[Illustration: Gefangener Raubritter--Nach dem Gemälde von Konrad
Weigand (zur Sage: Die Clemenskapelle)]
There is a very melancholy legend connected with the foundation of St.
Clement's church, which was built on the banks of the Rhine and which,
not long since, was rebuilt and renovated by the generosity of the
present great lady of Rheinstein Castle.
Rudolphus of Habsburg, elected emperor after the terrible anarchy
which had reigned in Germany when the land was left without a ruler,
determined by firm and vigorous government, to put an end to the
evil-doings of the robber-knights who held sway along the Rhine.
He had already threatened these much-dreaded nobles who disturbed the
peace of the country and the government of its ruler, and now hearing
that they still continued their ravages, the emperor appeared himself
in the Rhine countries, resolved to annihilate them and to destroy
their strongholds.
On his way through the land, Rudolphus set fire to all the strongholds
on the upper Rhine. The burning of the castles of Reichenstein,
Sooneck, Heimburg and others, was an awful sight to the inhabitants of
the valley below. Numerous members of these ancient noble races met
the death of felons, and their bodies were hung up on trees as a
warning to others.
Through the gates of Mainz many a robber baron was led as a prisoner
by the soldiers of the emperor. Every time that one of these barons
and his companions-in-arms were led along with bound hands, towards
the Imperial tribunal, young and old, rich and poor poured forth from
the streets and alleys, and accompanied the highborn malefactors with
curses. The windows of the houses around were filled with eager
onlookers, admiring the conduct of their emperor.
Moaning and wailing were then heard throughout the land, mothers,
wives, and daughters weeping for their dead. On the other hand the
merchants who had endured hardships and sufferings during these years,
were now delighted with the stern justice dealt out by the emperor.
Under cover of darkness stealthy forms could be seen creeping to the
place of execution, and silently and mournfully taking away the bodies
of their relatives to preserve them from ignominious destruction. They
then buried the wretched remains in consecrated ground, hoping thus to
satisfy the fears which haunted them of future punishment, for many of
their dear ones had stained their swords with the blood of their
neighbours.
In order to atone for these sins, and in accordance with the wise
counsel of a priest, the trees on which the bodies had been hanged
were cut down, and the wood used to build a chapel of expiation.
Stones were also taken from the smoking ruins of the burning castles
and employed for the same purpose. The little church was built on the
lonely place of execution on the Rhine near Assmannshausen.
The day arrived--a day of great sorrow and weeping--when all was
ready, and the priest was to read prayers from the altar for the first
time. Many funeral barges were to be seen on the river, bringing the
dead who were buried in the aisle of the church.
The Archbishop of Mayence absolved the bodies from their sins, and
afterwards they were all interred together near the little church for
the second time.
This occurred towards the end of the thirteenth century. For long
years afterwards prayers were offered up in this church in
Assmannshausen for the souls of the dead.
The once proud and mighty races gradually died out, and their
strongholds fell into ruins. And time which had demolished the castles
on the heights above, began her work of destruction on the little
church below; its roof decayed and its walls crumbled.
The ancient little church of St. Clement has since that time been
raised again from its ruins, and now the voice of God's priest is
heard chanting in it again, as it was heard six hundred years ago.