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Sidonia The Sorceress V1

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But woe, alas!--Sidonia can no man crush! She wrote immediately to
his Grace, soliciting the _proebenda,_ and even presented
herself at the ducal house of Stettin; but his Grace positively
refused to lay eyes on her, knowing how fatal a meeting with her
had proved to each of his brothers, who no sooner met her evil
glance than they sickened and died.

Therefore his Highness held all old women in abhorrence. Indeed,
such was his fear of them, that not one was allowed to approach
the castle; and when he rode or drove out, lacqueys and squires
went before with great horsewhips, to chase away all the old women
out of his Grace's path, for truly Sidonia might be amongst them.
From this, it came to pass that as soon as it was rumoured in the
town, "His Grace is coming," all the old mothers seized up their
pattens, and scampered off, helter-skelter, to get out of reach of
the horsewhips.

But who can provide against all the arts of the devil? for though
it is true that Sidonia destroyed his two brothers, also his Grace
himself, along with Philip II., by her breath and glance, yet she
caused a great number of other unfortunate persons to perish,
without using these means, as we shall hear further on; whereby
many imagined that her familiar Chim could not have been so weak a
spirit as she represented him, on the rack, in order to save her
life, but a strong and terrible demon. These things, however, will
come in their proper place.

_Summa._--After Duke Barnim had reigned several years, with
great blessing to his people, it happened that word came from
Rügenwald how that his brother, Duke Casimir, was sick. This was
the Prince whom, we may remember, Sidonia had whipped with her
irreverent hands upon his princely _podex,_ when he was a
little boy.

Now Duke Barnim had quarrelled with the estates because they
refused funds for the Turkish war; however, he became somewhat
merrier that evening with the Count Stephen of Naugard, when the
evil tidings came to him of his beloved brother (yet more bitter
sorrow is before him, I think). So the next morning the Duke set
off with a train of six carriages to visit his sick brother, and
by the third evening they reached the wood which lies close beside
Rügenwald. Here there was a large oak, the stem of which had often
served his Grace for a target, when he amused himself by
practising firing. So he stopped the carriage, and alighted to see
if the twenty or thirty balls he had shot into it were still
there.

But alas! as he reached the oak, that devil's spectre (I mean
Sidonia) stepped from behind it; she had an old pot in her hand
filled with bilberries, and asked his Grace, would he not take
some to refresh himself after his journey.

His Highness, however, recoiled horror-struck, and asked who she
was.

She was Sidonia von Bork, and prayed his Grace yet once more for
the _proebenda_ in Marienfliess.

Hereat the Duke was still more horrified, and exclaimed, "Curse
upon thy _proebenda,_ but thou shalt get something else, I
warrant thee! Thou art a vile witch, and hast in thy mind to
destroy our whole noble race with thy detestable sorceries."

_Illa._--"Alas! no one had called her a witch before; how
could she bewitch them? It was a strange story to tell of her."

_The Duke._--"How did it happen, then, that he had no
children by his beloved Amrick?" [Footnote: Anna Maria, second
daughter of John George, Elector of Brandenburg.]

_Illa_ (laughing).--"He better ask his beloved Amrick
herself. How could she know?"

But here she began to contort her face horribly, and to spit out,
whereupon the Duke called out to his retinue--"Come here, and hang
me this hag upon the oak-tree; she is at her devil's sorceries
again! And woe! woe! already I feel strange pains all through my
body!"

Upon this, divers persons sprang forward to seize her, but the
nimble night-bird darted behind a clump of fir-trees, and
disappeared. Unluckily they had no bloodhounds along with them,
otherwise I think the devil would have been easily seized, and
hung up like an acorn on the oak-tree. But God did not so will it,
for though they sent a pack of hounds from Rügenwald, the moment
they arrived there, yet no trace of the hag could be found in the
forest.

And now mark the result: the Duke became worse hour by hour, and
as Duke Casimir had grown much better by the time he arrived, and
was in a fair way of recovery, his Grace resolved to take leave of
him and return with all speed to his own house at Stettin; but on
the second day, while they were still a mile from Stettin, Duke
Barnim grew so much worse, that they had to stop at Alt-Damm for
the night. And scarcely had he laid himself down in bed when he
expired. This was on the 1st of September 1603, when he was
fifty-four years, six months, sixteen days, and sixteen hours old.

But the old, unclean night-bird would not let his blessed Highness
go to his grave in peace (probably because he had called her an
accursed witch). For the 18th of the same month, when all the
nobles and estates were assembled to witness the ceremonial of
interment, along with several members of the ducal house, and
other illustrious personages, such a storm of hail, rain, and
wind, came on just at a quarter to three, as they had reached the
middle of the service, that the priest dropped the book from his
hands, and the church became so suddenly dark, that the sexton had
to light the candles to enable the preacher to read his text.
Never, too, was heard such thunder, so that many thought St.
Jacob's Tower had fallen in, and the princes and nobles rushed out
of the church to shelter themselves in the houses, while the most
terrific lightning flashed round them at every step.

Yet truly it must have been all witch-work, for when the funeral
was over, the weather became as serene and beautiful as possible.

And a great gloom fell upon every one in consequence, for that it
was no natural storm, a child could have seen. Indeed, Dr. Joel,
who was wise in these matters, declared to his Highness Duke
Bogislaff XIII. that without doubt it was a witch-storm, for the
doctor was present at the funeral, as representative of the
University of Grypswald. And respecting the clouds, he observed
particularly that they were formed like dogs' tails, that is, when
a dog carries his tail in the air so that it forms an arc of a
circle. And this, indeed, was the truth.

_Summa._--As by the death of Duke Barnim the government
devolved upon Duke Casimir of Rügenwald, the estates proceeded
thither to offer him their homage, but the Prince hesitated, said
he was sickly, and who could tell whether it would not go as ill
with him as with his brothers? But the estates, both temporal and
spiritual, prayed him so earnestly to accept the rule, that he
promised to meet them on the next morning by ten of the clock, in
the great Rittersaal (knights' hall), and make them acquainted
with his decision.

The faithful states considered this a favourable answer, and were
in waiting next morning, at the appointed hour, in the Rittersaal.
But what happened? Behold, as the great door was thrown open, in
walked the Duke, not with any of the insignia of his princely
station, but in the dress of a fisherman. He wore a linen jacket,
a blue smock, a large hat, and great, high fisher's boots,
reaching nearly to his waist. _Item,_ on his back the Duke
carried a fisherman's basket; six fishermen similarly dressed
accompanied him, and others in a like garb followed.

All present wondered much at this, and a great murmur arose in the
hall; but the Duke threw his basket down by his side, and leaned
his elbow on it, while he thus went on to speak: "Ye see here, my
good friends, what government I intend to hold in future with
these honest fishers, who accompanied me up to my dear brother's
funeral. I shall return this day to Rügenwald. The devil may rule
in Pomerania, but I will not; if you kill an ox there is an end of
it, but here there is no end. Satan treats us worse than the poor
ox. Choose a duke wheresoever you will; but as for me, I think
fishing and ruling the rudder is pleasanter work than to rule your
land."

And when the unambitious Prince had so spoken, he drew forth a
little flask containing branntwein [Footnote: Whisky] (a new drink
which some esteemed more excellent than wine, which, however, I
leave in its old pre-eminence; I tasted the other indeed but once,
but it seemed to me to set my mouth on fire--such is not for my
drinking), and drank to the fishers, crying, "What say you,
children--shall we not go and flounder again upon the Rügenwald
strand?" Upon which they all shouted, "Ay! ay!"

His Grace then drank to the states for a farewell, and leaving the
hall, proceeded with his followers to the vessel, which he
ascended, singing gaily, and sailed home directly to his new
fishing-lodge at Neuhausen.

Such humility, however, availed his Grace nothing in preserving
him from the claws of Satan; for scarcely a year and a half had
elapsed when he was seized suddenly, even as his brothers, and
died on the 10th May 1605, at the early age of forty-eight years,
one month, twenty-one days, and seventeen hours.

But to return to the states. They were dumb with grief and despair
when his Grace left the hall. The land marshal stood with the
staff, the court marshal with the sword, and the chancellor with
the seals, like stone statues there, till a noble at the window
called out--

"Let us hasten quickly to Prince Bogislaff, before he journeys
off, too, with his five sons, and we are left without any ruler.
See, there are the horses just putting to his carriage!"

Upon this, they all ran out to the coach, and the chancellor
asked, in a lamentable voice, "If his Grace were indeed going to
leave them, like that other gracious Prince who owned the dukedom
by right? The states would promise everything he desired--they
would pay all his debts--only his Grace must not leave them and
their poor fatherland in their sore need."

Hereat his Grace laughed, and told them, "He was not going to his
castle of Franzburg, only as far as Oderkrug, with his dear sons,
to look at the great sheep-pens there, and drink a bowl of ewe's
milk with the shepherds under the apple-tree. He hoped to arrive
there before his brother Casimir in his boat, and then they might
discuss the _casus_ together; indeed, when he showed him the
sheep-pens, it was not probable that he would refuse a duchy which
had a fold of twenty thousand sheep, for his brother Casimir was a
great lover of sheep as well as of fish."

Upon this, the states and privy council declared that they would
follow him to Oderkrug to learn the result, but meanwhile begged
of his Grace not to delay setting off, lest Duke Casimir might
have left Oderkrug before he reached it.




CHAPTER XXIII.

Duke Bogislaff XIII. accepts the government of the duchy, and
gives Sidonia at last the long-desired
_proebenda_--_Item,_ of her arrival at the convent of
Marienfliess.


Now my gracious Lord Bogislaff had scarcely alighted at Oderkrug
from his carriage, and drunk a bowl of milk under the apple-tree,
when he spied the yellow sails of his brother's boat above the
high reeds; upon which he ran down to the shore, and called out
himself--

"Will you not land, brother, and drink a bowl of ewe's milk with
us, or take a glance at the great sheep-pen? It is a rare wonder,
and my lord brother was always a great lover of sheep!"

But Prince Casimir went on, and never slackened sail. Whereupon
his Highness called out again, "The states and privy councillors
are coming, brother, and want to have a few words with you."

Hereat Prince Casimir laughed in the boat, and returned for
answer--"He knew well enough what they wanted; but no--he had no
desire to be bewitched to death. Just give him the lands of
Lauenburg and Butow as an addition to his dower, and then his dear
Bogislaff might take all Pomerania to himself if he pleased."

After which, doffing his hat for an _addio,_ he steered
bravely through the _Pappenwasser_.

When young Prince Franz heard this, he laughed loud, and said,
"Truly our uncle is the wisest--he will not be bewitched to death,
as he says--but what will my lord father do now, for see, here
come the states already in their carriages over the hill!"

Duke Bogislaff answered, "What else remains for me to do but to
accept the government?"

_Ille._--"Yes, and be struck dead by witchcraft, like my
three uncles! Ah, my gracious lord father, before ever you accept
the rule of the duchy, let the witch be seized and burned. Doctor
Joel hath told me much about these witches; and believe me, there
is no wiser man in all Pomerania than this magister. He can do
something more than eat bread." Then he fell upon his father's
neck, and caressed him--"Ah, dear father, do not jump at once into
the government; burn the witch first: we cannot spare our dear
lord father!"

And the two young Princes George and Ulrich prayed him in like
manner; but young Philip Secundus spake--"I think, brothers, it
were better if our dear father gave this long-talked-of
_proebenda_ to the witch at once; then, whether she bewitches
or not, we are safe at all events."

Hereupon his Highness answered--"My Philip is right; for in truth
no one can say whether your uncles died by Sidonia's sorceries or
by those of the evil man Bacchus. Therefore I warn you, dear
children, flee from this worst of all sorcerers; not starting at
appearances, as a horse at a shadow, for appearance is the shadow
of truth. Be admonished, therefore, by St. Peter, and 'gird up the
loins of your spirit: be sober, and watch unto prayer.' Then ye
may laugh all witches to scorn; for God will turn the devices of
your enemy to folly."

Meanwhile the states have arrived; and having alighted from their
coaches at the great sheep-pen, they advanced respectfully to the
Duke, who was seated under the apple-tree--the land marshal first,
with the staff, then the court marshal with the sword, and lastly
the chancellor with the seals.

The had seen from the hill how Duke Casimir sailed away without
waiting to hear them, and prayed and hoped that his Highness would
accept the insignia which they here respectfully tendered, and not
abandon his poor fatherland in such dire need. The devil and
wicked men could do much, but God could do more, as none knew
better than his Highness.

Herewith his Grace sighed deeply, and taking the insignia, laid
staff and sword beside him; then, taking up the sword hastily
again, he held it in his hand while he thus spake:--

"My faithful, true, and honourable states, ye know how that I
resigned the government, out of free will, at the Diet at Wollin,
because I thought, and still think, that nothing weighs heavier
than this sword which I hold in my hand. Therefore I went to my
dower at Barth, and have founded the beautiful little town of
Franzburg to keep the Stralsund knaves in submission, and also to
teach our nobles that there is some nobler work for a man to do in
life than eating, drinking, and hunting. _Item,_ I have
encouraged commerce, and especially given my protection to the
woollen trade; but all my labours will now fall to the ground, and
the Stralsund knaves be overjoyed; [Footnote: The apprehension was
justified by the event; for on the departure of Duke Bogislaff,
Franzburg fell rapidly to a mere village, to the great joy of the
Stralsunders, who looked with much envy on a new town springing up
in their vicinity.] however, I must obey God's will, and not kick
against the pricks. Therefore I take the sword of my father,
hoping that it will not prove too heavy for me, an old man;
[Footnote: The Duke was then sixty.] and that He who puts it into
my hand (even the strong God) will help me to bear it. So let His
holy will be done. Amen."

Then his Highness delivered back the insignia to the states, who
reverently kissed his hand, and blessed God for having given so
good and pious a Prince to reign over them. Then they approached
the five young lords, and kissed their hands likewise, wishing at
the same time that many fair olive-branches might yet stand around
their table. This made the old Duke laugh heartily, and he prayed
the states to remain a little and drink ewe's milk with them for a
pleasant pastime; the shepherds would set out the bowls.

Duke Philip alone went away into the town to examine the library,
and all the vases, pictures, statues, and other costly works of
art, which his deceased uncle, Duke Johann Frederick, had
collected; and these he delivered over to the marshal's care, with
strict injunctions as to their preservation. But a strange thing
happened next day; for as the Duke and his sons were sitting at
breakfast, and the wine-can had just been locked up, because each
young lord had drunk his allotted portion, namely, seven glasses
(the Duke himself only drank six), a lacquey entered with a note
from Sidonia, in which she again demanded the _proebenda,_
and hoped that his Highness would be more merciful that his dead
brothers, now that he had succeeded to the duchy. Let him
therefore send an order for her admission to the cloister of
Marienfliess. The answer was to be laid upon St. Mary's altar.

Here young Lord Francis grew quite pale, and dropped the fork from
his hands, then spake--"Now truly we see this hag learns of the
devil, for how else could she have known that our gracious father
had accepted the government, unless Satan had visited her in her
den? But let his dearest father be careful. In his opinion, the
Duke should promise her the _proebenda;_ but as soon as the
accursed hag showed herself at the cloister (for the devil now
kept her concealed), let her be seized and burned publicly, for a
terrible warning and example."

This advice did not please the old Duke. "Franz," he said, "thou
art a fool, and God forbid that ever thou shouldst reign in the
land; for know that the word of a Prince is sacred. Yes, Sidonia
shall have the _proebenda;_ but I will not entrap my enemy
through deceit to death, but will try to win her over by
gentleness. The chancellor shall answer her instantly, and write
another letter to the abbess of Petersdorf; and Sidonia's shall be
laid upon the altar of St. Mary's this night, as she requested, by
one of my lacqueys."

Then Duke Philip kissed his pious father's hand, and the tears
fell from the good youth's eyes as he exclaimed--

"Alas, if she should murder you too!"

And here are the two letters, according to the copies which are
yet to be seen in the princely chancery. _Sub. Hit. Marienfliess
K, No. 683._

"WE, BOGISLAFF, BY THE GRACE OF GOD, DUKE OF STETTIN, POMERANIA,
CASSUBEN, AND WENDEN; PRINCE OF RUGEN; COUNT OF CUTZKOW, OF THE
LANDS OP LAUENBURG AND BUTOW; LORD, &c.

"In consequence of your repeated entreaties for a _proetenda_
in the cloister of Marienfliess, We, of our great goodness, hereby
grant the same unto you; hoping that, in future, you will lead an
humble, quiet life, as beseems a cloistered maiden, and, in
especial, that you will always show yourself an obedient and
faithful servant of our princely house. So we commit you to God's
keeping!

Signatum, Old Stettin, the 2oth October 1603. "BOGISLAFF."

The other letter, to the abbess of Petersdorf, was sent by a
salmon lad to the convent, as we shall hear further on, and ran
thus:--

"WE, BOGISLAFF, &c.

"WORTHY ABBESS, TRUSTY AND WELL-BELOVED FRIEND!

"Hereby we send to you a noble damsel, named Sidonia von Bork, and
desire a cell for her in your cloisters, even as the other nuns.
We trust that misery may have softened her heart towards God; but
if she do not demean herself with Christian sobriety, you have our
commands to send her, along with the fish peasants and others, to
our court for judgment.

"God keep you; pray for us! Signatum, &c. "BOGISLAFF."

The letter to Sidonia was, in truth, laid that same night upon the
altar of St. Mary's, by a lacquey, who was further desired to hide
himself in the church, and see what became of it. Now, the fellow
had a horrible dread of staying alone in the church by night, so
he took the cook, Jeremias Bild, along with him; and after they
had laid the letter down upon the altar, they crept both of them
into a high pew close by, belonging to the Aulick Counsellor,
Dieterick Stempel.

Now mark what happened. They had been there about an hour, and the
moon was pouring down as clear as daylight from the high altar
window; when, all at once, the letter upon the altar began to move
about of itself, as if it were alive, then it hopped down upon the
floor, from that danced down the altar steps, and so on all along
the nave, though no human being laid hands on it the while, and
not a breath or stir was heard in the church. [Footnote: Something
similar is related in the _Seherin of Prevorst_, where a
glass of water moved of its own accord to another place.]

Our two carls nearly died of the fright, and solemnly attested by
oath to his Highness the truth of their relation. Thereby young
Lord Franz was more strengthened in his belief concerning
Sidonia's witchcraft, and had many arguments with his father in
consequence.

"His lord father might easily know that a letter could not move of
itself without devil's magic. Now, this letter had moved of
itself; _ergo_," &c.

Whereupon his Highness answered--

"When had he ever doubted the power of Satan? Ah, never; but in
this instance who could tell what the carls in their fright had
seen or not seen? For, perhaps, Sidonia, when she observed them
hiding in the pew, had stuck a fish-hook into the letter, and so
drawn it over to herself. He remembered in his youth a trick that
had been played on the patron--for this patron always went to
sleep during the sermon. So the sexton let down a fish-hook
through the ceiling of the church, which, catching hold of the
patron's wig, drew it up in the sight of the whole congregation,
who afterwards swore that they had seen the said wig of their
patron carried up to the roof of the church by witchcraft, and
disappear through a hole in the ceiling, as if it had been a bird.
Some time after, however, the sexton confessed his knavery, and
the patron's flying wig had been a standing joke in the country
ever since."

But the young lord still shook his head--

"Ah, they would yet see who was right. He was still of the same
opinion."

But I shall leave these arguments at once, for the result will
fully show which party was in the right.

_Summa._--Sidonia, next day, drove in her one-horse cart
again to the convent gate at Marienfliess, accompanied by another
old hag as her servant. Now the peasants had just arrived with the
salmon, which the Duke despatched every fortnight as a present to
the convent, and the letter of his Grace had arrived also. So,
many of the nuns were assembled on the great steps looking at the
fish, and waiting for the abbess to divide it amongst them, as was
her custom. Others were gathered round the abbess, weeping as she
told them of the Duke's letter, and the good mother herself nearly
fainted when she read it.

So Sidonia drove straight into the court, as the gates were lying
open, and shouted--

"What the devil! Is this a nuns' cloister, where all the gates lie
open, and the carls come in and out as if it were a dove-cot?
Shame on ye, for light wantons! Wait; Sidonia will bring you into
order. Ha! ye turned me out; but now ye must have me, whether ye
will or no!"

At such blasphemies the nuns were struck dumb. However, the abbess
seemed as though she heard them not, but advancing, bid Sidonia
welcome, and said--

"It was not possible to receive her into the cloister, until she
had command from his Grace so to do, which command she now held in
her hand."

This softened Sidonia somewhat, and she asked--

"What are the nuns doing there with the fish?"

"Dividing the salmon," was the answer.

Whereupon she jumped out of the cart, and declared that she must
get her portion also, for salmon was a right good thing for
supper.

Whereupon the sub-prioress, Dorothea von Stettin, cut her off a
fine large head-piece, which Sidonia, however, pushed away
scornfully, crying--

"Fie! what did she mean by that? The devil might eat the
head-piece, but give her the tail. She had never in her life eaten
anything but the tail-piece; the tail was fatter."

So the abbess signed to them to give her the tail-end; after
which, she asked to see her cell, and, on being shown it, cried
out again--

"Fie on them! was that a cell for a lady of her degree? Why, it
was a pig-sty. Let the abbess put her young litter of nuns there;
they would be better in it than running up and down the convent
court with the fish-carls. She must and will have the refectory."

And when the abbess answered--

"That was the prayer-room, where the sisters met night and morning
for vespers and matins," she heeded not, but said--

"Let them pray in the chapel--the chapel is large enough."

And so saying, she commanded her maid, who was no other than Wolde
Albrechts, though not a soul in the convent knew her, to carry all
her luggage straight into the refectory.

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