AIST (DIETMAR), also called Eist, Eyste, either Swiss or Austrian by birth, flourished towards the middle of the 12th century. His epic poems, essentially national, are full of feeling. In one of them, called 'THE FALCON,' a lady waiting for the arrival of her beloved, compares her fate to that of the soaring bird: There sat upon the linden-tree A bird, and sang its strain; Sô wol dir, sumerwunne! Daz gevogel sanc ist gesunde; also ist der linden ir loup. Iar lane truobent mir ouh Min trût, du solt dich gelouben wan, helt, die solt du mîden. 'As to thee, lovely summer, Returns the bird's strain, 'Yes, come, my own hero, A thousand years to me it was Nor heard the bird's sweet song; My joys have all too briefly past, My griefs been all too long. AMMENHAUSEN (KONRAD VON) descended from a noble Swiss family, lived at the beginning of the 14th century, and is chiefly known as the author of a poem on chess, called 'Schâchzabelbuoch,' in which social and political matters are discussed, the different ranks of society represented by the various figures, and wholesome lessons given to all, high and low. The poem evinces, on the part of the writer, considerable ingenuity and good common sense. AUE (HARTMANN VON DER), more distinguished as epic than lyric poet. His Kreuzlieder' are remarkable for vigour and intense fervour. The following poem is taken from Tieck's collection of Minnelieder. Ich muss mit Recht den Tag immer Da ich die Werthe zuerst erkannte, Das schadet ihr nicht und ist mir immer mehr gut. Dabei alle meine Sorge vertreiben, Gott sei der ihr Leib und Ehre behüte. Der sündet schwer, der das nicht glaubet, Denn ich zu Gotte und zu der Welte den Dass ich möchte erleben mannichen lieben Muth Desto bas durch ihren Willen kehre. So diene ich, dass sich meine Freude noch vermehre. Sich mag mein Leib von der Guten wohl scheiden, Mein Herze, mein Wille muss bei ihr bleiben, Sie mag mir Leben und Freude verleiden, Tag. Ob auch nimmer Krone käme auf mein Des ich mich an sie nicht vermessen mag, Und wäre mein bester Trost beides BONER (ULRICH), born at Bern, in the 14th century. His fables, called by him' Edelstein,' move in the world of plants and animals, are of a charmingly popular style, and contain many treasures of wisdom. Boner is the true representative of the middle classes, and the defender of all that is good and noble. We give here one of his fables : The Frog and the Steer. Of him that striveth after more honor than he should. A frog, with frogling by his side, Such prideful notion had he got; BOTENLAUBEN (OTTO, COUNT OF), descended from the house of the counts of Hinneberg, went to the Holy Land, and founded the convent of the Benedictines at Frauenrode, near Kissingen. He is one of the minstrels pur sang, and remarkable for the original character, he imparts to his poems. He died in the year 1254. DAMEN (HERMANN DER), the friend of Frauenlob, whom he addresses in one of his poems, mostly written in praise of princes. EMPEROR HENRY VI. (1165-1197), succeeded his father Frederick I. (Barbarossa), in the year 1190. In reading his poems, so full of tenderness, one would hardly believe them to be written by one so proverbially cruel. I greet in song that sweetest one, Kingdom and lands are nought to me, Ich grüsse mit Gesange die süssen, Die ich vermeiden nicht will und nicht mag, Da ich sie vom Munde nicht mochte Ach, leider! das ist mancher Tag: Da ich sie nun gar so herziglichen minne, Und sie ohne Wanken zu allen Zeiten Beide im Herzen und auch im Sinne, Es sei Weib oder Mann, der habe sie ge- Da bietet sie mir's so rechte schöne, grüsset von mir. Mir sind die Reich' und Land' unter- Wenn ich bei der Minniglichen bin, Nur sehnlichen Kummer zähle ich mir So kann ich mit Freuden steigen auf und auch abe, Und bringe den Wechsel, wie ich wähne, um ihre Liebe zu Grabe. Eh' ich mich ihrer verzieh', ich verziehe mich eh der Krone. Ich schied von ihr, dass ich ihr gar nicht Bescheiden, wie ich sie weinte in dem Seit fügte mir eine viel selige Stunde, Da ich die Werthe also füglich fand, Sie war von Kinde und muss immer sein ESCHENBACH (WOLFRAM VON), supposed to have been the inventor of the so-called Wächterlieder, watch-songs, or day-songs, was remarkable for the beauty of imagery. In one of his poems, a lady grieves at the sight of the rising sun, the signal for the departure of her husband, on the point of starting for a distant land Of the intensity of their mutual affection, the following lines bear witness: WOULD I THE LOFTY SPIRIT MELT. Would I the lofty spirit melt Joy in my soul no place can find: ESSLINGEN (THE SCHOOLMASTER OF), mentioned in a document dating from 1280, and supposed to be Magister Heinrich, rector of the gymnasium at Esslingen. He directs his attacks against the founder of the house of Hapsburg, reminding him that the erect position of the Austrian eagle is symbolical of all that is lofty and great, the black colour of the bird calculated to inspire terror. FRAUENLOB, also called HEINRICH VON MEISSEN, born in the year 1260, travelled much. It appears that, having to struggle against pecuniary difficulties, he had often to appeal to the pockets of the rich. Frauenlob, considered to be the founder of the 'Meistergesang,' was one of the most fertile poets of his time; he invented thirty-two different tunes, Meistergesangbücher;' but the poems of the learned writer are, on account of the frequent allusions to local matters, often unintelligible. His maxims, replete with useful moral lessons, are so many allusions to the social vices and defects of his own time. From this period date also those controversial poems called Streitgedichte' and 'Tenzon' among the southern nations. One of the great disputes of the day was respecting the word Frau' and Weib,' Frauenlob declaring in favour of the former term (or of both we should have thought). He was so respected by the gentle sex, in whose praise he wrote many of his poems, that the ladies of Mayence are said to have carried his body to the grave. He died in 1318. 6 FREIDANK. Nothing positive is known of his origin; it appears, however, that he accompanied Frederick II. to the Holy Land. His poem, Bescheidenheit', a universal mirror, faithfully reflecting the various ranks of society, shows the writer to have been both a pious and liberal-minded man. Freidank entertained very qualified opinions respecting the right of legitimacy, as far as the German Emperors are concerned; for he is bold enough to say : 'Ich weiss nirgends der Fürsten drei Deren Einer durch Gott Fürste sei.' HAMLE (CHRISTIAN VON), a Swiss, living towards the middle of the 13th century. His poems like those of Eschenbach, are distinguished for graceful language and intensity of feeling. In one of them he addresses the green meadow, all his aspiration being to be permitted to walk on the very spot over which the beloved of his heart had stepped before. THE MEADOW. 'Ich wolde, daz der anger sprechen solte.' Would that the meadow could speak! How happy was yesterday, When my lady-love was there; When she plucked its flowers, and gently pressed Her lovely fect on its verdant breast. Meadow, what transport was thine, When my lady walked across thee, And her white hands plucked the flowers, Those beautiful flowers that emboss thee. O suffer me, then, thou bright green sod, Of a heart that with love is panting! On thy sod my lady planting, HADLAUB (MEISTER JOHANNES), descended from a Zürich family, wrote love and rural songs, full of that sentimentality which borders on the ludicrous. We must also mention his 'Herbstlieder, Erntelieder,' 'Tag-und Wächterlieder.' In one of them, he addresses his lady in fervent language, notwithstanding the coldness with which she receives his offers; an affection which reaches its climax, when the lady, enraged at the swain's importunities, bites off a bit of his finger. Thumbless, yet still hopeful, this luckless lover addresses her thus: |