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. XLIII. How Pantagruel excuseth Bridlegoose, in the matter of Sentencing Actions at Law, by the Chance of the Dice. (Book 43)

WIth this Bridlegoose held his peace. Whereupon Trinquamelle bid them withdraw from the Court; which accord∣ingly was done: and then directed his Di∣scourse to Pantagruel, after this manner. It is fitting (most illustrious Prince) not only by reason of the deep Obligations, wherein this present Parliament, together with the whole Marquisate of Merlingues,

stand bound to your Royal Highness, for the innumerable Benefits, which as effects of meer Grace, they have received from your Incomperable Bounty; but for that excellent Wit also, prime Judgment, and admirable Learning wherewith Almighty God, the Giver of all Good Things, hath most richly qualified and endowed you, we tender and present unto you the Deci∣sion of this new, strange, and Paradoxical Case of Bridlegoose; who in your presence, to your both hearing and seeing, hath plainly confessed his final judging and de∣terminating of Suits of Law, by the meer Chance and Fortune of the Dice: there∣fore do we beseech you, that you may be pleased to give Sentence therein, as unto you shall seem most just and equitable. To this Pantagruel answered: Gentlemen, It is not unknown to you, how my Con∣dition is somewhat remote from the Pro∣fession of deciding Law-Controversies; yet seeing you are pleased to do me the Honour to put that Task upon me, instead of undergoing the Office of a Iudge, I will become your humble Supplicant: I ob∣serve, Gentlemen, in this Bridlegoose, several things, which induce me to represent be∣fore you, that it is my Opinion he should be pardoned. In the First place, his Old Age. Secondly, His Simplicity: To both

which Qualities our Statute and Common Laws, Civil and Municipal together, al∣low many excuses for any slips or escapes, which through the invincible Imperfecti∣on of either, have been inconsiderately stumbled upon by a Person so qualified. Thirdly, Gentlemen, I must needs display before you another Case, which in Equity and Justice maketh much for the advan∣tage of Bridlegoose: to wit, that this one, sole, and single fault of his, ought to be quite forgotten, abolished, and swallowed up, by that immense and vast Ocean of Just Dooms and Sentences, which hereto∣fore he hath given and pronounced: his Demeanours for these Forty Years and up∣wards, that he hath been a Judge, having been so evenly ballanced in the Scales of Uprightness, that Envy itself, till now, could not have been so impudent as to ac∣cuse and twit him with any Act worthy of a Check or Reprehension: As if a Drop of the Sea were thrown into the Loire, none could perceive, or say that by this single Drop, the whole River should be salt and brackish.

Truly, it seemeth unto me, that in the whole Series of Bridlegoose's Juridical De∣crees, there hath been, I know not what, of extraordinary favouring of the unspeaka∣ble Benignity of God, that all those his pre∣ceding

Sentences, Awards, and Judge∣ments, have been confirmed and appro∣ved of by your selves, in this your own Venerable and Sovereign Court: for it is usual (as you know well) with him whose ways are inscrutable, to manifest his own ineffable Glory, in blunting the perspicacy of the Eyes of the Wise, in weakning the Strength of potent Oppressors, in depres∣sing the Pride of rich Extortioners, and in erecting, comforting, protecting, sup∣porting, upholding, and shoaring up the poor, feeble, humble, silly, and foolish Ones of the Earth. But waving all these matters, I shall only beseech you, not by the Obligations which you pretend to owe to my Family, for which I thank you; but for that constant and unfeigned Love and Affection which you have always found in me, both on this and on the other side of Loire, for the Maintenance and Esta∣blishment of your Places, Offices, and Dignities, that for this one time, you would pardon and forgive him, upon these two Conditions: First, That he sa∣tisfie, or put a sufficient Surety for the Sa∣tisfaction of the Party wronged by the In∣justice of the Sentence in question: for the fulfilment of this Article, I will pro∣vide sufficiently. And Secondly, That for his subsidiary Aid in the weighty Charge

of Administrating Justice, you would be pleased to appoint, and assign unto him some pretty, little, vertuous Counseller, younger, learneder, and wiser then he, by the Square and Rule of whose Advice he may regulate, guide, temper and mode∣rate in times coming all his Judiciary Pro∣cedures, or otherways, if you intend to∣tally to depose him from his Office, and to deprive him altogether of the State and Dignity of a Judge, I shall cordially intreat you to make a Present and free Gift of him to me, who shall find in my Kingdoms Charges and Employments e∣nough wherewith to imbusie him, for the bettering of his own Fortunes, and fur∣therance of my Service. In the mean time, I implore the Creator, Saviour and Sanctifyer of all good things, in their Grace, Mercy and Kindness to preserve you all now and evermore, World with∣out end.

These Words thus spoken, Pantagruel vayling his Cap, and making a Leg with such a Majestick Garb as became a Person of his paramount Degree and Eminency, farewell'd Trinquamelle the President, and Master Speaker of that Merlingues••an Par∣liament, took his leave of the whole Court, and went out of the Chamber; at the Door whereof finding Panurge, Epistemon,

Friar Ihon, and others, he forthwith at∣tended by them, walked to the utter Gate, where all them immediately took Horse to return towards Gargantua. Pan∣tagruel by the way related to them from point to point, the manner of Bridlegoose's sententiating Differences at Law. Friar Ihon said, that he had seen Peter Dandin, and was acquainted with him at that time when he sojourned in the Monastery of Fontaine le Conte, under the Noble Abbot Ardillon. Gymnast likeways affirmed, that he was in the Tent of the Grand Chri∣stian Cavallier de Cressie, when the Gascon, after his Sleep, made answer to the Ad∣venturer. Panurge was somewhat incre∣dulous in the matter of believing, that it was morally possible. Bridlegoose should have been for such a long space of time so continually fortunate in that Aleatory way of deciding Law Debates. Epistemon said to Pantagruel, Such another Story, not much unlike to that, in all the Circum∣stances thereof, is vulgarly reported of the Provost of Montlebery. In good sooth, such a Perpetuity of good Luck is to be wondred at. To have hit right twice or thrice in a Judgment so given by Hap-ha∣zard, might have fallen out well enough, e∣specially in Controversies that were am∣biguous, intricate, abstruse, perplexed and obscure.