The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1853-08-18
From sharpe's Magazine.
THE ORIGIN OF THE IMPERIAL
VAULT IN THE CATHEDRAL OF
SPEXEK,

THE ORIGIN OF THE IMPERIAL
VAULT IN THE CATHEDRAL OF
SPEYER.
CONRAD the Second. Emperor Of
Germany, was surnamed Speierer, from
his great attachment to the city of Spey-
er. He was the monarch who had the
imperial vault erected in the beautiful ca.
thedral ofthat town for the deposit ofhis
own remains and those of his successors,
or the other members of bis family who
might happen 10 lie onthe western side
of the Alps. as the inscription over the
entrance, which is still legible, implies
The historians of that period relate the
following romantic story as the origin oi
this vault:
There lived a. the court of the emper-
or nobleman Of thes'nam Of Cain, who
having had the misfortune 10 offend him,
fled with his wife into the furthermost
recesses of the Black Forest TO escape
the vengence of his irritated MASTER
There they took up heir abode in a mis-.
erable and destitute hut. Some time after
their flight, as the emperor was hunting
in the vicinity of the counts retreat, he
was benighted, and compelled 10 seek
shelter for the night in the very dwelling
of the man who had so offended him.
The couut was away at the time; but it so
happened that on this very night the
countess was delivered Of son, in a
chamber next to that into which the en-
peror had retired, Immediately after the
birth ofwhich he heard a voice emphatic
ly exclaim, "Oh, Conrad! this child will
be thy son.in.law and successor The
astonished monarch summoned his two
attendants, and ordered them at once to
get possession Of the child and destroy
il But, being more humane than their
master, they determined rUther TO pre-.
serve than TO take away the infants life;
although, as a proof Of their bloody work,
Conrad had ordered them TO bring before
him the child's reeking heart. The SER
wants stole the child from the countess S
chamber. and left the hovel apparently
with the intention Of killing it.
Outside of the hut there happened TO
be quantity of game which had been
killed at the hunt the preceding day
The attendants at once bethought them
selves Of stratagem by means OF which
they might deceive their bloodyrminded
lord. They ripped out a heart from the
body Of fawn, and brought it to the cru
king, who being more oi monster
than an anatomist, mistook it for the heart
Of his victim, and at once expressed his
appreciation and delight at the prompt
lude they had displayed in dispatching a
creature which, as he had been foretold,
would be his son and heir. In the
meantime, the infant had been laid under
a tree by the attendants until their return;
but, during their absence, Herman, Duke
of Suabia, passing by, and hearing the
screams OF the infant, took compassion
on its neglected and abandoned state,
had il removed to his castle, and adopted
it for his own, Years flew by, and the
child was spproachingto manhood, when
The emperor came on visit to the Duke.
The young counts interesting appearance
attracted his attention. and inquiring who
he was, Herman related the singular
manner in which hehad come by him.
Suspicion Immediately entered the emps'
ror's mind. but he concealed his alarm;
and pretended he had taken an extraor'
dinary interest in the yonth, desired the
duke to cede him over TO him, saying
that he intended 10 make him one oil bis
pages, and would provide for his welfare
in life. Though the duke loved the counl
almos, as much as if he had been his
own child, he could not refuse the En-
peror's demand, and young Cain dePar-
ted with his sovereign in the capacity ol
page. On his arrival at his palace al
Suobia, the emperor forthwith summon
ed Ito his presence the two servants whom
he had eighteen years before commits
stoned to destroy the infant in the Black
Forest, in order 10 elicit from them more
positive proof as to the counts identity
The two men, terrified at the kings de-
mand, fell upon their knees and confess
ed how they had imposed upon him, but
declaring, at the same time, that II II
were their sovereign's will that they
should die for what they had done, they
would rather submit TO the worst ol
deaths than exist as murderefs. The
enraped monarch dismissed them from
his presence. There being no longer
any doubt about the young counts origin
the prophecy returned to the emperor'S s
recollection with increasing force and re-
newed poignancy and he determined that
the object of his alarm should moi this
ime escape him. He despatched young
Cain 10 the empress who was then resi-
ding at Aix,a-Chapelle, with letter
containing this terrible injunction-"As
you set value on your lite, see that the
bearers OF this be secretly and speedily
destroyed"
The traveller, little knowing that he car.
ried his own death.warrsnt, proceeded
on bis journey. which lay over SPeyr'
where on his arrival, he lodged, accor-
ding 10 the orders he had received, al
the house of the dean Of the cathedral
who was most worthy pillar OF the
church; but, fortunately for the young
count, his spiritual affairs were not alto
gether so important, or so multiplied as
10 deprive him Of great deal Of worldly
curiosity, which was more thun usually
excited on the arrival OF the emperor'i
page, bearing dispatches for the queen
not an every day occurrence. He SCUM
ded the count on the occasion Of biz
mission. but could elicit nothing from
him that could at all satisfy his curiosity
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