A GERMAN LADY OF THE ROYAL COURT.
(about 1440.)
Many incidents may be found in the descriptions of the struggles
between the Silesians and Hussites, which are characteristic of the
minds and manners of the people in their epic period. We are made
sensible of the great dissimilarity between the past and present by the
style of Martin's narration. In his scanty yet graphic description he
gives us the facts, but makes no reflections on them. The writer
undoubtedly feels how noble and manly was the death of the Pastor
Megerlein; but he does not consider it necessary, and, indeed, seems to
want the facility and confidence requisite, to give expression to his
judgment.
Decisions hastily taken were on the impulses of the moment as hastily
given up. The pastor, even when abandoned by his flock, still advised
resistance to the young men that remained, though there was little hope
of saving himself; but he rejected the proposal of his Hussite friend,
and met death like a man. Little value was set upon human life: hard
hearted and cruel, the people murdered each other without compunction;
yet the infuriated Bohemians kept respectfully out of the sick woman's
room, and the plunderers with touching zeal requited past kindness. We
find unbridled egotism together with heroic self-denial, rude levity
with the deepest religious convictions: the minds of individuals moved
in a narrow circle, but with firmness and decision.
An insight into the mental struggles of the fifteenth century may be
supplied by another narrative, in which the life and feelings of a
clever and strong-minded woman are made known. The circle in which she
moved was the court of the German emperor's daughter. Few of our court
officials are aware, how much their office has increased in comfort,
honour, and decorum since the days of their predecessors, at whose
heads the Emperor Wenzel threw his boots, or on whom Margaret Maltash
used to inflict blows with her clenched fist. It was necessary for the
men and women of a court in former centuries to have strong nerves and
good health, to bear heat and cold, to endure in winter the draughts of
badly constructed dwellings, and in summer whole days of riding on
rough hacks: men had to drink deep and yet keep sober longer than their
worthy masters, if they would not be blackened with coals, and trodden
under foot by them and other drunken princely guests; the women of the
court had to jest with crowds of drunken men with rough manners, or to
have their nights' rest disturbed by the clashing of naked swords, or
by the cries of an excited multitude. It actually happened once at the
Imperial court, that there was no money in the chest for the purchase
of new shoes, and frequently the honest citizens declined to furnish
the court with the necessary supplies of bread and meat. Most of the
great courts led a wandering life, and on their journeys, bad inns,
worse roads, and scanty fare were by no means their greatest
discomforts: the roads were unsafe, and the reception at the end of the
journey was often doubtful.
The scenes we are about to portray are of a Hungarian court, but the
royal family and the narrator are German. It is the court of Queen
Elizabeth, daughter of the Emperor Sigismund, widow of Albrecht of
Austria, king of Hungary, who died in the year 1439. The German
Imperial race of Luxemburg was, after Charles IV., the least worthy of
renown of all who have ruled over central Europe, and the Emperor
Sigismund was one of the worst of his race. His daughter Elizabeth
suffered under the curse of her house: it was her fate to throw Hungary
into confusion and weakness; but as she must be judged from history, it
appears she was somewhat better than her father or her reprobate
mother: she had a feeling of her own dignity, and was, unlike her
parents, a person of distinguished manners. This did not hinder her
committing, for political purposes, unworthy actions, which every age
has stigmatized as mean; but she attached people to her by that
fascination of manner which often takes the place of better qualities.
It was thus that one of her attendants, Helen Kottenner, was devoted to
her with the most unshaken fidelity; she was bed-chamberwoman and
governess to the young princess, a child of four years old, and at the
same time she was confidante and counsellor of her mistress. Her ardent
loyalty and motherly love for the little king Ladislaus made her the
most zealous partisan of his family. She secretly stole for her
sovereign the Hungarian crown, and she carried the little Ladislaus
through the swamps of Hungary and the rebellious magnates to his
coronation, and became his instructress when fate separated him from
his mother. It was remarkable that this woman, in a stirring time, when
writing was troublesome and difficult even to men, recorded the
important events of her life and her share in politics in the shape of
a memoir. Our surprise at so unusual a circumstance increases, when we
examine closely the fragment of her memoirs which is preserved to us.
Her narrative is strikingly detailed, clear, and graphic.
There is no doubt that the fragment is genuine: it was published at
Leipzig, 1846, with some explanatory remarks by Stephen Endlisher, from
the manuscript still preserved in the Imperial Library at Vienna (No.
2920), under the title, 'From the Memoirs of Helen Kottenner, 1439,
1440.' The principal event recorded is the theft of the Hungarian
crown, by which the coronation of the child Ladislaus was effected.
To enable the reader to understand this, we must mention that up to the
present time a mysterious importance has been attached by the
Hungarians to the crown of the Holy Stephen, "_die heilige_," without
which no one could become rightful King of Hungary; and this mysterious
importance has, as is well known, added many romantic adventures to the
long and sorrowful history of this crown. When King Albrecht died, his
widow Elizabeth had not given birth to the heir who was to secure the
succession of the throne of Hungary. Amid the fierce and egotistical
quarrels of the nobles who then decided the fate of the country, two
large parties may be distinguished,--the national and the German. The
national party was desirous of giving the throne to the King Wladislaus
of Poland, whilst the Germans sought every means of preserving it to
the royal family of Germany. Helen Kottenner writes as follows:--
"Her highness the noble Queen came to reside at Plintenburg,[11] and
many Hungarian lords with her. These went down to the vaults and
brought up from thence a chest in which was kept the holy crown, which
they took out with its case: there were many seals to this, which they
broke open, and looked to see that it was all right. I was present.
Then they placed the holy crown in a small chest. This was standing
near a bed in which lay the noble Queen, about to be confined, and in
the same room with her were two maidens, one called Barbara, the
daughter of a Hungarian lord, the other called Ironacherin, and there
was a wax taper for a nightlight, as is the custom amongst princesses.
One of these maidens got up in the night, and upset the light without
perceiving it; and a fire broke out in the room, and was burning so
near the chest that it was singed, and a hole as large as a hand's
breadth was burnt in a blue velvet cushion that layover the chest. Now
observe this wonder: the King who was to wear the holy crown was yet
within his mother's womb, and they were scarcely two fathoms apart from
the chest, and the evil one would gladly have injured them by the fire;
but God was their protector, and caused the Queen to awake at the right
time. I was then with the young princess. Then came the maidens and
bade me quickly rise up, as there was fire in the chamber wherein lay
my honoured lady. I was sore afraid, rose up hastily, and went into the
room, which was full of smoke: having extinguished the fire, I let in
fresh air to clear away the smoke, so that the noble Queen might be
able to remain there. In the morning the Hungarian lords waited on my
honoured lady. Her highness told them what had happened in the night,
and how nearly both she and the holy crown had been burnt. Then the
lords were much amazed, and they advised that the holy crown should be
replaced in its chest, and carried again down to the vault from whence
it had been taken; which was done at once. The door was sealed again as
before, but with fewer seals. And the Hungarian lords desired that the
castle might be given over to her cousin, Lassla Wan von Gara,[12]
which was also done. Herr Lassla Wan took possession of the castle, and
placed it under the superintendence of a Burgrave.
"After all this had happened, the noble widow, my honoured lady,
departed for Ofen, in great anxiety of mind, because the Hungarian
lords wished her to take another husband; and the King of Poland was
the one whom her cousin Lassla Wan was desirous she should choose.
This, however, she would not do, as her doctors had assured her she
would bear a son: she hoped that this might prove true, but not having
any certainty thereof, she was undecided how to act. Then the noble
Queen had begun to consider and devise how she could get the holy crown
from the Hungarian lords. These Hungarian lords would have been glad
for the confinement of the noble Queen to have taken place at the
Plintenburg; but that did not please her highness, and she would not
return to the castle; for having weighed the matter well, she had
reason to fear that were she there, she and her child might be forcibly
detained; still less could she think of going there now, as she was
endeavouring to obtain possession of the holy crown. The noble Queen
had taken her youngest daughter, Princess Elizabeth, with her from the
castle, as also myself and two young maidens, and left all the others
there. Every one was astonished that her highness should leave the
remainder of the court up at the castle; the reason was known only to
God, her highness, and myself.
"The noble Queen went with her youngest daughter, Princess Elizabeth,
to Komorn. Here Count Ulric von Eily[13] came to visit her highness,--a
faithful friend, with whom she consulted by what means she could bring
away the holy crown from the Plintenburg. Then came my honoured lady to
me, desiring that I should undertake it, as there was no one else she
could trust, or who knew so well the locality. This sorely troubled me;
for it was a dangerous venture for me and my little children, and I
turned it over in my mind what I should do, for I had no one to take
counsel of but God alone; and I thought if I did it not, and evil arose
therefrom, I should be guilty before God and the world. So I consented
to risk my life on this difficult undertaking, but desired to have some
one to help me. Then I was asked whom I should consider fit for this: I
proposed a Croat whom I thought faithfully devoted to my lady. He was
called into secret council, and we laid before him what we desired of
him: the man was so terrified that he changed colour, and became as
one, half dead: he would not consent, and went forthwith to the stable
for his horse. I know not whether it came to pass through his own
awkwardness, or if it was the will of God, but an account was received
at court that he had had a bad fall from his horse, and as soon as he
recovered he made the best of his way to Croatia; so the plan was
delayed, and my honoured lady was very sorrowful that one who was so
weak hearted should know of the affair, and I also was in great
anxiety.
"When the time came that the Almighty had ordained that this great work
should be done, He sent us a Hungarian who was willing to undertake to
obtain the holy crown; his name was the....[14]; he set about it in a
wise and manly manner. We arranged what we should require, and took
certain keys and two files. This man who was about to venture
his life--as I was mine--in this affair, put on a black velvet
dressing-gown and a pair of felt shoes, and in each shoe he placed a
file, and he hid the keys under his dress. I took my honoured lady's
little seal and the keys of the front door; at the side of the door
there was a chain and hook; we had before we left put on a lock, so as
to prevent any one else from putting another. When we were ready, my
honoured lady sent forward a messenger to the Plintenburg, to let the
Burgrave and the maidens know that the latter were to prepare
themselves to join her highness at Komorn, as soon as the carriage
arrived. When the carriage which was to be sent for the maidens, and
also the sledge which was to convey me and my confederate were ready,
two Hungarian noblemen were directed to accompany me. We proceeded, and
information was given to the Burgrave, that I had arrived for the
maidens. He and the other courtiers were surprised that I had left my
young mistress, because she was so little, and they all knew well that
I was rarely allowed to do so. The Burgrave was ill, and had intended
to place his bed near the first door of the place where the holy crown
was kept; but God ordained that his illness should increase, and he was
unable to sleep there, and he could not place servants there, it being
in the women's apartment; therefore he placed a cloth over the padlock,
which we had placed on the chain, and sealed it up.
"When we arrived at the Plintenburg, the maidens were right glad to
find they were to rejoin my honoured lady: they immediately made
preparations, and had a trunk made for their clothes; this occupied a
long time, even up to the eighth hour. My confederate came also into
the apartment of the women, and jested with the maidens. Now there was
a little heap of fire-wood lying near the stove, under which he hid the
files; but the servants who waited on the maidens observed this, and
began to whisper among themselves. I heard them, and forthwith told
him; this frightened him so much that he changed colour, but he took
the files away and concealed them elsewhere, and said to me, 'Woman,
take care that we have a light.' And I begged of the old woman to give
me some tapers, because I had many prayers to say, for it was the first
Saturday night after the carnival. I took the tapers and hid them near
me. When the maidens and every one else slept, there remained in the
small room besides myself, only the old woman whom I had brought with
me, who did not know a word of German, nor anything about my business;
she had also no knowledge of the house, and lay there sleeping soundly.
At the right time my confederate came through the chapel and knocked at
the door, which I opened and closed again after him. He had brought a
servant with him to help him, who was called by the same Christian name
as himself, and was bound to him by oath. I then intended to give him
the tapers, but they had disappeared. I was in such terror that I knew
not what to do, and the business had well-nigh miscarried only for want
of the lights. Then I bethought me that I would go and quietly awake
the woman who had given me the tapers; and I told her the tapers were
lost, and I had yet some time to pray; so she gave me more. Then I was
glad, and gave them to him with the keys and the little seal of my
honoured lady, that he might fasten and seal everything up again. I
gave him also the three keys which belonged to the first door. He took
off the cloth with the seal of the castle, which had been placed on it
by the Burgrave, opened the door and went in with his servant, and
worked so hard at the other locks that the noise of the knocking and
filing became alarming. But though the watchers and the Burgrave's
people were more than usually vigilant that night in the care of the
crown, yet Almighty God stopped their ears, so that they did not hear
the noise. I however heard it all, and kept watch in great trouble and
anxiety. And I devoutly prayed to God and the Holy Virgin that they
would support and help me; yet I was in greater anxiety for my soul
than for my life, and I prayed to God that He would be merciful to my
soul, and let me die at once there, rather than that anything should
happen against his will, or that should bring misfortune on my country
and people. Whilst I was thus praying, I heard a loud noise and
rustling, as if many armed men were at the door through which I had
admitted my confederate, and it appeared to me as if they desired to
break open the door. In great fear I rose from my knees, and was about
to warn him to desist from his work, when it occurred to me to go first
to the door, which I did; when I came to the door, the noise was at an
end, and no one seemed to be there; then I bethought me that it was a
spirit, and went again to my prayers; and I vowed to our dear lady a
pilgrimage to Zell[15] barefooted, and until I could fulfil it, I would
every Saturday night forego my feather bed, and also as long as I lived
would make an especial prayer to the Holy Virgin, thanking her for her
favour, and begging her to express my gratitude to our dear Lord Jesus
Christ, for the great mercy which out of his compassion He had shown
me. Whilst I was still at my prayers, I thought again that there was a
great noise and rustling of armour at the other door, which was the
special entrance into the women's room; and this frightened me so much
that I trembled and perspired all over, and thought it was surely not a
spirit, but that they had gone round to this door whilst I was still
standing at that of the chapel. I knew not what to do, and listened to
find out whether the maidens had heard anything. But I heard no one,
then I went slowly down the small stairs through the chamber of the
maidens, to the door which was the usual entrance into the women's
apartments; when I came to the door there was no one. Then was I glad,
and thanked God, and went again to my prayers, and bethought me it was
the devil who wished to hinder our business.
"When I had ended my prayer I got up, and determined to go to the vault
and see what they were doing: the man met me, and told me to rejoice,
as it was all accomplished. They had filed away the locks of the doors,
but that on the case was so fast they could not file it, and were
obliged to burn the wood. From this arose a great smoke, and I was
again in much anxiety lest inquiry should be made about it; but God
averted this danger. As we had now got the holy crown we closed the
doors again, and fixed on other locks instead of those we had broken,
and put on them again the seal of my honoured lady: we made fast the
outer door, and replaced on it the cloth with the seal of the castle,
as had been done by the Burgrave, and as we had found it. And I threw
the file into the privy that was in the women's apartments; and if it
were broken open, the file would be found in evidence of the truth of
all this. The holy crown we carried out through the chapel, wherein
rest in God the remains of St. Elizabeth; and I, Helen Kottenner, owe
to this chapel a priestly garment for the mass, and an altar cloth,
which shall be paid by my honoured lord, King Lassla. My confederate
took a red velvet cushion which he opened, and taking a portion of the
feathers out, placed the holy crown therein, and then sewed it up
again.
"In the meanwhile it was almost daylight, the maidens and every one had
arisen, and we were to depart: now the maidens had in their service an
old woman, who my honoured lady had commanded should have her wages
paid, and be left behind, that she might return home to Ofen. When she
had received her wages she came to me, and told me that she had seen a
curious thing lying before the stove, and did not know what it might
be. I was much alarmed at this, for I saw plainly that it was part of
the case in which the holy crown had been kept; and I did my best to
persuade her not to believe her own eyes; but I went secretly to the
stove, and threw the fragments that I found into the fire, that they
might be entirely burnt; and I took the woman with me on the journey.
Every one was surprised at my doing this; but I said that I intended
asking my honoured lady for a benefice at St. Martins at Vienna for
her, which I afterwards did.
"When the maidens and the retinue were ready to depart, my confederate
took the cushion in which the holy crown was concealed, and commanded
his servant to carry it from the house to the sledge on which he and I
were to sit. Then the good fellow took the cushion on his shoulders,
and threw over it an old cowhide with the tail on, which hung down
behind, and every one who saw it began to laugh.
"When we arrived in the market-place we would gladly have had something
to eat, but could find nothing except herrings. When we had eaten a
little, and assisted at the usual mass in the Church, the day was far
advanced, and we had to go that day from the Plintenburg to Komorn,
which was full twelve German miles off. On mounting the sledge I took
great care not to sit on the corner of the cushion in which the holy
crown was concealed, and thanked God Almighty for all his mercies; yet
I often turned round to see if any one followed us; and there was no
end to my anxiety, for my thoughts troubled me much.
"On arriving at the inn where we intended to dine, the faithful servant
to whom the care of the cushion was intrusted carried it into the
chamber, and laid it on a table before me, so that it was under my eye
the whole time that we were eating; and before starting, the cushion
was replaced. We journeyed onwards, and about dark arrived at the
Danube, which was still frozen over, but the ice in some places was
very thin. When we were half way across the river the ice gave way
under the carriage in which the maidens were, and it was upset; they
raised a great cry, for it was so dark they could not see each other. I
was in great fear that we, with the holy crown, should be lost in the
Danube; but God was our help, so that no one got under the ice, but
many things from the carriage fell into the water under the ice. Then I
took the Duchess of Silesia and the principal maidens into the sledge
with me, and we, with all the others, got safe over the river. When we
arrived at the castle of Komorn, my confederate took the cushion with
the holy crown, and carried it to a place of safety, and I went to my
honoured lady the noble Queen, who received me graciously, and said,
'That with God's help, I had been a good messenger.'
"The noble Queen received me in bed, and told me how she had suffered
during the day. Two widow ladies had come from Ofen to her highness,
bringing with them two nurses, one was the midwife, the other the
wet-nurse; and the latter had brought her child with her, which was a
son, for the wise people think that the milk which comes with a son is
better than that which comes with a daughter. These women were to have
gone with her highness to Presburg, where she was to have been
confined, for according to their reckoning her highness had yet another
week to go; but either the reckoning was wrong, or, as I said to the
noble Queen, it was God's will: her grace told me that the women from
Ofen had given her a bath, after which her pains had come on. I
discovered from this that the birth was now approaching. The women from
Ofen were staying in the market-place, but we had a midwife with us,
called Margaret, who had been sent to my honoured lady by the Countess
Hans von Schaumberg, as being particularly good, which she was. Then I
said, 'Honoured lady, it seems to me that you will not go to-morrow to
Presburg;' so her highness got up and began to prepare herself for the
event. Then I sent for the Hungarian housekeeper who was called Aessem
Margit, who came immediately, and also the maiden called Ironacherin,
and I hastened to call the midwife whom the Countess von Schaumberg had
sent. She was in the room with my young lady,[16] and I said,
'Margaret, rise quickly, for the hour of my honoured lady is come;' the
woman being heavy with sleep answered, 'By the holy cross, if the child
is born to-night we shall hardly go to Presburg to-morrow;' and she
would not get up. The contest between us appeared to me so long that I
hastened back to my honoured lady, lest anything should go wrong, as
those who were with her did not understand such things; and she
inquired, 'Where is Margaret?' and I gave her the foolish answer of the
woman; and her highness said, 'Go again quickly, and bid her come, for
this is no jesting matter.' I hurried back in great anger, and brought
the woman with me; and in less than half an hour after she came to my
honoured lady, Almighty God sent us a young King. The same hour that
the holy crown came from the Plintenburg to Komorn, the King Lassla was
born. The midwife was sharp-witted, and exclaimed, 'Honoured lady,
grant me my wish, and I will tell you what I have in my arms.' The
noble Queen answered, 'Yes, dear mother;' and the nurse said, 'I have a
young King in my arms.' This made the noble Queen very happy: she
raised her hands to God, and thanked Him for his mercy. When she had
been arranged comfortably in her bed, and no one was with her save I
alone, I knelt down and said to the Queen, 'Honoured lady, your
Highness must thank God as long as you live for his great mercy, and
for the miracle which He has wrought in bringing the crown and the King
together in the same hour.' The noble Queen replied, 'It is indeed a
great miracle of God Almighty, the like of which has never happened
before.'
"When the noble and faithful Count Ulric von Eily heard that a King and
friend was born to him, who was both his lord and cousin, he was
overjoyed, as were also the Croats, and all the lords and attendants on
the court. The noble Count von Eily had bonfires made, and they had a
procession on the water with torches, and amused themselves till after
midnight. Early in the morning they sent for the Bishop of Gran to come
and christen the young King: he came, accompanied by the pastor of
Ofen, Master Franz. And my honoured lady desired that I should be
godmother; but I answered, 'Honoured madam, I am bound to obey your
Highness always, but I beg of you to take the Aessem Margit instead of
me,' which her Highness did. When the noble King was to be baptized, we
took off the black dress from the young princess, which she had worn
for the great and dear prince, King Albrecht, and put on her a golden
dress woven with red; and the maidens were all gaily dressed to the
honour and praise of God, who had given an hereditary King to the
people and country.
"Not long after, there came certain intelligence that the King of
Poland was approaching, and had designs upon Ofen, which proved true.
It became therefore necessary to make secret and hasty preparations for
the coronation; and my honoured lady sent to Ofen to get cloth of gold
for the coronation dress of the little King Lassla; but this took so
long a time that we feared it would be too late, for the coronation
must take place on a high festival, and Pentecost, which was the first,
was near at hand, so that it was necessary to make haste. Now there was
a rich and beautiful vestment for the mass which had belonged to the
Emperor Sigismund; it was red and gold, with silver spots worked on it;
this was cut up and formed into the first dress of the young King that
he was to wear with the holy crown. I sewed together the small pieces,
the surplice and the humeral, the stole and the banner, the gloves and
the shoes; and I was obliged to make these secretly in the chapel with
bolted doors.
"In the evening, when every one had gone to rest, my honoured lady sent
for me to come to her immediately; this made me fear that something had
gone wrong. The noble Queen's thoughts had been wandering to and fro,
and she said to me, 'What would you advise? our affairs are not going
on well; they desire to stop us on our way; where shall we conceal the
holy crown? It will be a great misfortune if it falls into the hands of
the enemy.' I stepped aside for a little while, wishing to reflect and
to pray to the mother of all mercy to intercede with her Son, that we
might manage our business so that no evil should accrue from it. Then I
returned to the noble Queen and said, 'Honoured lady, with deference to
your wisdom, I will advise what seems good to me: your Highness knows
well that the King is of more importance than the holy crown; let us
lay the holy crown in the cradle under the King, so that wherever God
leads the King there will the crown be also.' This counsel pleased her
Highness, who answered: 'We will do so, and thus let him take care of
the crown himself.' In the morning I took the holy crown and packed it
carefully in a cloth, and laid it in the mattress of the cradle, for
his Highness did not yet lie on a feather-bed; and laid there also a
long spoon, such as we use for mixing the child's pap. This I did to
make any one who felt in the cradle, believe that what lay therein was
the vessel in which the pap for the noble King was prepared.
"On the Tuesday afternoon before Whitsunday the noble Queen set out
with the young King, the noble Count von Eily, the Croatian counts, and
the Dukes of Lindbach. A large boat had been prepared for the noble
Queen, her son, and daughter; and many good people went on board with
them, so that the boat being heavy laden was scarce a hand's breadth
above the water: there was much fear and danger, especially as the wind
was high; but God took us prosperously over the river. The young King
was carried in the cradle by four men, most of them armed, and I myself
rode by the side of it. He had not been carried far when he began to
cry violently, and would not remain in the cradle; so I descended from
my horse and carried him in my arms: and the roads were bad, for there
had been much rain; but there was a pious knight there, Herr Hans of
Pilach, who conducted me through the swampy ground.
"We went on in great anxiety, for all the peasants had fled from their
villages into the wood, and most of them were vassals of the lords who
were our enemies; therefore, when we came to the mountains, I
dismounted from my horse and took the noble King out of his cradle, and
placed him in the carriage, wherein sat the noble Queen and her young
daughter Elizabeth; and we women and maidens formed a circle round the
noble family, so that if any one fired at the carriage we should
receive the shots. And there were many foot-soldiers who went on both
sides of the carriage, and searched in the underwood, lest there should
be any enemies there who might injure us. Thus, with God's help, we
crossed the mountain without hurt. Then I took the noble King again out
of the carriage, and placed him in his cradle, riding by the side of
it: we had not gone far when he began again to cry; he would not remain
in the cradle or carriage, and the nurse could not quiet him. Then I
took him up in my arms and carried him a good bit of the way; the nurse
also carried him till we were both tired, when I laid him again in his
cradle; thus we continued to change during the whole of our journey.
Sometimes it rained so that the noble King was quite wet. I had brought
a fur pelisse with me for my own wear, but when the rain was very heavy
I covered the cradle with it, till it was wet through, I then had it
wrung out, and again covered the cradle with it as long as it was
wanted. The wind also was so high that it blew the dust into the
cradle, so that the King could hardly open his eyes; and at times it
was so hot that he perspired all over, and from that a rash broke out
upon him afterwards. It was almost night when we arrived at the inn;
and when every one had eaten, the gentlemen placed themselves round the
house in which the royal family were, and made a fire, keeping watch
all night, as is the custom in the kingdom of Hungary. The next day we
journeyed to Weissenburg.
"When we arrived near Weissenburg, Miklosch Weida of the free city rode
to meet us, accompanied by full five hundred horse.
"When we went through the marshy ground the young King began again to
cry, and would not remain in the cradle or carriage; and I was again
obliged to carry his Highness in my arms, till we arrived in the city
of Weissenburg. Then the gentlemen sprang from their horses, and formed
themselves into a wide circle of armed men, holding naked swords in
their hands, and I, Helen Kottenner, had to carry the young King in the
midst of this circle; and Count Bartholomae of Croatia went on one side
of me, and another on the other side, to do honour to the noble King;
thus we went through the city till we arrived at the inn. This was on
Whitsun eve.
"On our arrival my honoured lady sent for the elders of the city; she
showed them the holy crown, and gave directions to prepare everything
that was meet for the coronation, according to the old usages. And
there were certain burghers there, who remembered the coronation of the
Emperor Sigismund, having been present at it. On Whitsun morning I got
up early, bathed the young King, and dressed him as well as I could;
then they carried him to the church, where all the Kings were crowned,
and there were many good people there, both ecclesiastics and laymen.
When we arrived at the church they carried the young King to the choir,
but the door of the choir was closed; the citizens were within, and my
honoured lady was outside the door with her son, the noble King. My
honoured lady spoke Hungarian with them, and the burghers answered her
Highness in the same language: her Highness took the oath instead of
her son, for his Highness was only twelve weeks old that day. When all
this was accomplished according to the old customs, they opened the
door and let in their rightful lord and lady, and all the others who
were summoned, both ecclesiastics and laymen. And the young Princess
Elizabeth stood up by the organ, that her Highness might not be injured
in the throng, as she was only just four years old. When the service
was about to begin, I had to raise up the young King that his Highness
might be confirmed. Now Miklosch Weida had been appointed to knight the
young King, because he was a genuine Hungarian knight. The noble Count
von Eily had a sword which was thickly ornamented with silver and gold,
and on it was a motto that ran thus: 'Indestructible.' This sword he
gave to the young King that his Highness might be knighted with it.
Then I, Helen Kottenner, raised the young King in my arms, and the
knight of the free city took the sword; and he gave the King such a
blow that I felt it on my arm. This the noble Queen, who stood near me,
remarked, and said to the knight of the free city: 'Istemere nem
misertem!' that is to say, 'For God's sake do not hurt him!' to which
he replied: 'Nem;' that is to say, 'No,' and laughed. Then the right
reverend prelate, the Archbishop of Gran, took the holy oil, and
anointed the noble child, King; and the dress of cloth of gold, such as
is worn by kings, was put on the noble child; and the archbishop took
the holy crown and placed it on his head; and thus he, King Albrecht's
son, grandson of the Emperor Sigismund, who throughout all holy
Christendom is recognized as King Lassla, was crowned at Weissenburg by
the Archbishop of Gran, with the holy crown, on Whitsunday. For there
are three laws in the kingdom of Hungary which must not be departed
from, as without them no king is deemed legally crowned. One of these
is, that a king of Hungary must be crowned with the holy crown; another
that it must be done by the Archbishop of Gran; and the third, that it
shall take place at Weissenburg. When the archbishop placed the crown
on the head of the noble King Lassla, he held his head quite upright
with the strength of a child of a year old, which is seldom to be seen
in children of twelve weeks. After the noble King, seated in my arms,
had been crowned at the altar of St. Stephen, I carried him up a small
staircase to a high gallery, according to custom, and the prescribed
ritual for the festival was read; but there being no golden cloth for
the King to sit on, after the old usage, I took for the purpose a red
and gold cover lined with ermine from his cradle; and whilst the noble
King was held upon the golden cloth, Count Ulric von Eily held the
crown over his head during the chanting of the office.
"The noble King had little pleasure in his coronation, for he wept
aloud, so that all in church heard him; and the common people were
astonished, and said, 'It was not the voice of a child of twelve weeks;
it might be taken for that of a child of a year old, which, however, he
was not. Then knighthood was conferred by Miklosch Weida on behalf of
the noble King Lassla. When the office was completed I carried the
noble King down again, and laid him in the cradle, for he was very
tired from sitting so long upright. Then he was borne to St. Peter's
church, where I was again obliged to take him out of his cradle and
place him on a chair, as it is the custom for every king when crowned
to be seated there. Again I carried his Highness down and laid him in
his cradle; and he was taken from St. Peter's church, followed by his
noble family on foot, back to the inn. The only one who rode was Count
von Eily, for he had to hold the holy crown over the head of the noble
King, that every one might see it was the holy crown which had been
placed on the head of the holy St. Stephen and other Hungarian Kings.
Count Bartholomae carried the orb, and the Duke von Lindbach the
sceptre; a legate's staff was borne before the noble King, because he
did not hold any part of Hungary on feudal tenure from the holy Roman
Empire; and the sword with which his Highness had been knighted was
also carried before him, and pence were scattered among the people. The
noble Queen was so humble and showed such respect to her son, that I,
poor woman, had to walk before her, next to the noble King, because I
had held his Highness in my arms at the anointing and coronation. When
the noble King had arrived at the inn, he was put to rest, as his
Highness was very tired. The lords and all others went away, and the
noble Queen remained alone with her son. Then I knelt down before her,
and reminded her of the service which I had rendered to her Highness
and the noble King; and also to her other children and members of the
royal family. Thereupon the noble Queen gave me her hand and said,
'Rise up, and if please God our affairs prosper, I will exalt you and
your whole race. You have well deserved it, for you have done for me
and my children what I myself could not have done.' Then I inclined
myself humbly, and thanked her Highness for her kind encouragement."
Thus far Helen Kottenner. History tells us in what consternation the
party of King Wladislaus of Poland was placed by the robbery of the
crown, and also how the crown itself was mortgaged by the Queen to the
Emperor Frederick III., but of the after life of Helen Kottenner we
know nothing.
What interests us most in this narrative is the night scene in which
the holy crown of Hungary is purloined, and the mental struggles of a
strong female character. But these inward struggles and scruples of
conscience assume to the daughter of the fifteenth century a palpable
form: they become to her an outward reality that mysteriously assails
her. Her soul is not tormented with thoughts alone that accuse and
excuse each other, but with delusive appearances that strike her with
terror.
This activity of the senses, which clothes with an appearance of
outward life all that rises in the soul, of the fearful and
incomprehensible, is generally and peculiarly characteristic of the
early life of every people. The souls of individuals are not
sufficiently free to enable them to understand the inward struggles of
their own minds: they begin by contending against what torments them,
as if it were an outward form or enemy. Such were the noble struggles
of Luther; and when the incomparable English poet of the sixteenth
century caused his tragic hero to struggle with the apparitions of
murdered men, and with the dagger which was the implement of his crime,
this conception, which we consider as a highly poetical and spiritual
creation, had a far deeper truth for him and his spectators.