeth by the plug also; thus laden, he carried thefive casks up every step from the cellar to the dining-hall. Sothe money was paid to him, as the lacqueys witnessed, and havingput the same in his knapsack, he set off for his castle at Dame, to give it to his father. And the knave went on--"After I heardthis news from my good friend, I resolved to set off for Dame andrevenge myself on this strong ox, burn his castle, and take hisgold. The band agreed; but woe, alas! there was one traitoramongst them. The fellow was called Kaff, and I might well havesuspected him; for latterly I observed that when we were about anybusiness, particularly church-robbing, he tried to be off, andasked to be left to keep the watch. Divers nights, too, as Ipassed him, there was the carl praying; and so I ought to havedismissed the coward knave at once, or he would have had half theband praying likewise before long. 

"In short, this arrant villain slips off at night from his post, just as we had all set ourselves down before the castle, waitingfor the darkest hour of midnight to attack the foxes in their den, and betrays the whole business to Kleist himself, telling him thestrength of the band, and how and when we were to attack him, withall other particulars. Whereupon a great lamentation was heard inthe castle, and old Kleist, a little white-headed man, wrung hishands, and seemed ready to go mad with fear; for half theretainers were at the annual fair, others far away at thecoal-mines, and finally, they could scarcely muster in all tenfighting men. Besides this, the castle fosse was filled withrubbish, though the old man had been bidding his sons, for thelast year, to get it cleared, but they never minded him, the idleknaves. All this troubled stout Dinnies mightily; and as he walkedup and down the hall, his eyes often rested on a painting whichrepresented the devil cutting off the head of a gambler, andflying with it out of the window. 

"Again and again he looked at the picture, then called out for ahound, stuck him under his arm, and cut off his head, as if it hadbeen only a dove; then he called for a calf from the stall, put itunder his arm likewise, and cut off the head. Then he asked forthe mask which represented the devil, and which he had got fromStettin to frighten his dissolute brothers, when they caroused toolate over their cups. The young Johann, indeed, had sometimesdropped the wine-flask by reason of it, but Detloff still ranafter the young maidens as much as ever, though even he had gotsuch a fright that there was hope for his poor soul yet. So themask was brought, and all the proper disguise to play thedevil--namely, a yellow jerkin slashed with black, a red mantle, and a large wooden horse's foot. 

"When Dinnies beheld all this, and the man who played the devilinstructed him how to put them on, he rejoiced greatly, anddeclared that now he alone could save the castle. I knew nothingof all this at the time, " said Johann, "nor of the treason, neither did the band. We were all seated under a shed in the wood, that had been built for the young deer in the winter time, and hadstuck a lantern against the wall while we gamed and drank, and ourprovider poured us out large mugs of the best beer, when, just atmidnight, we heard a report like a clap of thunder outside, sothat the earth shook under us (it was no thunder-clap, however, but an explosion of powder, which the traitor had laid down allround the shed, for we found the trace of it next day). 

"And as we all sprang up, in strode the devil himself bodily, withhis horse's foot and cocks' feathers, and a long calf's tail, making the most horrible grimaces, and shaking his long hair atus. Fire came out of his mouth and nostrils, and roaring like awild boar, he seized the little dwarf (whom you may remember, Sidonia), tucked him under his arm like a cock--and just as he wasuttering a curse over his good game being interrupted--and cut hishead clean off; then, throwing the head at me, growled forth--

 "'Every day one, Only Sundays none"

and disappeared through the door like a flash of lightning, carrying the headless trunk along with him. 

"When my comrades heard that the devil was to carry off one ofthem every day but Sunday, they all set up a screaming, like somany rooks when a shot is fired in amongst them, and rushed out inthe night, seizing hold of horses or waggons, or whatever theycould lay their hands on, and rode away east and west, and westand east, or north and south, as it may be. 

"_Summa_. --When I came to my senses (for I had sunk downinsensible from horror, when the head of the dwarf was thrown atme), I found that the said head had bit me by the arm, so that Ihad to drag it away by force; then I looked about me, and everyknave had fled--even my waggon had been carried off, and not asoul was left in the place of all these fine fellows, who hadsworn to be true to me till death. 

"This base desertion nearly broke my heart, and I resolved tochange my course of life and go to some pious priest forconfession, telling him how the devil had first tempted me to sin, and then punished me in this terrible manner (as, indeed, I welldeserved). 

"So next morning I took my way to the town, after observing, to mygreat annoyance, that the castle could have been as easily takenas a bird's nest; and seeing a beer-glass painted on a sign-board, I guessed that here was the inn. Truth to say, my heart wantedstrengthening sorely, and I entered. There was a pretty wenchwashing crabs in the kitchen, and as I made up to her, after mymanner, to have a little pastime, she drew back and said, laughing, 'May the devil take you, as he took the others lastnight in the barn!' upon which she laughed again so loud and long, that I thought she would have fallen down, and could not utter aword more for laughing. 

"This seemed a strange thing to me, for I had never heard aChristian man, much less a woman, laugh when the talk was of thebodily Satan himself. So I asked what there was so pleasant in thethought? whereupon she related what the young knight DinniesKleist had done to save his castle from the robbers. I would notbelieve her, but while I sat myself down on a bench to drink, thehost comes in and confirmed her story. _Summa_, I let theconversion lie over for a time yet, and set about looking for mycomrades, but not finding one, I fell into despair, and resolvedto get into Poland, and take service in the army there--especiallyas all my money had vanished. "

Here the old parson said that Sidonia cried out, "How now, sirknave, you are going to buy castle and lands forsooth, and have nomoney? Truly the base villain is deceiving me yet again. "

But my knave answered, "Alas! woe that thou shouldst think sohardly of me! Have I not told thee that my father is going to giveme my heritage? So listen further what I tell thee:--In Poland Imet with Konnemann and Stephen Pruski, who had one of my waggonswith them, in which all my gold was hid, and when I threatened tocomplain to the authorities, the cowards let me have my ownproperty again, on condition that I would take them into myservice, when I went to live at my own castle. This I promised;therefore they are here with me, as you see. And Konnemann wentlately to my father at my request, and brought me back the joyfulintelligence that he would assign me over my portion of his goodsand property. "

So far the Pastor Rehewinkelensis heard. What follows concerningthe wicked knave was related by his own sorrowing father to myworthy father-in-law, along with other pious priests, and from himI had the story when I visited him at Marienfliess. 

For what was my knave's next act? When he returned to the town, and heard from his comrades that the coachman of Saatzig wassnoring away there in the stable with open mouth, he stuffed insome hay to prevent him screaming, and tied him hands and feet, then drew his horses out of the stall, yoked them to the carriage, and drove it himself a little piece out of the town down into thehollow, then went back for Sidonia, telling her that her stupidcoachman had made some mistake and driven off without her, but hehad put all her baggage on his own carriage, which was now quiteready, if she would walk with him a little way just outside thetown. Hereupon she paid the reckoning, mine host troubling himselflittle about the affair of the waggon, and they set off on foot. 

When they reached the carriage, Sidonia asked if all her baggagewere really there, for she could not see in the darkness. And whenshe felt, and reckoned all her bundles and trunks, and found allright, my knave said, "Now, she saw herself that he meant truly byher. Here was even a nice place made in the straw sack for her, where he had sat down first himself, that she might have an easyseat. _Item_, she now saw his own carriage which he hadfished up in Poland and kept till now, that he might travel in itto Bruchhausen to receive his heritage, and he was going therethis very night. She saw that he had lied in nothing. "

Whereupon Sidonia got into the carriage with him, neverdiscovering his knavery on account of the darkness, and aboutmidnight they reached the inn at Bruchhausen. 

CHAPTER XVIII. 

_How a new leaf is turned over at Bruchhausen in a very fearfulmanner--Old Appelmann takes his worthless son prisoner, andadmonishes him to repentance--Of Johann's wonderful conversion, and execution next morning in the churchyard, Sidonia beingpresent thereby. _

My knave halted a little way before they reached the inn, for hehad his suspicions that all was not quite right, and sent on theforenamed Pruski to ascertain whether the money was really comefor him. For there was a bright light in the tap-room, and thesound of many voices, which was strange, seeing that it was lateenough for every one to be in bed. Pruski was back againsoon--yes, it was all right. There were men in there fromStargard, who said they had brought gold for the youngburgomaster. 

Marry! how my knave jumped down from the carriage, and broughtSidonia along with him, bidding Pruski to stay and watch thethings. But, behold, as my knave entered, six men seized him, bound him firmly, and bid him sit down quietly on a bench by thetable, till his father arrived. So he cursed and swore, but thiswas no help to him; and when Sidonia saw that she had beendeceived again, she tried to slip out and get to the carriage, butthe men stopped her, saying, unless she wished a pair of handcuffson, she had better sit down quietly on another bench oppositeJohann. And she asked in vain what all this meant. _Item_, myknave asked in vain, but no one answered them. 

They had not long been waiting, when a carriage stopped before thedoor, more voices were heard, and, alas! who should enter but theold burgomaster himself, with Mag. Vito, Diaconus of St. John's. And after them came the executioner, with six assistants bearing ablack coffin. 

My knave now turned as white as a corpse, and trembled like anaspen leaf; no word could he utter, but fell with his back againstthe wall. Then a dead silence reigned throughout the chamber, andSidonia looked as white as her paramour. 

When the assistants had placed the coffin on the ground, the oldfather advanced to the table, and spake thus--"Oh, thou fallen andgodless child! thou thrice lost son! how often have I sought toturn thee from evil, and trusted in thy promises; but in place ofbetter, thou hast grown worse, and wickedness has increased inthee day by day, as poison in the young viper. On thy infamoushands lie so many robberies, murders, and seductions, that theycannot be reckoned. I speak not of past years, for then truly thenight would not be long enough to count them; I speak only of thylast deeds in Poland, as old Elias von Wedel related them to meyesterday in Stargard. Deny, if thou darest, here in the face ofthy death and thy coffin, how thou didst join thyself to theLansquenets in Poland, and then along with two vile fellows gotentrance into Lembrowo, telling the old castellan, Elias vonWedel, that thou wast a labourer, upon which he took thee into hisservice. But at night thou (O wicked son!) didst rise up and beatthe old Elias almost unto death, demanding all his money, which, when he refused, thou and thy robber villains seized his cattleand his horses, and drove them away with thee. _Item_, canstthou deny that on meeting the same old Elias at Norenberg by thehunt in the forest, thou didst mock him, and ask, would he sellhis castle of Lembrowo in Poland, for thou wouldst buy it of him, seeing thy father had promised thee plenty of gold?

"_Item_, canst thou deny having written me a threateningletter, declaring that if by this very night a hundred dollarswere not sent to thee here at Bruchhausen, a red beacon shouldrise up from my sheepfolds and barns, which meant nothing elsethan that thou wouldst burn the whole good town of Stargard, forthou knowest well that all the sheepfolds and barns of theburghers adjoin one to the other? Canst thou deny this, O thoulost son? If so, deny it now. "

Here Johann began again with his old knavery. He wept, and threwhimself on the ground, crawling under the table to get to hisfather's feet, then howled forth, that he repented of his sins, and would lead a better life truly for the future, if his hard, stern father would only forgive him now. 

But Sidonia screamed aloud, and as the burgomaster in his sorrowhad not observed her before, he turned his eyes now on her, andexclaimed, "Woe, alas! thou godless son, hast thou this noblemaiden with thee yet? I thought she was at Saatzig; or perchancethou hast made her thy wife?"

_Ille_. --"Alas, no; but he would marry her soon, to makeamends for the wrong he had done her. "

_Hic_. --"This thou hast ten times promised, but in vain, andthy sins have increased a hundredfold; because, like allprofligates, thou hast shunned the holy estate of matrimony, andpreferred to wallow in the mire of unchastity, with any one whofell in the way of thy adulterous and licentious eyes. "

_Ille_. --"Alas! his heart's dearest father was right; but hewould amend his evil life; and, in proof of it, let the reverenddeacon, M. Vitus, here present, wed him now instantly to Sidonia. "

_Hic_. --"It is too late. I counsel thee rather to wed thypoor soul to the holy Saviour, like the repentant thief on thecross. See--here is a priest, and there is a coffin. "

Here the executioner broke in upon the old, deeply afflictedfather, telling him the coffin was too short, as, indeed, hisworship had told him, but he would not believe the young man wasso tall. Where could he put the head? It must be stuck between hisfeet, or under his arm, cried out another. So some proposed onething and some another, till a great uproar arose. 

Upon which the old mourning father cried out--"Do you want tobreak my heart? Is there not time enough to talk of this after?"

Then he turned again to his profligate son, and asked him--

"Would he not repent, and take the holy body and blood of our Lordand Saviour Jesus Christ, as a passport with him on this longjourney? If so, let him go into the little room and pray with thepriest, and repent of his sins; there was yet time. "

_Ille_. --"Alas, he had repented already. What had he everdone so wicked that his own bodily father should thirst after hisblood? The courts were all closed, and law or justice could no manhave in all Pomerania. What wonder then if club-law and the rightof the strongest should obtain in all places, as in the oldentime?"

_Hic_. --"That law and justice had ceased in the land was, alas! but too true. However, he was not to answer for this, buthis princely Grace of Stettin. And because they had ceased in theland, was he, as an upright magistrate, called upon to do his dutyyet more sternly, even though the criminal were his own born son. For the Lord, the just Judge, the Almighty and jealous God, calledto him daily, from His holy Word--'Ye shall not respect persons injudgment, nor be afraid of the face of man; for the judgment isGod's. ' [Footnote: Deut. I. 17. ] Woe to the land's Prince who hadnot considered this, but compelled him, the miserable judge, tosteep his father's hands in the blood of his own son. Butrighteous Abraham conquered through faith, because he was obedientunto God, and bound his own innocent son upon the altar, and drewforth his knife to slay him. Therefore he, too, would conquerthrough faith, if he bound his _guilty_ son, and drew out thesword against him, obedient to the words of the Lord. Thereforelet him prepare himself for death, and follow the priest into theadjoining little chamber. "

When Johann found that his father could in no wise be softened, hebegan horribly to curse him and the hour of his birth, so that thehair of all who heard him stood on end. And he called the devil tohelp him, and adjured him to come and carry away this fierce andunnatural father, who was more bloodthirsty than the wild beastsof the forest--for who had ever heard that they murdered their ownblood?

"Come, devil, " he screamed; "come, devil, and tear thisbloodthirsty monster of a father to pieces before my eyes, so willI give myself to thee, body and soul! Hearest thou, Satan! Comeand destroy my father, and all who have here come out to murderme, only leave me a little while longer in this life to do thyservice, and then I am thine for eternity!"

Now all eyes were turned in fear and horror to the door, but noSatan entered, for the just God would not permit it, else, methinks, he would have run to catch such a morsel for his supper. However, the old man trembled, and seemed dwindling away intonothing before the eyes of the bystanders as his son uttered thecurse. But he soon recovered, and laying his quivering hands uponthe head of the imprecator, broke forth into loud weeping, whilehe prayed thus--

"O Thou just and Almighty God, who bringest the devices of thewicked to nought, close Thine ears against this horrible curse ofmy false son; remember Thine own word--'Into an evil soul wisdomcannot enter, nor dwell in a body subject unto sin. ' [Footnote:Wisdom i. 4. ] Thou alone canst make the sinful soul wise, and thebody of sin a temple of the Holy Ghost. O Lord Jesus Christ, hastThou no drop of living water, no crumb of strengthening manna forthis sinful and foolish soul? Hast Thou no glance of Thy holy eyesfor this denying Peter, that he may go forth and weep bitterly?Hast Thou no word to strike the heart of this dying thief--of thislost son, who, here bound for death, has cursed his own father, and given himself up, body and soul, to the enemy of mankind? Oblessed Spirit, who comest and goest as the wind, enter theheavenly temple, which is yet the work of Thy hands, and make it, by Thy presence, a temple of the Most High! O Lord God, dwellthere but one moment, that so in his death-anguish he may feel thesweetness of Thy presence, and the heaven-high comfort of Thypromise! O Thou Holy Trinity, who hast kept my steps from falling, through so much care and trouble, through so much shame anddisgrace, through so much watching and tears, and even now throughthese terrible curses of my son, come and say Amen to this my lastblessing, which I, poor father, give him for his curse. 

"Yes, Johann; the Lord bless thee and keep thee in the death hour. The Lord shed his grace on thee, and give thee peace in thy lastagonies!

"Yes, Johann; the Lord bless thee and keep thee, and give theepeace upon earth, and peace above the earth! Amen, amen, amen!"

When the trembling old man had so prayed, many wept aloud, and hisson trembled likewise, and followed the priest, silently andhumbly, into the neighbouring chamber. 

Then the old man turned to Sidonia, and asked why she had left herworthy cousin Marcus of Saatzig?

Upon which she told him, weeping, how his son had deceived her, inorder to get her once more into his power, in order that he mightrob her, and all she wanted now was to be let go her way in peaceto her farm-houses in Zachow. 

But this the old man refused. 

"No; this must not be yet. She was as evil-minded as his own son, and needed an example to warn her from sin. Not a step should shemove till his head was off. "

And, for this purpose, he bid two burghers seize hold of her bythe hands, and carry her to the scaffold when the execution wasgoing to take place. The grave must be nearly ready now, which hebade them dig in a corner of the churchyard close by, and he hadordered a car-load of sand likewise to be laid down there, for theexecution should take place in the churchyard. 

Meanwhile the poor criminal has come out of the inner chamber withM. Vitus, and going up to the bench where the poor father had sunkdown exhausted by emotion, he flings himself at his feet, exclaiming, with the prodigal son in the parable--

"Father, I have sinned before heaven and in thy sight, and am nomore worthy to be called thy son. "

Then he kissed his feet, and bedewed them with his tears. 

Now the father thought this was all pretence, as formerly, so hegave no answer. Upon which the poor sinner rose up, and reachedhis hand to each one in the chamber, praying their forgiveness forall the evil he had done, but which he was now going to expiate inhis blood. _Item, _ he advanced to Sidonia, sighing--

"Would not she too forgive him, for the love of God? Woe, alas!She had more to forgive than any one; but would not she give himher pardon, for some comfort on this last journey; and so would hebear her remembrance before the throne of God?"

But Sidonia pushed away his hand. 

"He should be ashamed of such old-womanish weakness. Did he notsee that his father was only trying to frighten him? For were hein earnest, then were he more cruel even than her own unnaturalfather, who, though he had only left her two cabins in Zachow, outof all his great riches, yet had left her, at least, her poorlife. "

Hereupon the poor sinner made answer--

"Not so; I know my father; he is not cruel; what he does is right;therefore I willingly die, trusting in my blessed Saviour, whosebody will sanctify my body in the grave. For had I committed noother sin, yet the curse I uttered just now is alone sufficient tomake me worthy of death, as it is written--'He that curseth fatheror mother shall surely be put to death. '" [Footnote: Exodus xxi. 17. ]

When the old man heard such-like words, he resolved to put hisson's sincerity to the test, for truly it seemed to him impossiblethat the Almighty God should so suddenly make the crookedstraight, and the dead to live, and a child of heaven out of achild of hell. So he spake--

"Thy repentance seemeth good unto me, my son, what sayest thou?will it last, think you, if I now bestow thy life on thee?"

Hereat Sidonia laughed aloud, exclaiming--

"Said I not right? It was all a jest of thy dear father's. " Butthe poor sinner would not turn again to his wallowing in the mire. He sat down upon a bench, covering his face with his hands, andsobbed aloud. At last he answered--

"Alas! father, life is sweet and death is bitter; but since theHoly Spirit hath entered into me with the body of our Lord, I say, death is sweet and life is bitter. No; off with my head! 'I find alaw in my members warring against the law of my spirit, and makingme a prisoner under the law of sin;' [Footnote: Romans vii. 23. ]for if I see my neighbour rich and I am poor, then the demon ofcovetousness rises in me, and my fingers itch to seize my share. Or, if the foaming flask is before me, how can I resist to drainit, for the spirit of gluttony is within me? Or, if I see amaiden, the blood throbs in my veins, and the demon of lust hastaken possession of me. 'Oh, wretched man that I am, who willdeliver me from the body of this death?' You will, dearest father. You will release me from this life, as you once gave it to me, forit is now a life in death. Ah! show mercy! Come quickly, andrelease me from the body of this death!"

When he ceased, the old man sprung up like a youth, and pressinghis lost son to his heart, sobbed forth like him of the Gospel--

"O friends, see! 'This my son was dead, but is alive again; he waslost, and is found. ' Yea, yea, see all that nothing is impossiblewith God. O Thou Holy Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, now Ihave nothing more to ask, but that I too may soon be released fromthe body of this death, and go forth to meet my new-found sonamidst the bright circle of the Holy Angels. "

Then the son answered--

"Let me go now, father. See, the morning dawn shines alreadythrough the window; so hath the loving mercy of my God come to me, who sat in darkness and the shadow of death. Farewell, father; letme go now. Away with this head in the clear early morning light, so that my feet be fixed for evermore upon the path to peace. "

And so speaking, he seized M. Vitus by the hand, who was sobbingloudly, as well as most of the burghers, and the executioner withhis assistants bearing the coffin were going to follow, when theold man, who had sunk down upon a bench, called back his son, though he had already gone out at the door, and prayed theexecutioner to let him stay one little while longer. For heremembered that his son had a welt upon his neck, and he must seewhether it would interfere with the sword. Woe, woe! if he shouldhave to strike twice or thrice before the head fell!

So the executioner removed the neck-cloth from the poor sinner(who, by the great mercy of God, was stronger than any of them), and having felt the welt, said--

"No; the welt was close up to the head, but he would take the neckin the middle, as indeed was his usual custom. His worship maymake his mind quite easy; he would stake his life on it that thehead would fall with the first blow. This was his one hundred andfiftieth, and he never yet had failed. "

Then the unhappy criminal tied his cravat on again, took M. Vitusby the hand, and said--

"Farewell, my father; once more forgive me for all that I havedone!"

After which he went out quickly, without waiting to hear a wordmore from his father, and the executioner followed him. 

Meanwhile the afflicted father was sore troubled in mind. Threetimes he repeated the text--"Ye shall not respect persons injudgment, nor be afraid of the face of man, for the judgment isGod's. " Then he called upon God to forgive the Prince who, bytaking away law and justice from the land, had obliged him to bethe judge and condemner of his son. How the Lord dealt with thePrince we shall hear farther on. One while he sent mine host tolook over the hedge, and tell him if the head were off yet. Thenhe would begin to pray that he might soon follow this poor son, who had never given him one moment of joy but through his death, and pass quickly after him through the vale of tears. 

The son, however, is steadfast unto the end. For when they reachedthe churchyard, he stood still a while gazing on the heap of sand. Then he desired to be led to the spot where his grave was dug; andnear this same grave there being a tombstone, on which was figureda man kneeling before a crucifix, he asked--

"Who was to share his grave bed here?"

Whereupon M. Vitus replied--

"He was a _rector scholæ_ out of Stargard, a very learnedman, who had retired from active life, and settled down here atBruchhausen, where he died not long since. "

Whereat the poor sinner stood still a while, and then repeatedthis beautiful distich, no doubt by the inspiration of the HolyGhost, to warn all learned sinners against that demon of pride andvain-glory which too often takes possession of them. 

 "Quid juvat innumeros scire atque evolvere casus Si facieuda fugis et fugienda facis?"

 ["What is the use of knowledge and all our infinite learning, If we fly what is right and do what we ought to fly?"]

Then he looked calmly at his grave, and only prayed theexecutioner not to put his head between his feet; after which hereturned to the sand-heap and exclaimed--

"Now to God!"

Upon which, M. Vitus blessed him yet again, and spake--

"O God, Father, who hast brought back this lost son, and filledthis foolish soul with wisdom; ah! Jesus, Saviour, who, in truth, hast turned Thy holy eyes on him as on the denying Peter and onthe dying thief. O Holy Spirit, who hast not scorned to make thispoor vessel a temple for Thyself to dwell in, that in thedeath-anguish this sinner may find the sweetness of Thy presenceand the heaven-high comfort of Thy promises! O Thou HolyTrinity--to Thee--to Thee--to Thee--to Thy grace, Thy power, Thyprotection, we resign this dying mortal in his last agonies. Helphim, Lord God! _Kyrle Eleison!_ Give Thy holy angels commandto bear this poor soul into Abraham's bosom. O come, Lord Jesus;help him, O Lord our God. _Kyrie Eleison!_ Amen. "

And hereupon he pronounced a last blessing over him. And when theexecutioner took off his upper garment and bound the kerchief overhis eyes, M. Vitus again spake--

"Think on the holy martyrs, of whom Basilius Magnus testifies thatthey exclaimed, when undressing for their death--_Non vestesexuimus, sed veterem hommem deponimus. " [Footnote: "We lay not offour clothes, but the old man. "--Basil the Great, Archbishop ofCaesarea, A. D. 379. ]

Upon which he answered from under the kerchief something in Latin, but the executioner had laid the cloth so thickly even over hismouth and chin, that no one could catch the words. Then he kneeleddown, and while the executioner drew his sword, M. Vitus chanted--

 "When my lips no more can speak, May Thy Spirit in me cry; When my eyes are faint and weak, May my soul see Heaven nigh!

 When my heart is sore dismayed, This dying frame has lost its strength, May my spirit, with Thy aid, Cry--Jesu, take me home at length!"

And all who stood round saw, as it were, a wonderful sign fromGod; for as the executioner let the sword fall, head and sunappeared at the same moment--the head upon the earth, the sunabove the earth; and there was a deep silence. Sidonia alonelaughed out loud, and cried, "So ends the conversion!" And whilethe psalm was singing, "Now, pray we to the Holy Ghost, " theexecutioner acting as clerk, she disappeared, and for thirtyyears, as we shall hear presently, no one could ascertain whereshe went to or how she lived; though sometimes, like a horribleghost, she was seen occasionally here and there. 

_Summa_. --The miserable criminal was laid in his coffin, andas, in truth, it was too short for the corpse, and the poor sinnerhad requested that his head might not be placed between his feet, so it was laid upon his chest, with his hands folded over it, andthus he was buried. 

The old father rejoiced greatly that his son remained steadfast inthe truth until the last, and thanked God for it. Then he returnedto Stargard; and I may just mention, to conclude concerning him, that the merciful God heard the prayer of this His faithfulservant, for he scarcely survived his son a year, but, after ashort illness, fell asleep in Jesus. [Footnote: For furtherparticulars concerning this truly worthy man, who may well becalled the Pomeranian Manlius, see Friedeborn, "Description of OldStettin, " vol. Ii. P. 113; and Barthold, "Pomeranian History, " pp. 46, 419. ]

CHAPTER XIX. 

_Of Sidonia's disappearance for thirty years--Item, how theyoung Princess Elizabeth Magdelene was possessed by a devil, andof the sudden death of her father, Ernest Ludovicus ofPomerania. _

I have said that Sidonia disappeared after the execution atBruchhausen, and that for thirty years no one knew where she livedor how she lived. At her farm-house at Zachow she never appeared;but the _Acta Criminalia_ set forth that during that periodshe wandered about the towns of Freienwald, Regenwald, Stargard, and other places, in company with Peter Konnemann and divers otherknaves. 

However, the ducal prosecutor, although he instituted thestrictest inquiries at the period of her trial, could ascertainnothing beyond this, except that, in consequence of her evilhabits and licentious tongue, she was held everywhere in fear andabhorrence, and was chased away from every place she entered afterabout six or eight o'clock. Further, that some misfortune alwaysfell upon every one who had dealings with her, particularly youngmarried people. To the said Konnemann, she betrothed herself afterthe death of her first paramour, but afterwards gave him fiftyflorins to get rid of the contract, as she confessed at theseventeenth question upon the rack, according to the _ActisLothmanni_. Meantime her brother and cousins were so completelyturned against her, that her brother even took those twofarm-houses to himself; and though Sidonia wrote to him, beggingthat an annuity might be settled on her, yet she never received aline in answer--and this was the manner in which the wholecousinhood treated her in her despair and poverty. 

I myself made many inquiries as to her mode of life during thosethirty years, but in vain. Some said that she went into Poland andthere kept a little tavern for twenty years; some had seen herliving at Riigen at the old wall, where in heathen times thegoddess Hertha was honoured. Some said she went to Riiden, alittle uninhabited island between Riigen and Usdom, where the wildgeese and other birds flock in the moulting season and drop theirfeathers. Thence, they said, she gathered the eggs, and killed thebirds with clubs. At least this was the story of the Usdomfishermen, but whether it were Sidonia or some other outcastwoman, I cannot in strict verity declare. Only in Freienwald did Ihear for certain that she lived there twelve years with some earlwhom she called her shield-knight; but one day they quarrelled, and beat each other till the blood flowed, after which they bothran out of the town, and went different ways. 

_Summa. _--On the 1st of May 1592, when the witches gather inthe Brocken to hold their Walpurgis night, and the princely castleof Wolgast was well guarded from the evil one by white and blackcrosses placed on every door, an old wrinkled hag was seen abouteight o'clock of the morning (just the time she had returned fromthe Blocksberg, according to my thinking), walking slowly up anddown the great corridor of the princely castle. And the providenceof the great God so willed it that at that moment the young andbeautiful Princess Elizabeth Magdalena (who had been betrothed tothe Duke Frederick of Courland) opened her chamber-door andslipped forth to pay her morning greetings to her illustriousfather, Duke Ernest, and his spouse, the Lady Sophia Hedwig ofBrunswick, who sat together drinking their warm beer, [Footnote:Before the introduction of coffee or chocolate, warm beer was ingeneral use at breakfast] and had sent for her. 

So the hag advanced with much friendliness and cried out, "Hey, what a beautiful young damsel! But her lord papa was called 'thehandsome' in his time, and wasn't she as like him as one egg toanother. Might she take her ladyship's little hand and kiss it?"Now as the hag was bold in her bearing, and the young Princess wasa timid thing, she feared to refuse; so she reached forth herhand, alas! to the witch, who first three times blew on it, murmuring some words before she kissed it; then as the youngPrincess asked her who she was and what she wanted, the evil haganswered, "I would speak with your gracious father, for I haveknown him well. Ask his princely Grace to come to me, for I havesomewhat to say to him. " Now the Princess, in her simplicity, omitted to ask the hag's name, whereby much evil came to pass, forhad she told her gracious father that SIDONIA wished to speak tohim, assuredly he never would have come forth, and that fatal andmalignant glance of the witch would not have fallen upon him. 

However, his Serene Grace, having a mild Christian nature, steppedout into the corridor at the request of his dear daughter, andasked the hag who she was and what she wanted. Upon this, shefixed her eyes on him in silence for a long while, so that heshuddered, and his blood seemed to turn to ice in his veins. [Footnote: This belief in the witchcraft of a glance was verygeneral during the witch period. And even the ancients notice it(Pliny, Hist. Nat. Vii. 2), also Aul. Gell. Noct. Attic, ix. 4;and Virgil, Eclog. In. 103. The glance of a woman with doublepupils was particularly feared. ] At last she spake: "It is astrange thing, truly, that your Grace should no longer rememberthe maiden to whom you once promised marriage. " At this his Gracerecoiled in horror, and exclaimed, "Ha, Sidonia! but how you arechanged. " "Ah!" she answered, with a scornful laugh, "you may welltriumph, now that my cheek is hollow, and my beauty gone, and thatI have come to you for justice against my own brother in Stramehl, who denies me even the means of subsistence--you, who brought meto this pass. "

Upon which his Grace answered that her brother was a subject ofthe Duke of Stettin. Let her go then to Stettin, and demandjustice there. 

_Illa. _--"She had been there, but the Duke refused to seeher, and to her request for a _proebenda_ in the convent ofMarienfliess had returned no answer. She prayed his Grace, therefore, out of old good friendship, to take up her cause, anduse his influence with the Lord Duke of Stettin to obtain the_proebenda_ for her, also to send a good scolding to herbrother at Stramehl under his own hand. "

Now my gracious Prince was so anxious to get rid of her, that hepromised everything she asked. Whereupon she would kiss his hand, but he drew it back shuddering, upon which she went down the greatcastle steps again, murmuring to herself. 

But her wickedness soon came to light; for mark--scarcely a fewdays had passed over, when the beautiful young Princess waspossessed by Satan; she rolls herself upon the ground, twists andwrithes her hands and feet, speaks with a great coarse voice likea common carl, blasphemes God and her parents; and what was morewonderful than all, her throat swelled, and when they laid theirhand on it, something living seemed creeping up and down in it. Then it went up to her mouth, and her tongue swelled so, that hereyes seemed starting from their sockets, and the gracious younglady became fearful to look at. 

_Item, _ then she began to speak Latin, though she had neverlearned this tongue, whereupon many, and in particular Mag. Michael Aspius, the court chaplain (for Dr. Gerschovius was longsince dead) pronounced that Satan himself verily must be in themaiden. [Footnote: The ancients name three distinguishing marks ofdemoniacal possession:--

1st, When the patient blasphemes God and cannot repeat the leadingarticles of his Christian belief. 

2nd, When he foretells events which afterwards come to pass. 

3rd, When he speaks in a strange tongue, which it can be proved henever learned. 

Now the somnambulists of our day fulfil the second and thirdconditions without dispute; and some account for the diviningpower by saying it is the effect of the increased activity of thesoul. They also assert that the patient speaks in a strange tongueonly when the magnetiser with whom he is in _en rapport_understands the tongue himself, and the patient speaks it becauseall the thoughts, feelings, words, &c. , of the operator becomehis--in short, their souls become one. This explanation, however, is very improbable, and has not been confirmed by facts; for thephenomenon of speaking in a strange tongue often appears before aperfect _rapport_ has been obtained between the patient andthe operator. Indeed, Psellus gives an instance to show that it isnot even at all necessary. (Psellus lived about the eleventhcentury, and wrote _De Operatione Doemonum, _ also _DeMysteriis AEgyptiorum, _ his works are very remarkable, and wellworth a perusal. ) He states that a sick woman all at once began tospeak in a strange and barbarous tongue no one had ever heardbefore. At last some of the women about her brought an Armenianmagician to see her, who instantly found that she spoke Armenian, though she had never in her life beheld one of that nation. Psellus describes him as an old lean wrinkled man. He acted quitedifferently from our modern magnetisers, for he never sought toplace himself in sympathetic relation with her by passes ortouches; on the contrary, he drew his sword, and placing himselfbeside the bed, began tittering the most harsh and cruel words hecould think of in the Armenian tongue _(acriter conviciatusest)_. The woman retorted in the Armenian tongue likewise, andtried to get out of bed to fight with him. Then the barbarian grewas if mad, and endeavoured to stab her, upon which she shrunk backterrified and trembling, and soon fell into a deep sleep. Psellusseems to have witnessed this, for he says the woman was wife tohis eldest brother. As further regards demoniacal possession, theNew Testament is full of examples thereof; and though in the lastcentury the reality of the fact was assailed, yet Franz Meyer hasagain defended it with arguments that cannot be overthrown. Remarkable examples of possession in modern times we find in the_Didiskalia, _ No. 81, of the year 1833, and in Berner's"History of Satanic Possession, " p. 20. ] This was fully proved onthe following Sunday; for during divine service in the Church ofSt. Peter, the young Princess was carried in on a litter and laiddown before the altar, whereupon she commenced uttering horribleblasphemies, and mocking the holy prayer in a coarse bass voice, while she foamed and raged so violently, that eight men couldscarcely hold her in her bed. Whereat the whole Christiancongregation were admonished to pray to the Lord for this poormaiden, that she might be freed from the devil within her; andduring the week all priests throughout the land were commanded tooffer up prayers day and night for her princely Grace. But onSundays all the people were to unite in one common supplication tothe throne of grace for the like object. 

And it seemed, after some weeks, as if God had heard theirprayers, and commanded Satan to leave the body of the youngmaiden, for she had now rest for fourteen days, and was able topray again. Also her rosy cheeks began to bloom once more, so thather parents were filled with joy, and resolved to hold athank-festival throughout the land, and receive the Holy Sacramentin St. Peter's Church with their beloved daughter. 

But what happened? For as the godly discourse had ended, and theirGraces stepped to the altar to make a rich offering on the platewhich lay upon the little desk, free of approach from all sides, my knave Satan has again begun his work. Truly, he waited withcunning till her Grace had swallowed the Sacrament, that hisblasphemies might seem more horrible. And this was the way hemanifested himself. 

After the court marshal and the castellan had laid down a blackvelvet carpet, embroidered in gold with the Pomeranian andBrandenburg arms, for their Graces to kneel upon, they tookanother black velvet cloth, on which the Holy Supper wasrepresented embroidered in silver, to hold before their Graceslike a serviette, while they received the blessed elements. Thenadvanced the priest with the Sacrament, but scarcely had thegracious young Princess swallowed the same, when she uttered aloud cry and fell backwards with her head upon the ground, whileSatan raged so in her that it might have melted the heart of astone. 

So M. Aspius bade the organ cease, and then placed the young ladyupon a seat, after which he called upon their Graces and the wholecongregation to join him in offering up a prayer. Then he solemnlyadjured the evil spirit to come out of her; it, however, had grownso daring that it only laughed at the priest; and when asked whereit had been for so long, and in particular where it had lain whilethe Jesu bride was wedded to her Holy Saviour in the BlessedSacrament, it impatiently answered that it had lain under hertongue; many knaves might lie under a bridge while an honourableseigneur passed overhead, and why should not it do the like? Andhere, to the unspeakable horror of the whole congregation, itseemed to move up and down in the chest and throat of the youngPrincess, like some animal. 

But the long-suffering of God was now at an end, for while theReverend Dr. Aspius was talking himself weary with adjurations, and gaining no good by it, for the evil spirit only mocked andjeered him, crying, "Look at the fat parson how he sweats, maybeit will help as much as his chattering over the wine, " who shouldenter the church (sent no doubt by the all-merciful God) but theReverend Dr. Joel, Professor at Grypswald, for he had heard howthis lusty Satan had taken possession of the princely maiden. Whenthe devil saw him, he began to tremble through all the limbs ofthe young Princess, and exclaimed in Latin, _"Consummatumest. "_ [Footnote: "It is over. "] For this Dr. Joel was apowerful man, and learned in all the cunning shifts of thearch-enemy, having many times disputed de Magis. [Footnote: OfWitchcraft; see Barthold, iv. 2, 412. ]

Now when he advanced to the young Princess, and saw how the evilspirit ran up and down her poor form, like a mouse in a net, hewas filled with horror, and removing his hat, exclaimed, withouttaking much heed of his Latin, _"Deus misereaturpeccatoris. "_ Upon which the devil, in a deep bass voice, corrected him, crying, _"Die peccatricls, die peccatricls. "_[Footnote: Peccatoris is masculine, Peccatricis feminine. ]

However, Satan himself felt that his hour had come; for whenDoctor Joel laid his hand upon the maiden, and repeated a powerfuladjuration from the _Clavilcula Salomonis, _ Satan immediatelypromised to obey if he were allowed to take away theoblation-cloth which lay upon the desk. 

_Ille. _--"What did he want with the oblation-cloth?"

_Satanas. _--"There was a coin in it which vexed him. "

_Ille. _--"What coin could it be, and wherefore did it vexhim?"

_Satanas. _--"He would not say. "

_Ille. _--(Adjures him again. )

_Satanas. _--"Let him have it, or he would tear the youngmaiden to pieces. " And here he began to foam and rage so horribly, that her eyes turned in her head, and she gnashed with her teeth, so that father and mother had to cover their eyes not to see hergreat agony. Whereupon Doctor Joel bent down and wrote with hisfinger upon her breast the Tetragrammaton, crying out-- [Footnote:The four letters which compose the name Jehovah ( [Hebrew Text]). It was employed by the Theurgists in all their most powerfulconjurations. ]

"Away, thou unclean spirit, and give place to the Holy Ghost!"

Upon which the young maiden sank down as quiet as a corpse, andthe oblation-cloth, which lay upon the desk, whirled round ofitself in the middle of the church with great noise and clatter, as if seized by a storm-wind, and the money therein was allscattered about the church, so that the old wives who sat upon thebenches fell down upon the floor, right and left, to try and catchit. Great horror and amazement now filled the whole congregation;yet as some had expressed an opinion that the young Princess wasonly afflicted by a sickness, and not possessed at all, DoctorJoel thought it needful to admonish them in the following words:--

"Those wise persons who, forsooth, would not credit such a thingas Satanic possession, might see now of a truth, by theoblation-cloth, that Satan bodily had been amongst them. He knewthere were many such wise knaves in the church; therefore let themhold their tongue for evermore, and remember that such signs hadbeen permitted before of God, to testify of the real bodilypresence of the devil. Example (Matt. Viii. ), where, on thecommand of Christ, a legion of devils went into the swine of theGergasenes; so that these animals, contrary to their nature, randown into the sea and were drowned. But the wise people of thisday little heed these divine signs; so he will add two fromhistorical records which he happened to remember. 

"First, the Jew Josephus relates that, in presence of theworld-renowned Roman captain Vespasian, of his son Titus, also ofall the officers and troops of the army, an acquaintance of his, by name Eleazer, adjured the devil out of one possessed by meansof the ring of Solomon, repeating at the same time the powerfulspell which, no doubt, the great king himself employed to controlthe demons, and which, probably, was the very one he had just nowexorcised the devil with, out of the _Clavicula Salomonis. _And to show the bystanders that it was indeed a devil which he hadexorcised out of the nose of the patient, the said Eleazer bidhim, as he was passing, to overturn a vessel of water that laythere, which indeed was done, to the great wonderment of allpresent. Thus even the blind heathen were convinced, though thewould-be wise of the present day ignorantly doubted. 

"But people might say this happened in old times, and was onlytold by a stupid Jew; therefore he would give a modern example. 

"There was a woman named Kronisha (she was still well rememberedby the old people of Stralsund), who was sorely given to pomp andvanity, wherefore a devil was sent into her to punish her; andafter the preacher at St. Nicholas had exorcised him to the bestof his power, the wicked spirit said, mockingly, that he would goif they gave him a pane of glass out of the window over the towerdoor; and this being granted, one of the panes was instantlyscattered with a loud clang, and the devil flew away through theopening. [Note: See Sastrowen, his family, birth, and adventures. Edited by Mohnike, part i. 73. ]

"So the Christian congregation might now see what silly foolsthese wise people were who presumed to doubt, " &c. Then DoctorJoel admonished the Prince himself to keep a diligent eye overthis Satan, who, day by day, was growing more impudent in theland--no doubt because the pure doctrine of Dr. Luther vexed himsorely. 

And indeed his Highness, to show his gratitude for the recovery ofhis dear daughter, did not cease in his endeavours to banishwitches from the land, knowing that Sidonia had brought all theevil upon the young Princess. Fifteen were seized and burned atthis time, to the great joy of the country; but, alas! these trulyprincely and Christian measures little helped among the godlessrace, for evil seemed still to strengthen in the land, and manywonderful signs appeared, one of which I would not set down here, as it was only seen by the court-fool, but that events confirmedit. 

I mean that strange thing, along with a three-legged hare, whichappeared eighty years before at the death of Duke Bogislaus theGreat, and since at the death of each Duke of his house. By astrange whim of Satan's, this apparition was only visible tofools; until indeed (as we shall hear anon) it appeared to thenuns at Marienfliess, who bore witness of it. 

_Summa. _--On the very day wherein the devil's brides wereburned at Wolgast, the fool was walking at evening time up anddown the great corridor, when a little manikin, hardly three handshigh, started out from behind a beer-barrel, riding on athree-legged hare. He was dressed all in black, except little redboots which he had on, and he rides up and down the corridor--hop!hop! hop!--stares at my fool and makes a face at him; then ridesoff again--hop! hop! hop!--till he vanished behind the barrel. 

No one would believe the fool's story; but woe, alas! it soonbecame clear what the little manikin Puck denoted. For my graciousPrince, who had grown quite weak ever since this horriblewitch-work, which had been raging for some weeks--so thatPomerania never had seen the like--became daily worse, and noteven the fine Falernian wine from Italy, which used to cure him, helped him now. So he died on the 17th July 1591, aged forty-sixyears, seven months, and fifteen days, leaving his only son, Philippus Julius, a child of eight years old, to reign in hisplace. Whereupon the deeply afflicted widow placed the boy underthe tutelage and guardianship of his uncle, the princely Lord ofStettin; but, woe! woe! the guardian must soon follow his dearbrother! and all through the evil wickedness of Sidonia, as weshall hear in the following chapters. 

CHAPTER XX. 

_How Sidonia demeans herself at the Convent ofMarienfliess--Item, how their Princely and Electoral Graces ofPomerania, Brandenburg, and Mecklenburg, went on sleighs toWolgast, and of the divers pastimes of the journey. _

After this, Sidonia disappeared again for a couple of years, andno man knew whither she had flown or what she did, until onemorning she appeared at the convent of Marienfliess, driving alittle one-horse waggon herself, and dressed no better than afish-wife. On driving into the court, she desired to speak withthe abbess, Magdalena von Petersdorf; and when she came, Sidoniaordered the cell of the deceased nun, Barbara Kleist, to be gotready for her reception, as his Highness of Stettin had presentedher to a _præbenda_ here. 

So the pious old abbess believed the story, and forthwithconducted her to the cell, No. 11; but Sidonia spat out at it, said it was a pig-sty, and began to run clattering through all thecells till she reached the refectory, a large chamber where thenuns assembled for evening prayer. This, she said, was the onlyspot fit for her to put her nose in, and she would keep it forherself. Meanwhile, the whole sisterhood ran together to therefectory to see Sidonia; and as most of them were girls undertwenty, they tittered and laughed, as young women-folk will dowhen they behold a hag. This angered her. 

"Ha!" she exclaimed, "the flesh and the devil have not beendestroyed in them yet, but I will soon give them something else tothink of than their lovers. "

And here, as one of them laughed louder than the rest, Sidoniagave her a blow on the mouth. 

"Let that teach the peasant-girl more respect for a castle andland dowered maiden. "

When the good abbess saw and heard all this, she nearly faintedwith shame, and had to hold by a stool, or she would have fallento the ground. However she gained fresh courage, when, upon askingfor Sidonia's documents, she found that there were none to show. Without more ado, therefore, she bade her leave the convent; and, amidst the jeers and laughter of all the sisterhood, Sidonia wasobliged to mount her one-horse cart again, or the convent porterhad orders to force her out. 

By this all may perceive that, in place of repenting, Sidonia hadfallen still further in the mire, wherein she wallowed yet formany years, as if it were, indeed, her true and natural element, like that beetle of which Albertus Magnus speaks, that died if onecovered it with rose-leaves, but came to life again when laid indung. 

Hardly had she left the convent-gate when the old abbess bade acarl get ready a carriage, and flew in it to Stettin herself, tolay the whole case before my gracious Prince, and entreat him, even on her knees, not to send such a notorious creature amongstthem; for what blessing could the convent hope to obtain if theyharboured such an infamous sinner? So his Grace wonders much overthe daring of the harlot; for he had given her no_proebenda, _ though she was writing to him constantlyrequesting one. Nor would he ever think of giving her one; for whyshould he send such a hell-besom to sweep the pious convent ofMarienfliess? The good abbess might rise up, for as long as helived Sidonia should never enter the convent. 

And his Grace held by his word, though it cost him his life, as Ishall just now relate with bitter sighs. 

It happened that, A. D. 1600, there was a terribly hard winter, sothat the fresh Haff [Footnote: The river Haff] was quite frozenover, and able to bear heavy beams. Now, as the ice was smooth andbeautiful as a mirror, my Lord of Stettin proposed to hisguests--Joachim Friedrich, Elector of Brandenburg, hisbrother-in-law, and old Duke Ulrich of Mecklenburg, his uncle, togo over the Haff in sleighs, and pay a visit to the princely widowand her little son. 

Their Graces were well pleased at the idea. Whereupon his Highnessof Stettin gave orders to have such a procession formed as neverhad been seen in Pomerania before for magnificence and beauty, andtherefore I shall note down some particulars here. 

There were a hundred sleighs, some drawn by reindeer caparisonedlike horses, and all decorated gaily. The three ducal sleighs inparticular were entirely girded and lined with sable skin; eachwas drawn by four Andalusian horses; and my Lady Erdmuth, who wasa great lover of show and pomp, had hers hung with little tinklingbells and chains of gold, so that no one to look at them couldimagine how very little of the dear gold her gracious lord andhusband had in his purse, by reason of the hardness of the times. 

The adornments of the other sleighs were less costly. Upon themcame the ministers, the officials, and others pertaining to theretinue of the three princes: _item_, the ladies-in-waiting, and divers of the reverend clergy; last of all came the Duke'shenchman, with a pack of wolf-dogs in leash: _item, _ severallive hares and foxes; a live bear, which they purposed to letslip, for the pleasure and pastime of their Graces. But the youngmen out of the town, fifty head strong, and many of the knights, ran along on skates, headed by Dinnies Kleist, that mighty man, who bore in one hand the blood-banner of Pomerania, and in theother that of Brandenburg. Barthold von Ramin ran by his side withthe Mecklenburg standard. He was a strong knight too. But ah! myGod! how my Ramin, with his ox-head, was distanced by the wild menof Pomerania, as they ran upon the ice over the Haff! [Footnote:The blood-standard was granted by the Emperor Maximilian II. ToDuke Johann Friedrich of Pomerania because he carried the imperialbanner during the Turkish war of 1566. It only differed from theold banner by having a red ground--from thence its name. BothPomerania and Brandenburg had wild men in their escutcheon, whileMecklenburg bore an ox's head. ] Two reserve sleighs, drawn by sixFrisian horses, finished the procession; they were laden withaxes, planks, ropes, and dry garments, both for men and women. 

When their Graces mounted the sleighs amidst the ringing of bellsand roaring of cannon, great was their astonishment to see theirown initials stamped into the hard ice by Dinnies Kleist, as thus:F. U. J. E. J. F. , which, however, afterwards caused much dismayto the honest burghers, for one of them--M. Faber, _apræceptor_--mistaking the J. For a G. , read plainly upon theice: "Fuge, J. F. "--that is, "Fly, Johann Frederick!"

Ah! truly has the gracious Prince flown from thence; but it is toa bitter death. 

During the journey, Duke Johann had much jesting with hisbrother-in-law, the Elector, who was filled with wonder at thestrength of Dinnies Kleist, for he kept ahead even of theAndalusian stallions, and waved aloft the two banners of Pomeraniaand Brandenburg, while his long hair floated behind him; andsometimes he stopped, kissed the banners, and then inclined themto their Serene Princely Graces. Whereupon Duke Johann exclaimed, "Ay, brother, you might well give me a thousand of yourwide-mouthed Berliners for this carl; though, methinks, if he hadhis will, he would make their wide mouths still wider. " At this, his Electoral Grace looked rather vexed, and began to uphold themen of Cologne. Upon which his Highness cut him short, saying, "Marry, brother, you know the old proverb--

 'The men of Cologne Have no hues of their own, But the men of Stettin Are the true ever-green. '

For where truly could your fellows find the true green in theirsandy dust-box? Marry, cousin, one Pomerania is worth tenMargravates; and I will show your Grace just now that my land inwinter is more productive than yours even in autumn. "

His Grace here alluded to the fisheries; for along the way, fortwelve or fourteen miles, the fishermen had been ordered to settheir nets by torchlight the night before, in holes dug throughthe ice, so that on the arrival of the princely party the netsmight be drawn up, and the draught exhibited to their Graces. 

Now, when they entered the fresh Haff, which lay before them likea large mirror, six miles long and four broad, his Grace ofPomerania called out--

"See here, brother, this is my first storeroom; let us try what itwill give us to eat. "

Upon which he signed to Dinnies Kleist to steer over to the firstheap of nets, which lay like a black wood in the distance. Thesebelonged to the Ziegenort fishermen, as the old schoolmaster, Peter Leisticow, himself told me; and as they had taken a greatdraught the day before, many people from the towns of Warp, Stepenitz, and Uckermund were assembled there to buy up the fish, and then retail it, as was their custom, throughout the country. They had made a fire upon a large sheet of iron laid upon the ice, while their horses were feeding close by upon hay, which theyshook out before them. And having taken a merry carouse together, they all set to dancing upon the ice with the women to thebagpipe, so that the encampment looked right jovial as theirGraces arrived. 

Now when the grand train came up, the peasants roared out--

"Donnerwetter, [Note: A common oath. ] look at the plötz-eaters!See the cursed plötz-eaters! Donnerwetter, what plötz-eaters!"[Note: Plötz-eaters was a nickname given by the Pomeranians to thepeople of the Margravates. For the plötz (_CyprinusExythrophthalmus_) is a very poor tasteless fish, while therivers of Pomerania are stocked with the very finest of all kinds. In return, the men of the Marks called the Pomeranians"Feather-heads, " from the quantity of moor-palms (_Eriophorumvaginatum_) which grow in their numerous rich meadows. ]

And now they observed, during their shouting, that the water hadrisen up to their knees; and when the ducal procession rushed up, the abyss re-echoed with a noise like thunder, so that the foreignprinces were alarmed, but soon grew accustomed thereto. Then thepressure of such a crowd upon the ice caused the water to spoutout of the holes to the height of a man. So that by the time theywere two bowshots from the nets, all the folk, the women andchildren especially, were running, screaming, in every direction, trying to save themselves on the firm ice, to the great amusementof their Graces, while a peasant cried out to the sleigh drivers--

"Stop, stop! or ye'll go into the cellar!"

Hereupon his Grace of Pomerania beckoned over the Ziegenortschoolmaster, and asked him what they had taken, to which heanswered--

"Gracious Prince, we have taken bley; the nets are all loaded;we've taken seventy schümers, [Footnote: A schümer was a measurewhich contained twelve bushels. ] and your Grace ought to take onewith you for supper. "

Now his Highness the Elector wished to see the nets emptied, sothey rested a space while the peasants shovelled out the fish, andpitched them into the aforesaid schümers. But ah! woe to thefish-thieves who had come over from Warp and other places; for thewater having risen up and become all muddy with fish-slime, theynever saw the great holes, and tumbled in, to the great amusementof the peasants and pastime of their Graces. 

How their Highnesses laughed when the poor carls in the watertried to get hold of a net or a rope or a firm piece of ice, whilethey floundered about in the water, and the peasants fished themup with their long hooks, at the same time giving many of them asharp prod on the shoulder, crying out--

"Ha! will ye steal again? Take that for your pains, you robbers!"

Now when their Graces were tired laughing and looking at the fishhauled, they prepared to depart; but the schoolmaster prayed hisHighness of Stettin yet again to take a schümer of fish for theirsupper, as their Graces were going to stop for the night inUckermund. 

"But what could I do with all the fish?" quoth the Duke. 

To which the carl answered in his jargon--

"Eh! gracious master, give them to the plotz-eaters; that will besomething new for them. Never fear but they'll eat them all up!"

Hereupon his Highness the Elector grew nettled, and cried out--

"Ho! thou damned peasant, thinkest thou we have no bley?"

"Well, ye've none here, " replied the man cunningly. 

So their Graces laughed, and ordered a couple of bushels of thelargest to be placed upon the safety sleigh. 

Now when they had gone a little farther and found the ice assmooth as glass, the henchman let loose the bear and the wolf-dogsafter it. My stout Bruin first growls and paws the ice, then setshimself in earnest for the race, and, on account of his sharpclaws, ran on straight for Uckermund without ever slipping, whilethe hounds fell down on all sides, or tumbled on their backs, howling with rage and disappointment. 

Yet more pleasant was the hare-hunt, for hounds and hares bothtumbled down together, and the hares squeaked and the houndsyelped; some hares indeed were killed, but only after infinitetrouble, while others ran away after the bear. 

After the hunt they came to another fishery, and so on till theyreached Uckermund, passing six fisheries in succession, whereofeach draught was as large as the first, so that his Grace theElector marvelled much at the abundance, and seeing the nets fullof zannats at the last halting-place, cried out--

"Marry, brother, your storeroom is well furnished. I might growdainty here myself. Let us take a bushel of these along with usfor supper, for zannat is the fish for me!"

This greatly rejoiced his Grace of Stettin, who ordered the fishto be laid on the sumpter sleigh, and in good time they reachedthe ducal house at Uckermund, Dinnies Kleist still keepingforemost, and waving his two banners over his head, while BartholdBarnim and the other skaters hung weary and tired upon the backsof the sleighs. 

CHAPTER XXI. 

_How Sidonia meets their Graces upon the ice--Item, how DinniesKleist beheads himself, and my gracious lord of Wolgast perishesmiserably. _

The next morning early the whole train set off from Uckermund inthe highest spirits, passing net after net, till the Duke ofMecklenburg, as well as the Elector, lifted their hands inastonishment. From the Haff they entered the Pene, and from thatthe Achterwasser. [Footnote: A large bay formed by the Pene. ] Herea great crowd of people stood upon the ice, for the town ofQuilitz lay quite near; besides, more fish had been taken herethan had yet been seen upon the journey, so that people fromWolgast, Usdom, Lassahn, and all the neighbouring towns had runtogether to bid for it. But what happened?

Alas! that his Grace should have desired to halt, for scarcely hadhis sleigh stopped, when a little old woman, meanly clad, withfisher's boots, and a net filled with bley-fish in her hand, stepped up to it and said--

"My good Lord, I am Sidonia von Bork; wherefore have you notreplied to my demand for the _proebenda_ of Barbara vonKleist in Marienfliess?"

"How could he answer her? He knew nothing at all of her mode ofliving, or where she dwelt. "

_Illa. _--"She had bid him lay the answer upon the altar ofSt. Jacob's in Stettin. Why had he not done so?"

"That was no place for such letters, only for the words of theHoly Spirit and the Blessed Sacrament of his Saviour; therefore, let her say now where she dwelt. "

_Illa. _--"The richest maiden in Pomerania could ill say wherethe poorest now dwelt, " weeping. 

"The richest maiden had only herself to blame if she were now thepoorest; better had she wept before. The _proebenda_ shecould never have; let her cease to think of it; but here was analms, and she might now go her ways. "

_Illa_. --(Refuses to take it, and murmurs. ) "Your Grace willsoon have bitter sorrow for this. "

As she so menaced and spat out three times, the thing angeredDinnies Kleist (who held her in abhorrence ever since theadventure in the Uckermund forest), and as he had lost none of hisearly strength, he hit her a blow with the blood-standard over theshoulder, exclaiming, "Pack off to the devil, thou shameless hag!What does the witch mean by her spittings? The _proebenda_ ofmy sister Barbara shall thou never have!"

However, the hag stirred not from the spot, answered no word, butspat out again; and as the illustrious party drove off she stillstood there, and spat out after them. 

What this devil's sorcery denoted we shall soon see; for as theyapproached Ziemitze, and the ducal house of Wolgast appeared insight, Dinnies Kleist started on before the safety sleigh; and assoon as the high towers of the castle rose above the trees, hewaved the two banners above his head, and brought them togethertill they kissed. Having so held them for a space, he set forwardagain with giant strides, in order to be the first toarrive--although, indeed, the town was aware of the advance of theprincely train, for the bells were ringing, and the blood-standardwaved from St. Peter's and the three other towers. 

But woe, alas! Dinnies, in his impatience, never observed awindwake direct in his path, and down he sank, while the sharp icecut his head clean off, as if an executioner had done it; and thehead, with the long hair, rolled hither and thither, while thebody remained fast in the hole, only one arm stuck up above theice--it was that which held the Brandenburg standard, but theblood-banner of Pomerania had sunk for ever in the abyss. [Footnote: A windwake is a hole formed by the wind in the thawingseason, and which afterwards becomes covered with a thin coatingof ice by a subsequent frost. ]

When his Grace of Stettin beheld this, he was filled with moresorrow than even at the death of his fool; and, weeping bitterly, commanded seven sleighs to return and seize the evil hag; thenwith all speed, and for a terrible example, to burn her upon theQuilitz mountain. 

But when many present assured his Grace that such-like accidentswere very common, and many skaters had perished thus, whereof evenDuke Ulrich named several instances, so that his Grace of Stettinneed not impute such natural accidents to witchcraft or the powerof the hag, he was somewhat calmed. Still he commanded the sevensleighs to return and bring the witch bound to Wolgast, that hemight question her as to wherefore she had spat out. 

So the sleighs returned, but the vile sorceress was no longer onthe ice, neither did any one know whither she had gone; whereuponthe sleighs hastened back again after the others. 

Now it was the Friday before Shrove Tuesday, about mid-day, whenthe princely party arrived at Wolgast; and Prince Bogislaff ofBarth was there to receive them, with his five sons--namely, Philip, Franz, George, Ulrich, and Bogislaff. [Footnote: Marginalnote of Duke Bogislaff XIV. --"This is not true; for I had a feverat the time, and remained at home. "] And there was a great uproarin the castle--some of the young lords playing ball in the castlecourt with the young Prince, Philip Julius, others preparing forthe carnival mummeries, which were to commence next evening by agreat banquet and dance in the hall. Indeed, that same eveningtheir Graces had a brave carouse, to try and make Duke Johannforget his grief about his well-beloved Dinnies Kleist: and hisGrace thus began to discourse concerning him:--

"Truly, brothers, who knows what the devil may have in store forus? for it was a strange thing how my blood-standard sunk in theabyss, while that of my brother of Brandenburg floated above it. Think you that our male line will become extinct, and the heritageof fair Pomerania descend to Brandenburg? For, in truth, it isstrange that, out of five brothers, two of us only haveheirs--Bogislaff and Ernest Ludovicus, who has left indeed but oneonly son. "

Then Duke Bogislaff (whom our Lord God had surely blessed for hishumility in resigning the government, and also because of hisdutiful conduct ever towards his mother, even in his youth havingbrought her a tame seagull) made answer, laughingly: "Dearbrother, I think Herr Bacchus has done more to turn Frau Venusagainst our race than Sidonia or any of her spells, therefore yeneed not wonder if ye have no heirs. However, if my five youngPrinces listen to my warnings and shun the wine-cup, trust me theblood-standard will be lifted up again, and our ancient name neverwant a fitting representative. "

Meanwhile, as they so discoursed, and the gracious ladies lookeddown for shame upon the ground, young Lord Philip began a Latinargument with the Rev. Dr. Glambecken, court chaplain at Wolgast_de monetis;_ and pulled out of his pocket a large bag of oldcoins, which had been presented to him by Doctor Chytraeus, professor of theology at Rostock, with whom his Grace interchangedLatin epistles. [Foonote: See the Latin letters of the talentedyoung Prince in Oelrich's "Contributions to the Literary Historyof the Pomeranian Dukes, " vol. I. P. 67. He fell a victim tointemperance, though his death was imputed likewise to Sidonia, and formed the subject of the sixth torture examination. ]

This gave the conversation a new turn, and the ladies particularlywere much pleased examining the coins; but the devil himselfsurely must have anagrammatised one of them, for over the letters, Pomerania, figures were scratched 356412789--thus--Pomerania--giving the terrible meaning, _rape omnia_(rob all); and many said that this must have been the very coinwhich the devil took that time he rent the oblation-table, at theexorcism of the young Princess. 

This discovery filled the Pomeranian Duke with strongapprehensions, and young Prince Franz handed over the coin to theElector of Brandenburg, saying bitterly, "Yes, rob all! DoctorJoel of Grypswald has long since told me that it would all endthis way--even as Satan himself has scratched down here--but mylord father will not credit him, he is so proud of his five sons. Doctor Joel, however, is a right learned man, and no one knows themysteries of the black art better; besides, who reads the starsmore diligently each night than he?"

And behold, while he is speaking, the fool runs into the hall, pale, and trembling in every limb. 

"Alas! Lord Franz, " he exclaimed, "I have seen the manikin againon his three-legged hare, which appeared at the death of DukeErnest Ludovicus. "

But the young lord boxed him, crying, "Away, thou knave! must thychatter help to make us more melancholy?"

However Duke Bogislaff bid the fool stay, and tell them when andwhere he had seen the imp. 

My fool wiped his eyes, and began: "The young Lord Franz had bidhim put on his best jacket (that which had been given him as aChristmas-box) for the carnival mummings on Shrove Tuesday; so hewent up to the garret to get it himself out of the trunk, but, before he had quite reached the trunk, the black dwarf, with hislittle red boots, rode out from behind it on his three-leggedhare--hop! hop! hop!--made a frightful face at him, and after alittle while rode back again--hop! hop! hop! behind his old boots, which stood in a corner, and disappeared!"

What the malicious Puck denoted we shall soon see--Oh, woe! woe!

Next day all sorts of amusements were set on foot, to chase awaygloomy thoughts out of the hearts of the illustrious guests--suchas tilting with lances, dancing upon stilts, wrestling, rope-dancing. _Item, _ pickleherring and harlequins. Amongstthese last the fool showed off to great advantage, for who couldtwist his face into more laughable grimaces? _Item, _ in theevening there was a mask of mummers, in which one fellow playedthe angel, and another dressed as Satan, with a large horse's footand cock's plume, spat red fire from his mouth, and roaredhorribly when the angel overcame him (but withal I think thegloomy thoughts stayed there yet). 

And mark what in truth soon happened! When the drums and trumpetsstruck up the last mask dance in the great Ritter Hall, whichevery one joins in, old and young, his Grace, Duke Johann, went tothe room of his dear cousin Hedwig, the princely widow, and prayedher to tread the dance with him; but she refuses, and sits by thefire and weeps. 

"Let not my dear cousin fret, " said the Duke, "about the chatterof the fool. "

To which she replied, "Alas! wherefore not? For surely it betokensdeath to my darling little son, Philip Julius. "

"No, " exclaimed the Duke quickly, "it betokens mine!" and he fellflat upon the ground. 

One can easily imagine how the gracious lady screamed, so that allran in from the Knight's Hall in their masks and mumming-dresses, to see indeed the mumming of the true bodily Satan; and DoctorPomius, who was at the mask likewise, ran in with asmelling-bottle, but all was in vain. His Grace lingered for threedays, and then having received the Holy Sacrament from DoctorGlambecken, died in the same chamber in which he was born, havinglived fifty-seven years, five months, twelve days, and fourteenhours. How can I describe the lamentations of the princelycompany--yea, indeed, of the whole town; for every one saw nowplainly that the anger of God rested upon this ancient andillustrious Pomeranian race, and that He had given it overhelplessly to the power of the evil one. 

_Summa. _--On the 9th February the princely corse was laid inthe very sleigh which had brought it a living body, and, followedby a grand train of princes, nobles, and knights, along with astrong guard of the ducal soldatesca, was conveyed back toStettin; and there, with all due and befitting ceremonies, wasburied on Palm Sunday in the vault of the castle church. 

CHAPTER XXII. 

_How Barnim the Tenth succeeds to the government, and howSidonia meets him as she is gathering bilberries. Item, of theunnatural witch-storm at his Grace's funeral, and how Duke Casimirrefuses, in consequence, to succeed him. _

Now Barnim the Tenth succeeded to that very duchy about which hehad been so wroth the day of the Diet at Wollin, but it broughthim little good. He was, however, a pious Prince, and much belovedat his dower of Rügenwald, where he spent his time in making alittle library of all the Lutheran hymn-books which he couldcollect, and these he carried with him in his carriage wherever hewent; so that his subjects of Rügenwald shed many tears at losingso pious a ruler. 

_Item, _ the moment his Grace succeeded to the government, hecaused all the courts to be reopened, along with the treasury andthe chancery, which his deceased Grace had kept closed to thelast; and for this goodness towards his people, the states of thekingdom promised to pay all his debts, which was done; and thuslawlessness and robbery were crushed in the land. 

But woe, alas!--Sidonia can no man crush! She wrote immediately tohis Grace, soliciting the _proebenda, _ and even presentedherself at the ducal house of Stettin; but his Grace positivelyrefused to lay eyes on her, knowing how fatal a meeting with herhad proved to each of his brothers, who no sooner met her evilglance than they sickened and died. 

Therefore his Highness held all old women in abhorrence. Indeed, such was his fear of them, that not one was allowed to approachthe castle; and when he rode or drove out, lacqueys and squireswent before with great horsewhips, to chase away all the old womenout of his Grace's path, for truly Sidonia might be amongst them. From this, it came to pass that as soon as it was rumoured in thetown, "His Grace is coming, " all the old mothers seized up theirpattens, and scampered off, helter-skelter, to get out of reach ofthe horsewhips. 

But who can provide against all the arts of the devil? for thoughit is true that Sidonia destroyed his two brothers, also his Gracehimself, along with Philip II. , by her breath and glance, yet shecaused a great number of other unfortunate persons to perish, without using these means, as we shall hear further on; wherebymany imagined that her familiar Chim could not have been so weak aspirit as she represented him, on the rack, in order to save herlife, but a strong and terrible demon. These things, however, willcome in their proper place. 

_Summa. _--After Duke Barnim had reigned several years, withgreat blessing to his people, it happened that word came fromRügenwald how that his brother, Duke Casimir, was sick. This wasthe Prince whom, we may remember, Sidonia had whipped with herirreverent hands upon his princely _podex, _ when he was alittle boy. 

Now Duke Barnim had quarrelled with the estates because theyrefused funds for the Turkish war; however, he became somewhatmerrier that evening with the Count Stephen of Naugard, when theevil tidings came to him of his beloved brother (yet more bittersorrow is before him, I think). So the next morning the Duke setoff with a train of six carriages to visit his sick brother, andby the third evening they reached the wood which lies close besideRügenwald. Here there was a large oak, the stem of which had oftenserved his Grace for a target, when he amused himself bypractising firing. So he stopped the carriage, and alighted to seeif the twenty or thirty balls he had shot into it were stillthere. 

But alas! as he reached the oak, that devil's spectre (I meanSidonia) stepped from behind it; she had an old pot in her handfilled with bilberries, and asked his Grace, would he not takesome to refresh himself after his journey. 

His Highness, however, recoiled horror-struck, and asked who shewas. 

She was Sidonia von Bork, and prayed his Grace yet once more forthe _proebenda_ in Marienfliess. 

Hereat the Duke was still more horrified, and exclaimed, "Curseupon thy _proebenda, _ but thou shalt get something else, Iwarrant thee! Thou art a vile witch, and hast in thy mind todestroy our whole noble race with thy detestable sorceries. "

_Illa. _--"Alas! no one had called her a witch before; howcould she bewitch them? It was a strange story to tell of her. "

_The Duke. _--"How did it happen, then, that he had nochildren by his beloved Amrick?" [Footnote: Anna Maria, seconddaughter of John George, Elector of Brandenburg. ]

_Illa_ (laughing). --"He better ask his beloved Amrickherself. How could she know?"

But here she began to contort her face horribly, and to spit out, whereupon the Duke called out to his retinue--"Come here, and hangme this hag upon the oak-tree; she is at her devil's sorceriesagain! And woe! woe! already I feel strange pains all through mybody!"

Upon this, divers persons sprang forward to seize her, but thenimble night-bird darted behind a clump of fir-trees, anddisappeared. Unluckily they had no bloodhounds along with them, otherwise I think the devil would have been easily seized, andhung up like an acorn on the oak-tree. But God did not so will it, for though they sent a pack of hounds from Rügenwald, the momentthey arrived there, yet no trace of the hag could be found in theforest. 

And now mark the result: the Duke became worse hour by hour, andas Duke Casimir had grown much better by the time he arrived, andwas in a fair way of recovery, his Grace resolved to take leave ofhim and return with all speed to his own house at Stettin; but onthe second day, while they were still a mile from Stettin, DukeBarnim grew so much worse, that they had to stop at Alt-Damm forthe night. And scarcely had he laid himself down in bed when heexpired. This was on the 1st of September 1603, when he wasfifty-four years, six months, sixteen days, and sixteen hours old. 

But the old, unclean night-bird would not let his blessed Highnessgo to his grave in peace (probably because he had called her anaccursed witch). For the 18th of the same month, when all thenobles and estates were assembled to witness the ceremonial ofinterment, along with several members of the ducal house, andother illustrious personages, such a storm of hail, rain, andwind, came on just at a quarter to three, as they had reached themiddle of the service, that the priest dropped the book from hishands, and the church became so suddenly dark, that the sexton hadto light the candles to enable the preacher to read his text. Never, too, was heard such thunder, so that many thought St. Jacob's Tower had fallen in, and the princes and nobles rushed outof the church to shelter themselves in the houses, while the mostterrific lightning flashed round them at every step. 

Yet truly it must have been all witch-work, for when the funeralwas over, the weather became as serene and beautiful as possible. 

And a great gloom fell upon every one in consequence, for that itwas no natural storm, a child could have seen. Indeed, Dr. Joel, who was wise in these matters, declared to his Highness DukeBogislaff XIII. That without doubt it was a witch-storm, for thedoctor was present at the funeral, as representative of theUniversity of Grypswald. And respecting the clouds, he observedparticularly that they were formed like dogs' tails, that is, whena dog carries his tail in the air so that it forms an arc of acircle. And this, indeed, was the truth. 

_Summa. _--As by the death of Duke Barnim the governmentdevolved upon Duke Casimir of Rügenwald, the estates proceededthither to offer him their homage, but the Prince hesitated, saidhe was sickly, and who could tell whether it would not go as illwith him as with his brothers? But the estates, both temporal andspiritual, prayed him so earnestly to accept the rule, that hepromised to meet them on the next morning by ten of the clock, inthe great Rittersaal (knights' hall), and make them acquaintedwith his decision. 

The faithful states considered this a favourable answer, and werein waiting next morning, at the appointed hour, in the Rittersaal. But what happened? Behold, as the great door was thrown open, inwalked the Duke, not with any of the insignia of his princelystation, but in the dress of a fisherman. He wore a linen jacket, a blue smock, a large hat, and great, high fisher's boots, reaching nearly to his waist. _Item, _ on his back the Dukecarried a fisherman's basket; six fishermen similarly dressedaccompanied him, and others in a like garb followed. 

All present wondered much at this, and a great murmur arose in thehall; but the Duke threw his basket down by his side, and leanedhis elbow on it, while he thus went on to speak: "Ye see here, mygood friends, what government I intend to hold in future withthese honest fishers, who accompanied me up to my dear brother'sfuneral. I shall return this day to Rügenwald. The devil may rulein Pomerania, but I will not; if you kill an ox there is an end ofit, but here there is no end. Satan treats us worse than the poorox. Choose a duke wheresoever you will; but as for me, I thinkfishing and ruling the rudder is pleasanter work than to rule yourland. "

And when the unambitious Prince had so spoken, he drew forth alittle flask containing branntwein [Footnote: Whisky] (a new drinkwhich some esteemed more excellent than wine, which, however, Ileave in its old pre-eminence; I tasted the other indeed but once, but it seemed to me to set my mouth on fire--such is not for mydrinking), and drank to the fishers, crying, "What say you, children--shall we not go and flounder again upon the Rügenwaldstrand?" Upon which they all shouted, "Ay! ay!"

His Grace then drank to the states for a farewell, and leaving thehall, proceeded with his followers to the vessel, which heascended, singing gaily, and sailed home directly to his newfishing-lodge at Neuhausen. 

Such humility, however, availed his Grace nothing in preservinghim from the claws of Satan; for scarcely a year and a half hadelapsed when he was seized suddenly, even as his brothers, anddied on the 10th May 1605, at the early age of forty-eight years, one month, twenty-one days, and seventeen hours. 

But to return to the states. They were dumb with grief and despairwhen his Grace left the hall. The land marshal stood with thestaff, the court marshal with the sword, and the chancellor withthe seals, like stone statues there, till a noble at the windowcalled out--

"Let us hasten quickly to Prince Bogislaff, before he journeysoff, too, with his five sons, and we are left without any ruler. See, there are the horses just putting to his carriage!"

Upon this, they all ran out to the coach, and the chancellorasked, in a lamentable voice, "If his Grace were indeed going toleave them, like that other gracious Prince who owned the dukedomby right? The states would promise everything he desired--theywould pay all his debts--only his Grace must not leave them andtheir poor fatherland in their sore need. "

Hereat his Grace laughed, and told them, "He was not going to hiscastle of Franzburg, only as far as Oderkrug, with his dear sons, to look at the great sheep-pens there, and drink a bowl of ewe'smilk with the shepherds under the apple-tree. He hoped to arrivethere before his brother Casimir in his boat, and then they mightdiscuss the _casus_ together; indeed, when he showed him thesheep-pens, it was not probable that he would refuse a duchy whichhad a fold of twenty thousand sheep, for his brother Casimir was agreat lover of sheep as well as of fish. "

Upon this, the states and privy council declared that they wouldfollow him to Oderkrug to learn the result, but meanwhile beggedof his Grace not to delay setting off, lest Duke Casimir mighthave left Oderkrug before he reached it. 

CHAPTER XXIII. 

Duke Bogislaff XIII. Accepts the government of the duchy, andgives Sidonia at last the long-desired_proebenda_--_Item, _ of her arrival at the convent ofMarienfliess. 

Now my gracious Lord Bogislaff had scarcely alighted at Oderkrugfrom his carriage, and drunk a bowl of milk under the apple-tree, when he spied the yellow sails of his brother's boat above thehigh reeds; upon which he ran down to the shore, and called outhimself--

"Will you not land, brother, and drink a bowl of ewe's milk withus, or take a glance at the great sheep-pen? It is a rare wonder, and my lord brother was always a great lover of sheep!"

But Prince Casimir went on, and never slackened sail. Whereuponhis Highness called out again, "The states and privy councillorsare coming, brother, and want to have a few words with you. "

Hereat Prince Casimir laughed in the boat, and returned foranswer--"He knew well enough what they wanted; but no--he had nodesire to be bewitched to death. Just give him the lands ofLauenburg and Butow as an addition to his dower, and then his dearBogislaff might take all Pomerania to himself if he pleased. "

After which, doffing his hat for an _addio, _ he steeredbravely through the _Pappenwasser_. 

When young Prince Franz heard this, he laughed loud, and said, "Truly our uncle is the wisest--he will not be bewitched to death, as he says--but what will my lord father do now, for see, herecome the states already in their carriages over the hill!"

Duke Bogislaff answered, "What else remains for me to do but toaccept the government?"

_Ille. _--"Yes, and be struck dead by witchcraft, like mythree uncles! Ah, my gracious lord father, before ever you acceptthe rule of the duchy, let the witch be seized and burned. DoctorJoel hath told me much about these witches; and believe me, thereis no wiser man in all Pomerania than this magister. He can dosomething more than eat bread. " Then he fell upon his father'sneck, and caressed him--"Ah, dear father, do not jump at once intothe government; burn the witch first: we cannot spare our dearlord father!"

And the two young Princes George and Ulrich prayed him in likemanner; but young Philip Secundus spake--"I think, brothers, itwere better if our dear father gave this long-talked-of_proebenda_ to the witch at once; then, whether she bewitchesor not, we are safe at all events. "

Hereupon his Highness answered--"My Philip is right; for in truthno one can say whether your uncles died by Sidonia's sorceries orby those of the evil man Bacchus. Therefore I warn you, dearchildren, flee from this worst of all sorcerers; not starting atappearances, as a horse at a shadow, for appearance is the shadowof truth. Be admonished, therefore, by St. Peter, and 'gird up theloins of your spirit: be sober, and watch unto prayer. ' Then yemay laugh all witches to scorn; for God will turn the devices ofyour enemy to folly. "

Meanwhile the states have arrived; and having alighted from theircoaches at the great sheep-pen, they advanced respectfully to theDuke, who was seated under the apple-tree--the land marshal first, with the staff, then the court marshal with the sword, and lastlythe chancellor with the seals. 

The had seen from the hill how Duke Casimir sailed away withoutwaiting to hear them, and prayed and hoped that his Highness wouldaccept the insignia which they here respectfully tendered, and notabandon his poor fatherland in such dire need. The devil andwicked men could do much, but God could do more, as none knewbetter than his Highness. 

Herewith his Grace sighed deeply, and taking the insignia, laidstaff and sword beside him; then, taking up the sword hastilyagain, he held it in his hand while he thus spake:--

"My faithful, true, and honourable states, ye know how that Iresigned the government, out of free will, at the Diet at Wollin, because I thought, and still think, that nothing weighs heavierthan this sword which I hold in my hand. Therefore I went to mydower at Barth, and have founded the beautiful little town ofFranzburg to keep the Stralsund knaves in submission, and also toteach our nobles that there is some nobler work for a man to do inlife than eating, drinking, and hunting. _Item, _ I haveencouraged commerce, and especially given my protection to thewoollen trade; but all my labours will now fall to the ground, andthe Stralsund knaves be overjoyed; [Footnote: The apprehension wasjustified by the event; for on the departure of Duke Bogislaff, Franzburg fell rapidly to a mere village, to the great joy of theStralsunders, who looked with much envy on a new town springing upin their vicinity. ] however, I must obey God's will, and not kickagainst the pricks. Therefore I take the sword of my father, hoping that it will not prove too heavy for me, an old man;[Footnote: The Duke was then sixty. ] and that He who puts it intomy hand (even the strong God) will help me to bear it. So let Hisholy will be done. Amen. "

Then his Highness delivered back the insignia to the states, whoreverently kissed his hand, and blessed God for having given sogood and pious a Prince to reign over them. Then they approachedthe five young lords, and kissed their hands likewise, wishing atthe same time that many fair olive-branches might yet stand aroundtheir table. This made the old Duke laugh heartily, and he prayedthe states to remain a little and drink ewe's milk with them for apleasant pastime; the shepherds would set out the bowls. 

Duke Philip alone went away into the town to examine the library, and all the vases, pictures, statues, and other costly works ofart, which his deceased uncle, Duke Johann Frederick, hadcollected; and these he delivered over to the marshal's care, withstrict injunctions as to their preservation. But a strange thinghappened next day; for as the Duke and his sons were sitting atbreakfast, and the wine-can had just been locked up, because eachyoung lord had drunk his allotted portion, namely, seven glasses(the Duke himself only drank six), a lacquey entered with a notefrom Sidonia, in which she again demanded the _proebenda, _and hoped that his Highness would be more merciful that his deadbrothers, now that he had succeeded to the duchy. Let himtherefore send an order for her admission to the cloister ofMarienfliess. The answer was to be laid upon St. Mary's altar. 

Here young Lord Francis grew quite pale, and dropped the fork fromhis hands, then spake--"Now truly we see this hag learns of thedevil, for how else could she have known that our gracious fatherhad accepted the government, unless Satan had visited her in herden? But let his dearest father be careful. In his opinion, theDuke should promise her the _proebenda;_ but as soon as theaccursed hag showed herself at the cloister (for the devil nowkept her concealed), let her be seized and burned publicly, for aterrible warning and example. "

This advice did not please the old Duke. "Franz, " he said, "thouart a fool, and God forbid that ever thou shouldst reign in theland; for know that the word of a Prince is sacred. Yes, Sidoniashall have the _proebenda;_ but I will not entrap my enemythrough deceit to death, but will try to win her over bygentleness. The chancellor shall answer her instantly, and writeanother letter to the abbess of Petersdorf; and Sidonia's shall belaid upon the altar of St. Mary's this night, as she requested, byone of my lacqueys. "

Then Duke Philip kissed his pious father's hand, and the tearsfell from the good youth's eyes as he exclaimed--

"Alas, if she should murder you too!"

And here are the two letters, according to the copies which areyet to be seen in the princely chancery. _Sub. Hit. MarienfliessK, No. 683. _

"WE, BOGISLAFF, BY THE GRACE OF GOD, DUKE OF STETTIN, POMERANIA, CASSUBEN, AND WENDEN; PRINCE OF RUGEN; COUNT OF CUTZKOW, OF THELANDS OP LAUENBURG AND BUTOW; LORD, &c. 

"In consequence of your repeated entreaties for a _proetenda_in the cloister of Marienfliess, We, of our great goodness, herebygrant the same unto you; hoping that, in future, you will lead anhumble, quiet life, as beseems a cloistered maiden, and, inespecial, that you will always show yourself an obedient andfaithful servant of our princely house. So we commit you to God'skeeping!

Signatum, Old Stettin, the 2oth October 1603. "BOGISLAFF. "

The other letter, to the abbess of Petersdorf, was sent by asalmon lad to the convent, as we shall hear further on, and ranthus:--

"WE, BOGISLAFF, &c. 

"WORTHY ABBESS, TRUSTY AND WELL-BELOVED FRIEND!

"Hereby we send to you a noble damsel, named Sidonia von Bork, anddesire a cell for her in your cloisters, even as the other nuns. We trust that misery may have softened her heart towards God; butif she do not demean herself with Christian sobriety, you have ourcommands to send her, along with the fish peasants and others, toour court for judgment. 

"God keep you; pray for us! Signatum, &c. "BOGISLAFF. "

The letter to Sidonia was, in truth, laid that same night upon thealtar of St. Mary's, by a lacquey, who was further desired to hidehimself in the church, and see what became of it. Now, the fellowhad a horrible dread of staying alone in the church by night, sohe took the cook, Jeremias Bild, along with him; and after theyhad laid the letter down upon the altar, they crept both of theminto a high pew close by, belonging to the Aulick Counsellor, Dieterick Stempel. 

Now mark what happened. They had been there about an hour, and themoon was pouring down as clear as daylight from the high altarwindow; when, all at once, the letter upon the altar began to moveabout of itself, as if it were alive, then it hopped down upon thefloor, from that danced down the altar steps, and so on all alongthe nave, though no human being laid hands on it the while, andnot a breath or stir was heard in the church. [Footnote: Somethingsimilar is related in the _Seherin of Prevorst_, where aglass of water moved of its own accord to another place. ]

Our two carls nearly died of the fright, and solemnly attested byoath to his Highness the truth of their relation. Thereby youngLord Franz was more strengthened in his belief concerningSidonia's witchcraft, and had many arguments with his father inconsequence. 

"His lord father might easily know that a letter could not move ofitself without devil's magic. Now, this letter had moved ofitself; _ergo_, " &c. 

Whereupon his Highness answered--

"When had he ever doubted the power of Satan? Ah, never; but inthis instance who could tell what the carls in their fright hadseen or not seen? For, perhaps, Sidonia, when she observed themhiding in the pew, had stuck a fish-hook into the letter, and sodrawn it over to herself. He remembered in his youth a trick thathad been played on the patron--for this patron always went tosleep during the sermon. So the sexton let down a fish-hookthrough the ceiling of the church, which, catching hold of thepatron's wig, drew it up in the sight of the whole congregation, who afterwards swore that they had seen the said wig of theirpatron carried up to the roof of the church by witchcraft, anddisappear through a hole in the ceiling, as if it had been a bird. Some time after, however, the sexton confessed his knavery, andthe patron's flying wig had been a standing joke in the countryever since. "

But the young lord still shook his head--

"Ah, they would yet see who was right. He was still of the sameopinion. "

But I shall leave these arguments at once, for the result willfully show which party was in the right. 

_Summa. _--Sidonia, next day, drove in her one-horse cartagain to the convent gate at Marienfliess, accompanied by anotherold hag as her servant. Now the peasants had just arrived with thesalmon, which the Duke despatched every fortnight as a present tothe convent, and the letter of his Grace had arrived also. So, many of the nuns were assembled on the great steps looking at thefish, and waiting for the abbess to divide it amongst them, as washer custom. Others were gathered round the abbess, weeping as shetold them of the Duke's letter, and the good mother herself nearlyfainted when she read it. 

So Sidonia drove straight into the court, as the gates were lyingopen, and shouted--

"What the devil! Is this a nuns' cloister, where all the gates lieopen, and the carls come in and out as if it were a dove-cot?Shame on ye, for light wantons! Wait; Sidonia will bring you intoorder. Ha! ye turned me out; but now ye must have me, whether yewill or no!"

At such blasphemies the nuns were struck dumb. However, the abbessseemed as though she heard them not, but advancing, bid Sidoniawelcome, and said--

"It was not possible to receive her into the cloister, until shehad command from his Grace so to do, which command she now held inher hand. "

This softened Sidonia somewhat, and she asked--

"What are the nuns doing there with the fish?"

"Dividing the salmon, " was the answer. 

Whereupon she jumped out of the cart, and declared that she mustget her portion also, for salmon was a right good thing forsupper. 

Whereupon the sub-prioress, Dorothea von Stettin, cut her off afine large head-piece, which Sidonia, however, pushed awayscornfully, crying--

"Fie! what did she mean by that? The devil might eat thehead-piece, but give her the tail. She had never in her life eatenanything but the tail-piece; the tail was fatter. "

So the abbess signed to them to give her the tail-end; afterwhich, she asked to see her cell, and, on being shown it, criedout again--

"Fie on them! was that a cell for a lady of her degree? Why, itwas a pig-sty. Let the abbess put her young litter of nuns there;they would be better in it than running up and down the conventcourt with the fish-carls. She must and will have the refectory. "

And when the abbess answered--

"That was the prayer-room, where the sisters met night and morningfor vespers and matins, " she heeded not, but said--

"Let them pray in the chapel--the chapel is large enough. "

And so saying, she commanded her maid, who was no other than WoldeAlbrechts, though not a soul in the convent knew her, to carry allher luggage straight into the refectory. 

What could the poor abbess do? She had to submit, and not onlygive her up the refectory, but, finding that she had no bed, orderone in for her. _Item, _ seeing that Sidonia was in rags, shedesired black serge for a robe to be brought, and a white veil, such as the sisterhood wore, and bid the nuns stitch them up forher, thinking thus to win her over by kindness. Also she desiredtables, stools, &c. , to be arranged in the refectory, since she soardently desired to possess this room. But what fruit all thiskindness brought forth we shall see in _liber tertius_. 

END OF SECOND BOOK. 

BOOK III. 

FROM THE RECEPTION OF SIDONIA INTO THE CONVENT AT MARIENFLIESS UPTILL HER EXECUTION, AUGUST 19th, 1620. 

CHAPTER I. 

_How the sub-prioress, Dorothea Stettin, visits Sidonia andextols her virtue--Item, of Sidonia's quarrel with the dairywoman, and how she beats the sheriff himself, Eggert Sparling, with abroom-stick. _

MOST EMINENT AND ILLUSTRIOUS PRINCE!--Your Serene Highness willsurely pardon me if I pass over, in _libra tertio_, many ofthe quarrels, bickerings, strifes, and evil deeds, with whichSidonia disturbed the peace of the convent, and brought many agoodly person therein to a cruel end; first, because these thingsare already much known and talked of; and secondly, because suchdire and Satanic wickedness must not be so much as named to gentleears by me. 

I shall therefore only set down a few of the principal events ofher convent life, by which your Grace and others may easilyconjecture much of what still remains unsaid; for truly wickednessadvanced and strengthened in her day by day, as decay in a rottingtree. 

The morning after her arrival in the convent, while it was yetquite early, and Wolde Albrechts, her lame maid, was sweeping outthe refectory, the sub-prioress, Dorothea Stettin, came to pay hera visit. She had a piece of salmon, and a fine haddock's liver, ona plate, to present to the lady, and was full of joy and gratitudethat so pious and chaste a maiden should have entered thisconvent. "Ah, yes! it was indeed terrible to see how the conventgates lay open, and the men-folk walked in and out, as the ladyherself had seen yesterday. And would sister Sidonia believe it, sometimes the carls came in bare-legged? Not alone old MatthiasWinterfeld, the convent porter, but others--yea, even in theirshirt-sleeves sometimes--oh, it was shocking even to think of! Shehad talked about it long enough, but no one heeded her, thoughtruly she was sub-prioress, and ought to have authority. However, if sister Sidonia would make common cause with her from this timeforth, modesty and sobriety might yet be brought back to theirblessed cloister. "

Sidonia desired nothing better than to make common cause with thegood, simple Dorothea--but for her own purposes. Therefore sheanswered, "Ay, truly; this matter of the open gates was a grievoussin and shame. What else were these giddy wantons thinking of butlovers and matrimony? She really blushed to see them yesterday. "

_Illa. _--"True, true; that was just it. All about love andmarriage was the talk for ever amongst them. It made her heart diewithin her to think what the young maidens were nowadays. "

_Hæc. _--"Had she any instances to bring forward; what hadthey done?"

_Illa. _--"Alas! instances enough. Why, not long since, a nunhad married with a clerk, and this last chaplain, David Grosskopf, had taken another nun to wife himself. "

_Hæc. _--"Oh, she was ready to faint with horror. "

_Illa _ (sobbing, weeping, and falling upon Sidonia'sneck). --"God be praised that she had found one righteous soul inthis Sodom and Gomorrah. Now she would swear friendship to her forlife and death! And had she a little drop of wine, just to pour onthe haddock's liver? it tasted so much better stewed in wine! butshe would go for some of her own. The liver must just get one turnon the fire, and then the butter and spices have to be added. Shewould teach her how to do it if she did not know, only let the oldmaid make up the fire. "

_Hæc_. --"What was she talking about? Cooking was child's playto her; she had other things to cook than haddocks' livers. "

_Illa_ (weeping). --"Ah! let not her chaste sister be angry;she had meant it all in kindness. "

_Hæc_. --"No doubt--but why did she call the convent a Sodomand Gomorrah? Did the nuns ever admit a lover into their cells?"

_Illa_ (screaming with horror). --"No, no, fie! how could thechaste sister bring her lips to utter such words?"

_Hæc_. --"What did she mean, then, by the Sodom and Gomorrah?"

_Illa_. --"Alas! the whole world was a Sodom and Gomorrah, why, then, not the convent, since it lay in the world? For thoughwe do not sin in words or works, yet we may sin in thought; andthis was evidently the case with some of these young things, forif the talk in their hearing was of marriage, they laughed andtittered, so that it was a scandal and abomination!"

_Hæc_. --"But had she anything else to tell her--what had shecome for?"

_Illa_. --"Ah! she had forgotten. The abbess sent to say, thatshe must begin to knit the gloves directly for the canons ofCamyn. Here was the thread. "

_Hæc_. --"Thousand devils! what did she mean?" _Illa_(crossing herself). --"Ah! the pious sister might let the devilsalone, though (God be good to us) the world was indeed full ofthem!"

_Hæc_. --"What did she mean, then, by this knitting--to talkto her so--the lady of castles and lands?"

_Illa_. --"Why, the matter was thus. The reverend canons ofCamyn, who were twelve in number, purchased their beer always fromthe convent--for such had been the usage from the old Catholictimes--and sent a waggon regularly every half-year to fetch ithome. In return for this goodness, the nuns knit a pair of threadgloves for each canon in spring, and a pair of woollen ones inwinter. "

_Hæc_. --"Then the devil may knit them if he chooses, but shenever will. What! a lady of her rank to knit gloves for these oldfat paunches! No, no; the abbess must come to her! Send a messageto bid her come. "

And truly, in a little time, the abbess, Magdalena von Petersdorf, came as she was bid; for she had resolved to try and conquerSidonia's pride and insolence by softness and humility. 

But what a storm of words fell upon the worthy matron!

"Was this treatment, forsooth, for a noble lady? To be told toknit gloves for a set of lazy canons. Marry, she had better sendthe men at once to her room, to have them tried on. No wonder thatlevity and wantonness should reign throughout the convent!"

Here the good mother interposed--

"But could not sister Sidonia moderate her language a little? Suchviolence ill became a spiritual maiden. If she would not hold bythe old usage, let her say so quietly, and then she herself, theabbess, would undertake to knit the gloves, since the work sodispleased her. "

Then she turned to leave the room, but, on opening the door, tumbled right against sister Anna Apenborg, who was stuck up closeto it, with her ear against the crevice, listening to what waspassing inside. Anna screamed at first, for the good mother's headhad given her a stout blow, but recovering quickly, as the twoprioresses passed out, curtsied to Sidonia--

"Her name was Anna Apenborg. Her father, Elias, dwelt inNadrensee, near Old Stettin, and her great-great-grandfather, Caspar, had been with Bogislaff X. In the Holy Land. She had cometo pay her respects to the new sister, for she was cooking in thekitchen yesterday when the lady arrived, and never got a sight ofher, but she heard that this dear new sister was a great lady, with castles and lands. Her father's cabin was only a poor thingthatched with straw, " &c. 

All this pleased the proud Sidonia mightily, so she beckoned herinto the room, where the aforesaid Anna immediately began to stareabout her, and devour everything with her eyes; but seeing suchscanty furniture, remarked inquiringly--

"The dear sister's goods are, of course, on the road?"

This spoiled all Sidonia's good-humour in a moment, and shesnappishly asked--

"What brought her there?"

Hereupon the other excused herself--

"The maid had told her that the dear sister was going to eat hersalmon for her lunch, with bread and butter, but it was muchbetter with kale, and if she had none, her maid might come downnow and cut some in the garden. This was what she had to say. Sheheard, indeed, that the sub-prioress and Agnes Kleist ate theirsalmon stewed in butter, but that was too rich; for one should bevery particular about salmon, it was so apt to disagree. However, if sister Sidonia would just mind her, she would teach her all thedifferent ways of dressing it, and no one was ever the worse foreating salmon, if they followed her plan. "

But before Sidonia had time to answer, the chatterbox had run tothe door and lifted the latch--

"There was a strange woman in the courtyard, with something underher apron. She must go and see what it was, but would be backagain instantly with the news. "

In a short time she returned, bringing along with her SheriffSparling's dairy-woman, who carried a large bundle of flax underher apron. This she set down before Sidonia--

"And his worship bid her say that she must spin all this for himwithout delay, for he wanted a new set of shirts, and the threadmust be with the weaver by Christmas. "

When Sidonia heard this, she fell into a right rage in earnest--

"May the devil wring his ears, the peasant carl! To send such amessage to a lady of her degree!"

Then she pitched the flax out of the door, and wanted to shove thedairy-woman out after it, but she stopped, and said--

"His worship gave all the nuns a bushel of seed for their trouble, and sowed it for them; so she had better do as the others did. "

Sidonia, however, was not to be appeased--

"May the devil take her and her flax, if she did not trot out ofthat instantly. "

So she pushed the poor woman out, and then panting and blowingwith rage, asked Anna Apenborg to tell her what this boor of asheriff was like?

_Illa_. --"He was a strange man. Ate fish every day, andalways cooked the one way, namely, in beer. How this was possibleshe could not understand. To-day she heard he was to have pike forhis dinner. "

_Hæc_. --"Was she asking the fool what he ate? What did shecare about his dinners? But what sort of man was he, and did allthe nuns, in truth, spin for him?"

_Illa_. --"Ay, truly, except Barbara Schetzkow; she was deadnow. But once when he went storming to her cell, she just turnedhim out, and so she had peace ever after. For he roared like abear, but, in truth, was a cowardly rabbit, this same sheriff. Andshe heard, that one time, when he was challenged by a noble, heshrank away, and never stood up to his quarrel. "

But just then in walked the sheriff himself, with a horse-whip inhis hand. He was a thick-set, grey-headed fellow, and roared atSidonia--

"What! thou old, lean hag--so thou wilt spin no flax? May thedevil take thee, but thou shalt obey my commands!"

While he thus scolded, Sidonia quietly caught hold of the broom, and grasping it with both hands, gave such a blow with the handleon the grey pate of the sheriff, that he tumbled against the door, while she screamed out--

"Ha! thou peasant boor, take that for calling me a hag--the ladyof castle and lands!"

Then she struck him again and again, till the sheriff at last gotthe door open and bolted out, running down the stairs as hard ashe could, and into the courtyard, where, when he was safelylanded, he shook the horsewhip up at Sidonia's windows, cryingout--

"I will make you pay dear for this. Anna Apenborg was witness ofthe assault. I will swear information this very day before hisHighness, how the hag assaulted me, the sheriff, andsuperintendent of the convent, in the performance of my duty, andpray him to deliver an honourable cloister from the presence ofsuch a vagabond. "

Then he went to the abbess, and begged her and the nuns to sustainhim in his accusation--

"Such wickedness and arrogance had never yet been seen under thesun. Let the good abbess only feel his head; there was a lump asbig as an egg on it. Truly, he had had a mind to horsewhip herblack and blue; but that would have been illegal; so he thankedGod that he had restrained himself. "

Then he made the abbess feel his head again; also Anna Apenborg, who happened to come in that moment. But the worthy mother knewnot what to do. She told the sheriff of Sidonia's behaviour as shedrove into the convent; also how she had possessed herself of therefectory by force, refused to knit or spin, and had sent for her, the abbess, bidding her come to her, as if she were no better thana serving-wench. 

At last the sheriff desired all the nuns to be sent for, and intheir presence drew up a petition to his Highness, praying thatthe honourable convent might be delivered from the presence ofthis dragon, for that no peace could be expected within the wallsuntil this vagabond and evil-minded old hag were turned out on theroad again, or wherever else his Highness pleased. Every onepresent signed this, with the exception of Anna Apenborg and thesub-prioress, Dorothea Stettin. And many think that inconsideration of this gentleness, Sidonia afterwards spared theirlives, and did not bring them to a premature grave, like as shedid the worthy abbess and others. 

For the next time that she caught Anna at her old habit oflistening, Sidonia said, while boxing her--

"You should get something worse than a box on the ear, only foryour refusal to sign that lying petition to his Highness. "

_Summa_. --After a few days, an answer arrived from his Gracethe Duke of Stettin, and the abbess, with the sheriff, proceededwith it to Sidonia's apartment. 

They found her brewing beer, an art in which she excelled; and theletter which they handed to her ran thus, according to the copyreceived likewise by the convent:--

"WE, BOGISLAFF, BY THE GRACE OF GOD, DUKE OF STETTIN, &c. 

"Having heard from our sheriff and the pious sisterhood ofMarienfliess, of thy unseemly behaviour, in causing uproars andtumults in the convent; further, of thy having struck our worthysheriff on the head with a broom-stick--We hereby declare, desire, and command, that, unless thou givest due obedience to theauthorities, lay and spiritual, doing this well, with humility andmeekness, even as the other sisters, the said authorities shallhave full power to turn thee out of the convent, by means of theirbailiffs or otherwise, as they please, giving thee back again tothat perdition from which thou wast rescued. Further, thou artherewith to deliver up the refectory to the abbess, of which Wehear thou hast shamefully possessed thyself. 

"Old Stettin, 10th November, 1603. 

"BOGISLAFF. "

Sidonia scarcely looked at the letter, but thrust it under the poton the fire, where it soon blazed away to help the brewing, andexclaimed--

"They had forged it between them; the Prince never wrote a line ofit. Nor would he have sent it to her by the hands of her enemies. Let it burn there. Little trouble would she take to read theirvillainy. But never fear, they should have something in return fortheir pains. "

Hereupon she blew on them both, and they had scarcely reached thecourt, after leaving her apartment, when both were seized withexcruciating pains in their limbs; both the sheriff and the abbesswere affected in precisely the same way--a violent pain first inthe little finger, then on through the hand, up the arm, finally, throughout the whole frame, as if the members were tearingasunder, till they both screamed aloud for very agony. DoctorSchwalenberg is sent for from Stargard, but his salve does nogood; they grow worse rather, and their cries are dreadful tolisten to, for the pain has become intolerable. 

So my brave sheriff turns from a roaring ox into a poor cowardlyhare, and sends off the dairy-woman with a fine haunch of venisonand a sweetbread to Sidonia: "His worship's compliments to theillustrious lady with these, and begged to know if she could sendhim anything good for the rheumatism, which had attacked him quitesuddenly. The Stargard doctor was not worth the air he breathed, and his salve had only made him worse in place of better. He wouldsend the illustrious lady also some pounds of wax-lights; shemight like them through the winter, but they were not made yet. "

When Sidonia heard this she laughed loudly, danced about, andrepeated the verse which was then heard for the first time fromher lips; but afterwards she made use of it, when about any evildeed:--

 "Also kleien und also kratzen, Meine Hunde und meine Katzen. "

 ["So claw and so scratch, My dogs and my cats. "]

The dairy-woman stood by in silent wonder, first looking atSidonia, then at Wolde, who began to dance likewise, andchanted:--

 "Also kleien und also kratzen, Unsre Hunde und unsre Katzen. "

 ["So claw and so scratch, Our dogs and our cats. "]

At last Sidonia answered, "This time I will help him; but if heever bring the roaring ox out of the stall again, assuredly hewill repent it. "

Hereon the dairy-mother turned to depart, but suddenly stood quitestill, staring at Anne Wolde; at length said, "Did I not see theeyears ago spinning flax in my mother's cellar, when the folkwanted to bring thee to an ill end?"

But the hag denied it all--"The devil may have been in hermother's cellar, but she had never seen Marienfliess in her lifebefore, till she came hither with this illustrious lady. "

So the other seemed to believe her, and went out; and by the timeshe reached her master's door, his pains had all vanished, so thathe rode that same day at noon to the hunt. 

The poor abbess heard of all this through Anna Apenborg, andthereupon bethought herself of a little embassy likewise. 

So she bid Anna take all sorts of good pastry, and a new kettle, and greet the Lady Sidonia from her--"Could the dear sister giveher anything for the rheumatism?" She heard the sheriff was quitecured, and all the doctor's salves and plasters were only makingher worse. She sent the dear sister a few dainties--_item_, anew kettle, as her own kettle had not yet arrived. _Item_, she begged her acceptance of all the furniture, &c. , which she hadlent her for her apartment. 

At this second message, the horrible witch laughed and danced asbefore, repeating the same couplet; and the old hag, Wolde, dancedbehind her like her shadow. 

Now Anna Apenborg's curiosity was excited in the highest degree atall this, and her feet began to beat up and down on the floor asif she were dying to dance likewise; at last she exclaimed, "Ah, dear lady! what is the meaning of that? Could you not teach it tome, if it cures the rheumatism? that is, if there be no devil'swork in it (from which God keep us). I have twelve pounds of woollying by me; will you take it, dear lady, for teaching me thesecret?"

But Sidonia answered, "Keep your wool, good Anna, and I will keepmy secret, seeing that it is impossible for me to teach it to you;for know, that a woman can only learn it of a man, and a man of awoman; and this we call the doctrine of sympathies. However, goyour ways now, and tell the abbess that, if she does my will, Iwill visit her and see what I can do to help her; but, remember, my will she must do. "

Hereupon sister Anna was all eagerness to know what her will was, but Sidonia bade her hold her tongue, and then locked up theviands in the press, while Wolde went into the kitchen with thekettle, where Anna Apenborg followed her slowly, to try and picksomething out of the old hag, but without any success, as one mayeasily imagine. 

CHAPTER II. 

_How Sidonia visits the abbess, Magdalena von Petersdorf, andexplains her wishes, but is diverted to other objects by a sightof David Ludeck, the chaplain to the convent. _

When Sidonia went to visit the abbess, as she had promised, shefound her lying in bed and moaning, so that it might have meltedthe heart of a stone; but the old witch seemed quitesurprised--"What could be the matter with the dear, good mother?but by God's help she would try and cure her. Only, concerningthis little matter of the refectory, it might as well be settledfirst, for Anna Apenborg told her the room was to be taken fromher; but would not the good mother permit her to keep it?"

And when the tortured matron answered, "Oh yes; keep it, keep it, "Sidonia went on--

"There was just another little favour she expected for curing herdear mother (for, by God's help, she expected to cure her). Thiswas, to make her sub-prioress in place of Dorothea Stettin; for, in the first place, the situation was due to her rank, she beingthe most illustrious lady in the convent, dowered with castles andlands; secondly, because her illustrious forefathers had helped tofound this convent; and thirdly, it was due to her age, for shewas the natural mother of all these young doves, and much morefitted to keep them in order and strict behaviour than DorotheaStettin. "

Here the abbess answered, "How could she make her sub-prioresswhile the other lived? This was not to be done? Truly sisterDorothea was somewhat prudish and whining, this she could notdeny, for she had suffered many crosses in her path; but, withal, she was an upright, honest creature, with the best and simplestheart in the world; and so little selfishness, that verily shewould lay down her life for the sisterhood, if it were necessary. "

_Illa_. --"A good heart was all very well, but what could itdo without respect? and how could a poor fool be respected whofell into fits if she saw a bride, particularly here, where theyoung sisters thought of nothing but marriage from morning tillnight. "

_Hæc_. --"Yet she was held in great respect and honour by allthe sisterhood, as she herself could testify. "

_Illa_. --"Stuff! she must be sub-prioress, and there was anend of it, or the abbess might lie groaning there till she was asstiff as a pole. "

"Alas! Sidonia, " answered the abbess, "I would rather lie here asstiff as a pole--or, in other words, lie here a corpse, for Iunderstand thy meaning--than do aught that was unjust. "

_Illa_. --"What was unjust? The old goose need not be turnedout of her office by force, but persuaded out of it--that would bean easy matter, if she were so humble and excellent a creature. "

_Hæc_. --"But then deceit must be practised, and that shecould never bring herself to. "

_Illa_. --"Yet you could all practise deceit against me, andsend off that complaint to his Highness the Prince. "

_Hæc_. --"There was no falsehood there nor deceit, but theopenly expressed wish of the whole convent, and of his worship thesheriff. "

_Illa_. --"Then let the whole convent and his worship thesheriff make her well again; she would not trouble herself aboutthe matter. "

Whereupon she rose to depart, but the suffering abbess stretchedout her hands, and begged, for the sake of Jesus, that she wouldrelease her from this torture! "Take everything--everything thouwishest, Sidonia--only leave me my good conscience. Thy dying hourmust one day come too; oh! think on that. "

_Illa_. --"The dying hour is a long way off yet" (and shemoved to the door). 

_Hæc _(murmuring):--

 "Why should health from God estrange thee? Morning cometh and may change thee; Life, to-day, its hues may borrow Where the grave-worm feeds to-morrow. "

_Illa_. --"Look to yourself then. Speak! Make me sub-prioress, and be Cured on the instant. "

_Hæc _ (turning herself back upon the pillow). --"No, no, temptress; begone:--

 "'Softest pillow for the dying, Is a conscience void of dread. '

Go, leave me; my life is in the hand of God. 'For if we live, welive unto the Lord; and if we die, we die unto the Lord. Living, therefore, or dying, we are the Lord's. '"

So saying, the pious mother turned her face to the wall, andSidonia went out of the chamber. 

In a little while, however, she returned--"Would the good motherpromise, at least, to offer no opposition, if Dorothea Stettinproposed, of her own free will, to resign the office ofsub-prioress? If so, let her reach forth her hand; she would soonfind the pains leave her. "

The poor abbess assented to this, and oh, wonder! as it came, soit went; first out of the little finger, and then by degrees outof the whole body, so that the old mother wept for joy, andthanked her murderess. 

Just then the door opened, and David Ludeck, the chaplain, whomthe abbess had sent for, entered in his surplice. He was a finetall man, of about thirty-five years, with bright red lips andjet-black beard. 

He wondered much on hearing how the abbess had been cured by whatSidonia called "sympathies, " and smelled devil's work in it, butsaid nothing--for he was afraid; spoke kindly to the witch-hageven, and extolled her learning and the nobility of her race;declaring that he knew well that the Von Borks had helped mainlyto found this cloister. 

This mightily pleased the sorceress, and she grew quite friendly, asking him at last, "What news he had of his wife and children?"And when he answered, "He had no wife nor children, " her eyes litup again like old cinders, and she began to jest with him abouthis going about so freely in a cloister, as she observed he did. But when she saw that the priest looked grave at the jestings, shechanged her tone, and demurely asked him, "If he would be readyafter sermon on Sunday to assist at her assuming the nun's dress;for though many had given up this old usage, yet she would hold byit, for love of Jesu. " This pleased the priest, and he promised tobe prepared. Then Sidonia took her leave; but scarcely had shereached her own apartment when she sent for Anna Apenborg. "Whatsort of man was this chaplain? she saw that he went about theconvent at his pleasure. This was strange when he was unmarried. "

_Illa_. --"He was a right friendly and well-behaved gentleman. Nothing unseemly in word or deed had ever been heard of him. "

_Hæc_. --"Then he must have some private love-affair. "

_Illa_. --"Some said he was paying court to Bamberg's sisterthere in Jacobshagen. "

_Hæc_. --"Ha! very probable. But was it true? for otherwise heshould never go about amongst the nuns the way he did. It wasquite abominable: an unmarried man; Dorothea Stettin was right. But how could they ascertain the fact?"

_Illa_. --"That was easily done. She was going next morning toJacobshagen, and would make out the whole story for her. Indeed, she herself, too, was curious about it. "

_Hæc_. --"All right. This must be done for the honour of thecloister. For according to the rules of 1569, the court chaplainwas to be an old man, who should teach the sisters to read andwrite. Whereas, here was a fine carl with red lips and a blackbeard--unmarried too. Did he perchance ever teach any of them toread or write?"

_Illa_. --"No; for they all knew how already. "

_Hæc_. --"Still there was something wrong in it. No, no, insuch matters youth has no truth; Dorothea Stettin was quite right. Ah, what a wonderful creature, that excellent Dorothea! Suchmodesty and purity she had never met with before. Would that allyoung maidens were like her, and then this wicked world would besomething better. "

_Illa_ (sighing). --"Ah, yes; but then sister Dorothea wentrather far in her notions. "

_Hæc_. --"How so? In these matters one could never go toofar. "

_Illa_. --"Why, when a couple were called in church, or awoman was churched, Dorothea nearly fainted. Then, there was aniche in the chancel for which old Duke Barnim had given them anAdam and Eve, which he turned and carved himself. But Dorothea wasquite shocked at the Adam, and made a little apron to hang beforehim, though the abbess and the whole convent said that it was notnecessary. But she told them, that unless Adam wore his apron, never would she set foot in the chapel. Now, truly this was goingrather far. _Item_, she has been heard to wonder how the LordGod could send all the animals naked into the world; as cats, dogs, horses, and the like. Indeed, she one day disputed sharplyon the matter with the chaplain; but he only laughed at her, whereupon Dorothea went away in a sulk. "

Here Sidonia laughed outright too; but soon said with gravedecorum, "Quite right. The excellent Dorothea was a treasure aboveall treasures for the convent. Ah, such chastity and virtue wererarely to be met with in this wicked world. "

Now Anna Apenborg had hardly turned her back, to go and chatterall this back again to the sub-prioress, when Sidonia proceeded totap some of her beer, and called the convent porter to her, Matthias Winterfeld, bidding him carry it with her greetings tothe chaplain, David Ludeck. (For her own maid, Wolde, was lame, ever since the racking she got at Wolgast. So Sidonia was in thehabit of sending the porter all her messages, much to hisannoyance. ) When he came now he was in his shirt-sleeves, at whichSidonia was wroth--"What did he mean by going about the convent inshirt-sleeves? Never let him appear before her eyes in suchunseemly trim. And was this a time even for shirt-sleeves, whenthey were in the month of November? But winter or summer, he mustnever appear so, "

Hereupon the fellow excused himself. He was killing geese for someof the nuns, and had just put off his coat, not to have it spoiledby the down; but she is nothing mollified--scolds him still, sothe fellow makes off without another word, fearing he might get atouch of the rheumatism, like the abbess and his worship thesheriff, and carries the beer-can to the reverend chaplain; fromwhom he soon brings back "his grateful acknowledgments to the LadySidonia. "

Two days now passed over, but on the third morning Anna Apenborgtrotted into the refectory full of news. She was quite tired fromher journey yesterday; for the snow was deep on the roads, but topleasure sister Sidonia (and besides, as it was a matter thatconcerned the honour of the convent) she had set off toJacobshagen, though indeed the snow lay ankle-deep. However, shewas well repaid, and had heard all she wanted; oh, there was greatnews!

_Illa_. --"Quick! what? how? why? Remember it is for thehonour and reputation of the entire convent. "

_Hæc_. --"She had first gone to one person, who pretended notto know anything at all of the matter; but then another person hadtold her the whole story--under the seal of the strictest secrecy, however. "

_Illa_. --"What is it? what is it? How she went on chatteringof nothing. "

_Hæc_. --"But will the dear sister promise not to breathe itto mortal? She would be ruined with her best friend otherwise. "

_Illa_. --"Nonsense, girl; who could I repeat it to? Come, outwith it!"

So Anna began, in a very long-winded manner, to explain how theburgomaster's wife in Jacobshagen said that her maid said thatProvost Bamberg's maid said, that while she was sweeping his studythe other morning, she heard the provost's sister say to herbrother in the adjoining room, that she could not bear thechaplain, David Ludeck, for he had been visiting there off and onfor ever so long, and yet never had asked her the question. He wasa faint-hearted coward evidently, and she hated faint-hearted men. 

Sidonia grew as red as a lire-beacon when she heard this, andwalked up and down the apartment as if much perturbed, so thatAnna asked if the dear sister were ill? "No, " was the answer. "Shewas only thinking how best to get rid of this priest, and preventhim running in and out of the convent whenever he pleased. Shemust try and have an order issued, that he was only to visit thenuns when they were sick. This very day she would see about it. Could the good Anna tell her what the sheriff had for lunchto-day?"

_Illa_. --"Ay, truly, could she; for the milk-girl, who hadbrought her some fresh milk, told her that he had got plenty ofwild fowl, which the keeper had snared in the net; and there wasto be a sweetbread besides. But what was the dear sister herselfto eat?"

_Hæc_. --"No matter--but did she not hear a great ringing ofbells? What could the ringing be for?"

_Illa_. --"That was a strange thing, truly. And there was noone dead, nor any child to be christened, that she had heard of. She would just run out and see, and bring the dear sister word. "

_Illa_. -"Well then, wait till evening, for it is near noonnow, and I expect a guest to lunch. "

_Hæc_. --"Eh? a guest!--and who could it be?"

_Illa_. --"Why, the chaplain himself. I want to arrange abouthis dismissal. "

So, hardly had she got rid of the chatterbox, when Sidonia calledthe porter, Matthias, and bid him greet the reverend chaplain fromher, and say, that as she had somewhat to ask him concerning theinvestiture on Sunday, would he be her guest that day at dinner?She hoped to have some game with a sweetbread, and excellent beerto set before him. 

When the porter returned with the answer from his reverence, accepting the invitation, she sent him straight to the sheriffwith a couple of covered dishes, and a message, begging hisworship to send her half-a-dozen brace or so of game, for sheheard that a great many had been taken in his nets; and asweetbread, if he had it, for she had a guest to-day at dinner. 

So the dishes came back full--everything just ready to be served;for the cunning hag knew well that he dare not refuse her; andimmediately afterwards the priest arrived to dinner. He was veryfriendly, but Sidonia caught him looking very suspiciously at acouple of brooms which she had laid crosswise under the table. Soshe observed, "I lay these brooms there, to preserve our dearmother and the sheriff from falling again into this sickness. Itis part of the doctrine of sympathies, and I learned it out of myHerbal, as I can show you. " Upon which she went to her trunk andgot the book for the priest, whose fears diminished when he sawthat it was _printed_; but he could not prevail on her tolend it to him. 

_Summa_. --The priest grew still more friendly over the goodeating and drinking; and she, the old hypocrite, discoursed himthe while about her heavenly bridegroom, and threw up her eyes andsighed, at the same time pressing his hand fervently. But thepriest never minded it, for she was old enough to be his mother, and besides, he remembered the Scripture--"No man can call JesusLord, except through the Holy Ghost. " So as her every third wordwas "Jesus, " he looked upon her as a most discreet and piousChristian, and went away much satisfied by her and the gooddinner. 

CHAPTER III. 

_Sidonia tries another way to catch the priest, but failsthrough a mistake--Item, of her horrible spell, whereby shebewitched the whole princely race of Pomerania, so that, to thegrievous sorrow of their fatherland, they remain barren even untothis day. _ [Footnote: Note of Duke Bogislaff XIV. --"Ay, andwill to the last day, _vaeh mihi_. "]

As soon as the pious abbess was able to leave her bed, she sentfor the priest, for she had strange suspicions about Sidonia, andasked the reverend clerk, if indeed her cure could have beeneffected by sympathy? and were it not rather some work of thebodily Satan himself? But my priest assured her concerningSidonia's Christian faith; _item_, told, to the greatwonderment of the abbess, that she no longer cared for thesub-prioret (we know why--she would sooner have the priest thanthe prioret), but was content to let Dorothea Stettin keep it orresign it, just as she pleased. 

After this, the investiture of Sidonia took place, and the priestblessed her at the altar, and admonished her to take as her modelthe wise virgins mentioned Matt. Xxv. (but God knows, she hadfollowed the foolish virgins up to that period, and never ceaseddoing so to the end of her days). 

Even on that very night, we shall see her conduct; for she bid hermaid, Wolde, run and call up the convent porter, and despatch himinstantly for the priest, saying that she was very ill, and hemust come and pray with her. This excited no suspicion, since sheherself had forbade the priest entering the convent, unless any ofthe sisters were sick. But Anna Apenborg slipped out of bed whenshe heard the noise, and watched from the windows for the porter'sreturn. Then she tossed up the window, though the snow blew in allover her bed, and called out, "Well, what says he? will he come?will he come?"

And when the fellow grunted in answer, "Yes, he's coming, " shewrapped a garment round her, and set herself to watch, though herteeth were chattering from cold all the time. In due time thepriest came, whereupon the curious virgin crept out of her garret, and down the stairs to a little window in the passage which lookedin upon the refectory, and through which, in former times, provisions were sometimes handed in. There she could heareverything that passed. 

When the priest entered, Sidonia stretched out her meagre armstowards him, and thanked him for coming; would he sit down here onthe bed, for there was no other seat in the room? she had much totell him that was truly wonderful. But the priest remainedstanding: let her speak on. 

_Illa_. --"Ah! it concerned himself. She had dreamt a strangedream (God be thanked that it was not a reality), but it left herno peace. Three times she awoke, and three fell asleep and dreamtit again. At last she sent for him, for there might be danger instore for him, and she would turn it away if possible. "

_Hic_. --"It was strange, truly. What, then, had she dreamed?"

_Illa_. --"It seemed to her that murderers had got up into hisroom through the window, and just as they were on the point ofstrangling him, she had appeared and put them to flight, whereupon--" (here she paused and sighed). 

_Hic _(in great agitation). --"Go on, for God's sake goon--what further?"

_Illa_. --"Whereupon--ah! she must tell him now, since heforced her to do it. Whereupon, out of gratitude, he took her tobe his wife, and they were married" (sighing, and holding bothhands before her eyes). 

_Hic_ (clasping his hands). --"Merciful Heaven! how strange! Idreamt all that precisely myself. " [Footnote: The power ofproducing particular dreams by volition, was recognised by theancients and philosophers of the Middle Ages. _Ex. _ AlbertusMagnus relates (_De Mirabilibus Mundi_ 205) that horribledreams can be produced by placing an ape's skin under the pillow. He also gives a receipt for making women tell their secrets insleep (but this I shall keep to myself). Such phenomena areneither physiologically nor psychologically impossible, but ourmodern physiologists are content to take the mere poor form ofnature, dissect it, anatomise it, and then bury it beneath thesand of their hypotheses. Thus, indeed, "the dead bury theirdead, " while all the strange, mysterious, inner powers of nature, which the philosophers of the Middle Ages, as Psellus, AlbertusMagnus, Trithemius, Cardanus, Theophastus, &c. , did so much toelucidate, are at once flippantly and ignorantly placed in thecategory of "Superstitions, " "Absurdities, " and "ArtfulDeceptions. "]

Upon which Sidonia cried out, "How can it be possible? Oh, it isthe will of God, David--it is the will of God" (and she seized himby both hands). 

But the priest remained as cold as the snow outside, drew back hishead, and said, "Ah! no doubt these absurdities about marriagecame into my head because I had been thinking so much over ouryoung Lord Philip of Wolgast, who was wedded to-day at Berlin. "

Sidonia started up at this, and screamed in rage and anger--"What!Duke Philip married to-day in Berlin? The accursed prioress toldme the wedding was not to be for eight days after the next newmoon. "

The priest now was more astonished at her manner than even at thecoincidence of the dreams, and he started back from the bed. Whereupon, perceiving the mistake she had made, the horrible witchthrew herself down again, and letting her head fall upon thepillow, murmured, "Oh! my head! my head! She must have locked upthe moon in the cellar. How will the poor people see now bynight?--why did the prioress lock up the moon? Oh! my head! myhead!" Then she thanked the priest for coming--it was so good ofhim; but she was worse--much worse. "Ah! her head! her head!Better go now--but let him come again in the morning to see her. "So the good priest believed in truth that the detestable hag wasvery ill, and evidently suffering from fever; so he went his waypitying her much, and without the least suspicion of her wickedpurposes. 

Scarcely, however, had he closed the door, when Sidonia spranglike a cat from her bed, and called out, "Wolde, Wolde!" And asthe old witch hobbled in with her lame leg, Sidonia raged andstamped, crying out, "The accursed abbess has lied to me. ErnestLudovicus' brat was married to-day at Berlin. Oh! if I am too latenow, as on his father's marriage, I shall hang myself in thelaundry. Where is Chim--the good-for-nothing spirit?--he shouldhave seen to this. " And she dragged him out and beat him, while hequaked like a hare. 

Whereupon Wolde called out, "Bring the padlock from the trunk. "The other answered, "What use now?--the bridal pair are long sincewedded and asleep. " To which the old witch replied, "No; it istwelve o'clock here, but in Berlin it wants a quarter to it yet. There is time. The Berlin brides never retire to their apartmenttill the clock strikes twelve. There is time still. "

"Then, " exclaimed Sidonia, "since the devil cannot tell me on whatday they hold bridal, I will make an end now of the whole accursedgriffin brood, in all its relationships, branch and root, now andfor evermore, in Wolgast as in Stettin; be they destroyed androoted out for ever and for ever. " Then she took the padlock, andmurmured some words over it, of which Anna Apenborg could onlycatch the names, Philip, Francis, George, Ulrich, Bogislaff, whowere all sons to Duke Bogislaff XIII. , and, in truth, died eachone without leaving an heir. And, during the incantation, thelight trembled and burned dim upon the table, and the thing whichshe had beaten seemed to speak with a human voice, and the bellson the turret swung in the wind with a low sound, so that Annafell on her knees from horror, and scarcely dared to breathe. Thenthe accursed sorceress gave the padlock and key to Wolde, biddingher go forth by night and fling it into the sea, repeating thewords:--

 "Hid deep in the sea Let my dark spell be, For ever, for ever! To rise up never!"

Then Wolde asked, "Had she forgotten Duke Casimir?" WhereatSidonia laughed and said, "The spell had long been on him. " Andimmediately after, Anna Apenborg beheld _three_ shadows, inplace of two, thrown upon the white wall opposite the littlewindow. So she strengthened her heart to look in, and truly therewas _another_ form present now. And the three dancedtogether, and chanted strange rhymes, while the shadows on thewall danced up and down likewise. Then a deep bass voice calledout, "Ha! there is Christian flesh here! Ha! there is Christianflesh!" Whereupon Anna, though nearly dead with fright, crept upto her garret on her knees, while loud laughter resounded behindher; and it seemed as if old pots were flung up the stairs afterher. [Footnote: Note of Duke Bogislaff XIV. --Incredibile sane, ettamen verum. Cur, mi Deus?--(It seems impossible, and yet howtrue. Wherefore, my God?)

The spell by knotting the girdle is noticed by Virgil, 8theclogue:

 "Necte tribus nodis ternos Amarylli colores; Necte Amarylli modo, et Veneris die vincula necto. "

 [In three knots Amaryllis weaves three different colours; Amaryllis knots and says: I knot the girdle of Venus. ]

The use of the padlock is not mentioned until the Middle Ages, when it seems to have been so much employed that severe ordinanceswere directed against its use. ] For the rest of that night shecould not close her eyes. 

Next morning, one can easily imagine with what eagerness shehurried to the abbess, to relate the past night's horrible tale. Sidonia likewise is astir early, for by daybreak she despatchedher old lame Wolde to the chaplain (the porter was not up yet)with a can of beer for his great trouble the night before, andtrusted it would strengthen his heart. In this beer she had pouredher detestable love-philtrum, to awaken a passion for herself inthe breast of the reverend David, but it turned out quiteotherwise, and ended after the most ludicrous fashion, no doubtall owing to the malice of the spirit Chim, in revenge for theblows she had given him the night previous; for, behold, as soonas the priest had swallowed a right good draught of beer, he beganto stare at the old hag and murmur; then he passed his hand overhis eyes, and motioned her to remain. Again he looked ather--twice, thrice--put some silver into her hand, and at lastspake--"Ah! Wolde, what a beautiful creature you are! Where havemy eyes been, that I never discovered this before?"

The cunning hag saw now plainly what the drink had done, and whichway the wind blew. So she sat herself down simpering, by thestove, and my priest crept up close beside her; he took herhand--"Ah! how fat and plump it was--such a beautiful hand. "

But the old hag drew it back, saying, "Let me go, Mr. David!" Towhich he answered, "Yes, go, my treasure! I love to see you walk!What an exquisite limp! How stupid are men nowadays not to see allthe beauty of a limp! Ah! Venus knew it well, and therefore choseVulcan, for he, too, limped like my Wolde. Give me a kiss then, loveliest of women! Ah! what enchanting snow-white hair, like thepurest silver, has my treasure on her head. "

No wonder the old lame hag was tickled with the commendations, for, in all the sixty years of her life, she never had heard thelike before. But she played the prude, and pushed away the priestwith her hand, just as, by good fortune, a messenger from theabbess knocked at the door, with a request that the chaplain wouldcome to the good mother without delay. So the old hag went awaywith the maid of the abbess, and the priest stopped to dresshimself more decently. 

But in some time the abbess, who was on the watch, saw himstriding past her door; so she opened the window and called out toknow "Where was he going? Had he forgotten that she lived there?"To which he answered, "He must first visit Sidonia. " At this theworthy matron stared at him in horror; but my priest went on; andas he cared more for the maid than the mistress now, ran at onceinto the kitchen, without waiting to see Sidonia in the refectory;and seizing hold of Wolde, whispered, "That she must give him thekiss now--she need not be such a prude, for he had no wife. Andwhat beautiful hair! Never in his life had he seen such beautifulwhite hair!" But the old hag still resisted; and in the struggle astool, on which lay a pot, was thrown down. 

Sidonia rushed in at the noise; and behold! there was my priestholding Wolde by the hand. She nearly fainted at the sight. Whatwas he doing with her maid? Then seizing a heavy log of wood, shebegan to lay it on Wolde's shoulders, who screamed and roared, while my priest slunk away ashamed, without a word; and as he randown the steps, heard the blows and the screams still resoundingfrom the kitchen. 

As he passed the door of the abbess's room, again she called himin; but as he entered, she exclaimed in terror, "My God, what ailsyour reverence? You look as black and red in the face as if youhad had a fit, and had grown ten years older in one night!"

"Nothing ails me, " he answered; then sighed, and walked up anddown the room, murmuring, "What is the world to me? Why should Icare what the world thinks?" Then falls flat on the ground as ifhe were dead, while the good abbess screams and calls for help. Inruns Anna Apenborg--_item_, several other sisters with theirmaids, and they stretch the priest out upon a bench near thestove, where he soon begins to foam at the mouth, and throw up allthe beer, with the love-philtrum therein, which he had drunk(Sidonia's power effected this, no doubt, since she saw howmatters stood). 

Then he heaved a deep sigh, opened his eyes, and asked, "Where amI?" Whereupon, finding that his reason and clear understanding hadbeen restored to him, he requested the sisterhood to depart (forthey had all rushed in to hear what was going on) and leave himalone with the abbess, as he had matter of grave import to discusswith her. Whereupon they all went out, except Anna Apenborg, whosaid that she, too, had matter of grave import to relate. Sofinding she would not stir, the priest took her by the hand, andput her out at the door along with the others. 

Now when they were both left alone, we can easily imagine thesubject of their conversation. The poor priest made hisconfession, concealing nothing, only lamenting bitterly how he haddisgraced his holy calling; but he had felt like one in a dream, or under some influence which he could not shake off. In return, the abbess told him of the horrible scene witnessed by AnnaApenborg the night before; upon which they both agreed that nomore accursed witch and sorceress was in the world than their poorcloister held at that moment. Finally, putting all thecircumstances together, the reverend David began to perceive whatdesigns Sidonia had upon him, particularly when he heard of AnnaApenborg's visit to Jacobshagen, and the news which she hadbrought back from thence. So to destroy all hope at once in theaccursed sorceress, and save himself from further importunity andpersecution on her part, he resolved to offer his hand the verynext day to Barbara Bamberg, for, in truth, he had long had an eyeof Christian love upon the maiden, who was pious and discreet, andjust suited to be a pastor's wife. 

Then they agreed to send for the sheriff, and impart the wholematter to him, he being cloister superintendent; but his answerwas, "Let them go to him, if they wanted to speak to him; for, asto him, he would never enter the convent again--his poor body hadsuffered too much there the last time. "

Whereupon they went to him; but he could give no counsel, only toleave the matter in the hands of God the Lord; for if theyappealed to the Prince, the sorceress would surely bewitch themagain, and they would be screaming day and night, or maybe die atonce, and then what help for them, &c. 

Sidonia meanwhile was not idle; for she sent messages throughoutthe whole convent that she lay in her bed sick unto death, andthey must needs come and pray with her, along with the priest, before they assembled in the chapel for service. At this openblasphemy and hypocrisy, a great fear and horror fell upon theabbess, likewise upon the priest, since the witch had speciallynamed him, and desired that he would come _before_ service topray with her. For a long while he hesitated, at last promised tovisit her _after_ service; but again bethought himself thatit would be more advisable to visit her before, for he mightpossibly succeed in unveiling all her iniquities, or if not, hecould pray afterwards in the church, "that if indeed Sidonia werereally sick, and a child of God, the just and merciful Fatherwould raise her up and strengthen her in her weakness; but if shewere practising deceit, and were no child of God, but an accursedlimb of Satan, then he would give her up into the hands of God forpunishment, for had He not said, 'Vengeance is Mine, I willrepay, saith the Lord'? (Romans xii. 19. )"

This pleased the abbess, and forthwith the reverend Davidproceeded to the refectory. 

Now Sidonia had not expected him so early, and she was up anddressed, busily brewing another hellish drink to have ready forhim by the time he arrived; but when his step sounded in thepassage, she whipped into bed and covered herself up with theclothes, not so entirely, however, but that a long tail of herblack robe fell outside from under the white sheet--this, unluckily for herself, she knew nothing of. The priest, however, saw it plainly, and had, moreover, heard the jump she gave intobed just as he opened the door; but he made no remark, onlygreeted her as usual, and asked what she wanted with him. 

_Illa. --"Ah! she was sick, sick unto death--would he not prayfor her? for the night before she was too ill to pray, and nodoubt the Lord was angry with her, by reason of the omission. Thismorning, indeed, she had crept out of bed, just to scold herawkward maid for breaking all the pots and pans, as he himselfsaw, but had to go to bed again, and was growing weaker and weakerevery quarter of an hour. But the good priest must taste her beer;let him drink a can of it first to strengthen his heart. It wasthe best beer she had made yet, and her maid had just tapped afresh barrel. "

Here the reverend David made answer--"He thanked her for her beer, but would drink none. He could not believe, either, that she wasas ill as she said, and had been lying in bed all the morning. "

But she persisted so vehemently in her falsehoods that the veryboards under her must have felt ashamed, if they had possessed anyconsciousness. Whereupon the priest shuddered in horror anddisgust, bent down silently, and lifted up the piece of her robewhich lay outside. 

"What did this mean? did she wear her nun's dress in bed? or wasshe not rather making a mock of him, and the whole convent, by herpretended sickness?"

Here Sidonia grew red with shame and wrath; but, ere she couldutter a word, the priest continued with a holy and righteousanger--

"Woe to thee, Sidonia! for thou art a byword amongst the people. Woe to thee, Sidonia! for thou hast passed thy youth in wantonnessand thy old age in sin. Woe to thee, Sidonia! for thy hellish artsbrought thy mother the abbess, and thy father the superintendent, nearly to their graves. Woe to thee, Sidonia! for this past nightthou hast taken a horrible revenge upon the whole princely race, and cursed them by the power which the devil gives thee. Woe tothee, Sidonia! for by thy hellish drink thou didst seek to destroyme, the servant of the living God, to thy horrible maid still morehorribly attracting me. Woe to thee, Sidonia! accursed witch andsorceress, blasphemer of God and man! Behold, thy God liveth, andthy Prince liveth, and they will rain fire and brimstone upon thyinfamous head. Woe to thee! woe to thee! woe to thee! thou falseserpent--thou accursed above all the generations of vipers--howwilt thou escape eternal damnation?"

When the righteous priest of God had ended his fearfulmalediction, he started at himself, for he knew not how the wordshad come into his mouth; then turned from the bed and went out, while a peal of laughter followed him from the room. But no evilhappened to him at that time, as he had fully expected, fromSidonia (probably she feared to exasperate the convent and thePrince against her too much); but she treasured up her vengeanceto another opportunity, as we shall hear further on. 

END OF VOL. I.