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Chap. XIX. MARRIAGE OF ERIK AND INGEBORG.
297
To the right lay, embosomed in woods fronting the
sea, Hamilton House, the country residence of Count
Hamilton, a Swedish nobleman, descendant of one of
those brave Scots of ancient lineage, soldiers of fortune,
who joined the Protestant banner of Gustavus Adolphus,
and at the conclusion of the Thirty Years’ War adopted
Sweden as their country. I know nothing of the Castle
of Helsingborg, its legends, and its histories. In the
city of Helsingborg (1296) was celebrated the marriage
of Erik Menved with the Princess Ingeborg, concerning
the splendour of which ceremony the chroniclers descant
greatly; damask and cloth of gold, mead and ale, wine
both white and red, drums and trumpets, dances and
tournaments, but above all towered in beauty Duke
Erik, the queen’s brother, “ a true angel come down
from heaven.” Skaane was a Danish province until
the peace of 1659, so Helsingborg castle was allowed
to fall into decay, Kronborg sufficing for the protection
of the Sound; it must, however, have been of great
extent, as the ancient moat, still existing at a
considerable distance, proves. We returned home by the
wells, whose waters our cicerone declared were most
efficacious for liver, rheumatism, consumption, and all
manner of opposite complaints: good for something
they must be, for such double-distilled essence of
corroded marine stores I never saw running in any country.
The women sat employed at their looms (I looked in at
one window) in the fabrication of strong brown Holland
pocket-handkerchiefs with a white border. I wish the
King of Denmark would cause some thousands to be
distributed among the respectably dressed population of
his good city of Copenhagen; it would be much to their
advantage and civilization, and a most paternal act. On
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