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Sidonia The Sorceress V2

W >> William Mienhold >> Sidonia The Sorceress V2







CHAPTER XXVII.

_Of that which befell us by the way--Item, of the fearful death
of the sheriff at the mill._


We met with many wonders by the way, and with great sorrow; for
hard by the bridge, over the brook which runs into the Schmolle,
[Footnote: A lake near Pudgla.] stood the housekeeper her hateful
boy, who beat a drum and cried aloud, "Come to the roast goose!
come to the roast goose!" whereupon the crowd set up a loud laugh,
and called out after him, "Yes, indeed, to the roast goose! to the
roast goose!" Howbeit, when Master Krekow led the second verse the
folks became somewhat quieter again, and most of them joined in
singing it from their books, which they had brought with them. But
when he ceased singing awhile the noise began again as bad as
before. Some cried out, "The devil hath given her these clothes,
and hath adorned her after that fashion;" and seeing the sheriff
had ridden on before, they came close round the cart, and felt her
garments, more especially the women and young maidens. Others,
again, called loudly, as the young varlet had done, "Come to the
roast goose! come to the roast goose!" whereupon one fellow
answered, "She will not let herself be roasted yet; mind ye that:
she will quench the fire!" This, and much filthiness beside, which
I may not for very shame write down, we were forced to hear, and
it especially cut me to the heart to hear a fellow swear that he
would have some of her ashes, seeing he had not been able to get
any of the wand; and that naught was better for the fever and the
gout than the ashes of a witch. I motioned the _Custos_ to
begin singing again, whereupon the folks were once more quiet for
a while--_i.e._, for so long as the verse lasted; but
afterwards they rioted worse than before. But we were now come
among the meadows, and when my child saw the beauteous flowers
which grew along the sides of the ditches, she fell into deep
thought, and began again to recite aloud the sweet song of St.
Augustinus as follows:--

"Flos perpetuus rosarum ver agit perpetuum,
Candent lilia, rubescit crocus, sudat balsamum,
Virent prata, vernant sata, rivi mellis influunt,
Pigmentorum spirat odor liquor et aromatum,
Pendent porna noridorum non lapsura nemorum
Non alternat luna vices, sol vel cursus syderum
Agnus est foelicis urbis lumen inocciduum."

[Footnote:

"Around them, bright with endless Spring, perpetual roses bloom,
Warm balsams gratefully exude luxurious perfume;
Red crocuses, and lilies white, shine dazzling in the sun;
Green meadows yield them harvests green, and streams with honey
run;
Unbroken droop the laden boughs, with heavy fruitage bent,
Of incense and of odours strange the air is redolent:
And neither sun, nor moon, nor stars dispense their changeful
light,
But the Lamb's eternal glory makes the happy city bright!"]

By this _Casus_ we gained that all the folk ran cursing away
from the cart, and followed us at the distance of a good
musket-shot, thinking that my child was calling on Satan to help
her. Only one lad, of about five-and-twenty, whom, however, I did
not know, tarried a few paces behind the cart, until his father
came, and seeing he would not go away willingly, pushed him into
the ditch, so that he sank up to his loins in the water. Thereat
even my poor child smiled, and asked me whether I did not know any
more Latin hymns wherewith to keep the stupid and foul-mouthed
people still further from us. But, dear reader, how could I then
have been able to recite Latin hymns, even had I known any? But my
_Confrater_, the reverend Martinus, knew such an one; albeit,
it is indeed heretical; nevertheless, seeing that it above measure
pleased my child, and that she made him repeat to her sundry
verses thereof three and four times, until she could say them
after him, I said naught; otherwise I have ever been very severe
against aught that is heretical. Howbeit, I comforted myself
therewith that our Lord God would forgive her in consideration of
her ignorance. And the first line ran as follows:--_Dies iræ,
dies ilia._ [Footnote: Day of wrath, that dreadful day; one of
the most beautiful of the Catholic hymns.] But these two verses
pleased her more than all the rest, and she recited them many
times with great edification, wherefore I will insert them here:--

"Judex ergo cum sedebit
Quidquid latet apparebit
Nil inultum remanebit:
_Item_,
Rex tremendæ majestatis
Qui salvandos salvas gratis
Salva me, fons pietatis!"

[Footnote:
"The judge ascends his awful throne,
He makes each secret sin be known,
And all with shame confess their own.

Thou mighty formidable king!
Thou mercy's unexhausted spring,
Some comfortable pity bring."--_Old Version._]

When the men with the pitchforks, who were round about the cart,
heard this, and at the same time saw a heavy storm coming up from
the Achterwater, [Footnote: A wash formed by the river Peene.]
they straightway thought no other but that my child had made it;
and, moreover, the folk behind cried out, "The witch hath done
this; the damned witch hath done this!" and all the ten, save one
who stayed behind, jumped over the ditch, and ran away. But
_Dom. Consul_, who, together with the worshipful court, drove
behind us, no sooner saw this than he called to the constable,
"What is the meaning of all this?" Whereupon the constable cried
aloud to the sheriff, who was a little way on before us, but who
straightway turned him about, and when he had heard the cause,
called after the fellows that he would hang them all upon the
first tree, and feed his falcons with their flesh, if they did not
return forthwith. This threat had its effect; and when they came
back he gave each of them about half-a-dozen strokes with his
riding-whip, whereupon they tarried in their places, but as far
off from the cart as they could for the ditch.

Meanwhile, however, the storm came up from the southward, with
thunder, lightning, hail, and such a wind, as though the
all-righteous God would manifest His wrath against these ruthless
murderers; and the tops of the lofty beeches around us were beaten
together like besoms, so that our cart was covered with leaves as
with hail, and no one could hear his own voice for the noise. This
happened just as we were entering the forest from the convent dam,
and the sheriff now rode close behind us, beside the coach wherein
was _Dom. Consul_. Moreover, just as we were crossing the
bridge over the mill-race, we were seized by the blast, which
swept up a hollow from the Achterwater with such force that we
conceived it must drive our cart down the abyss, which was at
least forty feet deep or more; and seeing that, at the same time,
the horses did as though they were upon ice, and could not stand,
the driver halted to let the storm pass over, the which the
sheriff no sooner perceived, than he galloped up and bade him go
on forthwith. Whereupon the man flogged on the horses, but they
slipped about after so strange a fashion, that our guards with the
pitchforks fell back, and my child cried aloud for fear; and when
we were come to the place where the great waterwheel turned just
below us, the driver fell with his horse, which broke one of its
legs. Then the constable jumped down from the cart, but
straightway fell too, on the slippery ground; Item, the driver,
after getting on his legs again, fell a second time. Hereupon the
sheriff with a curse spurred on his grey charger, which likewise
began to slip as our horses had also done. Nevertheless, he came
sliding towards us, without, however, falling down; and when he
saw that the horse with the broken leg still tried to get up, but
always straightway fell again on the slippery ground, he hallooed
and beckoned the fellows with pitchforks to come and unharness the
mare; _item_, to push the cart over the bridge, lest it
should be carried down the precipice. Presently a long flash of
lightning shot into the water below us, followed by a clap of
thunder so sudden and so awful that the whole bridge shook, and
the sheriff his horse (our horses stood quite still) started back
a few paces, lost its footing, and, together with its rider, shot
headlong down upon the great mill-wheel below, whereupon a fearful
cry arose from all those that stood behind us on the bridge. For a
while naught could be seen for the white foam, until the sheriff
his legs and body were borne up into the air by the wheel, his
head being stuck fast between the fellies; and thus, fearful to
behold, he went round and round upon the wheel. Naught ailed the
grey charger, which swam about in the mill-pond below. When I saw
this, I seized the hand of my innocent lamb, and cried, "Behold,
Mary, our Lord God yet liveth! 'And he rode upon a cherub, and did
fly; yea, he did fly upon the wings of the wind. Then did he beat
them small as the dust before the wind; he did cast them out as
the dirt in the streets.' [Footnote: Ps. xviii. 10, 42.] Look
down, and see what the Almighty God hath done." While she hereupon
raised her eyes toward heaven with a sigh, we heard _Dom.
Consul_ calling out behind us as loudly as he could: and,
seeing that none could understand his words for the fearful storm
and the tumult of the waters, he jumped down from the coach, and
would have crossed the bridge on foot, but straightway he fell
upon his nose, so that it bled, and he crept back again on his
hands and feet, and held a long talk with _Dom. Camerarius_,
who, howbeit, did not stir out of the coach. Meanwhile, the driver
and the constable had unyoked the maimed horse, bound it, and
dragged it off the bridge, and now they came back to the cart, and
bade us get down therefrom, and cross the bridge on foot, the
which we did after that the constable had unbound my child, with
many curses and ill words, threatening that, in return for her
malice, he would keep her roasting till late in the evening. (I
could not blame him much therefore; for truly this was a strange
thing!) But, albeit, my child herself got safe across; we two--I
mean reverend Martinus and myself--like all the others, fell two
or three times to the ground. At length we all, by God His grace,
got safe and sound to the miller's house, where the constable
delivered my child into the miller his hands, to guard her on
forfeit of his life, while he ran down to the mill-pond to save
the sheriff his grey charger. The driver was bidden the while to
get the cart and the other horses off the bewitched bridge. We
had, however, stood but a short time with the miller, under the
great oak before his door, when _Dom. Consul_ with the
worshipful court, and all the folks, came over the little bridge,
which is but a couple of musket shots off from the first one, and
he could scarce prevent the crowd from falling upon my child and
tearing her in pieces, seeing that they all, as well as _Dom.
Consul_ himself, imagined that none other but she had brewed
the storm, and bewitched the bridge (especially as she herself had
not fallen thereon), and had likewise caused the sheriff his
death; all of which, nevertheless, were foul lies, as ye shall
hereafter hear. He, therefore, railed at her for a cursed
she-devil, who, even after having confessed and received the holy
Sacrament, had not yet renounced Satan; but that naught should
save her, and she should, nevertheless, receive her reward. And,
seeing that she kept silence, I hereupon answered, "Did he not see
that the all-righteous God had so ordered it, that the sheriff,
who would have robbed my innocent child of her honour and her
life, had here forfeited his own life as a fearful example to
others?" But _Dom. Consul_ would not see this, and said that
a child might perceive that our Lord God had not made this storm,
or did I peradventure believe that our Lord God had likewise
bewitched the bridge? I had better cease to justify my wicked
child, and rather begin to exhort her to repent, seeing that this
was the second time that she had brewed a storm, and that no man
with a grain of sense could believe what I said, &c.

Meanwhile the miller had already stopped the mill, _item,_
turned off the water, and some four or five fellows had gone with
the constable down to the great water-wheel, to take the sheriff
out of the fellies, wherein he had till _datum_ still been
carried round and round. This they could not do until they had
first sawn out one of the fellies; and when at last they brought
him to the bank, his neck was found to be broken, and he was as
blue as a corn-flower. Moreover, his throat was frightfully torn,
and the blood ran out of his nose and mouth. If the people had not
reviled my child before, they reviled her doubly now, and would
have thrown dirt and stones at her, had not the worshipful court
interfered with might and main, saying that she would presently
receive her well-deserved punishment.

Also, my dear gossip, the reverend Martinus, climbed up into the
cart again, and admonished the people not to forestall the law;
and seeing that the storm had somewhat abated, he could now be
heard. And when they had become somewhat more quiet, _Dom.
Consul_ left the corpse of the sheriff in charge with the
miller, until such time as, by God's help, he should return.
_Item,_ he caused the grey charger to be tied up to the
oak-tree till the same time, seeing that the miller swore that he
had no room in the mill, inasmuch as his stable was filled with
straw; but that he would give the grey horse some hay, and keep
good watch over him. And now were we wretched creatures forced to
get into the cart again, after that the unsearchable will of God
had once more dashed all our hopes. The constable gnashed his
teeth with rage, while he took the cords out of his pocket to bind
my poor child to the rail withal. As I saw right well what he was
about to do, I pulled a few groats out of my pocket, and whispered
into his ear, "Be merciful, for she cannot possibly run away, and
do you hereafter help her to die quickly, and you shall get ten
groats more from me!" This worked well, and albeit he pretended
before the people to pull the ropes tight, seeing they all cried
out with might and main, "Haul hard, haul hard," in truth, he
bound her hands more gently than before, and even without making
her fast to the rail; but he sat up behind us again with the naked
sword, and after that _Dom. Consul_ had prayed aloud, "God
the Father, dwell with us," likewise the _Custos_ had led
another hymn (I know not what he sang, neither does my child), we
went on our way, according to the unfathomable will of God, after
this fashion: the worshipful court went before, whereas all the
folks to our great joy fell back, and the fellows with the
pitchforks lingered a good way behind us, now that the sheriff was
dead.




CHAPTER XXVIII.

_How my daughter was at length saved by the help of the
all-merciful, yea, of the all-merciful God._


Meanwhile, by reason of my unbelief, wherewith Satan again tempted
me, I had become so weak that I was forced to lean my back against
the constable his knees, and expected not to live even till we
should come to the mountain; for the last hope I had cherished was
now gone, and I saw that my innocent lamb was in the same plight.
Moreover, the reverend Martinus began to upbraid her, saying that
he, too, now saw that all her oaths were lies, and that she really
could brew storms. Hereupon she answered, with a smile, although,
indeed, she was as white as a sheet, "Alas, reverend godfather, do
you then really believe that the weather and the storms no longer
obey our Lord God? Are storms, then, so rare at this season of the
year, that none save the foul fiend can cause them? Nay, I have
never broken the baptismal vow you once made in my name, nor will
I ever break it, as I hope that God will be merciful to me in my
last hour, which is now at hand." But the reverend Martinus shook
his head doubtingly, and said, "The evil one must have promised
thee much, seeing thou remainest so stubborn even unto thy life's
end, and blasphemest the Lord thy God; but wait, and thou wilt
soon learn with horror that the devil 'is a liar, and the father
of it'" (St. John viii.). Whilst he yet spake this, and more of a
like kind, we came to Uekeritze, where all the people, both great
and small, rushed out of their doors, also Jacob Schwarten his
wife, who, as we afterwards heard, had only been brought to bed
the night before, and her goodman came running after her to fetch
her back, in vain. She told him he was a fool, and had been one
for many a weary day, and that if she had to crawl up the mountain
on her bare knees, she would go to see the parson's witch burnt;
that she had reckoned upon it for so long, and if he did not let
her go, she would give him a thump on the chaps, &c.

Thus did the coarse and foul-mouthed people riot around the cart
wherein we sat, and as they knew not what had befallen, they ran
so near us that the wheel went over the foot of a boy.
Nevertheless they all crowded up again, more especially the
lasses, and felt my daughter her clothes, and would even see her
shoes and stockings, and asked her how she felt. _Item_, one
fellow asked whether she would drink somewhat, with many more
fooleries besides, till at last, when several came and asked her
for her garland and her golden chain, she turned towards me and
smiled, saying, "Father, I must begin to speak some Latin again,
otherwise the folks will leave me no peace." But it was not wanted
this time; for our guards, with the pitchforks, had now reached
the hindmost, and, doubtless, told them what had happened, as we
presently heard a great shouting behind us, for the love of God to
turn back before the witch did them a mischief; and as Jacob
Schwarten his wife heeded it not, but still plagued my child to
give her her apron to make a christening coat for her baby, for
that it was pity to let it be burnt, her goodman gave her such a
thump on her back with a knotted stick which he had pulled out of
the hedge, that she fell down with loud shrieks; and when he went
to help her up she pulled him down by his hair, and, as reverend
Martinus said, now executed what she had threatened; inasmuch as
she struck him on the nose with her fist with might and main,
until the other people came running up to them, and held her back.
Meanwhile, however, the storm had almost passed over, and sank
down toward the sea.

And when we had gone through the little wood, we suddenly saw the
Streckelberg before us, covered with people, and the pile and
stake upon the top, upon the which the tall constable jumped up
when he saw us coming, and beckoned with his cap with all his
might. Thereat my senses left me, and my sweet lamb was not much
better; for she bent to and fro like a reed, and stretching her
bound hands toward heaven, she once more cried out--

"Rex tremendæ majestatis!
Qui salvandos salvas gratis,
Salva me, fons pietatis!" [Footnote: Vide p. 395.]

And, behold, scarce had she spoken these words, when the sun came
out and formed a rainbow right over the mountain most pleasant to
behold; and it is clear that this was a sign from the merciful
God, such as He often gives us, but which we blind and unbelieving
men do not rightly mark. Neither did my child heed it; for albeit
she thought upon that first rainbow which shadowed forth our
troubles, yet it seemed to her impossible that she could now be
saved, wherefore she grew so faint, that she no longer heeded the
blessed sign of mercy, and her head fell forwards (for she could
no longer lean it upon me, seeing that I lay my length at the
bottom of the cart), till her garland almost touched my worthy
gossip his knees. Thereupon, he bade the driver stop for a moment
and pulled out a small flask filled with wine, which he always
carries in his pocket when witches are to be burnt, [Footnote:
Which so often happened at that time, that in many parishes of
Pomerania six or seven of these unhappy women were brought to the
stake every year.] in order to comfort them therewith in their
terror. (Henceforth, I myself will ever do the like, for this
fashion of my dear gossip pleases me well.) He first poured some
of this wine down my throat, and afterwards down my child's; and
we had scarce come to ourselves again, when a fearful noise and
tumult arose among the people behind us, and they not only cried
out in deadly fear, "The sheriff is come back! the sheriff is come
again!" but as they could neither run away forwards nor backwards
(being afraid of the ghost behind and of my child before them),
they ran on either side, some rushing into the coppice, and others
wading into the Achterwater up to their necks. _Item_, as
soon as _Dom. Camerarius_ saw the ghost come out of the
coppice with a grey hat and a grey feather, such as the sheriff
wore, riding on the grey charger, he crept under a bundle of straw
in the cart: and _Dom. Consul_ cursed my child again, and
bade the coachmen drive on as madly as they could, even should all
the horses die of it, when the impudent constable behind us called
to him, "It is not the sheriff, but the young lord of Nienkerken,
who will surely seek to save the witch: shall I, then, cut her
throat with my sword?" At these fearful words my child and I came
to ourselves again, and the fellow had already lift up his naked
sword to smite her, seeing _Dom. Consul_ had made him a sign
with his hand, when my dear gossip, who saw it, pulled my child
with all his strength back into his lap. (May God reward him on
the day of judgment, for I never can.) The villain would have
stabbed her as she lay in his lap; but the young lord was already
there, and seeing what he was about to do, thrust the boar-spear,
which he held in his hand, in between the constable's shoulders,
so that he fell headlong on the earth, and his own sword, by the
guidance of the most righteous God, went into his ribs on one
side, and out again at the other. He lay there and bellowed, but
the young lord heeded him not, but said to my child, "Sweet maid,
God be praised that you are safe!" When, however, he saw her bound
hands, he gnashed his teeth, and, cursing her judges, he jumped
off his horse, and cut the rope with his sword, which he held in
his right hand, took her hand in his, and said, "Alas, sweet maid,
how have I sorrowed for you! but I could not save you, as I myself
also lay in chains, which you may see from my looks."

But my child could answer him never a word, and fell into a swound
again for joy; howbeit, she soon came to herself again, seeing my
dear gossip still had a little wine by him. Meanwhile the dear
young lord did me some injustice, which, however, I freely forgive
him; for he railed at me and called me an old woman, who could do
naught save weep and wail. Why had I not journeyed after the
Swedish king, or why had I not gone to Mellenthin myself to fetch
his testimony, as I knew right well what he thought about
witchcraft? (But, blessed God, how could I do otherwise than
believe the judge, who had been there? Others besides old women
would have done the same; and I never once thought of the Swedish
king; and say, dear reader, how could I have journeyed after him,
and left my own child? But young folks do not think of these
things, seeing they know not what a father feels.)

Meanwhile, however, _Dom. Camerarius_, having heard that it
was the young lord, had again crept out from beneath the straw;
_Item, Dom. Consul_ had jumped down from the coach and ran
towards us, railing at him loudly, and asking him by what power
and authority he acted thus, seeing that he himself had heretofore
denounced the ungodly witch? But the young lord pointed with his
sword to his people, who now came riding out of the coppice, about
eighteen strong, armed with sabres, pikes, and muskets, and said,
"There is my authority, and I would let you feel it on your back
if I did not know that you were but a stupid ass. When did you
hear any testimony from me against this virtuous maiden? You lie
in your throat if you say you did." And as _Dom. Consul_
stood and straightway forswore himself, the young lord, to the
astonishment of all, related as follows:--That as soon as he heard
of the misfortune which had befallen me and my child, he ordered
his horse to be saddled forthwith, in order to ride to Pudgla to
bear witness to our innocence: this, however, his old father would
nowise suffer, thinking that his nobility would receive a stain if
it came to be known that his son had conversed with a reputed
witch by night on the Streckelberg. He had caused him therefore,
as prayers and threats were of no avail, to be bound hand and
foot, and confined in the donjon-keep, where till _datum_ an
old servant had watched him, who refused to let him escape,
notwithstanding he offered him any sum of money; whereupon he fell
into the greatest anguish and despair at the thought that innocent
blood would be shed on his account; but that the all-righteous God
had graciously spared him this sorrow; for his father had fallen
sick from vexation, and lay a-bed all this time, and it so
happened that this very morning about prayer time, the huntsman,
in shooting at a wild duck in the moat, had by chance sorely
wounded his father's favourite dog, called Packan, which had crept
howling to his father's bedside, and had died there; whereupon the
old man, who was weak, was so angered that he was presently seized
with a fit and gave up the ghost too. Hereupon his people released
him, and after he had closed his father's eyes and prayed an "Our
Father" over him, he straightway set out with all the people he
could find in the castle, in order to save the innocent maiden.
For he testified here himself before all, on the word and honour
of a knight, nay, more, by his hopes of salvation, that he himself
was that devil which had appeared to the maiden on the mountain in
the shape of a hairy giant; for having heard by common report that
she ofttimes went thither, he greatly desired to know what she did
there, and that from fear of his hard father he disguised himself
in a wolf's skin, so that none might know him, and he had already
spent two nights there, when on the third the maiden came, and he
then saw her dig for amber on the mountain, and that she did not
call upon Satan, but recited a Latin _carmen_ aloud to
herself. This he would have testified at Pudgla, but, from the
cause aforesaid, he had not been able: moreover, his father had
laid his cousin, Glaus von Nienkerken, who was there on a visit,
in his bed and made him bear false witness; for as _Dom.
Consul_ had not seen him (I mean the young lord) for many a
long year, seeing he had studied in foreign parts, his father
thought that he might easily be deceived, which accordingly
happened.

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