_How Friar Bacon deceived his Man, that would fast for conscience sake._
Friar Bacon had only one man to attend him; and he, too, was none of
the wisest, for he kept him in charity more than for any service he had
of him. This man of his, named Miles, never could endure to fast like
other religious persons did; for he always had, in one corner or other,
flesh, which he would eat, when his master eat bread only, or else did
fast and abstain from all things.
Friar Bacon seeing this, thought at one time or other to be even with
him, which he did, one Friday, in this manner: Miles, on the Thursday
night, had provided a great black-pudding for his Friday’s fast; that
pudding he put in his pocket, (thinking to warm it so, for his master
had no fire on those days.) On the next day, who was so demure as Miles!
he looked as though he could not have eat any thing. When his master
offered him some bread, he refused it, saying, his sins deserved a
greater penance than one day’s fast in a whole week. His master
commended him for it, and bid him take heed he did not dissemble, for if
he did, it would at last be known. “Then were I worse than a Turk,” said
Miles. So went he forth, as if he would have gone to pray privately, but
it was for nothing but to _prey_ privily on his black-pudding. Then he
pulled out, and fell to it lustily: but he was deceived, for, having put
one end in his mouth, he could neither get it out again, nor bite it
off; so that he stamped for help. His master hearing him, came; and
finding him in that manner, took hold of the other end of the pudding,
and led him to the hall, and showed him to all the scholars, saying,
“See here, my good friends and fellow-students, what a devout man my
servant Miles is! He loved not to break a fast-day--witness this
pudding, that his conscience will not let him swallow!” His master did
not release him till night, when Miles did vow never to break any
fast-day while he lived.
* * * * *