given to us and to the crown, to have, enjoy, use and hold, quit and free, without any rent, all the days of his life, and as long as he lives and likes to continue and follow his studia mathematices, but so that he shall keep the tenants who live there under law and right, and injure none of them against the law or by any new impost or other unusual tax, and in all ways be faithful to us and the kingdom, and attend to our welfare in every way and guard against and prevent danger and injury to the kingdom. Actum Frederiksborg the 23rd day of May, anno 1576. "Frederick."
The same day the chief of the exchequer, Christopher Valkendorf, was instructed to pay to Tycho Brahe 400 daler towards building a house on the island of Hveen, for which Tycho was himself to provide building materials. This money was paid on the 27th May.[1] Just at the moment when everything was settled and Tycho's prospects in life were most brilliant, he had the grief to lose his friend Johannes Pratensis, who died suddenly on the 1st June from a bleeding of the lungs while lecturing in the University. He was only thirty-three years of age, and had been professor of medicine since 1571. Tycho had promised to write a Latin epitaph over his friend in case he should survive him, and he had it printed in 1584 at his own printing office at Uraniborg. He also caused a monument to be erected to the memory of Pratensis in the Cathedral of Copenhagen.[2]
