Secret Societies Of The Middle Ages.—V.

to be the work of the Vehni , showing the emperor that the Vehm had the poiver of finding its way even into his own palace , and so to magnify the poiver of the tribunal as to paralyze him , or at least to terrif y him into making no further attempts to check its proceedings . The same work from ivhich we have so largely borrowed , gives a

graphic description of the degradation by this terrible Father Anselm , in accordance with the decree of the " Blessed Vehm , " of a certain count , who , in our former paper was described as having , by his negligence , allowed the escape of one Charles , a traveller ivho had been sentenced b y the Vehm to death . This Charles ive learn was a German prince , and a nephew of the emperor . Anselm insists that

the count had let him off on account of his exalted rank . Count indignantly denies tho imputation , but Anselm cuts short the discussion by handing him tho rescript of tho supreme council of the Vehm , which runs to this effect : — " The Supreme Council of Westphalia is at length convinced of the utter incapacity of Count , of——— . to execute the high and important

office of free count ofthe holy Vchm-Gericlitc , and docs depose him to the grade of simple district-ruler accordingly , " The nobleman read it with respectful attention ; and swallowing his resentful feelings as best he coulcl , he kissed the document in a deferential manner , saying at the same time , "Blessings on the holy Vehm ! The holy Vohni ' s decree be-obeyed ! Blessings on the holy

Vehm !" In the course of the talc Father Anselm conies to grief ) and falls into the hands of the emperor , ivho instead of hanging him ( as he ought properly to have done ) , puts him in durance vile . In order to obtain his release from confinement , the worthy monk offers to furnish a complete list of the . head and members of the Vehm and of their

haunts , by means of which the emperor could crush tho association at his pleasure . For another scene , describing a trial before the Vehmique tribunal , ive refer our readers to Sir Walter Scott ' s deli ghtful novel , "Anne of Geierstein , " in which a traveller is represented as being lowered from his bedroom , in his bed , bedstead and all , by ropes and pnllies , to

the place of meeting of the tribunal , there severely interrogated as to some remarks which ho had made upon the Vehmique association , and thus warned in respect of his future conduct with regard to tho Vehm : — " Child of the cord , thou hast heard thy sentence of acquittal ; but as thou desires !; to sleep in an unbloody grave , let mc warn thee , that the

secrets of this night remain with thee , as a secret not to he communicated to father or mother , to spouse , son . or daughter ; neither to be spoken aloud , nor ivhispered ; neither to be told in words , nor written in characters ; neither to be carved , painted , or otherwise communicated , either directly , or by parable , or emblem . Obey this behest , and thy life is in surety . Let thy heart then rejoice within thee , but let ifc rejoice ivith trembling . Never more let thy vanity persuade thee that thou art secure from the servants and the judges ofthe holy Vehm , Though a thousand