A Perilous Venture; or, the Days of Mary of Burgundy. Translated from the German ['Teuerdank's Brautfahrt'] by M. Hall, etc

Preface

. f I romantic tale of the fifteenth century, founded on fact, and full of incident and adventure, is the last work of the great German author, Freiherr von Meyern, whose writings are world-known. The story speaks for itself, and carries the reader on to the end with unflagging interest, dealing as it does with that most engrossing period — the revolt of the Netherlands against Mary of Burgundy. M. HALL. CONTENTS. CHAPTER PAGE I. THE FIDDLER 1 II. ON THE HIGH VENN 14 III. — ACROSS THE FRONTIER 49 IV. — THE FIDDLER AGAIN - - 69 V. MARY OF BURGUNDY - - - - 8G VI. — BY-PLAY 106 VII. — CONSPIRATORS - - 122 VIII. THE PLOT WORKS- - - - 142 IX. A PRINCE IN DISGUISE - - - - 166 X. THE WAGER - 181 XI. TEUERDANK AND EHRENREICH - - - 199 XII. — THE CHOICE OF THE PEOPLE - - - 232 XIII. — TO THE RESCUE 255 XIV. FOILED - ..... 275 XV. — "THE HUGUE" - .... I i

Chapter I The Fiddler

It was on an April morning, in tlie year 1477, that the inhabitants of the town of Aachen were startled by the news that Maximilian, son of the Emperor Frederic III., and heir to the Holy Eoman Empire, had arrived at the Castle of Erankenburg, close to their city. They knew that the Prince had moved his residence some time ago from Vienna to Cologne, and, like every other town, were quite sure that this move towards the frontier must have some important political motive behind it. All eyes were anxiously turned towards Ghent, where Mary, the young Duchess of Burgundy and the Nether lands, surrounded by war and rebellion, was almost a prisoner in her own palace, although she had quelled the rising in the Netherlands, by granting the people their liberties, and had called upon her own faithful vassals for protection against the threatened invasion of the French.

Of course, whoever secured Mary's hand would gain thcrewith not only complete power over the rich tract of country extending from the Jura Mountains to the North Sea, but would also alter the balance of power among the European States. All the principal courts, therefore, eagerly sought the alliance for one of their princes; and though Louis XL, of Franco, might pretend that his inroad on Burgundy was solely for the purpose of re viving the homage for the fief that had fallen into disuse, everyone knew that his real object was to obtain Mary's hand for the Dauphin, to whom, more than to any one else, was the then universal proverb, "Who wins the bride 1 " applicable. No wonder, then, that under these circumstances, Maxi milian's sudden appearance at Cologne should lead to the surmise that he intended to renew his former courtship of the duchess.

The recollection was still fresh in every one's mind, how, a few years ago, the Emperor Frederic and Duke Charles the Bold had met at Trier* for the purpose of celebrating the betrothal of their children; and how Louis XI. of France, with crafty cunning, had succeeded in representing Charles's anxious wish for a royal title in such an obnoxious light to the emperor, that mutual anger and suspicion arose, and the latter, con- * German name for Treves now universally adopted. ceiving offence to his imperial dignity, hastily left Trier in the night. Charles never forgave this slight, and looked ever after with hate on the German alliance, although, personally, he had no objection to Maximilian. Indeed, so strong was his rancour, that shortly after, during the dispute of the Cologne bishops, tho Burgundian army stood in opposition to tho imperial forces, and it was only by the efforts of the Papal legate that a patchetl up peace was arranged.

But since Mary's warlike father had lost his life at the battle of Nancy, the good people of Aachen did not for a moment doubt that if the young duchess were free from foreign pressure, she would unhesitatingly bestow her hand on the chivalrous Max ; were they not already cousins 1 and was it not well known that ever since their first betrothal they had remained faithful to each other 1 When, therefore, Prince Max's arrival at the Franken burg became known, the greatest excitement prevailed in the town ; immediate war, at the very least, was ex pected; all the scandal-mongers were afoot, and the wonderful news was discussed at every window and door. " Hi, gossip ! " cried a voice from the gable of the old Pfalz, or town-hall, accosting a worthy master-mason, who, in low-crowned felt hat and fur-trimmed jerkin, I — was walking beside a bariow filled with tiles, with which to repair the damage done to the roof of the town-hall by the April storm.

" Hi, gossip ! have you heard the news ? " The man thus addressed stopped short, and looked up into the shrewd, sharp-nosed face of the Pfalz-door keeper, or " castellan," as he preferred being called, who, with red night>cap on his bald head, as protection against the fresh morning air, leant out of the window in his shirt-sleeves. "Grammercy! gossip, what is there to know?" he answered. " Why, that Prince Max has come to take lessons from you," retorted the castellan, who was well known as tho wit of the street. The apprentices who wheeled the barrow laughed out aloud, and also came to a standstill with their load. " I am deeply thankful for the honour ! " returned tho master mason, good-humouredly ; " but why needs the prince climb so high as to wish to learn my handicraft ? " "Because the roof of Burgundy wants much patching!" retorted the little man.

"I believe you," assented the mason; and the sally, which was loudly applauded by the rest, attracted tho neighbours from their houses. Bareheaded, with their long hair cut short across the forehead, or in low-crowned felt hats, with woollen tunics, close-clinging hose, and coloured leather shoes, they looked like barn-door cocks in the early morning, seeking for food ; and questions and counter-questions sounded on all sides, like the cackling of a fowl-yard. "Hi, mistress Sybil!" shouted the little man to a young girl — dressed in a brown kirtle, kilted high up over a scarlet petticoat, and a white kerchief round her head, beneath which hung two long flaxen plaits — who, carrying ft couple of huge milk-pails suspended from a wooden joke, was just turning into a doorway. " Hi, maiden ! thou comest from Frankcnburg.

Noblo guests have arrived ? " "Yes, master castellan, the prince is there." " With many attendants ? " "An old knight, a handsome Italian squire, and quan tities of horses and dogs." " Horses and clogs ! Truly a fine following ! " and again laughter resounded from all sides. " Tho Arriero Ban has come to the dogs," went on the httle man. " Nevertheless, neighbours, I tell you we shall have war — a great, a bloody war — with French wolves and Flemish sows. Where is the hunt to be, little one ? " ". I cannot say, sir. But there comes one who knows all about it. He is a cousin of the forester's." So saying, the girl pointed up the road, down which two figures, one in advance of the other, were seen approaching. "The red one?" asked the door-keeper, "No, the parti-coloured one," laughed the girl, as she disappeared beneath the archway.

The last-mentioned pedestrian, a youth, stalked proudly along in his tight hose and long pointed shoes, his dress a smart parti-coloured jerkin, was trimmed with grey rabbit skin, the slashed sleeves allowing a lighter jacket to be visible beneath, while his bonnet bore a tufted plume, and the cross-bow hanging from his girdle, marked him as one of the archer band. As he neared the group, he was assailed with questions from every side. " You know the forester ? " "Do you know why Prince Max has come?" "Is it only to hunt? Where is he going to hunt, and what?" The red-cloaked traveller had also by this time ap proached, and, hearing the questions, had paused in evident astonishment. " That I can tell you exactly," replied the archer, con ceitedly smoothing his long hair, and greatly flattered at finding himself the object of so much importance.

"Thi imperial forester is my cousin. Prince Max has, for a long time, been wanting to have a boar hunt, but as tho herd with all the biggest boars has betaken itself to the valley between the Venn and the Forest of Ardennes, my cousin had first to write to the Burgundian forester at Vcrviers, to ask where the game was lying, and also in quire if he would join the prince in a frontier chase. We waited long, but at length the answer came. The herd lies at the foot of the Venn, close to the frontier, and the prince was to leave Frankenburg early this morning with my cousin. He must, by this time, be well on his road." " By your leave," interrupted the other traveller, " which road would they take ? " " Past Eupen — towards Montjoie," replied the young archer, carelessly. "The prince surely cannot mean to cross the frontier?" asked the other, with visible eagerness.

"That all depends. But why not?" returned the archer, looking at the questioner in surprise, as an ex pression of terror — although in an unknown tongue — escaped the other's lips. And now every eye was turned on the new arrival. He was a singular apparition, this tall, spare man, in his strange dress — the fiddle and bow he carried pointing him out as a wandering musician. His short, close-curled iron-grey hair, which might indicate any age, was covered by a red felt cap, ornamented by a green twig. Over his shoulders he wore a round red cloak, made in that simplest of all fashions, then very usual, with only a slit cut in the centre for the head to pass through ; while his grey hose were wound up to the knee with crossed matting. The most remarkable feature about him, however, was not his dress, but his face.

The small shrewd grey eyes, surmounted by unusually marked eyebrows, and the fair curled beard, cut to a point, in Burgundian fashion, served as a frame to a huge red lump on the otherwise well-shaped nose. And, oddly enough, this strange pro montory did not seem fastened to the bone of the nose, but only to be an outgrowth of tho skin; for, by the slightest movement of the muscles of the face, its owner could make it move about in such an absurd fashion, that this alone would have enabled him to exhibit him self for gain. It was not unusual at that time for strolling players to act as merry-andrews in addition, thereby earning no small amount of money; the trick, therefore, which the " Hey ! what are you all staring at?"— p. g fiddler now performed — in order, as the little man at tho window fancied, to draw away attention from his question — had the desired effect on his audience.

" Hey ! what are you all staring at ? " he cried, slowly turning his head round the gaping circle. "Have you never seen a proper nose before ? There, then ! see ! — see ! " and inflating both nostrils, till they began to quiver, he, in the same breath, raised his eyebrows and the lump on his nose, making them dance up and down in the most comical fashion, and provoking peals of laughter from the crowd. "A monkey! a real monkey!" they screamed, with ever renewed bursts of merriment. Even the little man at the window seemed to have forgotten his first suspicions, and gaped and laughed with the rest. But he could not resist the temptation of measuring his powers against those of his rival, for the favour of "public opinion." " Heigh ! Redcap ! Nasal monarch ! " he laughed clown from his window.

"What countryman art thou?" "A twin," cried Redcap, looking up; and fresh peals of laughter rewarded this sally. "And, pray, what country may that be where only twins grow ? " " Guelderland." "Eh ! What is that thou sayest? Why, it must be a very fruitful country ! Are all the people twins there ? " "All! For every one is born — first, a ducal Guelder lander ; secondly, a pawned Burgundian ; and, after that, he becomes a vassal of Germany to boot." "Why, then, he is not a twin, but a trin," cried the little man ; and renewed applause greeted this fresh witticism. "If you will buy off the twin with your trin, I will play to you for nothing," retorted Redcap. "Buy off the twin? At what price could I win?" rhymed the castellan. " Twenty-four thousand golden gulden ! " cried Redcap ; "for that is the shameful sum for which the old Duke Adolf Egremont of Gueldres — may Heaven have mercy on his soul ! — out of pure spite to his son, pawned his glorious old Guelderland to Burgundy. ' Oh, Arnold, Arnold, faithless knight, Condemned art thou in Heaven's sight!

" As he said these words, a grave shadow fell over tho player's face. The clear-cut features, hitherto so movable, returned to their former sternness, the grey eyes looked up sorrowfully, and even the sharp-toned voice had some thing pathetic in it. Half surprised, half pityingly, the crowd gazed at him. "Why do you not borrow the money from some of your neighbours, and pay it back; then you would be free once more ? " said the little door-keeper. " Borrow ! Pay back, indeed ! Not much chance of that ! The Burgundians have taken care to shave us sc closely, that there is no more wool left for any one else. And they have not done so without a purpose. They would keep us in their stalls, that we may be ready to fight their battles — for the Guelderlanders are known to be a brave people. Ay, and they are faithful also, and hang on to their ducal house, hoping and waiting — like the Jews for their Messiah — for another sovereign ; to whom may God grant a strong arm and a willing ear, for the needs of his unhappy trin.

But, good burghers, pardon an old man's gloomy thoughts. I had intended playing you a tune, to earn something for my onward journey ; now, however, that journey is brought to an end. It was my desire to go to Cologne to the Court of Maximilian, and play before him — and it was for this that I asked about him. Now, who knows when he will return from this hunt ? " "That do I," cried the forester's cousin. "You may go on to Cologne in good faith, fiddler; the prince will certainly be back there to-morrow. And hero is some thing to help you on your way." So saying, he put his hand into the small leathern pouch which hung at his girdle beside the cross-bow, pulled thence a half-schilling piece, and throwing it condescendingly to the player, who had humbly doffed his bonnet, walked airily away. The rest of the audience now also came forward, and copper, and even silver coins, fell into the fiddler's cap : the man receiving them all with gratitude.

The little porter, alone, never stirred from his window, and when, at length, Redcap having made his last bow, turned to pursue his journey, he winked to the master mason, and said, " Hark ye, gossip ! if that fellow is not a spy, then our town-hall has never been a royal palace ! " And perhaps tho castellan was right. For scarcely half-an-hour later, a rider could have been seen going at full gallop from the Frankenburg to Eupen, whose ap pearance from behind, both in form and style of dress, resembled the fiddler exactly. He had also attached to his saddle-bow a curiously shaped holster, evidently con taining some hard substance. But yet it could not be the fiddler, for this rider's cap and cloak were both grey, and when he turned to look back, no lump was visible on his nose, while a long grey beard floated in the wind.

Thus either the town porter must be right, and he was a spy in disguise, or else the fiddler's tale was no fable, and Guelderland was indeed the home of twins, the whole nation resembling one another like peas.

Chapter II. On The High Venn

Like many a human being, the grey April morning seemed to have laid aside the variable temper with which he had awakened the world, and now, at the eleventh hour, adopted a decided character. Unfortunately, how ever, in forming this praiseworthy resolve, he had evidently taken for a model his stern father winter, without any consideration for the tender nurslings still lying in their cradles. Dark, sombre clouds, like memories of winter snow, covered his face, and shrouded the summit of the lofty Venn, that overlooked the whole neighbourhood like a prophet of evil weather. Here, on the high mountain ridge, interspersed with peat moors and morasses, lying a few miles south of Aachen, and crossing the frontier towards the Belgian Ardennes, he might have hoped to indulge his gloomy winter thoughts in undisturbed quiet.

But he was mis- M taken. Loud cries in mid-air scattered the cloudy vapours from his brow, and shewed that there were other powers, to whom even the most ill-tempered of despots must sometimes yield ; and long lines of wild geese came from the south, the pointed end of their phalanx well to the front, and cutting bravely through the north wind, while, with screams of triumph, they announced to tho wearied earth the near approach of Spring. Yes, in spite of the threatening aspect of the weather-prophet, one after another of these spring messengers, augmented ere long by those noble wanderers of the feathered tribe, the princely black swans, settled quietly down on the inhos pitable swamps, which, interspersed with heather, gorse and willows, extended for miles between the rise of the Botrange and the Helle, on either side of the frontier.

The new comers were also deceived if they thought that no living being but themselves had taken refuge in this dreary solitude, and soon their movements showed that they, too, were aware of the presence of other inhab itants. A keen sportsman, standing hidden in the edge of tho forest that runs from the southern edge of the morass to Montjoie, could not have failed to see how the tall rushes between the willow stumps were forcibly torn asunder, till the brittle reeds were scattered in the wind. Ever and anon a wild goose, with shrill scream, would rise on startled whig, only to drop down again quietly at no great distance. Sine sign that the cunning bird instinctively knew it was threatened by no bloodthirsty animal in the shape of man, wolf, or fox, but only startled by some creature, powerful in itself, though harmless to the feathered tribe.

And had he been still in doubt as to the nature of this animal, the distant yelping of dogs and sounding of horns, which now became plainly audible from the direction of the Aachen woods, would have con vinced him that in these swamps no other game save the bristly wild boar could have made its lair. The two men who now appeared from among the dwarfed bushes of the forest, had evidently come to the same conclusion, as, with hand raised to ear, they listened to the distant sounds. Their dress and trappings bespoke them foresters. The brown-peaked caps, grey jerkins, collars and boots of doe skin, cross-bows, woodman's knife, and stout huntino' spear tipped with iron, which they used as a stick, all pointed to their calling. "The pack havo come on a fresh scent; that is why they are giving tongue," said the elder man, grey-bearded, and with a sullen expression, to his younger companion, whose long, straight, black hair formed a singular contrast to the red beard which hung half-way down to his waist in two fox-like tails.

" They have their work cut out for them ! In the swamps yonder, where the wild geese are rising, the boars are wallowing in groat herds." "Just like last year about this time," nodded the younger man in assent, while he cast a searching glance over the morass. "I know, I know! You were out hunting yonder with your late master, the Duke of Aremburg." "Quite right; but not over yonder; it was here that wo hunted." "What? Here, on German ground?" "Pah!" laughed the young man, "if they call the Roman Empire the Holy one, my master often enough caused me to ' profane ' it, as the father confessor would say." " He was certainly no friend to Germany, your late master," said the old forester, half to himself; "hke our Bishop of Liege, ho sided with the French." " I would not be too sure of that ! " returned the other, glancing up sharply and suspiciously at his companion.

"Not sure of what all the world knows?" said the old man, mockingly. "To deny it, would only serve the purpose of those evil tongues, who say of you, that you exchanged the Duke of Aremburg for the Duke of Cleves, in order to act the French spy hi Ghent." " A miserable calumny ! " cried the young man, angrily. " May be," with a bitter laugh — " may be they think so because you come from South Flanders, and your mother tongue is French. But 'tis no affair of mine. You are now here as personal attendant of the Duke of Cleves, who at present reigns supreme in the castle of our noble lady at Ghent, and have brought me his written orders. It is hard on an old man, hard, very hard ! How purpose you to carry out these commands 1 " "As I told you, we must drive the game from the east of the morass, back across the frontier."

" If the boars will go," said the forester, not without a secret hope to the contrary. "That old monster, known in the Ardennes as the ' terror of the forest,' is still with the herd. He will hold his ground against any pack ever littered. Many a noble hound has lost his life, and many a spear has been splintered, in vain attempts against his hide, and now the whole herd iswith him. I would not be the man whom he attacks." "All the better," laughed the henchman. "If he holds his ground as you say, we have only to dare the foolhardy young prince, and the creature will spare us the trouble of enticing him into the ambuscade yonder." "Hark ye, henchman," grumbled the old man, "that ambuscade lies heavy on my conscience ! An' I let you do what I have not power to prevent, that is all that the duke can expect of me."

" Well, well, we ask no more. After all, you have naught to do with this matter. It all falls on me, and though I too have a conscience, it does not trouble me. 'Tis a simple thing to do. The Duke of Cleves, in the name of our gracious young duchess, sends me to you to get game for the ducal table, and gives me at the same time, as you know, full powers and commands for you and aU foresters and captains to help me to find out all the plans and intentions of Maximilian at Cologne. Nothing does the duke dread more, than that the prince should come to Ghent within the next eight days ; by that time, the decision will have been made whether his son becomes Duke of Burgundy or not. For this reason, he has posted troops on all the roads leading from Germany, to prevent it, and has now promised me two hundred rose nobles — why, that is two thousand eight hundred schillings !

Morbleu ! I will not let that slip through my fingers if I 2 can by any means prevent it. Now I come to you at Verviers, and the first thing I hear is that the noble game is actually running into my hand ! Tho prince will have a frontier chase. I go at once to the captain in command of the Clevish troops — show him his order — he gives me fifty men, whom I place in the wooded hollow yonder ; here lie the wild boars, which can easily be driven over ; everything is propitious. I offer to go halves with you, and now at the last moment you talk to me of your con science ! Well, well ! as you will. If you care not to share with me, I have nothing against it. But if you cross any of my plans, I would pray you remember that the duke, my master, is not over scrupulous." " 'Tis a shameful deception !

" groaned the old man. " I, with my grey hairs, a colleague of the Imperial Forester, whom I invited to bring the prince." "You knew nothing about it when you did so, and what matters it to you what my lord duke may do 1 War is war all the world over! With the French it is an open one, and who knows which side may gain the mastery ; with the German Prince it is a secret one. No doubt he is already quietly collecting his troops, and tho lives of thousands will be wasted if he overruns the Netherlands. Assuredly he will want them to be German again, as they were once before. His plan may be prevented, and whoever holds himself a faithful vassal of Burgundy is bound to help in the matter. After all, what great harm can happen to the prince 1 Four weeks' imprisonment in a strong castlo. That is all !

But stay ! see you not those dark spots above the bushes ? The boars are scenting with their snouts in the air. The Germans must be coming. Come with me to meet them. There is the cross, just above, where you appointed the rendezvous. 'Tis said a huntsman was once killed there in a snowstorm. The omen is unlucky. We will let them arrive first, that the evil may fall on them alone ! Well, are you coming ? " The old man still hesitated. " You will not ? Well then, ride home, in the fiend's name ! Your servant waits with the horse. I know what I have to do, and will announce myself as arranged, as your neighbour — the forester of Theux — the rest I can see to. Adieu ! " And, with scarcely concealed wrath, he strode hastily away, and was soon hidden by the brushwood. A heavy sigh broke from the old forester.

Then, as if forcibly making up his mind, he slowly followed his companion up the height. Not many minutes elapsed, and four riders were seen approaching the rough wooden cross, that rose like a landmark on the wooded ridge above. They were followed by a wdiole troop of servants and huntsmen, also mounted, who, with whip and voice, sought to keep in order a pack of large liver-coloured hounds, as they yelped and bayed on scenting the near neighbourhood of their prey. Arrived at the cross, the riders halted, and cast an eager glance around. Only the youngest of the four sprang from his saddle, and looked up expec tantly, as if awaiting orders, whilst holding his horse's bridle. He was a tall, slight youth of seventeen, dressed in green and grey. His glossy black hair, from beneath the cap ornamented with green cock's feathers, fell down on his shoulders in such luxuriant curls, that, with his sallow complexion and dark eyes, he might almost have been mistaken for an Italian girl, had not the ease and assurance of his bearing, and a certain audacity and boldness of manner, bespoken the youth approaching man hood.

His close-fitting hose, long pointed shoes, tight green baldric, and dagger and pouch attached by chains to his girdle, were the usual dress of the time ; but the fine linen shirt, the full folds of which were visible both in front and at the elbow, which was slit to admit of freer movement, shewed an approach to the age of puffs and slashes. One foot carelessly crossed over the other, in that picturesque attitude favoured by painters, he stood waiting beside his horse. But only for a few moments. Then he turned his head round with an impatient ges ture towards the rider nearest him, a grey-bearded, stern featured old knight, with a broad scar across his forehead, and frank open eyes, his weather-beaten complexion telling of many a storm and battle, while his broad, heavy-hilted sword might have been a relic of the Hussite wars.

" Is this the place, sir knight ? " asked the lad in a low voice. " Think you the prince will dismount here ? " "In all likelihood," returned the elder man, "he and the forester are looking out for the Burgundians — and — there they come." The elder of the other two horsemen, a stout, portly forester, whose ruddy cheeks and nose told plainly that he fortified himself for all the fatigues of the chase by a good breakfast and a full flask, had also noticed the new arrivals, and now pointed them out to his com panions. " See, gracious prince," he said, respectfully, " the grey beard yonder is my colleague, the forester of Verviers." "Hah! is it so? Then let us dismount," and Prince Max swung himself out of the saddle, while the lad sprang quickly forward, and took the reins from his hand. "Well done, my lad," he continued, kindly patting him on the shoulder.