the Emperor and Empress with flowers and a discourse. This Ursula
was to speak, by reason that she was mistress of all such arts; likewise
was she by birth the chiefest of us all, inasmuch as that her late
departed mother was daughter to the great Reynmar, lord of Sulzbach. Nor
need Ann and I seek far for the flowers. The Hallers' garden had not its
like in all Nuremberg, and my dear parents-in-law had promised that we
should pluck all we needed for our posies.

Or ever I mounted my horse, I had tidings that Herdegen and Junker
Henning had, last evening, come to bitter strife, nay, well-nigh to
bloodshed; for that when my brother had sung the ditty in praise of one
Elselein and the other had called upon him to put in the name of Ann,
Herdegen had cried: "An if you mean red-haired Ann, the tapster wench at
the Blue Pike, well and good!" Whereupon the Junker sprang up and flung
the tankard he had just emptied at Herdegen's head. Herdegen had nimbly
ducked, and had rushed on the drunken fellow sword in hand; but Duke
Rumpold had put a word in, and by this morning Junker Henning seemed
to have forgotten the matter. In Brandenburg, verily, such frays were
common at the drinking-bouts of the lords and gentlemen, and by dawn all
offence given over-night in their cups was wiped out of mind.

My brother lodged again at our grand-uncle's, while the Junker dwelt
at the Waldstromer's townhouse. My Lord Duke found quarters at the
Hallerhof, and his Highness the Prince Elector, and Archbishop Conrad
of Mainz likewise lodged there, with a great following. Cousin Maud had
made ready to welcome the Margrave of Baden and the Count von Henneberg
under our roof. The upper floor of the Pernhart's house was given up
to his Eminence Cardinal Branda, the most steadfast friend at Rome of
Master Ulman's brother the bishop. His Holiness the Pope had sent that
right-reverend prelate as his legate to the assembly, and he presently
celebrated mass with great dignity in the presence of their Majesties
and of the assembled lords and princes.

To this day my memory is right good in all ways; and of what followed on
these events much is yet as clear and plain in my mind as though I saw
and heard it all at this present time; albeit I, an old woman, would
fain hide my face in my hands and weep thereat. For, notwithstanding
there were certain hours in those days which brought me sweet
love-making, and others of sheer mirth and vanity, yet is the spirit o