stively bedecked
and adorned with shields, especially the Limburg house, on whose banner
was painted a maiden with a sparrow-hawk in her hand, and a monkey
holding out to her a mirror. Many knights and ladies standing on the
balcony were engaged in animated conversation, or looking at the crowd
below, which, in wild groups and processions, surged back and forth.
What a multitude of idlers of all ages and ranks were crowded together
here to gratify their curiosity! There was laughing, grumbling,
stealing, rib-poking, hurrahing, while every now and then blared the
trumpet of the mountebank, who, in a red cloak and with his clown and
monkey, stood on a high stand loudly boasting of his own skill, and
sounding the praises of his marvelous tinctures and salves, ere he
solemnly examined the glass of urine brought by some old woman, or
applied himself to pull a poor peasant's tooth. Two fencing-masters,
dancing about in gay ribbons and brandishing their rapiers, met as if by
accident and began to cut and pass with great apparent anger; but after
a long bout each declared that the other was invincible, and took up a
collection. Then the newly-organized guild of archers marched by with
drummers and pipers, and these were followed by the constable, who was
carrying a red flag at the head of a flock of traveling strumpets,
hailing from the brothel known as "The Ass," in Wuerzburg, and bound for
Rosendale, where the highly honorable authorities had assigned them
quarters during the fair. "Shut your eyes, Sara," said the Rabbi. For
indeed these fantastic, and altogether too scantily clad women, among
whom were a few really beautiful girls, behaved in a most immodest
manner, baring their bold, white breasts, chaffing those who went by
with shameless words, and swinging their long walking sticks; and using
the latter as hobby-horses, they rode down toward the gate of St.
Katherine, singing in shrill tones the witch-song--

"Where is the goat? the hellish beast;
Where is the goat? Oh bring him quick!
And if there is no goat, at least
We'll ride upon the stick."

This wild sing-song, which rang afar, was finally drowned
out by the long-drawn, sacred tones of a church procession.
It was a solemn train of bare-headed and bare-footed monks,
who carried burning wax tapers, banners with pictures of
the saints, and large silver crucifixes. Before it ran boys
clad in red and white gowns, bearing censers of smoking
frankincense.