The third book of the works of Mr. Francis Rabelais, Doctor in Physick containing the heroick deeds of Pantagruel the son of Gargantua / now faithfully translated into English by the unimitable pen of Sir Thomas Urwhart.

CHAP. XVII. How Panurge spoke to the Sybil of Panzoust. (Book 17)

THeir Voyage was three days Journey∣ing, on the third whereof was shewn unto them the House of the Vaticinatress standing on the knap or top of a Hill, un∣der a large and spacious Walnut-Tree. Without great difficulty they entred into that straw-thatch'd Cottage, scurvily built, naughtily movabled, and all besmoaked. It matters not, (quoth Epistemon) Heracli∣tus, the grand Scotist, and tenebrous dark∣some Philosopher, was nothing astonish∣ed at his Introit into such a course and paultry Habitation; for he did usually

shew forth unto his Sectators and Disciples, That the Gods made as cheerfully their Resi∣dence in these mean homely Mansions, as in sumptuous, magnifick Palaces, replenished with all manner of delight, pomp, and pleasure. I withal do really believe, that the Dwelling-place of the so famous and renowned Hecate, was just such another petty Cell as this is, when she made a Feast therein to the valiant Theseu••. And that of no other better Structure was the Coat or Cabin of Hyreus▪ or Oaenopion, wherein Iupiter, Neptune, and Mercury were not ashamed, all three together, to harbour and sojourn a whole Night, and there to take a full and hearty Repast; for the payment of the Shot they thankfully ed Orion.

They finding the ancient Woman, at a corner of her own Chimney, Epistemon said, She is indeed a true Sybil, and the lively Pourtraict of one represented by the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 of Homer. The old Hag was in a pitiful bad plight and condition, in matter of the outward state and complexi∣on of her Body, the ragged and tottred Equipage of her Person, in the point of Accoutrement, and beggerly poor Provi∣sion of Fare for her Diet and Entertain∣ment; for she was ill apparelled, worse nourished, Toothless, Blear-eyed, Crook∣shoulder'd;

snotty, her Nose still drop∣ping, and herself still drooping, faint, and pithless. Whilst in this wofully wretched case she was making ready for her Dinner, Porridge of wrinkled green Colworts, with a bit skin of yellow Bacon, mixed with a twice before crooked sort of watrish, unsavoury Broath, extracted out of bare and hollow Bones. Epistemon said, By the Cross of a Groat, we are to blame, nor shall we get from her any Responce at all: for we have not brought along with us the Branch of Gold. I have (quoth Panurge) provided pretty well for that, for here I have it within my Bag, in the substance of a Gold Ring, accompanied with some fair Pieces of small Money. No sooner were these words spoken, when Panurge coming up towards her, after the Ceremo∣nial performance of a profound and hum∣ble Salutation, presented her with six Neats-Tongues dried in the Smoke, a great Butter-pot full of fresh Cheese, a Boracho furnished with good Beverage▪ and a Rams Cod stored with Single Pence, newly coyned: At last he, with a low Curtsie, put on her Medical Finger, a pretty hand∣some Golden Ring, whereinto was right artificially inchased a precious Toadstone of Beausse. This done, in few words, and very succinctly did he set open, and expose

unto her the motive Reason of his coming, most civilly and courteously entreating her, that she might be pleased to vouch∣safe to give him an ample and plenary In∣telligence, concerning the future good luck of his intended Marriage.

The old Trot for a while remained si∣lent, pensive, and girning like a Dog, then, after she had set her withered Breech upon the bottom of a Bushel, she took into her Hands three old Spindles, which when she had turned and whirled betwixt her Fingers very diversly, and after several fashions, she pryed more nar∣rowly into, by the tryal of their points; the sharpest whereof she retained in her hand, and threw the other two under a Stone Trough; after this she took a pair of Yarn Windles, which she nine times unintermittedly veered, and frisked about, then at the ninth revolution or turn, with∣out touching them any more, maturely perpending the manner of their motion, she very demurely waited on their repose and cessation from any further stirring. In sequel whereof, she pull'd off one of her wooden Pattens, put her Apron over her Head, as a Priest use to do his Amice, when he is going to sing Mass, and with a kind of antick, gaudy, party-colour'd String, knit▪ it under her Neck. Being

thus covered and muffled, she whiffed off a lusty good Draught out of the Borachoe, took three several Pence forth of the Ram Cod Fob, put them into so many Walnut∣shells, which she set down upon the bot∣tom of a Feather-pot; and then after she had given them three Whisks of a Broom Besom a-thwart the Chimney, casting in∣to the Fire half a Bevin of long Heather, together with a Branch of dry Laurel, she observed with a very hush, and coy si∣lence, in what form they did burn, and saw, that although they were in a flame, they made no kind of noise, or crackling din, hereupon she gave a most hideous and horribly dreadful shout, muttering betwixt her Teeth some few barbarous words, of a strange termination.

This so terrified Panurge, that he forth∣with said to Epistemon, The Devil mince me into a Gally-mafry, if I do not tremble for fear. I do not think but that I am now inchanted; for she uttereth not her Voice in the terms of any Christian Language. O look, I pray you, how she seemeth unto me, to be by three full spans higher than she was, when she began to hood her self with her Apron.

What meaneth this restless wagging of her slouchy Chaps? What can be the signification of the uneven shrugging of

her hulchy Shoulders? to what end doth she quaver with her Lips, like a Monkey in the dismembring of a Lobster? My Ears through horrour glow; ah! how they tingle. I think I hear the skreaking of Proserpina; the Devils are breaking loose to be all here. O the foul, ugly, and de∣formed Beasts! Let us run away! by the Hook of God, I am like to die for fear! I do not love the Devils; they vex me, and are unpleasant Fellows. Now let us fly, and betake us to our heels. Farewel Gammer; Thanks and Grammercy for your Goods. I will not marry, no, be∣lieve me, I will not; I fairly quit my In∣terest therein, and totally abandon and renounce it, from this time forward, even as much as at present. With this, as he endeavoured to make an escape out of the room, the old Crone did anticipate his flight, and make him stop; the way how she prevented him was this: whilst in her hand she held the Spindle, she f••ung out to a Back-yard close by her Lodge, where after she had peeled off the Barks of an old Sycamore, three several times, she ve∣ry summarily, upon eight Leaves which dropt from thence, wrote with the Spin∣dle-point some curt, and briefly couched Verses, which she threw into the Air, then said unto them, Search after them if

you will; find them if you can; the fa∣tal Destinies of your Marriage written in them.

No sooner had she done thus speaking, when she did withdraw herself unto her lurking Hole, where on the upper Seat of the Porch, she tucked up her Gown, her Coats and Smock, as high as her Arm∣pits, and gave them a full inspection of the Nockandroe: which being perceived by Panurge, he said to Epistemon, Gods Bodekins, I see the Sybil's Hole. She sud∣denly then bolted the Gate behind her, and was never since seen any more. They joyntly ran in hast after the fallen and di∣spersed Leaves, and gathered them at last, though not without great labour and toyl, for the Wind had scattered them amongst the Thorn-bushes of the Valley. When they had ranged them each after other in their due places, they found out their Sen∣tence, as it is metrified in this Ocstatick:

Thy Fame upheld, Even so, so: And she with Child Of thee: No. Thy Good End Suck she shall, And flay thee, Friend, But not all.