It befell in the year 1662, in which same year were many witchcrafts and
sorceries, such as never before had been seen and the like of which will
never again, by grace of Heaven, afflict mankind--in this year it befell
that the devil came upon earth to tempt an holy friar, named Friar
Gonsol, being strictly minded to win that righteous vessel of piety unto
his evil pleasance.
* * * * *
Now wit you well that this friar had grievously offended the devil, for
of all men then on earth there was none more holier than he nor none
surer to speak and to do sweet charity unto all his fellows in every
place. Therefore it was that the devil was sore wroth at the Friar
Gonsol, being mightily plagued not only by his teachings and his
preachings, but also by the pious works which he continually did do.
Right truly the devil knew that by no common temptations was this friar
to be moved, for the which reason did the devil seek in dark and
troublous cogitations to bethink him of some new instrument wherewith he
might bedazzle the eyes and ensnare the understanding of the holy man.
On a sudden it came unto the fiend that by no corporeal allurement would
he be able to achieve his miserable end, for that by reason of an
abstemious life and a frugal diet the Friar Gonsol had weaned his body
from those frailties and lusts to which human flesh is by nature of the
old Adam within it disposed, and by long-continued vigils and by
earnest devotion and by godly contemplations and by divers proper
studies had fixed his mind and his soul with exceeding steadfastness
upon things unto his eternal spiritual welfare appertaining. Therefore
it beliked the devil to devise and to compound a certain little booke of
mighty curious craft, wherewith he might be like to please the Friar
Gonsol and, in the end, to ensnare him in his impious toils. Now this
was the way of the devil's thinking, to wit: This friar shall suspect no
evil in the booke, since never before hath the devil tempted mankind
with such an instrument, the common things wherewith the devil tempteth
man being (as all histories show and all theologies teach) fruit and
women and other like things pleasing to the gross and perishable senses.
Therefore, argueth the devil, when I shall tempt this friar with a booke
he shall be taken off his guard and shall not know it to be a
temptation. And thereat was the devil exceeding merry and he did laugh
full merrily.
* * * * *
Now presently came this thing of evil unto the friar in the guise of
another friar and made a proper low obeisance unto the same. But the
Friar Gonsol was not blinded to the craft of the devil, for from under
the cloak and hood that he wore there did issue the smell of sulphur and
of brimstone which alone the devil hath.
"Beshrew me," quoth the Friar Gonsol, "if the odour in my nostrils be
spikenard and not the fumes of the bottomless pit!"
"Nay, sweet friar," spake the devil full courteously, "the fragrance
thou perceivest is of frankincense and myrrh, for I am of holy orders
and I have brought thee a righteous booke, delectable to look upon and
profitable unto the reading."
Then were the eyes of that Friar Gonsol full of bright sparklings and
his heart rejoiced with exceeding joy, for he did set most store, next
to his spiritual welfare, by bookes wherein was food to his beneficial
devouring.
"I do require thee," quoth the friar, "to shew me that booke that I may
know the name thereof and discover whereof it treateth."
Then shewed the devil the booke unto the friar, and the friar saw it was
an uncut unique of incalculable value; the height of it was half a cubit
and the breadth of it the fourth part of a cubit and the thickness of it
five barleycorns lacking the space of three horsehairs. This booke
contained, within its divers picturings, symbols and similitudes wrought
with incomparable craft, the same being such as in human vanity are
called proof before letters, and imprinted upon India paper; also the
booke contained written upon its pages, divers names of them that had
possessed it, all these having in their time been mighty and illustrious
personages; but what seemed most delectable unto the friar was an
autographic writing wherein 'twas shewn that the booke sometime had been
given by Venus di Medici to Apollos at Rhodes.
When therefore the Friar Gonsol saw the booke how that it was intituled
and imprinted and adorned and bounden, he knew it to be of vast worth
and he was mightily moved to possess it; therefore he required of the
other (that was the devil) that he give unto him an option upon the same
for the space of seven days hence or until such a time as he could
inquire concerning the booke in Lowndes and other such like authorities.
But the devil, smiling, quoth: "The booke shall be yours without price
provided only you shall bind yourself to do me a service as I shall
hereafter specify and direct."
Now when the Friar Gonsol heard this compact, he knew for a verity that
the devil was indeed the devil, and but that he sorely wanted the booke
he would have driven that impious fiend straightway from his presence.
Howbeit, the devil, promising to visit him again that night, departed,
leaving the friar exceeding heavy in spirit, for he was both assotted
upon the booke to comprehend it and assotted upon the devil to do
violence unto him.
It befell that in his doubtings he came unto the Friar Francis, another
holy man that by continual fastings and devotions had made himself an
ensample of piety unto all men, and to this sanctified brother did the
Friar Gonsol straightway unfold the story of his temptation and speak
fully of the wondrous booke and of its divers many richnesses.
When that he had heard this narration the Friar Francis made answer in
this wise: "Of great subtility surely is the devil that he hath set this
snare for thy feet. Have a care, my brother, that thou fallest not into
the pit which he hath digged for thee! Happy art thou to have come to me
with this thing, elsewise a great mischief might have befallen thee. Now
listen to my words and do as I counsel thee. Have no more to do with
this devil; send him to me, or appoint with him another meeting and I
will go in thy stead."
"Nay, nay," cried the Friar Gonsol, "the saints forefend from thee the
evil temptation provided for my especial proving! I should have been
reckoned a weak and coward vessel were I to send thee in my stead to
bear the mortifications designed for the trying of my virtues."
"But thou art a younger brother than I," reasoned the Friar Francis
softly; "and, firm though thy resolution may be now, thou art more like
than I to be wheedled and bedazzled by these diabolical wiles and
artifices. So let me know where this devil abideth with the booke; I
burn to meet him and to wrest his treasure from his impious possession."
But the Friar Gonsol shook his head and would not hear unto this
vicarious sacrifice whereon the good Friar Francis had set his heart.
"Ah, I see that thou hast little faith in my strength to combat the
fiend," quoth the Friar Francis reproachfully. "Thy trust in me should
be greater, for I have done thee full many a kindly office; or, now I do
bethink me, thou art assorted on the booke! Unhappy brother, can it be
that thou dost covet this vain toy, this frivolous bauble, that thou
wouldst seek the devil's companionship anon to compound with Beelzelub?
I charge thee, Brother Gonsol, open thine eyes and see in what a
slippery place thou standest."
Now by these argumentations was the Friar Gonsol mightily confounded,
and he knew not what to do.
"Come, now, hesitate no longer," quoth the Friar Francis, "but tell me
where that devil may be found--I burn to see and to comprehend the
booke--not that I care for the booke, but that I am grievously tormented
to do that devil a sore despight!"
"Odds boddikins," quoth the other friar, "me-seemeth that the booke
inciteth thee more than the devil."
"Thou speakest wrongly," cried the Friar Francis. "Thou mistakest pious
zeal for sinful selfishness. Full wroth am I to hear how that this devil
walketh to and fro, using a sweet and precious booke for the temptation
of holy men. Shall so righteous an instrument be employed by the prince
of heretics to so unrighteous an end?"
"Thou sayest wisely," quoth the Friar Gonsol, "and thy words convince me
that a battaile must be made with this devil for that booke. So now I
shall go to encounter the fiend!"
"Then by the saints I shall go with thee!" cried the Friar Francis, and
he gathered his gown about his loins right briskly.
But when the Friar Gonsol saw this he made great haste to go alone, and
he ran out of the door full swiftly and fared him where the devil had
appointed an appointment with him. Now wit you well that the Friar
Francis did follow close upon his heels, for though his legs were not so
long he was a mighty runner and he was right sound of wind. Therefore
was it a pleasant sight to see these holy men vying with one another to
do battle with the devil, and much it repenteth me that there be some
ribald heretics that maintain full enviously that these two saintly
friars did so run not for the devil that they might belabor him, but for
the booke that they might possess it.
It fortuned that the devil was already come to the place where he had
appointed the appointment, and in his hand he had the booke aforesaid.
Much marveled he when that he beheld the two friars faring thence.
"I adjure thee, thou devil," said the Friar Gonsol from afar off, "I
adjure thee give me that booke else I will take thee by thy horns and
hoofs and drub thy ribs together!"
"Heed him not, thou devil," said the Friar Francis, "for it is I that am
coming to wrestle with thee and to overcome thee for that booke!"
With such words and many more the two holy friars bore down upon the
devil; but the devil thinking verily that he was about to be beset by
the whole church militant stayed not for their coming, but presently
departed out of sight and bore the book with him.
Now many people at that time saw the devil fleeing before the two
friars, so that, esteeming it to be a sign of special grace, these
people did ever thereafter acknowledge the friars to be saints, and unto
this day you shall hear of St. Gonsol and St. Francis. Unto this day,
too, doth the devil, with that same booke wherewith he tempted the friar
of old, beset and ensnare men of every age and in all places. Against
which devil may Heaven fortify us to do battle speedily and with
successful issuance.