"He bade me bring you that message, next to royal greeting and favour," answered Master Petrus de Dacia, giving his hand to the commandant. "We have slept under your roof, but as yet your guests are unknown to you," he continued. "My name you know. In a few hours I must journey onwards; but these honourable strangers desire, and have royal permission, to be your guests for some time, partly with a learned and scientific object." He now presented to the commandant Master Poppe and Master Rumelant from Swabia, as renowned professors of the noble art of minstrelsy, who had visited the territories of many lords and princes, and who were now desirous also of seeing and knowing all that was remarkable in Denmark respecting the manners and the customs of the people, and the state of art and science, compared with that of other nations. "These learned persons," he added, "are commended to you as the king's guests, so long as it is their desire to remain here. It is the king's pleasure that they should have free access to the royal collection of manuscripts and the archives of the castle." "Well, these learned guests are welcome," answered the commandant, saluting the strangers with some embarrassment; "it is probably the chronicles they desire to search into, and the ancient manuscripts which lie here, treating of the affairs of Denmark and the German kingdoms in olden times. There was lately here a learned monk from Nye, who, by the king's command, had much to do with these writings. They are treasures which I, to say truth, know but little how to prize; but scholars can never sufficiently laud our king's carefulness in collecting such writings, and the free use of them which he allows both to native and foreign scholars. The Lord help me. Sir Drost!" he whispered to Aage, "they are surely most awfully learned; they perhaps do not understand a word of Danish?" "Are not your king's famous 'Congesta'[18] to be found here?" asked the tall master Poppe, in a half German half Danish dialect; "we desire especially to become acquainted with that important historical collection, as well as with the copy which is here to be seen of your famous Saxo Grammaticus, likewise Sveno Agonis[19], and whatever may be found here of collections of old ballads, and of Norwegian or Icelandic poems, and Sagas of heathen time; item, all remarkable monumenta and volumina antiquitatis." "What I specially rejoice over," said the enthusiastic little Master Rumelant, "is what I here expect to meet with of your famous theological lumina and christian poets, particularly the far-famed Hexameron of the great Andreas Sunonis, of which I have never been able to trace any copy among my countrymen, or among any of the noble lords and princes, my gracious well-wishers and benefactors, whose praises I have sung according to my poor ability."