ROTHE (JOHANNES), chaplain of Anna, Countess of Thuringia, wrote the 'Chronicle of Thuringia,' and 'Leben der heiligen Elisabeth.' The former contains a highly interesting account of the history of that country. Doubts have, however, been expressed, about the authorship of a work, evincing, on the part of its author, the utmost erudition and research.

RUSS (MELCHIOR), born at Lucerne, about 1450, was entrusted by the Government of that town with several important diplomatic missions. His 'Chronik' of Lucerne, begun in the year 1482, extends to 1411, gives a graphic description of the origin and history of his native town, and comments on that of the Swiss confederacy in general. The language is simple, and shows that the author has a perfect knowledge of the subject he treats.

SACHSENHEIM (HERMANN VON), author of the poem 'Die Mörin' (1453), deficient in unity, and rather tedious. Sachsenheim died in 1458, at an advanced age.

SACHS (HANS), the famous cobbler of Nuremberg, born in the year 1494, distinguished as a writer of many poems and carnival plays, betraying, on the part of the author, a thorough knowledge of the manners of his times. Though not a poet in the higher sense of the word, he possessed great natural abilities, and that imperturbable good humour, by which he acquired his immense popularity. He was, perhaps, the most prolific writer that ever lived. For fifty-five years, he wrote and rhymed with the most indefatigable ardour, the result of which was a very rich literary harvest, consisting of 208 comedies, and 4,200 poems, of various kinds. One might have called him the Dumas, Scribe, or Sue of the 16th century; only that, unlike these distinguished modern writers, he did not keep his own secretary, or wear des gants jaunes' whilst writing them. Hans Sachs the cobbler could afford dispensing with such luxuries!

As a specimen of his style, I give here an extract of a poem called Kifferbeskraut,' in which he describes the character of a busybody, quarrelsome old woman. Her husband, a great amateur of gardening, wants to buy different seeds and plants. The seedsman shows him some peas called 'Kifferbsen' (summer peas). The word Kiff' derives from Keifen, to quarrel, to scold. For heaven's sake,' exclaims the man, anything but Kifferbsen,' alluding here to his own matrimonial miseries, and then proceeds:

'O nur keine Kifferbsen, keine Kifferbsen! Kifferbeskraut (im Doppelsinn : das Keifkraut, Zankkraut) wächst mir schon genug in Hof und Haus, ist mir wie Unkraut noch nie verdorben, nicht im kalten Winter erfroren, nicht im heissen Sommer verdörrt, es wächst in meinem ganzen Hause; im Keller und

im Bad, in Küche, Stube und Kammer macht Kifferbeskraut mir Jammer, zu oberst auf dem Boden oben thut das Unkraut oft wüten und toben; was meine Frau arbeitet und thut, das arg Unkraut bei ihr nicht ruht, ob sie die Kinder badt und zwecht (wäscht), Wasser trägt oder Küchlein becht, in der Küche aufräumt und spült, das Haus kehrt und in den Betten wühlt, dass sie Federn liest oder hechelt, oder Flachs in der Sonne aufwechelt (aufstellt), fegt Pfannen oder hat ein Wäsch, da wächst das Kifferbeskraut gar resch, dass ich in dem Kraut mich verirr und endlich gar mich drinn werwirr ;meine Frau fülle mich früh und spät überflüssig, voll und satt. das ich wünscht, dass Kifferbeskraut nie wäre gesäet oder gebaut, sondern dass dieses Krautes Frucht wüchs nimmermehr und wär verflucht, und verdürb, Blätter sammt dem Stroh, dess würd manch guter Gesell herzfroh.'

At a very advanced age, the intellectual powers of poor Hans Sachs gave way. Then he could be seen seated at his table, a large open book before him, nodding, bowing, and smiling with a peculiar expression of kindness beaming from his large blue eyes, which closed for ever on the 25th of January, 1576.

SCHILLING (DIEBOLD), born at Solothurn, received the citizenship of Bern, and became a member of the grand council of that town. He fought in the Burgundian war, and was present at the battle of Morgarten, so graphically described by him. He died in the year 1485.

His literary reputation springs from his Chronicle of Bern,' of which the last volume, containing the history of the town from 1460-1480, was his exclusive production, the first part having, it seems, been almost entirely copied from Justinger, and subsequent writers. As an historical work, the Chronicle possesses high merit, and gained him the special thanks of the council of his native town. It furnishes a plain and very graphic picture of the political state of the country, and of those splendid battles which bear witness of the heroism of a freedom-loving people, and are calculated to stimulate others to similar deeds. Schilling gives also in his work the stirring battle-songs of Veit Weber, and others.

SCHERNBERK (THEODORICK), the author of 'Ein schön Spiel von Frau Tutten,' written 1480. It contains the life, adventures, and sufferings of Päpstin Johanna, from the time she falls a prey to the Evil Spirit, up to her pardon, and entry into the Kingdom of Heaven.

DIE SIEBEN WEISEN MEISTER. The prose version of this subject, which appeared about the middle of the 15th century, does not materially deviate from the original text. The language is very graceful, simple, and popular.

SPIEL VOM KAISER UND VOM ABт. The subject, probably

suggested by Parson Amis,' has, in modern times, been admirably treated by Bürger, in his celebrated ballad. Among the carnival plays of the period, it occupies a prominent position, and is more free from those indelicate allusions for which the dramatic productions of that age are so notorious. Here we meet a good plump abbot, who, having gained the confidence of the Emperor, has, in consequence, drawn upon himself the hatred and jealousy of the courtiers. The Emperor, being hard up for money, applies to the abbot, and when the latter shows his inability of doing so, the angry Emperor gives him three difficult questions to solve, threatening him to confiscate his property, in case of his failing to do so.

Question first: How much water is in the sea? Question second: Who will be luckiest next? Question third: How much is the Emperor worth?

'Das erst, wie vil wassers im mer sei. Und wem das gelück auf nechst wonet bei das dritt, was ein Keiser wert wer.'

The poor abbot, after having vainly exerted himself to find out the answers, applies to the miller, who appears before the Emperor, disguised as abbot, and solves the first question by saying, that the seas contained nearly three buckets' full of water,

'das wer is nah drei kufen voll.'

provided that the buckets in question are of the proper size. Then with regard to the Emperor's wealth, he is told twenty-eight silver coins, because he could not be worth more than Christ, who was sold for thirty.

With regard to the third question, he is told by the miller, that if the latter could read and write, he would be fit to be an abbot, and then be the luckiest man. The Emperor, satisfied with the answers, grants the miller's request, and makes him an abbot.

STEINHOWEL (HEINRICH), physician at Ulm (15th century), was one of the best prose writers of his time. He wrote 'Apollonius von Tyrus,' 1471; 'Boccacius de claris mulieribus,' 1473; and Esop's Fables,' between 1476-1484.

Æsop, a slave in the service of Xanthus, the philosopher, attracts, by his superior intellect, the attention of the Egyptian wise men, but falls, finally, a victim to the revenge of the Delphic priests, whose wrong doings he exposed. Steinhöwel's language is remarkably clear and terse, and peculiarly suited to the subject he treats. SUCHENSINN (DER), probably a fictitious name, adopted at this time by many of the wandering singers, lived from the end of the

fourteenth and the beginning of the fifteenth centuries. His muse celebrates, above all, married ladies, and their domestic merits or defects. At an early age, however, his tendencies must have been different, for in one of his poems, he takes a vow never to attack the honour of women in his writings.

Und sollte ich leben tausend Jahre,

So gedichte ich nimmer mehre so hart als ich
es habe gethan den Weibern an ihrer Ehre.

SUCHENWIRT (DER), a pseudo-nym adopted at that time by some of the wandering singers, was one of the most prominent Wappendichter.' Most of his poems are written in short double rhymes; a few in plain stanzas. He attended the tournaments of the great, and sang in honour of their deeds. Among his poems written towards the middle of the 14th century, that of Duke Albrecht's Chivalry,' ranks highest.

SUTER (HALBSUTER), born at Lucerne; fought at the celebrated battle of Sempach, 1386, in honour of which he wrote, subsequently, his celebrated poem, of which we add Walter Scott's beautiful translation:

Then heart and pulse throbb'd more and Still on the serried files he pressed,

more,

With courage firm and high,

And down the good Confederates bore
On the Austrian chivalry.

The Austrian Lion* 'gan to growl
And toss his mane and tail;
And ball and shaft and cross-bow belt
Went whistling forth like hail.

Lance, pike and halbert mingled there,
The game was nothing sweet,
The boughs of many a stately tree
Lay shivered at their feet.

The Austrian men-at-arms stood fast,
So close their spears they laid,
It chafed the gallant Winkelried,
Who to his comrades said,-

'I have a virtuous wife at home,
A wife and infant son,

I leave them to my country's care,-
This field shall soon be won.'

"These nobles lay their spears right thick,
And keep full firm array;
Yet shall my charge their order break,
And make my brethren way.'

He rushed against the Austrian band
In desperate career,
And with his body, breast and hand,
Bore down each hostile spear.

Four lances splintered on his crest,
Six shivered in his side;

He broke their ranks and died.

This patriot's self-devoted decă
First tamed the lion's mood,
And the four forest-cantons freed
From thraldom by his blood.

Right where his charge had made a lane,
His valiant comrades burst,
With sword, and axe, and partisan,

And hack, and stab, and thrust.

The daunted Lion 'gan to whine,
And granted ground amain;
The mountain Bull† he bent his brows
And gored his sides again.

Then lost was banner, spear and shield,
At Sempach in the flight,
The cloister vaults at Königsfeld
Hold many an Austrian knight.

It was the Archduke Leopold,
So lordly would he ride,
But he came against the Switzer churls,
And they slew him in his pride.

*

Now would ye know the minstrel wight
Who sings of strife so stern?
Albert the Souter is he hight,
A burgher of Lucerne.

A merry man was he, I wot,

The night he made the lay,
Returning from the bloody spot,
Where God had judged the day.

SUSO (HEINRICH), also called Heinrich der Seuse (1300-1366), born at Constance; entered the order of the Dominicans. He is distinguished for his sacred didactic writings, the most important of which is a dissertation, written in the form of a dialogue, and called Büchlein von der ewigen Wahrheit.' We possess only a fragment of his life, written by himself.

TAULER (JOHANNES), distinguished as lyric poet and theologian, was born, either at Strasburg or Cologne, in the year 1290. His sermons, remarkable for gracefulness of language, and depth of thought, remind man of his finite character.

'Got treit uns in allen dingen, in allen lidende, in allen burden und hilft uns liden und tragen; wan litten wir uns werlichen under Got, so en würde uns kein liden noch niut unlidelich.'

'God is our support in everything, in every adversity, and helps us to bear our burden and suffering; so that in trusting in Him we would not suffer.