The works of the famous Mr. Francis Rabelais, doctor in physick treating of the lives, heroick deeds, and sayings of Gargantua and his son Pantagruel : to which is newly added the life of the author / written originally in French, and translated into English by Sr. Thomas Urchard.

CHAP. XLI. (Book 41)

How the Monk made Gargantua sleep, and of his houres and breviaries. (Book 41)

SUpper being ended, they consulted of the businesse in hand, and concluded that about midnight they should fall unawares upon the enemie, to know what manner of watch and ward they kept, and that in the mean while they should take a little rest, the better to refresh themselves. But Gargantua could not sleep by any meanes, on which side soever he turned him••elf. Whereupon the Monk said to him, I never sleep soundly, but when I am at Sermon or Prayers; Let

us therefore begin, you and I, the seven pe∣nitential Psalmes, to try whether you shall not quickly fall asleep. The conceit pleased Gargantua very well, and beginning the first of these Psalmes, assoon as they came to the words Beati quorum, they fell asleep both the one and the other. But the Monk for his being formerly accustomed to the houre of Claustral matines, failed not to awake a little before midnight, and being up himself awa∣ked all the rest, in singing aloud, and with a full clear voice, the song,

Awake, O Reinian; Ho, awake; Awake, O Reinian, Ho: Get up, you no more sleep must take, Get up; for we must go.

When they were all rowsed and up, he said, My Masters, it is a usual saying, that we begin matines with coughing, and supper with drinking; let us now (in doing clean contrarily) begin our matines with drinking, and at night before supper we shall ••ugh as hard as we can. What? (said Gargantua) to drink so soon after sleep, this is not to live ac∣cording to the diet and prescript rule of the Physicians, for you ought first to scoure and cleanse your stomack of all its superfluities and excrements. O well physicked, (said the Monk) a hundred devils leap into my body,

if there be not more old drunkards, then old Physicians: I have made this paction and covenant with my appetite, that it alwayes lieth down, and goes to bed with my self, (for to that I every day give very good or∣der,) then the next morning it also riseth with me, and gets up when I am awake. Minde you your charges, (Gentlemen) or tend your cures as much as you will; I will get me to my Drawer, (in termes of falconrie, my tiring.) What drawer or tiring do you mean? (said Gargantua.) My breviary (said the Monk,) for just as the Falconers, before they feed their hawks, do make them draw at a hens leg, to purge their braines of flegme, and sharpen them to a good appe∣tite: so by taking this merry little breviary, in the morning I scoure all my lungs, and am presently ready to drink.

After what manner (said Gargantua) do you say these faire houres and prayers of yours?* 1.1 After the manner of Whipfield, said the Monk, by three Psalmes, and three Lessons, or nothing at all, he that will: I ne∣ver tie my self to houres, prayers and sacra∣ments: for they are made for the man, and not the man for them; therefore is it that I make my Prayers in fashion of stirrup-lea∣thers; I shorten or lengthen them when I think good. Brevis oratio penetrat coelos, & longa potatio evacuat Scyphos: where is

that written? by my faith (said Ponocrates,) I cannot tell (my Pillicock,) but thou art more worth then gold: Therein (said the Monk) I am like you: but, venite, apotemus. Then made they ready store of Carbonadoes, or rashers on the coales, and good fat soupes, or brewis with sippets; and the Monk drank what he pleased. Some kept him company, and the rest did forbear, for their stomachs were not as yet opened. Afterwards every man began to arme and befit himself for the field; and they armed the Monk against his will; for he desired no other armour for back and breast, but his frock, nor any other weapon in his hand, but the staffe of the Crosse: yet at their pleasure was he com∣pleatly armed cap-a-pe, and mounted upon one of the best horses in the Kingdome, with a good ••lashing sable by his side, toge∣ther with Gargantua, Ponocrates, Gymnast, Eudemon, and five and twenty more of the most resolute and adventurous of Grangou∣siers house, all armed at proof with their lances in their hands, mounted like St. George, and every one of them having a harquebu∣sier behinde him.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Fessecamp aud cor∣ruptly Fe∣c••n.