OF SIX MEDIEVAL WOMEN 



of record. It centres round Adelheid, the young 

 and beautiful widow of Lothair, a Lombard king. 

 Taken prisoner by his successor, the tyrant 

 Berengarius, she is immured in a castle on the 

 Lago di Garda, and threatened with a forced 

 marriage with the son of her oppressor. This 

 threat seems to endow her with superhuman 

 power. Bidding defiance to all difficulty and 

 danger, she contrives gradually to dig a secret 

 way through the soft earth, and suddenly finds 

 herself free. Dawn is just breaking. But how 

 can she make use of her freedom before her 

 guards awake and discover her escape ? Quickly 

 is her mind made up. But let Roswitha herself 

 tell the story : 



As soon as black night yielded to the twilight, and the 

 heavens began to pale before the rays of the sun, warily hiding 

 herself in secluded caves, now she wanders in the woods, now 

 lurks in the furrows amongst the ripe ears of Ceres, until 

 returning night, clothed in its wonted gloom, again veils the 

 earth in darkness. Then once more is she diligent to pursue 

 her way begun. And her guards, not finding her, all-trembling 

 make it known to the officer charged with the safe keeping of 

 the lady. And he, struck to the heart with the terror of 

 grievous fear, set forth with much company to make diligent 

 search for her, and when he failed, and moreover could not dis- 

 cover whither the most illustrious queen had turned her steps, 

 fearful, he made report of the matter to King Berengarius. 

 And he, at once filled with exceeding wrath, forthwith sent 

 his dependants everywhere around, commanding them not to 

 overlook any small place, but cautiously to examine every 

 hiding-place, lest perchance the queen might be lying hid in 

 any an one. And he himself followed with a band of stout- 

 hearted troops as if to overcome some fierce enemy in battle. 

 And rapidly did he pass on his way through the self-same 

 corn-field in the which the lady whom he sought was lurking 



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