ABSTRACT
The second year of my service in Kronborg, that is to say 1620 1 , a great plague raged in Denmark, so that 7000 men perished in Sjælland 2 , in Norway 4000, in Jutland 5000. Now it is laid down in His Majesty’s regulations that all those who serve in the castle are strictly forbidden to enter a house infected with plague 3 . But it so happened on one occasion that one man of our company, Thomas Randers by name, lay sore smitten by plague. Some of us were attached to him and accordingly three of us went one day to discover how this our dear friend was faring. Trusting in God we entered the passage, as it is called, that is inside the house-door, and called to the mistress of the house, and asked how Thomas did. She said that he was mending. We bade her prosper, and greet him from us. And so we left the house and thought that no one could have got wind of our visit, but it is an old proverb that folk’s discretion is not so great as to make them mum. It so happened one time that when I had the first watch of the evening, which is two successive hours, sergeant Caspar sent a message to me after he had ocked the castle gate, that I was to leave my post and go to him, which was not the usual custom, and the messenger was to take my place. And when I came to our guard-room, the sergeant was there and all were sitting over their supper, for it was permitted to each of us to have food carried to us from our lodgings, before the gate was closed. When I came, I wished the sergeant a good evening. He received me kindly, and asked if I would not sit down too and get myself some food. I said I would accept the offer when my time for a meal had come. He said nothing for a while. I asked him what was his business with me. He said he thought he had some, and asked how often His Majesty’s regulations had been read out since I came. I said they had been read out three times. “Then,” said he, “I know that thou wilt have paid good heed to what they say.” I was not very ready in reply. “I seem to remember,” says he, “that one of them forbids all those serving in the castle to enter a house infected with plague.” I agree. “Then,” he says, “I know that thou wilt have laid the regulation to heart.” “To the best of my belief,” say I. “But I make bold to say,” says he, “that thou hast recently entered a house with plague.” I repudiate the accusation and deny it strenuously. He asks how I dare contradict his statement. I say that everyone has a right to repudiate untruth and what is wrongfully said against one, but that I did not deny, that I had asked after one of His Majesty’s servants. He says that I lie, that I had certainly been with him and eaten and drunk in his company. I say that all who spoke untruth lied. He asks if I presume to say that he lies? I say, not of himself, for what he said he repeated from another, and I ask him to declare that other. This he will not do. I say that God had it in His Almighty power to strike any or all of us, wherever He wished, in the castle or out of it, for whether within walls or without, all stood equally defenceless before death, when God permitted that any or all of us should depart this life. All who were within and who knew the sergeant’s temper were astonished both at my presumption and at his patience with me, and no man dared to interrupt our conversation by so much as a word. Finally the sergeant became most kindly, drank to me and handed over his plate to me with excellent food on it. Men were greatly amazed at this.
