Mediaeval Tales Part 23

"Be sure of that," said the lady; "it shall never be repeated."

"It was--is there no one within hearing?--the mighty word was 'FALSE.'"

The lady, apparently quite satisfied, fell asleep; and her husband feigned it. He snored l.u.s.tily, and the thief above, who had heard their conversation with much pleasure, aided by the light of the moon, descended, repeating seven times the cabalistic sound. But being too much occupied with the charm to mind his footing, he stepped through the window into the house; and in the fall dislocated his leg and arm, and lay half dead upon the floor. The owner of the mansion, hearing the noise, and well knowing the reason, though he pretended ignorance, asked "What was the matter?" "Oh!" groaned the suffering thief, "_False_ falls." In the morning he was taken before the judge, and afterwards suspended on a cross.

XXII.--THE BASILISK.

Alexander the Great was lord of the whole world. He once collected a large army, and besieged a certain city, around which many knights and others were killed without any visible wound. Much surprised at this, he called together his philosophers, and said, "My masters, how is this? My soldiers die, and there is no apparent wound!" "No wonder," replied they; "under the walls of the city is a basilisk, whose look infects your soldiers, and they die of the pestilence it creates." "And what remedy is there for this?" said the king.

"Place a gla.s.s in a high place between the army and the wall under which the basilisk cowers; and no sooner shall he behold it, than his own figure, reflected in the mirror, shall return the poison upon himself, and kill him." Alexander took their advice, and thus saved his followers.

APPLICATION.

My beloved, look into the gla.s.s of _reflection_, and by remembrance of human frailty destroy the vices which time breeds.

XXIII.--THE TRUMP OF DEATH.

A king made a law, by which whosoever was suddenly to be put to death, in the morning, before sunrise should be saluted with songs and trumpets; and, arrayed in black garments, should receive judgment. This king made a great feast; and convoked all the n.o.bles of his kingdom, who appeared accordingly. The most skilful musicians were a.s.sembled, and there was much sweet melody.

But the king was discontented and out of humour; his countenance expressed intense sorrow, and sighs and groans rose from his heart. The courtiers were all amazed; but none dared ask the cause of his sadness.

At last, the king's brother whispered to him the surprise of his guests, and intreated that he might understand the cause of his grief. "Go home now," answered the king; "to-morrow you shall know." This was done.

Early in the morning the king caused the trumpets to sound before his brother's house, and the guards to bring him to the court. The brother, greatly alarmed at the sounding of the trumpets, arose, and put on black. When he came before the king, the king commanded a deep pit to be dug, and a rotten chair, with four decayed feet, to be slightly suspended over it. In this chair he made his brother sit; above his head he caused a sword to hang, attached to one silk thread; and four men, each armed with a very sharp sword, to stand near him, one before and one behind; a third on the right hand, and the fourth on the left. When they were thus placed, the king said, "The moment I give the word, strike him to the heart."

Trumpets, and all other kind of musical instruments, were brought; and a table, covered with various dishes, was set before him. "My dear brother," said the king, "what is the cause of your sorrow? Here are the greatest delicacies, the most enrapturing harmony; why do you not rejoice?"

"How can I rejoice?" answered he. "In the morning, trumpets sounded for my death; and I am now placed upon a frail chair, in which, if I move ever so little, I shall probably be thrown upon the pointed sword beneath. If I raise my head, the weapon above will pierce to my brain.

Besides this, the four torturers around stand ready to kill me at your bidding. These things considered, were I lord of the universe I could not rejoice."

"Now, then," answered the king, "I will reply to your question of yesterday. I am, on my throne, as you on that frail chair. For my body is its emblem, supported by four decayed feet, that is, by the four elements. The pit below me is h.e.l.l. Above my head is the sword of divine justice, ready to take life from my body. Before me is the sword of death; behind, the sword of sin, ready to accuse me at the tribunal of G.o.d. The weapon on the right hand is the devil; and that on the left, is the worms which after death shall gnaw my body. And, considering all these circ.u.mstances, how can _I_ rejoice? If you to-day feared me, who am mortal, how much more ought I to dread my Creator and my Redeemer, our Lord Jesus Christ? Go, dearest brother, and be careful that you do not again ask such questions."

The brother rose from his unpleasant seat, and rendering thanks to the king for the lesson he had given him, firmly resolved to amend his life.

All who were present commended the ingenuity of the royal reproof.

XXIV.--ALEXANDER AND THE PIRATE.

Augustine tells us in his book, "De Civitate Dei," that Diomedes, in a piratical galley, for a long time infested the sea, plundering and sinking many ships. Being captured by command of Alexander, before whom he was brought, the king inquired how he dared to molest the seas. "How darest _thou_," replied he, "molest the earth? Because I am master only of a single galley, I am termed a robber; but you, who oppress the world with huge squadrons, are called a king and a conqueror. Would my fortune change I might become better; but as you are the more fortunate, so much are you the worse." "I will change thy fortune," said Alexander, "lest fortune should be blamed by thy malignity." Thus he became rich; and from a robber was made a prince and a dispenser of justice.

XXV.--A TALE OF A PENNY.

There was an emperor whose porter was very shrewd. He earnestly besought his master that he might have the custody of a city for a single month, and receive, by way of tax, one penny from every crook-backed, one-eyed, scabby, leprous, or ruptured person. The emperor admitted his request, and confirmed the gift under his own seal.

Accordingly, the porter was installed in his office; and as the people entered the city he took note of their defects, and charged them in accordance with the grant. It happened that a hunch-backed fellow one day entered, and the porter made his demand. Hunch-back protested that he would pay nothing.

The porter immediately laid hands upon him, and accidentally raising his cap, discovered that he was _one-eyed_ also. He demanded two pennies forthwith.

The other still more vehemently opposed, and would have fled; but the porter catching hold of his head, the cap came off, and disclosed a bald _scab_; whereupon he required three pennies.

Hunch-back, very much enraged, persisted in his refusal, and began to struggle with the porter. This caused an exposure of his arms, by which it became manifest that he was _leprous_. The fourth penny was therefore laid claim to; and the scuffle continuing, revealed a _rupture_, which made a fifth.

Thus, a fellow unjustly refusing to pay a rightful demand of _one_ penny, was necessitated, much against his inclination, to pay _five_.

XXVI.--OF AVOIDING IMPRECATIONS.

Gervase of Tilbury relates a very remarkable occurrence, but at the same time full of excellent caution and prudent exhortation.

During the reign of the Roman emperor Otto, there was, in the bishopric of Girona, in Catalonia, a very high mountain, whose ascent was extremely arduous, and, except in one place, inaccessible. On the summit was an unfathomable lake of black water. Here also stood, as it is reported, a palace of demons, with a large gate, continually closed; but the palace itself, as well as its inhabitants, existed in invisibility.

If any one cast a stone or other hard substance into this lake, the demons exhibited their anger by furious storms. In one part of the mountain was perpetual snow and ice, with abundance of crystal. At its foot flowed a river, whose sands were of gold; and the precious metal thus obtained, was denominated, by the vulgar, its _cloak_. The mountain itself and the parts adjacent, furnished silver; and its inexhaustible fertility was not the least surprising.

Not far from hence lived a certain farmer, who was much occupied with domestic matters, and troubled exceedingly by the incessant squalling of his little girl; insomuch, that at length wearied out by the torment, in a moment of fretfulness he wished his infant at the devil. This incautious desire was scarcely uttered, ere the girl was seized by an invisible hand, and carried off. Seven years afterwards, a person journeying at the foot of the mountain near the farmer's dwelling, distinguished a man hurrying along at a prodigious rate, and uttering the most doleful complaints. He stopped to inquire the occasion; and was told, that for the s.p.a.ce of seven years last pa.s.sed, he had been committed to the custody of the demons upon that mountain, who daily made use of him as of a chariot, in consequence of an unwary exclamation to that effect. The traveller startled at an a.s.sertion so extraordinary, and a little incredulous, was informed that his neighbour had suffered in a similar degree; for that having hastily committed his daughter to their power, they had instantly borne her off. He added, that the demons, weary of instructing the girl, would willingly restore her, provided the father presented himself on the mountain and there received her.

The auditor, thunder-struck at this communication, doubted whether he should conceal things so incredible, or relate them as he had heard. He determined, at last, to declare the girl's situation to her father; and hastening, accordingly, found him still bewailing the lengthened absence of his daughter. Ascertaining the cause, he went on to state what he had heard from the man whom the devils used as a chariot. "Therefore," said he, "I recommend you, attesting the divine name, to demand of these devils the rest.i.tution of your daughter." Amazed at what was imparted to him, the father deliberated upon the best method of proceeding; and finally, pursued the counsel of the traveller. Ascending the mountain, he pa.s.sed forward to the lake, and adjured the demons to restore the girl whom his folly had committed to them. Suddenly a violent blast swept by him, and a girl of lofty stature stood in his presence. Her eyes were wild and wandering, and her bones and sinews were scarcely covered with skin. Her horrible countenance discovered no sign of sensibility; and, ignorant of all language, she scarcely could be acknowledged for a human being. The father, wondering at her strange appearance, and doubtful whether she should be taken to his own home or not, posted to the bishop of Girona, and with a sorrowful aspect detailed what had befallen him; at the same time requesting his advice.

The bishop, as a religious man, and one entrusted with a charge of so much importance, narrated every circ.u.mstance respecting the girl to his diocese. He warned them against rashly committing their fortunes to the power of concealed demons; and showed that our adversary the devil, as a raging lion, goeth about seeking whom he may devour; that he will slay those who are given to him, and hold them in eternal bonds.

The man who was used by the devils as a chariot, a long time remained in this miserable situation. But his subsequent faith and discretion emanc.i.p.ated him. He stated that near the above-mentioned place there was an extensive subterranean palace, whose entrance was by a single gate, enveloped in the thickest darkness. Through this portal the devils, who had been on emba.s.sies to various parts of the world, returned, and communicated to their fellows what they had done. No one could tell of what the palace was constructed, save themselves, and those who pa.s.sed under their yoke to eternal d.a.m.nation. From all which, my beloved, we may gather the dangers we are exposed to, and how cautious we should be of invoking the devil to our a.s.sistance, as well as of committing our family to his power. Let us guard our hearts, and beware that he catch not up the sinful soul, and plunge it into the lake of everlasting misery; where there is snow and ice unthawed; crystal, that reflects the awakened and agonized conscience perpetually burning with immortal fire.

XXVII.--A VERSE EXERCISE.

Alexander had an only son called Celestinus, whom he loved with the utmost tenderness. He desired to have him well instructed; and sending for a certain philosopher, said, "Sir, instruct my son, and I will pay you bountifully." The philosopher agreed, and took the boy home with him. He diligently performed his duty; and it happened, that one day entering a meadow with his pupil, they saw a horse lying on the ground, grievously affected with the mange. Near the animal two sheep were tied together, which busily cropped the gra.s.s that grew around them. It so chanced that the sheep were on each side of the horse, and the cord with which they were bound pa.s.sed over his back, and chafing the sores, galled him exceedingly. Disturbed by this, he got up; but the cord, then loaded with the weight of the sheep, afflicted him more and more; and filled with fury, he began to run off at a great speed, dragging along the unfortunate sheep. And in equal proportion to their resistance was the increase of the horse's suffering, for the cord, having worn itself into a hollow, sunk, at every struggle, deeper into the wound.

Adjoining the meadow was the house of a miller, toward which the horse, impelled by the anguish of his wound, galloped, and entered, with the sheep hanging as we have said. The house was then unoccupied; but there was a fire burning upon the hearth; and the horse plunging and striking his hoofs, so scattered the fire, that the flame caught hold of the building, and burnt all to ashes, together with the horse and the sheep.

"Young man," said the preceptor to his pupil, "you have witnessed the beginning, the middle, and the end of this incident: make me some correct verses upon it; and show me why the house was burnt. Unless you do this, I promise I will punish you severely."