's honor. Stork, when wilt thou appear, then," and with thy stiff
mandibles act upon them a little? [Mentzel, _Geschichte der Deutschen,_
p. 345.]

It was in such circumstances, that Friedrich III., Burggraf of Nurnberg,
who had long moaned and striven over these woes of his country, came to
pay that visit, late in the night (1st or 2d of October, 1273), to his
Cousin Rudolf Lord of Hapsburg, under the walls of Basel; a notable
scene in History. Rudolf was besieging Basel, being in some feud with
the Bishop there, of which Friedrich and another had been proposed
as umpires; and Friedrich now waited on his Cousin, in this hasty
manner,--not about the Basel feud, but on a far higher quite unexpected
errand,--to say, That he Rudolf was elected Kaiser, and that better
times for the Holy Roman Empire were now probable, with Heaven's help.
[Rentsch, pp. 299, 285, 298.] We call him Cousin; though what the
kindred actually was, a kindred by mothers, remains, except the general
fact of it, disputable by Dryasdust. The actual visit, under the
walls of Basel, is by some considered romantic. But that Rudolf, tough
steel-gray man, besieging Basel on his own quarrel, on the terms just
stated, was altogether unexpectedly apprised of this great news, and
that Cousin Friedrich of Nurnberg had mainly contributed to such issue,
is beyond question. [Kohler, pp. 249, 251.] The event was salutary, like
life instead of death, to anarchic Germany; and did eminent honor to
Friedrich's judgment in men.

Richard of Cornwall having at last died, and his futile German clerks
having quitted Berkhamstead forever,--Alphonso of Castille, not now
urged by rivalry, and seeing long since what a crank machine the thing
was, had no objection to give it up; said so to the Pope,--who was
himself anxious for a settled Kaiser, the supplies of Papal German cash
having run almost dry during these troubles. Whereupon ensued earnest
consultations among leading German men; Diet of the Empire, sternly
practical (we may well perceive), and with a minimum of talk, the Pope
too being held rather well at a distance: the result of which was what
we see. [29th September, 1273.] Mainly due to Friedrich of Nurnberg, say
all Historians; conjoining with him the then Archbishop of Mainz, who is
officially President Elector (literally CONVENER of Electors): they
two did it. Archbishop of Mainz had himself a pleasant accidental
acquaintance with Rudolf,--a night's lodging once a