King Eric and the Outlaws, Vol. 3

  CHAP. XI.

  The attention of the people, was now turned to the tournament, whichwas to commence a few hours after the ceremonies of the church wereended. The spacious lists were surrounded by a countless crowd, and thewhole castle-hill was equally thronged with spectators. The raisedbenches placed in the form of stairs around the lists were occupiedwith gaily-attired ladies, rejoicing in eager anticipation of thespectacle. At last the clang of trumpets announced the arrival of theroyal party. All the royal ladies, with their distinguished train, tooktheir seats in the gallery, which was hung with scarlet. There thequeen of the feast, the lovely and royal bride, again appeared, withthe diadem encircling her fair tresses; she took her place on the seatof honour, between her mother and Queen Helvig, amid the joyousacclamations of the people. King Birger sat at his mother's side besidePrincess Merete; he was present only as a spectator of the tournament,in which he purposed not to take a part. Thorkild Knudsen and a numberof elderly Swedish courtiers stood near him, with Count Gerhard, who nolonger partook in this diversion; but the young Danish sovereign, withthe Swedish dukes and other princely guests, remained on horsebackwithout the lists among the knights of the tournament. On a raised seatunder the royal gallery sat the judges of the combat, who were all oldand experienced knights; and within the lists walked the heralds andpursuivants in their festal attire, with white staves in their hands,to watch over the observance of order and usage. A large band oftrumpeters and horn-players opened the chivalrous diversion with themusic of the national tournament song.

  Amid the chorus in which the people joined,

  "When the Danish knights ride o'er the ground, Their horses tramp with a thund'ring sound."

  all the knights galloped briskly into the lists, and ranged themselvesfor the encounter. The tournament then commenced. Many lances werebroken amid the shouts of the bystanders. Dangerous accidents seldomoccurred in this combat with blunt lances, although a knight mighteasily indeed sprain an arm or a leg by a too headlong fall from thesaddle. Many knights displayed great agility and dexterity in themanagement of horse and lance; but Marsk Oluffsen, Count Henrik ofMecklenborg, and Sir Helmer Blaa, bore off every prize. A veiled ladyoften waved encouragement and approbation to Sir Helmer; she threwgloves, kerchiefs, and silk ribands down to him from the ladies'gallery. He bowed courteously. His shield bore the motto, "For St. Annaand St. Eric," the guardian saints of his beloved wife and hissovereign, in whose honour he wielded his lance on this occasion. Inhis last career he unhorsed the Marsk;--the lady now threw her veildown to him. It was his young and beautiful wife, the Lady Anna, who,by her unlooked-for presence here, surprised and delighted him beyondexpression; as soon as he recognised her he flung up his lance high inthe air in a transport of joy. He forgot to receive the prize he hadwon, but rushed like the stormer of a castle up into the gallery toembrace her, to the great amusement of the spectators, and even of thegrave judges of the tournament, who readily forgave him this littledeviation from due order and usage.

  Among the Swedish nobles and knights who took a part in the tournament,Duke Eric of Sudermania was pre-eminent; no knight could keep his seatbefore his lance; and his sister, the young queen of the festival,rejoiced greatly at the honour won here by her best-loved and mostchivalrous brother. Duke Valdemar of Finland also shone in thisdiversion, and especially sought to display his boldness and daringwhen the fears of Thorkild Knudsen's fair daughter were excited forhim. Each time a combatant fell on the sand the trumpets sounded inhonour of the victor, and the people shouted, while the vanquishedknight hastened to salute his conqueror with a courteous bow, withoutcomplaining or showing any sign of vexation. Drost Aage, who was wontto be a victor at all these sports of arms, had not as yet sufficientlyrecovered his strength, after his dangerous fall at Kallundborg, to beable to take a share in this day's tournament; he was besides, evenamid his joy, at the king's successful love, in an unusually pensivemood; he had now renounced all hope of seeing Marsk Stig's unfortunatedaughters released from their state imprisonment. The king appearedalso remarkably thoughtful, although deep and heart-felt joy beamed inhis countenance each time his eye met Queen Ingeborg's loving glancefrom the gallery. His thoughts seemed often to wander from the scenebefore him, and he looked not with his customary eagerness and intereston this his favourite diversion, at which he this day, as bridegroomand awarder of the prizes, only purposed to be a spectator. Duke Ericof Langeland, who was celebrated as one of the most invincibletournament knights, appeared not to have found any opponent among theyounger lords and knights against whom he cared to enter the listssince Duke Eric of Sudermania had quitted them, having already brokenthe full number of lances necessary for gaining the highest prize.Junker Christopher looked, with gloomy disdain, on a spectacle which heregarded as the worn-out pastime of childish vanity. He knew himselfhow to wield his lance with power and skill, but seemed to consider itbeneath his dignity to contend for a tournament prize, which was to beawarded by his brother, or to measure himself with any one below therank of king. By degrees King Eric's youthful countenance becameanimated as he looked on the encounters. His white steed curvettedunder him; and as soon as the last prize was awarded he briskly seizeda gilded lance, and cleared the lists by a daring leap, to the greatdelight of the admiring spectators. "Shall we venture a tilt togetherin honour of our ladies, sir cousin?" he called gaily to Duke Eric ofLangeland. The gigantic Duke of Langeland bowed courteously, and rodeinto the lists.

  "Zounds! Longshanks! Longshanks!" was re-echoed from one to the other,among the curious bystanders, and all stood in breathless expectation.The king caused his helmet and cuirass to be brought; a rose-colouredsilk riband fluttered down to him from the queen's gallery; he fastenedit to his helmet, gaily waved his hand to his young queen, andgallopped to his station. The Duke fastened a knot of blue riband onhis helmet. With great dexterity and martial skill the two royalcombatants now rushed towards each other, lance in rest, at fullgallop. The king wielded his lance adroitly and parried his adversary'sthrust. The Duke's lance flew from his hand, and was driven far forwardon the course; but the king's lance broke against the duke'sbreastplate, without shaking his seat in the saddle.

  The duke's as well as the king's skill and dexterity were greatlyadmired; but many expressions of the people's partiality for theirchivalrous young monarch were distinctly heard. "Had but the king'slance stood the shock," said one young fellow, "we should surely haveseen Longshanks bite the dust."

  "No wonder yon fellow kept his seat," growled a seaman, "he canwell-nigh anchor in the sand with his long shanks."

  The trumpets sounded, the combatants saluted each other with courtesy,and the diversion now seemed to be ended; but the music continued, amidgeneral acclamation and a hum of voices.

  "See whether the junker dares risk his jerkin! No, _he_ does wisest inlooking on," said a bold, loud-tongued voice close behind JunkerChristopher.

  "_He_ Would sooner let his true men break their necks in earnest, thanventure his own in jest," muttered another.

  Junker Christopher appeared to have heard these speeches, for his faceflushed crimson. While the trumpets were still sounding, and the kingwas about to quit the lists, the junker suddenly set spurs to his heavyhorse, and rode towards him, with lance in hand.

  "If I see aright, my brother would also try a tilt with me," said theking starting, "Well then, strike up the tournament song, herald!--anew lance, pursuivant!--but not of glass like the first!"

  The horn-players struck up the ancient, well-known strain. Thepursuivant presented the king a lance with a broad piece of board atthe end. Attention was again anxiously excited, and the young queenappeared somewhat uneasy. The king had taken his place; his countenancewas not so placid and cheerful as before; his white steed snorted andpranced impatiently. The junker had retired to some distance, andseemed not as yet to have completed his preparations.

  "Now haste, Christopher!" called the king; "let us be brisk, as beseemsour festi
val!" They now quitted their respective stations. The kingrode forward in a stately ambling pace, apparently that he might notavail himself of his superiority and greater experience; but the junkerdashed his spurs into his horse's side, and rushed forward with wildimpetuosity. The king stood almost still, on perceiving withastonishment that his brother's lance was couched directly against hisuncovered face. "Where would'st thou strike? against the breast!between the four limbs!" he shouted, but it seemed as though the junkerneither heard nor saw; he continued to rush forward in the samedirection, with flushed cheek and staring eye. But it was now remarkedthat the king became greatly incensed,--"Down then!" cried Eric,and at the same moment Christopher's lance was dashed aside, and thejunker himself fell backwards out of the saddle. The king instantlysprang from his horse, and assisted him to rise, while the trumpetssounded and the air re-echoed with the shouts of the exultingspectators--"Thou art not bruised?" asked the king. "In what fashiondost thou couch thy lance?"

  "Ill against you my mighty liege and vanquisher!" muttered Christopher,"but that is all in due order--hear how the people screech for joy atthe fair spectacle you have afforded them," he added with bitternessand in a lowered tone, "had I broken my neck the festivity would havebeen complete."

  "Let not this little mischance vex thee," said the king, "such mayhappen to the best of us--another time I may have a worse fate."

  "That is very possible, your grace!" answered the junker in a deep andalmost choking voice, greeting the king with measured courtesy, as heretreated and retired. He instantly vaulted upon his horse, and rodeoff through the noisy crowds, who laughed loudly, and made merry overthe ridiculous position in which the junker had thrown his legs in theair, on receiving the thrust of the king's lance.

  Thus ended the tournament; but the acclamations with which the king wasfollowed to the castle bridge, appeared this time to please him butlittle. He thought he had seen a fire in his brother's eye which filledhim with horror.