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"We acknowledge freely," said the Freigraf, "that you are the figure- head of the order, and that in all matters pertaining to a change of constitution your consent would probably be necessary, but stretching your authority to its utmost limit, it does not reach to the Courts of the Holy Fehm, which have before now sat in judgment on the highest in the land.
The examiner paused in his questioning apparently taken aback by this assertion, and looked towards the Freigraf as if awaiting a decision before proceeding further.
As Wilhelm was brought to a stand before this assemblage, the Freigraf nodded his head and the guards in silence undid the thongs which pinioned together wrists and elbows, leaving the prisoner absolutely unfettered. This done, the guard retreated backwards to the opposite wall, and Wilhelm stood alone before the seven sinister doomsmen.
I therefore suggest that we go on with our deliberations, leaving the final decision of his case until a later period." To this the Court unanimously murmured the word: "Agreed," and Wilhelm took his place at the table. "Bring in prisoner No. 13," said the Freigraf, and a few moments later the Emperor of Germany stood before the table.
This proposition being agreed to without a dissenting voice, the prisoner was removed from the room and the eyes of all the judges were turned towards Wilhelm. The Freigraf was the first to break the silence. "Although I have agreed to the removal of the prisoner," he said, "yet I see not the use of wasting so many words on him.
"It would appear then," went on the examiner, "that in the action you took against your immediate over-lord, the Archbishop of Mayence, you were unprotected by the mandate of the Emperor. Freigraf and Freischoffen have heard question and answer. With extreme reluctance I am compelled to announce to this honourable body, that nothing now remains except to pronounce the verdict."
"If the Duke of Westphalia is one of the members of this Court, I command him by the oath which he took at his installation, to descend from his place and render his seat to me, the head of this order." "The nominal head," corrected the Freigraf. "The actual head," persisted the prisoner.
The moment he consents to abdicate, the commander of the forces is willing to swear allegiance to us. It must not be forgotten that even if we execute these two men we have still the troops who hold the city of Frankfort to reckon with, and although their leader may have disappeared, the young man has some sturdy lieutenants who will give us trouble." "What do you propose?" asked the Freigraf.
He expected that his examination, if the Court indulged in any such, would be begun by the Freigraf, but this was not the case. The last man to the left in the row had a small bundle of documents on the table before him. He rose to his feet, bowed low to his brother judges, and then with less deference to the prisoner.
"Your Majesty imagines then, that this summons comes from the Archbishop of Cologne?" "Oh, no. I doubt if he has any knowledge of it. Each district has a freigraf, or presiding judge, assisted by seven assessors, or freischoffen, who sit in so called judgment with him, but literally they merely record the sentence, for condemnation is a foregone conclusion." "Is the sentence always death?"
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