28

WILDBAD.

CHAPT. II.

living entirely from the woods, by working as hewers, raf't- men, or turners. There are also some saw-mills at Wildbad; and a paper-mill, where the paper, used for getting-up the present volume, bas beeil manufactüred.

Emperor Charles V. in the year 1530 renewed the charter and liberties of Wildbad, granted by Maximilian I., but the dceds of which had been lost in the great confla- gration of 1525. The principal lieads of this Statute were the following, viz. tliat no one, be he noble or xdllain, was to injure or damage bis neighbour by words or acts, under penalty of decapitation; and, tliat all who might liave committed involuntary homicide, should find an asylum at Wildbad for a year and a day. The Emperor’s brotlier, King Ferdinand, during the time the country was under bis admi- nistration, resided at Wildhad. The inhabitants owed him mucli, and, as a sign of tlieir gratitude, wlien they erected a brunnen , his Statue in armour was placed lipon it. Since this time the storms of war left the town unscatlied, yet the elements were not so merciful as man. Poor little Wildbad lias been six times burnt: in 1454, entirely down; to compensate the inhabitants Count Frederick gave them a grcater number of Privileges. In 1509 the suburbs as far as the cliurch, on the site of which, now Stands the scliool house. In 1525 the wliole town sliared the same fate. Again in 1645 ninety houses were reduced to aslies; but, owing to the war they were not rebuilt until 1662. On the 17 th of July 1742, while most of the inhabitants were in the fields, a dreadful fire broke out; the high mountains intervening, prevented the sound of the bells being heard in the neighbourhood, so before any assistance could be rendercd, the town, being built entirely of wood, was reduced to aslies. In the night a heavy rain came on, and the wliole population, sick and well, were obliged to fly to tlie forest for shelter.