Protestantism in Sweden and Denmark - James Aitken Wylie
You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles
YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.
"Reformer of <strong>Denmark</strong>," Johannis Taussanus. He<br />
was born <strong>in</strong> 1494, <strong>in</strong> the country of Fionia; his<br />
parents were peasants. From his earliest years the<br />
young Taussan discovered a quick genius <strong>and</strong> an<br />
<strong>in</strong>tense thirst for knowledge, but the poverty of his<br />
parents did not permit them to give him a liberal<br />
education. Follow<strong>in</strong>g the custom of his time he<br />
entered the Order of John the Baptist, or Jerusalem<br />
Monks, <strong>and</strong> took up his abode <strong>in</strong> the monastery of<br />
Antvorskoborg <strong>in</strong> Zeal<strong>and</strong>.<br />
He had not been long <strong>in</strong> the monastery when<br />
the assiduity <strong>and</strong> punctuality with which he<br />
performed his duties, <strong>and</strong> the s<strong>in</strong>gular<br />
blamelessness of his manners, drew upon him the<br />
eyes of the superior of the order, Eskildus.[9] His<br />
parts, he found, were equal to his virtues, <strong>and</strong> <strong>in</strong> the<br />
hope that he would become <strong>in</strong> time the ornament of<br />
the monastery, the superior adjudged to the young<br />
Taussan one of those bursaries which were <strong>in</strong> the<br />
gift of the order for young men of capacity who<br />
wished to prosecute their studies abroad. Taussan<br />
was told that, he might select what school or<br />
university he pleased, one only excepted,<br />
126