The Emperor Frederick was a most noble sovereign, and men who had
talent flocked to him from all sides because he was liberal in his
gifts, and looked with pleasure on those who had any special talent.
To him came musicians, troubadours, and pleasant story-tellers, men of
art [40], jousters, fencers and folk of every kind.
One day the table was set and the Emperor was washing his hands, [41]
when there came to him three necromancers garbed in long pilgrims’
robes. [42] They greeted him forthwith, and he asked: which of you is
the master? One of them came forward and said: Sire, I am he. And the
Emperor besought him that he would have the courtesy to show his art.
So they cast their spells and practised their arts.
The weather began to grow stormy, and a sudden shower of rain with
thunder and lightning and thunder-bolts, and it seemed that a hail fell
like balls of steel. The knights fled through the halls, one going in
one direction, one in another.
The weather cleared up again. The necromancers [43] took their leave
and asked for a recompense.
The Emperor said: ask me then. And they made their request. The Count
of San Bonifazio was then near the Emperor. So they said: Sire, bid
this lord come and succour us against our enemies.
The Emperor laid this command upon him with affectionate insistence.
The Count set out on his way with the masters.
They took him to a noble city, showed him knights of high lineage, and
prepared for him a handsome horse and fine arms, and said: these are at
your command.
The enemy came up for battle. The Count defeated them, and delivered
the city. He won back the country. They gave him a wife. He had
children.
After some time, he ruled the land.
The necromancers left him alone for a very long period.
Then they returned. The Count’s son was already full forty years old.
The Count was old. The necromancers came back and said that they wished
to go and see the Emperor and the court. The Count answered: the Empire
will by this time more than once have changed hands; the people will
all be new: where should I return? The necromancers answered: no
matter, we will take you with us all the same.
They set forth; they walked for a long time; they reached the court.
They found the Emperor among his barons, still pouring water over his
hands as he had been doing when the Count went away with the
necromancers.
The Emperor made him tell his tale, and he told it. I have taken a
wife. My children are forty years old. Three pitched battles have I
fought. The world is all topsy-turvy. How comes this?
The Emperor made him relate all this with great mirth for the barons
and knights. [44]