The works of F. Rabelais, M.D., or, The lives, heroic deeds and sayings of Gargantua and Pantagruel with a large account of the life and works of the author, particularly an explanation of the most difficult passages in them never before publish'd in any language / done out of French by Sir Tho. Urchard, Kt., and others.

CHAP. XLII. How the Monk encouraged his Fellow-Champions, and how he hanged upon a Tree.

THus went out those valiant Champi∣ons on their adventure, in full reso∣lution, to know what enterprise they should undertake and what to be aware of, in the day of the great and horrible battle. And the Monk encouraged them saying, my Children do not fear, nor doubt, I will conduct you safely: God and Sanct Benedict be with us. If I had strength answerable to my courage, by sdeath I would plume them for you like ducks. I fear nothing but the great Ordnance; yet I know a Prayer, which the subsexton of our Abby taught me, that will preserve a man from the violence of guns and all man∣ner of fire engines; but it will do me no good, because I do not believe it. However, my staff of the Cross, will be the devil Parblen, who∣ever is a Duck, amongst you, I give my self to the Devil, if I do not make a Monk of him in my stead, and hamper him within my Frock; which is a cure for cowardise.

Did you never hear of my Lord Meurles his Grey-Hound, which was not worth a straw in the fields; he put a Frock about his

neck, by the body of G— there was neither Hare nor Fox that could escape him, and which is more, he lined all the bitches in the Country, though before that he was fee∣ble-reined, and ex frigidis & Maleficiatis.

The Monk uttering these words in choler, as he past under a walnut-Tree, in his way towards the Causey, he broached the vizor of his Helmet, on the stump of a great branch of the Tree; nevertheless, he set his spurs so fiercely to the Horse, who was full of mettle and quick on the spur, that he bounded forwards and the Monk going about to ungrap∣ple his vizor, let go his hold of the bridle and so hanged by his hand upon the bough, whilest his horse stole away from under him. By this means was the Monk left, hanging on the walnut-Tree, and crying for help, murther, murther, swearing also that he was betrayed. Eudemon, perceived him first and calling Gargantua, said, Sir, come and see Absalom hanging. Gargantua being come, con∣sidered the countenance of the Monk, and in what posture he hanged; wherefore he said to Eudemon, You were mistaken in comparing him to Absalom; for Absalom hung by his Hair, but this shaveling Monk hangeth by the Ears. Help me (said the Monk▪) in the devils Name, is this a time for you to flout, you seem to me the decretalist Preachers, who say, that whosoever shall see his neighbour in danger of death, ought upon pain of trisulk excommuni∣cation,

rather to admonish him to make Confession and put his Conscience in the state of Grace, then to help him.

And therefore when I shall see them fallen into a river, and ready to be drowned, in∣stead of lending them my hand and pulling them out, I shall make them a fine long Sermon de contemptu mundi, & fuga seculi, and when they are stark dead, then go go fish for them. Be quiet (said Gymnast) and stir not, my Minion; I am now coming to unhang thee, for thou art a pretty little gentle Mona∣chus, Monachus, in claustro non valet ova duo, sed quando est extra bene valet triginta. I have seen above five hundred hanged, but I ne∣ver saw any hang with so good a Grace; truly if I had so good a one, I would willingly hang thus all my life-time. What (said the Monk) have you almost done preaching? help me in the name of God, seeing you will not in the name of the other spirit, or by the habit which I wear, you shall repent it, tempore & loco praelibatis.

Then Gymnast alighted from his horse, and climbing up the walnut-Tree, lifted up the Monk with one hand, by the gushets of his Armour under the Arm-pits, and with the other undid his Vizor from the stump of the broken Branch, which done, he let him fall to the Ground, and himself after. As soon as the Monk was down, he put off all his Armor, and threw away one piece

after another about the Field, and taking to him again his Staff of the Cross, remounted up to his Horse, which Eudemon had caught in his running away. Then went they on merrily, riding on the high way.