hirteenth century, related by Konrad von Wurzburg in a
work entitled _Frau Welt_ (Lady World):

Wirent von Grafenberg, a Franconian knight, a romancer, and a man of the
world, strove incessantly for worldly goods and honors. He was handsome,
well educated, brilliant, a good hunter, player, and musician, loved by
the ladies and ever ready to serve them; whenever there was a
tournament, no matter how far, there he rode to win the minne-prize. It
was love, and love alone, that filled all his senses. One day he sat in
his chamber, passing his time in the perusal of a love romance until
evening. All at once the dusky room brightened up in wonderful radiance,
and a marvellously beauteous woman entered; she was more lovely than any
earthly woman, than Venus or Pallas; she was clad with splendor, and a
golden crown was upon her head. In spite of all her magnificence, Wirent
became pale from fright. "Do not be frightened; I am indeed the woman
for whose sake thou hast frequently risked life and limbs, whose
faithful servant thou wert, of whom thou hast said and sung so much
good; thou bloometh like a twig of May in manifold merits; thou hast
from thy childhood worn the wreath of honor; now I have come to bestow
thy reward upon thee." "Forgive, noble lady, if I have served thee, I do
not know it; but tell me who thou art!" "I shall gladly tell thee; thou
needest not be ashamed of having served me; I am served by emperors,
kings, princes, counts, freemen. I fear no one but God, he is more
powerful than I am. My name is Lady World. Thou shalt now have the
reward which thou hast wished for so long: look at it!"

With these words, she turned her back. It was full of snakes and vipers
and toads, of ulcers and sores, wherein flies and ants teemed and vermin
crept. An abominable stench arose; her rich silken dress looked ash
pale; and thus she went hence. But Wirent von Grafenberg, the spoiled
child of the World, perceived the perdition of the soul in the service
of the world; he left wife and children and the pleasures of the world,
took the Cross, fought against the heathen, atoned for his sins, and
obtained divine forgiveness and eternal bliss.

This story, evidently of clerical origin, proves the position of Church
and clergy toward the life of chivalry and the ideals of the
Minnesingers. They condemned the service of the world of love and power
which, they averred, led only to eternal damnation. Earthly ideals, with
their inner s