Haertel—Social Conditions in Southern Bavaria . 1059 
dency, rather than from incidental references that might be 
accidental, it seems probable that Wernher was an intelligent 
old peasant living in the comfortable circumstances described 
in his poem, who felt it incumbent upon himself to give a bit of 
good advice to the young people, who were showing a tendency 
to drift away from the habits of their fathers; or he might have 
been a minstrel, who depended for his subsistence, not on the 
gifts of the lords and ladies of the castle, but on the munificence 
of peasant audiences. 
Stower 1 considers the question as to the identity of the author 
of no importance. But it would surely be of deep significance 
if a peasant or peasant minstrel in the thirteenth century 
should feel sufficiently independent to write a poem which be¬ 
trays a well-defined contempt of knighthood, and also indif¬ 
ference to the church. 
On one point, all critics and commentators agree—that Wern- 
her, whatever his station in life may have been, was thoroughly 
conversant with the manner of living and trend of thought of 
the thirteenth century, and has given to posterity a valuable 
account of the social conditions of his time. 
I. The Peasant. 
1. Family. 
Meier, or Farmer, Helmbrecht is a wealthy old peasant, who 
has a family consisting of his wife 2 , at least one daughter 3 , and 
several sons 4 . He does not own his farm, but holds it in lease 
from a nobleman, to whom he pays his rent regularly 5 . The 
leasehold to his farm he has inherited from his father, and 
wishes to hand down to his son 6 . 
The father is theoretically absolute master in his house. 
When young Helmbrecht wishes to leave, he must get permis- 
1 L. c. p. 1. 
2 L. 124. 
8 L. 117. 
4 L. 364. 
6 LI. 916 ff. 
6 LI. 441, 543 ff., 914. 
