escape from such a danger, and draw another out of it, could not have
been done by unaided man. Our fool Fos explained it otherwise, and
used it for his own purposes, saying that without the assistance of
the devil it would have been impossible to stand firm in such a
place, still less to assist another; he impressed this so well on the
Queen, that she is still of the opinion that our lady exercises
sorcery. Fos would take the glory from God to give it to the devil,
and this calumny has to be endured with many others. But let us
return to our miserable fugitives, whom we left in the fosse. Our
lady, who had shouted to her husband not to advance, as soon as she
heard the valet fall, called to him to keep back, turn quietly, and
to climb upwards, for that there was no passage there; this was done,
and they remounted the fosse and kept themselves quiet. Her husband
wished that they should remain there, since they did not know which
road to take.
While they were deliberating, the moon shone forth a little, and our
lady saw where she was, and she remembered a good passage which she
had seen on the day when she walked out with the governor; she
persuaded her husband to follow her; he complained of his want of
strength; she told him that God would assist him, and that he did not
require great strength to let himself glide down, that the passage
was not difficult, and that in ascending on the opposite side, which
was not high, the valet and herself could assist him. He resolved,
but he found it difficult enough; at length, however, they succeeded;
they had then to go half a quarter of a league to reach the place
where the boats were.
Her husband, wearied out, could not walk, and begged her, for the
love of God, to leave him where he was; he was ready to die; she
consoled him, and gave him restoratives, and told him that he had but
a little step to make; he begged her to leave him there, and to save
herself with the servant: she would find means afterwards to rescue
him from prison. She said no, she would not abandon him; that he knew
well the opportunities she had had to escape before, if she had
wished to forsake him; that she would never quit him nor leave him in
the hands of this tyrant; that if Fos ventured to touch him, she was
resolved on avenging herself upon him.
After having taken a little breath, he began again to proceed. Our
lady, who was loaded with so many ropes and clothes, could scarcely
walk, but necessity gave her strength. She begged her husband to lean
on her and on the valet, so he supported himself between them, and in
this way arrived where the boats were; but too late, for it was
already day. As our lady saw the patrol coming in the distance, she
begged her husband to stop there with the valet, saying that she
would go forward in advance, which she did. She was scarcely a
musket-shot distant from a little town where the major lodged, when
she spoke with the guard, and asked them after the major. One of them
went for the major, whose name was Kratz.
The major saw our lady with great consternation; he asked after her
husband. She told him where he was, and in a few words she requested
that he would go to the castle and tell Major-General Fos that his
ill-treatment had been the cause of the desperate resolution they had
taken, and to beg him not to ill-treat them; they were at present
sick at heart; they could not endure anything; she begged him to
consider that those who had resolved to face more than one form of
death, would not fear it in any shape. Kratz conducted the prisoners
to his house, mounted his horse, and went in search of the governor,
who was still in bed, and told him the affair.
The governor got out of bed like a furious creature, swore, menaced;
after having recovered a little, the major told him what our lady had
begged him to say. Then he was for some time thoughtful, and said, 'I
confess it; they had reason to seek their liberty, for otherwise
they would never have had it.' He did not immediately come for the
prisoners, for he had another apartment prepared for them. As he
entered, he assumed a pleasant manner, and asked if they ought to be
there; he did not say an unkind word, but, on the contrary, said he
should have done the same. They were conducted to the Royal Hall to
warm themselves, for they were all wet with the rain; our lady had
then an opportunity of speaking to the valet, and of taking from him
the papers that he had, which contained all that had passed during
the time of their imprisonment,[37] and she counselled the valet to
lay aside the arms that he had upon him, and that if he had anything
which he wished to secure that he would deliver it up to her keeping.
The valet gave her what she asked, followed her orders, threw away
his arms, but as regarded his own papers he would not give them up,
for he did not share her fears; but he knew afterwards, for Fos
caused him to be entirely stripped, and took away everything from
him, and made him pay well for having noted down the dishes that they
had on the first day of the Festivals, and on the rest.
[37] This account of what happened during their imprisonment at
Hammershuus, written by Leonora herself, is also mentioned in her
Record of her prison-life in the Blue Tower. But no copy of it has
yet come to light. Uhlfeldt's so-called apology contains much
information on this subject.
At length towards evening our lady and her husband were conveyed into
another apartment, and the valet into the body-guard loaded with
irons. They were there together thirteen weeks, until Fos received
orders from the Court to separate them; meanwhile, he encased the
prisons in iron. I may well use such a term, for he caused plates of
iron to be placed on the walls, double bars and irons round the
windows.[38] When he had permission to separate them, he entered one
day to begin a quarrel, and spoke of the past; our lady begged him
not to say more, but he would go on; he was determined to quarrel. He
said to her, 'Madame, you are so haughty, I will humble you; I will
make you so--so small,' and he made a measurement with his hand from
the floor. 'You have been lifted up and I will bring you down.' She
laughed, and said, 'You may do with me whatever you will, but you can
never humble me so that I shall cease to remember that you were a
servant of a servant of the King my father;' at last, he so forgot
himself as to hold his fist in her face. She said to him, keeping her
hand on her knife which she had in her pocket, 'Make use of your foul
mouth and accursed tongue, but keep your hands quiet.' He drew back,
and made a profound bow in ridicule, calling her 'your grace,' asked
her pardon, and what he had to fear. She said, 'You have nothing to
fear; if you take liberties, you will meet with resistance--feeble
enough, but such as I have strength to give you.'
[38] Fuchs' own report on this subject still exists, and in it he
estimates the iron employed at three tons.
After some further invectives, he said farewell, and begged they
might be good friends; he came once more and conducted himself in the
same manner, but less violently. He said to a captain who was
present, of the name of Bolt, that he did it expressly in order to
have a quarrel with her husband, that he might revenge himself for
her conduct upon him, but that her husband would not speak to him. At
length the unhappy day of their separation came, and Fos entered to
tell them that they must be prepared to bid each other a final
farewell, for that he had orders to separate them, and in this life
they would never see each other again; he gave them an hour to
converse together for the last time. You can easily imagine what
passed in this hour; but as they had been prepared for this
separation weeks before, having been warned of it by their guard with
whom they could talk, it did not surprise them. Our lady had gained
over four of the guards, who were ready to let them escape easily
enough, but her husband would not undertake it, always saying that he
had no strength, but that she might do it. Well, they had to abide by
it; after this sad day[39] they were separated, he in one prison
below and she in another above, one above another, bars before the
windows, he without a servant, and she without a waiting woman.
[39] The precise date was June 15, 1661, but the order for their
separation is dated already on the 4th of April.
About three weeks after, our lady fell ill; she requested a woman or
girl to wait upon her, and a priest. Fos sent answer, with regard to
a woman or girl to wait upon her, he did not know anyone who would do
it, but that there was a wench who had killed her child, and who
would soon be beheaded, and if she wished for her, she could have
her. As to a priest, he had no orders, and she would have no priest
even if death were on her lips. Our lady said nothing but 'Patience;
I commend it to God.' Our lady had the happiness of being able to
give her husband signs daily, and to receive such, and when the wind
was not too strong they could speak to one another. They spoke
Italian together, and took their opportunity before the reveille.
Towards the close of the governorship of this villain, he was
informed of this. He then had a kind of machine made which is used to
frighten the cattle from the corn in the summer, and which makes a
great noise, and he desired the sentinel to move this machine in
order to hinder them hearing each other.
Fifteen days before Count Rantzow came to Borringholm to treat with
them, Fos had news of it from Copenhagen from his intimate friend
Jaques P...; he visited our lady, told her on entering that her
children had been expelled from Skaane by the Swedes; our lady said,
'Well, the world is wide, they will find a place elsewhere.' He then
told her that Bolt had come from Copenhagen with the tidings that
they would never be let at liberty; she replied, 'Never is a long
time; this imprisonment will not last a hundred years, much less an
eternity--in the twinkling of an eye much may change; the hand of
God, in whom are the hearts of kings, can change everything.' He
said, 'You have plenty of hope; you think perhaps if the King died,
you would be free?' She replied, 'God preserve the King. I believe
that he will give me liberty, and no one else.' He chatted about a
great many things, and played the flatterer.
At length Count Rantzow came and made a stay at Borringh... of eleven
weeks. He visited the prisoners, and did them the favour of having
the husband to dine with him, and in the evening our lady supped with
him, and he conferred with them separately. Our lady asked him of
what she was accused; he replied, 'Will you ask that? that is not the
way to get out of Borringholm; do you know that you have said the
King is your brother? and kings do not recognise either sisters or
brothers.' She replied, 'To whom had I need to say that the King is
my brother? who is so ignorant in Denmark as not to know that? I have
always known, and know still, the respect that is due to the King; I
have never given him any other title than my King and Lord; I have
never called him my brother, in speaking of him; kings are gracious
enough to recognise their sisters and brothers as such; for example,
the King of England gives the title of sister to his brother's wife,
although she is of very mediocre extraction.[40] Rantzow replied,
'Our King does not wish it, and he does not know yet the truth about
Dina's affair.' She said, 'I think the King does not wish to know.'
He replied, 'Indeed, by God he desires with all his heart to be
informed of it.' She answered, 'If the King will desire Walter to
tell him, and this with some earnestness, he will be informed of it.'
Rantzow made no reply.
[40] Leonora alludes to the wife of the then Duke of York,
afterwards James II., who was the daughter of Lord Edward
Clarendon.
When he had concluded everything with her husband, whom he had
obliged to yield up all his possessions, Rantzow acquainted our lady
with the fact; she said that her husband had power to give up what
was his, but that the half belonged to her, and that this she would
not give up, not being able to answer for it before God nor before
her children; she had committed no crime; liberty should be given to
her husband for the half of their lands, and that if the King thought
he could retain her with a good conscience she would endure it.
Rantzow with a serious air replied, 'Do not think that your husband
will ever be set at liberty, if you do not sign with him.' She said
that the conditions were too severe; that they should do better for
their children to die as prisoners, God and all the world knowing
their innocence, than to leave so many children beggars. Rantzow
said, 'If you die in prison, all your lands and property are
forfeited, and your children will have nothing; but at this moment
you can have your liberty, live with your husband; who knows, the
King may still leave you an estate, and may always show you favour,
when he sees that you yield to his will.' Our lady said that since
there was no other prospect for her husband's liberty, she would
consent. Rantzow ordered her husband and herself separately to place
in writing the complaints they had to bring forward against Fos, and
all that had happened with regard to their attempt at escape; which
was done. Our lady was gracious in her demeanour to Fos, but her
husband could not make up his mind even to speak to him. Rantzow
returned to Copenh... and eighteen days afterwards the galley of
Gabel came with orders to the new governor (Lieutenant-Colonel
Lytkens, a very well-bred man and brave soldier, his wife a noble
lady of the Manteuffel family, very polite and pretty), that he
should make the prisoners sign the papers sent, and when the
signature was done, should send them on together.
The governor sent first to the husband, as was befitting, who made
difficulties about signing because they had added points here and
there, and among other things principally this, that they were never
to plead against Fos. The husband said he would rather die. The good
governor went in search of the wife and told her everything, begging
her to speak to her husband from the window; when he knew that she
had spoken to him, he would return. She thanked the governor, and
when he had gone out she spoke to her husband, and persuaded him to
sign. Then the governor made her sign also; and after that, towards
nine o'clock in the evening, her husband came to her, having been
separated just twenty-six weeks.[41] They were separated on a
Saturday, and they met again on a Saturday. Fos was still at the
castle; it is easy to believe that he was in great rage. Time does
not permit to dwell on it. Two days afterwards they embarked and came
to Copenhagen, and were received on the Custom-house pier by C.
Rantzow and Gabel. The Queen knew nothing of it. When she was told of
it she was so angry that she would not go to table. In a few words
the King held his ground, and as she would not accept the thanks of
Monsieur and his wife, the King ordered her to receive them in
writing. They spent the Christmas of 1660 in the house of C. Rantzow.
Afterwards they went to Fyen, to the estate of Ellensborg, which was
graciously left to them.[42]
[41] The apology of Uhlfeldt contains an account of this whole
transaction. He states that when he asked his wife through the
window whether they ought to sign and live rather than die in
prison, which would otherwise be their lot, Leonora answered with
the following Latin verse:
Rebus in adversis facile est contemnere mortem,
Fortius ille facit, qui miser esse potest.
Accidit in puncto, quod non speratur in anno.
[42] Ellensborg was the ancient seat of the Ulfeldt family, which
had been sold to Ellen Marsvin, Leonora's grandmother, and Leonora
inherited it from her mother. It is now called Holckenhavn, and the
seat of Count Holck.
Her husband having permission to go to France to take the waters for
eighteen months, left Ell... with his family in the month of June
1662, and landed at Amsterdam. Our lady went from thence to Bruges to
hire a house, and returned to Amsterdam. Her daughter Helena fell ill
of the small-pox; she remained with her, and her husband and the
other children went to Bruges. When her daughter had recovered, she
went to rejoin her husband and children. She accompanied her husband,
who went to France. Having arrived at Paris, the doctors did not
find it advisable that he should take the waters, and he returned to
Bruges. Her husband begged our lady to make a journey to England, and
to take her eldest son with her. She raised obstacles, and showed him
plainly that she should obtain nothing; that she should only be at
great expense. She had examples before her which showed her that the
King of England would never pay her husband. He would not have been
turned from his purpose at this time but for their son's rencontre
with Fos, which prevented the journey that winter, and postponed the
misfortunes of our lady, though it did not ultimately prevent them.
But towards the spring the same design was again brought forward; our
lady was assisted by the nobleman who followed her afterwards[43] in
dissuading her husband; but no reasoning could avail; he believed the
King could not forget the benefits received, and refuse to pay his
cousin. Our lady prepared for her departure, since her husband wished
it. The day that she bade him her last farewell--a fatal day,
indeed--her husband's heart did not tell him that these would be the
last embraces he would give her, for he was so satisfied and so full
of joy that she and all were astonished. She, on the contrary, was
sad. The last day of their intercourse was May 24, 1663. She had many
contretemps at first, and some time elapsed before she had the honour
of speaking to the King.
[43] Namely Casetta, a Spanish nobleman, who afterwards married
their daughter Anna Katherine, but both he and their children died
soon. (_See_ the Introduction.)
The King greeted her after the fashion of the country, treated her as
his cousin,[44] and promised her all sorts of satisfaction; that he
would send his secretary[45] to her to see her papers, which he did.
The secretary made her fine promises, but the time was always
postponed. The minister resident, Petkum, minister of the King of
Danem..., came to visit her (he had placed some obstacles in the way
of her demands, from what was told her). She showed him her papers,
informed him of the affair, told him that the King of Denmark had had
all the papers in his hands, and had graciously returned them. The
traitor made a semblance of understanding the affair, and promised
that he would himself help in securing the payment of her demands.
But this Judas always intended to betray her, asking her if she did
not like to make excursions, speaking to her of beautiful houses,
gardens and parks, and offering her his coach. But our lady was not
inclined to make excursions.
[44] Charles the Second's Grandmother, Anna, the Queen of James I.
was sister of Leonora Christina's father, Christian IV.
[45] Sir Henry Bennet, afterwards Lord Arlington.
When he saw that he could not catch her in this way, he obtained an
order to arrest her. Our poor lady knew nothing of all this; she had
letter upon letter from her husband requesting her return. She took
leave of the King by letter, gave her papers to a lawyer[46] upon a
receipt, and set out from London. Having arrived at Dover, and
intending to embark the same evening for Flanders, a lieutenant of
the name of Braten[47] appeared, who came to show her an order from
the King of Anglet... which she read herself, the purport of which
was that the governor was to arrest such a lady, and to place her in
the castle till further orders. She asked the reason why. He said
that she had left without permission from the King. She told him
that she had taken leave of the King by letter, and had spoken the
day before her departure with the Prime Minister and Vice-Admiral
Aschew,[48] who had bade her farewell.[49]
[46] A certain Mr. Mowbray.
[47] Elsewhere she writes the name Broughton.
[48] Sir George Askew.
[49] Compare with this account the following extracts in the
_Calendar of State Papers_, domestic series, 1663, 1664, pp. 196,
197, 200:--
1663--_July 8._--Warrant to Captain Strode, governor of Dover
Castle, to detain Elionora Christiana, Countess of Uhlfeldt, with
her husband, if he be found with her, and their servants; to keep
her close prisoner, and secure all her papers, according to
instructions to be given by Thos. Parnell.
_July 8._--Warrant to Thos. Parnell to observe the movements of the
said Countess of Uhlfeldt; to seize her should she attempt to embark
at Gravesend with her papers, and to detain her close prisoner.
(_July_).--Instructions (by Sec. Bennet) to Thos. Parnell, to go to
Dover Castle to deliver instructions, and assist in their execution,
relative to a certain lady (the Countess of Uhlfeldt), who is not to
be permitted to depart, whether she have a pass or not; but to be
invited, or if needful compelled, to lodge at the castle, where the
best accommodation is to be provided for her. It is suspected that
her husband lies concealed in the kingdom, and will also try to pass
with his lady, but he also is to be detained, and her servants also.
_July 11._--Thos. Parnell to Williamson. 'Found the Countess (of
Uhlfeldt) at Dover, and by the aid of the Lieut.-Governor sent the
searcher to her inn, to demand her pass. She said she had none, not
knowing it would be wanted. She submitted patiently to be taken to
the castle, and lodged there till a message was sent to town. The
Regent's gentleman, the bearer will give an account of all things.'
When she came to the castle, the emissary of Petkum presented
himself, by name Peter Dreyer. Then the Lieutenant said, 'It is the
King of Danemarc who has ordered you to be arrested.' She asked the
cause. He replied, 'You undoubtedly set out incognito from
Danemarck.' She replied to this that the King of Danem... had given
her husband leave of absence for a term of eighteen months, which had
not yet expired. They ordered her boxes and those of the nobleman who
accompanied her to be opened, and they took all the papers.
Afterwards Dreyer spoke to her, and she asked him why she was
treated thus? He said he did not know the real cause, but that he
believed it was for the death of Fos, and that she was believed to
have been the cause of his death. They always mentioned this to her,
and no other cause.
This double traitor Braten enacted the gallant, entertained her, made
her speak English (as she was bolder in speaking this language than
any other), for she had just begun to learn it well, having had a
language-master in London. One day he told that they intended
conducting her to Danemarck. She told him there was no need to send
her to Danem...; she could go there very well by herself. He said,
'You know yourself what suits you; if you will not go there
willingly, I will manage so that you may go to Flanders.' She did not
see that this was feasible, even if he was willing; she spoke with
him as to the means, saw that he did not satisfy her, and did not
trust his conversation; as he was cunning, he made her believe that
the King wished her to go secretly, and that he would take it all
upon himself; that the King had his reasons why he did not wish to
deliver her into the hands of the King of Danem....
This deception had such good colouring, for she had written several
times to the King during her arrest, and had begged him not to reward
her husband's services by a long arrest, only speaking of what she
had done at the Hague for him: she had taken her jewels and rings and
given them to him, when his host would not any longer supply him with
food.[50] Her claim was not small; it exceeded 20,000 patacoons.[51]
[50] Several letters written by Leonora during her imprisonment at
Dover to Charles II., Sir Henry Bennet, &c., are printed in a
Danish periodical, _Danske Samlinger_, vol. vi.
[51] Reckoning the patacoon to 4s. 8d., this claim would be nearly
5,000_l._