VOL. 4.] Traditions on the Banks of the Rhine. 131 Roland, who it seems had been left both, was unwilling to grieve either by for dead on the field, and had afterwards preferring his rival. The elder son recovered of his wounds, came soon however believing that her heart a little after to her father's castle, to claim the inclined to his brother, resigned his prehand of Hildegonda. In his grief at tensions, and besought her to declare in the tidings he received, he built a her- his brother's favour.--The old knight mitage on a rock immediately above gave the young couple his blessing, but the island of Frauen worth, and called their union was delayed.-The elder it Rolandseck, (Roland's corner.) Here brother saw without envy, but not withhe passed the remainder of his days, out melancholy, the happiness of his sitting at the gate of his hermitage, rival. The charms of his beloved oblooking down on the convent which ject increased in his eyes every day, and held his beloved object. When the to fly from her presence he joined the matins bell roused him, he would rise Prince, residing at Rhense, and was and listen to the chanting of the nuns, admitted into his suite. fancying he could distinguish the voice of his Hildegonda; and when at night the lights glimmered in the cells of the convent, his imagination saw Hildegonda praying to Heaven for him. Two years in this way had nearly consumed his strength. One morning, looking as usual down on the convent, some people were digging a grave in the garden. Something whispered to Roland, that this grave was for Hildegonda. On sending to inquire, his conjecture proved true-he stood and watched the funeral procession, saw her corpse let down into the grave, and listened to the requiem chanted over her --and he was found not long after sitting dead before his hermitage, his eyes turned towards the convent!" Just at this time St. Bernard was preaching the cross on the banks of the Rhine.-There was not a chateau near the river that did not send a knight to Frankfort, where the Emperor Conrad presented the Saint to the people, who all took the cross. Almost every castle along the river, from Basle to Cologne, mounted a streaming flag, with the holy symbol of our Saviour's sufferings; and the river and roads in the country were thronged with joyous companies flocking towards Palestine. The young intended bridegroom caught the gener al flame, and resolved to visit the Holy Land before leading his bride to the altar. In spite of his father's displeas ure, and the ill-concealed tears of the young lady, he assembled his little troop and joined the Emperor's army at Frankfort. "Near the little village of Hirtzenach, between St. Goar and Boppart, the ru- The old knight dying soon after, the ins of the two old castles of Liebenstein elder brother returned from Rhense to and Sternfels stand close together on a take possession his ancestors' castle. fine mountain covered with vines on the Love was now ready to revive more right bank of the river. Their grey strongly than ever in his breast ;-but mouldering towers nod at each other he overcame himself, and scrupulously with a sort of rival dignity; and they treated the young lady with the kind go by the name of the Two Brothers. protection of a brother.-Two years -Tradition says they were formerly had elapsed when the news arrived that inhabited by an old knight who had the younger brother was returning froin two sons equally dear to him, and a Palestine, accompanied by a beautiful rich and beautiful young orphan was Grecian dame, to whom he was bealso brought up under his protection. trothed. This intelligence cut his deHer charms increased with her years; serted fair one to the heart; and, acand, as was very natural, the young cording to the custom of the age in such knights both fell in love with their fair disappointments, she resolved to take play-fellow. When she arrived at a the veil. The elder son was indigmarriageable age, the father proposed nant at this conduct of his brother; to her to choose between his two sons; and, when a courier arrived at the casbut she, knowing the sentiments of tle to announce his approach, he threw 132 Traditions on the Banks of the Rhine. [VOL. 4 down his glove, bidding him take that (mountain) half buried in thick brushfor answer. wood in a hollow made by its own The Crusader arrived with his fair weight. It is above thirty feet long, Grecian at the Castle of Sternfels, his and about four in greatest diameterpaternal inheritance and a bloody nearly cylindrical, and tapering with an war took place between the brothers, exact proportion. At one end a sort which they were on the point of con- of semicircular step is cut, apparently cluding by single combat, when the either to fit it to some other stone, or to young lady interposed and pacified fix machinery for moving it. The them by her persuasions. She after- granite is of the hard dark description, wards quitted the abode of her infancy of which all the masses in the neighbourand took the veil. hood are composed. This singular Sadness and mourning now reigned column, which has resisted so main the Castle of Liebenstein-while joy ny ages, has excited much speculation. and dissipation occupied the inhabitants Kotzebue proposed to have it conveyof Sternfels. The beauties of the Gre- ed to Leipsic, and erected in honour cian dame, and the graces of her con- of the stupendous victory there, of versation, attracted around her all the which it would be a worthy monugay knights of the neighbourhood; ment. Another immense rough block and she was by no means scrupulous in of granite near it, with a complete step receiving their homage. The elder cut in it, is called the Giant's Altar, and brother saw the disgrace of his brother, scattered about are many other blocks, before he himself was aware of it, and with similar traces of workmanship. soon found an opportunity to convince Conjecture attributes them to the anhim of his wife's infidelity. The young cient worship of Odin, to the middle knight would have sacrificed her to his ages, and to the Romans; the author vengeance; but she found means to sides with the latter, as he thinks the escape. His elder brother pressed him original Germans could not cut that in his arms as he was abandoning him- granite which their descendants can self to his despair, saying-" Let us barely scratch. The Felsen mer, a live henceforth together without wives, natural sea of Rocks (accurately desto do honour to the grief of our first cribed by its name) is another extraorlove, who is now passing the brightest dinary spectacle in this vicinity. The days of youth in a convent." The Odenwald itself is full of romantic trayounger brother agreed, and they re- ditions. At no great distance from the mained bachelors and inseparable friends Feldsberg, is the Castle of Rodenstein, for the rest of their days. Their race expired with them-and their old ruined castles, which still retain the name of "The Brothers," remind the traveller of their history." on the top of a shaggy mountain. Here, as the tale goes, resides the Knight of Rodenstein, or the wild Jäger, who, issuing from his ruins, announces the approach of war by traversing the air with a noisy armament, to the opposite Castle of Schnellerts. The There are some remarkable objects strange noises heard on the eve of batin the Odenwald, or Wood of Odin, a tles, are authenticated on the spot by wild and interesting district, not far affidavits; and some persons profess from Darmstadt :to have been convinced by their eyes as "Among these is the Riesensäule, or well as their ears. In this way the peoGiant's Column, which lies in a wood, ple were forewarned of the victories of on the declivity of the Feldsberg Leipsic and Waterloo." VOL. 4.] IT T has been mentioned in some part or mysterious presentiment to relate. of these memoirs, that my affairs Our narratives suggested a proposal to sometimes called me to the Isle of Man. try that mode of divination called the One of those unforeseen combinations Sortes Virgilianæ, and celebrated in of events which we are pleased to call many authentic anecdotes of eminent chance carried me thither at that period men. A young Gascon, who obtained of the year which Manxmen still distin- bread by teaching a little French to guish by a few of their ancient supersti- the daughters of some fashionable tions. Then begin the operations of a residents in the neighbourhood, supcertain familiar spirit, whose nightly plied us with a pocket Virgil, and, labours in the flower garden or field as the newest guest, my chance had are repaid by a piece of silver depos- precedence. I opened the oracular ited on the threshold. I arrived on volume with due solemnity, and found May-eve, and found the good farmer my finger on this remarkable line of at whose house my stay was expected, the Georgies, full of preparation for the mock battle "Some days are fortunate the fifth beware!” between summer and winter usually The company amused themselves with exhibited on the next morn. Lawyers a few constrained jests, and prolonged are not celebrated for their readiness to the conversation till day-break, more partake such pastoral and amicable com- through fear of retiring into solitude bats; but there is a tradition extant and darkness, than from the spirit of which ascribes to the may-pole the conviviality. If the Virgilian oracle dignity of a wand of justice, and in- had made any impression on my mind, forms us that courts of law once assem- it was effaced next day by my host's bled round it. Perhaps this tradition clamorous complaints that he had lost a gave new zest to the curiosity with silver ewer of rare antiquity, which his which I awoke to attend the festival dame had persuaded him to lend the of milk-maids and farmers' boys loaded May-damsels for the embellishment of with garlands and mock silver cups. their pole. Such an article, in a spot The latter were too often filled and like the Isle of Man, was not likely to emptied to allow much order in the be sold or converted into bullion withprocession; but the mirthful carols and out detection, and the farmer was adgrotesque dances of the Manx girls drew vised to employ his strictest enquiries a train of spectators, including my ho- on the coast, from whence the felon nest old host, with all his family and would probably convey it. I went with guests. The day ended as convivially him to the sea-port town of Ramsey, as it had begun; but as twelve hours' where we found opportunities to view unceasing exertion must exhaust the the crews and consult the captains of best animal spirits, ours gradually sunk several vessels, in one of which we from clamorous jests into sad tales noticed a man whose apparel was sinof witchcraft, dreams, and omens. If gularly loose and ill-suited. It would the Isle of Man deserves to be called have been more accurate to have said, the heaven of lawyers, it is also the I alone noticed this sailor, for I feared paradise of prophetesses and soothsayers. to call my angry and revengeful comThe charming enchantress described by panion's attention towards him, and he a modern bard must have visited it soon disappeared. The owner of the to form her garland of dreams. We lost ewer returned home in a churlish were all probably under the influence humour, having found no clue to guide of this enchantress, for every one of his search, and I availed myself gladly the company had some striking dream of an invitation to visit the deemster, The Antiquarian. 66 [VOL. 4 whose distant residence would remove by an unknown hand, "After Six." me beyond the litigious farmer's reach. Those mysterious words, as the Saxon Like many discerning men, whose cir- historian tells us, were afterwards found cumstances have secluded them in a to indicate the time appointed for assasnarrow circle, the deemster had ex- sination, and I went to bed with very pended the vigour of his mind on ab- gloomy visions hovering about me. My struse and occult sciences. He believ- repeater sounded the hour four times, ed in necromancy, and had stored his and a vague doze began to quiet my library with all the judicial examination nerves, but its sixth stroke roused me, of witches recorded by French lawyers, perhaps, because it was aided by a conto the disgrace of the sixteenth century. fused sound in the room. I was too much fatigued in body, and was beginning to find its way through Day-light too incredulous in mind, to listen with- the deep casements and dark hangings, out many hints at the lateness of the but not sufficient to shew more than hour, which the deemster seemed very the outline of a man stealing from beunwilling to understand, and at length hind my bed. Despair is always stronger asked me, in a lowered tone, if I had than fear, and this man's violent efforts ever read Burton's disquisition on spir- to escape my grasp, and especially to its?-Good-manners required a serious prevent me from calling help, proved answer; and my entertainer, after much the extent of his own desperate guilt. preamble, confessed that his own house One, only one moment he seemed dewas visited by unquiet and disembodied sirous to take my life, but presently his beings. He added a very earnest ap- purpose changed, and seizing the adology for the circumstances which com- vantage given by his wavering hold, pelled him to lodge me in an apart I overcame him. ment which they were said to disturb. minutes," said he, in French: "I am a Spare me a few My unaffected fatigue gave so much very miserable wretch, but not a reproreal gravity to my countenance, that it bate." encouraged him to recite the causes of could hardly credit my eyes when they I dragged him to the light, and his belief, and amongst other articles, a recognized the poor Gascon teacher dream which seemed to be a kind of who had supped with me at the farmer's heirloom in his family. This dream house. implied, that when a glee-eyed lord humblest manner, protesting that he He supplicated mercy in the came to that mansion, a treasure should had entered the deemster's house only be found in it. My host had a slight to hide himself from pursuit, and hoping defect in one eye, and he congratulated that the haunted rooms would be dishimself that he had left the ruinous turbed by no visitor. part of large castellated mansion famine and despair, and his solemn His look of undisturbed till the accident which had protestations of repentance, induced befallen his sight entitled him to realize me to open the casement, and bid him the prophecy. His design was to begin leap out. He hesitated only an instant, a search in a short time, and he con- for steps seemed to be approaching, ducted me to my chamber with some and I had the pleasure of seeing him joyous anticipations, probably intended safe among the trees before my host to cheer my spirits. They were cer- entered. Either his own restless cutainly depressed in an uncommon man- riosity, or the sound of a voice in my ner, and not much revived when the room, brought him thus early; and if Virgilian line occurred to me. the fifth day of May, the anniversary of agitation as a proof that his house was It was he had not triumphed in my evident a dear friend's death, never remembered really visited by strange apparitions, it without peculiar regret, as it had been would have been impossible to have eventually caused by strange mysteries. escaped troublesome enquiries. The book which lay on a forgotten shelf amused himself with his own comments had something ominous in it. It opened and conjectures till after breakfast; and at the very words said to have been en- as I could not deny that some disturbgraved on the Elector of Saxony's ring ance had occurred, he probably thought He --- 135 me worthy to partake supernatural and to consider, that by effacing the communications, and therefore chose rude inscription which the late owner me as his companion in the busi- had made on it, its identity might be ness of searching for concealed treasure rendered questionable. On the rim among his ruined chambers. It may be were these initials and words, SALLY. guessed with how little zeal I aided in CO'S Q'POT··M HEIR OF U·S· the work, which we began that night -which by a few small with spades and lanthorns, and con- punctures and additional strokes became tinued nearly all the following day with- a very respectable Roman legend. The out success, till we removed the shat- next morning, to my utter confusion. tered wall of a large closet near my bed- brought the farmer himself, to lay bechamber. There, in a huge decayed fore my host, as his Majesty's deemchest of evident antiquity, we found ster, the particulars of his loss, and the an enormous silver cup or flaggon in reasons he had to believe the felon stil! a state of polish and preservation which lurking in the island. Fortunately for surprised the good old deemster more the honour of that immovable firmness than myself, for I had no doubt that which ought to characterise an honest the farmer's stolen treasure had been barrister, I was not present during his deposited here by the felon whose detail, but the deemster's repetition of escape I had aided. It is hardly pos- it gave me some illegal sensations. sible to conceive embarrassment more However, he examined his cup, which ridiculous or extreme than mine. If seemed to threaten us with as many I permitted my honest antiquarian to adventures as befel Parnell's Hermit, carry forth his prize for sale, he might and asked my opinion of. the_legend; be perplexingly challenged as a receiver adding, that according to the Reverend of stolen goods, and if I named the real Fathers Cayjou and Chamillart, such owner without confessing my connivance vessels were called cinerary vases or at the thief's escape, my own integrity ossvariums-"Now," said he, "the might be questioned. The safest me inference is most logically certain and dium was to suggest the propriety of distinct-Farmer Faustuff has lost a concealing this precious relic, lest it flaggon-I have found a vase-ergo, might excite the avarice and envy of his neighbours, and tempt them to undermine his castle. These were plausible and powerful hints, which he embraced so readily, that he proposed, for the greater security of the silver cup, to remove it into my chamber. Though I had some private reasons to fear that my Gascon friend might return to complete its safe conveyance away, I durst not object to an expedient which ap- brother-magistrate, while I rode by his peared so reasonable, and implied such side, inwardly execrating the contrivconfidence. The flaggon was deposited ance which had produced his dangerous in my care, and the most suspiciously confidence, and firmly resolving to timid miser could not have watched abide the consequences of a disclosure that night with more anxiety. But when we reached the house of the south amongst my uneasy apprehensions, a deemster, whose prudence and ability thought occurred which the supposed were more famous than his colleague's. patron of lawyers must have suggested. But before we reached it, our evil stars I say the supposed patron, because even conducted us into the lonely vale of the prince of demons would not have Kirkmichael, near some ruined cairns, tempted a lawyer into a dilemma so from whence rushed four strong men dangerous, if he owed any obligations in sailors' garments. The deemster, to the profession. This pernicious whose person greatly resembled Falthought tempted me to look at the cup, staff's, soon fell into their hands, with my vase cannot be his flaggon. Besides, he tells me he stamped his initials on the edge, but here is SYLLA COSQ POMPEI RVFVS. The P rather resembles an H, but some unskilful graver may have shaped w" And in full confidence of the weight due to these distinctions, the good deemster set forth on horseback to deposit the questioned article in the hands of his |