cheerfulness by conversation, but without success.  At length, the Earl challenged the King to play at chess, which was accepted, and, the chess table being brought, they sat down to their game.  After they had played awhile, the King made a false move, in consequence of which Ulfr captured one of his opponent’s Knights.  But the King would not allow it, and replacing his piece, bade the Earl play differently.  On this, the Earl (who was of a hasty disposition) waxing angry, overturned the chess board and left the room.  The King called after him, saying, Ulfr, thou coward, dost thou thus flee?  The Earl returned to the door, and said:  You would have taken a longer flight in the river Helga, had I not come to your assistance, when the Swedes beat you like a dog—­you did not then call me a coward.  He then retired, and some days afterwards was murdered by the King’s orders.  This anecdote is corroborated (so far as the chess is concerned) by a passage in the anonymous history of the monastery of Ramsey, composed probably about the time of Henry I, where we are told, that Bishop Etheric coming one night at a late hour on urgent business to King Canute, found the monarch and his courtiers amusing themselves at the games of dice and chess.

In the year 1157 the Kingdom of Denmark was divided between three Monarchs:  Svend, Valdemar, and Canute the Fifth.  This took place after many years of contest, between Svend on the one hand, and Valdemar and Canute on the other.  Each King was to rule over a third of the realm, and each swore before the altar to preserve the contract inviolate.  But it did not last long.  Canute asked his brother monarchs to spend a few days of festivity with him at Roskilde.  Svend came with a crowd of soldiers.  One evening Valdemar sat at the chess board where the battle waxed warm.  His adversary was a nobleman, and Canute sat by Valdemar’s side watching the game.  All at once, Canute observing some suspicious consultations between Svend and one of his Captains, and feeling a presentiment of evil, threw his arms round Valdemar’s neck and kissed him.  Why so merry, cousin? asked the latter without removing his eyes from the chess board.  You will soon see, replied Canute in an apprehensive tone.  Just then the armed soldiery of Svend rushed into the apartment, slew Canute and severely wounded Valdemar.  The last named having strapped his mantle about his arm to serve for a shield, extinguished the lights, and fought like a lion.  He succeeded in making his escape and is known in history as the powerful Valdemar the Great.

A century later chess again makes its appearance upon the historic stage of Denmark.  At that time, Eric Plovpenning or Ploughpenny as he was called, ruled wisely and well over the fierce and war loving people of that country.  In the summer of 1250 he was on his way to defend the town of Rendsborg against the attack of some German bands, when he received an invitation from his brother Abel to visit him in