In punishment he was sentenced by the emperor to abstain for life from wearing a helmet. Hence the bare head and flowing locks of the Knight of Waldburg, always to be seen in the thick of the fray, which became a valued figure in the family escutcheon. But at the time of which I am speaking the Waldburgs were thoroughly peaceable folk. The particular knight of Welf's day had, as it happened, a lovely daughter, just about two years younger than young Welf, who, of course, fell desperately in love with Bertha, as in return Bertha did with him. Hundreds of innocent little amatory interviews of the two took place, either at Waldburg or else in the forest, with the full acquiescence of Kuno, who saw nothing to object to in the proposed match. However, Kuno died, and was in his guardianship replaced by a monk of a very different character- - Anthony, a schemer and intriguer who would without doubt have been a Jesuit, if the order had been then established. To Welf's utter dismay, this Anthony, one fine morning, informed his young charge that in the interest alike of the Guelph family and of the Church he, a youth of eighteen, must forthwith marry Gregory the Seventh's friend, Matilda of Canossa, Spoleto, Parma, etc., the persecutress of Henry IV., a Guelph herself, the widow of Godfrey the Hunchback of Lorraine, very rich and very powerfulnobilissimi ac detissimi marchionis Bonifacii filia- but mannish-femina virilis animi- accustomed to leading her own men in battle, scheming, ugly, ill-tempered, and forty-three to boot. Hers were splendid possessions - Parma, and Mantua, and Ferrara, and Spoleto, and Reggio, and Lucca, and Tuscany. But all these riches were as nothing in the eyes of Welf, who had made up his mind that he must marry Bertha, aged sixteen, or no one. A little plot was quickly concocted, and one fine night Welf, in disguise, might be seen slyly escorting Bertha, likewise in disguise, and accompanied only by her private maid, Francisca, through the forest down to Lindau, on the border of the lake, where a boat was in readiness to bear the fugitives across to Constance. From that place, Welf said - probably thinking of his mother's connections with our country "we will make our way straight to England, where a Guelph's arm and sword are sure to be welcome and to find employment." The lake was reached, and the oars splashed briskly over the smooth surface when all of a sudden, at halfway, over goes the boat, capsizing, and - Bertha sinks down to the bottom, to be seen no more. Diving, and swimming, and calling proved all in vain. Thoroughly unhappy, indifferent to all that might happen, Welf consented to wed the elderly Matilda, with whom he settles down to live at Spoleto, in such relation as is possible. One day a nun begs to be allowed to see him. She turns out to be Francisca, the maid, driven by pangs of conscience to make a frank confession of a horrid crime committed. Bribed by Monk Anthony, she said, she had on that disastrous night drugged poor Bertha with a handkerchief- then, when she was thoroughly drowsy, on the sly tied a stone to her feet whereupon Anthony, disguised as a boatman, had overturned the boat. Anthony had told her there was no sin in all this, it was an act ad majorem Dei gloriam; but her conscience would leave her no peace. Next day, at her own wish, Francisca was executed as a murderess, and Welf left his wife who turned out to have been a party to the conspiracy— in anger and disgust, vowing to see her no more, and formally repudiating her before long- nescio quo interveniente divorcio, says the monkish chronicler. We have now reached the very eve of that brilliant period when the Guelphs appeared to have risen, rapidly, high above other dynasties - only to drop even more suddenly to a humble level of prosaic obscurity, on which they were destined to continue for centuries. The records of that brief spell of meteoric greatness read like a romance. The Guelphs were giants, visibly overtopping all their contemporaries, Henry "the Great," Henry "the Generous," Henry "the Lion"— their very names tell of vigor and influence, of strength of character and striking individuality. Their domains came to stretch from sea to sea, from the Northern Ocean, which we call the German, to the Mediterranean and breadth ways across the whole continent of Germany, eastward into those still only half-explored Slav regions in which dwelt the uncultured Bodricians and Luticzians, backed by the Russians and the Poles. Even Denmark was in a state of dependence under them. And the Guelph duchies represented a power almost superior to that of the empire. Had not Frederick Barbarossa been so very great a ruler, it is said, Henry the Lion's realm would infallibly have either swallowed up the rest of Germany or else have been constituted a separate empire. Under Henry the Generous the imperial crown seemed to be actually at the feet of the Guelph dynasty. They need but Hohenstaufens, who had seized, without have stooped a little to pick it up. But claim or title, imperial territory, more esstooping was the one thing which they pecially the city of Nuremberg. In 1126 could not bring themselves to do. As a his troops carried Nuremberg by storm, result they were jockeyed out of this prize and as a reward Lothair conferred the just as their late successor was the other dukedom of Saxony upon his son-in-law, day jockeyed out of his kingdom of Han- who thereby came to hold two dukedoms over. Germany, it is to be feared, lost at the same time. The victory over the more by that dishonest trick than did the Hohenstaufens was completed a few years Guelphs. Under a race of heroes like later by Henry's capture (on behalf of the those Henries, with plenty of power of empire) of Ulm. Clearly Henry was their own at their back to support them altogether in the right. But the Hohenagainst rivals and malcontents, it did not staufens, smarting under deserved defeat, seem too much to expect that something seized the opportunity of his absencelike the halcyon days of the Saxon em- in Italy, where he was, to attend the emperors might have been brought back. peror's coronation. to ravage his lands All ended in smoke. There was that in revenge. Of course, he retaliated. family quarrel between Guelphs and And thus was begun that memorable great Ghibellines, which ruined both houses - feud which rent Germany in two and unfortunately, the Guelphs first. It seems brought it down to the very brink of ruin a strange coincidence that the two rival and disintegration. The sad result might cousins, Frederick Barbarossa and Henry still have been averted if the general exthe Lion, should both have been born at pectation had been fulfilled, and Henry Ravensburg. It seems odd, also, that the Generous had been elected to the after being long the warmest of friends imperial throne. So confident was Lothair the two houses should have become such of his succession that at his death he enimplacable foes. The Hohenstaufens had trusted the imperial insignia—those preno one but Welf IV. to thank for the cious clenodia of Trifels to him for Swabian crown. It was he who had ex-keeping. But the Hohenstaufens baulked torted it from Henry IV. And it seems more than strange, it seems hard, cruel, and unjust, that not only should the Guelphs a second time have been punished in their private capacity for what they had done in the service of the empire, but that, moreover, the emperor's persecution, which led to their fall, should have been, as I shall show, the direct consequence of loyal service rendered to the imperial crown. him by a clever election trick. Summoning the electing princes a very indeterminate body at that time with the exception only of the Bavarians and the Saxons, privately to Coblenz - not by any means a proper place for the purpose they easily secured the choice of Conrad, in which the Saxons weakly acquiesced being then still new to the rule of their duke — and which the pope, just as weakly, confirmed. Little he knew what a scourge he was binding for the punishment of his successors. Those two confirmations practically decided the issue. Neverthe less, so little assured did Conrad feel of his position that he fled from Augsburg by night, fearing an attack from the Guelphists. Arrived at Würzburg, contrary to all law and justice, he condemned Henry unheard, proclaimed against him the sentence of proscription (reichsacht), and declared him to have forfeited both his duchies. A furious contest ensued, Welf VI. fighting in Bavaria, Henry in Saxony. In Germany the two factions are commonly spoken of as "Welf" and Welf the Fifth's was a brief reign. and about the only pacific one in that early period. A staunch friend to the pope, but at the same time strictly loyal to the emperor, he managed to overcome resistance, say the monks of Weingarten, "by liberality and graciousness rather than by cruelty and force." His brother, Henry, surnamed variously "the Black," and "the Great," was a man of entirely different mould. He it was who about 1100 first acquired by marriage with Wulfhilde, the daughter of Magnus, Duke of Saxony, the valuable "allodium" of Lüneburg, which up to 1866 formed the nucleus of Guelph possessions in northern Germany." Waiblingen." But it is by no means Henry's son, Henry the Generous, bet- certain that the latter name is correct. It tered that example by obtaining the Saxon is quite as possible that "Ghibelline" is dukedom. He was a staunch friend to intended to stand for "Giebelingen," the Lothair of Saxony, the emperor of his name of the castle in which Frederick time married his daughter Gertrude Barbarossa was brought up, and near and in his support made war upon the which the Hohenstaufens gained one of their first decisive victories over the fit companion for his brother-in-law and Guelphs. In the south things went for the staunch ally, Richard Coeur-de-Lion. For most part against the latter. Welf VI. has a time fortune favored Henry. The been christened "the German Achilles." Wends were constantly making incursions He tried to justify that name being into German territory, keeping the border seconded, rather feebly, by the kings of provinces in a state of perpetual disturbHungary and of Sicily. But in spite of ance. The emperor alone was no match all his fighting, as the Bavarians showed for them. Henry was sent for; and, like themselves lukewarm, his efforts fell short a German Charles Martel, he struck down of adequate success. In the north things Prince Niklot and his host with crushing went better. The Saxons, holding strong blows. The result was a short-lived recviews in favor of what we should term onciliation with the emperor, and Henry's State rights, manfully stood by their duke, reinstatement, for a brief period, in both who pressed the Hohenstaufen emperor so his duchies - Bavaria having, however, hard, that before long Conrad was almost previously been reduced in size by the compelled to ask for an armistice. The cutting off of what is now Austria. Had armistice was granted; and before it came Henry but had the prudence to use his opto an end Henry died at Quedlinburg, portunities, all might still have been well. it is said by poison. That left the Guelphs For Welf VI. made him an offer of his at a serious disadvantage. For Welf VI. Italian possessions - Spoleto, Tuscany had quite as much to do as he could man- and Sardinia - a valuable point d'appui, age, to maintain himself as a belligerent which must have helped Henry to mainin the south. And in the north, besides tain his balance in Germany, or at the very the Duchess Gertrude and her mother, the least to save more than he did out of the Empress Richenza, there was only Henry subsequent wreck. In the course of a life the Lion, a boy of ten, to head the rebel of lavish prodigality, Welf had come to tribe. Conrad skilfully disarmed Ger- an end of his available resources. He trude by persuading her, still quite a young wanted money. Now, would Henry buy woman, to marry Leopold of Austria, the those Italian possessions of him? Henry new Duke of Bavaria, and to consent, as declined, calculating a little too securely a condition of that marriage, to her son's upon an unbought inheritance at Welf's waiver of his rights in the south. In the death. In that calculation he made a great north we find Berlin stretching out its mistake. Welf, angry at his refusal, rehands eagerly for the Guelph duchy. peated the offer to his other nephew, just as in 1866-but without success. Frederick Barbarossa, who as a matter of The covetous Margrave of Brandenburg, course jumped at it. And so the opportuI ought to explain, was not a Hohenzol- nity was lost. Fresh contests ensued, lern, but Albert the Bear. The Hohen- fresh proscriptions, banishments, outzollerns were at that time still very small lawry. As an exile Henry was driven to folk-so small that some years later, seek the protection of his ally Richard, when Welf VI., disgusted with affairs of taking refuge repeatedly in Normandy and State, and grieving over the loss of his son, in England. Then he managed to renew gave himself up to a life of reckless pleas- the fight-and at last, by the emperor's ure, and held a private court at Zurich, in grace, he received back, of all his vast ostentatious magnificence, we find the territory, those little principalities of Count of Zollern of those days in attend- Brunswick and Lüneburg, which to almost ance upon him, as a sort of noble retainer. the present day have remained specifically Once Henry attained his majority, he identified with Guelph rule, and in which quickly made his power felt. He must the Guelph counts and dukes - subsehave been a character whom one could quently electors and kings-managed to not help admiring. Brave, chivalrous, live on in their prosaic, humdrum, humble frank, generous to a fault, and zealously way, powerless and uninteresting princesolicitous for the welfare of his subjects, lets of the great German family of little for the extension of commerce, the im- sovereigns till an accident, lucky for provement of agriculture, the development them, called them across to England. of self-government, a friend and supporter One brief flickering-up there was, befors to every kind of progress. but, at the their candle finally went out on the larger same time, headstrong, rash, impetuous - scene of Continental politics. But it was he seemed the very beau-ideal of knight- a very poor flickering indeed, and no hood, a man morally as well as physically credit to any one concerned. A Guelph of the colossal stature that the sculptor became emperor at last. But no thanks has attributed to him at Brunswick a to his own prowess or his own merit, or to a bond-fide popular choice. It was our Coeur-de-Lion who, at the pope's partisan instigation, to avenge his humiliation at Hagenau with the help of his multa pecunia, as chroniclers relate-forced his nephew, Otto IV., on the throne which, according to strict law, had already young Frederick II. for an occupant. It was a poor, weak travesty of a reign. Had not Philip of Swabia opportunely died, it would have been no reign at all. For many a century the star of the Guelphs seemed set. The viri nobiles, egregia libertatis of ancient times counted for little in the game of European politics. Early in the present century the elder line, that of Wolfenbüttel, brought forth one more hero of the old Guelph type · that brave Brunswicker who, in the great war of German liberation, by his brilliant gallantry quickened all young Germany to a more fiery patriotism. The younger line, that of Lüneburg, found a new sphere of action opened to it in this country, and now lives to perpetuate on a throne even greater than that which "the Generous " and "the Lion " had filled, that Dynastia Guelphicorum Inter Flores lilium, Inter Illustres Illustrissimus find out by actual experiment what attractions the country had to offer to visitors during the winter months. The Norway of literature, too, presents pictures of seasons and weather with regard to which the experience of ordinary tourists is a blank. Impelled by curiosity upon these and other points, a small party of travellers, of whom the present writer was one, set out at the end of January last for a short visit to Norway. The plan of the trip did not include much moving about, as time was limited, and we were uncertain how far locomotion was possible; but we intended to reach the nearest inland point from Bergen at which we could find the country fully under snow, and where we should have an opportunity of enjoying the snow sports proper to the season. We promised ourselves much sledging, skating, and, in the words of a Norwegian correspondent, "gliding down smooth slopes on hand sledges," i.e., tobogganing. Besides these gross and material attractions there gleamed before our imagination visions of snowy landscapes and a brilliant atmosphere, and altogether it was with high hopes that we embarked on board our old friend the Norge at Newcastle, Halvorsen's line, en route for Bergen. Beyond a couple of commercial men, Norwegians, we had the ship to ourselves, otherwise there might have been some difficulty in stowing away the enormous quantity of rugs and wraps with which, in anticipation of an Arctic climate, we were provided. Under the new aspect of things, if, fortunately, Henry the Lion's bold bent for war be wanting, his characteristic care for the welfare of his subjects has been retained; and it is a satisfaction to know, in a reign that has already happily outlived its jubilee, that there is no longer The voyage, which as a winter experioccasion for that sorrowful plaint to which, ence had some terrors for us, proved calm in the warlike days of the race, Countess and prosperous, but the precise time of Itha gave expression-the wife of the our journey was unfortunate, a general great-grandson of Eticho II., of Ammer-thaw having set in over the whole of Eugau-that "No Guelph was ever known to live to a great age." HENRY W. WOLLF. From Temple Bar. NORWAY IN WINTER. IN Summer Norway is familiar holiday ground; but among the crowd who flock to its shores during the season of long days and warm weather, few have hitherto cared to make trial of the country during the reign of frost and snow. In the breasts of certain travellers, however, who had seen what summer had to show, and yet felt that Norway was not completely revealed, there arose a strong desire to rope. We reached Bergen in a storm of rain which boded ill for our prospects, but afforded some compensation by giving us a magnificent view of the approach to the harbor. Hitherto we had known the quaint northern city only as a gay cluster of many-colored houses nestling in the inmost recesses of a calm fjord beneath a circle of bare green hills. Now driving mists blurred its outlines, and towers and houses loomed dimly purple under a canopy of beetling rocks thickly streaked. with snow. Wrapped in storm and cloud, with a grey, rough sea around, and frowning hills above, the huddled settlement on the barren rocks looked every inch the haunt of sea robbers that once no doubt it • 1891. Arrived at Voss we were not ill-pleased to be greeted by the cheery laughter of Mr. Fleischer, the well-known innkeeper, who, with his wife, made us warmly welcome. The large hotel, we found, was at our sole disposal, for other visitors there were none. was. On landing, we found that the snow could well be conceived. Grey mountains bad entirely disappeared from the streets, with white peaks, and grey lakes beneath, sledges were replaced by wheeled car-mirroring their outlines; no level ground riages, and an umbrella was the unfailing but the sheets of ice reaching to the rocks companion of every Norseman who stirred in whose steep sides the railroad was cut; abroad. Yet in some respects the town a country of iron, a landscape of steel, looked more itself than in summer, an with no relieving color save the pale blue effect to which the absence of English sky above. Here and there a hamlet tourists no doubt greatly contributed. clinging to the sides of the rock; no other Men in fur caps and bearskin coats-the signs of life. Such an austere wintry scene hair worn outwards—thronged the streets, was worth coming all the way from Enand in the fish-market groups of women gland to see, and it was with regret that darkly dressed, and with woollen shawls we were at length forced by cold and darkround their heads, chaffered with the sail-ness to retreat once more within the car. ors for their catch. The little fishingboats bobbed up and down on a cold, wintry water, and men in sou'-westers and oilskins handed out the fish, while behind rose the red eaves of the warehouses, and above, the snow-clad hills. It was Bergen in its work-a-day dress, engaged in the hard winter labor which is the real life of the people. Though the rain poured, therefore, we were content, and took the astonished exclamation of the street boys "Englisk!". - as a token that we were now, for the first time, seeing the Norwegians at home. At this season too, it may be noted, the Norwegian host is at his best. Even in summer he treats you as a friend, and you leave him with a feeling that whatever your bill may be you still owe him something; but in winter there is literally nothing that he will not do for his guests. As for mine host of Smeby's Hotel, he took us so completely under his charge that we began to wonder whether we could possibly get along anywhere without him. But our destination was Vossevangen, between sixty and seventy miles from Bergen, for there, knowing the greater severity of the inland climate, we hoped to find the snow that was lacking on the coast. The railway ride, a four hours' affair, is interesting enough in summer, but in winter it is doubly fine. First we passed through a landscape of low hills and patches of water, where Bergen merchants have their country houses in summer, and their skating-grounds in winter. Here the ice was breaking up, and lying piled in masses of great thickness. After a while we again touched the sea, skirting the shores of the Sörefjord, an open sheet of blue water, whose surface, dotted with sails, was shining in the sunlight. We escaped from the stifling heat of the car, and stood on the platform enjoying the keen air. Then again the line turned in land, and we were soon in the midst of as frowning and inhospitable a landscape as Next morning we were glad to throw open the windows of our stove-heated rooms, and let in the fresh, keen air. With eager eyes we scanned the prospect. It was not what we expected or desired, but it was surpassingly lovely all the same. The lake lay before us, covered with ice, and wrapped in rolling mists, which as they turned and twisted, rising here and falling there, gave glimpses of wooded hills beyond, thickly streaked with snow. Then again the curtain fell, and the landscape resolved itself into a grey, dim shimmer; earth, sea, and sky seeming to float in mist together. Ever and anon came the tinkling of sleigh-bells and the sharp runners on the ice, as a dark silhouette of sleigh and driver passed across the lake, its image being reflected in the wet ice (for there had been much rain) with perfect clearness. These shadowy figures were constantly passing along a track which was evidently the winter highway, and the misty landscape, with the tinkling sounds of the bells in the clear, still air, combined to throw such a spell upon us that the unfavorableness of the weather was for a time forgotten. To gaze upon a scene of such weird beauty was for the present enough. Unfortunately for our visit there had been much less snow than usual in western Norway this winter. What little had fallen at Voss had been turned by the recent rain and partial thaw into ice. Men and boys skated along the roads as the easiest and by far the quickest way of getting over the ground. The ponies, with their spiked shoes, were perfectly surefooted, and it was pretty to see them picking their way through the water which |