My name is Adelbrost, the son of Apol and Adela. I was elected by my
people as Grevetman over the Lindaoorden. Therefore I will continue
this book in the same way as my mother has spoken it.
After the Magy was killed and Fryasburgt was restored, a mother
had to be chosen. The mother had not named her successor, and her
will was nowhere to be found. Seven months later a general assembly
was called at Grênegâ (Groningen), because it was on the boundary of
Saxamarken. My mother was chosen, but she would not be the mother. She
had saved my father's life, in consequence of which they had fallen
in love with each other, and she wished to marry. Many people wished
my mother to alter her decision, but she said an Eeremoeder ought to
be as pure in her conscience as she appears outwardly, and to have
the same love for all her children. Now, as I love Apol better than
anything else in the world, I cannot be such a mother. Thus spoke and
reasoned Adela, but all the other maidens wished to be the mother. Each
state was in favour of its own maiden, and would not yield. Therefore
none was chosen, and the kingdom was without any restraint. From what
follows you will understand Liudgert, the king who had lately died,
had been chosen in the lifetime of the mother, and seemingly with
the love and confidence of all the states. It was his turn to live
at the great court of Dokhem, and in the lifetime of the mother
great honour was done to him there, as there were more messengers
and knights there than had ever been seen there before. But now he
was lonely and forsaken, because every one was afraid that he would
set himself above the law, and rule them like the slave kings. Every
headman imagined that he did enough if he looked after his own state,
and did not care for the others. With the Burgtmaagden it was still
worse. Each of them depended upon her own judgment, and whenever a
Grevetman did anything without her, she raised distrust between him
and his people. If any case happened which concerned several states,
and one maid had been consulted, the rest all exclaimed that she had
spoken only in the interest of her own state. By such proceedings
they brought disputes among the states, and so severed the bond of
union that the people of one state were jealous of those of the rest,
or at least considered them as strangers; the consequence of which
was that the Gauls or Truwenden (Druids) took possession of our lands
as far as the Scheldt, and the Magy as far as the Wesara. How this
happened my mother has explained, otherwise this book would not have
been written, although I have lost all hope that it would be of any
use. I do not write in the hope that I shall win back the land or
preserve it: in my opinion that is impossible. I write only for the
future generations, that they may all know in what way we were lost,
and that each may learn that every crime brings its punishment.
My name is Apollonia. Two-and-thirty days after my mother's death
my brother Adelbrost was found murdered on the wharf, his skull
fractured and his limbs torn asunder. My father, who lay ill, died of
fright. Then my younger brother, Apol, sailed from here to the west
side of Schoonland. There he built a citadel named Lindasburgt, in
order there to avenge our wrong. Wr-alda accorded him many years for
that. He had five sons, who all caused fear to Magy, and brought fame
to my brother. After the death of my mother and my brother, all the
bravest of the land joined together and made a covenant, called the
Adelbond. In order to preserve us from injury, they brought me and my
youngest brother, Adelhirt, to the burgt--me to the maidens, and him to
the warriors. When I was thirty years old I was chosen as Burgtmaagd,
and my brother at fifty was chosen Grevetman. From mother's side my
brother was the sixth, but from father's side the third. By right,
therefore, his descendants could not put "overa Linda" after their
names, but they all wished to do it in honour of their mother. In
addition to this, there was given to us also a copy of "The Book of
Adela's Followers." That gave me the most pleasure, because it came
into the world by my mother's wisdom. In the burgt I have found other
writings also in praise of my mother. All this I will write afterwards.
These are the writings left by Bruno, who was the writer of this
burgt. After the followers of Adela had made copies, each in his
kingdom, of what was inscribed upon the walls of the burgt, they
resolved to choose a mother. For this purpose a general assembly
was called at this farm. By the first advice of Adela, Teuntje was
recommended. That would have been arranged, only that my Burgtmaagd
asked to speak: she had always supposed that she would be chosen
mother, because she was at the burgt from which mothers had generally
been chosen. When she was allowed to speak, she opened her false
lips and said: You all seem to place great value on Adela's advice,
but that shall not shut my mouth. Who is Adela, and whence comes it
that you respect her so highly? She was what I am now, a Burgtmaagd
of this place; is she, then, wiser and better than I and all the
others? or is she more conversant with our laws and customs? If that
had been the case, she would have become mother when she was chosen;
but instead of that, she preferred matrimony to a single life, watching
over herself and her people. She is certainly very clear-sighted,
but my eyes are far from being dim. I have observed that she is very
much attached to her husband, which is very praiseworthy; but I see,
likewise, that Teuntje is Apol's niece. Further I say nothing.
The principal people understood very well which way the wind
blew with her; but among the people there arose disputes, and as
most of the people came from here, they would not give the honour
to Teuntje. The conferences were ended, knives were drawn, and no
mother was chosen. Shortly afterwards one of our messengers killed his
comrade. As he had been a man of good character hitherto, my Burgtmaagd
had permission to help him over the frontier; but instead of helping
him over to Twiskland (Germany), she fled with him herself to Wesara,
and then to the Magy. The Magy, who wished to please his sons of Frya,
appointed her mother of Godaburgt, in Schoonland; but she wished for
more, and she told him that if he could get Adela out of the way
he might become master of the whole of Frya's land. She said she
hated Adela for having prevented her from being chosen mother. If
he would promise her Texland, her messenger should serve as guide to
his warriors. All this was confessed by her messenger.