Anne of Geierstein; Or, The Maiden of the Mist. Volume 1 (of 2) Read online

  AUTHOR'S NOTES.

  Note I. p. 300.

  There is abundant evidence that in the Middle Ages the office ofpublic executioner was esteemed highly honourable all over Germany. Itstill is, in such parts of that country as retain the old custom ofexecution by stroke of sword, very far from being held discreditableto the extent to which we carry our feelings on the subject, and whichexposed the magistrates of a Scotch town, I rather think no less a onethan Glasgow, to a good deal of ridicule when they advertised, somefew years ago, on occasion of the death of their hangman, that "nonebut persons of respectable character" need apply for the vacantsituation. At this day in China, in Persia, and probably in otherOriental kingdoms, the Chief Executioner is one of the great officersof state, and is as proud of the emblem of his fatal duty as anyEuropean Lord Chamberlain of his Golden Key.

  The circumstances of the strange trial and execution of the Knight ofHagenbach are detailed minutely by M. de Barante, from contemporaryMS. documents; and the reader will be gratified with a specimen ofthat writer's narrative. A translation is also given for the benefitof many of my kind readers.

  "De toutes parts on etait accourus par milliers pour assister au proces de ce cruel gouverneur, tant la haine etait grande contre lui. De sa prison, il entendait retentir sur le pont le pas des chevaux, et s'enquerait a son geolier de ceux qui arrivaient: soit pour etre ses juges, soit pour etre temoins de son supplice. Parfois le geolier repondait, 'Ce sont des etrangers; je ne les connais pas.' 'Ne sont-ce pas,' disait le prisonnier, 'des gens assez mal vetus, de haute taille, de forte apparence, montes sur des chevaux aux courtes oreilles?' et si le geolier repondait: 'Oui.'--'Ah ce sont les Suisses,' s'ecriait Hagenbach; 'Mon Dieu, ayez pitie de moi!' et il se rappelait toutes les insultes qu'il leur avait faites, toutes ses insolences envers eux. Il pensait, mais trop tard, que c'etait leur alliance avec la maison d'Autriche qui etait cause de sa perte. Le 4 Mai, 1474, apres avoir ete mis a la question, il fut, a la diligence d'Hermann d'Eptingen, gouverneur pour l'archiduc, amene devant ses juges, sur la place publique de Brisach. Sa contenance etait ferme et d'un homme qui ne craint pas la mort. Henri Iselin de Bale porta la parole au nom d'Hermann d'Eptingen, agissant pour le seigneur du pays. Il parla a peu pres en ces termes: 'Pierre de Hagenbach, chevalier, maitre d'hotel de Monseigneur le Duc de Bourgogne, et son gouverneur dans le pays de Seratte et Haute Alsace, aurait du respecter les privileges reserves par l'acte d'engagement; mais il n'a pas moins frotte aux pieds les lois de Dieu et des hommes, que les droits jures et garantis au pays. Il a fait mettre a mort sans jugement quatre honnetes bourgeois de Seratte; il a depouille la ville de Brisach de sa juridiction, et y a etabli juges et consuls de son choix; il a rompu et disperse les communautes de la bourgeoisie et des metiers; il a leve des impots par sa seule volonte; il a, contre toutes les lois, loge chez les habitans des gens de guerre--Lombards, Francais, Picards, ou Flamands; et a favorise leur desordres et pillages. Il leur a meme commande d'egorger leurs hotes durant la nuit, et avait fait preparer, pour y embarquer les femmes et les enfans, des bateaux qui devaient etre submerges dans le Rhin. Enfin, lors meme qu'il rejetterait de telles cruautes sur les ordres qu'il a recus, comment pourrait il s'excuser d'avoir fait violence et outrage a l'honneur de tant de filles et femmes, et meme de saintes religieuses?'

  "D'autres accusations furent portees dans les interrogatoires; et des temoins attesterent les violences faites aux gens de Mulhausen et aux marchands de Bale.

  "Pour suivre toutes les formes de la justice, on avait donne un avocat a l'accuse. 'Messire Pierre de Hagenbach,' dit-il, 'ne reconnait d'autre juge et d'autre seigneur que Monseigneur le Duc de Bourgogne, dont il avait commission, et recevait les commandemens. Il n'avait nul droit de controler les ordres qu'il etait charge d'executer; et son devoir etait d'obeir. Ne sait-on pas quelle soumission les gens de guerre doivent a leur seigneur et maitre? Croit-on que le landvogt de Monseigneur le Duc eut a lui remontrer et a lui resister? Et monseigneur n'a-t-il pas ensuite, par sa presence, confirme et ratifie tout ce qui avait ete fait en son nom? Si des impots ont ete demandes, c'est qu'il avait besoin d'argent. Pour les recueillir, il a bien fallu punir ceux qui se refusaient a payer. C'est ce que Monseigneur le Duc, et meme l'empereur, quand ils sont venus, ont reconnu necessaire. Le logement des gens de guerre etait aussi la suite des ordres du Duc. Quant a la juridiction de Brisach; le landvogt pouvait-il souffrir cette resistance? Enfin, dans une affaire si grave, ou il y va de la vie, convient-il de produire comme un veritable grief, le dernier dont a parle l'accusateur? Parmi ceux qui ecoutent, y en a-t-il un seul qui puisse se vanter de ne pas avoir saisi les occasions de se divertir? N'est-il pas clair que Messire de Hagenbach a seulement profite de la bonne volonte de quelques femmes ou filles; ou, pour mettre les choses au pis, qu'il n'a exerce d'autre contrainte envers elles qu'au moyen de son bon argent?'

  "Les juges siegerent long temps sur leur tribunal. Douze heures entieres passerent sans que l'affaire fut terminee. Le Sire de Hagenbach, toujours ferme et calme, n'allegua d'autres defenses, d'autres excuses, que celles qu'il avait donne deja sous la torture--les ordres et la volonte de son seigneur, qui etait son seul juge, et le seul qui put lui demander compte.

  "Enfin, a sept heures du soir, a la clarte des flambeaux, les juges, apres avoir declare qu'a eux appartenait le droit de prononcer sur les crimes imputes au landvogt, le firent rappeler; et rendirent leur sentence qui le condamna a mort. Il ne s'emeut pas davantage; et demanda pour toute grace d'avoir seulement la tete tranchee. Huit bourreaux des diverses villes se presenterent pour executer l'arret. Celui de Colmar, qui passait pour le plus adroit, fut prefere. Avant de le conduire a l'echafaud, les seize chevaliers qui faisaient partie des juges requirent que Messire de Hagenbach fut degrade de sa dignite de chevalier et de tous ses honneurs. Pour lors s'avanca Gaspard Hurter, heraut de l'empereur; et il dit: 'Pierre de Hagenbach, il me deplait grandement que vous ayez si mal employe votre vie mortelle: de sorte qu'il convient que vous perdiez non-seulement la dignite et ordre de chevalerie, mais aussi la vie. Votre devoir etait de rendre la justice, de proteger la veuve et l'orphelin; de respecter les femmes et les filles, d'honorer les saints pretres; de vous opposer a toute injuste violence; et, au contraire, vous avez commis tout ce que vous deviez empecher. Ayant ainsi forfait au noble ordre de chevalerie, et aux sermens que vous aviez jures, les chevaliers ici presens m'ont enjoint de vous en oter les insignes. Ne les voyant pas sur vous en ce moment, je vous proclame indigne chevalier de Saint George, au nom et a l'honneur duquel on vous avait autrefois honore de l'ordre de chevalerie.' Puis s'avanca Hermann d'Eptingen: 'Puis qu'on vient de te degrader de chevalerie, je te depouille de ton collier, chaine d'or, anneau, poignard, eperon, gantelet.' Il les lui prit et lui en frappa le visage, et ajouta: 'Chevaliers, et vous qui desirez le devenir, j'espere que cette punition publique vous servira d'exemple, et que vous vivrez dans la crainte de Dieu, noblement et vaillamment, selon la dignite de la chevalerie et l'honneur de votre nom.' Enfin, le prevot d'Einsilheim et marechal de cette commission de juges se leva, et s'adressant au bourreau, lui dit: 'Faites selon la justice.'

  "Tous les juges monterent a cheval ainsi qu'Hermann d'Eptingen. Au milieu d'eux marchait Pierre de Hagenbach, entre deux pretres. C'etait pendant la nuit. Des torches eclairaient la marche; une foule immense se pressait autour de ce triste cortege. Le condamne s'entretenait avec son confesseur d'un air pieux et recueilli, mais ferme; se recommandant aussi aux prieres de tous ceux qui l'entouraient. Arrive dans une prairie devant la porte de la ville, il monta sur l'echafau
d d'un pas assure; puis elevant la voix:--

  "'Je n'ai pas peur de la mort,' dit-il; 'encore que je ne l'attendisse pas de cette sorte, mais bien les armes a la main; que je plains c'est tout le sang que le mien fera couler. Monseigneur ne laissera point ce jour sans vengeance pour moi. Je ne regrette ni ma vie, ni mon corps. J'etais homme--priez pour moi.' Il s'entretint encore un instant avec son confesseur, presenta la tete et recut le coup."--M. DE BARANTE, tom. x. p. 197.

  TRANSLATION.

  "Such was the detestation in which this cruel governor was held, that multitudes flocked in from all quarters to be present at his trial. He heard from his prison the bridge re-echo with the tread of horses, and would ask of his jailer respecting those who were arriving, whether they might be his judges, or those desirous of witnessing his punishment. Sometimes the jailer would answer, 'These are strangers whom I know not.'--'Are not they,' said the prisoner, 'men meanly clad, tall in stature, and of bold mien, mounted on short-eared horses?' And if the jailer answered in the affirmative, 'Ah, these are the Swiss,' cried Hagenbach. 'My God, have mercy on me!' and he recalled to mind all the insults and cruelties he had heaped upon them. He considered, but too late, that their alliance with the house of Austria had been his destruction.

  "On the 4th of May, 1474, after being put to the torture, he was brought before his judges in the public square of Brisach, at the instance of Hermann d'Eptingen, who governed for the Archduke. His countenance was firm, as one who fears not death. Henry Iselin of Bale first spoke in the name of Hermann d'Eptingen, who acted for the lord of the country. He proceeded in nearly these terms:--'Peter de Hagenbach, knight, steward of my lord the Duke of Burgundy, and his governor in the country of Seratte and Haute Alsace, was bound to observe the privileges reserved by act of compact, but he has alike trampled under foot the laws of God and man, and the rights which have been guaranteed by oath to the country. He has caused four worshipful burgesses of Seratte to be put to death without trial; he has spoiled the city of Brisach, and established there judges and consuls chosen by himself; he has broken and dispersed the various communities of burghers and craftsmen; he has levied imposts of his own will; contrary to every law, he has quartered upon the inhabitants soldiers of various countries, Lombards, French, men of Picardy and Flemings, and has encouraged them in pillage and disorder; he has even commanded these men to butcher their hosts during night, and had caused boats to be prepared to embark therein women and children to be sunk in the Rhine. Finally, should he plead the orders which he had received as an excuse for these cruelties, how can he clear himself of having dishonoured so many women and maidens, even those under religious vows?'

  "Other accusations were brought against him by examination, and witnesses proved outrages committed on the people of Mulhausen, and the merchants of Bale.

  "That every form of justice might be observed, an advocate was appointed to defend the accused. 'Messire Peter de Hagenbach,' said he, 'recognises no other judge or master than my lord the Duke of Burgundy, whose commission he bore and whose orders he received. He had no control over the orders he was charged to execute;--his duty was to obey. Who is ignorant of the submission due by military retainers to their lord and master? Can any one believe that the landvogt of my lord the Duke could remonstrate with or resist him? And has not my lord confirmed and ratified by his presence all acts done in his name? If imposts have been levied, it was because he had need of money; to obtain it, it was necessary to punish those who refused payment: this proceeding my lord the Duke, and the Emperor himself, when present, have considered as expedient. The quartering of soldiers was also in accordance with the orders of the Duke. With respect to the jurisdiction of Brisach, could the landvogt permit any resistance from that quarter? To conclude, in so serious an affair,--one which touches the life of the prisoner,--can the last accusation be really considered a grievance? Among all those who hear me, is there one man who can say he has never committed similar imprudences? Is it not evident that Messire de Hagenbach has only taken advantage of the good-will of some girls and women, or, at the worst, that his money was the only restraint imposed upon them?'

  "The judges sat for a long time on the tribunal. Twelve hours elapsed before the termination of the trial. The Knight of Hagenbach, always calm and undaunted, brought forward no other defence or excuse than what he had before given when under the torture; viz. the orders and will of his lord, who alone was his judge, and who alone could demand an explanation. At length, at seven in the evening, and by the light of torches, the judges, after having declared it their province to pronounce judgment on the crimes of which the landvogt was accused, caused him to be called before them, and delivered their sentence condemning him to death. He betrayed no emotion, and only demanded as a favour, that he should be beheaded. Eight executioners of various towns presented themselves to execute the sentence; the one belonging to Colmar, who was accounted the most expert, was preferred.

  "Before conducting him to the scaffold, the sixteen knights, who acted as judges, required that Messire de Hagenbach should be degraded from the dignity of knight, and from all his honours. Then advanced Gaspar Hurter, herald of the Emperor, and said:--'Peter de Hagenbach, I deeply deplore that you have so employed your mortal life, that you must lose not only the dignity and honour of knighthood, but your life also. Your duty was to render justice, to protect the widow and orphan, to respect women and maidens, to honour the holy priests, to oppose every unjust outrage: but you have yourself committed what you ought to have opposed in others. Having broken, therefore, the oaths which you have sworn, and having forfeited the noble order of knighthood, the knights here present have enjoined me to deprive you of its insignia. Not perceiving them on your person at this moment, I proclaim you unworthy Knight of St. George, in whose name and honour you were formerly admitted in the order of knighthood.' Then Hermann d'Eptingen advanced. 'Since you are degraded from knighthood, I deprive you of your collar, gold chain, ring, poniard, spur, and gauntlet.' He then took them from him, and, striking him on the face, added:--'Knights, and you who aspire to that honour, I trust this public punishment will serve as an example to you, and that you will live in the fear of God, nobly and valiantly, in accordance with the dignity of knighthood, and the honour of your name.' At last the provost of Einselheim, and marshal of that commission of judges, arose, and addressing himself to the executioner,--'Let justice be done.'

  "All the judges, along with Hermann d'Eptingen, mounted on horseback; in the midst of them walked Peter de Hagenbach between two priests. It was night, and they marched by the light of torches; an immense crowd pressed around this sad procession. The prisoner conversed with his confessor, with pious, collected, and firm demeanour, recommending himself to the prayers of the spectators. On arriving at a meadow without the gate of the town, he mounted the scaffold with a firm step, and elevating his voice, exclaimed:--

  "'I fear not death, I have always expected it; not, indeed, in this manner, but with arms in my hand. I regret alone the blood which mine will cause to be shed; my lord will not permit this day to pass unavenged. I regret neither my life nor body. I was a man--pray for me!' He conversed an instant more with his confessor, presented his head, and received the blow."--M. DE BARANTE, tom. x. p. 197.