The Pirate
length fallen, leading the way in a gallant and honourable enterprise,
which was successfully accomplished by those companions, to whom his
determined bravery had opened the road. Bunce, his fantastic follower in
good, as formerly in evil, transmitted an account to Minna of this
melancholy event, in terms which showed, that though his head was weak,
his heart had not been utterly corrupted by the lawless life which he
had for some time led, or at least that it had been amended by the
change; and that he himself had gained credit and promotion in the same
action, seemed to be of little consequence to him, compared with the
loss of his old captain and comrade.[41] Minna read the intelligence,
and thanked Heaven, even while the eyes which she lifted up were
streaming with tears, that the death of Cleveland had been in the bed of
honour; nay, she even had the courage to add her gratitude, that he had
been snatched from a situation of temptation ere circumstances had
overcome his new-born virtue; and so strongly did this reflection
operate, that her life, after the immediate pain of this event had
passed away, seemed not only as resigned, but even more cheerful than
before. Her thoughts, however, were detached from the world, and only
visited it, with an interest like that which guardian spirits take for
their charge, in behalf of those friends with whom she lived in love, or
of the poor whom she could serve and comfort. Thus passed her life,
enjoying from all who approached her, an affection enhanced by
reverence; insomuch, that when her friends sorrowed for her death, which
arrived at a late period of her existence, they were comforted by the
fond reflection, that the humanity which she then laid down, was the
only circumstance which had placed her, in the words of Scripture, "a
little lower than the angels!"
FOOTNOTES:
[41] We have been able to learn nothing with certainty of Bunce's fate;
but our friend, Dr Dryasdust, believes he may be identified with an old
gentleman, who, in the beginning of the reign of George I., attended the
Rose Coffee-house regularly, went to the theatre every night, told
mercilessly long stories about the Spanish Main, controlled reckonings,
bullied waiters, and was generally known by the name of Captain Bounce.
AUTHOR'S NOTES.
Note I., p. 17.--FORTUNE-TELLING RHYMES.
The author has in Chapter I. supposed that a very ancient northern
custom, used by those who were accounted soothsaying women, might have
survived, though in jest rather than earnest, among the Zetlanders,
their descendants. The following original account of such a scene will
show the ancient importance and consequence of such a prophetic
character as was assumed by Norna:--
"There lived in the same territory (Greenland) a woman named Thorbiorga,
who was a prophetess, and called the little Vola, (or fatal sister,) the
only one of nine sisters who survived. Thorbiorga during the winter used
to frequent the festivities of the season, invited by those who were
desirous of learning their own fortune, and the future events which
impended. Torquil being a man of consequence in the country, it fell to
his lot to enquire how long the dearth was to endure with which the
country was then afflicted; he therefore invited the prophetess to his
house, having made liberal preparation, as was the custom, for receiving
a guest of such consequence. The seat of the soothsayer was placed in an
eminent situation, and covered with pillows filled with the softest
eider down. In the evening she arrived, together with a person who had
been sent to meet her, and show her the way to Torquil's habitation. She
was attired as follows: She had a sky-blue tunick, having the front
ornamented with gems from the top to the bottom, and wore around her
throat a necklace of glass beads.[42] Her head-gear was of black
lambskin, the lining being the fur of a white wild-cat. She leant on a
staff, having a ball at the top.[43] The staff was ornamented with
brass, and the ball or globe with gems or pebbles. She wore a Hunland
(or Hungarian) girdle, to which was attached a large pouch, in which she
kept her magical implements. Her shoes were of sealskin, dressed with
the hair outside, and secured by long and thick straps, fastened by
brazen clasps. She wore gloves of the wild-cat's skin, with the fur
inmost. As this venerable person entered the hall, all saluted her with
due respect; but she only returned the compliments of such as were
agreeable to her. Torquil conducted her with reverence to the seat
prepared for her, and requested she would purify the apartment and
company assembled, by casting her eyes over them. She was by no means
sparing of her words. The table being at length covered, such viands
were placed before Thorbiorga as suited her character of a soothsayer.
These were, a preparation of goat's milk, and a mess composed of the
hearts of various animals; the prophetess made use of a brazen spoon,
and a pointless knife, the handle of which was composed of a whale's
tooth, and ornamented with two rings of brass. The table being removed,
Torquil addressed Thorbiorga, requesting her opinion of his house and
guests, at the same time intimating the subjects on which he and the
company were desirous to consult her.
"Thorbiorga replied, it was impossible for her to answer their enquiries
until she had slept a night under his roof. The next morning, therefore,
the magical apparatus necessary for her purpose was prepared, and she
then enquired, as a necessary part of the ceremony, whether there was
any female present who could sing a magical song called '_Vardlokur_.'
When no songstress such as she desired could be found, Gudrida, the
daughter of Torquil, replied, 'I am no sorceress or soothsayer; but my
nurse, Haldisa, taught me, when in Iceland, a song called
_Vardlokur_.'--'Then thou knowest more than I was aware of,' said
Torquil. 'But as I am a Christian,' continued Gudrida, 'I consider these
rites as matters which it is unlawful to promote, and the song itself as
unlawful.'--'Nevertheless,' answered the soothsayer, 'thou mayst help us
in this matter without any harm to thy religion, since the task will
remain with Torquil to provide every thing necessary for the present
purpose.' Torquil also earnestly entreated Gudrida, till she consented
to grant his request. The females then surrounded Thorbiorga, who took
her place on a sort of elevated stage; Gudrida then sung the magic song,
with a voice so sweet and tuneful, as to excel any thing that had been
heard by any present. The soothsayer, delighted with the melody,
returned thanks to the singer, and then said, 'Much I have now learned
of dearth and disease approaching the country, and many things are now
clear to me which before were hidden as well from me as others. Our
present dearth of substance shall not long endure for the present, and
plenty will in the spring succeed to scarcity. The contagious diseases
also, with which the country has been for some time afflicted, will in a
short time take their departure. To thee, Gudrida, I can, in recompense
for thy assistance on this occasion, announce a fortune of higher import
than any one could have conjectured. You shall be married to a man of
name here in Greenland; but you shall not long enjoy that union, for
your fate recalls you to Iceland, where you shall become the mother of a
numerous and honourable family, which shall be enlightened by a luminous
ray of good fortune. So, my daughter, wishing thee health, I bid thee
farewell.' The prophetess, having afterwards given answers to all
queries which were put to her, either by Torquil or his guests, departed
to show her skill at another festival, to which she had been invited for
that purpose. But all which she had presaged, either concerning the
public or individuals, came truly to pass."
The above narrative is taken from the Saga of Erick Randa, as quoted by
the learned Bartholine in his curious work. He mentions similar
instances, particularly of one Heida, celebrated for her predictions,
who attended festivals for the purpose, as a modern Scotsman might say,
of _spaeing_ fortunes, with a gallant _tail_, or retinue, of thirty male
and fifteen female attendants.--See _De Causis Contemptæ a Danis adhuc
gentilibus Mortis, lib. III., cap. 4_.
Note II., p. 32.--PROMISE OF ODIN.
Although the Father of Scandinavian mythology has been as a deity long
forgotten in the archipelago, which was once a very small part of his
realm, yet even at this day his name continues to be occasionally
attested as security for a promise.
It is curious to observe, that the rites with which such attestations
are still made in Orkney, correspond to those of the ancient Northmen.
It appears from several authorities, that in the Norse ritual, when an
oath was imposed, he by whom it was pledged, passed his hand, while
pronouncing it, through a massive ring of silver kept for that
purpose.[44] In like manner, two persons, generally lovers, desirous to
take the promise of Odin, which they considered as peculiarly binding,
joined hands through a circular hole in a sacrificial stone, which lies
in the Orcadian Stonehenge, called the Circle of Stennis, of which we
shall speak more hereafter. The ceremony is now confined to the
troth-plighting of the lower classes, but at an earlier period may be
supposed to have influenced a character like Minna in the higher ranks.
Note III., p. 101.--THE PICTISH BURGH.
The Pictish Burgh, a fort which Nora is supposed to have converted into
her dwelling-house, has been fully described in the Notes upon Ivanhoe,
vol. xvii. p. 352, of this edition. An account of the celebrated Castle
of Mousa is there given, to afford an opportunity of comparing it with
the Saxon Castle of Coningsburgh. It should, however, have been
mentioned, that the Castle of Mousa underwent considerable repairs at a
comparatively recent period. Accordingly, Torfæus assures us, that even
this ancient pigeon-house, composed of dry stones, was fortification
enough, not indeed to hold out a ten years' siege, like Troy in similar
circumstances, but to wear out the patience of the besiegers. Erland,
the son of Harold the Fair-spoken, had carried off a beautiful woman,
the mother of a Norwegian earl, also called Harold, and sheltered
himself with his fair prize in the Castle of Mousa. Earl Harold followed
with an army, and, finding the place too strong for assault, endeavoured
to reduce it by famine; but such was the length of the siege, that the
offended Earl found it necessary to listen to a treaty of accommodation,
and agreed that his mother's honour should be restored by marriage. This
transaction took place in the beginning of the thirteenth century, in
the reign of William the Lion of Scotland.[45] It is probable that the
improvements adopted by Erland on this occasion, were those which
finished the parapet of the castle, by making it project outwards, so
that the tower of Mousa rather resembles the figure of a dice-box,
whereas others of the same kind have the form of a truncated cone. It is
easy to see how the projection of the highest parapet would render the
defence more easy and effectual.
Note IV., p. 143.--ANTIQUE COINS FOUND IN ZETLAND.
While these sheets were passing through the press, I received a letter
from an honourable and learned friend, containing the following passage,
relating to a discovery in Zetland:--"Within a few weeks, the workmen
taking up the foundation of an old wall, came on a hearth-stone, under
which they found a horn, surrounded with massive silver rings, like
bracelets, and filled with coins of the Heptarchy, in perfect
preservation. The place of finding is within a very short distance of