234 A YERY OLD EOSE-TKEE. 



high power had interfered; he therefore ran to 

 the Court and apprised the pious Louis of the 

 wonderful sight. The whole Court rushed forth, 

 and on approaching the rose-tree fell on their 

 knees in thankfulness for the sight of such a 

 miracle. Louis then ordered the present cathe- 

 dral of Hildersheim to be built over the rose- 

 tree.' 



Such are the legends of this famous tree, often 

 referred to by Grerman authors. Dr. Grrashof, of 

 Hildersheim, gives the following description of its 

 present state: — 'The roots are buried in a sort of 

 coffin-shaped vault, under the middle altar of the 

 crypt, which crypt is proved by known documents 

 to have been built in the year 818, and to have 

 survived the burning of the other parts of the 

 cathedral on the 21st of January, 1013, and the 

 23rd of March, 1046. 



' Tt is remarkable that the chronicles of the 

 town and Chapter make no mention of any harm 

 having befallen this famous tree, which for cen- 

 turies has been considered one of the lions of the 

 district. 



' The vault in which it grows is open to the 

 rain, and this is put down as a proof that the tree 

 could not have been planted after the cathedral 

 was built. 



' The trunk, eleven inches in diameter, is con- 

 ducted through an opening in the wall, which is 

 five feet thick, and then reaches outside some 



