compromise with Ulfeldt and Leonora at Bornholm in 1661, and in
fact brought it about. It was currently reported in Copenhagen at
the time that he had received a large sum of money from Ulfeldt on
that occasion, and he afterwards showed his friendly disposition
towards him by promising him to intercede with the King for
Christian Ulfeldt when the latter had killed Fuchs. Leonora,
however, speaks of him as an enemy probably because he presided in
the High Court of Appeal which condemned Ulfeldt as a traitor. But
the facts of the case left him scarcely any other alternative than
that of judging as he did, nor would it have been surprising if
Ulfeldt's last conduct had altered Rantzow's feelings towards him.
Rantzow also presided in the commission which examined Leonora in
the Blue Tower.
2. The Mistress of the Robes of the Queen Dowager, who was so severe
on me in my greatest sorrow, had a long and painful illness; she said
with impatience that the pain of hell was not greater than her pain.
Her screams could often be heard in the tower. She was carried on a
bed into the town, and died there.
3. The death of Able Catherine was very painful. As she had formerly
sought for letters on the private parts of my person, so she was
afterwards herself handled by the surgeons, as she had boils all over
her. She was cut and burnt. She endured all this pain, hoping to
live, but neither the art of the surgeons nor the visits of the Queen
could save her from death.[E04]
[E04] Abel Catharina is mentioned in the Memoir itself as the
person who searched Leonora when she first entered her prison, and
did so in a very unbecoming manner; she acted, however, under the
orders of the Mistress of the Robes, M. v. Haxthausen. Abel
Catharina is otherwise chiefly known as the founder of a charity
for old women in Copenhagen, which still bears her name.
4. Secretary Erich Krag, who had displayed the malice of his heart in
my imprisonment in the 'Dark Church,' was snatched away by death in a
place of impurity. He was lively and well, had invited guests to
dinner, sat and wrote at his table, went out to obey the necessities
of nature, and was found dead by his attendants when they had waited
some time for him.
5. Major-General Fridrich von Anfeldte,[E05] who had more than once
manifested his delight at my misfortunes, died as he had lived. He
was a godless man and a blasphemer. He fell a victim to jealousy, and
went mad, because another obtained an honorary title which he had
coveted; this was indeed little enough to deprive him of sense and
reason. He would hear nothing of God, nor would he be reconciled with
God. Both Queens, the Queen Dowager and the Queen Regent, persuaded
him at length to be so. When he had received the sacrament, he said,
'Now your Majesties have had your desire; but what is the good of
it?' He continued to curse and to swear, and so died.
[E05] This name is mis-spelt for Ahlefeldt. This officer received
Leonora on her arrival at Copenhagen, as she relates herself. He
had distinguished himself in the siege of Copenhagen in 1659, and
died as a Lieutenant-General.
6. General Schak died after a long illness.
7. Chancellor Peter Retz likewise.
8. His Royal Majesty King Friedrich III.'s death accelerated the
death of the Stadtholder Cristoffer Gabel. He felt that the hate of
the Queen Dowager could injure him greatly, and he desired death. God
heard him.[E06]
[E06] Christoffer Gabel is mentioned several times in the
Autobiography. He was an influential man at the time, in great
favour at court, and he had a great part in effecting the release
of Ulfeldt from the prison at Bornholm, for which he, according to
Leonora's statement, received 5,000 dollars from Ulfeldt. Both he
and Reedtz were members of the court which condemned Ulfeldt.
9. It has pleased God that I should be myself a witness of Walter's
miserable death; indeed, that I should compassionate him. When I
heard him scream, former times came to my mind, and I often thought
how a man can allow himself to be led to do evil to those from whom
he had only received kindness and honour.
10. Magister Buch, my father-confessor, who acted so ill to me,
suffered much pain on his bed of languishing. He was three days
speechless before he died.
11. When the rogue and blasphemer, Christian, who caused me so much
annoyance in my captivity, had regained his liberty and returned to
his landlord, Maans Armfeld in Jutland, he came into dispute with the
parish priest, who wanted him to do public penance for having seduced
a woman. The rogue set fire to the parsonage; the minister's wife was
burnt to death in trying to save some of her property, and all the
minister's possessions were left in ashes. The minister would not
bring the rogue to justice. He commended him to the true Judge, and
left vengeance to Him. The incendiary's conscience began to be
awakened; for a long time he lived in dread, and was frightened if he
saw anyone coming at all quickly, and he would call out and say
tremblingly, 'Now they are going to take me!' and would run hither
and thither, not knowing where to go. At length he was found dead on
the field, having shot himself; for a long rifle was found lying
between his legs, the barrel towards his breast, and a long ramrod in
his hand, with which he had touched the trigger. He did not,
therefore, die in as Christian a manner as if he had perished under
the hand of the executioner, of which he had so lightly said that he
should not care for it at all, so long as he could bring someone else
into trouble.
A RECORD OF SUFFERING;
_OR, A REMINISCENCE OF ALL THAT OCCURRED TO ME, LEONORA CHRISTINA, IN
THE BLUE TOWER, FROM AUGUST 8 OF THE YEAR 1663, TO JUNE 11[57] OF THE
YEAR 1674._
[57] Afterwards altered to anno 1685, the 19th of May.
The past is rarely remembered without sorrow, for it has been either
better or worse than the present. If it was more joyous, more happy,
and full of honour, its remembrance justly saddens us, and in
proportion as the present is full of care, unhappiness, and
dishonour. If past times were sadder, more miserable, and more
deplorable than the present, the remembrance of them is equally
sorrowful, for we recover and feel once more all the past misfortunes
and adversities which have been endured in the course of time. But
all things have, as it were, two handles by which they may be raised,
as Epictetus says. The one handle, he says, is bearable; the other is
not bearable; and it rests with our will which handle we grasp, the
bearable or the unbearable one. If we grasp the bearable one, we can
recall all that is transitory, however sad and painful it may have
been, rather with joy than with sorrow.[E07] So I will seize the
bearable handle, and in the name of Jesus I will pass rapidly through
my memory, and recount all the wretchedness and misery, all the
grief, scorn and suffering, contempt and adversity, which have
befallen me in this place, and which I have overcome with God's help.
I will, moreover, in no wise grieve over it; but, on the contrary, I
will remind myself at every step of the goodness of God, and will
thank the Most High who has been constantly near me with His mighty
help and consolation; who has ruled my heart, that it should not
depart from God; who has preserved my mind and my reason, that it has
not become obscured; who has maintained my limbs in their power and
natural strength, and even has given, and still gives me, repose of
mind and joyfulness. To Thee, incomprehensible God, be honour and
praise for ever!
[E07] The passage alluded to occurs in Epictet's Encheiridion,
chap. 43 (in some editions chap. 65), where he says: 'Every matter
has two handles, one by which it may be carried (or endured), the
other by which it cannot be carried (or endured). If thy brother
has done thee injury, do not lay hold of this matter from the fact
that he has done thee an injury, for this is the handle by which it
cannot be carried (or endured); but rather from this side: that he
is thy brother, educated with thee; and thou wilt lay hold of the
matter from that side from which it may be managed.' It is easily
seen how Leonora makes use of the double meaning of the Greek word
{phoretos}, which is equally well used of an object which can be
carried in the literal physical sense, and of a matter which can be
endured or borne with.
{Illustration:
DAS ALTE SCHLOSS IN COPENHAGEN MIT DEM BLAUEN THURM.
THE OLD CASTLE OF COPENHAGEN.
SHOWING THE BLUE TOWER IN THE MIDDLE OF THE BACK-GROUND.}