History of the Scottish expedition to Norway in 1612 — John Shaqi
History of the Scottish expedition to Norway in 1612Michell, Thomas
History
History of the Scottish expedition to Norway in 1612
Michell, Thomas
Norway -- History -- Scottish Expedition, 1612
[57] An illustration of the pair of pistols preserved at Copenhagen,
and certified to have belonged to Sinclair, is given at p. 126.
Although undoubtedly Scotch, and of the period, the initials A. S.
engraved on them are most probably those of Sir Andrew Sinclair.
(See note, p. 126.) The swords, of which so many are still offered
for sale as relics of the expedition, are mostly of doubtful origin.
The author is, however, in possession of a rusty short sword, with
the Scottish crown and the letters V. R. very distinct on the
blade, on the broken-off edge of which there would have been room
for the letter J., making J. V. R., or Jacobus V. Rex. It was found
at Kringelen, and is almost exactly like the sword carried by the
third figure in the accompanying illustration, representing some of
the "Irishmen,"--_i.e._, the Scots of Mackay's regiment,--who were
landed at Stettin in 1630. The illustration has been taken from
an interesting work published in 1885, by W. Blackwood and Sons,
Edinburgh and London, entitled, "An Old Scots Brigade: being the
History of Mackay's Regiment, now incorporated with the Royal Scots."
The author, Mr. John Mackay, late of Herriesdale, has generously
allowed the block to be used for the purposes of this little work.
Another sword, in a wooden sheath covered with leather, and which
had evidently been used as a walking-stick by some Bonde, was
purchased by the author as an authentic relic of the Scots, and
presented by him to His Majesty King Oscar II., as a weapon that had
in all probability been used in the service of His Majesty's great
predecessor, Gustavus Adolphus. The motto, "Honni soit qui mal y
pense," engraved on the long straight blade of the sword, made it all
the more appropriate that His Majesty, as a Knight of the Garter,
should be the possessor of so interesting a relic.
[58] Under the Danish law of that period every able-bodied Bonde was
compelled to provide himself with a musket or arquebuse; but it is
most probable that the men who had not been taken away to fight the
Swedes remained, to a great extent, armed only with pikes, crossbows,
and axes, of which an illustration is given at page 106.
[59] That Captain Hay was killed is not stated either in the official
documents or in the Sagas; but as he was not amongst the prisoners
forwarded to Aggershuus, he must have shared the fate of George
Sinclair. It is also not improbable that in order to save their own
lives when taken prisoners, the surviving officers pointed to the
body of Sinclair as that of their commander.
Part II.
Tradition.
I.
THE SINCLAIR BALLAD.[60]
Herr Sinclair sailed across the sea,
And steered his course to Norway's strand:
'Mid Gudbrands' rocks his grave found he,--
There were broken crowns in Sinclair's band.
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