which requires money, money. At opening of the council, he "officiated
as deacon"; actually did some kind of litanying "with a surplice over
him," though Kaiser and King of the Romans. But this passage of his
opening speech is what I recollect best of him there: "Right reverend
Fathers, _date operam ut illa nefanda schisma eradicetur_," exclaims
Sigismund, intent on having the Bohemian schism well dealt with--which
he reckons to be of the feminine gender. To which a cardinal mildly
remarking, "_Domine, schisma est generis neutrius_ (schisma is neuter,
your Majesty)," Sigismund loftily replies: "_Ego sum Rex Romanus et
super grammaticam_ (I am King of the Romans, and above Grammar)!" For
which reason I call him in my note-books Sigismund Super Grammaticam, to
distinguish him in the imbroglio of kaisers.

How Jobst's pawn-ticket was settled I never clearly heard; but can guess
it was by Burggraf Friedrich's advancing the money, in the pinch above
indicated, or paying it afterward to Jobst's heirs whoever they were.
Thus much is certain: Burggraf Friedrich, these three years and more
(ever since July 8, 1411) holds Sigismund's deed of acknowledgment "for
one hundred thousand gulden lent at various times"; and has likewise got
the Electorate of Brandenburg in pledge for that sum; and does himself
administer the said Electorate till he be paid. This is the important
news; but this is not all.

The new journey into Spain requires new money; this council itself, with
such a pomp as suited Sigismund, has cost him endless money.
Brandenburg, torn to ruins in the way we saw, is a sorrowful matter;
and, except the title of it, as a feather in one's cap, is worth nothing
to Sigismund. And he is still short of money; and will forever be. Why
could not he give up Brandenburg altogether; since, instead of paying,
he is still making new loans from Burggraf Friedrich; and the hope of
ever paying were mere lunacy! Sigismund revolves these sad thoughts too,
amid his world-wide diplomacies, and efforts to heal the Church.
"Pledged for one hundred thousand gulden," sadly ruminates Sigismund;
"and fifty thousand more borrowed since, by little and little; and more
ever needed, especially for this grand Spanish journey!" these were his
sad thoughts. "Advance me, in a round sum, two hundred and fifty
thousand more," said he to Burggraf Friedrich, "two hundred and fifty
thousand more, for my manifold occasions in this time--that will be four
h