In Aix-la-Chappelle, in his imperial pomp,
In an ancient hall,
Sat the sacred power of King Rudolph
At the festal coronation-banquet.
The count-palatine of the Rhine bore the dishes,
The King of Bohemia poured out the pearly wine,
And all the seven electors,
As the choir of stars encircles the Sun
Surround assiduously the Lord of the World
To discharge the dignity of their office
And around filled the lofty gallery
The people in joyous throng
Loud, mingled the sound of the trumpet
With the exulting shouts of the multitude
For after long and ruinous contest
The fearful time when there was no emperor
Was ended, and there was again a judge on Earth
No longer blindly ruled the iron spear
The weak, the peaceful dreaded no longer
To become the prey of the Strong.
The emperor took the golden cup
And said with a pleased regard:
" Well shines the feast, well seems the banquet
My royal heart to ravish,
But I miss the minstrel, the Bringer of joy,
Who with sweet sounds stirred my breast,
And with divine and lofty lore
I have been used to him from my youth up
And what has been my wont and habit as knight
I will not forego as emperor.
And lo! into the circle surrounding the prince
Enters the minstrel, clad in long robes;
His hair shines silver-white
Bleached by the plenitude of years.
" Sweet harmony sleeps in the golden strings,
The minstrel sings for the minstrel's hire,
He esteems the highest, the best,
What the heart wishes, what the sense desires;
Yet say, what is worthy of the emperor
At his magnificent feast? "
" I will not dictate to the Minstrel, said
The Master with a smile
He stands in the obligation of great lords
He obeys the commanding hour
As in the air the storm-wind moans
We know not from whence it comes and roars,
As the spring in secret depths;
So the song of the minstrel sounds from within
And stirs the might of those hidden feelings
That so marvellously sleep in the heart.
And sudden the Minstrel struck the chords
With power he swept the strings
" Forth to the chase rode a noble knight
To the chase of the rapid roe-buck,
Him followed his vassal with quiver & lance
And on stately charger mounted
He entered a wide plain
He heard a little bell tinkle afar
'Twas a priest, who the body of Jesus bore
Before came the Sacristan.
And the noble earl bowed himself to the earth
Uncovering his head with humility
To honour in the believing spirit of Christianity
That which ransomed all mankind.
But a rivulet murmured through the field
Swelled by the rapid flood of the Giesbach
Which checked the wanderer's step,
He laid aside the sacred blood
He drew quickly the shoes from his feet,
In order to pass through the brook.
" What doest thou? " asked the Earl
Who watches him with astonishment:
" My lord I go to a dying man,
Who hungers after the bread of heaven
And as I approach the bridge of the brook
I find that the swift-flowing Giesbach
Has torn it away by the whirl of its waves,
And because Salvation may reach the dying man
I will now hastily
Wade barefoot through the streamlet
The earl placed him on his knightly steed
And placed in his hand the splendid reins
That he might console the sick man who longed for him
And not delay the holy office
He himself mounting his vassal's horse
Proceeded to gratify the passion of the chase
The priest went on his way
The next morning with grateful look
He brought back to the earl his charger
Modestly leading it by the bridle
God forbid cried the earl with humility
That again for chase or battle
I should mount the charger
That has born my Creator.
And if thou wilt not have it for thine own profit
Let it rest dedicated to the service of God.
For I have given it to him
From whom I hold in tenure
Honour, earthly wealth, flesh, blood,
Soul, breath and life.
" May God the almighty protector
Who hears the prayer of the feeble-one
Bring thee to honour in this world and the next
According as thou now honourest him —
Thou art a mighty Earl — famed
For knightly deeds in Switzerland,
Around the[e] bloom six lovely daughters
May they — " cried he as if inspired
Bring six crowns into thy house
And may thy children be illustrious to
The farthest generation.
With head declined sat the emperor,
As though he thought on bygone days,
Now when he looked into the eyes of the minstrel
The true meaning of his words struck him.
He immediately recognized the priest's features,
And hid the starting stream of tears
In an ancient hall,
Sat the sacred power of King Rudolph
At the festal coronation-banquet.
The count-palatine of the Rhine bore the dishes,
The King of Bohemia poured out the pearly wine,
And all the seven electors,
As the choir of stars encircles the Sun
Surround assiduously the Lord of the World
To discharge the dignity of their office
And around filled the lofty gallery
The people in joyous throng
Loud, mingled the sound of the trumpet
With the exulting shouts of the multitude
For after long and ruinous contest
The fearful time when there was no emperor
Was ended, and there was again a judge on Earth
No longer blindly ruled the iron spear
The weak, the peaceful dreaded no longer
To become the prey of the Strong.
The emperor took the golden cup
And said with a pleased regard:
" Well shines the feast, well seems the banquet
My royal heart to ravish,
But I miss the minstrel, the Bringer of joy,
Who with sweet sounds stirred my breast,
And with divine and lofty lore
I have been used to him from my youth up
And what has been my wont and habit as knight
I will not forego as emperor.
And lo! into the circle surrounding the prince
Enters the minstrel, clad in long robes;
His hair shines silver-white
Bleached by the plenitude of years.
" Sweet harmony sleeps in the golden strings,
The minstrel sings for the minstrel's hire,
He esteems the highest, the best,
What the heart wishes, what the sense desires;
Yet say, what is worthy of the emperor
At his magnificent feast? "
" I will not dictate to the Minstrel, said
The Master with a smile
He stands in the obligation of great lords
He obeys the commanding hour
As in the air the storm-wind moans
We know not from whence it comes and roars,
As the spring in secret depths;
So the song of the minstrel sounds from within
And stirs the might of those hidden feelings
That so marvellously sleep in the heart.
And sudden the Minstrel struck the chords
With power he swept the strings
" Forth to the chase rode a noble knight
To the chase of the rapid roe-buck,
Him followed his vassal with quiver & lance
And on stately charger mounted
He entered a wide plain
He heard a little bell tinkle afar
'Twas a priest, who the body of Jesus bore
Before came the Sacristan.
And the noble earl bowed himself to the earth
Uncovering his head with humility
To honour in the believing spirit of Christianity
That which ransomed all mankind.
But a rivulet murmured through the field
Swelled by the rapid flood of the Giesbach
Which checked the wanderer's step,
He laid aside the sacred blood
He drew quickly the shoes from his feet,
In order to pass through the brook.
" What doest thou? " asked the Earl
Who watches him with astonishment:
" My lord I go to a dying man,
Who hungers after the bread of heaven
And as I approach the bridge of the brook
I find that the swift-flowing Giesbach
Has torn it away by the whirl of its waves,
And because Salvation may reach the dying man
I will now hastily
Wade barefoot through the streamlet
The earl placed him on his knightly steed
And placed in his hand the splendid reins
That he might console the sick man who longed for him
And not delay the holy office
He himself mounting his vassal's horse
Proceeded to gratify the passion of the chase
The priest went on his way
The next morning with grateful look
He brought back to the earl his charger
Modestly leading it by the bridle
God forbid cried the earl with humility
That again for chase or battle
I should mount the charger
That has born my Creator.
And if thou wilt not have it for thine own profit
Let it rest dedicated to the service of God.
For I have given it to him
From whom I hold in tenure
Honour, earthly wealth, flesh, blood,
Soul, breath and life.
" May God the almighty protector
Who hears the prayer of the feeble-one
Bring thee to honour in this world and the next
According as thou now honourest him —
Thou art a mighty Earl — famed
For knightly deeds in Switzerland,
Around the[e] bloom six lovely daughters
May they — " cried he as if inspired
Bring six crowns into thy house
And may thy children be illustrious to
The farthest generation.
With head declined sat the emperor,
As though he thought on bygone days,
Now when he looked into the eyes of the minstrel
The true meaning of his words struck him.
He immediately recognized the priest's features,
And hid the starting stream of tears