At Easter this year Sir Geoffrey gave unto the parish church to have
and to keep for ever a fair silver pyx, wherein to preserve the Blessed
Body of Christ, which said vessel was beset about with many precious
gems and wrought with the utmost cunning of art, so that the fame
thereof spread into the country round, and many folk came many miles
solely to gaze upon it.
The Martinmas following came one Master Montalto to the village, giving
himself out to be a great master of physic and surgery from Paris and
Naples and other Universities across the seas. He gained much credence
with the people, inasmuch as he spoke with a wonderful gift of words,
and was by his own confession far seen in the medicinal learning of the
Moors and other heathen peoples. He lodged at the hostelry with Meg
Dogtooth, and on holidays was wont to stand in the market-place and to
speak to such as gathered round in the Greekish, Moorish, and Arabic
tongues, and that with such astounding fluency that he never was at a
loss for a single word. Also he sold there a most potent and magical
elixir, which could restore nature to those sick of disease or wasted
by process of age.
There accompanied him one Martin, his servant, whose tongue never tired
of magnifying and extolling the Doctor’s skill and learning. This
fellow, amongst other things, said that his master had cured Prester
John’s daughter of an imposthume in the neck, which she had had seven
years, and which the Royal College of Physicians had despaired of; that
he had restored sight to a certain blind pilgrim who had vainly spent
his substance and fifteen years in seeking aid at the blessed shrines
of Walsingham, Compostella, and elsewhere; and that he had also made
whole of the leprosy a noble lady of Maguntium in High Germany.
This almost incredible skill of the Doctor gave many in the village
to suppose that he dealt in magic and kindred unlawful arts, and this
seemed the more probable inasmuch as the two weeks he remained in the
village he went not once to church, whereby neglecting an observance
which is strictly enjoined on all Christian men. Of this took especial
note Master Bailiff, who was Churchwarden that year.
Now one evening the Bailiff sat by the hostel fire talking with Meg
Dogtooth, when who should come in but man Martin, and would not be
gainsaid but the Bailiff must drink with him? When they had somewhat
drunk together the Bailiff laid gentle complaint to Martin that his
master, the Doctor, was over lax in his duty to Holy Mother Church.
‘And for that I am right sorry, Master Bailiff,’ said Martin, ‘but,
alas, he hath grown wondrous moody and passionate of late. Of a night
he doth not sleep, but walketh aye up and down our chamber, wringing
his hands, striking his breast and head, moaning and crying out on
Our Blessed Lady and the Saints. I cannot persuade him to peace and
quietness; he is sore troubled, and for my part I know not what to
think. He groweth as thin as a Lenten herring and as pale as a wax
candle, and he the greatest master of physic in the whole world. ’Tis a
sad sight for these eyes of mine, I warrant thee.’
‘Belike he hath some naughty matter on his conscience,’ quoth the
Bailiff cunningly. ‘Maudlin of the Crossways was sorely troubled in
like manner when she could not make full confession for shame.’
‘Lo, Master Bailiff, I see indeed my master was right yesterday,
when he said thou wert “vir doctissimus,” which in the vulgar tongue
betokeneth a man most wise and sagacious. By Our Lady, thou persuadest
me to thine opinion. My master hath power over the body but none over
the soul, and therein lieth his sore. Would God there were some good
man of religion in the town to whom he might disclose himself.’
‘Why, good Martin, there is Sir John, our priest. I never knew an
honester man of his cloth.’
‘Sayest thou so, good sir? Then am I much beholden to thee for thy
good counsel, and right glad would I be to perform thy counsel every
whit. But alas, how might we come at Sir John? My master is proud as
the Devil himself, and, God forgive him, Master Bailiff, loveth not
priests.’
‘I’faith, that shall be easily managed. Knowest thou not I am
Churchwarden?’
‘Marry, I knew thou wert much esteemed of the townsfolk.’
‘Ay, ay, let it pass if I am. I will deal with Sir John; do thou deal
with thy master and I warrant we shall bring them together. The Parson
and I would patch up thy Master’s soul, were it rotten as Northern
cloth.’
‘The Saints bless thee, Master Bailiff. Would I might persuade the good
Doctor to thy counsel, but, alack, I have not thy silver tongue and
subtle reasonings; the Blessed Virgin knows I am a poor creature.’
‘Why, good Martin, thou hast only to open thy mouth.’
‘Ay, ay, thou talkest an I were a man of thy own coinage, when I am
but base metal. But, good Master Bailiff, wouldst thou but step to his
chamber, where he sits even now moodily brooding all alone, I have no
manner of doubt but thou wouldst prevail with him, especially if thou
wouldst but consent to go with him to Sir John and join thy advice to
that of the Parson.’
The Bailiff hemmed twice or thrice, stroked his beard, and emptied his
tankard.
‘Well, well, young man,’ he said, ‘e’en lead me to thy master.’