Thus your aunt of Burgundy, Underwoods. Your dutchess aunt inform'd her nephew; so Till, learnt by heart, 'tis now received for truth. Ford. Perkin Warbeck, act iv. sc. 2. MEL. Dost know that spirit? 'tis a grave familiar, Id. The Lover's Melancholy, act v. sc. 1. I have discovered, that a fam'd familiarity in great ones is a note of certain usurpation on the lesse. For great and popular men faine themselves to bee servants to others, to make those slaves to them. Ben Jonson. Discoveries, fol. 105. Intending, though it be the highest and uttermost point of Christian philosophy, to familiarise it [final resignation to ourselves] between us as much as I can, and to address it in form of a letter to yourself. Reliquia Wottonianæ, p. 478. We have descended Somewhat (as we may term it) too familiarly Ford. Perkin Warbeck, act ii. sc. 3. Yet it pleas'd God to make him see all the tyranny of Rome, by discovering this which they exercis'd over divorce, and to make him the beginner of a reformation to this whole kingdom, by first asserting into his familiary power the right of just divorce. Milton. Doctrine, &c. of Divorce, ch. xxi. Such mystical, mist-all and misse-all interpreters are our fumilists in these times, by vnseasonable and vnreasonable allegories, raysing mysts ouer the Scripture sense, which thereby they misse and cannot finde. Purchas. Pilgrimage, book i. ch. iii. Which conclusion will be the more easily evinced against them, by asking them whether in their family parlour-prayers, or in their private closet-prayers, they do not approve and practise that gesture [kneeling] which as I believe in charity they do, so I must from thence infer, that by them the house of God is the only place thought fit to be despised. Hammond. Works, vol. i. fol. 368. View of the New Directory, &c. This was their constant way of working miracles, insomuch that the Jewish exorcists taking notice of it, they also called over them that had familiar spirits, in the name of our Lord Jesus, saying, We adjure you by Jesus, whom Paul preaches, Acts, xix. 13. Bishop Beveridge. Sermon 80. But Socinianism being (as was observed) an heresy much too fine FAMILIAR for the gross and thick genius of vulgar capacities, the Devil found it requisite, sometimes, to change his engine, and amongst such as these, to set up his standard in familism, or enthusiasm. South. Sermons, vol. v. p. 133. Antinomianism, as both experience and the nature of the thing has sufficiently taught us, seldom ends but in familism. Id. Ib. p. 144. The lawn-rob'd prelate and the plain presbyter, Blair. The Grave. We do not recollect any writer who has given a more succinct account of the various species into which FAMILIAR Spirits may be distributed than Le Loyer, in his edifying work Des Spectres. Il se trouve aussi des personnes qui ont des Esprits Familiers, qui viennent à eux à certaines heures, ou qu ils tiennent enclos dans les chiffres, caracteres et anneaux; et parlent à eux, et les voient aucunes fois en telle forme qu'il plaist aux Esprits se presenter; et quelquesfois aussi s'en servent comme de valetz et serviteurs domesticques. Et tel estoit le Demon sophie, ce dit Cardan. (ii. p. 472, ed. 1586.) barbu de Niphus qui luy faisoit de lecons en Philo From Delrio we learn that these Spirits were called by the Greeks Tapéôpoi, quod adsint assiduè, and by the Latins (besides Familiares,) Martinelli seu Magistelli, for which names he does not assign any reason. Socrates, naturally enough, is among the first to whom an attendant of this nature has been assigned; but we have already, in the life of that great man, (vol. ix. 680,) explained the true interpretation which must be attached to his celebrated dapóvior. We do not vouch for the truth of the similar charge which Delrio has brought against the following personages, for his references are too vague to be pursued without more labour than the determination of their innocence may be thought worth. Clemens, as he says, has attached a Familiar to Simon' Magus; Prochorus to Cynops; and Aristotle to Thasius. by Plutarch, (in vit.) He trained a white Fawn, The imposture of Sertorius is more precisely stated which had been presented to him while it was yet extremely young and just yeaned from its mother, to such a degree of tameness, that it became accustomed to the din of arms and the tumult of a camp, and readily obeyed his call and signal. He then encouraged a belief that this animal was the gift of Diana, and the instrument through which her revelations were conveyed to him. Whatever private intelligence he might receive, he announced as communicated by the Fawn; and if the secret despatches of his officers conveyed the FAMILIAR agreeable news of a victory, before he made this success public, he crowned his favourite with flowers, and led her forth as the messenger of those good tidings which the day was certain to produce by human conveyance. On one occasion, when she had strayed, she was recovered at a time and for a purpose most opportunely supporting this imposture. The tale of a like ministry afforded to Mohammed by a Pigeon, which he had taught, as the representative of the Angel Gabriel, to appear to whisper in his ear, does not rest on sound authority. It was admitted by Grotius into his VIth Book de Rel. Christ., but when Pococke asked him on what Oriental evidence it was founded, he readily allowed, that he relied solely on European relations, and especially on that of Scaliger in his Notes on Manilius, (Pocockius, Hist. Arab. 186.) Bayle, by whom we have been guided to this fact, is inclined to think, however, that some Eastern authors must have recorded this story, from the manner in which it is alluded to by Gabriel Sionita, who observes, that in the neighbourhood of Mecca, summa Columbarum copia invenitur, quæ quia sunt de genere atque stirpe ejus quæ ad Mahomedi aures (ut Moslemanni nugantur) accedebat, eo pollent privilegio atque auctoritate, ut non solum eas occidere, sed aut capere aut fugare nefas esse existimant, (c. 7.) We do not, however, perceive that much strength is to be derived from this passage. That Pigeons abound in those parts is not doubted, and Sionita, in another place, has assigned a good reason for their numbers, namely, their great use when trained as carriers; but it by no means appears that Sionita, himself an European, may not have drawn his opinion respecting the Musulman belief from the very same sources which supplied that of Grotius. The Black Dog of Cornelius Agrippa is among the best known Familiars of comparatively modern times. His story rests on the authority of Paulus Jovius, (Elogia ci.,) and it has been copied by Thevet, among others, in his Hist. des Hommes plus Illustres et Scavans, xviii. Jovius relates, that Agrippa was always accompanied by a Devil in the shape of a black dog, and that, perceiving the approach of death, he took a collar ornamented with nails, disposed in magical inscriptions, from the neck of this animal, and dismissed him with these memorable words, Abi perdita Bestia quæ me totum perdidisti. The Dog, familiaris ille Canis ac assiduus itinerum omnium comes et tum morientis Domini desertor, ran hastily to the banks of the Saone, into which he plunged headlong, and was never afterwards seen. We would not for worlds dispute the authenticity of Agrippa's claims to magical power, nor throw any discredit on another story which has furnished one of the best Ballads in the Tales of Wonder, of the dæmoniacal death of the unhappy student who intruded into the Sage's study, the key of which had one day been unwittingly left in the charge of Agrippa's wife, who betrayed her trust. Delrio believed this tale, and has recorded it at length, (v. § 2.) But, in justice to the Dog, we must subjoin the explanation given by Wier, long the faithful pupil and attendant of Agrippa. It is scarcely possible to reject the proofs which he adduces, that the Dog was no other than a veritable Dog. Canem hunc nigrum mediocris staturæ Gallico nomine Monsieur (quod Dominum sonat) nuncupatum, novi ego, si quis alius, familiarissimè; quem nimirùm non rarò, ubi Agrippam sectarer, loro ex pilis concin- FAMILIAR nato alligatum duxi: at verè naturalis erat canis masculus cui aliàs fœmellam ferè colore et reliquâ corporis constitutione similem, quam Gallicè Mademoiselle (Dominam) appellabat, me præsente adjunxit. Causam autem huic false opinioni dedisse opinor, partim quod canem hunc pueriliter nimis amaret, (ut sunt quorundam hominum mores) oscularetur plerumque, aliquando et a latere hunc sibi admoveret in mensû, quemadmodum et in eodem simul lecto sub lodice noctu pateretur, ubi conjugem Mechliniensem Bonnam repudiâsset anno tricesimo quinto supra sesquimillesimum: velut et in Musco, ubi inter supellectilem chartaceam, certe insignem, perpetuò erat Agrippa, atque in ejus mensa Agrippe et mihi in studiis communi, inter utriusque semper jaceret hic canis. Partim adhæc, quod licet in dicto hypocausto inter chartas continuò delitesceret meus herus, nec toto octiduo vix semel prôdiret, quicquid tamen in diversis regionibus ageretur fere nôrat. Hoc alii imprudentiores huic Cani, ut Damoni, dum adessem, acceptum ferebant. Sed reverâ a doctissimis quibus viris, ad illum undequaque scribebatur quotidie. (De præstigiis Dæmonum, ii. 5.) If we credit Delrio, Agrippa was in great luck in being allowed to dismiss his attendant without first paying the price of his ministry. Memini me apud Joan. Cæsarium legere cujusdam Paredri exemplum dignum memoriâ, in quo tamen illud admirandum Dæmonem illum pro mercede quinque solidos exegisse et jussisse ex illis pauperi cuidam Ecclesiæ campanam emi, quâ diebus Dominicis fideles ad divinum officium convocarentur. Haud dubiè latebat fraudis aliquid, et spes lucri majoris adfulgebat. Mirandum quoque nihil mali intulisse militi. Vix unquam Paredri sine Dominorum noxa solent recedere. Ut plurimum paciscitur Dæmon pro certo tempore, quo finito vel alium illi prior herum reperiat, vel ipse Dæmoni necandus cedat. (Disq. Mag. ii. 3, ad finem.) We shall see by and by, on another authority, that the Familiar also of Simon Magus assumed the shape of a Dog; but neither his Dog nor that of Cornelius Agrippa are the only Dogs which have had a bad name given them. Hutchinson, in his Historical Essay concerning Witchcraft, mentions, that in New England, as late as 1692," a Dog being afflicted at Salem that had the spectral sight, the said Mr. John Bradshed, the Justice's Brother, afflicted the Dog, and then rid upon him. made his escape, and the Dog was put to death, and was all of the afflicted that suffered. Another Dog was said to afflict others, and they fell into their fits when they looked upon them. The Dog was put to death." (p. 82.) He We come next to the Familiars who were carried about in Rings and other trinkets, and here, again, Le Loyer shall be the first spokesman. Au regard des Demons que l'on tiennent emprisonnez et enclos en des anneaux où caracteres, les Magiciens de l'eschole de Salamanque et de Tolede, et Picatrix leur maistre, et ceux qui en Italie font traffic de cest mercerie, scauroient bien que dire s'ils apparoissent ou non à ceux qui les ont en possession ou qui les acheptent. Et certes je nes puis icy rapporter sans horreur qui se dit si vulgairement d'eux qu'ils semble que rien ne soit se familier et commun entre quelque uns, jusque à là de parler de la nature de chaque Demon enclos dans l'anneau: s'il est Mercuriel, Joviel, Saturnien, Martial ou Venerien, et en quelle sorte il apparoist comme il le faut traicter et gouverner, et combien de fois la nuict il reveille celuy qui le FAMILIAR possede, s'il est benin ou cruel, et s'il peut estre change ou donnè à un autre, et immuer la complexion naturelle lors qu'il est une fois possede, de facon que de Joviaux il puisse rendre les hommes Saturniens, de Saturniens Joviaux, et ainsi consecutivement des autres. Et de cecy on en conte assez d'histoires aus quelles si je donnois foy comme ont fait quelques scavans personnages de nostre temps ce seroit pour neant que je remplirois le papier. Doncques je ne parleray point de l'anneau de Cristalin mentionné par Joachim de Cambray, où un jeune enfant voyoit ce qu'on luy demandoit, et que le possesseur rompit en fin, se voyant trop tourmenté de Diable; et moins m'arresterayje a discourir de l'anneau de ce Sorcier natif de Courtray, ou estoit un Demon enclos, auquel il falloit parler de cinque en cinque jours; et bref j'obmettray ce qu'on dit d'un Gentilhomme de Poictou qui ayant pris en se jouant du sein d'une Demoiselle certaine caractere ou estoit un Diable enclos, et l'ayant jetté au feu, ne cessa d'avoir des visions du Diable, et d'estre tourmenté de luy jusques a tant que le Diable luy bailla un autre caractere semblable a celuy qui estoit bruslé pour bailler à la Demoiselle. (Ibid. ii. p. 475.) But there is an English author, Heywood, who writes, if not much more to the purpose, at least much more fully on this subject than Le Loyer does, and who evidently attaches a far greater degree of credibility to the narratives which he brings forward. "Grillandus is of opinion, that everie Magition and Witch, after they have done their homage to the Divell, have a Familiar Spirit given to attend them, whom they call Magistellus, Magister Martinettus, or Martinellus; and these are sometimes visible to men in the shape of a Dog, a Rat, an Ethiope, &c. So it is reported of one Magdalena Crucia, that she had one of these Paredrii to attend her, like a Blacke-more. Glycas tells us, that Simon Magus had a great blacke Dog tyed in a chaine, who if any man came to speak with him whom he had no desire to see, was ready to devoure him. His shadow likewise hee caused still to go before him; making the people beleeve that it was the soule of a dead man who still attended him. "These kindes of Familiar Spirits are such as they include or keepe in Rings hallowed, in Viols, Boxes, and Caskets; not that Spirits, having no bodies, can be imprisoned there against their wills, but that they seeme to be so confined of there own free-wil and voluntarie motion. "Johannes Leo writeth, that such are frequent in Africke, shut in caves, and bear the figure of Birds called Aves Hariolatrices, by which the Magitions raise great summes of money, by predicting by them of things future. For being demanded of any difficulty, they bring an answer written in a small scroll of paper, and deliver it to the Magition in their bills. Martinus Anthonius Delrius, of the Society of Jesus, a man of profound learning and judgment, writeth, that in Burdegell there was an advocate who in a Viol kept one of these Paredrii inclosed. Hee dying, his heires knowing thereof were neither willing to keepe it, nor durst they breake it and demanding counsell, they were persuaded to go to the Jesuit's Colledge, and to be directed by them. The Fathers commanded it to be brought before them and broken: but the Executors humbly besought them that it might not be done in their presence, being fearfull least some great disaster might succeed thereof. At which they, smiling, flung it against the walls, at the breaking whereof there was nothing seene or heard, save a small noise, as if the two elements of water and FAMILIAR fire had newly met together, and as soone parted. "Philostratus tells us, that Apollonius Tyaneus was never without such Rings; and Alexander Neapolitanus affirmeth, that he received them of Jarcha, the great Prince of the Gymnosophists, which he took of him as a rich present, for by them he could be acquainted with any deepe secret whatsoever. Such a Ring had Johannes Jodocus Rosa, a citizen of Cortacensia, who every fift day had conference with the Spirit inclosed, using it as a counsellor and director in all his affairs and enterprises whatsoever. By it he was not onely acquainted with all newes as well forrein as domesticke, but learned the cure and remedie for all griefs and diseases: insomuch that he had the reputation of a learned and excellent Physition. At length being accused of Sortelige, or Inchantment, at Arnham, in Guelderland, he was proscribed, and in the year 1548 the Chancellor caused his Ring, in the public market, to be layd upor an anvil, and with an iron hammer beaten to pieces. 'Mengius reporteth from the relation of a deare friend of his (a man of approved fame and honestie) this historie. In a certain town under the jurisdiction of the Venetians, one of their præstigious artists (whom some call Pythonickes) having one of these rings, in which he had two Familiar Spirits exorcised and bound, came to a Predicant or Preaching Friar, a man of sincere life and conversation; and confessed unto him that hee was possessed of such an enchanted Ring, with such Spirits charmed, with whom he had conference at his pleasure. But since he considered with himselfe, that it was a thing dangerous to his Soule, and abhominable both to God and man, he desired to be cleanely acquit thereof, and to that purpose hee came to receive of him some godly counsell. But by no persuasion would the Religious man be induced to have any speech at all with these Evil Spirits, (to which motion the other had before earnestly solicited him,) but admonished him to cause the magicke Ring to be broken, and that to be done with all speed possible. At which words the Familiars were heard (as it were) to mourne and lament in the Ring, and to desire that no such violence might be offered unto them: but rather than so, that it would please him to accept of the Ring, and keepe it, promising to do him all service and vassallage of which if he pleased to accept, they would in a short time make him to be the most famous and admired Predicant in all Italy. But he perceiving the Divels cunning, under this colour of courtesie, made absolute refusall of their offer; and withall conjured them to know the reason why they would so willingly submit themselves to his patronage? After many evasive lies and deceptious answers, they plainly confessed unto him, that they had of purpose persuaded the Magition to heare him preach, that by that sermon, his conscience being pricked and galled, he might be weary of the Ring, and being refused of the one, be accepted of the other; by which they hoped in short time so to have puft him up with pride and heresie, to have precipitated his soule into certaine and never-ending destruction. At which the Churchman being zealously inraged, with a great hammer broke the Ring almost to dust, and in the name of God sent them thence to their own habitation of darkenesse, or whither it pleased the higher Powers to dispose them. "Of this kinde doubtlesse was the Ring of Gyges, (of whom Herodotus doth make mention,) by vertue of which he had power to walke invisible; who, by the FAMILIAR murder of his Sovereign, Candaules, married his Queene, and so became King of Lydia. Such, likewise, had the Phocensian Tyrant, who (as Clemens Stromæus speaketh) by a sound which came of it selfe, was warned of all times, seasonable and unseasonable, in which to mannage his affaires; who notwithstanding could not be forewarned of his pretended death, but his Familiar left him in the end, suffering him to be slain by the Conspirators. Such a Ring, likewise, had one Hieronimus, Chancellor of Mediolanum, which after proved to be his untimely ruine." Hierarchie of the Blessed Angels, vii.; The Principats, p. 475, &c. Sometimes the Familiar annexed himself voluntarily to a Master, without any exercise of magic skill or invocation on his part, nor could such a Spirit be disposed of without exorcism, as we learn from the following story cited by Delrio, (vi. c. ii. s. 3, q. 3.) Drepani fuit anno 1585, paterfamilias quidam, cujus in ædibus variæ dicebantur aliquot jam menses ex occulto voces existere. Familiaris is erat Damon qui variis modis conabatur hominibus illudere; jaciebat saxa prægrandia, nullius tamen capitis detrimento, vasa quoque domestica altè jaculans non frangebat; cumq; in his tectis fidibus caneret adolescens, Dæmon, cunctis audientibus, lascivis cantibus prosequebatur testudinis sonum, apertèq; Dæmonem se esse jactabat; cumq; ædium Dominus unà cum conjuge quoddam in oppidum ad sua negotia discederet, comitem sese Dæmon adjunxit: cum autem ille madefactus aquâ pluvia rediret, nequam Spiritus antevertit, sublatisq; de vid clamoribus, præmonere domesticos cœpit ignem ut exstruerent, herum jam esse in januis totum imbribus madefactum. In spite of these essential services, the Paterfamilias called in the aid of a Priest and expelled the Familiar, though not without some difficulty. A learned German Physician has given an instance in which the Devil of his own accord enclosed himself in a Ring as a Familiar, thereby proving how dangerous it is to trifle with him. Quidam tardioris ingenii et memoriæ Spiritum sibi Familiarem a familiari amico e nundinis afferri petit, sed hic captam ex aere muscû majore, vitroque parvo inclusam fallendi gratiá obtulit. Ille de remedii bonitate post aliquot dies velut per jocum ab amico rogatus, ad votum omnia Spiritum suggerere respondet, ipso nimirum Spiritu infernali verè Familiari facto. Adeo auceps animarum maledictum superstitiosis, Deique mandata et Nature theatrum perfrictâ fronte transgredientibus, gratificari gestit, ut religioni Magicæ sensim assuescant. Frommann, de Fascinatione Vulgari, lib. i. pars 1. sec. 2. c. xi. Paracelsus was believed to carry about with him a Familiar in the hilt of his sword. Naude assures us, that he never laid this weapon aside even when he went to bed, that he often got up in the night and struck it violently against the floor, and that frequently when overnight he was without a penny, he would show a pursefull of gold in the morning. (Apol. pour les Grands Hommes soupconnez de Magie, xiv. p. 281.) After this, we are not a little disconcerted with the ignoble explanation which he adds of this reputed Demon, namely, that although the Alchemists maintain that it was no other than the Philosopher's stone, he (Naude) thinks it more rational to believe, if indeed there was any thing at all in it, that it was two or three doses of Laudanum, which Paracelsus never went without, and with which he effected many strange cures. Ben Jonson, in one of his songs in Volpone, has re ferred to "Paracelsus and his long sword;" and Butler FAMILIAR Others, with Characters and Words, With their own influences fetch 'em I' th' garb and habit of a Dog To this quoth Sidrophello, Sir Nor Paracelsus, no, nor Behmen Hudibras, part ii. can. 3. v. 619. The feats of Kelly, whom Lilly calls " Speculator" to Dr. Dee, may be read in the Life of the last-named writer. Of Dr. Dee himself, and the Spirits Ash, Il, Po, Va, and many others who used to appear to him, by Kelly's ministry, in a Beryl, much may be found in Meric Casaubon's Relation of what passed for many years between Dr. John Dee and some Spirits. This narrative comprises the juggling transactions of four and twenty years, from 1583 to 1607. It may be sufficient to add, that one of the revelations thus given to Dee and Kelly, was that they should have a community of wives; an injunction which they most religiously obeyed. Familiars partook of that jealousy which is always a characteristic of Spiritual Beings (from the time of Psyche's Cupid downwards,) in their intercourse with mortals. This feeling is strongly exemplified in the narrative with which we shall conclude, and which we shall present in the language of Lord Berners, than whom no writer ever so completely succeeded in transmitting the entire spirit of his original author into another tongue. "Howe a spyrite, called Orthone, serued the lorde of Corasse a long tyme, and brought hym euer tidynges fro all partes of the worlde. "It is great marueyle to consyder one thynge, the whiche was shewed me in therle of Foiz house at Ortayse, of hym that enfourmed me of the busynesse at Juberothe, (Aljubarota :) he shewed me one thyng that I have oftentymes thought on sithe, and shall do as long as I lyue. As this squyer tolde me, that of trouthe the nexte daye after the bataile was thus fought at *Aurelius, Philippus, Paracelsus, Theophrastus, Bombastus de Hohenheim. Notwithstanding the silence of Etymologists, it is by no means clear that our English word Bombast may not be derived from the inflated nonsense written by Paracelsus. FAMILIAR Juberoth, the erle of Foiz knewe it, wherof I had great marueyle; for the sayd Sonday, Monday, and Tuesday, therle was very pensyfe, and so sadde of chere, that no man coulde here a worde of hym; and all the same thre days he wolde nat issue out of his chambre, nor speke to any man, thoughe they were neuer so nere about hym; and on the Tuesday at night he called to hym his brother Arnault Guyllyam, and sayde to hym with a softe voyce, Our men hath to do, wherof I am sorie; for it is come of them by their voyage, as I sayd or they departed. Arnault Guyllyam, who was a sage knyght, and knewe right well his brother's cōdicions, stode styll and gaue none answere: and than therle, who thought to declare his mynde more plainlye (for long he had borne the trouble therof in his herte) spake agayne more hygher thanne he dyd before, and sayd, By God, sir Arnault, it is as I saye, and shortely ye shall here tidynges therof; but the countrey of Bierne this hūdred yere neuer loste such a losse at no iourney as they haue done nowe in Portugale. Dyuers knyghtes and squyers that were there present, and herde hym say so, stode styll and durst nat speke, but remembred his wordes; and within a ten dayes after they knewe the trouthe therof by suche as had ben at the busynesse, and there they shewed euery thyng as it was fortuned at Juberothe. Than therle renewed agayne his dolour, and all the countrey were in sorowe, for they had loste their parentes, bretherne, chyldren, and frendes. Saynt Mary, quod I to the squyer that shewed me this tale, Howe is it that therle of Foiz coude knowe on one day what was done within a day or two before, beynge so farre of? By my faythe, sir, quod he, as it appered well, he knewe it. Than he is a deuyner, quod I, or els hathe messangers that flyeth with the wynde, or he muste nedes haue some crafte. The squyer began to laughe, and sayd, Surely he muste knowe it by some arte of Nigromansye, or otherwyse. To saye the trouthe, we can nat tell howe it is, but by our ymaginacions. Sir, quod I, suche ymaginacion as ye haue therin, if it please you to shewe me, I wolde be gladde therof; and if it be suche a thynge as ought to be secrete, I shall nat publysshe it, nor as long as I am in this countre I shall neuer speke worde therof. I praye you therof, quod the squyer, for I wolde nat it shulde be knowen that I shuld speke therof; but I shall shewe you as dyuers men speketh secretelye, whan they be togyder as frendes. Than he drewe me aparte into a corner of the chapell at Ortayse, and than began his tale and sayd: "It is well a twentie yeres paste that there was in this countrey a barone, called Raymon, lorde of Corasse, whiche is a seuyn leages fro this towne of Ortaise. This lorde of Corasse had ye same tyme a plee at Auygnon before the pope, for the dysmes of his churche, agaynst a clerke curate there, the whiche preest was of Catelogne (Catalonia ;) he was a great clerke, and claymed to haue ryght of the dysmes in the towne of Corasse, whiche was valued to a hūdred florens by the yere, and the right that he had he shewed and proued it and by sentence diffynityue, pope Vrban the fyfte, in consistory general, condempned the knyght, and gaue iugement with the preest: and of this last iugement he had letters of the pope for his possession, and so rode tyll he came into Bierne, and there shewed his letters and bulles of the popes for his possession of his dismes. The lorde of Corasse had great indignacion at this preest, and cãe to hym and sayd, mayster Peter, or : maister Marten, as his name was, thynkest thou, that FAMILIAR by reason of thy letters, that I wyll lese myne herytage? Nat so hardy yt thou take any thynge that is myne; if thou do, it shall coste the thy lyfe. Go thy waye into some other place to get the a benefyce; for of myne herytage thou gettest no parte, and ones for alwayes I defende the. The clerke douted the knight, for he was a cruell man, therfore he durste nat parceyuer. Than he thought to retourne to Auygnon, as he dyde; but whan he departed, he came to the knight, the lorde of Corasse, and sayd, Sir, by force and nat by right, ye take away fro me the right of my churche, werin ye greatly hurte your coscience. I am nat so strong in this coutrey as ye be; but, sir, knowe for trouthe, that as soone as I may, I shall sende to you suche a champyon, whome ye shall doute more than me. The knight who douted nothyng his thretnynges, sayd, God be with the; do what thou mayst, I doute no more dethe than lyfe; for all thy wordes, I wyll nat lese myne herytage. Thus the clarke departed fro the lorde of Corasse, and went, I can nat tell wheder, to Auygnon or into Catelogne, and forgate nat the promyse that he had made to the lorde of Corasse or he departed; for afterwarde, whan the knyght thought leest on hym, about a thre monethes after, as the knyght laye on a nyght a bedde in his castell of Corasse with the ladye his wyfe, there came to hym messangers inuisyble, and made a marueylous tempest and noise in the castell, that it semed as thoughe the castell shulde haue fallen downe, and strake gret strokes at his chambre dore, that the good ladye his wyfe was soore afrayde. The knyght herde all, but he spake no worde therof, bycause he wolde shewe no abasshed corage, for he was hardy to abyde all aduentures. This noyse and tempest was in sondrie places of ye castell, and dured a longe space, and at laste cessed for that nyght. Than the nexte mornynge all the seruautes of the house came to the lorde when he was rysen, and sayd, Sir, haue you nat herde this night that we haue done? The lorde dyssymuled and sayd, no, I herde nothyng; what haue you herde? Than they shewed him what noyse they hadde herde, and howe all the vessell in the kechyen was ouertourned. Than the lorde began to laughe, and sayde, yea sirs, ye dremed; it was nothynge but the wynde. In the name of God, quod the ladye, I herde it well. The nexte night there was as great noyse and greatter, and suche strokes gyuen at his chambre dore and wyndowes, as all shulde haue broken in peces. The knyght starte vp out of his bedde, and wolde nat lette to demaunde who was at his chambre dore that time of ye night; and anone he was aunswered by a voyce that sayde, I am here. Quod the knyght, who sent the hyder? The clerke of Catelloygne sent me hyder, quod the voyce, to whom thou dost gret wronge, for thou hast taken fro hym the ryghtes of his benefyce: I wyll nat leaue the in ryst tyll thou haste made hym a good accompte, so that he be pleased. Quod the knyght, what is thy name, that arte so good a messangere? Quod he, I ame called Orthone. Orthone, quod the knyght, the seruyce of a clerke is lytell profyte for the; he wyll putte the to to moche payne if thou beleue hym. I pray the leaue hym and come and serue me, and I shall gyue the good thanke. Orthone was redy to answere, for he was in amours with the knyght, and sayde, Woldst thou fayne haue my seruyce? Yea, truely, quod the knyght, so thou do no hurte to any persone in this house. No more I wyll do, quod Orthon; for I |