tmarsch, let us by no means inquire.
The Empire itself was in some disorder at this time, more abstruse
of aspect than usual; and these Northern Markgrafs, already become
important people, and deep in general politics, had their own share in
the confusion that was going.

It was about this same time that a second line of Kaisers had died out:
the FRANKISH or SALIC line, who had succeeded to the SAXON, of Henry
the Fowler's blood. For the Empire too, though elective, had always a
tendency to become hereditary, and go in lines: if the last Kaiser left
a son not unfit, who so likely as the son? But he needed to be fit,
otherwise it would not answer,--otherwise it might be worse for him!
There were great labors in the Empire too, as well as on the Sclavic
frontier of it: brave men fighting against anarchy (actually set in
pitched fight against it, and not always strong enough),--toiling sore,
according to their faculty, to pull the innumerable crooked things
straight. Some agreed well with the Pope,--as Henry II., who founded
Bamberg Bishopric, and much else of the like; [Kohler, pp. 102-104. See,
for instance, _Description de la Table d'Aute1 en or fin, donnee a
la Cathedrale de Bale, par l'Empereur Henri II. en 1019_ (Porentruy,
1838).] "a sore saint for the crown," as was said of David I.,
his Scotch congener, by a descendant. Others disagreed very much
indeed;--Henry IV.'s scene at Canossa, with Pope Hildebrand and the
pious Countess (year 1077, Kaiser of the Holy Roman Empire waiting,
three days, in the snow, to kiss the foot of excommunicative
Hildebrand), has impressed itself on all memories! Poor Henry rallied
out of that abasement, and dealt a stroke or two on Hildebrand; but fell
still lower before long, his very Son going against him; and came almost
to actual want of bread, had not the Bishop of Liege been good to him.
Nay, after death, he lay four years waiting vainly even for burial,--but
indeed cared little about that.

Certainly this Son of his, Kaiser Henry V., does not shine in filial
piety: but probably the poor lad himself was hard bested. He also came
to die, A.D. 1125, still little over forty, and was the last of the
Frankish Kaisers. He "left the REICHS-INSIGNIEN [Crown, Sceptre and
Coronation gear] to his Widow and young Friedrich of Hohenstauffen," a
sister's son of his,--hoping the said Friedrich might, partly by that
help, follow as Kaiser. Which Friedrich could not do; being wheedled,
both the