broke the silence, and they entered into conversation. He told her
that the King had been made to believe that she had assembled a
number of noblemen at her mother's house, and that he had orders to
disperse this cabal. They had a long conversation together, and spoke
of Dina's affair; he said the King did not yet know the real truth of
it. She complained that the King had not tried to know it. At length
they arrived by night at Nyborg. Gul... accompanied her to her
hostelry, and went to his own, and an hour afterwards sent
Scherning[24] to tell her that at dawn of day she must be ready, in
order that they might arrive at Assens the next evening, which it was
impossible to do with her own horses, as they did not arrive till
morning. She assented, saying she would act in obedience to his
orders, began talking with Scherning, and conversed with him about
other matters. I do not know how, but she gained his good graces, and
he prevailed so far with Gul... that Gul... did not hasten her
unduly. Towards nine o'clock the next morning he came to tell her
that he did not think it necessary to accompany her further, but he
hoped she would follow the King's order, and begged her to speak with
Kay v. Ahlefeld at Haderslef, when she was passing through; he had
received orders as to what he had to do. She promised this, and
Gul... returned to Copenhagen, placing a man with our lady to watch
her.
[24] Probably Povl Tscherning, a well-known man of the time, who
held the office of Auditor-General.
Our lady did not think it necessary to speak to Kay v. Ahlefeld, for
she had nothing to say to him, and she did not want to see more
orders; she passed by Haderslef, and went to Apenrade, and awaited
there for ten days[25] a letter from Gul... which he had promised to
write to her; when she saw that he was not going to keep his word she
started on her way to Slesvig, halting half way with the intention of
dining. Holst, the clerk of the bailiwick of Flensborg, here arrived
in a coach with two arquebuses larger and longer than halberds. He
gave orders to close the bar of Boy..., sent to the village, which is
quite close, that the peasants should hold themselves ready with
their spears and arms, and made four persons who were in the tavern
take the same arms, that is, large poles. Afterwards he entered and
made a long speech, with no end of compliments to our lady, to while
away the time. The matter was, that the governor[26] desired her to
go to Flensborg, as he had something to say to her, and he hoped she
would do him the pleasure to rest a night at Flensborg.
[25] In order to understand how she could wait for ten days at
Apenrade, it must be borne in mind that the duchy of Slesvig was at
that time divided into several parts, of which some belonged to the
King, others to the Duke of Gottorp. Haderslev and Flensborg
belonged to the King, but Apenrade to the Duke; in this town,
therefore, she was safe from the pursuit of the Danish authorities.
[26] The governor of Flensborg at that time was Detlef v. Ahlefeld,
the same who in 1663 was sent to Koenigsberg to receive information
from the court of Brandenburg on the last intrigues of Ulfeldt.
Our lady replied that she had not the pleasure of his acquaintance,
and therefore she thought he took her for someone else; if she could
oblige him in anything she would remain at Slesvig the following day,
in order to know in what she could serve him. No, it was not that; he
repeated his request. She ordered Charles to have the horses put to.
Holst understood this, which was said in French, and begged her for
the love of God not to set out; he had orders not to let her depart.
'You,' said she, in a somewhat haughty tone, 'who are you? With what
authority do you speak thus?' He said he had no written order, but by
word of mouth, and that his governor would soon arrive; he begged her
for the love of God to pardon him. He was a servant, he was willing
to be trodden under her feet. She said: 'It is not for you to pay me
compliments, still less to detain me, since you cannot show me the
King's order, but it is for me to think what I ought to do.'
She went out and ordered her lacquey, who was the only determined one
of her suite, to make himself master of Holst's chariot and
arquebuses. Holst followed her, begging her a hundred times, saying,
'I do not dare to let you pass, I do not dare to open the bar.' She
said, 'I do not ask you to open;' she got into the coach. Holst put
his hand upon the coach-door and sang the old song. Our lady, who had
always pistols in her carriage when she travelled, drew out one and
presented it to him saying, 'Draw back, or I will give you the
contents of this.' He was not slow in letting go his hold; then she
threw a patacoon to those who were to restrain her, saying, 'Here is
something for drink; help in letting the carriage pass the fosse!'
which they immediately did.
Not a quarter of an hour after she had gone, the governor arrived
with another chariot. There were two men and four guns in each
chariot. Our lady was warned of the pursuit; she begged her two
coachmen, whom she had for herself and her baggage, to dispute them
the road as much as they could; she ordered Charles always to remain
at the side of her carriage, in order that she might throw herself
upon the horse if she saw that they gained ground. She took off her
furred robe. They disputed the road up to the bridge, which separated
the territory of the King from that of the Duke.
When she had passed the bridge she stopped, put on her robe, and
alighted. The others paused on the other side of the bridge to look
at her, and thus she escaped again for this time.[27] But it was
amusing to see how the secretary perspired, what fright he was in; he
did not afterwards pretend to bravery, but freely confessed that he
was half dead with fear. She returned to Barth, and found her husband
very very ill. Our old friend had almost given up all hope of his
recovery, but her presence acted as a miracle; he was sufficiently
strong in the morning to be taken out of bed, to the great surprise
of our old friend.
[27] The clerk Holst was shortly after, when the Swedes occupied
Flensborg, put to a heavy ransom by Ulfeldt, in punishment of his
conduct to Leonora. Documents which still exist show that he
applied to the Danish Government for compensation, but apparently
in vain.
Just as our lady was thinking of passing some days in tranquillity,
occupied in light study, in trifling work, distillations,
confectionery, and such like things, her husband mixed himself in the
wars. The King of Sweden sent after him to Stettin; he told his wife
that he would have nothing to do with them. He did not keep his word,
however; he did not return to Barth, but went straight off with the
King. She knew he was not provided with anything; she saw the danger
to which he was exposed, she wished to share it; she equipped herself
in haste, and, without his sending for her, went to join him at
Ottensen. He wished to persuade her to return to Hamburgh, and spoke
to her of the great danger; she said the danger was the reason why
she wished to bear him company, and to share it with him; so she went
with him, and passed few days without uneasiness, especially when
Friderichsodde was taken; she feared for both husband and son. There
she had the happiness of reconciling the C. Wrangel and the C.
Jaques,[28] which her husband had believed impossible, not having
been able to succeed. She had also the good fortune to cure her
eldest son and eight of her servants of a malignant fever named
Sprinckeln; there was no doctor at that time with the army, our old
friend having left.
[28] Count Jakob Casimir de la Gardie, a Swedish nobleman. Count
Wrangel was the Swedish General.
When her husband passed with the King to Seeland, she remained at
Fyen. The day that she had resolved to set out on the following to
return to Schone, a post arrived with news that her mother was at the
point of death and wished to speak to her; she posted to Jutland,
found Madame very ill and with no hope of life. She had only been
there one night, when her husband sent a messenger to say that if she
wished to see him alive she must lose no time. Our lady was herself
ill; she had to leave her mother, who was already half dead; she had
to take her last farewell in great sorrow, and to go with all speed
to seek her husband, who was very ill at Malmoe. Two days afterwards
she received the tidings of her mother's death, and as soon as the
health of her husband permitted it, she went to Jutland to give the
necessary orders for her mother's funeral. She returned once more to
Schone before the burial; after the funeral[29] she went to
Copenhagen and revisited Malmoe one day before the King of Sweden
began the war for the second time and appeared before Kopenh....
[29] The funeral took place with great pomp in the church of St.
Knud, at Odense, on June 23, 1658, together with that of Sophia
Elizabeth, Leonora's sister, who is mentioned in the beginning of
the Autobiography.
In the year 1659 the King of Sweden ordered her husband to be
arrested at Malmoe. She went immediately to Helsingor to speak to the
King, but had not the happiness of speaking to him; on the contrary,
the King sent two of his counsellors to tell her that she was free to
choose whether she would return to her estates and superintend them,
or go back to Malmoe and be arrested with her husband. She thanked
His Majesty very humbly for the favour of the choice; she chose to
suffer with her husband, and was glad to have the happiness of
serving him in his affliction, and bearing the burden with him which
would lighten it to him.
She returned to Malmoe with these news; her husband exhibited too
much grief that she was not permitted to solicit on his behalf, and
she consoled him as well as she was able. A few days after, an
officer came to their house and irritated her husband so much by his
impertinent manner that he had a fit of apoplexy. Our lady was
overwhelmed with sorrow; she sent for the priest the next morning,
made her husband receive the holy communion, and received it herself.
She knew not at what hour she might be a widow; no one came to see
her, no one in consequence consoled her, and she had to console
herself. She had a husband who was neither living nor dead; he ate
and drank; he spoke, but no one could understand him.
About eight months after, the King began to take proceedings against
her husband, and in order to make her answer for her husband they
mixed her up in certain points as having asked for news: whence the
young lady was taken whom her husband brought to Copenhagen? who was
Trolle? and that she had kept the property of a Danish nobleman in
her house.[30] Since her husband was ill, the King graciously
permitted her to answer for him; thus they proceeded with her for
nine weeks in succession; she had no other assistance in copying her
defence than her eldest daughter, then very young. She was permitted
to make use of Wolff, for receiving the accusations and taking back
the replies, but he wrote nothing for her. If you are interested in
knowing the proceedings, Kield[31] can give you information
respecting them.
[30] The young lady was Birgitte Rantzau, who was engaged to
Korfits Trolle, a Danish nobleman, who had been very active in
preparing the intended rising of the citizens of Malmoe against the
Swedes. Ulfeldt was accused of having favoured and assisted this
design (_see_ the Introduction), and he had brought Trolle's bride
over to Copenhagen, or accompanied them thither.
[31] Wolf and Kield were servants of Ulfeldt.
When the proceedings had lasted so many weeks, and she had answered
with regard to the conversations which it was said her husband had
had with one and another, they fancied that her husband feigned
illness. Four doctors were sent with the commandant to visit the sick
man, and they found that he was really ill; not content with this,
they established the Court in his house, for they were ashamed to
make her come to them. They caused the city magistrate to come,
placing him on one side of the hall, and on the other the Danish
noblemen who were under arrest, all as witnesses; eight Commissioners
sat at a round table, the lawyer in front of the table and two clerks
at another table; having made these arrangements, our lady was
desired to enter.
We must mention, in the first place, that two of the delinquents who
were executed afterwards, and another, together with one of the
servants of her husband, were brought there. The principal
delinquents were summoned first, and afterwards the others, to take
an oath that they would speak the truth. We must mention that these
gentlemen were already condemned, and were executed a few days
afterwards. When the lawyer had said that they had now taken their
oaths according to the law, our lady said, 'Post festum! After having
proceeded against my husband so many weeks, having based everything
on the tattle of these delinquents, you come, after they are
condemned to suffer for their trespasses, and make them take an oath.
I do not know if this is conformable to law!'
The lawyer made no reply to this, and, thinking to confuse our lady,
said that he found things contrary the one to the other, cited
passages, leaves, lines, and asked her if she could make these things
agree. She, having at that time a good memory, remembered well what
her own judgment had dictated to her, and said that they would not
find her replies what the lawyer said, but so-and-so, and asked that
they should be read openly, which was done. The lawyer made three
attempts of the same kind; when they saw there was nothing to be
gained by this, the Commissioners attacked her three at a time, one
putting one question and another, another. She said to them quietly,
'Messieurs, with your permission, let one speak at a time, for I am
but one, and I cannot answer three at once!' At which they were all a
little ashamed.
The principal point to which they adhered was, that her husband was a
vassal by oath, and a servant of the King, with which assertion they
parried every objection. She proved that it was not so, that her
husband was neither vassal nor a servant; he had his lands under the
King just as many Swedes had elsewhere, without on that account being
vassals; that he had never taken an oath of fidelity to the King of
Sweden, but that he had shown him much fidelity; that he owed him no
obligation--this she showed by a letter from the King, in which he
thanked him for his services, and hoped so to act that he would
render him still more. She shut the mouth of the delinquent,[32] and
begged the Commissioners to reflect on what she had said.
[32] The person alluded to is a Bartholomaeus Mikkelsen, who was
executed as ringleader of the conspiracy.
When all was over, after the space of three hours, she requested that
the protocol might be read before her. The President said that she
need have no doubt the protocol was correct, that she should have a
copy of it, that they now understood the matter, and would make a
faithful report of it to the King. No sentence was passed, and they
remained under arrest. The King of Sweden died, and peace was
concluded, but they remained under arrest. A friend came to inform
them, one day, that there was a vessel of war in the roads, which was
to take them to Finland. When she saw her husband a little recovered,
that he could use his judgment, she advised him to escape and go to
Lubeck. She would go to Copenhagen and try to arrange the matter. He
consented to it, and she contrived to let him out in spite of all
the guards round the house (thirty-six in number).
When she received the news that he had passed and could reckon that
he was on his way to Lubeck, she escaped also, and went straight to
Copenh.... Having arrived there, she found her husband arrived before
her; she was much surprised and vexed, fearing what happened
afterwards, but he had flattered himself so with the comfortable hope
that he would enter into the good graces of the King. The next day
they were both arrested and brought to Borringh...[33]; her husband
was ill; on arriving at Borr... they placed him on a litter and
brought him from the town to the castle, a distance of about two
leagues.
[33] Bornholm. (_See_ the Introduction.)
It would weary you to tell you of all that passed at Borr... If you
take pleasure in knowing it, there is a man in Hamburgh who can tell
it you.[34] I will tell you, however, a part and the chief of what I
remember concerning it. At Ronne, the town where they disembarked at
Borringh----, our lady wrote to the King and to the Queen in the name
of her husband, who was ill, as I have already said, and gave the
memorials to Colonel Rantzou, who promised to deliver them, and who
gave hopes of success.[35] There Fos arrived and conveyed them to the
Castle of Hammershuus. The governor Fos saw that our lady had a small
box with her, and was seized with the desire to know what was in it
and to possess himself of it. He sent one Dina, the wife of the
warder to our lady, to offer to procure a boat for their escape.
There is no doubt she accepted the offer, and promised in return
five hundred crowns. This was enough for Fos; he went one night with
the Major to their apartment, thundered like a madman, said that they
wished to betray him, &c.; the end of the farce was, that he took the
box, but, for the sake of a little ceremony, he sealed it with her
husband's seal, promising to keep it for its safety.
[34] She refers no doubt to a servant who accompanied them of the
name of Pfluegge.
[35] The original of this letter to the King exists still.
About three weeks after, he took the two prisoners to walk a little
in the fields; the husband would not go, but the wife went out to
take the air. The traitor gave her a long history of his past
adventures, how many times he had been in prison, some instances of
how great lords had been saved by the assistance of those they had
gained over, and made their fortune. He thought they would do the
same. She said she had not much to dispose of, but besides that, they
would find other means for rewarding such a service. He said he would
think of it, that he had nothing to lose in Dan....
After various discussions from day to day, her husband wished her to
offer him 20,000 rix-dollars; this sum seemed to him too little, and
he asked 50,000 dollars. She said that she could easily promise it,
but could not keep her word, but provided it was twenty she would pay
it. He asked for a security; her husband had a note which would give
security, but our lady did not think it good that he should see this
note, and told Fos that in her box there was a letter that could
secure it; she did not know that he had already opened the box. Some
days after, she asked him if he had made up his mind? He said, 'I
will not do it for less than 50,000, and there is no letter in your
box which would secure it to me. I have opened it; to-morrow I will
send it to Copenh....' She asked him quietly if he had done right in
breaking her husband's seal; he answered rudely that he would take
the responsibility.
Towards autumn, Hannibal and the other heirs of our lady's mother
sent to her husband to notify to him that they could not longer delay
dividing the inheritance, and since they knew that he had in his
possession papers of importance, they requested to be informed of
them. Her husband stated in his reply that Fos had taken his letters,
and that in a rude manner. This answer having been read in the
presence of Fos, he flew in a thundering rage, used abusive language
first to the husband and then to the wife, her husband having firmly
promised our lady not to dispute with this villain, for she feared
some evil might result, but to leave her to answer, for Fos would be
answered.
She was not angry; she ridiculed him and his invectives. At length he
told her that she had offered him 20,000 dollars to induce him to
become a traitor; she replied with calmness, 'If it had been 50,000,
what then?' Fos leapt into the air like an enraged animal, and said
that she lied like a ----, &c. She was not moved, but said 'You speak
like an ass!' Upon this he loaded her with abuse, and then retracted
all that he had just said. She said quite quietly, 'I am not going to
appeal to these gentlemen who are present (there were four) to be
witnesses, for this is an affair that will never be judicially
settled, and nothing can efface this insult but blood.' 'Oh!' said
he, seizing his sword, and drawing it a little out of the scabbard,
'this is what I wear for you, madam.' She, smiling, drew the bodkin
from her hair, saying, 'Here are all the arms at present which I
have for you.' He manifested a little shame, and said that it was not
for her but her sons, if she still had four.[36] She, moreover,
ridiculed him, and said that it was no use his acting the brave
there. In short, books could be filled with all the quarrels between
these two persons from time to time. He shouted at times with all his
might, he spoke like a torrent, and foamed at the mouth, and the next
moment he would speak low like another man. When he shouted so
loudly, our lady said, 'The fever is attacking him again!' He was
enraged at this.
[36] It will be remembered from the Introduction that Fuchs was
killed two years after by one of Leonora's sons at Bruges.
Some weeks afterwards he came to visit them, and assumed a humble
manner. Our lady took no notice of it, and spoke with him on
indifferent subjects; but her husband would not speak to him, and
never afterwards was he able to draw from him more than a few words.
Towards Christmas, Fos treated the prisoners very ill, more so than
formerly, so that Monsieur sent the servant to beg him to treat him
as a gentleman and not as a peasant. Fos went to them immediately,
after having abused Monsieur's servant; and as he entered, Monsieur
left the apartment and went into another, and refused to give him his
hand. Fos was enraged at this, and would not remain, nor would he
speak a word to our lady, who begged him to hear her. A moment after,
he caused the door to be bolted, so that they could not go out to
take the air, for they before had free access to a loft. At every
Festival he devised means of annoying them; he closed all the
windows, putting to some bars of iron, and to others wooden framework
and boxes; and as to their food, it was worse than ever. They had to
endure that winter in patience; but as they perceived that Fos's
design was that they should die of hunger, they resolved to hazard an
escape, and made preparation through the winter, in order to escape
as soon as the thaw would set in.
Our lady, who had three pairs of sheets that her children had sent
her, undid some articles of clothing and made cordage and a sail; she
sewed them with silk, for she had no thread. Her husband and the
servant worked at the oars. When the moon was favourable to them in
the month of April, they wished to carry out the plan they had been
projecting for so long a time. Our lady was the first to make the
descent: the height was seventy-two feet; she went on to the ravelin
to await the others. Some time elapsed before her husband came, so
she returned, and at last she heard a great noise among the ropes,
her husband having lost a shoe in his descent. They had still to wait
for the valet; he had forgotten the cord, and said that he could not
carry it with him.
It was necessary to descend the rampart into the moats, which were
dry; the height is about forty feet. Our lady was the first to
descend; she helped her husband, for his strength was already
failing. When they were all three in the fosse, the moon was obscured
and a little rain fell. This was unfortunate, as they could not see
which road to take. Her husband said it would be better to remain
where they were till daylight, for they might break their necks in
descending the rocks. The servant said he knew the way, as he had
observed it when the window was free; that he would go in front. He
went in advance, gliding in a sitting position, after him our lady,
and then her husband; they could not see an inch before them; the man
fell from an incredible height, and did not speak; our lady stopped,
shouted to him, and asked him to answer if he was alive.
He was some time before he answered, so she and her husband
considered him dead; at length he answered, and said he should never
get out of this ravine; our lady asked him if he judged the depth to
be greater than one of the cords could reach? She would tie two
together, and throw the end to him to draw him up. He said that one
cord would be sufficient, but that she could not draw him up, that
she would not be strong enough; she said she could, she would hold
firm, and he should help himself with his knees. He took courage, and
she drew him up; the greatest marvel was, that on each side of her
there was a precipice deeper than that over which he fell, and that
she had nothing by which to support herself, except a small
projection, which they believed to be of earth, against which she
placed her left foot, finding no resting-place for the right one.