of the Huns, were feafted for three days, as the custom was in ancient times ; and being admitted to the young Princess, she rejected the offer; "Because," says she,

66

your King has acquired no reputation " in war, but paffes his time effeminate"ly at home." In Biorner's collection of ancient hiftorical monuments, mentioned above, there is the following history, Charles King of Sweden kept on foot an army of chofen men. He had a daughter named Inguegerda, whofe lively and graceful accomplishments were admired ftill more than her birth and fortune. The breast of the King overflowed with felicity, Grymer, a youth of noble birth, knew to dye his fword in the blood of his enemies, to run over craggy mountains, to wrestle, to play at chefs, and to trace the motions of the ftars. He ftudied to show his skill in the apartment of the damfels, before the lovely Inguegerda. At length he ventured to open his mind. "Wilt

thou, O fair Princefs! accept of me for a husband, if I obtain the King's con• fent?" Go," fays he, and fupplicate my father." The courtly youth respectfully addreffing the King, faid, “O

"King! give me in marriage thy beau"tiful daughter." He answered sternly, "Thou haft learned to handle thy arms: "thou haft acquired fome honourable "diftinctions: but haft thou ever gained

a victory, or given a banquet to favage "beafts that rejoice in blood?" "Where "fhall I go, O King! that I may dye my "fword in crimfon, and render myself "worthy of being thy fon-in-law ?".

Hialmar, fon of Harec," faid the King, "who governs Biarmland, has become "terrible by a keen fword: the firmeft "fhields he hews in pieces, and loads his "followers with booty. Go, and prove

thy valour by attacking that hero: "caufe him to bite the duft, and Ingue

gerda fhall be thy reward." Grymer, returning to his fair miftrefs, faluted her with ardent looks of love. "What answer "haft thou received from the King?" "To obtain thee I must deprive the fierce "Hialmar of life." Inguegerda exclaimed with grief, "Alas! my father hath "devoted thee to death." Grymer feleaed a troop of brave warriors, eager to follow him. They launch their veffels into the wide ocean: they unfurl the fails,

which catch the fpringing gale: the fhrouds rattle: the waves foam, and dash against the prows: they fteer their numerous veffels to the shore of Gothland; bent to glut the hungry raven, and to gorge the wolf with prey. Thus landed Grymer on Gothland! and thus did a beauteous maiden occafion the death of many heroes. Hialmar demanded who the ftrangers were. Grymer told his name; adding, that he had spent the fummer in quest of him. "May your arrival, re

plied Hialmar, be fortunate; and may

"health and honour attend you. You "shall partake of my gold, with the un"mixed juice of the grape. Thy offers, "faid Grymer, I dare not accept. Prepare for battle; and let us haften to

give a banquet to beafts of prey. Hi"almar laid hold of his white cuirafs, his "fword, and his buckler. Grymer, with

c

a violent blow of his fabre, transfixes "Hialmar's fhield, and cuts off his left "hand. Hialmar enraged, brandishes his "fword, and striking off Grymer's helmet "and cuirafs, pierces his breast and sides :

an effufion of blood follows. Grymer "raifing his fabre with both hands, lays "Hialmar

"Hialmar proftrate on the ground; and " he himself finks down upon the dead "body of his adverfary. He was put on fhipboard, and when landed feemed to "be at the last period of life. The di"ftreffed Princefs undertook his cure ; "and restored him to health. They were "married with great folemnity; and the "beauteous bride of Grymer filled the

heart of her hero with unfading joy." According to the rude manners of those times, a lover did not always wait for the consent of his miftrefs. Joannes Magnus, Archbishop of Upfal, obferves in his hiftory of the Goths, that ravishing of women was of old no lefs frequent among the Scandinavians than among the Greeks. He relates, that Gram, fen to the King of Denmark, carried off the King of Sweden's daughter, whose beauty was celebrated in verfes remembered even in his time. Another inftance he gives, of Nicolaus King of Denmark (a), who courted Uluilda, a noble and beautiful Norvegian lady, and obtained her confent. Nothing remained but the celebration of the nuptials, when she was carried off by Suercher,

(a) Book 18.

King of Sweden. We have the authority of Saxo Grammaticus, that Skiold, one of the first Kings of Denmark, fought a duel for a beautiful young woman, and obtained her for a wife. That author relates many duels of the fame kind. It was indeed common among the Scandinavians, before. they became Chriftians, to fight for a wife, and to carry off the defired object by force of arms. No caufe of war between neighbouring kings was more frequent. Fridlevus King of Denmark fent a folemn embaffy to Hafinundus King of Norway, to demand in marriage his daughter. Hafmundus had a rooted averfion to the Danes, who had done much mifchief in his country. "Go," fays he to the ambaffadors," and demand a wife where

you are lefs hated than in Norway." The young lady, who had no averfion to the match, intreated leave to fpeak. "You feem," faid he, "not to confult the "good of your kingdom in rejecting fo

potent a fon-in-law, who can carry by "force what he is now applying for by "intreaties." The father continuing obftinate, difmiffed the ambaffadors. Fridlevus fent other ambaffadors, redoubling VOL. I.

3 &

his