The Tales Of The Heptameron, Vol. IV. (of V.)
Page 18
_TALE XLIV.(A)_.
_In reward for not having concealed the truth, the Lord of Sedan doubled the alms of a Grey Friar, who thus received two pigs instead of one_. (1)
To the castle of Sedan once came a Grey Friar to ask my Lady of Sedan,who was of the house of Crouy, (2) for a pig, which she was wont to giveto his Order every year as alms.
1 This tale, though it figures in all the MSS., does not appear in Gruget's edition of the _Heptameron_, but is there replaced by the one that follows, XLIV. (B).--Ed.
2 This Lady of Sedan is Catherine de Croi, daughter of Philip VI. de Croi, Count of Chimay. In 1491 she married Robert II. do la Marck, Duke of Bouillon, Lord of Sedan, Fleuranges, &c., who was long the companion in arms of Bayard and La Tremoille. Robert II. lost the duchy of Bouillon through the conquests of Charles V., and one of the clauses of the treaty of Cambrai (the "Ladies' Peace") was that Francis I. would in no wise assist him to regain it. His eldest son by Catherine de Croi was the celebrated Marshal de Fleuranges, "the young adventurer," who left such curious memoirs behind him. Robert II. died in 1535, his son surviving him a couple of years.--Anselme's _Histoire Genealogique_, vol. vii. p. 167.--L. and B. J.
My Lord of Sedan, who was a prudent man and a merry talker, had the goodfather to eat at his table, and in order to put him on his mettle saidto him, among other things--
"Good father, you do well to make your collection while you are yetunknown. I greatly fear that, if once your hypocrisy be found out, youwill no longer receive the bread of poor children, earned by the sweatof their fathers."
The Grey Friar was not abashed by these words, but replied--
"Our Order, my lord, is so securely founded that it will endure as longas the world exists. Our foundation, indeed, cannot fail so long asthere are men and women on the earth."
My Lord of Sedan, being desirous of knowing on what foundation theexistence of the Grey Friars was thus based, urgently begged the fatherto tell him.
After making many excuses, the Friar at last replied--
"Since you are pleased to command me to tell you, you shall hear. Know,then, my lord, that our foundation is the folly of women, and that solong as there be a wanton or foolish woman in the world we shall not dieof hunger."
My Lady of Sedan, who was very passionate, was in such wrath on hearingthese words, that, had her husband not been present, she would havedealt harshly with the Grey Friar; and indeed she swore roundly thathe should not have the pig that she had promised him; but the Lord ofSedan, finding that he had not concealed the truth, swore that he shouldhave two, and caused them to be sent to his monastery.
"You see, ladies, how the Grey Friar, being sure that the favour ofthe ladies could not fail him, contrived, by concealing nothing of thetruth, to win the favour and alms of men. Had he been a flatterer anddissembler, he would have been more pleasing to the ladies, but not soprofitable to himself and his brethren."
The tale was not concluded without making the whole company laugh,and especially such among them as knew the Lord and Lady of Sedan. AndHircan said--"The Grey Friars, then, should never preach with intent tomake women wise, since their folly is of so much service to the Order."
"They do not preach to them," said Parlamente, "with intent to makethem wise, but only to make them think themselves so. Women who arealtogether worldly and foolish do not give them much alms; nevertheless,those who think themselves the wisest because they go often tomonasteries, and carry paternosters marked with a death's head, and wearcaps lower than others, must also be accounted foolish, for they resttheir salvation on their confidence in the holiness of wicked men, whomthey are led by a trifling semblance to regard as demigods."
"But who could help believing them," said Enna-suite, "since they havebeen ordained by our prelates to preach the Gospel to us and rebuke oursins?"
"Those who have experienced their hypocrisy," said Parlamente, "and whoknow the difference between the doctrine of God and that of the devil."
"Jesus!" said Ennasuite. "Can you think that these men would dare topreach false doctrine?"
"Think?" replied Parlamente. "Nay, I am sure that they believe anythingbut the Gospel. I speak only of the bad among them; for I know manyworthy men who preach the Scriptures in all purity and simplicity, andlive without reproach, ambition, or covetousness, and in such chastityas is unfeigned and free. However, the streets are not paved with suchas these, but are rather distinguished by their opposites; and the goodtree is known by its fruit."
"In very sooth," said Ennasuite, "I thought we were bound on pain ofmortal sin to believe all they tell us from the pulpit as truth, thatis, when they speak of what is in the Holy Scriptures, or cite theexpositions of holy doctrines divinely inspired."
"For my part," said Parlamente, "I cannot but see that there are men ofvery corrupt faith among them. I know that one of them, a Doctor ofTheology and a Principal in their Order, (3) sought to persuade many ofthe brethren that the Gospel was no more worthy of belief than Caesar'sCommentaries or any other histories written by learned men of authority;and from the hour I heard that I would believe no preacher's word unlessI found it in harmony with the Word of God, which is the true touchstonefor distinguishing between truth and falsehood."
3 In MS. No. 1520 this passage runs, "a Doctor of Theology named Colimant, a great preacher and a Principal in their Order." However, none of the numerous works on the history of the Franciscans makes any mention of a divine called Colimant.--B. J.
"Be assured," said Oisille, "that those who read it constantly and withhumility will never be led into error by deceits or human inventions;for whosoever has a mind filled with truth cannot believe a lie."
"Yet it seems to me," said Simontault, "that a simple person is morereadily deceived than another."
"Yes," said Longarine, "if you deem foolishness to be the same thing assimplicity."
"I affirm," replied Simontault, "that a good, gentle and simple woman ismore readily deceived than one who is wily and wicked."
"I think," said Nomerfide, "that you must know of one overflowing withsuch goodness, and so I give you my vote that you may tell us of her."
"Since you have guessed so well," said Simontault, "I will indeed tellyou of her, but you must promise not to weep. Those who declare, ladies,that your craftiness surpasses that of men would find it hard to bringforward such an instance as I am now about to relate, wherein I proposeto show you not only the exceeding craftiness of a husband, but also thesimplicity and goodness of his wife."
162.jpg Tailpiece]
163a.jpg The Lovers returning from their Meeting in the Garden]
[The Lovers returning from their Meeting in the Garden]
163.jpg Page Image]