to God, because I know all which he had commanded thee to do, and also how he was to die. And I can know better in what place he is, than he who has commanded thee to observe this rule, knew concerning himself while he was here. But this I tell thee, that as I came to teach thee the way in which thou shouldst live, and thou wilt not follow my directions, I will return as I came. And now I marvel not at any thing which has befallen thee, for thou hast a right stubborn heart; hard and painful wilt thou find the way of thy salvation, and in vain wilt thou do all this, for it is a thing which profiteth nothing. oughtest to sleep first; for whilst thou art sleeping the food will settle, and the will will then be more able for contemplation. Moreover, God is not pleased with prayers without contrition, as with one who speaketh of one thing, and hath his heart placed on another, so that he can give no faith to the words which he beginneth. If thou wouldest be saved, O King, it behoves thee to listen to me; and if thou wilt not believe me, I will depart and leave thee, as one who will take no counsel, except from himself. And the King replied, If I should see that thou confirmedst the good manner of life whereof my soul hath need, according as it was appointed by the good man whom I have buried, then would I follow thy way. But I see that thy life is not Ch. 247.-Of the Reply which King Don Rodrigo made that of a man of abstinence, nor of one who forsakes worldly enjoyments for the love of God; rather it seemeth by what I see in thee that thy life is a strengthening of worldly glory; for thou satisfiest thy flesh with good viands as I was wont to do, when I was puffed up with the vanities of the world. Wherefore I will in no wise follow thy way, for I see that thou art a worldly man, who deceivest God and the world, and when it comes to the end thou thyself wilt be deceived. to the false Hermit. «Good man, said the King, all that thou shalt command me to do beyond the rule which the holy Hermit appointed me, that will I do; that in which my penance may be more severe, willingly will I do it. But in other manner I will not take thy counsel; and as thou hast talked enough of this, leave me therefore to my prayers. And then the King bent his knees, and began to go on with his rule. And the false Hermit, when he saw this, Ch. 244-Of what the Devil said to King Don Rodrigo departed, and returned not again for a month; and all that time the King maintained his penance, in the manner which had been appointed him. And by reason that he ate only of that black bread, and drank only water, his flesh fell away, and he became such that there was not a man in the world who would have known him. Thus he remained in the hermitage, thinking of no other thing than to implore the mercy of God that he would pardon him. «The false Hermit said to him, For what reason art thou certain that the rule which this deceiver whom thou hast buried appointed for thee, will be salvation for thy soul, and that what I say to thee is not of a truth? Thou understandest me not well: I never forbade thee that thou shouldst hear mass, as he has done; for this is one of the good things that man may every day see his Saviour and adore him. And seeing that he Ch. 248.-Of what the false Hermit said to King Don forbade thee to do this, thou mayest be certain that as he deceived his own soul, he would deceive thine also. For at the hour when man passeth away out of the world, he would fain that that same hour should be the end of all the world; and thus that enemy did, for where he went, thither he would draw thee also. Now since God hath given thee sense and reason, thou mayest clearly understand that his counsel and doctrine are deceitful, and what thou oughtest to do. Ch. 245.-Of the Reply which the King made to the «Sans doubt, said the King, be forbade me not that I should hear mass; but because he commanded me that I should fulfil my penance here for the term of a year, as he knew the hour of his own death, so also he knew that no other person who could say mass would come to this hermitage within the year; and therefore he said to me, that in this hermitage I should not hear mass, but he never forbade me from hearing it. Ch. 246.-Of the Reasoning which the false Hermit made to King Don Rodrigo. << The false Hermit said, Now thou thyself manifestest that he was not so worthy as a man ought to be who knows that which is to come. For according to thy words, he knew not that I should come here, who can say mass if I please; and if there be good judgment in thee, thou wilt understand that I must needs be nearer Rodrigo to dispart him from his Rule. «King Don Rodrigo living thus, one day, between midnight and dawn, the false Hermit came to the hermitage; and not in the same figure as before, but appearing more youthful, so that he would not be known. And he called at the door, and the King looked who it might be, and saw that he was habited like a servant of God, and he opened the door forthwith. And they saluted each other. And when they saw each other, the false Hermit greeted the King, and demanded of him where the father was; and the King answered, that for more than a month there had been no person dwelling there save himself. And the false Hermit, when he heard this, made semblance as if he were afflicted with exceeding grief, and said, How came this to be, for it is not yet six weeks since I came here and confessed my sins to the father who abode here, and then departed from this hermitage to my own, which is a league from hence? And King Don Rodrigo said, Friend, know that this hermit is now in Paradise, as I believe, and I buried him with my own hands: and he shewed him the place where he lay. And when he went there he began to kiss the earth of the grave, and to make great dole and lamentation over him. And when some half hour had past, he withdrew, making semblance as if he wished to say his hours. And before the King had finished to say his, he came to him, and said, Good man, will you say mass? And the King answered, that he never said it. Then, said the false Hermit, Hear me then in peni tence, for I would confess. And the King seeing that And at that hour the King plainly saw how from the ark, which was upon the altar, there went out a foul and filthy devil, with more than fifty tails and as many eyes, who, uttering great yells, departed from the place. And the King was greately dismayed at the manner in which the false Hermit had deceived him. And the Holy Spirit of God said to him, King, let thy hope be in my name, and I will alway be with thee, so thou wilt not let thyself be vanquished by the enemy. Then the Holy Spirit of God departed, and the King remained full joyful and greatly comforted, as if he had been in celestial glory. And thus he continued his life for nearly two months. Ch. 250.-How the Devil would have deceived King «The King was in his oratory one Sunday toward night-fall, just as the sun was setting, when he saw a man coming toward him, clad in such guise as is fitting for one who follows arms. And as he looked at him, he saw that it was the Count Don Julian who ap proached; and he saw that behind him there came a great power of armed people. And the false Count, when he drew nigh, made obeisance to him and the King was amazed at seeing him, for he knew him well: nevertheless he remained still. And the false Count came to him, and would have kissed his hand, but the King would not give it, neither would he rise up from the oratory: and the false Count knelt upon the ground before him, and said, Sir, forasmuch as I am he who sinned against thee like a man who is a traitor to his Lord, and as I did it with great wrath and fury, which possessed my heart through the strength of the Devil, our Lord God hath had compassion upon me, and Ch. 249.-How the Holy Ghost visited King Don Rodrigo. would not that I should be utterly lost, nor that Spain should be destroyed, nor that thou, sir, shouldst be put «Now when the King had ended his prayers, which down from thy great honour and state, and the great he used to say every day before he took his food, he lordship which thou hadst in Spain. And he has shewn saw a good man come towards him, clad in white gar-me, in a revelation, how thou wert here in this hermiments, and with a fresh countenance and a cheerful, and a cross upon his breast. And as he arrived where the King was, he blest him; and when the King saw him he perceived that it was a revelation of God, and he joined his hands and placed himself on his knees upon the ground, weeping plentifully. And the holy man said, King, who art desirous of heavenly glory, continue the service which thou art performing for the love of my holy name; and take heed lest the enemy overcome thee, as he who many times hath overcome thee, whereby thou hast come to what thou now art. And believe none of all those who may come to thee here, for they come for no other cause but only to deceive thee, and withdraw thee from the service which thou dost me. And always observe the rule given thee by the holy man whom thou buriedst; for I am content with it, and thy soul shall receive refreshment if thou observest it. Come here, and I will show thee how the Devil thought to deceive thee, that thou mightest adore him. Then the King arose and went, alway upon his knees, following the Holy Spirit of God; and when he was within the hermitage, our Lord spake and said, Depart from hence, thou cursed one, and go thy way, for thou hast no power to deceive him who continues in my service. Get thee to the infernal pains which are suffered by those who are in the ninth torment! tage doing this great penance for thy sins. Wherefore I say to thee, that thou shouldst do justice upon me, and take vengeance according to thy will, as upon one who deserves it, for I acknowledge that thou wert my lord, and also the great treason into which I have fallen. Wherefore, sir, I pray and beseech thee by the one only God, that thou wilt take the power of Spain, which is there awaiting thee, and that thou wilt go forth to defend the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, and suffer not that poor Spain should be utterly destroyed, seeing that thou canst defend it and protect it. And then Count Julian drew his sword, and gave it to the King, saying, Sir, take this my sword, and with thine own hand do justice upon me, and take such vengeance as thou pleasest; for I will suffer it with much patience, seeing I have sinned against thee. And the King was greatly troubled at his sight, and at his words also, and knew not what he should do, neither what he should say. Howbeit, presently he called to mind what the Holy Spirit of God had said to him, how he should take heed lest the Devil should subdue him; and so he said nothing, but continued in his prayer. And the false Count Don Julian said to him, Sir, wilt thou not turn for the Holy Faith of Jesus Christ, which is utterly going to destruction? rise up and defend it, for I bring thee a full great power; and thus thou wilt serve God : : what they said, and he answered nothing. And then they all went away, and seemed to the King that the one were pursuing the others, and this continued till the first crowing of the cock. And the King recovered his senses howbeit he knew not whether it was a vision, or if it had indeed happened; but he called to mind that he had not completed the prayers which he made every day; and he began them again and finished And when he had finished, great part of the them. you, night was past, and he laid himself down to sleep. And then for three months he had no other temptation. Ch. 251.-How the Devil, in the Figure of La Cava, the << The King was saying his prayers at the hour of vespers on a Tuesday, when he saw people on horseback coming toward him and as they were about the reach of a cross-bow from him, he saw that they alighted, and that there came toward him a woman, who was full nobly clad; and when she came near, he knew her that she was La Cava, the daughter of Count Don Julian, and she seemed to him more beautiful than he had ever before seen her in his life. And when she drew nigh she humbled herself, and said, Sir, what fortune has brought you to this wretched life in which you have so and recover the honour which thou hadst lost. Rise then and go forth, and have pity upon miserable Spain, which is about to be lost and have compassion also upon so many people as are perishing for want of a Lord who should defend them. Now all these words were only meant to deceive him, for it was the Devil who had taken the form of Count Don Julian, and not the Count himself. But the King could no longer restrain himself from replying, and he said, Go Count, and defend the land with this force which you have assembled, even as you went to destroy it by the great treason which you committed against me and against God. And even as you brought the men, who are enemies of God and of his Holy Faith, and led them into Spain, so now thrust them out and defend it; for I will neither slay you, nor assist you in it. Leave me to myself; I am no longer for the world, for here I will do penance for my sins. Urge me, therefore, no more with these reasons. And the false Count Don Julian rose, and went to the great company which he had brought there, and brought them all before the King. And the King, when he beheld that great company of knights, saw some among them whom he surely thought had been slain in battle. And they all said to him with loud voices, Sir, whom wilt thou send us, that we may take him for our King and lord to protect and defend us, seeing that thou wilt not defend the land, neither go with us? Wouldst thou give us thy nephew the In-long continued? And the King held his peace and said fant Don Sancho? He is dead. What then wouldst nothing. And that false Cava said, Sir, it is a month thou command us that we should do? Look to it since a holy man, clad in white garments, and having a well, sir; it is no service of God that thou shouldst let red cross upon his breast, appeared to me when I was perish so great a Chistianity as is every day perishing, with my father Count Don Julian in Toledo; where he because thou art here dwelling in this solitude. Look now holds the seat of the lordship of Spain, as he who, to it, for God will require an account at thy hands by force of arms, has subdued the Moors, and killed or thou hadst the charge of defending them, and thou made captives of them all. At the hour when this holy lettest them die. And tell us what course shall we man appeared to me I was alone in my chamber, take. And when the King heard these words he was having great sorrow in my heart, because I had no moved to compassion and the tears came into his certain news where you was, and whether your soul eyes, so that he could not restrain them: and he was continued to live in this world, or in another. And, in such state that his thoughts failed him, and he was moreover, I was full sorrowful, because of the death of silent, and made no reply to any thing that they could my Lady the Queen Eliaca, your wife, who is now say. And all these companies who saw him complained deceased. And for these things my heart was full so much the more, and sent forth great cries, and sorrowful, and in great trouble with griefs and thoughts, made a great tumult and uproar, and said, O miserable which came to me I know not from whence, and I was King, why wilt thou not rouse thyself for thy own sake, like one bereft of his judgment. And while I was and for that of all thy people whom thou seest without contemplating in this state, the holy man appeared to a Lord? and thou wilt not even speak a word to comfort me in such wisc as I have said, and said to me, of what them, and tell them what they shall do. And all this art thou taking thought? Cease to lament, for without while the King did nothing but weep, and answered me thou canst do nothing certain of that which thou them never a word. And when this vile race saw that desirest. But that the dominion of Spain may not pass they could not take him from thence, and that he away from the power of the Goths, and that he who answered them nothing, and that they could not over- shall have it may descend from thy seed, and be of the come him by whatever they might do, they went forth-generation of King Don Rodrigo, it is my will that thou with from the mountain down into a plain, which shouldst know where he is, and that thou shouldst go was then made to appear before the King, and there to him, and that he should go in unto thee, and that they drew up their battles in such guise as the King thou shouldst conceive of him a son, and shalt call his Don Rodrigo was used to darrain them. And eft-soon name Felbersan, the which shall be such a one that he he saw great multitudes of strange people, who came shall reduce under his forces all the earth which is from the other side, and they began a battle so fierce below the firmament. Depart, therefore, from hence, and so cruel, that the King thought he had never seen and go to the place where he is, and make no tarriance; one like it. And the one party put the other to the for thus it behoveth for the service of God, and for the worst, and followed after them in pursuit. And then weal and protection and defence of the land. And I there came messengers to the King, telling him that his said to him, Sir, how can this be which you tell me, people had conquered, and had slain many of the seeing that King Don Rodrigo is dead; for his enemies enemy; but the King was confounded, and as it were slew him when they won the battle in which the great beside himself, and heeded not, neither did he know chivalry of Spain perished. And he said to me, Cava, Ch. 252.-How the Devil would have deceive King Don Rodrigo, if the Holy Spirit had not visited and protected him. think not he is dead, for he liveth, and passeth his life « As the King heard all this his whole body began to tremble, and his soul within him also; and all sense and power past away from him, so that he was in a trance, and then it was revealed to him that he should take heed against that temptation. And the false Cava, who saw him thus entranced, made many burning torches of wax come there, by reason that it was cold, and because that the King should derive heat; also there was a pavilion pitched there, and a table set within it with many viands thereon, and all the people who came with her were seen to lodge themselves far away upon the mountain. And when he had recovered himself, he saw that the false Cava was drest in a closefitting kirtle, which came half way below the knee, and she seemed to him the fairest woman that he had ever seen in his life, and it appeared to the King that she said to him, Here, sir, come and take your supper. And the King began again to tremble and lose his judgment, and fell into such a state that he knew not where he was, and it was revealed to him in that hour that he should guard against the temptation. And when he came to himself he saw that the pavilion was spread over his head; and seeing himself in that place, he looked for the oratory, and perceived that it was where it used to be; and within the pavilion he saw the false Cava, who was there with him, and that she was standing beside a bed, which was a full rich one, and that she' began to take off her kirtle, and remained in her shift only, and with her long hair, which reached to her feet; and she said to him, See, sir, here in your power, that which you most desired, and which is now awaiting you. Rejoice, then, and take heart, and do that which God has appointed, which will recover Spain, and recompense the losses, and sorrows, and wrongs which you have endured. And then she turned toward the King, for the Devil thought thus to tempt him, and make him break the penance which he had begun; and certes I ween there was no living man who would not right gladly have approached her. And then before him, in his sight, she began to comb and to plait her golden locks. And the King, seeing how beautiful she was, began to tremble all over, as if he had been struck with palsy; and he lost his judgment again, and became entranced, and remained thus a long while before he came again to himself. And it was revealed to him again that he should take heed how the Devil tempted him, and that he should have firm hope in God, and not break the penance which the holy Hermit had appointed him. But ever when he recovered from these trances, he forgot all which had been revealed to hum while he was entranced; and now he found that there a large estrado placed by him, and that La Cava was lying there beside him on some pillows, which were richly wrought in gold, undrest, as he had seen her, and that she said to him, Come. sir, for you tarry long, and it will soon be day-break. And the King seeing her so near him, then he was greatly troubled, yet could he not withdraw his eyes from her: but he called to mind how the Holy Spirit of God had bade him that he should always confide in his name, and place his true hope in the sign of the Cross. And he claspt his hands, and lifted them towards Heaven, and weeping bitterly, ! pe and in great contrition, he said, O Lord and very Jesus' cloud; and so great was the pleasure which he had, Christ, deliver me from all temptation, and preserve my that he cared not for food, neither remembered it, but soul, that it fall not into perdition. And while he was went after that his holy guide. And at night he saw praying thus, he saw how there came from the hermi- how the cloud, when the sun was about to set, turned tage a great brightness, and he said, Deliver me, Lord, to the right of the road toward the mountains; and it from the power of the Devil, that I may not be deceived, went on so far, that before night had closed it came to nor withdrawn from thy holy service. And at that hour a hermitage, in which there was a good man for a Herhe made the sign of the cross upon his forehead, and mit, who was more than ninety years of age, and there blest himself; and at that hour the false Cava fell down it stopt. And the King perceived that he was to rest the rock into the sea, with such a sound as if the whole there, and the good man welcomed the King, and they world were falling to pieces; and with the plunge which spake together of many things. And the King was well she made the sea dashed up so high, that where the ora- contented with his speech, and saw that certes he was tory was the King was wetted with the spray. And he a servant of God. And all that day the King had not remained in such astonishment that he could not for an eaten, and he was barefoot, and his raiment tattered: hour recover himself. And when he came to himself he and as he had not been used to travel a-foot, and with began to pray with great repentance, as if he had been his feet bare, his feet were swoln with blisters. And on the point of falling into temptation. And the Holy when it was an hour after night, the Hermit gave him Spirit of God came to him in that same manner in which a loaf, full small, which was made of rye, and there he had seen it the former time. And he fell on his face were ashes kneaded with it, and the king ate it: and upon the ground, and began to lament full bitterly, and when he had eaten they said prayers. And when they to say, Lord, have mercy upon my soul, and forsake me had said their hours, they lay down to sleep. And when not among mine enemies, who would withdraw me it was midnight they arose and said their hours: and from thee. And the Holy Spirit said to him, ( King, of when they had said them, the King went out of the little faith, how hast thou been on the point of perish- hermitage, and saw that the cloud did not move and ing! And the King made no reply, for he did nothing then the King understood that he had to tarry here, or but weep. And the Holy Spirit of God said to him, that he was to hear mass before he departed, and he Take heed, King, lest the Devil deceive thee, and have asked the Hermit to hear his confession, and the Hermit power over thee, that thou shouldst not fulfil the confessed him. And when he had confessed, he said nance which thou hast commenced, neither save thy that he would communicate, and the good Hermit saw soul. And the King lifted up his countenance, and had that it was good, and he put on his vestments and said great shame to behold him. Howbeit he took courage, mass; and the King heard the mass, and received the and said, Lord, have mercy upon me, and let me not be very body of our Lord Jesus Christ. And when the King tempted by the enemy, for my heart is weak, and hath had done this, he went out to look at the cloud. no power to defend itself against the false one: for my as he went out of the hermitage he saw that the cloud judgment is clean confounded, as one who hath no began to move, and then he dispeeded himself from the virtue if he be not aided by thy grace. Deliver me, liermit, and they embraced each other weeping, and Lord, for thy holy mercy and compassion: my salvation each entreated the other, that he would bear him in cannot come through the strength of my heart, for it is mind, and remember him in his prayers. And when wholly full of fear, like a thing which is overcome. And the King had dispeeded himself, he followed after his the Holy Spirit of God said to him, Take courage and holy guide, and the holy Hermit returned to his hermifear not, for thou shalt depart from this place sooner tage. And the King Don Rodrigo, notwithstanding his than thou thinkest. And when it is time I will guide | feet were swoln and full of blisters, and that in many thee to the place where thou shalt do thy penance, that places they were broken and bleeding, such and so thy soul may receive salvation. When thou shalt see great was the joy which he felt at going on in the little white cloud appear above thee, and that there is course which he now held, that he endured it all as no other in the sky, follow after it and in the place though he felt nothing. And he went, according as it where it shall stop shalt thou fulfil thy penance, ac- seemed to him, full six leagues, and arrived at a concording as the chief priest in that place shall appoint it vent of Black Monks, and there the cloud stopt, and thee. And take heart, and alway call to mind my holy would proceed no farther. And at that convent there name, and have true faith and constant hope in thy Sa- was an Abbot who led an extraordinarily good and holy viour. And when he had said this he departed. And the life; and they were not there like other monks; and he King was greatly comforted and full of grace, as one was a great friend of God and of our Lady the Virgin with whom God was present in his mercy. And he St Mary: and this Abbot took the King to his cell, and abode in the hermitage a whole year, according to his asked if he would eat as he was wont to do, or like the reckoning, and twelve days more. And one day, when other monks; and the King said, that he would do as it was full clear, the King looked up and saw above him he should direct him. And the Abbot ordered that a the cloud of which the Holy Spirit of God had told him; loaf should be brought of pannick and maize mixed toand when he saw it he was full joyful, and gave many gether, and a jar of water, and on the other side he had thanks to God. Nevertheless the King did not rise from food placed such as the monks used; and the King his prayers, neither did the cloud move from above him, would eat only of the pannick bread, as he had been And when he had finished his prayers he looked at the wont to do, and he drank of the water. And when he cloud, and saw that it moved forward.>> had eaten, the Abbot asked of him if he would remain that night or not, and the King said that he knew not, Ch. 253.-How King Don Rodrigo departed from the but that he would go out and see whether he were to Hermitage, and arrived where he was to do penance. go or to remain. And the Abbot said that it was the : And << The King arose from the oratory and followed the hour of vespers, and that he ought to remain; and the |