SIDONIA THE SORCERESS MARY SCHWEIDLER THE AMBER WITCH SIDONIATHE SORCERESS THE SUPPOSED DESTROYER OF THE WHOLE REIGNING DUCAL HOUSE OF POMERANIA TRANSLATED BY LADY WILDE MARY SCHWEIDLER THE AMBER WITCH WILLIAM MEINHOLD // DOCTOR OF THEOLOGY IN TWO VOLUMES VOL. I. LONDON REEVES AND TURNER WELLINGTON STREET, STRAND 1894 [All Rights reserved] oC N/' / DEDICATION OF THE GERMAN EDITION. TO THE ILLUSTRIOUS LADY LUCY DUFF GORDON, THE YOUNG AND GIFTED TRANSLATOR OF >"THE AMBER WITCH," THIS WORK IS RESPECTFULLY INSCRIBED. PREFACE A MONGST all the trials for witchcraft with which we /~\ are acquainted, few have attained so great a celebrity as that of the Lady Canoness of Pomerania, Sidonia von Bork. She was accused of having by her sorceries caused sterility in many families, particularly in that of the ancient reigning house of Pomerania, and also of having destroyed the noblest scions of that house by an early and premature death. Notwithstanding the intercessions and entreaties of the Prince of Brandenburg and Saxony, and of the resident Pomeranian nobility, she was publicly executed for these crimes on the 1 9th of August 1620, on the public scaffold, at Stettin ; the only favour granted being, that she was allowed to be beheaded first and then burned. This terrible example caused such a panic of horror, that contemporary authors scarcely dare to mention her name, and, even then, merely by giving the initials. This forbearance arose partly from respect towards the ancient family of the Von Borks, who then, as now, were amongst the most illus- trious and wealthy in the land, and also from the fear of offending the reigning ducal family, as the Sorceress, in her youth, had stood in a very near and tender relation to the young Duke Ernest Louis von Pommern-Wolgast. These reasons will be sufficiently comprehensible to all who are familiar with the disgust and aversion in which the paramours of the evil one were held in that age, so that even upon the rack these subjects were scarcely touched upon. viii PREFACE The first public, judicial, yet disconnected account of Si- donia' s trial, we find in the Pomeranian Library of Dahnert, fourth volume, article 7, July number of the year 1755. Dahnert here acknowledges, page 241, that the numbers from 302 to 1080, containing the depositions of the witnesses, were not forthcoming up to his time, but that a priest in Pansin, near Stargard, by name Justus Sagebaum, pretended to have them in his hands, and accordingly, in the fifth volume of the above-named journal (article 4, of April 1756), some very important extracts appear from them. The records, however, again disappeared for nearly a century, until Barthold announced, some short time since,* that he had at length discovered them in the Berlin Library ; but he does not say which, for, according to Schwalen- berg, who quotes Dahnert, there existed two or three dif- ferent copies, namely, the Protocol/urn Jodoci Neumarks, the so-called Acta Lothmanni, and that of Adami Moesters, contradicting each other in the most important matters. Whether I have drawn the history of my Sidonia from one or other of the above-named sources, or from some entirely new, or, finally, from that alone which is longest known, I shall leave undecided. Every one who has heard of the animadversions which " The Amber Witch " excited, many asserting that it was only dressed-up history, though I repeatedly assured them it was simple fiction, will pardon me if I do not here distinctly declare whether Sidonia be history or fiction. The truth of the material, as well as of the formal contents, can be tested by any one by referring to the authorities I have named ; and in connection with these, I must just remark, that in order to spare the reader any difficulties which might pre- sent themselves to eye and ear, in consequence of the old- fashioned mode of writing, I have modernised the orthography, and amended the grammar and structure of the phrases. And * " History of Rugen and Pomerania," vol. iv. p. 486. PREFACE . ix lastly, I trust that all just thinkers of every party will pardon me for having here and there introduced my supernatural views of Christianity. A man's principles, as put forward in his philosophical writings, are in general only read by his own party, and not by that of his adversaries. A Rationalist will fly from a book by a Super naturalist as rapidly as this latter from one by a Friend of Light. But by introducing my views in the manner I have adopted, in place of publishing them in a distinct volume, I trust that all parties will be induced to peruse them, and that many will find, not only what is worthy their particular attention, but matter for deep and serious re- flection. I must now give an account of those portraits of Sidonia which are extant. As far as I know, three of these (besides innumerable sketches) exist, one in Stettin, the other in the lower Pome- ranian town Plathe, and a third at Stargord, near Regenwalde, in the castle of the Count von Bork. I am acquainted only with the last-named picture, and agree with many in thinking that it is the only original. Sidonia is here represented in the prime of mature beauty a gold net is drawn over her almost golden yellow hair, and her neck, arms, and hands are profusely covered with jewels. Her bodice of bright purple is trimmed with costly fur, and the robe is of azure velvet. In her hand she carries a sort of pompadour of brown leather, of the most elegant form and finish. Her eyes and mouth are not pleasing, not- withstanding their great beauty in the mouth, particularly, one can discover an expression of cold malignity. The painting is beautifully executed, and is evidently of the school of Louis Kranach. Immediately behind this form there is another looking over the shoulder of Sidonia, like a terrible spectre (a highly poetical idea), for this spectre is Sidonia herself painted as a Sorceress. It must have been added, after a lapse of many x PREFACE years, to the youthful portrait, which belongs, as I have said, to the school of Kranach, whereas the second figure portrays unmistakably the school of Rubens. It is a fearfully char- acteristic painting, and no imagination could conceive a con- trast more shudderingly awful. The Sorceress is arrayed in her death garments white with black stripes ; and round her thin white locks is bound a narrow band of black velvet spotted with gold. In her hand is a kind of a work-basket, but of the simplest workmanship and form. Of the other portraits I cannot speak from my own personal inspection ; but to judge by the drawings taken from them to which I have had access, they appear to differ completely, not only in costume, but in the character of the countenance, from the one I have described, which there is no doubt must be the original, not only because it bears all the characteristics of that school of painting which approached nearest to the age in which Sidonia lived namely, from 1540 to 1620 but also by the fact that a sheet of paper bearing an inscription was found behind the painting, betraying evident marks of age in its blackened colour, the form of the letters, and the expres- sions employed. The inscription is as follows : " This Sidonia von Bork was in her youth the most beau- tiful and the richest of the maidens of Pomerania. She in- herited many estates from her parents, and thus was in her own right a possessor almost of a county. So her pride increased, and many noble gentlemen who sought her in marriage were rejected with disdain, as she considered that a count or prince alone could be worthy of her hand. For these reasons she attended the Duke's court frequently, in the hopes of winning over one of the seven young princes to her love. At length she was successful ; Duke Ernest Louis von Wolgast, aged about twenty, and the handsomest youth in Pomerania, became her lover, and even promised her his hand in marriage. This promise he would faithfully have kept if the Stettin princes, who were displeased at the pros- PREFACE xi pect of this unequal alliance, had not induced him to abandon Sidonia, by means of the portrait of the Princess Hedwig of Brunswick, the most beautiful princess in all Germany. Sidonia thereupon fell into such despair, that she resolved to renounce marriage for ever, and bury the remainder of her life in the convent of Marienfliess, and thus she did. But the wrong done to her by the Stettin princes lay heavy upon her heart, and the desire for revenge increased with years ; besides, in place of reading the Bible, her private hours were passed studying the Amad'is^ wherein she found many examples of how forsaken maidens have avenged themselves upon their false lovers by means of magic. So she at last yielded to the temptations of Satan, and after some years learned the secrets of witchcraft from an old woman. By means of this unholy knowledge, along with several other evil deeds, she so bewitched the whole princely race that the six young princes, who were each wedded to a young wife, remained childless ; but no public notice was taken until Duke Francis succeeded to the duchy in 1618. He was a ruthless enemy to witches ; all in the land were sought out with great diligence and burned, and as they unanimously named the Abbess of Marienfliess* upon the rack, she was brought to Stettin by command of the Duke, where she freely confessed all the evil wrought by her sorceries upon the princely race. " The Duke promised her life and pardon if she would free the other princes from the ban ; but her answer was that she had enclosed the spell in a padlock, and flung it into the sea, and having asked the devil if he could restore the padlock again to her, he replied, * No ; that was forbidden to him ; ' by which every one can perceive that the destiny of God was in the matter. " And so it was that, notwithstanding the intercession of * Sidonia never attained this dignity, though Micraelius and others gave her the title. xii PREFACE all the neighbouring courts, Sidonia was brought to the scaf- fold at Stettin, there beheaded, and afterwards burned. " Before her death the Prince ordered her portrait to be painted, in her old age and prison garb, behind that which represented her in the prime of youth. After his death, BogislafT XIV., the last Duke, gave this picture to my grandmother, whose husband had also been killed by the Sorceress. My father received it from her, and I from him, along with the story which is here written down.* " HENRY GUSTAVUS SCHWALENBERG." * The style of this " Inscription" proves it to have been written in the beginning of the preceding century, but it is first noticed by Dah- nert. I have had his version compared with the original in Stargord through the kindness of a friend, who assures me that the transcription is perfectly correct, and yet can he be mistaken? for Horst (Magic Library, vol. ii. p. 246), gives the conclusion thus: "From whom my father received it, and I from him, along with the story precisely as given here by H. G. Schwalenberg. " By this reading, which must have escaped my friend, a different sense is given to the passage ; by the last reading it would appear that the " I " was a Bork, who had taken the tale from Schwalenberg's history of the Pomeranian Dukes, a work which exists only in manuscript, and to which I have had no access ; but if we admit the first reading, then the writer must be a Schwa- lenberg. Even the "grandmother" will not clear up the matter, for Sidonia, when put to the torture, confessed, at the seventh question, that she had caused the death of Doctor Schwalenberg (he was counsellor in Stettin then), and at the eleventh question, that her brother's son, Otto Bork, had died also by her means. Who then is this " I " ? Even Sidonia's picture, we see, utters mysteries. In my opinion the writer was Schwalenberg, and Horst seems to have taken his version from Paulis's " General History of Pomerania," vol. iv. p. 396, and not from the original of Dahnert. For the picture at that early period was not in the possession of a Bork, but belonged to the Count von Mellin in Schillersdorf, as passages from many authors can testify. This is confirmed by another paper found along with that containing the tradition, but of much more modern appearance, which states that the picture was removed by successive PREFACE xiii inheritors, first from Schillersdorf to Stargord, from thence to Heinrichs- berg (there are three towns in Pomerania of this name), and finally from Heinrichsberg, in the year 1834, was a second time removed to Stargord by the last inheritor. This Schillersdorf lies between Gartz and Stettin on the Oder. WILLIAM MEINHOLD. LETTER OF DR. THEODORE PLONNIES To BOGISLAFF THE FOURTEENTH, THE LAST DUKE OF POMERANIA. MOST EMINENT PRINCE AND GRACIOUS LORD, Serene Prince, your Highness gave me a commission in past years to travel through all Pomerania, and if I met with any per- sons who could give me certain "information" respecting the notorious and accursed witch Sidonia von Bork, to set down carefully all they stated, and bring it afterwards into connexum for your Highness. It is well known that Duke Francis, of blessed memory, never would permit the accursed deeds of this woman to be made public, or her confession upon the rack, fearing to bring scandal upon the princely house. But your Serene Highness viewed the subject differ- ently, and said that it was good for every one, but especially princes, to look into the clear mirror of history, and behold there the faults and follies of their race. For this reason may no truth be omitted here. To such princely commands I have proved myself obedient, collecting all information, whether good or evil, and con- cealing nothing. But the greater number who related these things to me could scarcely speak for tears, for wherever I travelled throughout Pomerania, as the faithful servant of your Highness, nothing was heard but lamentations from old and young, rich and poor, that this execrable Sorceress, out of satanic wickedness, had destroyed this illustrious race, who xvi LETTER TO BOGISLAFF XIV. had held their lands from no emperor, in feudal tenure, like other German princes, but in their own right, as absolute lords, since five hundred years, and though for twenty years it seemed to rest upon five goodly princes, yet by permission of the incomprehensible God, it has now melted away until your Highness stands the last of his race, and no prospect is before us that it will ever be restored, but with your High- ness ( God have mercy upon us ! ) will be utterly extinguished, and for ever. " Woe to us, how have we sinned ! " (Lament, v. 16).* I pray therefore the all-merciful God, that He will re- move me before your Highness from this vale of tears, that I may not behold the last hour of your Highness or of my poor fatherland. Rather than witness these things, I would a thousand times sooner lie quiet in my grave. * Marginal note of Duke Bogislaff XIV. "In tuas manus com- mendo spiritum meum, quia tu me redemisti fide deus." CONTENTS SID ONI A THE SORCERESS. BOOK I. FROM THE RECEPTION OF SI DON I A AT THE DUCAL COURT OF WOLGAST UNTIL HER BANISHMENT THEREFROM. CHAPTER I. PAGE Of the education of Sidonia 3 CHAPTER II. Of the bear-hunt at Stramehl, and the strange things that befell there . . 10 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 17 CHAPTER IV. How Sidonia came to the court at Wolgast, and of what further happened to her there 34 VOL. I. b xviii CONTENTS CHAPTER V. PAGE Sidonia knows nothing of God's Word, but seeks to learn it from the young Prince of Wolgast ...... 40 CHAPTER VI. How the young Prince prepared a petition to his mother, the Duchess, in favour of Sidonia Item, of the strange doings of the Laplander with his magic drum 48 CHAPTER VII. How Ulrich von Schwerin buries his spouse, and Doctor Ger- schovius comforts him out of God's Word .... 54 CHAPTER VIII. How Sidonia rides upon the pet stag, and what evil consequences result therefrom ...... 62 CHAPTER IX. How Sidonia makes the young Prince break his word Item, how Clara von Dewitz in vain tries to turn her from her evil ways 69 CHAPTER X. How Sidonia wished to learn the mystery of love-potions, but is hindered by Clara and the young Prince .... 78 CHAPTER XL How Sidonia repeated the catechism of Dr. Gerschovius, and how she whipped the young Casimir, out of pure evil-mindedness . 86 CONTENTS xix CHAPTER XII. PAGE Of Appelmann's knavery Item, how the birthday of her High- ness was celebrated, and Sidonia managed to get to the dance, with the uproar caused thereby 93 CHAPTER XIII. How Sidonia is sent away to Stettin Item, of the young lord's dangerous illness, and what happened in consequence . . 106 CHAPTER XIV. How Duke Barnim of Stettin and Otto Bork accompany Sidonia back to Wolgast ......... 120 CHAPTER XV. Of the grand battue, and what the young Duke and Sidonia resolved on there ......... 127 CHAPTER XVI. How the ghost continued to haunt the castle, and of its daring behaviour Item, how the young lord regained his strength, and was able to visit Crummyn, with what happened to him there 139 CHAPTER XVII. Of Ulrich's counsels Item, how Clara von Dewitz came upon the track of the ghost 151 CHAPTER XVIII. How the horrible wickedness of Sidonia was made apparent ; and how in consequence thereof she was banished with ignominy from the ducal court of Wolgast 159 xx CONTENTS BOOK II. FROM THE BANISHMENT OF SIDONIA FROM THE DUCAL COURT OF WOLGAST UP TO HER RECEPTION IN THE CONVENT OF MARIENFLIESS. CHAPTER I. PAGE Of the quarrel between Otto Bork and the Stargardians, which caused him to demand the dues upon the Jena . . . 175 CHAPTER II. How Otto von Bork demands the Jena dues from the Star- gardians, and how the burgomaster Jacob Appelmann takes him prisoner, and locks him up in the Red Sea . . . 185 CHAPTER III. Of Otto Bork's dreadful suicide Item, how Sidonia and Johann Appelmann were brought before the burgomaster . . .197 CHAPTER IV. How Sidonia meets Claude Uckermann again, and solicits him to wed her Item, what he answered, and how my gracious Lord of Stettin received her 204 CHAPTER V. How they went on meantime at Wolgast Item, of the Diet at Wollin, and what happened there CONTENTS xxi CHAPTER VI. PAGE How Sidonia is again discovered with the groom, Johann Appel- mann ........... 219 CHAPTER VII. Of the distress in Pomeranian land Item, how Sidonia and Johann Appelmann determine to join the robbers in the vicinity of Stargard ........ 225 CHAPTER VIII. How Johann and Sidonia meet an adventure at Alten Damm Item, of their reception by the robber-band . . . .231 CHAPTER IX. How his Highness, Duke Barnim the elder, went a-hawking at Marienfliess Item, of the shameful robbery at Zachan, and how burgomaster Appelmann remonstrates with his abandoned son ......... 238 CHAPTER X. How the robbers attack Prince Ernest and his bride in the Ucker- mann forest, and Marcus Bork and Dinnies Kleist come to their rescue 247 CHAPTER XI. Of the ambassadors in the tavern of Mutzelburg Item, how the miller, Konnemann, is discovered, and made by Dinnies Kleist to act as guide to the robber cave, where they find all the Women-folk lying apparently dead, through some devil's magic of the gipsy mother 255 xxii CONTENTS CHAPTER XII. PAGE How the peasants in Marienfliess want to burn a witch, but are hindered by Johann Appelmann and Sidonia, who discover an old acquaintance in the witch, the girl Wolde Albrechts . 259 CHAPTER XIII. Of the adventure with the boundary lads, and how one of them promises to admit Johann Appelmann into the castle of Daber that same night Item, of what befell amongst the guests at the castle 269 CHAPTER XIV. How the knave Appelmann seizes his Serene Eminence Duke Johann by the throat, and how his Grace and the whole castle are saved by Marcus Bork and his young bride Clara ; also, how Sidonia at last is taken prisoner .... 279 CHAPTER XV. How Sidonia demeans herself at the castle of Saatzig, and how Clara forgets the injunctions of her beloved husband, when he leaves her to attend the Diet at Wollin, on the subject of the courts Item, how the Serene Prince Duke Johann Frederick beheads his court fool with a sausage . . . 289 CHAPTER XVI. How Sidonia makes poor Clara appear quite dead, and of the great mourning at Saatzig over her burial, while Sidonia dances on her coffin and sings the logih psalm Item, of the sermon, and the anathema pronounced upon a wicked sinner from the altar of the church 299 CHAPTER XVII. How Sidonia is chased by the wolves to Rehewinkel, and finds Johann Appelmann again in the inn, with whom she goes away a second time by night 308 CONTENTS xxiii CHAPTER XVIII. PAGE How a new leaf is turned over at Bruchhausen in a very fearful manner Old Appelmann takes his worthless son prisoner, and admonishes him to repentance Of Johann's wonderful conversion, and execution next morning in the churchyard, Sidonia being present thereby 316 CHAPTER XIX. Of Sidonia' s disappearance for thirty years Item, how the young Princess Elizabeth Magdelene was possessed by a devil, and of the sudden death of her father, Ernest Ludovicus of Pomerania 328 CHAPTER XX. How Sidonia demeans herself at the Convent of Marienfliess Item, how their Princely and Electoral Graces of Pomerania, Brandenburg, and Mecklenburg, went on sleighs to Wolgast, and of the divers pastimes of the journey .... 339 CHAPTER XXL How Sidonia meets their Graces upon the ice Item, how Dinnies Kleist beheads himself, and my gracious lord of Wolgast perishes miserably ......... 346 CHAPTER XXII. How Barnim the Tenth succeeds to the government, and how Sidonia meets him as she is gathering bilberries Item, of the unnatural witch-storm at his Grace's funeral, and how Duke Casimir refuses, in consequence, to succeed him . . 353 CHAPTER XXIII. Duke Bogislaff XIII. accepts the government of the duchy, and gives Sidonia at last the long-desired prcsbenda Item, of her arrival at the convent of Marienfliess 359 SIDONIA THE SORCERESS CHAPTER I. Of the education of Sidonia. THE illustrious and high-born prince and lord, BogislafF, fourteenth Duke of Pomerania, Prince of Cassuben, Wenden, and Rugen, Count of Giizkow, Lord of the lands of Lauen- burg and Butow, and my gracious feudal seigneur, having commanded me, Dr. Theodore Plonnies, formerly bailiff at the ducal court, to make search throughout all the land for information respecting the world-famed sorceress, Sidonia von Bork, and write down the same in a book, I set out for Stargard, accompanied by a servant, early one Friday after the Visitationis Maria, 1629 ; for, in my opinion, in order to form a just judgment respecting the character of any one, it is necessary to make one's self acquainted with the circum- stances of their early life ; the future man lies enshrined in the child, and the peculiar development of each individual nature is the result entirely of education. Sidonia's history is a remarkable proof of this. I visited first, therefore, the scenes of her early years ; but almost all who had known her were long since in their graves, seeing that ninety years had passed since the time of her birth. However, the old inn- keeper at Stargard, Zabel Wiese, himself very far advanced in years (whom I can recommend to all travellers he lives in the Pelzerstrasse), told me that the old bachelor, Claude Uckermann of Dalow, an aged man of ninety- two years old, 3 SIDONIA THE SORCERESS was the only person who could give me the information I desired, as in his youth he had been one of the many followers of Sidonia. His memory was certainly well nigh gone from age, still all that had happened in the early period of his life lay as fresh as the Lord's Prayer upon his tongue. Mine host also related some important circumstances to me myself, which shall appear in their proper place. I accordingly proceeded to Dalow, a little town half a mile from Stargard, and visited Claude Uckermann. I found him seated by the chimney corner, his hair as white as snow. " What did I want ? He was too old to receive strangers ; I must go on to his son Wedig's house, and leave him in quiet," &c. &c. But when I said that I brought him a greeting from his Highness, his manner changed, and he pushed the seat over for me beside the fire, and began to chat first about the fine pine-trees, from which he cut his firewood they were so full of resin ; and how his son, a year before, had found an iron pot in the turf moor under a tree, full of bracelets and earrings, which his little grand- daughter now wore. When he had tired himself out, I communicated what his Highness had so nobly commanded to be done, and prayed him to relate all he knew and could remember of this detest- able sorceress, Sidonia von Bork. He sighed deeply, and then went on talking for about two hours, giving me all his recollections just as they started to his memory. I have arranged what he then related, in proper order. It was to the following effect : Whenever his father, Philip Uckermann, attended the fair at Stramehl, a town belonging to the Bork family, he was in the habit of visiting Otto von Bork at his castle, who, being very rich, gave free quarters to all the young noblemen of the vicinity, so that from thirty to forty of them were generally assembled at his castle while the fair lasted ; but after some time his father discontinued these visits, his conscience not SIDONIA THE SORCERESS 5 permitting him further intercourse. The reason was this. Otto von Bork, during his residence in Poland, had joined the sect of the enthusiasts,* and had lost his faith there, as a young maiden might her honour. He made no secret of his new opinions, but openly at Martinmas fair, 1560, told the young nobles at dinner that Christ was but a man like other people, and ignorance alone had elevated Him to a God ; which notion had been encouraged by the greed and avarice of the clergy. They should therefore not credit what the hypocritical priests chattered to them every Sunday, but believe only what reason and their five senses told them was truth, and that, in fine, if he had his will, he would send every priest to the devil. All the young nobles remained silent but Claude Zastrow, a feudal retainer of the Borks, who rose up (it was an evil moment to him) and made answer : " Most powerful feudal lord, were the holy apostles then filled with greed and covet- ousness, who were the first to proclaim that Christ was God, and who left all for His sake ? Or the early Christians who, with one accord, sold their possessions, and gave the price to the poor ? " Claude had before this displeased the knight, who now grew red with anger at the insolence of his vassal in thus answering him, and replied : " If they were not preachers for gain, they were at least stupid fellows." Hereupon a great murmur arose in the hall, but the aforesaid Zastrow is not silenced, and answered : " It is surprising, then, that the twelve stupid apostles performed more than twelve times twelve Greek or Roman philosophers. The knight might rage until he was black in the face, and strike the table. But he had better hold his tongue and use his understanding ; though, after all, the intellect of a man who believed nothing but what he received through his five senses was not worth much ; for the brute beasts were * Probably the sect afterwards named Socinians ; for we find that Lae- lius Socinus taught in Poland, even before Melancthon's death (1560). 6 SIDONIA THE SORCERESS his equals, inasmuch as they received no evidence either but from the senses." Then Otto sprang up raging, and asked him what he meant ; to which the other answered : " Nothing more than to express his opinion that man differed from the brute, not through his understanding, but by his faith, for that animals had evidently understanding, but no trace of faith had ever yet been discovered in them." * * This axiom is certainly opposed to modern ontology, which denies all ideas to the brute creation, and^xplains each proof of their intel- lectual activity by the unintelligible word "instinct." The ancients held very different opinions, particularly the new Platonists, one of whom (Porphyry, liber ii. De abstinentia) treats largely of the intellect and language of animals. Since Cartesius, however, who denied not only understanding, but even feeling, to animals, and represented them as mere animated machines (De passionib. Pars i. Artie, iv. et de Methodo, No. 5, page 29, &c.), these views upon the psychology of animals produced the most mischievous results ; for they were carried out until if not feeling, at least intellect, was denied to all animals more or less ; and modern philosophy at length arrived at denying intelli- gence even to God, in whom and by whom, as formerly, man no longer attains to consciousness, but it is by man and through man that God arrives to a conscious intelligent existence. Some philosophers of our time, indeed, are condescending enough to ascribe Understanding to animals and Reason to man as the generic difference between the two. But I cannot comprehend these new-fashioned distinctions ; for it seems to me absurd to split into the two portions of reason and understanding one and the same spiritual power, according as the object on which it acts is higher or lower ; just as if we adopted two names for the same hand that digs up the earth and directs the telescope to heaven, or maintained that the latter was quite a different hand from the former. No. There is but one understanding for man and beasts, as but one common substance for their material forms. The more perfect the form, so much the more perfect is the intellect ; and human and animal intellects are only dynamically different in human and animal bodies. And even if, among animals of the more perfect form, understanding has been discovered, yet in man alone has been found the innate feeling of connection with the supernatural, or Faith. If this, as the generic sign of difference, be called Reason, I have nothing to object, except that the word generally conveys a different meaning. But Faith is, in fact, the pure Reason, and is found in all men, existing alike in the lowest superstitions as well as in the highest natures. SIDONIA THE SORCERESS 7 Otto's rage now knew no bounds, and he drew his dagger, roaring, " What ! thou insolent knave, dost thou dare to compare thy feudal lord to a brute ? " And before the other had time to draw his poignard to defend himself, or the guests could in any way interfere to prevent him, Otto stabbed him to the heart as he sat there by the table. (It was a blessed death, I think, to die for his Lord Christ.) And so he fell down upon the floor with contorted features, and hands and feet quivering with agony. Every one was struck dumb with horror at such a death ; but the knight laughed loudly, and cried, " Ha ! thou base-born serf, I shall teach thee how to liken thy feudal lord to a brute," and striding over his quivering limbs, he spat upon his face. Then the murmuring and whispering increased in the hall, and those nearest the door rushed out and sprang upon their horses ; and finally all the guests, even old Uckermann, fled away, no one venturing to take up the quarrel with Otto Bork. After that, he fell into disrepute with the old nobility, for which he cared little, seeing that his riches and magnificence always secured him companions enough, who were willing to listen to his wisdom, and were consoled by his wine. And when I, Dr. Theodore Plonnies, inquired from the old bachelor if his Serene Highness had not punished the noble for his shameful crime, he replied that his wealth and powerful influence protected him. At least it was whispered that justice had been blinded with gold ; and the matter was probably related to the prince in quite a different manner from the truth ; for I have heard that a few years after, his High- ness even visited this godless knight at his castle in Stramehl. As to Otto, no one observed any sign of repentance in him. On the contrary, he seemed to glory in his crime, and the neighbouring nobles related that he frequently brought in his little daughter Sidonia, whom he adored for her beauty, to the assembled guests, magnificently attired ; and when she 8 SIDONIA THE SORCERESS was bowing to the company, he would say, " Who art thou, my little daughter ? " Then she would cease the salutations which she had learned from her mother, and drawing herself up, proudly exclaim, "I am a noble maiden, dowered with towns and castles ! " Then he would ask, if the conversa- tion turned upon his enemies and half the nobles were so " Sidonia, how does thy father treat his enemies?" Upon which the child would straighten her finger, and running at her father, strike it into his heart, saying, " Thus he treats them." At which Otto would laugh loudly, and tell her to show him how the knave looked when he was dying. Then Sidonia would fall down, twist her face, and writhe her little hands and feet in horrible contortions. Upon which Otto would lift her up, and kiss her upon the mouth. But it will be seen how the just God punished him for all this, and how the words of the Scriptures were fulfilled : " Err not, God is not mocked ; for what a man soweth, that shall he also reap." The parson of Stramehl, David Dilavius, related also to old Uckermann another fact, which, though it hardly seems credible, the bachelor reported thus to me : This Dilavius was a learned man whom Otto had selected as instructor to his young daughter; "but only teach her," he said, " to read and write, and the first article of the Ten Commandments. The other Christian doctrines I can teach her myself; besides, I do not wish the child to learn so many dogmas." Dilavius, who was a worthy, matter-of-fact, good, simple character, did as he was ordered, and gave himself no further trouble until he came to ask the child to recite the first article of the creed out of the catechism for him. There was nothing wrong in that ; but when he came to the second article, he crossed himself, not because it concerned the Lord Christ, but her own father, Otto von Bork, and ran somewhat thus : " And I believe in my earthly father, Otto von Bork, a SIDONIA THE SORCERESS 9 distinguished son of God, born of Anna von Kleist, who sitteth in his castle at Stramehl, from whence he will come to help his children and friends, but to slay his enemies and tread them in the dust." The third article was much in the same style, but he had partly forgotten it, neither could he remember if Dilavius had called the father to any account for his profanity, or taught the daughter some better Christian doctrine. In fine, this was all the old bachelor could tell me of Sidonia' s education. Yes he remembered one anecdote more. Her father had asked her one day, when she was about ten or twelve years old, " What kind of a husband she would like ? " and she replied, " One of equal birth." " Ille :* Who is her equal in the whole of Pomerania ? " " Ilia : Only the Duke of Pomerania, or the Count von Ebersburg." " Ille : Right ! therefore she must never marry any other but one of these." It happened soon after, old Philip Uckermann, his father, riding one day through the fields near Stramehl, saw a country girl seated by the roadside, weeping bitterly. " Why do you weep ? " he asked. " Has any one injured you ? " " Sidonia has injured me," she replied. " What could she have done ? Come dry your tears, and tell me." Where- upon the little girl related that Sidonia, who was then about fourteen, had besought her to tell her what marriage was, because her father was always talking to her about it. The girl had told her to the best of her ability ; but the young lady beat her, and said it was not so, that long Dorothy had told her quite differently about marriage, and there she went on tormenting her for several days ; but upon this evening Sidonia, with long Dorothy, and some of the milkmaids of the neighbourhood, had taken away one of the fine geese * In dialogue the author makes use of the Latin pronouns, Ille, he ; 7// a step of the stairs will break as she is ascending ; she will fall forward upon the flask, which will cut her throat through, and so she will die." When he ceased, the alarmed Ulrich called loudly to the chief equerry, Appelmann, who just then came by " Quick ! saddle the best racer in the stables, and ride for life to Span- tekow, for it may be as he has prophesied, and let us outwit the devil. Haste, haste, for the love of God, and I will never forget it to thee !" So the equerry rode without stop or stay to Spantekow, and he found the cousin Clas in the house ; but when he asked for the Lady Hedwig, they said, " She is in the cellar." So no misfortune had happened then ; but as they waited and she appeared not, they descended to look for her, and lo ! just as the wizard had prophesied, she had fallen upon the stairs while ascending, and there lay dead. The mournful news was brought by sunset to Wolgast, and Ulrich, in his despair and grief, wished to burn the Lap- lander ; but Prince Ernest hindered him, saying, " It is more knightly, Ulrich, to keep your word than to cool your vengeance." So the old man stood silent a long space, and then said, "Well, young man, if you abandon Sidonia, I will release the Laplander." The Prince coloured, and the Lord Chamberlain thought that he had discovered a secret ; but as the prophecy of the wizard came again into Prince Ernest's mind, he said " Well, Ulrich, I will give up the maiden Sidonia. Here is my hand." Accordingly, next morning the wizard was released from 54 SIDONIA THE SORCERESS prison and given a boat, with seven loaves and a pitcher of water, that he might sail back to his own country. The wind, however, was due north, but the people who crossed the bridge to witness his departure were filled with fear when they saw him change the wind at his pleasure to suit himself; for he pulled out a string full of knots, and having swung it about, murmuring incantations, all the vanes on the towers creaked and whirled right about, all the wind- mills in the town stopped, all the vessels and boats that were going up the stream became quite still, and their sails flapped on the masts, for the wind had changed in a moment from north to south, and the north waves and the south waves clashed together. As every one stood wondering at this, the sailors and fishermen in particular, the wizard sprang into his boat and set forth with a fair wind, singing loudly, " Jooike Duara ! Jooike Duara ! " * and soon disappeared from sight, nor was he ever again seen in that country. CHAPTER VII. How Ulrich von Schnver'm buries his spouse, and Doctor Gerschovius comforts him out of God's Word. THIS affair with the Lapland wizard much troubled the Grand Chamberlain, and his faith suffered sore temptations. So he referred to Dr. Gerschovius, and asked him how the prophets of God differed from those of the devil. Where- upon the doctor recommended him to meditate on God's Word, wherein he would find a source of consolation and a solution of all doubts. So the mourning Ulrich departed for his castle of Span- * This is the beginning of a magic rhyme, chanted even by the dis- tant Calmucks namely, Dschie jo eie jog. SIDONIA THE SORCERESS 55 tekow, trusting in the assistance of God. And her Grace, with all her court, resolved to attend the funeral also, to do him honour. They proceeded forth, therefore, dressed in black robes, their horses also caparisoned with black hang- ings, and the Duchess ordered a hundred wax lights for the ceremony. Sidonia alone declined attending, and gave out that she was sick in bed. The truth, however, was, that as Duke Ernest was obliged to remain at home to take the command of the castle, and affix his signature to all papers, she wished to remain also. The mourning cortege, therefore, had scarcely left the court, when Sidonia rose and seated herself at the window, which she knew the young Prince must pass along with his attendants on their way to the office of the castle. Then taking up a lute, which she had purchased privately, and practised night and morning in place of learning the catechism, she played a low, soft air, to attract their attention. So all the young knights looked up ; . 3 n d wlien Prince Ernest arrived he looked up also, and seeing Sidonia, exclaimed, with surprise, " Beautiful Sidonia, how have you learned the lute ? " At which she blushed and answered modestly, " Gracious Prince, I am only self-taught. No one here understands the lute except your Highness." " Does this employment, then, give you much pleasure ? " " Ah, yes ! If I could only play it well ; I would give half my life to learn it properly. There is no such sweet enjoyment upon earth, I think, as this." " But you have been sick, lady, and the cold air will do you an injury." " Yes, it is true I have been ill, but the air rather refreshes me ; and besides, I feel the melancholy of my solitude less here." " Now farewell, dear lady ; I must attend to the business of the castle." This little word " dear lady " gave Sidonia such con- 56 SIDONIA THE SORCERESS fidence, that by the time she expected Prince Ernest to pass again on his return, she was seated at the window awaiting him with her lute, to which she now sang in a clear, sweet voice. But the Prince passed on as if he heard nothing never even once looked up, to Sidonia' s great mortification. However, the moment he reached his own apartment, he commenced playing a melancholy air upon his lute, as if in response to hers. The artful young maiden no sooner heard this than she opened her door. The Prince at the same instant opened his to let out the smoke, and their eyes met, when Sidonia uttered a feeble cry and fell fainting upon the floor. The Prince, seeing this, flew to her, raised her up, and trembling with emotion, carried her back to her room and laid her down upon the bed. Now indeed it was well for him that he had given that promise to Ulrich. When Sidonia after some time slowly opened her eyes, the Prince asked tenderly what ailed her ; and she said, " I must have taken cold at the window, for I felt very ill, and went to the door to call an attendant ; but I must have fainted then, for I re- member nothing more." Alas! the poor Prince, he believed all this, and conjured her to lie down until he called a maid, and sent for the physician if she desired it; but, no she refused, and said it would pass off soon. (Ah, thou cunning maiden ! it may well pass off when it never was on. ) However, she remained in bed until the next day, when the Princess and her train returned home from the funeral. Her Grace had assisted at the obsequies with all princely state, and even laid a crown of rosemary with her own hand upon the head of the corpse, and a little prayer-book beside it, open at that fine hymn " Pauli Sperati " (which also was sung over the grave). Then the husband laid a tin crucifix on the coffin, with the inscription from I John iii. 8 " The Son of God was manifested that He might destroy the works of the devil." After which the coffin was lowered into the grave with many tears. SIDONIA THE SORCERESS 57 Some days after this, being Sunday, Doctor Gerschovius and the Grand Chamberlain were present at the ducal table. Ulrich indeed ate little, for he was filled with grief, only sipped a little broth,. into which he had crumbled some rein- deer cheese, not to appear ungracious ; but when dinner was over, he raised his head, and asked Doctor Gerschovius to inform him now in what lay the difference between the prophets of God and those of the devil. The Duchess was charmed at the prospect of such a profitable discourse, and ordered a cushion and footstool to be placed for herself, that she might remain to hear it. Then she sent for the whole household maidens, squires, and pages that they too might be edified, and learn the true nature of the devil's gifts. The hall was soon as full, therefore, as if a sermon were about to be preached ; and the doctor, seeing this, stroked his beard, and he begun as follows : * * Perhaps some readers will hold the rationalist doctrine that no prophecy is possible or credible, and that no mortal can under any circumstances see into futurity ; but how then can they account for the wonderful phenomena of animal magnetism, which are so well authen- ticated? Do they deny all the facts which have been elicited by the great advance made recently in natural and physiological philosophy ? I need not here bring forward proofs from the ancients, showing their universal belief in the possibility of seeing into futurity, nor a cloud of witnesses from our modern philosophers, attesting the truth of the phenomena of somnambulism, but only observe that this very Academy of Paris, which in 1784 anathematised Mesmer as a quack, a cheat, and a charlatan or fool, and which in conjunction with all the academies of Europe (that of Berlin alone excepted) reviled his doctrines and insulted all who upheld them, as witches had been reviled in preced- ing centuries, and compelled Mesmer himself to fly for protection to Frankfort this very academy, I say, on the I2th February 1826, rescinded all their condemnatory verdicts, and proclaimed that the wonderful phenomena of animal magnetism had been so well authen- ticated that doubt was no longer possible. This confession of faith was the more remarkable, because the members of the commission of inquiry had been carefully selected, on purpose, from physicians who were totally adverse to the doctrines of Mesmer. There are but two modes, I think, of explaining these extraordinary phenomena either by supposing them effected by supernatural agency, 58 SIDONIA THE SORCERESS I am rejoiced to treat of this subject now, considering how lately that demon Lapp befooled ye all. And I shall give you many signs, whereby in future a prophet of God may be distinguished from a prophet of the devil, ist, Satan's pro- phets are not conscious of what they utter ; but God's pro- phets are always perfectly conscious, both of the inspiration they receive and the revelations they make known. For as the Laplander grew frenzied, and foamed at the mouth, so it has been with all false prophets from the beginning. Even the blind heathen called prophesying mania, or the wisdom of madness. The secret of producing this madness was known to them ; sometimes it was by the use of roots or aromatic herbs, or by exhalations, as in the case of the Pythoness, whose incoherent utterances were written by the priests of Apollo, for when the fit was over, all remembrance of what she had prophesied vanished too. In the Bible we find all false prophets described as frenzied. In Isaiah xliv. 25 as all seers and diviners from antiquity, through the Middle Ages down to our somnambulists, have pretended that they really stood in com- munication with spirit ; or, by supposing that there is an innate latent divining element in our own natures, which only becomes evident and active under certain circumstances, and which is capable of revealing the future with more or less exactitude just as the mind can recall the past. For past and future are but different forms of our own subjec- tive intuition of time, and because this internal intuition represents no figure, we seek to supply the defect by an analogy. For time exists within us, not without us ; it is not something which subsists of itself, but it is the form only of our internal sense. These two modes of explaining the phenomena present, I know, great difficulties ; the latter especially. However, the pantheistical solution of the Hegelian school adopted by Kieser, Kluge, Wirth, Hoffman, pleases me still less. I even prefer that of Jung-Stilling and Kerner but at all events one thing is certain, the facts are there ; only ignorance, stupidity, and obstinacy can deny them. The cause is still a subject of speculation, doubt, and difficulty. It is only by a vast induction of facts, as in natural philosophy, that we can ever hope to arrive at the knowledge of a general law. The crown of all creation is man ; therefore while we investigate so acutely all other creatures, let us not shrink back from the strange and unknown depths of our own nature which magnetism has opened to us. SIDONIA THE SORCERESS 59 " God maketh the diviners mad." In Ezekiel xiii. 3 " Woe to the foolish prophets." Hosea ix. 7 " The prophet is a fool, the spiritual man is mad." And Isaiah xxviii. 7 explains fully how this madness was produced. Namely, by wine and the strong drink Sekar.* Further examples of this madness are given in the Bible, as Saul when under the influence of the evil spirit flung his spear at the innocent David ; and the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal, who leaped upon the altar, and screamed, and cut themselves with knives and lancets until the blood flowed ; and the maiden with the spirit of divination, that met Paul in the streets of Philippi ; with many others. But all this is an abomination in the sight of God. For as the Lord came not to His prophet Elijah in the strong wind, nor in the earthquake, nor in the fire, but in the still small voice, so does He evidence Himself in all His prophets ; and we find no record in Scripture, either of their madness, or of their having forgotten the oracles they uttered, like the Pythoness and others inspired by Satan.f Further, you may observe that the false prophets can always prophesy when they choose, Satan is ever willing to come when they exor- cise him ; but the true prophets of God are but instruments * It is doubtful of what this drink was composed. Hieronymus and Aben Ezra imagine that it was of the nature of strong beer. Probably it resembled the potion with which the mystery-men amongst the savages of the present day produce this divining frenzy. We find such in use throughout Tartary, Siberia, America, and Africa, as if the usage had descended to them from one common tradition. Witches, it is well known, made frequent use of potions, and as all somnambulists assert that the seat of the soul's greatest activity is in the stomach, it is not incredible what Van Helmont relates, that having once tasted the root napelhis, his intellect all at once, accompanied by an unusual feeling of ecstasy, seemed to remove from his brain to his stomach. f It is well known that somnambulists never remember upon their recovery what they have uttered during the crisis. Therefore phe- nomena of this class appear to belong, in some things, to that of the divining frenzy, though in others to quite a different category of the divining life. 60 SIDONIA THE SORCERESS in the hand of the Lord, and can only speak when He chooses the spirit to enter into them. So we find them saying invari- ably " This is the word which came unto me," or " This is the word which the Lord spake unto me." For the Lord is too high and holy to come at the bidding of a creature, or obey the summons of his will. St. Peter con- firms this, 2 Pet. i. 21, that no prophecy ever came at the will of man. Again, the false prophets were persons of known infamous character, and in this differed from the prophets of God, who were always righteous men in word and deed. Dio- dorus informs us of the conduct of the Pythoness and the priests of Apollo, and also that all oracles were bought with gold, and the answer depended on the weight of the sack. As Ezekiel notices, xiii. 1 9 ; and Micah iii. 8. Further, the holy prophets suffered all manner of persecution for the sake of God, as Daniel, Elias, Micah, yet remained faithful, with but one exception, and were severely punished if they fell into crime, and the gift of prophecy taken from them ; for God cannot dwell in a defiled temple, but Satan can dwell in no other. Also, Satan's prophets speak only of temporal things, but God's people of spiritual things. The heathen oracles, for instance, never foretold any events but those concerning peace or war, or what men desire in riches, health, or advancement in short, temporal matters alone. Whereas God's people, in addition to temporal concerns, preached repentance and holiness to the Jewish people, and the coming of Christ's kingdom, in whom all nations should be blessed. For as the soul is superior to the body, so are God's prophets superior to those of the Prince of this world. And in conclusion, observe that Satan's seers abounded with lies, as all heathen history testifies, or their oracles were capable of such different interpretations that they became a subject of mockery and contempt to the wise amongst the SIDONIA THE SORCERESS 61 ancient philosophers. But be not surprised if they some- times spoke truth, as the Lapland wizard has done, for the devil's power is superior to man's, and he can see events which, though close at hand, are yet hidden from us, as a father can foretell an approaching storm, though his little son cannot do so, and therefore looks upon his father's wisdom as supernatural.* But the devil has not the power to see .into futurity, nor even the angels of God, only God Himself. The prophets of God, on the contrary, are given power by Him to look through all time at a glance, as if it were but a moment ; for a thousand years to Him are but as a watch of the night ; and therefore they all from the beginning testified of the Saviour that was to come, and rejoiced in His day as if they really beheld Him, and all stood together as brothers in one place, and at the same time in His blessed presence. But what unanimity and feeling has ever been observed by the seers of Satan, when the contradictions amongst their oracles were notorious to every one ? And as the eyes of all the holy prophets centred upon Christ, so the eyes of the greatest of all prophets penetrated the furthest depths of futurity. Not only His own life, suffer- ings, death, and resurrection were foretold by Him, but the end of the Jewish kingdom, the dispersion of their race, the rise of His Church from the grain of mustard-seed to the wide, world-spreading tree ; and all has been fulfilled. Be assured, therefore, that this eternal glory, which He promised to those who trust in Him, will be fulfilled likewise when He comes to judge all nations. So, my worthy Lord Ulrich, cease to weep for your spouse who sleeps in Jesus, for a greater Prophet than the Lapland wizard has said, " I am the resurrection and the life, whosoever belie veth in Me shall never die." -j* * The somnambulists also can prophesy of those events which are near at hand, but never of the distant. f In addition to the foregoing distinctions between the satanic and the holy prophets, I may add the following that almost all the 62 SIDONIA THE SORCERESS CHAPTER VIII. Hoiv Sidonia rides upon the pet stag, and what evil conse- quences result therefrom. WHEN the discourse had ended, her Grace retired to her apartment and Ulrich to his, for it was their custom, as I have said, to sleep after dinner. Doctor Gerschovius re- turned home, and the young Prince descended to the gardens with his lute. Now was a fine time for the young knights, for they had been sadly disturbed in their carouse by that godly prophesying of the doctor's, and they now returned to their own quarter to finish it, headed by the old treasurer Zitsewitz. Then a merry uproar of laughing, singing, and jesting commenced, and as the door lay wide open as usual, Sidonia heard all from her chamber ; so stepping out gently with a piece of bread in her hand, she tripped along the corridor past their door. No sooner was she perceived than a loud storm of cheers greeted her, which she returned with smiles and bows, and then danced down the steps to the courtyard. Several rose up to pursue her, amongst whom Wedig and Appelmann were the most eager. diviners amongst the heathen were women. For instance, Cassandra, the Pythia in Delphi, Triton and Peristhaea in Dodona, the Sybils, the Velleda of Tacitus, the Mandragoras, and Druidesses, the witches of the Reformation age ; and in fine, the modern somnambules are all women too. But throughout the whole Bible we find that the prophetic power was exclusively conferred upon men, with two excep- tionsnamely, Deborah, Judges iv. 4, and Hilda, 2 Chron. xxxiv. 22 for there is no evidence that Miriam had a seer spirit ; she was probably only God-inspired, though classed under the general term prophet. We find, indeed, that woe was proclaimed against the divining women who prophesy out of their own head, Ezekiel xiii. 17-23 ; so amongst the people of God the revelation of the future was confined to men, amongst the heathen to women, or if men are mentioned in these pagan rites, it is only as assistants and inferior agents, like animals, metals, roots, stones, and such like. See Cicero, De Dimnatione, i. 18, SIDONIA THE SORCERESS 63 But they were too late, and saw nothing but the tail of her dress as she flew round the corner into the second court. Just then an old laundress, bringing linen to the castle for her Highness, passed by, and told the young men that the young lady had been feeding the tame stag with bread, and then jumped on its back while she held the horns, and that the animal had immediately galloped off like lightning into the second court ; so that the young knights and squires rushed instantly after her, fearing that some accident might happen, and presently they heard her scream twice. Appel- mann was the first to reach the outer court, and there beheld poor Sidonia in a sad condition, for the stag had flung her off. Fortunately it was on a heap of soft clay, and there she lay in a dead faint. Had the stag thrown her but a few steps further, against the manger for the knights' horses, she must have been killed. But Satan had not yet done with her, and there- fore, no doubt, prepared this soft pillow for her head. When Appelmann saw that she was quite insensible, he kneeled down and kissed first her little feet, then her white hands, and at last her lips, while she lay at the time as still as death, poor thing. Just then Wedig came up in a great passion ; for the castellan's son, who was playing ball, had flung the ball right between his legs, out of tricks, as he was running by, and nearly threw him down, whereupon Wedig seized hold of the urchin by his thick hair to punish him, for all the young knights were laughing at his discomfiture ; but the boy bit him in the hip, and then sprang into his father's house, and shut the door. How little do we know what will happen ! It was this bite which caused Wedig's lamentable death a little after. But if he was angry before, what was his rage now when he beheld the equerry, Appelmann, kissing the insensible maiden. " How now, peasant," he cried, " what means this bold- 64 SIDONIA THE SORCERESS ness ? How dare this tailor's son treat a castle and land dowered maiden in such a way ? Are noble ladies made for his kisses ? " And he draws his poignard to rush upon Appelmann, who draws forth his in return, and now assuredly there would have been murder done, if Sidonia had not just then opened her eyes, and starting up in amazement prayed them for her sake to keep quiet. She had been quite in- sensible, and knew nothing at all of what had happened. The old treasurer, with the other young knights, came up now, and strove to make peace between the two rivals, hold- ing them apart by force ; but nothing could calm the jealous Wedig, who still cried, "Let me avenge Sidonia! let me avenge Sidonia ! " So that Prince Ernest, hearing the tumult in the garden, ran with his lute in his hand to see what had happened. When they told him, he grew as pale as a corpse that such an indignity should have been offered to Sidonia, and reprimanded his equerry severely, but prayed that all would keep quiet now, as otherwise the Duchess and the Lord Chamberlain would certainly be awakened out of their after-dinner sleep, and then what an afternoon they would all have. This calmed every one, except the jealous Wedig, who, having drunk deeply, cried out still louder than before, " Let me go. I will give my life for the beautiful Sidonia. I will avenge the insolence of this peasant knave ! " When Sidonia observed all this, she felt quite certain that a terrible storm was brewing for all of them, and so she ran to shelter herself through the first open door that came in her way, and up into the second corridor ; but further adventures awaited her here, for not being acquainted with this part of the castle, she ran direct into an old lumber- room, where she found, to her great surprise, a young man dressed in rusty armour, and wearing a helmet with a serpent crest upon his head. This was Hans von Marintzky, whose brain Sidonia had turned by reading the Amadis with him in the castle gardens, and as she had often sighed, and SIDONIA THE SORCERESS 65 said that she, too, could have loved the serpent knight, the poor love-stricken Hans, taking this for a favourable sign, determined to disguise himself as described in the romance, and thus secure her love. So when her beautiful face appeared at the door, Hans screamed for joy, like a young calf, and falling on one knee, exclaimed "Adored Princess, your serpent knight is here to claim your love, and tender his hand to you in betrothal, for no other wife do I desire but thee ; and if the Princess Rosaliana herself were here to offer me her love, I would strike her on the face." Sidonia was rather thunderstruck, as one may suppose, and retreated a few steps, saying, " Stand up, dear youth ; what ails you ? " " So I am dear to you," he cried, still kneeling ; "I am then really dear to you, adored Princess ? Ah ! I hope to be yet dearer when I make you my spouse." Sidonia had not foreseen this termination to their romance reading, but she suppressed her laughter, remembering how she had lost her lover Uckermann by showing scorn ; so she drew herself up with dignity, and said, with as grave a face as a chief mourner " If you will not rise, sir knight, I must complain to her Highness ; for I cannot be your spouse, seeing that I have re- solved never to marry." (Ah ! how willingly, how willingly you would have taken any husband half a year after. ) " But if you will do me a service, brave knight, run instantly to the court, where Wedig and Appelmann are going to murder each other, and separate them, or my gracious lady and old Ulrich will awake, and then we shall all be punished." The poor fool jumped up instantly, and exclaiming, " Death for rny adored princess ! " he sprung down the steps, though rather awkwardly, not being accustomed to the greaves ; and rushing into the middle of the crowd, with his vizor down, and the drawn sword in his hand, he began VOL. I. E 66 SIDONIA THE SORCERESS making passes at every one that came in his way, crying, " Death for my adored princess ! Long live the beautiful Sidonia ! Knaves, have done with your brawling, or I shall lay you all dead at my feet." At first every one stuck up close by the wall when they saw the madman, to get out of reach of his sword, which he kept whirling about his head ; but as soon as he was recog- nised by his voice, Wedig called out to him " Help, brother, help ! Will you suffer that this peasant boor Appelmann should kiss the noble Sidonia as she lay there faint and insensible ? Yet I saw him do this. So help me, relieve me, that I may brand this low-born knave for his daring." " What ? My adored princess ! " exclaimed the serpent knight. " This valet, this groom, dared to kiss her ? and I would think myself blessed but to touch her shoe-tie ; " and he fell furiously upon Appelmann. The uproar was now so great that it might have aroused the Duchess and Ulrich even from their last sleep, had they been in the castle. But, fortunately, some time before the riot began, both had gone out by the little private gate, to attend afternoon service at St. Peter's Church, in the town. For the archdeacon was sick, and Doctor Gerschovius was obliged to take his place there. No one, therefore, was left in the castle to give orders or hold command ; even the castellan had gone to hear service ; and no one minded Prince Ernest, he was so young, besides being under tutelage ; and as to old Zitsewitz, he was as bad as the worst of them himself. The Prince threatened to have the castle bells rung if they were not quiet ; and the uproar had indeed partially subsided just at the moment the serpent knight fell upon Appelmann. The Prince then ordered his equerry to leave the place in- stantly, under pain of his severe displeasure, for he saw that both had drunk rather deeply. SIDONIA THE SORCERESS 67 So Appelmann turned to depart as the Prince commanded, but Wedig, who had been relieved by Hans the serpent, sprung after him with his dagger, limping though, for the bite in his hip made him stiff. Appelmann darted through the little water-gate and over the bridge ; the other pursued him ; and Appelmann, seeing that he was foaming with rage, jumped over the rails into a boat. Wedig attempted to do the same, but being stiff from the bite, missed the boat, and came down plump into the water. As he could not swim, the current carried him rapidly down the stream before the others had time to come up ; but he was still conscious, and called to Hans, " Comrade, save me ! " So Hans, forgetting his heavy cuirass, plunged in directly, and soon reached the drowning man. Wedig, however, in his death-struggles, seized hold of him with such force that they both instantly disappeared. Then every one sprang to the boats to try and save them ; but being Sunday, the boats were all moored, so that by the time they were un- fastened it was too late, and the two unfortunate young men had sunk for ever. What calamities may be caused by the levity and self-will of a beautiful woman ! From the time of Helen of Troy up to the present moment, the world has known this well ; but, alas ! this was but the beginning of that tragedy which Sidonia played in Pomerania, as that other wanton did in Phrygia. Let us hear the conclusion, however. Prince Ernest, now being truly alarmed, despatched a messenger to the church for her Highness ; but as Doctor Gerschovius had not yet ended his exordium, her Grace would by no means be disturbed, and desired the messenger to go to Ulrich, who no sooner heard the tidings than he rushed down to the water-gate. There he found a great crowd assembled, all eagerly trying, with poles and hooks, to fish out the bodies of the two young men ; and one fellow even had tied a piece of barley bread to 68 SIDONIA THE SORCERESS a rope, and flung it into the water as the superstition goes that it will follow a corpse in the stream, and point to where it lies. And the women and children were weeping and lamenting on the bridge ; but the old knight pushed them all aside with his elbows, and cried " Thousand devils ! what are ye all at here ? " Every one was silent, for the young men had agreed not to betray Sidonia. Then Ulrich asked the Prince, who replied, that Marintzky, having put on some old armour to frighten the others, as he believed, they pursued him in fun over the bridge, and he and another fell over into the water. This was all he knew of the matter, for he was playing on the lute in the garden when the tumult began. " Thousand devils ! " cries Ulrich ; " I cannot turn my back a moment but there must be a riot amongst the young fellows. Listen ! young lord when it comes to your turn to rule land and people, I counsel you, send all the young fellows to the devil. Away with them ! they are a vain and dissolute crew. Get up the bodies, if you can ; but, for my part, I would care little if a few more were baptized in the same way. Speak ! some of you : who commenced this tavern broil ? Speak ! I must have an answer." This adjuration had its effect, for a man answered " Sidonia made the young men mad, and so it all happened." It was her own cousin, Marcus Bork, who spoke, for which reason Sidonia never could endure him afterwards, and finally destroyed him, as shall be related in due time. When Ulrich found that Sidonia was the cause of all, he raged with fury, and commanded them to tell him all. When Marcus had related the whole affair, he swore by the seven thousand devils that he would make her remember it, and that he would instantly go up to her chamber. But Prince Ernest stepped before him, saying, " Lord Ulrich, I have made you a promise you must now make one to me : it is to leave this maiden in peace ; she is not to SIDONIA THE SORCERESS 69 blame for what has happened." But Ulrich would not listen to him. " Then I withdraw my promise," said the Prince. " Now act as you think proper." " Thousand devils ! she had better give up that game," exclaimed Ulrich. However, he consented to leave her un- disturbed, and departed with vehement imprecations on her head, just as the Duchess returned from church, and was seen advancing towards the crowd. CHAPTER IX. How Sldonia makes the young Prince break his word Item, how Clara von Dewitz, in vain tries to turn her from her evil ways. IT may be easily conjectured what a passion her Grace fell into when the whole story was made known to her, and how she stormed against Sidonia. At last she entered the castle ; but Prince Ernest, rightly suspecting her object, slipped up to the corridor, and met her just as she had reached Sidonia's chamber. Here he took her hand, kissed it, and prayed her not to disgrace the young maiden, for that she was innocent of all the evil that had happened. But she pushed him away, exclaiming " Thou disobe- dient son, have I not heard of thy gallantries with this girl, whom Satan himself has sent into my royal house ? Shame on thee ! One of thy noble station to take the part of a murderess!" "But you have judged harshly, my mother. I never made love to the maiden. Leave her in peace, and do not make matters worse, or all the young nobles will fight to the death for her." " Ay, and thou, witless boy, the first of all. Oh, that 70 SIDONIA THE SORCERESS my beloved spouse, Philippus Primus, could rise from his grave what would he say to his lost son, who, like the prodigal in Scripture, loves strange women and keeps com- pany with brawlers ! " (Weeping.) " Who has said that I am a lost son ? " "Doctor Gerschovius and Ulrich both say it." " Then I shall run the priest through the body, and chal- lenge the knight to mortal combat, unless they both retract their words/' " No ! stay, my son," said the Duchess ; " I must have mistaken what they said. Stay, I command you ! " " Never ! Unless Sidonia be left in peace, such deeds will be done to-day that all Pomerania will ring with them for years." In short, the end of the controversy was, that the Duchess at last promised to leave Sidonia unmolested ; and then re- tired to her chamber much disturbed, where she was soon heard singing the lOQth psalm, with a loud voice, accom- panied by the little spindle clock. Sidonia, who was hiding in her room, soon heard of all that had happened, through the Duchess's maid, whom she kept in pay ; indeed, all the servants were her sworn friends, in consequence of the liberal largess she gave them ; and even the young lords and knights were more distractedly in love with her than ever after the occurrences of the day, for her cunning turned everything to profit. So next morning, having heard that Prince Ernest was going to Eldena to receive the dues, she watched for him, probably through the key-hole, knowing he must pass her door. Accordingly, just as he went by, she opened it, and presented herself to his eyes dressed in unusual elegance and coquetry, and wearing a short robe which showed her pretty little sandals. The Prince, when he saw the short robe, and that she looked so beautiful, blushed, and passed on quickly, turning away his head, for he remembered the SIDONIA THE SORCERESS 71 promise he had given to Ulrich, and was afraid to trust him- self near her. But Sidonia stepped before him, and flinging herself at his feet, began to weep, murmuring, " Gracious Prince and Lord, accept my gratitude, for you alone have saved me, a poor young maiden, from destruction." " Stand up, dear lady, stand up." " Never until my tears fall upon your feet." And then she kissed his yellow silk hose ardently, continuing, " What would have become of me, a helpless, forlorn orphan, without your protection ? " Here the young Prince could no longer restrain his emo- tions ; if he had pledged his word to the whole world, even to the great God Himself, he must have broken it. So he raised her up and kissed her, which she did not resist ; only sighed, " Ah ! if any one saw us now, we would both be lost." But this did not restrain him, and he kissed her again and again, and pressed her to his heart, when she trembled, and murmured scarcely audibly, " Oh ! why do I love you so ! Leave me, my lord, leave me ; I am miser- able enough." " Do you then love me, Sidonia ? Oh ! let me hear you say it once more. You love me, enchanting Sidonia ! " " Alas ! " she whispered, while her whole frame trembled, " what have I foolishly said ? Oh ! I am so unhappy." " Sidonia ! tell me once again you love me. I cannot credit my happiness, for you are even more gracious with the young nobles than with me, and often have you martyred my heart with jealousy." " Yes ; I am courteous to them all, for so my father taught me, and said it was safer for a maiden so to be but " " But what ? Speak on." " Alas ! " and here she covered her face with her hands ; but Prince Ernest pressed her to his heart, and kissed her, asking her again if she really loved him ; and she mur- 72 SIDONIA THE SORCERESS mured a faint " yes ; " then as if the shame of such a con- fession had killed her, she tore herself from his arms, and sprang into her chamber. So the young Prince pursued his way to Eldena, but took so little heed about the dues that Ulrich shook his head over the receipts for half a year after. When mid-day came, and the band struck up for dinner, Sidonia was prepared for a similar scene with the young knights, and, as she passed along the corridor, she gave them her white hand to kiss, glittering with diamonds, thanking them all for not having betrayed her, and praying them to keep her still in their favour, whereat they were all wild with ecstasy ; but old Zitsewitz, not content with her hand, entreated for a kiss on her sweet ruby lips, which she granted, to the rage and jealousy of all the others, while he exclaimed, ** O Sidonia, thou canst turn even an old man into a fool ! " And his words came true ; for in the evening a dispute arose as to which of them Sidonia liked best, seeing that she uttered the same sweet things to all ; and to settle it, five of them, along with the old fool Zitsewitz, went to Sidonia's room, and each in turn asked her hand in mar- riage ; but she gave them all the same answer that she had no idea then of marriage, she was but a young, silly creature, and would not know her own mind for ten years to come. One good resulted from Sidonia's ride upon the stag : her promenades were forbidden, and she was restricted hence- forth entirely to the women's quarter of the castle. Her Grace and she had frequent altercations ; but with Clara she kept upon good terms, as the maiden was of so excellent and mild a disposition. This peace, however, was destined soon to be broken ; for though her Grace was silent in the presence of Sidonia, yet she never ceased complaining in private to the maids of honour SIDONIA THE SORCERESS 73 of this artful wench, who had dared to throw her eyes upon Prince Ernest. So at length they asked why her Highness did not dismiss the girl from her service. "That must be done," she replied, "and without delay. For that purpose, indeed, I have written to Duke Barnim, and also to the father of the girl, at Stramehl, acquainting them with my intention/' Clara now gently remonstrated, saying that a little Chris- tian instruction might yet do much for the poor young sinner, and that if she did not become good and virtuous under the care of her Grace, where else could she hope to have her changed ? " I have tried all Christian means," said her Grace, " but in vain. The ears of the wicked are closed to the Word of God." " But let her Grace recollect that this poor sinner was endowed with extraordinary beauty, and therefore it was no fault of hers if the young men all grew deranged for love of her." Here a violent tumult, and much scornful, laughing, arose amongst the other maids of honour ; and one Anna Lepels exclaimed " I cannot imagine in what Sidonia's wonderful beauty consists. When she flatters the young men, and makes free with them as they are passing to dinner, what marvel if they all run after her ? Any girl might have as many lovers if she chose to adopt such manners." Clara made no reply, but turning to her Grace, said with her permission she would leave her spinning for a while, to visit Sidonia in her room, who perhaps would hearken to her advice, as she meant kindly to her. 11 You may go," said her Grace ; " but what do you mean to do ? I tell you, advice is thrown away on her." " Then I will threaten her with the Catechism of Doctor Gerschovius, which she must repeat on Sunday, for I know that she is greatly afraid of that and the clergyman." 74 SIDONIA THE SORCERESS "And you think you will frighten her into giving up running after the young men ? " " Oh yes, if I tell her that she will be publicly repri- manded unless she can say it perfectly." So her Grace allowed her to depart, but with something of a weak faith. Although Sidonia had absented herself from the spinning, on the pretext of learning the catechism quietly in her own room, yet, when Clara entered, no one was there except the maid, who sat upon the floor at her work. She knew nothing about the young lady ; but as she heard a great deal of laughter and merriment in the court beneath, it was likely Sidonia was not far off. On stepping to the window, Clara indeed beheld Sidonia. In the middle of the court was a large horse-pond built round with stones, to which the water was conducted by metal pipes communicating with the river Peene. In the middle of the pond was a small island, upon which a bear was kept chained. A plank was now thrown across the pond to the island ; upon this Sidonia was standing feeding the bear with bread, which Appelmann, who stood beside her, first dipped into a can of syrup, and several of the young squires stood round them laughing and jesting. The idle young pages were wont to take great delight in shooting at the bear with blunt arrows, and when it growled and snarled, then they would calm it again by throwing over bits of bread steeped in honey or syrup. So Sidonia, waiting to see the fun, had got upon the plank ready to give the bread just as the bear had got to the highest pitch of irritation, when he would suddenly change his growling into another sort of speech after his fashion. All this amused Sidonia mightily, and she laughed and clapped her hands with delight. When the modest Clara beheld all this, and how Sidonia danced up and down on the plank, while the water splashed SIDONIA THE SORCERESS 75 over her robe, she called to her " Dear Lady Sidonia, come hither : I have somewhat to tell thee." But she answered tartly "Dear Lady Clara, keep it then: I am too young to be told everything." And she danced up and down on the plank as before. After many vain entreaties, Clara had at length to de- scend and seize the wild bird by the wing I mean thereby the arm and carry her off to the castle. The young men would have followed, but they were engaged to attend his Highness on a fishing excursion that afternoon, and were obliged to go and see after their nets and tackle. So the two maidens could walk up and down the corridor un- disturbed ; and Clara asked if she had ' yet learned the catechism. Ilia. " No ; I have no wish to learn it." Hac. " But if the priest has to reprimand you publicly from the pulpit ? " Ilia. " 1 counsel him not to do it." Hac. "Why, what would you do to him ?" Ilia. " He will find that out." Hac. " Dear Sidonia, I wish you well ; and therefore let me tell you that not only the priest, but our gracious lady, and all the noble maidens of the court, are sad and displeased that you should make so free with the young men, and entice them to follow you, as I have seen but too often myself. Do it not, dear Sidonia ! I mean well by you ; do it not. It will injure your reputation." Ilia. " Ha ! you are jealous now, you little pious house- sparrow, that the young men do not run after you too. How can I help it?" Hac. " Every maiden can help it ; were she as beautiful as could be seen, she can help it. Leave off, Sidonia, or evil will come of it, particularly as her Grace has heard that you are seeking to entice our young lord the Prince. See, I tell you the pure truth, that it may turn you from your light 76 SIDONIA THE SORCERESS courses. Tell me, what can you mean by it ? for when noble youths demand your hand in marriage, you reject them, and say you never mean to marry. Can you think that our gracious Prince, a son of Pomerania, will make thee his duchess thou who art only a common nobleman's daughter ? " Ilia. " A common nobleman's daughter ! that is good from the peasant-girl. You are common enough and low enough, I warrant ; but my blood is as old as that of the Dukes of Pomerania, and besides, I am a castle and land dowered maiden. But who are you ? who are you ? Your forefathers were hunted out of Mecklenburg, and only got footing here in Pomerania out of charity." HtKC. " Do not be angry, dear lady you say true ; yet I must add that my forebears were once Counts in Meck- lenburg, and from their loyalty to the Dukes of Pomerania were given possessions here in Daber, where they have been lords of castles and lands for two hundred and fifty years. Yet I will confess that your race is nobler than mine ; but, dear child, I make no boast of my ancestry, nor is it fitting for either of us to do so. The right royal Prince, who is given as an example and model to us all who is Lord, not over castle and land, but of the heavens and the earth the Saviour, Jesus Christ He took no account of His arms or His ancestry, though the whole starry universe was His banner. He was as humble to the little child as to the learned doctors in the temple to the chiefs among the people, as to the trembling sinner and the blind beggar Bartimaeus. Let us take, then, this Prince for our example, and mind our life long what He says ' Come unto Me, and learn of Me, for I am meek and lowly of heart/ Will you not learn of Him, dear lady ? I will, if God give me grace." And she extended her hand to Sidonia, who dashed it away, crying "Stuff! nonsense! you have learned all this twaddle from the priest, who, I know, is nephew to the shoe- SIDONIA THE SORCERESS 77 maker in Daber, and therefore hates any one who is above him in rank." Clara was about to reply mildly ; but they happened now to be standing close to the public flight of steps, and a pea- sant-girl ran up when she saw them, and flung herself at Clara's feet, entreating the young lady to save her, for she had run away from Daber, where they were going to burn her as a witch. The pious Clara recoiled in horror, and desiring her to rise, said "Art thou Anne Wolde, some time keeper of the swine to my father ? How fares it with my dearest father and my mother ? " They were well when she ran away, but she had been wandering now for fourteen days on the road, living upon roots and wild berries, or what the herds gave her out of their knapsacks for charity. H