find it univerfally admitted among the ancient Scandinavians, that beauty ought to be the reward of courage and military fkill. A warrior was thought entitled to demand in marriage any young woman, even of the higheft rank, if he overcame his rivals in fingle combat: nor was it thought any hardship on the young lady, to be yielded to the victor. The ladies were not always of that opinion; for the ftouteft fighter is not always the handsomest man, nor the most engaging. And in the hiftories of Denmark, Sweden, and Norway, many inftances are related, of men generously interpofing to rescue young beauties from brutes, deftitute of every accomplishment but ftrength and boldness. Such ftories have a fabulous air; and many of them probably are mere fables. Some of them, however, have a ftrong appearance of truth: men are introduced who make a figure in the real hiftory of the country; and many circumftances are related that make links in the chain of that hiftory, Take the following fpecimen. The ambaffadors of Frotho, King of Denmark, commiffioned to demand in marriage the daughter of a King

of

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," fays the,

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, whose lively and graceful accomplishments were admired ftill more than her birth and fortune. The breaft 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 fkill in the apartment of the damfels, before the lovely Inguegerda. At length he ventured to open his mind. "Wilt

46

thou, O fair Princefs! accept of me for a husband, if I obtain the King's confent?" Go," fays fhe, and fupplicate my father.". The courtly youth refpectfully addreffing the King, said, “O

"King! give me in marriage thy beau"tiful daughter." He answered fternly, "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 savage "beafts that rejoice in blood?" "Where " fhall I go, O King! that I may dye my "fword in crimson, 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 anfwer "haft thou received from the King?" "To obtain thee I muft 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 dafh 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

queft of him. "May your arrival, re"plied Hialmar, be fortunate; and may "health and honour attend you. You "fhall 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

re

give a banquet to beafts of prey. Hi"almar laid hold of his white cuirafs, his

fword, and his buckler. Grymer, with

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 breaft and fides:

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 shipboard, and when landed feemed to "be at the laft 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 thofe times, a lover did not always wait for the confent of his mistress. Joannes Magnus, Archbishop of Upfal, obferves in his history of the Goths, that ravishing of women was of old no lefs frequent among the Scandinavians than among the Greeks. He relates, that Gram, fon 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 instance 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: