The second book of the works of Mr. Francis Rabelais, Doctor in Physick treating of the heroick deeds and sayings of the good Pantagruel. Written originally in the French tongue, and now faithfully translated into English. By S.T.U.C.

CHAP. XVIII. How a great Scholar of England would have argued against Pantagruel, and was o∣vercome by Panurge. (Book 18)

IN that same time, a certain learned man, named Thaumast, hearing the fame and re∣nown of Pantagruels incomparable know∣ledge, came out of his own countrey of England, with an intent only to see him, to try thereby, and prove, whether his know∣ledge in effect was so great as it was reported to be. In this resolution, being arrived at Paris, he went forthwith unto the house of the said Pantagruel, who was lodged in the Palace of St. Denys, and was then walking in the garden thereof with Panurge, philosophi∣zing after the fashion of the Peripateticks. At his first entrance he startled, and was al∣most out of his wits for feare, seeing him so great, and so tall, then did he salute him cour∣teously as the manner is, and said unto him, Very true it is, (saith Plato the Prince of Phi∣losophers,) that if the image and knowledge of wisdom were corporeal and visible to the eyes of mortals, it would stirre up all the world to admire her: which we may the ra∣ther

beleeve, that the very bare report there∣of, scattered in the air, if it happen to be recei∣ved into the eares of men, who for being stu∣dious, and lovers of vertuous things, are cal∣led Philosophers, doth not suffer them to sleep nor rest in quiet, but so pricketh them up, and sets them on fire, to run unto the place where the person is, in whom the said knowledge is said to have built her Temple, and uttered her Oracles, as it was manifestly shewen unto us in the Queen of Sheba, who came from the utmost borders of the East and Persian sea, to see the order of Solomons house, and to heare his wisdom; in Anachar∣sis, who came out of Scythia, even unto A∣thens, to see Solon; in Pythagoras, who tra∣velled farre to visit the Memphitical Vatici∣nators; in Platon, who went a great way off to see the Magicians of Egypt, and Architas of Tarentum; in Apollonius Tianeus, who went as farre as unto Mount Caucasus, passed along the Scythians, the Massagetes, the Indi∣ans, and sailed over the great river Phison, even to the Brachmans to see Hiar••has; as likewise unto Babylon, Chaldea, Media, As∣syria, Parthia, Syria, Phoenicia, Arabia, Pale∣stina and Alexandria, even unto Aethiopia, to see the Gymnosoph••sts: the like example have we of Titus Livius, whom to see and heare, divers studious persons came to Rome, from the Confines of France and Spaine; I

dare not reckon my self in the number o•• those so excellent persons, but well would be called studious, and a lover, not only o•• learning, but of learned men also: and in∣deed, having heard the report of your so in∣estimable knowledge, I have left my coun∣trey, my friends, my kindred and my house, and am come thus farre, valuing at nothing the length of the way, the tediousnesse o•• the sea, nor strangenesse of the land, and that only to see you, and to conferre with you about some passages in Philosophy, of Geo∣mancie, and of the Cabalistick Art; whereof I am doubtful, and cannot satisfie my minde, which if you can resolve, I yield my self un∣to you for a slave henceforward, together with all my posterity; for other gift have I none, that I can esteem a recompence suffi∣cient for so great a favour: I will reduce them into writing, and to morrow publish them to all the learned men in the City, that we may dispute publickly before them.

But see in what manner, I mean that we shall dispute: I will not argue pro & contra, as do the sottish Sophisters of this town, and other places; likewise I will not dispute after the manner of the Academicks by declamati∣on: nor yet by numbers, as Pythagoras▪ was wont to do, and as Picus de la mirandula did of late at Rome: but I will dispute by signes only without speaking, for the matters are so

abstruse, hard and arduous, that words pro∣ceeding from the mouth of man, will never be sufficient for unfolding of them to my li∣king. May it therefore please your Magnifi∣cence to be there, it shall be at the great Hall of Navarre at seven a clock in the morning. When he had spoke these words, Pantagruel very honourably said unto him, Sir, of the graces that God hath bestowed upon me, I would not deny to communicate unto any man to my power; for whatever comes from him is good, and his pleasure is, that it should be increased, when we come amongst men worthy and fit to receive this celestial Manna of honest literature: in which number, be∣cause that in this time (as I do already very plainly perceive,) thou holdest the first rank▪ I give thee notice that at all houres thou shalt finde me ready to condescend to every one of thy requests, according to my poor abili∣ty: although I ought rather to learn of thee, then thou of me, but as thou hast protested, we will conferre of these doubts together, and will seek out the resolution, even unto the bottom of that undrainable Well, where He∣raclitus sayes the truth lies hidden: and I do highly commend the manner of arguing which thou hast proposed, to wit, by signes with∣out speaking; for by this means thou and I shall understand one another well enough, and yet shall be free from this clapping of

hands, which these blockish Sophisters make, when any of the Arguers hath gotten the better of the Argument: Now to morrow I will not faile to meet thee at the place and houre that thou hast appointed, but let me intreat thee that there be not any strife or up∣roare between us, and that we seek not the honour and applause of men, but the truth only: to which Thaumast answered, The Lord God maintain you in his favour and grace, and instead of my thankfulnesse to you, poure down his blessings upon you, for that your Highnesse and magnificent greatnesse, hath not disdained to descend to the grant of the request of my poor basenesse, so farewel till to morrow? Farewel, said Pantagruel. Gentle∣men, you that read this present discourse, think not that ever men were more elevated and transported in their thoughts, then all this night were both Thaumast and Pantagruel; for the said Thaumast, said to the Keeper of the house of Cluny, where he was lodged, that in all his life he had never known himself so dry, as he was that night. I think (said he) that Pantagruel held me by the throat; Give order, I pray you, that we may have some drink, and see that some fresh water be brought to us, to gargle my palat: on the other side Pantagruel stretched his wits as high as he could, entring into very deep and seri∣ous meditations, and did nothing all that

night but dote upon, and turn over the book of Beda, de numeris & signis: Plotius book, de inenarrabilibus: the book of Proclus, de ma∣gia: the book of Artemidorus, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉; of Anaxagaras, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉; Dinatius, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉; the books of Philistion: Hipponax, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉: and a rabble of others, so long, that Panurge said unto him,

My Lord, leave all these thoughts and go to bed; for I perceive your spirits to be so troubled by a too intensive bending of them, that you may easily fall into some Quotidian Fever, with this so excessive thinking and plodding: but having first drunk five and twenty o•• thirty good draughts, retire your self and sleep your fill: for in the morning I will argue against, and answer my Master the Englishman; and if I drive him not ad met am non loqui, then call me Knave: Yea, but (said he) my friend Panurge, he is mar∣vellously learned, how wilt thou be able to answer him? Very well, (answered Panurge) I pray you talk no more of it, but let me a∣lone; is any man so learned as the devils are? No, indeed (said Pantagruel,) without Gods especial grace: Yet for all that (said Panurge) I have argued against them, gravel∣led and blanked them in disputation, and laid them so squat upon their tailes, that I have

made them look like Monkies; therefore be assured, that to morrow I will make this vain-glorious Englishman to skite vineger be∣fore all the world. So Panurge spent the night with tipling amongst the Pages, and played away all the points of his breeches at primus secundus, and at peck point (in French called Lavergette.) Yet when the condescended on time was come, he failed not to conduct his Master Pantagruel to the appointed place, un∣to which (beleeve me) there was neither great nor small in Paris but came, thinking with themselves that this devillish Pantagruel, who had overthrown and vanquished in dispute all these doting fresh-water Sophisters, would now get full payment and be tick∣led to some purpose; for this Englishman is a terrible bustler, and horrible coyle keeper, we will see who will be Conquerour, for he never met with his match before.

Thus all being assembled, Thaumast stayed for them, and then when Pantagruel and Pa∣nurge came into the Hall, all the School∣boyes, Professors of Arts, Senior-Sophisters and Batchelors began to clap their hands, as their scurvie custome is. But Pantagruel cri∣ed out with a loud voice, as if it had been the sound of a double canon, saying, Peace. with a devil to you, peace: by G—you rogues, if you trouble me here, I will cut off the heads of every one of you: at which words

they remained all daunted and astonished, like so many ducks, and durst not do so much as cough, although they had swallowed fif∣teen pounds of feathers: withal they grew so dry with this only voice, that they laid out their tongues a full half foot beyond their mouthes, as if Pantagruel had salted all their throats. Then began Panurge to speak, saying to the Englishman, Sir, are you come hither to dispute contentiously in those Pro∣positions you have set down, or otherwayes but to learn and know the truth? To which answered Thaumast, Sir, no other thing brought me hither, but the great desire I had to learn, and to know that of which I have doubted all my life long, and have neither found book nor man able to content me in the resolution of those doubts which I have proposed: and as for disputing contentiously, I will not do it, for it is too base a thing▪ and therefore leave it to those sottish Sophisters, who in their disputes do not search for the truth, but for contradiction only and debate. Then said Panurge, if I who am but a mean and inconsiderable disciple of my Master my Lord Pantagruel; content and satisfie you in all and every thing, it were a thing below my said Master, wherewith to trouble him: there∣fore is it fitter that he be Chair-man, and sit as a Judge and Moderator of our discourse and purpose, and give you satisfaction in ma∣ny

things, wherein perhaps I shall be want∣ing to your expectation. Truly (said Thau∣mast) it is very well said: begin then. Now you must note that Panurge had set at the end of his long Codpiece, a pretty tuft of red silk, as also of white, green and blew, and within it had put a faire orange.