THE HERMIT OF COBERN.
Robin of Cobern had a beautiful daughter named Else. Her heart had long been given to the Knight Hans of Sable, but Hans had offended the Bishop of Trèves, and so was outlawed and excommunicated.
Hans was obliged to conceal himself, and hastily flying, took refuge for a long while in solitudes. At length he could no longer endure being absent from his beloved, so he procured a harp, and set out for the castle of Cobern, where some festival was then being held. In his character of Minstrel he was readily admitted into the castle, and there he sang a favourite song which Else knew well. The tide of long-past events rushed so tumultuously back upon fair Else’s mind that she fainted: when she recovered, the Minstrel was gone. Knowing the hopelessness of his passion, yet unable to conquer it, he now assumed the habit of a Hermit, and established himself where he could sometimes see Else as she rode forth on her palfrey.
One evening the Hermit was sitting silently dreaming of days of happiness, that might have been his in reality, had not his headstrong will marred his prospects. As thus he sat musing, some robbers drew near, and not being aware of the Hermit’s proximity, one of them said, “Well, be it so; at midnight we meet: the postern gate is secured, and Else shall be our prize.” The robbers were now out of hearing.
The Hermit, who had little doubt of the meaning of the few words he had heard, hastened up to the castle in order to warn the Count Robin. At midnight the robbers came on, and it then was found out that the postern gate yielded at once to their efforts, which showed that some treachery was working within; but, spite of both force and fraud, the robbers were beaten. The Hermit, fighting most valiantly, fell mortally wounded, and when the fight ended his life was fast ebbing. The Knight and his daughter stood by him; to the Knight’s eyes the valiant Hermit was dying, but Else wept for her lover.
In his hour of death concealment was no longer necessary; and Hans avowed his identity, and begged that his body might be laid in the chapel below in the valley, that so in death he should still be near his loved Else.
Then turning his eyes upon her, who, whatever his faults, had but one feeling for him that had so long and faithfully loved her, he said, “Farewell, my beloved; in heaven I trust we may meet!”
The town of Cobern lies at the foot of a lofty hill, which separates two valleys that meet in a level plain close to our river. This town was strongly fortified and defended by the castles, of which the lower one still exists, and is shown in the vignette on the opposite page. The drawing is taken from the wall of the upper castle, of which only one tower and a very few fragments remain.
In the upper castle-yard also stands an elegant chapel; it is hexagonal, and supported inside by a cluster of pillars, which spring from the centre, from these start six pointed arches: the interior is chaste.
This chapel is called by the people the Church of the Templars, because the castle, in whose walls it stands, was inhabited by some of the Knights of the Temple after the suppression of their Order. The proper name of the building is the St. Matthias Chapel, and it was the principal station of the great pilgrimage which yearly took place from Coblence to Trèves. These processions now are less frequent, but still, in a modified form, they often take place.
With song and banners waving, these processions wind their way along, stopping at intervals when before a shrine. The background is formed by ruined castles, woods, and vineyards; the songs resound among the hills as in the old days of Germany, when churches there were none, and God was worshipped under the holy vault of heaven; where the visible beauties of his works preached the religion of Nature to those who bad not yet heard Christ’s Gospel. Sorrow it is, and shame, that so much mummery should now be mixed with that which was so clear and simple when proceeding from His lips.
A legend of Cobern, relating to the old possessors of the castle, which still stands, is called