The true story of the love of the Archduke Ferdinand, son of the German Emperor Ferdinand I., will probably never be accurately known. But the event is indissolubly bound up with Tyrolese history. Not unnaturally the idyllic and romantic circumstances surrounding the marriage have been much overlaid by tradition and the possible desire of historians to make this Royal mésalliance yet more astonishing. Therefore it is impossible to vouch for the entire accuracy of the story that has come down to us, which we give as it may be gathered from contemporary and more modern writers. [Sidenote: STORY OF PHILIPPINE WELSER] The meeting of the Archduke Ferdinand and his future wife--who was the daughter of one Franz Welser, a wealthy merchant prince of Augsburg in the middle of the sixteenth century--took place when the Archduke accompanied his father on the occasion of the latter's state entry into the city. It was whilst passing along the principal street that the former noticed at a window of one of the larger and more important houses the face of a most beautiful young girl, who, after having thrown flowers down in the street, on seeing that she had attracted his attention, blushingly disappeared within the house. It was apparently, so far as Ferdinand was concerned, a case of love at first sight; for, charmed by her beautiful face, he lost no time in discovering who she was, and, according to some authorities, saw her on several occasions whilst in the city. Afterwards he paid court to her whilst she was at Bresnic, in Bohemia, on a visit to an aunt. Philippine was already betrothed by her father to the heir of the great and wealthy Fugger family; but fortunately for her and the young prince, Philippine's mother was a woman of much influence with her husband as well as the confidante and friend of her daughter. However, it was not an easy task to win his consent to the betrothal to Prince Ferdinand or for the proposed alliance with the Fuggers to be broken off. Both the fathers were anxious for it, and Welser had never been known to go back upon his word or a bargain. But whilst the older men were engaged in counting their wealth, and congratulating themselves upon the marriage which had been arranged with little or no thought of affection between those most concerned, Ferdinand had evolved a plan by which, with the assistance and connivance of Frau Welser, he was able to accomplish his design of carrying off her daughter.