FOOTNOTES:
[Footnote 1]: Erik, Abel, and Christopher I.
[Footnote 2]: "Thing" (pronounced "Ting"), a court of justice: also, the name of the ancient Scandinavian parliaments, or assemblies of the states of the realm, at which, generally, all the freemen of the nation had a right to attend. They were usually held in the open air. The "Danehof," or Dane-court, mentioned farther on, was a similar institution, at which were present the king and his nobles, the principal clergy, burghers, and peasants.--Tr.
[Footnote 3]: The "marsk" anciently filled an office similar to that of the modern marshal, or field-marshal.--Tr.
[Footnote 4]: A "drost" filled the office of prime-minister to the king. He was often required, not only to take a leading part in the councils of his sovereign, but to conduct warlike operations in a campaign. A prince of the blood might also have his drost, who attended him in the capacity of aide-de-camp. The king's drost superseded the marsk, when present with the army.--Tr.
[Footnote 5]: "Et Sondagsbarn." A superstition exists in Sweden and Denmark, that a child should not be baptised on the same day it is born. Hence it is believed that a child born and baptised on a Sunday will not live long; or, should it happen to live, that trolds and witches can have no power over it. A Sunday's child may, it is said, be known by its clear skin and complexion.--Tr.
[Footnote 6]: A small Norwegian horse--a kind of pony.
[Footnote 7]: Ale brewed of the herb called sweet gale, or Dutch myrtle, instead of hops.--Tr.
[Footnote 8]: A proverbial expression, said of one who conceives and carries out an odd or whimsical idea.--Tr.
[Footnote 9]: A garter--a punning nickname generally given to Drost Peter.
[Footnote 10]: Such was the name given to the municipal law promulgated by King Erik Glipping, in 1269, for the government of Ribe, or Rypen, in Denmark, It contains many judicious and some singular enactments, for the discovery and punishment of offenders against the peace and morals of the community. The penalties it attaches to some crimes might well give rise to coarse remarks among the discontented nobles.--Tr.
[Footnote 11]: "Nidding." A term of contempt, for which we have no equivalent in English. It expresses more than the word coward. In some parts of Scotland and of the north of England, a low, mean-spirited fellow is termed a "niddy," probably from this Scandinavian original.--Tr.
[Footnote 12]: In allusion to an acute and learned work of Master Martin's.
[Footnote 13]: Junker, pronounced "Yungker." A name formerly given to the sons of the king of Denmark.
[Footnote 14]: A kind of heroic ballad, or metrical romance, similar to "Chevy Chase," or "Sir James the Rose," great numbers of which are still extant in Scandinavia.--Tr.
[Footnote 15]: Thus were called those celebrated sea-rovers and pirates, the Norwegian and Danish sea-kings;--the terror of the European nations, during the middle ages, for their daring exploits both by sea and land.--Tr.
[Footnote 16]: The name of a powerful Swedish family, from which Magnus himself was descended.
[Footnote 17]: Skiold is fabled to have been the first king of Denmark.
[Footnote 18]: The Berserks are celebrated in Scandinavian history and romance for their great strength, courage, and daring. They often fought naked (hence, probably, their appellation--"bare-shirts"); and stimulated their courage to a degree of phrensy or madness by the use of strong liquors, or by chewing some herb, in which state they would rush against naked swords, dash against rocks, and oppose themselves to any odds of antagonists. They were the bullies and bravos of their age, and in this capacity were often retained in the service of great men, proving at times, however, rather intractable followers, and not always to be relied upon.--Tr.
[Footnote 19]: Thorstenson here intends a pun; and Flynderborg has, for the nonce, to be converted into its English equivalent, "Flounder Castle,"--Tr.
[Footnote 20]: Helsingborg, a fortress on the Swedish coast, at this time belonged to the Danes.--Tr.
[Footnote 21]: There were three courts of judicature in Denmark. The "Herred-Ting" was a local court, held weekly, for civil and criminal causes. This court was held, or built, in an open field, outside the towns and villages, to be at a distance from taverns and ale-houses, and strong drink was strictly forbidden to be brought into court. From this court there was an appeal to the "Land-Ting"--a provincial court, held monthly, in the principal cities of the kingdom. The highest court of appeal was the "Retter-Ting," or royal court, where the king himself often presided. It was usually opened about the middle of March, by the king in person, attended by the various estates of the kingdom, and continued its sittings almost daily, until about Christmas. The decrees of the "Retter-Ting" were final. Each of these courts had its judges, secretaries, and assessors, for the trial of causes, and the administration of justice.--Tr.
[Footnote 22]: The snowdrop is, in Denmark, called "sommergiæk"--a summer "geek," or fool.
[Footnote 23]: "Jomfru," the title of unmarried ladies in Denmark.--Tr.
[Footnote 24]: It is related in the "Heimskringla," that Harald Hardrada (the Stern), king of Norway, in one of his plundering expeditions to the coast of Jutland, heard that the daughters of Thorkill Geysu had, the previous winter, in mockery, cut their cheeses into the shape of anchors, and had boasted that with these anchors they might hold all the ships of the Norwegian king. A spy, who had been sent from the fleet of King Harald, came to these women, saying, "Thorkill's daughters, ye said that King Harald dared not come to Denmark." Dotté, Thorkill's daughter, answered, "That was yesterday." The King of Norway, having secured them, carried them off to his ships, and Thorkill had to ransom them with a large sum.--Tr.
[Footnote 25]: A diminutive, expressive of endearment. Ingelil--i. e., little Ingé: somewhat similar to our own diminutives in "ie" and "y"--as, Annie, Jenny, &c.--Tr.
[Footnote 26]: Jarl--(pronounced yarl)--an earl.--Tr.
[Footnote 27]: The Danish mile is rather more than four and a half English miles.--Tr.
[Footnote 28]: A kind of chevaux-de-frise.
[Footnote 29]: About fifty English miles.--Tr.
[Footnote 30]: Hamlet, in his feigned madness, made wooden hooks, and hardened them by holding them in the heat of a fire. On being asked what he meant to do with these books, he replied, "To revenge the death of my father!" which all, but the more discerning, regarded as a proof of his insanity. The well-informed reader need scarcely be reminded that the discussion of Drost Peter and Lady Ingé on Hamlet, had reference to that version of his history told by Saxo Grammaticus, and not to the more popular and beautiful version given by Shakespeare in his immortal tragedy.--Tr.
[Footnote 31]: King Waldemar Seier (the Victorious) committed an injustice on Count Henry of Schwerin, which the latter resolved to revenge. He came to the court of Denmark, and contrived to gain the king's confidence. One day, when the king was resting in a lonely forest, after a day's hard hunting, Count Henry seized him and his eldest son, carried them on board a ship, and had them conveyed to the dungeons of the strong castle of Schwerin, on the Mecklenburg coast. It was only after the interference of the pope and other princes, and the payment of a large ransom, that Waldemar and his son regained their freedom.--Tr.
[Footnote 32]: According to popular superstition, the elfin ladies were fair to look upon, but hollow behind as a dough-trough, and were, in consequence, careful to prevent any one seeing their backs.--Tr.
[Footnote 33]: These services for the murdered King Erik commenced at three in the afternoon and were continued until six the following morning. Even after the Reformation, and down to 1633, they were continued under the name of a Vaadesang--a song for protection from surprise and assassination--when the then reigning king substituted a morning service, more in accordance with the usages of the reformed Church.--Tr.
[Footnote 34]: Alfsdaughter. Danish and Norwegian surnames were, and we believe still are, formed in the following manner:--The male children take the name of the father or family, with the addition of "son;" the females the same name, with the addition of "daughter." Thus we have Alfson and Alfsdaughter, the children of Alf, Erikson and Eriksdaughter, the children of Erik.--Tr.
[Footnote 35]: Literally, "shield-maids," or amazons. The sword Tirfing, like King Arthur's Excalibar, was one of wonderful properties. It could never be drawn, even in jest, without causing the death of some one. The story of Hervor, and the manner in which she recovered the fatal weapon from her father's cairn, or barrow, though interesting, is too long for the subject of a note. I have therefore ventured to give it in the form of an appendix, at the end of the work.--Tr.
[Footnote 36]: The original of this ballad, which has little to boast of but its great antiquity, will be found in Syr's Kæmpeviser, p. 151.--Tr.
[Footnote 37]: Eagle's-borg or castle.
[Footnote 38]: Perhaps from his favourite expression: "By all holy men!" (hellige mænd.) Some, however, derive this surname from mændevid, or mandevid,(pronounced 'menved,' and signifying man-wit,) with reference to the young king's manly intelligence and sagacity.
[Footnote 39]: In the year following, Sir Algotson was beheaded on the spot where the abduction took place. Thorstenson's intended bride subsequently became Abbess of Breta convent.
[Footnote 40]: In a storm at sea, he was, some time afterwards, by casting lots, condemned to death as a secret criminal. He then confessed his crimes before the crucifix, and leaped overboard. There is still extant a ballad, entitled "John Rimaardson's Confession."
[Footnote 41]: Skalds: the appellation anciently given to the bards or poets.
[Footnote 42]: A small peninsula on the north coast of Funen.
[Footnote 43]: Several traditions have been preserved respecting Marsk Stig's death and funeral, and the abstraction of the pall that covered his coffin. One account states that he was interred at Hintzeholm at midnight; that the priest's servant-maid, who had secretly witnessed the funeral, disclosed it to her master; that the priest ransacked the grave, and shared the velvet pall with the maid, who, shortly afterwards, was married to one of the marsk's swains; and that her husband, who saw the velvet on one of her pillows, and was informed by her how she had obtained it, fearful that his master's place of sepulchre would be discovered, killed her; although, as the tradition says, "he loved her very dearly." Another account, quoted from a manuscript (a kind of parish-register, kept by a clergyman from the year 1622,) in the royal library of Copenhagen, states, that the marsk had a granary on Hielm, strongly fortified with mounds and ditches. Opposite Hielm, at Biornkier, he had a barn-yard, bounded on one side by the sea, and on three others by a fresh-water lake, a great morass which was impassable, and a thick wood. In this wood which he could reach in an hour and a half's ride from Hielm, he took his pleasure in hunting. It is related that on one of these journeys he became overheated and was taken ill, and, being obliged to dismount, he sat down on a stone and there died. His body was the same night carried to the church of Helgeness, and honourably interred by Our Lady's altar; "and the priest, who then lived in the parsonage-house, had a maid-servant, who, going out to bring ale from a place under the north armoury, stopped and saw how they buried him, and laid a magnificent pall over his coffin; and when she found an opportunity, she had the grave dug up, and stole it away," &c. This story, the worthy priest adds, was told him by honest Danes who were born in these parts, and had lived in the country more than a hundred years.--Tr.
[Footnote 44]: Danske Viser fra Midelalderen, 2 D. p. 215.
[Footnote 45]: Formed by the soldiers placing their shields and bucklers together in such a manner, as to present to the projectiles of a foe a compact circular wall and roof of iron.--Tr.
[Footnote 46]: The Danebrog, some readers are probably aware, is a Danish order of knighthood. The history of the Danebrog, or Dannebrog, however, may not be so well known. It is related that when King Waldemar Seier was fighting against the heathenish Laplanders, in order to convert them to the Christian faith, Archbishop Andrew of Lund stood on an eminence, as did Moses of old, and prayed to Heaven for the success of the Danish arms. As long as he was able to keep his arms raised, the Danes prevailed; but the moment he let them fall, through the feebleness of old age, the heathens gained the advantage; and the priests therefore supported his arms while the battle lasted. Then happened this miracle, that when the principal banner of the Danes was lost in the heat of battle, there descended from heaven a banner with a white cross in a field of red, by the influence of which the Danes gained the victory. This precious banner was long preserved. The belief was general that with it victory was certain, and therefore it was called the Dannebrog (the Danes' fort or strength). On the spot where the battle took place, was built the town of Wolmar, which takes its name from Waldemar.--Tr.
[Footnote 47]: The legend on this queen's seal was "Agnes, Dei gracia Danorum Slavorque Regina."
[Footnote 48]: The "holmgang" was a species of single combat or pitched battle. The combatants were placed on an island, and left to fight with swords, until all on one or both sides fell. He who refused the holmgang, or attempted to escape from it; was called a nidding, and subjected to every species of insult and contempt. The "berserk-gang," or fighting phrensy, was, it has been supposed, produced by eating of some intoxicating herb.
[Footnote 49]: The incantation of Hervor has been translated by Herbert, in the work entitled "Five Pieces of Runic Poetry."