one satirical old Chronicler; and there
"was nothing great about him but the beard."

"The cause of Sigismund's success with the Electors," says Kohler, "or
of his having any party among them, was the faithful and unwearied
diligence which had been used for him by the above-named Burggraf
Friedrich VI of Nuremberg, who took extreme pains to forward Sigismund
to the Empire; pleading that Sigismund and Wenzel would be sure to agree
well henceforth, and that Sigismund, having already such extensive
territories (Hungary, Brandenburg, and so forth) by inheritance, would
not be so exact about the Reichs-tolls and other imperial incomes. This
same Friedrich also, when the election fell out doubtful, was
Sigismund's best support in Germany, nay almost his right hand, through
whom he did whatever was done."

Sigismund is Kaiser, then, in spite of Wenzel. King of Hungary, after
unheard-of troubles and adventures, ending some years ago in a kind of
peace and conquest, he has long been. King of Bohemia, too, he at last
became; having survived Wenzel, who was childless. Kaiser of the Holy
Roman Empire, and so much else: is not Sigismund now a great man? Truly
the loom he weaves upon, in this world, is very large. But the weaver
was of headlong, high-pacing, flimsy nature; and both warp and woof were
gone dreadfully entangled!

This is the Kaiser Sigismund who held the Council of Constance; and
"blushed visibly," when Huss, about to die, alluded to the letter of
safe-conduct granted him, which was issuing in such fashion. Sigismund
blushed; but could not conveniently mend the matter--so many matters
pressing on him just now. As they perpetually did, and had done. An
always-hoping, never-resting, unsuccessful, vain and empty Kaiser.
Specious, speculative; given to eloquence, diplomacy, and the windy
instead of the solid arts; always short of money for one thing. He
roamed about, and talked eloquently; aiming high, and generally missing.
Hungary and even the Reich have at length become his, but have brought
small triumph in any kind; and instead of ready money, debt on debt. His
Majesty has no money, and his Majesty's occasions need it more and more.

He is now (1414) holding this Council of Constance, by way of healing
the Church, which is sick of three simultaneous popes and of much else.
He finds the problem difficult; finds he will have to run into Spain, to
persuade a refractory pope there, if eloquence can (as it cannot): all