able to tell us of many matters which we afterwards heard at greater
length and in fuller detail.

He was a serving-man to Master Rummel of Nuremberg, who had been sent
forth from Lichtenau to carry this good liquor to the nuns at
Pillenreuth; the market-town of Lichtenau lieth beyond Schwabach and had
of yore belonged to the Knight of Heideck, who had sold it to that city,
of which the Rummels, who were an old and honored family, had bought it,
with the castle.

Now, whereas yestereve the Knight of Heideck, the former owner of the
castle, a noble of staunch honor, was sitting at supper with Master
Rummel in the fortress of Lichtenau, a rider from Pillenreuth had come in
with a petition from the Abbess for aid against certain robber folk who
had carried away some cattle pertaining to the convent. Hereupon the
gentlemen made ready to go and succor the sisters, and with wise
foresight they sent a barrow-load of good wine to Pillenreuth, to await
them there, inasmuch as that no good liquor was to be found with the
pious sisters. When the gentlemen had, this very morning, come to the
place where the highwaymen had fallen on Eppelein, they had met Ann who
was known to them at the Forest lodge, where she was in the act of making
search for Herdegen's letter, and they, in their spurred boots, had
helped her. At last they had besought her to go with them to the
Convent, by reason that the men-at-arms of Lichtenau had yesternight gone
forth to meet the thieves, and by this time peradventure had caught them
and found the letter on them. Ann had consented to follow this gracious
bidding, if only she might give tidings of where she would be to those
her friends who would for certain come in search of her. Thereupon
Master Rummel had commanded the servingman, who had come up with the
barrow, to tarry here and bid us likewise to the Convent; the fellow,