Page:History of the German people at the close of the Middle Ages vol1.djvu/297

 TOPICAL POETRY 285 and gold, though they have not as much in their kitchen as would feed a chicken. Yet I can swear there is no garment more beautiful than modesty.' In order to enforce the strength of his invective against the popular vices Vintler brought forward examples from the past, and told numberless stories to prove the evil of superstitious belief in fortune-telling and dreams. ' Had the fortune-teller,' he says, ' the power that he claims, God would cease to be God.' ' Many a holy man has had to labour long and wearily before God made known to him the teaching of a mystery. Will He then, think you, obey the mandate of a sorcerer ? ' A pamphlet entitled ' Spiegel des Eegiments in der Fiirsten Hofe ' (The Mirror of the Court Government) is equally severe on the courtiers. Writing from his own experience the unknown author holds up before those in high places a picture of their conduct, which is SO' disastrous to their inferiors ; and he gives them much sound advice. Johann Eoch, city recorder at Eisen- bach, and later prebendary at the cathedral, gave advice to the knights in his ' Eitter Spiegel ' and in his ' Counsel to Councillors.' The author of 'The Devil's Net' gravely exposes the different vices of the different States in an imaginary conversation between the Devil and a hermit. He finds sin everywhere, and approves only of hermits, monks, those who become voluntarily poor, and those who live in retirement. His zeal for the unity of the Church and for obedience to her authority, and his loyalty to the Emperor, are equally apparent. Speaking of the electoral princes, he complains, ' They have sworn fidelity to the empire, but their oath is forgotten. They have allowed the empire to be dis- membered and they have divided the spoils.'