Springing up
in alarm, and flinging wide the wooden shutters of his window, he was
amazed to see that the sun was already high, while the sound that
disturbed him was caused by a procession of heavy-footed horses,
dragging over the cobble-stones carts well-laden with farm produce.
Having dressed and finished breakfast, he wrote a letter to the
Archbishop of Mayence:
"My LORD ARCHBISHOP,--There are some important proposals which I
wish to make to the Electors, and as it is an unwritten rule that I
should not communicate with them separately, I beg of you to
convene a meeting to-morrow, in the Wahlzimmer, at the hour of
midday. Perhaps it is permissible to add, for your own information,
that while my major proposition has to do with the relief of
Frankfort, the minor suggestions I shall make will have the effect
of clearing away obstacles that at present obstruct your path, and
I venture to think that what I say will meet with your warmest
approval."
It was so necessary that this communication should reach the Archbishop
as soon as possible that Roland became his own messenger, and himself
delivered the document at the Archbishop's Palace.
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