United States or Australia ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !


Bishop Wysz and the other doctors remained in her room the whole night. It was known that the queen was threatened with premature confinement. The castellan of Krakow, Jasko Topor of Tenczyn, sent a messenger to the absent king that same night. The next day the news spread throughout the entire city and its environs. It was Sunday, therefore the churches were crowded. All doubt ceased.

The frightened Jamont put his trembling hands on Zbyszko's shoulders. But the white-bearded castellan of Krakow, Topor of Tenczyn, raised his hand as a sign that he wished to speak; when everybody was quiet, he said: "Gracious king! Let this comthur be convinced that not only your impetuous anger, but our laws will punish with death any who insult an envoy.

Everybody understood that if Jasko of Tenczyn resisted the custom, there would be a riot in the city. In fact the people now rushed to the scaffold. In the twinkling of an eye, they pulled off the cloth and tore it into pieces; then the beams and planks, pulled by strong arms, or cut with axes, began to crack, then a crash, and a few moments later there was not a trace left of the scaffold.

He thought that perhaps they would grant hem more. The old Pan of Tenczyn would never admit that a nobleman could not keep his word. Therefore when Macko came to the prison, the next day toward evening, Zbyszko, who could hardly sit quiet, sprang toward him and asked: "Granted?"

The young knight could not admire enough the magnificent figure of Jasko of Tenczyn, castellan of Krakow, in which sternness was united with dignity and honesty; he admired the wise countenances of the counsellors and the powerful faces of the knights whose hair was cut evenly on their foreheads, and fell in long curls on their sides and backs.

Powala of Taczew declared that he would tell the whole truth; but that he would also speak in favor of the young man, because the whole affair was only an instance of childish impetuousness. But notwithstanding all this, everybody could see, and the castellan, Jasko of Tenczyn made it known, that if the Krzyzak was unrelenting, then the severe law must be fulfilled.

And could there be any better law, than the old custom which had never been abolished? The Pan of Tenczyn answered that this custom applied more to the common people and to robbers, than to the nobles; but he knew the law very well, and could not deny its validity. Meanwhile he covered his silvery beard with his hand and smiled, because he was very much pleased.

Then the old Jasko Topor of Tenczyn, castellan of Krakow, venerable, grave and dreaded on account of the importance of his office, arose and said: "Noble Knight of Lichtenstein, if you, an envoy, have been insulted, speak, and severe punishment will be given quickly." "It would not have happened to me in any other Christian country," answered Kuno.

Because of this disgrace some of them began to strike their chests with their hands, and others to rap the silver dishes, not knowing what to do. "Why did you not kill him?" shouted the king. "Because his head belongs to the court," answered Powala. "Have you put him in prison?" asked the castellan, Topor of Tenczyn. "No. He is a wlodyka, who swore on his knightly honor, that he would appear."

"Complain to him," answered the king, pointing to Jasko of Tenczyn. The Krzyzak, looking directly into the king's face, said: "I know neither your laws nor your courts; I only know, that an envoy of the Order can complain only to the king." Jagiello's small eyes flashed with impatience; he stretched out his hand however, and accepted the complaint which he handed to Tenczynski.