undisguised hatred of the real rulers, the Archbishops, by keeping
indoors while their soldiers marched the streets.

The condition of the capital was unique. It suffered from a famine of
money rather than a famine of food. Frankfort starved in the midst of
plenty. Never had the earth been more fruitful than during this year,
and the coming autumn promised a harvest that would fill the granaries
to overflowing, yet no one brought in food to Frankfort, for the common
people had not the money to buy. The working population depended
entirely upon the merchants and manufacturers, and with the collapse of
mercantile business thousands were thrown out of employment, and this
penniless mob was augmented by the speedy cessation of all
manufacturing.

After the futile bread riots earlier in the year, put down so
drastically by the Archbishops, the population of the city greatly
diminished, and the country round about swarmed with homeless wanderers,
who at least were sure of something to eat, but being city-bred, and
consequently useless for agricultural employment, they gradually joined
into groups and marauding bands, greatly to the menace of the provinces
they traversed. Indeed, rumor had it that the robberies from certain
castles on the Rhine, and the burning of Furstenberg, were the work of
these free companies, consequently a sense of uneasiness permeated the
Empire, whose rulers, great and small, began to foresee that a
continuance of this state of things meant disaster to the rich as well
as misery to the poor. Charity, spasmodic and unorganized, proved wholly
unable to cope with the disaster that had befallen the capital city.

When darkness set in on the third night after Roland's return to
Frankfort, he made his way out into the unlighted streets, acting with
caution until certain he was not followed, then betook himself to the
Palace belonging to the Archbishop of Cologne.

The porter at first refused him entrance, and Roland, not wishing to
make himself known, declared he had an appointment with his Lordship.
Trusting that the underling could not read, he presented his parchment
safe-conduct, asking him to give that to his Lordship, with a message
that the bearer awaited his pleasure. The suspicious servant, seeing the
Grand Seal of the Empire upon the document, at once conducted Roland to
a room on the ground floor, then departed with the manuscript to find
his master.

The Archbishop returned with him, the Im