Drost Aage was compelled to prosecute his journey early the next
morning, without having been able to discover Sir Helmer and the
squire. When Aage and the royal halberdiers left Skanor, they were
followed through the streets by a great crowd of persons. It appeared
that the burghers had learned, or conjectured, the object of this showy
procession.
The ballad, "For Eric the youthful king!" was as popular in Scania as
in Denmark. "Long live king Eric and his true men!" shouted the crowd.
"Bring him and Denmark a second Dagmar, good sirs!"
Aage rejoiced at these tokens of the disposition of the brave Scanians;
but he entertained little hope of a happy result from his embassy, and
he was under great anxiety for the fate of the brave Sir Helmer and his
own alert and trusty squire. Two of his other squires, and three of the
young knights remained dangerously wounded at Skanor.
Sir Helmer, and his companions, had followed the bragging Rostocker and
his seamen to their inn. They had unanimously resolved with their own
hands to chastise and humble the overbearing Hanseatics. While at the
inn the Drost's squire had displayed a false coin, with which one of
the lower class had been imposed upon in Berner Kopmand's booth, and it
was affirmed the Rostockers had brought with them whole chests of such
money. It was conjectured, and with reason, that this false money was
coined by the outlaws, who the preceding year had captured some of the
king's chief coiners. Complaints of false coin had frequently been made
before, and now that it was heard the Rostockers imported them by
bushels, the indignation instantly became great and general, and a
fight soon commenced with the foreign merchants and skippers. When the
Hanseatics were chased from the quay of Skanor, Sir Helmer had eagerly
pursued the armed seamen, and had assisted in rolling into the sea some
chests containing their bad money; at last, accompanied by the Drost's
squire, the daring Canute, he had sprung after them into the boat to
hinder their flight; but here they were overpowered by numbers, and
dragged captive on board the Rostock vessel.
Sorely wounded, and with hands and feet fast bound, Helmer and his
companion were thrown down into the ship's hold. Here they lay the
whole night among a number of ale barrels, firkins of salt, and sacks
of groceries, which had not been unladen. The vessel rolled heavily;
the weather had become boisterous, and those on board seemed only
busied in saving ship and goods. At length the weather grew calmer. The
strong motion of the ship ceased; it glided slowly and almost
imperceptibly forward, and all became quiet on deck. The wearied seamen
appeared to sleep. Sir Helmer now perceived a faint light above his
head. He thought it was daylight; but soon discovered it was the moon
shining in upon him through a chink in the ship's hatches directly
above him. He presently heard the voices of two men in the stillness of
the night; and recognised the tones of Berner Kopmand and Henrik
Gullandsfar. "I cannot sleep for wrath and wound-smarting," growled the
Rostocker. "Lo! this is the free trade and security one has to expect
when a greenhorn sits on the throne, and justice lies in the knights'
lances. Pestilence and destruction on the whole pack of puffed-up
aristocrats! The accursed sycophants and slaves of kings and tyrants!
They would have it _seem_ as if they protected the people and the
burghers--pshaw! It is but for themselves and their high master they
fight. Had I not spoken those bold words against their strutting
knight-king at Sjoeborg, nor had that piece of royal game of an outlaw
on board, our money would surely have been as good ware as before. They
are a vile robber pack, the whole set of them that call themselves
knights and noble, as well here as in Germany--as long as there are
thrones and knights' castles left, neither trade nor burghership can
thrive. So soon as the sun rises those two jackanapes we laid hold of
shall dangle at the yard-arm."
"Hearest thou, countryman?" whispered Helmer in the hold to his
fellow-prisoner, "that concerns us two; a pleasant prospect! Could we
but sink the ship and drown the braggart grocers we could go down to our
home with some sort of pleasure."
"That would be truly but a sorry jest, and a slender satisfaction. Sir
Helmer; still, it would be better than to let oneself be hanged by
those rascals," answered the squire. "I have torn the skin off my left
hand," he continued; "but it can slip well enough out of the knot. If I
am allowed but half an hour for it our bonds shall be loosened. I have
a good clasp knife in my pocket; yonder lies a good ship's auger, and
an axe; many a hearty blow shall be dealt ere they get the halter round
our necks."
"The Lord and St. George assist us!" whispered Helmer, breathing hard,
"if I 'scape hence alive, and see my dear Anna again," he added, with a
smothered sigh, "I promise St. George a new altar-table, and every
bottle-nosed Hanseatic I meet a broken head!"
"'Tis a pious vow, noble sir!" whispered the squire, "you will see it
will help us. Now my hand slides out of the knot; but it pinches hard."
"Hush!" whispered Helmer, rolling himself nearer to the chink in the
hatches.
"I ever told you it was a bad business with that money-trading, and
that coining with the outlaws," now said the smoother, toned voice of
Henrik Gullandsfar above the knight's head. "No clear profit is ever
got by such dealings; it lessens faith, and rarely pays in the long
run, Master Berner! No! with _pure_ gold and silver might we rule the
world; and sober prudence would sway the gold sceptre--that I have ever
said. With a little less eagerness we should, perhaps, have made a
better market in Scania; but you will drive everything through with
might, Master Berner!"
"Might against might! that was ever my word in the covenant: there may
be something in what you say," answered the Rostocker, "of the gold and
silver sceptre; it may just as well, however, be alloyed with a little
copper or tin, when none perceive it; but with pure sharp steel it must
be defended. Ere we can lay the sword in the balance against all the
crowns and armorial bearings in the world, our proud plan is but a
glittering castle in the air."
"Give time, Master Berner," resumed Gullandsfar; "the great Rome was
not built in one day, yet she became the ruler of the world. Let us
first rid the seas and the highways of petty robbers, and then we may
let fly at the great in their castles and thrones. Let us first get
possession of the sea! then shall it overflow the earth with our waves!
It shall heap us up mountains of gold, and wash away every castle and
throne that stands in our way. We Wisbye men lie very close to the King
of Denmark; we must be cautious, even though as prudent merchants
we give patriotism to death and the devil. You Rostockers are too
hot-headed; one should not break too soon with authorities. The menace
at Sjoeberg was a stupid trick: I did but assent to it, and was silent
for your sake. It never answers to bluster and threaten unless one can
fight at the same time; and it answers just as little to fight, unless
we know we are the strongest."
"Out upon your caution!" growled the Rostocker. "We have power already
if we will but use it; we may have as many souls in our service as we
can pay for."
"Men's souls are dear merchandise," observed Gullandsfar; "and besides
it easily corrupts and spoils. How many marks of pure silver hath not
that miserable fellow on the quarter deck yonder already cost you?
And he is, after all, but a villanous outlaw and renegade from our
high-born deadly foes. That pack no wise burgher should count on."
"Such a fellow is worth his weight in gold," said the Rostocker with a
laugh. "Mark! those aristocratic vermin shall now devour each other. A
dishonoured and death-doomed knight, without castle and lands, whose
honour and name have been scalded off him may be the best king-killer
one could have; he, yonder, is practised in the trade! He was in
Finnerup barn. I will let him loose in the harbour! I will smuggle him
in among our agents--there will soon be troubled waters to fish in. The
crowned green-horn shall not have turned his back on us at Sjoeberg for
nothing. Mark! he shall have other things to think on than keeping his
bridal in the summer."
"We are not authorised by the covenant to go so far as that, however,
Master Berner," remarked Gullandsfar. "What yon dishonoured knight may
have to avenge is his own concern; his and your secret trade concerns
not the league; I would rather have nothing to do with that smuggling
traffic. When the prosperity of the league, and a great and matchless
plan like ours is in question, we should wisely set aside private
revenge, and all petty personal views."
"Do you slink? Are you afraid, Master colleague?" growled Berner
Kopmand, beginning to talk loud. "Let not that concern _you_ my wise
Master Henrik! You need not tell an old reckoner what is small and what
is great. I can as well as you make a difference between what I
undertake in the Hanse-towns' name, and what I risk in my own. If I
reckon wrong, the loss is Berner Kopmand's. I know what that man can
stand; and you are right--the covenant hath naught to do with it!"
"If it fails, it may however injure our trade and enterprises in great
matters," replied Henrik Gullandsfar in a tone of calm calculation.
"Consider the point well, Master Berner! All ports are now open to us;
the king is proud and authoritative, but nevertheless he favours us far
more than we could expect from his policy. Our 'prentices and agents
are protected in the sea-ports--our trade is as free and untaxed here
as any where--it hath not struck any one but the king himself that the
road to salt and pepper, to ale and German cloth, as we heard from his
own lips, is equally broad and convenient for all, and Danish corn and
cattle will give a good return, and pay both wages and taxes. St.
Nicolas and St. Hermes be thanked! the _navigation is ours_. _They are
too dull and lazy to understand their own interests_. The peasant is
content with small beer, and the citizen with skim milk, and they let
us run off with the ale and the cream; but if you make good your
threat, secretly or openly, and if anything a little too notorious
chances here, in which the Hanse have lot or part, people's eyes may be
opened, and our trading dominion is at an end here in the north."
"The eyes which might be most dangerous to us were they wide open, are
just those I would have shut," muttered the Rostocker. "Greater service
could none do the Hanse in these kingdoms and lands,--but silence! What
is that? I heard something move under us. The captives are surely not
loose?"
"The captives! Death and misfortune!" exclaimed Henrik. "Have they cast
them into the hold? Then perhaps they now know more than any living
soul must carry farther."
"It matters not, Master colleague," said the Rostocker with a scornful
laugh, "they shall not carry it farther, however, than to the yard-arm!
Now doth the sun rise red as pure gold--that sight they shall see for
the last time. Ho! steersman!" he shouted, "how far are we?"
"If a breeze springs up, we shall reach Kallebo ere it rings to mass in
Copenhagen, Master!" answered a hoarse voice at the helm.
"That's well! Then we will keep mattins and ship's law on our own
ground, ere the Bishop takes Lubeck law out of our hands. Up! all
hands! Ring the great bell!"
The sound of a brass bell instantly assembled all the seamen upon deck.
"Bring the prisoners up here, boatswain!" continued the captain of the
vessel. "Sing out, fellows! Shout forth the poor sinners' vigil. Let
the Danish scoundrels hear we are good Christians! and let their
houndish souls go to hell amid song and clang!"
While the ship's crew with a fearful bellowing chaunted a sort of hymn
on the departure of sinners from the world, and two sturdy fellows in
tarry jackets coolly fastened two ropes to the yard-arm, the hatches of
the ship's hold were opened and the boatswain went below with two armed
men. Cries and tumult were heard in the hold; all became instantly
quiet again, but neither the boatswain nor the two men returned.
"What is this?" exclaimed Berner Kopmand in dismay. "What is become of
them? Those Danish hell-hounds must be loose! Down after them fellows!
Bring them up here dead or alive! Hence! below! or ye shall be scourged
at the mast!"
The whole ship's crew were in commotion; they flocked to the hatchway,
but none seemed to like to go below, despite the threats of the stern
captain.
"The first who sets foot here below dies!" said Sir Helmer's voice from
the hold. "Ere, I and my comrade will let our necks be twisted by your
grocer hands, by St. Michael and his flaming sword! ye shall all of ye
go with us to the bottom of the sea--Any moment I please every soul of
us shall perish. We have bored a ground-leak--we loosen ye a plank with
a single pull."
"That devil of a fellow!" cried the Rostocker, growing deadly pale, "he
hath us all in his power. What are we to do?"
"We must treat with them," answered Gullandsfar. "Aside all men! Let me
speak with that worthy knight. This is doubtless a little stratagem of
war, noble Sir knight!" began Master Henrik, courteously; "but since we
cannot search into the matter without peril of our lives we will submit
to necessity, and acknowledge you have this once very craftily ensnared
us. What have ye done to our three men, noble sir?"
"They have met with their deserts, and lie here stone dead," answered
the knight. "Thus it shall fare with all of ye--if ye will fight with
us fairly, three at once, we will encounter on dry boards; but if more
come, the sea shall help us. Throw us our own good swords below
instantly! or we will try who best can swim."
"You have won back your freedom with honour, noble sir!" answered
Gullandsfar, "If ye would believe my word you might safely come here
among us; we are peaceable people, and purpose not to measure our skill
in arms with yours. Your swords shall instantly be returned to you;
but upon one condition, noble knight--you must only use the sword in
self-defence, and not to assault any of us as long as you are here on
board; for this I demand your knightly word of Honour."
"That I promise on my faith and honour," cried Helmer,--and two swords
were instantly thrown down to them.
"We will set you unscathed on shore at Copenhagen, noble sir,"
continued Henrik Gullandsfar, "provided you promise to be silent
concerning what you perhaps may have heard and perceived, which might
get us into disfavour in high places, or injure our trade and
enterprises."
"I leave grocers and pettifoggers to wage war with the tongue,"
answered the knight haughtily. "What I have heard of your fine plans
and projects I deem not worth wasting one word upon; but from this hour
I defy you all to the death.--Until I set foot on shore you are
unmolested; but from the moment we separate broken heads will be the
consequence of our meeting."
"That is but natural," returned Gullandsfar. "We accept your proffer in
the first instance; keep but quiet! In a few hours you will be on
shore."
There was a murmur of dissatisfaction and uneasiness on board the
vessel. Some of the boldest seamen grumbled at the shameful peace with
the two captives. They blamed Henrik Gullandsfar for cowardice and
treachery; but none cared to go down into the hold, and dare an
encounter with the redoubted captives, who had both ship and crew in
their power. At last, however, they submitted to necessity. Berner
Kopmand had lost the use of his tongue, and the discreet Master Henrik
had taken the command of the ship. He ordered every one to go quietly
about their business, and was obeyed without any objections being made.
The captain himself stood on the forecastle, with rolling eyes and
crimson cheeks. He concealed with his large person a man in a black
priestly mantle, who conversed with him in a low tone, and kept his
back constantly turned towards the stern. A fresh breeze had sprung up.
The wind was favourable, and ere noon the vessel glided into Kallebo
strand, between the Isle of Amak and the green pastures of the village
of Solbierg, which occupied the whole of the western side where the
suburb of Copenhagen, Vesterbro, was afterwards built. It was a fine
spring day. The proud castle of Axelhuus[12] rose towards the east in
the sunshine, with its circular walls and its two round towers, and was
mirrored in the surrounding waters. The castle lay apart from the town,
without any bridge, and was only accessible by boats. Behind the castle
island were two other small islands, almost covered with buildings,
whither boats were constantly plying. The one was the abode of the
stationary skippers, and on the other (Bremen Island) the warehouses of
the Bremen merchants seemed to tower in emulation of the castle of
Axelhuus itself. The Rostock vessel steered not to the great haven,
from which the city afterwards derived its name, but ran into the
Catsound, on both sides of which were seen a number of small houses of
frame-work, the walls of which were plastered with clay, and the roofs
thatched with straw and reeds; between the houses were cabbage gardens
and orchards, with wooden fences, or thorn hedges; and in the
neighbourhood of the quay was seen the little church of St. Clement.