King Eric and the Outlaws, Vol. 3: or, the Throne, the Church, and the People in the Thirteenth Century.Ingemann, Bernhard Severin
History
King Eric and the Outlaws, Vol. 3: or, the Throne, the Church, and the People in the Thirteenth Century.
Ingemann, Bernhard Severin
Denmark -- History -- Erik Menved, 1286-1319 -- Fiction
The occurrences of the day had given satisfaction, and there was a
general feeling of enthusiasm respecting the fortunate issue of the
insurrection. That which had been aimed at was attained. The shutting
of the churches was at an end, and the stern prelatical government of
the town had been cowed. After this violent outbreak of the people's
wrath, it was now hoped that no interdict would ever be carried into
effect in Denmark. The report that the archbishop and the cardinal had
quitted Axelhuus, and that the archbishop was banished for life, was
spread throughout the whole town, ere midnight, and increased the
general rejoicing. Where the lights had been extinguished in the
windows after the king's departure, they were now re-lighted. The
archbishop's flight and banishment were thus celebrated throughout the
town as an important victory over ecclesiastical tyranny, and as a
happy consequence of the public spirit of the burghers, and of the
king's high courage. In the tavern near the Catsound, in the vicinity
of St. Clement's church, sat the Drost's squire Canute, late at night,
merrily carousing with a number of young Copenhageners, who had eagerly
taken part in the besieging of Axelhuus. In the midst of the group sat
an elderly burgher, with a full cup of mead in his hand drinking with
them, amid songs and bold scoffs, at the strict law which prohibited
late tavern keeping and nightly intemperance, which they now regarded
as a dead letter. It was the same personage who at noon had
peregrinated the town as an official authority, and who, as the
summoning herald of the council, had forbidden every one to bear arms
in the streets. His herald's mantle, and the white staff bearing the
bishop's arms, had been thrown under the drinking table; he now
appeared in the usual burgher's dress, and had himself a warlike sword
at his side. From his talk it could be gathered that he had also joined
in the siege of Axelhuus.
The carousers spoke openly and boldly against prelatical government, to
which they believed they had given a good fillip. They lauded the king
and the brisk Sir Helmer, and opined that the king had only feignedly,
and for the sake of appearances, caused that brave knight to be placed
under arrest. They unanimously agreed, also, that the king's stern
words to the balista slingers, and those who were storming the castle,
could not have come much further than from between his teeth, since,
after all, it was but his worst foe they had attacked.
There were bursts of exultation at the flight and exile of the
archbishop, which had been related to them by two newly-arrived guests,
and the party took credit to themselves for having stoned Master Grand
out of the country.
"Ay, laud us Copenhageners!" said the herald, with a self-satisfied
nod; "we have helped the king before at a pinch."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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