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I am perfectly aware that Palnatoke, founder of the Hvide family, whom we have had before at Marienlyst, uproarious like the rest of the warriors in Harald BlueTooth's time, got himself slain somewhere by here; and I have read a description, to which only Froissart or dear Miss Strickland could do justice, of the feudal homage done by the Dukes of Holstein, John and Adolf, to our good King Frederic, in 1579. Anything so smart as they all were no one can imagine. But the noise and the dust of Odense, nothing will ever make up for it.

Though Augsburg can boast her Fuggers, Odense can boast her Bagers; but in this latter case I am afraid virtue becomes its own reward, and the Bager family ranks not high among the counts of the Danish dominions. Olaf Bager was a rich merchant, and a man of noble and generous sentiments. He lent money to his king, the second Frederic, who when he visited Odense never failed to sup at the house of his friend and subject.

Pudding and sweets, as you well know, are served anyhow in the northern climes, in the middle of dinner, as the cook or housewife wishes it. One night at supper King Frederic praised highly some conserves of apricots. "What a bouquet, too, they have!" exclaimed the king. "Wait," replied Bager, "till the dessert; I will give you some incense which will smell far sweeter."

mising her protection. King Ferdinand writes a stiff letter to Christian, requesting him to use his influence in sending his sister back again to her husband. He does not approve of such proceedings. Then young Joachim writes to his mother, and implores her to return to her afflicted family, and tries his best to move his uncle Christian also; but the Protestant duck is not to be snared back to her nest by any flattery. She's safe where she is, and intends to remain so.

The supper over, an incense-burner, laden with perfumed cedar-chips, was brought in, on the top of which was laid a mass of papers.

"Will your Majesty deign to light the pile?" requested Bager, offering a match. His Majesty did so most graciously, and with quiet satisfaction saw reduced to cinders his own bonds for sums so enormous he had little hopes of defraying the debt. This is historical; but here the Danes were not first, for Fugger lived in Charles V.'s reign, some years previous. Time rolled on, and Bager had a numerous family, some twelve or fourteen-you may see them all upon his epitaphium. He portioned his daughters, got ruined later, and had, like King Lear, to come to his children for help and refuge; but they treated him badly. "He had much better," said they, "have kept his bonds, instead of ruining himself for his sovereign's sake, and becoming a burden to his family." So Olaf, sick at heart, determines to try a ruse. He goes round to his various friends and merchants with whom he had once had dealings, and returns with a heavy coffer, which he deposits in a place of safety, well closed with wroughtiron lock and key. He has, he says, received gifts from some, from others the payment of debts long due. The contents of the coffer he intends to leave by his will to the child who treats him best.

A change comes over the spirit of the ungrateful offspring; it is now who shall treat the old man bestall love and filial affection. So Bager, laughing in his sleeve, ends his days in peace and comfort. He can make no distinction at his death; all have been kind to him, "his dutiful children;" the contents of the coffer are to be equally divided amongst them; it is heavy

enough for all. Olaf Bager is conducted in pomp and honour to his last abode, followed by his sorrowing descendants. The will is read-the coffer opened-and lo! they discover what? a heap of stones-a just requital for their undutiful behaviour.

The schloss gardens form the favourite promenade of Odense. Here the military music plays in the evening. But notwithstanding its position as a capital, its patron saint, its cathedral, and its bishop (there was a dance at the bishop's last night), we were very glad to mount the carriage, and move on along the tiresome chaussée, its dulness alone relieved by an occasional picturesque old church nestling among the trees. At last we again see the waters of the Great Belt in the distance, and drive into the little fortified town of Nyborg.

VOL. II.

S

CHAPTER XLVIII.

Funen continued-King Christian II. and the ape- Deathplace of Ellen Marsviin - By-laws of Nyborg - Women to be buried aliveLaws of adulteration - King Hans' invitation to his daughter's christening-Story of Kai Lykke and the Queen - The rival Nisses

St. George killed the dragon in Denmark - Svendborg, the Pig Castle-Gaas made archbishop - Island of Thorseng the apanage of Count Valdemar - Portraits of the House of Oldenborg.

NYBORG.

August 3rd.-WE have passed some days at Nyborg, too glad to recruit our minds and bodies in the comfortable post-house-an inn of times gone by-not all picturesque and dry-rot like that of Ringkjøping, but a house built with good large rooms, before the world began to economise space; very cool and comfortable. So our eight days fled rapidly by; we strolled on the rampart heights, we bathed in the waters of the fiorde, boated and fished occasionally, and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.

Nyborg is not a town of vast pretensions to antiquity; it dates its origin from the "New Castle," long since gathered to its sister "borgs." Valdemar the Great (though he did beat poor Liden Kirsten to death) was a very good son of the Church after his own peculiar manner, and, like many worthy people of the present century, very fond of proselytising. He preached Christianity church-militant-wise, fire and sword, among the heathens of Rugen. Prislav, own brother of pagan

King Nuclet of the Wends, embraced Christianity, and King Valdemar gave him as a reward his sister Catherine in marriage, with Lolland as her dower. Her son Knud founded here his castle of Nyborg; he did not, however, enjoy it much, for he turned monk for very peace's sake, and Nyborg fell into the hands of the crown. King John much loved this royal residence. Here were born Christian and Protestant Elizabeth of Brandenburg, who considered twenty-two years of incarceration quite locking-up enough for one family. The days of canonisation were over, and she had no fancy to be a martyr.

Scarcely had Christian opened his eyes to daylight when an adventure occurred, which, had it terminated fatally, would have saved him a world of trouble. The new-born princeling lay asleep in his cradle, when an ape, who formed part of the royal establishment, stealthily entering the nursery, lifts him from the cradle and carries him in his arms, laughing and chattering, to the housetop. The consternation of the royal household was extreme, but they acted wisely; left the monkey to his own devices, who, after a time, tired of the office of dry nurse, returned his charge uninjured to the place from which he had taken him. The same story is told of one of the Leinster family and also of Oliver Cromwell.

In later days Nyborg, with its grand and lofty tower, followed the fate of other royal buildings; it was pulled down for its materials, not by that old clothesman the second Frederic, but by the bigamous fourth Frederic to build up his trumpery palace of Odense.

Not being in an excursionising mood when at Nyborg, we merely extended our walks to the adjoining manor of Holckenhavn, a château beautiful in itself as well as

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