Chapter Page I Saint Jacob’s Day 13 II At The Bears 31 III The Entry of the Princes 47 IV The Lost Found 59 V The Emperor’s Flight 69 VI The Rising at Brisach 76 VII Death of the Governor 98 VIII The Battle of Granson 105 IX The Hero of Murten 112 X Faithful unto Death 123 XI Death of Charles the Bold 130 Appendix 139 Illustrations Page After the Capture of Castle Granson _Frontispiece_ The Battle of Saint Jacob 28 Hagenbach’s Execution 100 [Illustration: Swiss Heroes] Chapter I Saint Jacob’s Day On the twenty-sixth of August, in the year 1473, a lively party passed out through the gate of the old city of Basle[1] and briskly took their way along the road to Saint Jacob, following the course of the river Birs. First came two sturdy burghers, Councillor Hans Irmy, a merchant of some consequence, and the head of a large and wealthy house, the revenues of which were constantly being increased by agents in Venice, Genoa, Augsburg, and Nuremberg; and Ulrich Iseli, landlord of The Bears of Basle, the largest tavern in the city. Iseli was a good customer of Irmy’s in foreign wines and provisions. Following them was a band of youths, led by a young apprentice of the house of Irmy, Heini Süssbacher of Aarau.[2] Walter, the Councillor’s only son, was the central figure of this group, the others crowding closely about him. He was a lad of some sixteen years, with a frank, good-natured countenance, and of a size and strength beyond his years. Up hill and down dale they went, till perspiration streamed from the brow of the corpulent Councillor and he could scarcely keep pace with his more youthful companion Iseli, who, unlike the most of his calling, was tall and spare and had preserved much of the elasticity of youth. “Gently! gently! my friend,” said Irmy at length. “Make haste slowly. We shall still reach our journey’s end before night.”