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Sidonia The Sorceress V1

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CHAPTER III.

_How Otto von Bork received the homage of his son-in-law,
Vidante von Meseritz--And how the bride and bridegroom proceeded
afterwards to the chapel--Item, what strange things happened at
the wedding-feast._


Next morning the stir began in the castle before break of day, and
by ten o'clock all the nobles, with their wives and daughters, had
assembled in the great hall. Then the bride entered, wearing her
myrtle wreath, and Sidonia followed, glittering with diamonds and
other costly jewels. She wore a robe of crimson silk with a cape
of ermine, falling from her shoulders, and looked so beautiful
that I could have died for love, as she passed and greeted me with
her graceful laugh. But Otto Bork, the lord of the castle, was
sore displeased because his Serene Highness the Prince was late
coming, and the company had been waiting an hour for his presence.
A platform had been erected at the upper end of the hall covered
with bearskin; on this was placed a throne, beneath a canopy of
yellow velvet, and here Otto was seated dressed in a crimson
doublet, and wearing a hat half red and half black, from which
depended plumes of red and black feathers that hung down nearly to
his beard, which was as venerable as a Jew's. Every instant he
despatched messengers to the tower to see if the prince were at
hand, and as the time hung heavy, he began to discourse his
guests. "See how this turner's apprentice [Footnote: So this
prince was called from his love of turning and carving dolls.]
must have stopped on the road to carve a puppet. God keep us from
such dukes!" For the prince passed all his leisure hours in
turning and carving, particularly while travelling, and when the
carriage came to bad ground, where the horses had to move slowly,
he was delighted, and went on merrily with his work; but when the
horses galloped, he grew ill-tempered and threw down his tools.

At length the warder announced from the tower that the duke's six
carriages were in sight, and the knight spoke from his throne: "I
shall remain here, as befits me, but Clara and Sidonia, go ye
forth and receive his Highness; and when he has entered, the
kinsman [Footnote: This was the feudal term for the next relation
of a deceased vassal, upon whom it devolved to do homage for the
lands to the feudal lord.] in full armour shall ride into the hall
upon his war-horse, bearing the banner of his house in his hand,
and all my retainers shall follow on horses, each bearing his
banner also, and shall range themselves by the great window of the
hall; and let the windows be open, that the wind may play through
the banners and make the spectacle yet grander."

Then all rushed out to meet the Duke, and I, too, went, for truly
the courtyard presented a gorgeous sight--all decorated as it was,
and the pride and magnificence of Lord Otto were here fully
displayed; for from the upper storey of the castle floated the
banner of the Emperor, and just beneath it that of Lord Otto (two
crowned wolves with golden collars on a field or for the shield),
and the crest, a crowned red-deer springing. Beneath this banner,
but much inferior to it in size and execution, waved that of the
Dukes of Pomerania; and lowest of all, hung the banner of Otto's
feudal vassals--but they themselves were not visible. Neither did
the kinsman appear to receive and greet his Highness. Otto knew
well, it seems, that he could defy the Duke (however, I think if
my gracious Lord of Wolgast had been there, he would not have
suffered such insults, but would have taken Otto's banner and
flung it in the mud). [Footnote: Marginal note of Duke Bogislaff,
"And so would I."] Be this as it may, Duke Barnim never appeared
to notice anything except Otto's two daughters. He was a little
man with a long grey beard, and as he stepped slowly out of the
carriage held a little puppet by the arm, which he had been
carving to represent Adam. It was intended for a present to the
convent at Kobatz. His _superintendens generalis_, Fabianus
Timæus (a dignified-looking personage), accompanied him in the
carriage, for his Highness was going on the same day to attend the
diet at Treptow, and only meant to pay a passing visit here. But
Lord Otto concealed this fact, as it hurt his pride. The other
carriages contained the equerries and pages of his Highness, and
then followed the heavy waggons with the cooks, valets, and
stewards.

When the Prince entered the state hall, Lord Otto rose from his
throne and said: "Your Highness is welcome, and I trust will
pardon me for not having gone forth with my greetings; but those
of a couple of young damsels were probably more agreeable than the
compliments of an old knight like myself, who besides, as your
Grace perceives, is engaged here in the exercise of his duty. And
now, I pray your Highness to take this seat at my right hand."
Whereupon he pointed to a plain chair, not in the least raised
from the ground, and altogether as common a seat as there was to
be found in the hall; but his Highness sat down quietly (at which
every one wondered in silence) and took the little puppet in his
lap, only exclaiming in low German, "What the devil, Otto! you
make more of yourself, man, than I do;" to which the knight
replied, "Not more than is necessary."

"And now," continued the old man, "the ceremony of offering homage
commenced, which is as fresh in my memory as if all had happened
but yesterday, and so I shall describe it that you may know what
were the usages of our fathers, for the customs of chivalry are,
alas! fast passing away from amongst us.

When Otto Bork gave the sign with his hand, six trumpets sounded
without, whereupon the doors of the hall were thrown wide open as
far as they could go, and the kinsman Vidante von Meseritz entered
on a black charger, and dressed in complete armour, but without
his sword. He carried the banner of his house (a pale gules with
two foxes running), and riding straight up to Lord Otto, lowered
it before him. Otto then demanded, "Who art thou, and what is thy
request?" to which he answered, "Mighty feudal Lord, I am kinsman
of Dinnies von Meseritz, and pray you for the fief." "And who are
these on horseback who follow thee?" "They are the feudal vassals
of my Lord, even as my father was." And Otto said, "Ride up, my
men, and do as your fathers have done." Then Frederick Ubeske rode
up, lowered his banner (charged with a sun and peacock's tail)
before the knight, then passed on up to the great windows of the
hall, where he took his place and drew his sword, while the wind
played through the folds of his standard.

Next came Walter von Locksted--lowered his banner (bearing a
springing unicorn), rode up to the window, and drew his sword.
After him, Claud Drosedow, waving his black eagle upon a white and
red shield, rode up to the window and drew his sword; then Jacob
Pretz, on his white charger, bearing two spears transverse through
a fallen tree on his flag; and Dieterich Mallin, whose banner fell
in folds over his hand, so that the device was not visible; and
Lorenz Prechel, carrying a leopard gules upon a silver shield; and
Jacob Knut, with a golden becker upon an azure field, and three
plumes on the crest; and Tesmar von Kettler, whose spurs caught in
the robe of a young maiden as he passed, and merry laughter
resounded through the hall, many saying it was a good omen, which,
indeed, was the truth, for that evening they were betrothed; and
finally came Johann Zastrow, bearing two buffaloes' horns on his
banner, and a green five-leaved bush, rode up to the window after
the others, and drew his sword.

There stood the nine, like the muses at the nuptials of Peleus,
[Footnote: The nine muses were present at the marriage of Peleus
and Thetis.--_See Pindar, pyth._. 3, 160] and the wind played
through their banners. Then Lord Otto spoke--

"True, these are my leal vassals. And now, kinsman of Meseritz,
dismount and pay homage, as did thy father, ere thou canst ride up
and join them." So the young man dismounted, threw the reins of
his horse to a squire, and ascended the platform. Then Otto,
holding up a sword, spoke again--

"Behold, kinsman, this is the sword of thy father; touch it with
me, and pronounce the feudal oath." Here all the vassals rode up
from the window, and held their swords crosswise over the
kinsman's head, while he spake thus--

"I, Vidante von Meseritz, declare, vow, and swear to the most
powerful, noble, and brave Otto von Bork, lord of the lands and
castles of Labes, Pansin, Stramehl, Regenwalde, and others, and my
most powerful feudal lord, and to his lawful heirs, a right loyal
fealty, to serve him with all duty and obedience, to warn him of
all evil, and defend him from all injury, to the best of my
ability and power."

Then he kissed the knight's hand, who girded his father's sword on
him, and said--

"Thus I acknowledge thee for my vassal, as my father did thy
father."

Then turning to his attendants he cried, "Bring hither the camp
furniture." Hereupon the circle of spectators parted in two, and
the pages led up, first, Vidante's horse, upon which he sprung;
then others followed, bearing rich garments and his father's
signet, and laid them down before him, saying, "Kinsman, the
garments and the seal of thy father." A third and a fourth bore a
large couch with a white coverlet, set it down before him, and
said, "Kinsman, a couch for thee and thy wife." Then came a great
crowd, bearing plates and dishes, and napkins, and table-covers,
besides eleven tin cans, a fish-kettle, and a pair of iron
pot-hooks; in short, a complete camp furniture; all of which they
set down before the young man, and then disappeared.

During this entire time no one noticed his Highness the Duke,
though he was indeed the feudal head of all. Even when the
trumpets sounded again, and the vassals passed out in procession,
they lowered their standards only before Otto, as if no princely
personage were present. But I think this proud Lord Otto must have
commanded them so to do, for such an omission or breach of respect
was never before seen in Pomerania. Even his Highness seemed, at
last, to feel displeasure, for he drew forth his knife, and began
to cut away at the little wooden Adam, without taking further
notice of the ceremony.

At length when the vassals had departed, and many of the guests
also, who wished to follow them, had left the hall, the Duke
looked up with his little glittering eyes, scratched the back of
his head with the knife, and asked his Chancellor, Jacob Kleist,
who had evidently been long raging with anger, "Jacob, what dost
thou think of this _spectaculo?_" who replied, "Gracious
lord, I esteem it a silly thing for an inferior to play the part
of a prince, or for a prince to be compelled to play the part of
an inferior." Such a speech offended Otto mightily, who drew
himself up and retorted scornfully, "Particularly a poor inferior
who, as you see, is obliged to draw the plough by turns with his
serfs." Hereupon the Chancellor would have flung back the scorn,
but his Highness motioned with the hand that he should keep
silence, saying, "Remember, good Jacob, that we are here as
guests; however, order the carriages, for I think it is time that
we proceed on our journey."

When Otto heard this, he was confounded, and, descending from his
throne, uttered so many flattering things, that his Highness at
length was prevailed upon to remain (I would not have consented,
to save my soul, had I been the Prince--no, not even if I had to
pass the night with the bears and wolves in the forest before I
could reach Treptow); so the good old Prince followed him into
another hall, where breakfast was prepared, and all the lords and
ladies stood there in glittering groups round the table,
particularly admiring the bear's head, which seemed to please his
Highness mightily also. Then each one drained a large goblet of
wine, and even the ladies sipped from their little wine-glasses,
to drink themselves into good spirits for the dance.

Otto now related all about the hunt, and presented me to his
Grace, who gave me his hand to kiss, saying, "Well done, young
man--I like this bravery. Were it not for you, in place of a
wedding, and a bear's head in the dish, Lord Otto might have had a
funeral and two human heads in a coffin." His Grace then pledged
me in a silver becker of wine; and afterwards the bride and
bridegroom, who had sat till then kissing and making love in a
corner; but they now came forward and kissed the hand of the Duke
with much respect. The bridegroom had on a crimson doublet, which
became him well; but his father's jack-boots, which he wore
according to custom, were much too wide, and shook about his legs.
The bride was arrayed in a scarlet velvet robe, and bodice furred
with ermine. Sidonia carried a little balsam flask, depending from
a gold chain which she wore round her neck. (She soon needed the
balsam, for that day she suffered a foretaste of the fate which
was to be the punishment for her after evil deeds.) And now, as we
set forward to the church, a group of noble maidens distributed
wreaths to the guests; but the bride presented one to the Duke,
and Sidonia (that her hand might have been withered) handed one to
me, poor love-stricken youth.

It was the custom then, as now, in Pomerania, for all the
bride-maidens, crowned with beautiful wreaths, to precede the
bride and bridegroom to church. The crowd of lords, and ladies,
and young knights pouring out of the castle gates, in order to see
them, separated Sidonia from this group, and she was left alone
weeping. Now the whole population of the little town were running
from every street leading to the church; and it happened that a
courser [Footnote: A man who courses greyhounds.] of Otto Bork's
came right against Sidonia with such violence, that, with a blow
of his head, he knocked her down into the puddle (she was to lie
there really in after-life). Her little balsam-flask was of no use
here. She had to go back, dripping, to the castle, and appeared no
more at her sister's nuptials, but consoled herself, however, by
listening to the bellowing of the huntsman, whom they were beating
black and blue by her orders beneath her window.

I would willingly have returned with her, but was ashamed so to
do, and therefore followed the others to church. All the common
people that crowded the streets were allowed to enter. Then the
bridegroom and his party, of whom the Duke was chief, advanced up
to the right of the altar, and the bride and her party, of which
Fabianus Timæus was the most distinguished, arrayed themselves on
the left.

I had now an opportunity of hearing the learned and excellent
parson Dilavius myself; for he represented his patron (who was not
present at the feast, but apologised for his absence by alleging
that he must remain at the castle to look after the preparations)
almost as an angel, and the young ladies, especially the bride,
came in for even a larger share of his flattery; but he was so
modest before these illustrious personages, that I observed,
whenever he looked up from the book, he had one eye upon the Duke
and another on Fabianus.

When we returned to the castle, Sidonia met the bridemaidens again
with joyous smiles. She now wore a white silk robe, laced with
gold, and dancing-slippers with white silk hose. The diamonds
still remained on her head, neck, and arms. She looked beautiful
thus; and I could not withdraw my eyes from her. We all now
entered the bridechamber, as the custom is, and there stood an
immense bridal couch, with coverlet and draperies as white as
snow; and all the bridemaids and the guests threw their wreaths
upon it. Then the Prince, taking the bridegroom by the hand, led
him up to it, and repeated an old German rhyme concerning the
duties of the holy state upon which he had entered.

When his Highness ceased, Fabianus took the bride by the hand, who
blushed as red as a rose, and led her up in the same manner to the
nuptial couch, where he uttered a long admonition on her duties to
her husband, at which all wept, but particularly the
bride-maidens. After this we proceeded to the state hall, where
Otto was seated on his throne waiting to receive them, and when
his children had kissed his hand the dancing commenced. Otto
invited the Prince to sit near him, and all the young knights and
maidens who intended to dance ranged themselves on costly carpets
that were laid upon the floor all round by the walls. The trumpets
and violins now struck up, and a band was stationed at each end of
the hall, so that while the dancers were at the top one played,
and when at the lower end the other.

I hastened to Sidonia, as she reclined upon the carpet, and
bending low before her, said, "Beautiful maiden! will you not
dance?" [Footnote: It will interest my fair readers to know that
this was, word for word, the established form employed in those
days for an invitation to dance.] Upon which she smilingly gave me
her little hand, and I raised her up, and led her away.

I have said that I was a proficient in all knightly exercises, so
that every one approached to see us dance. When Sidonia was tired
I led her back, and threw myself beside her on the carpet. But in
a little while three other young nobles came and seated themselves
around her, and began to jest, and toy, and pay court to her. One
played with her left hand and her rings, another with the gold net
of her hair, while I held her right hand and pressed it. She
coquettishly repelled them all--sometimes with her feet, sometimes
with her hands. And when Hans von Damitz extolled her hair, she
gave him such a blow on the nose with her head that it began to
bleed, and he was obliged to withdraw. Still one could see that
all these blows, right and left, were not meant in earnest. This
continued for some time until an Italian dance began, which she
declined to join, and as I was left alone with her upon the
carpet, "Now," thought I, "there can be no better time to decide
my fate;" for she had pressed my hand frequently, both in the
dance and since I had lain reclining beside her.

"Beautiful Sidonia!" I said, "you know not how you have wounded my
heart. I can neither eat nor sleep since I beheld you, and those
five little kisses which you gave me burn through my frame like
arrows."

To which she answered, laughing, "It was your pastime, youth. It
was your own wish to take those little kisses."

"Ah, yes!" I said, "it was my will; but give me more now and make
me well."

"What!" she exclaimed, "you desire more kisses? Then will your
pain become greater, if, as you say, with every kiss an arrow
enters your heart, so at last they would cause your death."

"Ah, yes!" I answered, "unless you take pity on me, and promise to
become my wife, they will indeed cause my death." As I said this,
she sprang up, tore her hand away from me, and cried with mocking
laughter, "What does the knave mean? Ha! ha! the poor, miserable
varlet!"

I remained some moments stupefied with rage, then sprung to my
feet without another word, left the hall, took my steed from the
stable, and turned my back on the castle for ever. You may imagine
how her ingratitude added to the bitterness of my feelings, when I
considered that it was to me she owed her life. She afterwards
offered herself to me for a wife, but she was then dishonoured,
and I spat out at her in disgust. I never beheld her again till
she was carried past my door to the scaffold.

All this the old man related with many sighs; but his
after-meeting with her shall be related more _in extenso_ in
its proper place. I shall now set down what further he
communicated about the wedding-feast.

You may imagine, he said, that I was curious to know all that
happened after I left the castle, and my friend, Bogislaff von
Suckow of Pegelow, told me as follows.

After my departure, the young lords grew still more free and
daring in their manner to Sidonia, so that when not dancing she
had sufficient exercise in keeping them off with her hands and
feet, until my friend Bogislaff attracted her whole attention by
telling her that he had just returned from Wolgast, where the
ducal widow was much comforted by the presence of her son, Prince
Ernest Ludovick, whom she had not seen since he went to the
university. He was the handsomest youth in all Pomerania, and
played the lute so divinely that at court he was compared to the
god Apollo.

Sidonia upon this fell into deep thought. In the meanwhile, it was
evident that his Highness old Duke Barnim was greatly struck by
her beauty, and wished to get near her upon the carpet; for his
Grace was well known to be a great follower of the sex, and many
stories are whispered about a harem of young girls he kept at St.
Mary's--but these things are allowable in persons of his rank.

However, Fabianus Timæus, who sat by him, wished to prevent him
approaching Sidonia, and made signs, and nudged him with his
elbow; and finally they put their heads together and had a long
argument.

At last the Prince started up, and stepping to Otto, asked him,
Would he not dance? "Yes," he replied, "if your Grace will dance
likewise." "Good," said the Prince, "that can be soon arranged,"
and therewith he solicited Sidonia's hand. At this Fabianus was so
scandalised that he left the hall, and appeared no more until
supper. After the dance, his Highness advanced to Otto, who was
reseated on his throne, and said, "Why, Otto, you have a beautiful
daughter in Sidonia. She must come to my court, and when she
appears amongst the other ladies, I swear she will make a better
fortune than by staying shut up here in your old castle."

On which Otto replied, sarcastically smiling, "Ay, my gracious
Prince, she would be a dainty morsel for your Highness, no doubt;
but there is no lack of noble visitors at my castle, I am proud to
say." Jacob Kleist, the Chancellor, was now so humbled at the
Duke's behaviour that he, too, left the hall and followed
Fabianus. Even the Duke changed colour; but before he had time to
speak, Sidonia sprang forward, and having heard the whole
conversation, entreated her father to accept the Duke's offer, and
allow her either to visit the court at Wolgast or at Old Stettin.
What was she to do here? When the wedding-feast was over, no one
would come to the castle but huntsmen and such like.

So Otto at last consented that she might visit Wolgast, but on no
account the court at Stettin.

Then the young Sidonia began to coax and caress the old Duke,
stroking his long beard, which reached to his girdle, with her
little white hands, and prayed that he would place her with the
princely Lady of Wolgast, for she longed to go there. People said
that it was such a beautiful place, and the sea was not far off,
which she had never been at in all her life. And so the Duke was
pleased with her caresses, and promised that he would request his
dear cousin, the ducal widow of Wolgast, to receive her as one of
her maids of honour. Sidonia then further entreated that there
might be no delay, and he answered that he would send a note to
his cousin from the Diet at Treptow, by the Grand Chamberlain of
Wolgast, Ulrich von Schwerin, and that she would not have to wait
long. But she must go by Old Stettin, and stop at his palace for a
while, and then he would bring her on himself to Wolgast, if he
had time to spare.

While Sidonia clapped her hands and danced about for joy, Otto
looked grave, and said, "But, gracious Lord, the nearest way to
Wolgast is by Cammin. Sidonia must make a circuit if she goes by
Old Stettin."

The conversation was now interrupted by the lacqueys, who came to
announce that dinner was served.

Otto requested the Duke to take a place beside him at table, and
treated him with somewhat more distinction than he had done in the
morning; but a hot dispute soon arose, and this was the cause. As
Otto drank deep in the wine-cup, he grew more reckless and daring,
and began to display his heretical doctrines as openly as he had
hitherto exhibited his pomp and magnificence, so that every one
might learn that pride and ungodliness are twin brothers. May God
keep us from both!

And one of the guests having said, in confirmation of some fact,
"The Lord Jesus knows I speak the truth!" the godless knight
laughed scornfully, exclaiming, "The Lord Jesus knows as little
about the matter as my old grandfather, lying there in his vault,
of our wedding-feast to-day."

There was a dead silence instantly, and the Prince, who had just
lifted up some of the bear's paw to his lips, with mustard sauce
and pastry all round it, dropped it again upon his plate, and
opened his eyes as wide as they could go; then, hastily wiping his
mouth with the salvet, exclaimed in low German, "What the devil,
Otto! art thou a freethinker?" who replied, "A true nobleman may,
in all things, be a freethinker, and neither do all that a prince
commands nor believe all that a pope teaches." To which the Duke
answered, "What concerns me I pardon, for I do not believe that
you will ever forget your duty to your Prince. The times are gone
by when a noble would openly offer violence to his sovereign; but
for what concerns the honour of our Lord Christ, I must leave you
in the hands of Fabianus to receive proper chastisement."

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