ard for Biberli's rare
fidelity, to protect him from further persecution by the citizens of
Nuremberg; but the Emperor Rudolph did not even allow him to finish,
because, as a matter of principle, he refrained from interference in
matters whose settlement rightfully pertained to the Honourable Council.

When soon after Herr Pfinzing availed himself of a report which he had
to deliver to the Emperor to intercede himself for the valiant fellow,
the Hapsburg, with the ruler's strong memory, recalled the protonotary's
plea and referred Herr Berthold to the answer the former had received,
remarking, less graciously than usual, that the imperial magistrate
ought to know that he would be the last to assail the privileges which
he had himself bestowed upon the city.

Finally even Burgrave Frederick, whose sympathy had been enlisted in
Biberli's behalf by Herr Berthold, fared no better.

His interests were often opposed to those of the Council and, kindly
as was his disposition, disputes concerning many questions of law were
constantly occurring between him and the Honourables. When he began
to persuade the Emperor to prevent by a pardon the cruelty which the
Council intended to practise upon a servant of Sir Heinz Schorlin, who
was doing such good service in the field, the sovereign told even him,
his friend and brother-in-law, who had toiled so energetically to secure
him the crown, that he would not interfere, though it were in behalf
of a beloved brother, with the decrees of the Council, and the noble
petitioner was silenced by the reasons which he gave. The Burgrave
deemed the Emperor's desire to maintain the Honourables' willingness to
grant the large loan he intended to ask to fill his empty treasury still
more weighty than those with which he had repulsed Herr Pfinzing.

On the other hand, the pardon granted to Ernst Ortlieb and Wolff
Eysvogel could only tend to increase the good will of the Council. The
former was given at once, the latter only conditionally after the First
Losunger of the city, with several other Honourables, had recommended
it. The Emperor thought it advisable to defer this act of clemency. A
violation of the peace of the country committed under his own eyes ought
not to be pardoned during his stay in the place where the bloody deed
was committed. It would have cast a doubt upon the serious intent of
the important measure which threatened with the severest punishment any
attempt upon the lives and p