by Charles Swan
APPLICATION.
My beloved, the knight represents Christ; the wife is the soul, and Tyrius is man in general. The weasel typifies John and the other prophets, who predicted the coming of Christ. The mountain is the world. The dead dragon is the old law, and the treasure within it is the ten commandments. The sword is authority; the king’s daughter, the Virgin Mary. The seven sons of Plebeus are seven mortal sins; the fisherman is the Holy Ghost.
* A country of Scythia beyond Hungary; divided into Transylvania, Wallacbia, and Moldavia.
* “This was a common practice in the time of chivalry, and many examples of it may be found in ancient romances. The ladies not only assisted in bathing the knights after the fatigues of battle, but administered proper medicines to heal their wounds. Similar instances occur in the writings of Homer. In the Odyssey, Polycaste, one of the daughters of Nestor, bathes Telemachus; and it appears that Helen herself had performed the like office for Ulysses.” —DOUCE, Illust. of Shakespeare, vol. ii. p. 401.
* This incident might have famished Lord Byron with the mysterious disappearance of Sir Ezzelin, in his “Lara.” But I should scarcely think it.
TALE CLXXIII.
OF THE BURDENS OF THIS LIFE.
A CERTAIN king once went to a fair,* and took with him a preceptor and his scholar. Standing in the market-place, they perceived eight packages exposed for sale. The scholar questioned his teacher respecting the first of them. “Pray,” said he, “what is the price of poverty—that is, of tribulation for the love of God ?”
Preceptor. The kingdom of heaven.
Scholar. It is a great price indeed. Open the second package, and let us see what it contains.
Preceptor. It contains meekness: blessed are the meek.
Scholar. Meekness, indeed, is a very illustrious thing, and worthy of divine majesty. What is its price ?
Preceptor. Gold shall not be given for it; nor shall silver be weighed against it. I demand earth for it; and nothing but earth will I receive.
Scholar. There is a spacious tract of uninhabited country between India and Britain. Take as much of it as you please.
Preceptor. No; this land is the land of the dying, the land which devours its inhabitants. Men die there. I demand the land of the living.
Scholar. I muse at what you say. All die, and would you alone be exempt ? Would you live for ever? Behold, blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the EARTH. What is there in the third package ?
Preceptor. Hunger and thirst.
Scholar. For how much may these be purchased ?
Preceptor. For righteousness. Blessed are they who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled.
Scholar. Therefore you shall possess righteousness, provided there be no neglect. What does the fourth contain ?
Preceptor. Tears, wailings, and woe;
Moisture above, and moisture below.*
Scholar. It is not customary to buy tears and wailings, yet I will buy it; because the saints desire it at this price. Blessed are they who mourn, for they shall be comforted. What is the fifth package ?
Preceptor. It is a precious thing, and contains mercy, which I will weigh to please you. At a word, I will take mercy for mercy, eternity for time.
Scholar. You were a bad umpire to ask this, unless mercy should plead for you. Nevertheless, she shall become your surety. And blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. In this life we abound in poverty and wretchedness and hardship. Undo the sixth package; perhaps it may contain something better.
Preceptor. It is clearly full; but it loves not, like a purple robe, to be exposed before the common eye; you shall see it in private, and there we will agree about the price. Scholar. Very well; what is it ? Preceptor. Purity; which is extremely valuable. There are gold and silver vases, namely, piety, goodness, charity, and spiritual joy. Now, then, let us open these precious garments. Here are lectures, meditations, prayers, and contemplations. The judgments of the Lord are justified in themselves, and more to be desired than gold and precious stones. Scholar. There is a great reward in the possession. Ask, therefore, what ye will. Preceptor. To see God. Scholar. Therefore, blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Open the seventh package. Preceptor. It contains peace Scholar. What! are you going to sell me your peace ?
Preceptor. It does not accord with my poverty, nor would it with your justice and great wealth, to take anything of me for nothing. But your liberality will make me rich. What then ? I am a mean country fellow, and made of clay; formed of the very dust of the earth. My want of nobility oppresses me, and I would no longer bear the reproach which says, “You are earth, and to earth you shall go.” I would rather have it said to me, “You are heaven, and to heaven you shall go.” I eagerly desire to fulfil the destiny of the sons of God; I would become a son of God.
Scholar. I have done: I confess the truth, and distrust you no longer. Blessed are the peace-makers, for they shall be called the sons of God. If, therefore, you preserve the love of a son, you shall receive the paternal inheritance. Now, what is contained in the last package ? Explain it.
Preceptor. It contains only tribulation and persecution for the sake of righteousness.
Scholar. And what do you want for it ?
Preceptor. The kingdom of heaven.
Scholar. I gave you that as the price of poverty!
Preceptor. True; but month after month, week after week, man wanders in his wishes. You are mistaken: I ask this for the present week or month; as to the future I wait humbly.
Scholar. I marvel at your sagacity in making a bargain. Now hear, good and faithful servant! because thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will appoint thee lord over many : enter thou into the joy of thy lord.*
* “Among the revenues accruing to the crown of England from the fair of Saint Botolph, at Boston in Lincolnshire, within the HONOUR OF RICHMOND, mention is made of the royal pavilion, or booth, which stood in the fair, about the year 1280. This fair was regularly frequented by merchants from the most capital trading ‘towns of Normandy, Germany, Flanders, and other countries.”—WARTON.
* “Magister. Lacrymas, fletus et ploratus ; irriguum superius, et irriguum inferius.” This is a curious package!
* This is a curious instance of the once fashionable practice of forcing everything into allegory. Not many would have hit upon so odd an invention. It maybe thought that the preceptor and his disciple should change places in the dialogue.
TALE CLXXIV.
OF NATURE AND THE RETURNS OF INGRATITUDE.
AN emperor rode out in the afternoon to hunt. Happening to pass a certain wood, he heard a serpent, which some shepherds had caught and bound firmly to a tree, making a most horrible clamour. Moved by pity, he loosed it, and warmed its frozen body in his own bosom. No sooner, however, did the animal find itself recovered, than it began to bite its benefactor, and shot a flood of poison into the wound. “What hast thou done ? “said the emperor. “Wherefore have you rendered evil for good ? “The serpent, like the ass of Balaam, being suddenly endowed with voice, replied, “The propensities which nature has implanted no one can destroy. You have done what you could; and I have only acted according to my nature. You exhibited towards me all the kindness in your power, and I have recompensed you as well as I might. I offered poison, because, except poison, I had nothing to offer. Moreover, I am an enemy to man; for through him I became punished with a curse.” As they thus contended, they entreated a philosopher to judge between them, and to state which was in the wrong. “I know these matters,” answered the umpire, “only by your relation ; but I should like to see the thing itself upon which I am to pronounce judgment. Let the serpent, therefore, be bound to the tree, as he was in the first instance, and let my lord the emperor’ remain unbound; I shall then determine the matter between you.” This was done accordingly. “Now you are bound,” said the philosopher, addressing the serpent, “loose yourself if you can.” “I cannot,” said the serpent; “I am bo
und so fast that I can scarcely move.” “Then die,” rejoined the philosopher, “by a just sentence. You were always ungrateful to man, and you always will be. My lord, you are now free; shake the venom from your bosom, and go your way: do not repeat your folly. Remember that the serpent is only influenced by his natural propensities.” The emperor thanked the philosopher for his assistance and advice, and departed.* (36)
APPLICATION.
My beloved, the emperor is any good ecclesiastic, the wood is the world, and the serpent is the devil. The shepherds are the prophets, patriarchs, Christian preachers, &c. The philosopher is a discreet confessor.
* This fable is in Alphonsus, De Clericali Disciplina.
TALE CLXXV.
OF THE WORLD’S WONDERS.
PLINY says that there are certain men who have the heads of dogs; who bark when they converse, and clothe themselves in the skins of animals. (37) These represent preachers, who ought to be coarsely clad, as an example to others.—Also in India there are men who possess a single eye, which is placed in the forehead. † They live upon the flesh of animals. These are they who have the eye of reason.
In Africa there are women without heads, having eyes and mouth in their breasts.* Such are like humble men. —In the East, over against the terrestrial Paradise, are people who never eat, and whose mouth is so small that what they drink is conveyed into the stomach by means of a reed. They live upon the odour of apples and flowers; and a bad smell instantly destroys them.† These designate abstemious men; and to die of an ill odour is to die of sin.—There are men without a nose, but otherwise with complete faces; and whatsoever they see they think good.‡ Such are the foolish of the world.—And there are some whose nose and lower lip is so long, that it covers all the face, while they sleep.§ These are just men.—In Scythia are men with ears that completely envelop their whole body.|| These represent such as listen to the word of God. —Some men there are who walk like cattle,¶ and these are they who honour neither God nor His saints.—There are likewise people who are homed, having short noses and the feet of a goat.* These are the proud.—In Æthiopia are men with but one leg, whose velocity nevertheless is such, that they run down the swiftest animal.† These are the charitable.—In India are pygmies two cubits long; they ride upon goats, and make war against the eranes.‡ These are they who begin well, but cease before they are perfect.—In India there are also men who possess six hands. They are without clothes, but are extremely hairy, and dwell in rivers. These are the zealous workers who labour and obtain eternal life.—There, too, are men who have six fingers on each hand, and six toes on each foot;§ during the week they keep themselves pure, and on the seventh day sanctify themselves.—Certain women there are bearded to the breast; but their heads are totally bare.* These represent men who obey the Church, and are turned from that course neither by love nor by hatred.—In Ethiopia there are men with four eyes each.† These are they who fear God, the world, the devil, and the flesh. They turn one eye to God, to live well; another to the world, to flee from it; a third to the devil, to resist him; and the last to the flesh, to chastise it.—In Europe are very beautiful men; but they have a crane’s head, and neck, and beak. ‡ These designate judges, who ought to have long necks and beaks, in order that what the heart thinks may be long before it reach the mouth.§ If all judges were thus we should have fewer injudicious awards.
† “And in one of these isles are men that have but one eye, and that is in the middest of their front, and they eat their flesh and fish all raw.” —MANDEVILE; and PLINY, lib. vii. c. 2.
* “And in another isle are men that have no heads, and their eyes are in their shoulders, and their mouth is in their breast.”— MANDEVILE: see also PLINY, and Turkish Tales, vol. ii. page 303.
† In the utmost marshes of India, eastward, about the source and head of the river Ganges, there is a nation called the Astomes, for they have no mouths: all hairie over the whole bodie, yet clothed with the soft cotton and downe that come from the leaves of trees; they live only by the aire, and smelling to sweet odours, which they draw in at their nose thrills. No meat nor drink they take, onely pleasant savours from divers and sundrie roots, flowers, and wild fruits, growing in the woods they entertaine; and those they use to carry about with them when they take any farre journey, because they would not misse their smelling. And yet if the scent be any thing strong and stinking, they are soone therewith overcome, and die withal.”-—P. Holland’s Transl. of Pliny’s Nat Hist
To this account Sir John Mandevile adds, that “they are not reasonable, but as wild as beasts,” p. 124. He calls the place of their residence PITAN.
‡ “And in another isle are men that have flat faces without noses, and without eyes—but they have two small round holes instead of eyes, and they have flat mouths without lips.”—MAND.
§ “And in another isle are foul men, that have their lips about their mouth so great, that when they sleep in the sun, they cover all their face with their lips.”—MAND.
|| “And in another isle are wild men with hanging ears, who have feet like a horse,” &c.—MAND. “And some again that with their ears cover their whole bodie.”—PLINY, lib. vii. c. 2.
¶ “And in another isle are men that go upon their hands and feet like beasts, and are all rough, and will leap upon a tree like cats or apes.”—MAND.
* “And there is in that wilderness many wild men with horns on their heads, very hideous, and they speak not.”—MAND.
† “In Ethiope such men as have but one foot, and they go so fast that it is a great marvel; and that is a large foot, for the shadow thereof covereth the body from sun, or rain, when they lie upon their backs; and when their children are first born, they look like russet, but when they wax old, they be all black.”—MAND.
Pliny calls these people SCIOPODES.
‡ “Higher in the countrey, and above these, even in the edge and skirts of the mountaines, the Pygmæi Spytkamei are reported to bee: called they are so, for that they are but a cubite or three shaftments (or spannes) high, that is to say, three times nine inches. The clime wherin they dwell is very wholesome, the aire healthie, and ever like to the temperature of the spring; by reason that the mountaines are on the north side of them, and beare off all cold blasts. And these pretie people, Homer also hath reported to be much troubled and annoied by cranes. The speech goeth, that in the spring time they set out all of them in battel array, mounted upon the back of rammes and goats, armed with bowes and arrowes, and so downe to the seaside they march, where they make foul worke amonge the egges and young cranelings newly hatched, which they destroy without all pitie. Thus for three moneths this their journey and expedition continueth, and then they make an end of their valiant service; for otherwise if they should continue any longer, they were never able to withstand the new flights of this foule, growne to some strength and bignesse. As for their houses and cottages, made they are of clay or mud, fouls feathers, and birds egge shells. Howbeit Aristotle writeth, that these Pygmæans live in hollow caves and holes under the ground.”— Holland’s Pliny.
Addison has written a Latin poem upon this subject, and Dr. Beattie has translated it into very elegant English verse.
§ “And in another isle are men that go ever on their hands marvellously, and they have on every foot eight toes.”—MAND.
* “In this country …. women shave their heads, and not men.”—MAND.
† “The region above Sirbithim, where the mountaines doe end, is reported to have upon the sea-coast certaine Æthiopians called Nisicastes and Nisites, that is to say, men with three or four eies apeece; not for that they are so eied indeed, but because they are excellent archers.”—PLINY, Nat. Hist lib. vi. c. 30.
‡ “He and his subjects are not like us, men without heads: they have heads like those of birds; and their voice so exactly resembles the voice of birds, that, when any one of them arrives in our island, we take him for a water-fowl and eat him, .... with all the several sauces with which men are wont to
eat wild-fowl.”—Turkish Tales, vol. ii. p. 364.
§ Excellent doctrine!
TALE CLXXVI.
OF SPIRITUAL MEDICINE.
THERE was a male child born, divided from the navel upward. Thus he had two heads and breasts, and a proper number of sensitive faculties to each. While one slept or eat, the other did neither. After two years, one part of the boy died, and the other survived about three days.||
Also, as Pliny records, there was a tree in India whose flowers had a sweet smell, and its fruit a delightful flavour. A serpent, called Jacorlus, which dwelt near, had a great aversion to the odour, and that he might destroy its productiveness envenomed the root of the tree. The gardener, observing what was done, took an antidote of that country, and inserted it in a branch at the top of the tree, which presently drove the poison from the root. The tree, before barren, was now loaded with, fruit.
