We left vpon out left hand towards the South, a little Iland called Munde [formentlig Møn, red.], and (as I remember) the third day of August, landed at Drakesholme, being one mile from Coppenhagen, whether I passed in a Waggon through som pastures and barren corne fields and neere the City I passed ouer the Hauen from one Iland to another. I paid for my Waggon three lubecke shillings.
Coppenhagan.
At our entrance of the City, on the East-side, is the Kings Castle, where the Court lies, especially in winter time. On this side, the City lies vpon the sea, and there is the said Hauen, as likewise on the North-side the sea is little distant from the City. When I entered the gates, the guard of souldiers examined me strictly, and the common people, as if they had neuer seene a stranger before, shouted at mee after a barbarous fashion; among which people were many marriners, which are commonly more rude in such occasions, and in all conuersation. The City is of round forme, in which, or in the Kings Castle, I observed no beauty or magnificence. The Castle is built of free-stone in a quadrangle. The City is built of timber and clay, and it hath a faire market place, and is reasonable well fortified. Here I paid for three meales and breakefast eight lubecke shillings, and as much for beere. The King at this time lay at Roschild, purposing shortly to goe into the Dukedome of Holst, where he had appointed a meeting of the gentlemen at Flansburge, to receiue their homage there, which uppon old piuiledges they had refused to doe vonto him in Denmarke.
[Han beskriver herefter udgifter ved en rejse hvor han bl.a. kommer gennem Roskilde og Helsingør, og kommer så igen til København]:
In the afternoone we passed fiue Miles in six houres, through barren fields of corne and groues of Beech and hasel-nuts to Coppenhagenm and by the way we saw a Crosse, set up in memory of a waggoner, who hauing drunke too mcuh, droue his waggon so fast, as hee ouerturned it on the side of a hill, and himselfe broke his necke. The waggoners haue an appointed plaee at Coppenhagen, where they haue a stable for their horses for two Danish shillings a night, but themselues buy hay and oates. And the next day by noone, they must return to their dwellings, though they go empty, when no passengers are to be fouond.
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5 The Iland of Seland, (whence they hold the Zelanders of Netherland to haue come into those parts), is beautified with the City of Copenhagen (that is, the Hauen of Merchants) where the King hath his Court, and there is an Vniversity. It hath also the strong Castell Cronemburg, built in the Village Elsenor, and the City Roschild, so called of a Fountain, being the feate of a bishop, where the Kings are buried. Betweene the Castle Cronemburg in Seland, and the Castle Helsenburg in Scandia, is the famous straight of the Sea, called Der Soundt, by which the ships enter into the Baltick Sea, and returning from Danrzk and Righa, laded with precious commodities, pay great tributes to the King of Denmarke, both at the entrie and going fourth of that Straight.
6. Iutland signifying a good land in the German language, is the Northerne part of the Cimbrian Chersonesus (that is, necke of land) whence the Cimbri came, who made war vpon the Romans. And this Iutland with the foresaid Seland, are properly called Denmarke, the other parts being peculiar Regions, at diners times annexed to that Crowne. The chiefe Townes of Iutland, are Aleburg, Nicopia and Wiburg. The rest of the tract of the Cimbrian Chersonesus, containes the Dukedome of Holst, vulgarly called Holstein, which of old was part of Saxony, but so, as the Danes often forced it to the paying of tribute, and at last about the yeere 1465 they fully sudbued it. Part of this Dukedome lying vpon the Brittan Sea, betweene the Brooke Ider and the Riuer Eine, is called Ditmarcia, all fenny, so as by casting downe certaine bankes, they may drowne al the Countrie, and by this strength, the inhabitants keeping their enemies out, long preferued a rude or rurall libertym but at last in our time, Frederike King of Denmarke, vpon aduantage of a great frost in those Fennes, suddenly affailed and subdued them, ioyning that Country to the said Dukedome of Holst. Of which Dukedome the chiefe Townes are Flensburg, Sleswick (where of old the Dukes held their Court) being feated on the Sea towards the East, and Gottorp, and Meldorp in Ditmarcia vpon the Sea towards the West. Vpon the confines of Holst lye the faire Imperi-all free Cities Lubeck and Hamburg, so the freedome whereof the Dukes of Holst were great and neere enemies, challenging the same to bee built in their foyle, for which cause the Kings of Denmark possessing that Dukedome, are much suspected by these Cities, whom they more and more feare, as their power more increaseth. Some reckon the Ilands Orcades for part of Denmarke, and they say, that the inhabitants speak the Gothes language; but Histories witnesse, that how foeuer of old they belonged to the Danes, yet they haue long been subiect to the Kingdome of Scotland.
The situtation.
Denmarked lying neere the Artick circle, must needs be subiect to great cold, howsoeuer the mistie air, caused by the frequent Iles, doth in some sort mitigate the extremity thereof.
The Fertility.
In regard of the clime, it cannot be expected, that fruits should grow here, which are onely ripened by the heate of the Sunne. They haue carne sufficient for their own vse, and plenty thereof (as of all other commodities) is brought to them fro,m Danizk and all other parts, by reason of the frequent concourse of Merchants into the Soundt, which they inioy at good rates, and with much ease.
The Trafficke
The Danes exchange a great plenty of dried and salted fishes and of other smal commodities, for necessaries to clothe and feede them, and being in both these kinds frugal and sparing (as the Germans are) they also attain to some small riches by this poore traffick. And since they feede for the most part on dried fishes, bacon and salt meates, and little use fresh meates as veale and mutton, they varry great heards of oxen and calues out fo Holst into Netherland. Lastly, since they haue no other commodities of their owne to transport, and Merchants that passe the Baltick Sea of necessiry landing at Elsenor, bring them all necessaries from forraigne parts, and also take of them such commodities as they can spare, surely howsoeuer the ships of Denmark are in strength fayling and lasting next to the English, yet their Merchants seldome make any other voyages then towards the Northerns Iles to take fish. The diet.
In diet they are much like the Germans, and especially the neighbouring Saxons. Their dainties are bacon and salt meats, but the common people feeds much on diuers kinds of dried fishes, which at the first view of them a stranger may wel perceiue, by their leane and withered faces, and they likewise feede on bread very black, heauy and windy. I did see no common Innes at Copenhagen, Elsenor or Roschild, but some are there licensed to keep Tauerns for selling of wine, where the common table for that purpose is always ready couered with linnen. But passengers must obtain diet and lodging with some Citizen, and in their houses they shal find honest manners, moderate diet and clean beds and sheets. To conclude, the Danes passe (if it be possible) their neighbour Saxons in the excesse of their drinking.
(Fynes Moryson: Itinerary. Chap. 4, Part III. 1617)
