The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques and Discoveries of the English Nation — Volume 05: Central and Southern EuropeHakluyt, Richard
History
The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques and Discoveries of the English Nation — Volume 05: Central and Southern Europe
Hakluyt, Richard
Discoveries in geography -- English; Voyages and travels
[Concerning this surprise Albertus Krantzius in the sixt book of his
history of Norway, [Footnote: _Chronica regnorum Aquiloniorum Dania,
Suecia, Norwegia, Argentorati_, 1546. Folio.] and the 8. Chapter
writeth in maner following.
In the meane while Norway enioyed peace vnder the gouernment of a woman:
vntil Albertus king of Suecia, who had now seuen yeeres continued in
captiuity vnder Queen Margaret, was to be set at liberty. [Sidenote: The
Vitalians.] Which, when the common souldiers of Rostok and Wismer, called
the Vitalians perceiued, (who, whilest their king was holden captiue, in
the right of the forenamed cities, for the behalfe of their lord the king
being prince of Mekleburg by birth, vndertooke and waged warre al the time
of his captiuitie) banding their forces together, they resolued, at their
own costs and charges, but in the right of the said cities, to saile into
the 3. kingdoms, and to take such spoiles as they could lay hold on. These
common souldiers therfore, seeing an end of their tyrannical and violent
dealing to approach, sailed into Norway, vnto the towne of Norbern, being a
mart town for al the marchants of Germanie: who transporting fishes from
thence, doe bring thither marchandises of all kinds; especially corne, vnto
the scarcitie whereof, vnlesse it be brought out of other countreys, that
kingdome (as we haue said) is very much subiect. Departing out of their
ships and going on shore, they set vpon the towne, and by fire and sword
they easily compelled the inhabitants dwelling in weake wodden houses, to
giue place. Thus these Vitalians entring and surprising the towne conueyed
such spoiles vnto their ships as them pleased, and hauing laden their ships
with those booties, they returned home frolike vnto the ports of their own
cities. Without all respect, they robbed and rifled the goods, aswel of the
Germanes, as of the Noruagians: and like lewde companions, wasting and
making hauock of all things, prooued themselues neuer the wealthier. For it
is not the guise of such good fellowes to store vp or to preserue ought.
The citizens, at the first, seemed to be inriched: howbeit afterward, (no
man misdoubting any such calamitie) goods ill gotten were worse spent. Thus
farre Krantzius.]
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