lidity, we do, by the authority of our seal, confirm this present instrument. Done at G- 75 in the year from the Incarnation of our Lord 1200, in the month of May." A similar instrument to the above was received by the king of France, with the change only of the names. Customs of the Exchequer as to enquiries into debts due to our lord the king. It has been enacted in England, and the same is, by command of king John, confirmed, that no sheriff shall receive any one at the presentation of a baron for a seneschal," who cannot be answerable for his amercement consequent on a breach of faith, if he should chance to be guilty of the same. And in case, at the presentation of a baron, a seneschal shall make oath that he will account to the sheriff for the debts due from his master to the exchequer, it is to be understood that he is to account for the debts due according to the computation of the sheriff; and if he shall not do so, he shall be put in the prison for that purpose named, according to the laws of the exchequer, and the debt due to the king shall be levied from the chattels of his master, in conformity with the laws of the exchequer. If also he shall not keep the faith to which he has pledged himself, so as not to appear at the time and place of payment to the sheriff, or if he shall make his appearance, and shall depart without leave given, his body shall be seized and placed in the king's prison for that purpose named, and he shall not be set at liberty but by the especial command of our lord the king. Also, persons shall be sent upon the lands of the master, whose seneschal has committed the default, and payment shall be made from out of his chattels of the money which, according to the law of the exchequer, is due: and if the said money is due for a fine" on land, and chattels are not to be found, then the land on account of which the fine became due shall be seized for the use of our lord the king, and be retained until such time as the money shall be paid in conformity with the law of the exchequer. As a punishment for his breach of faith the seneschal who shall have been guilty of such breach, shall never 75 Probably Gaillon, or Guleton. 76 This name here means nothing more than steward. 77 Probably the word "finis," here means the fine paid to the king, as superior lord, on entering on lands newly acquired by descent or purchase. It is, perhaps, the same as Spelman calls "the king's silver." be believed on his oath as to this or any other sums due whatever, nor shall he be received ;78 nor shall his master be believed, or to be listened to as to the said debt, unless by favour, and at the desire of the king, in conformity with the law and custom of the exchequer. In the same year, John, king of England, sold for five thousand marks, to William de Braose, the whole of the lands of Philip de Worcester, and the whole of the lands of Theobald Fitz-Walter, in Ireland. On this, Philip, with difficulty escaping from the hands of the king, returned into Ireland, passing through the territories of the king of the Scots, and recovered part of his lands by waging war [against the king]. Also Theobald Fitz-Walter, by the mediation of Hubert, archbishop of Canterbury, his brother, paid to William de Braose five hundred marks, in order to regain possession of his lands, and did homage to him for the same. Of the Philosopher Secundus and his determined silence. 80 In the time of Adrian flourished the philosopher Secundus, who philosophized, keeping silence all the time, and leading the life of a Pythagorean. For, when a little child, having been sent theres to be taught, he had heard among the Scots, that every woman is a harlot and unchaste. At length, becoming perfected in philosophy, he returned to his country, following the usual customs of a person on a pilgrimage, carrying a staff and a wallet, with the hair of his head and his beard growing long. [On his return] he was entertained in his own house, no one of the servants recognizing him, nor yet his own mother; and, wishing to prove, as to women, if what he had heard was true, he called one of the maid-servants, and promised her ten pieces of gold if she would induce his mother [to comply with his desires]; on which, yielding assent to the maid's proposal, she had him introduced to her in the evening. And whereas she supposed that she was about to have carnal connexion with him, he embraced her just 78 In the character of steward or seneschal to any lord. 79 How this account of the philosopher Secundus and his maxims came to be inserted here, or for what purpose, it is impossible to say. It has nothing to do with the narrative. 80 Probably abstaining from flesh. 81 This was a singular school for the education of a child, in the time of Adrian or his predecessors. VOL. II. L L as though she had been his own mother, and lay upon her breast until the morning. When the morning came, and he wished to arise and depart, she caught hold of him, and said, "It was to try me, that you did this;" on which he made answer, "By no means, madam, my mother; but it would not have been a proper thing for me to defile the vessel from which I came forth." On this she enquired who he was; when he made answer, “I am your son Secundus." Accordingly, on considering within herself, not being able to bear her alarm, she died from fright. Secundus, now feeling sensible that it was through his words that his mother's death had happened, exacted it as a punishment upon himself for, the future not to speak again; he, accordingly, preserved silence until the day of his death It so happened, that about the same time the emperor Adrian, coming to Athens, heard of him, and, sending for him, in the first place saluted him; the other, however, remained silent. On this, Adrian said, "Speak, philosopher, that we may hear something of thee." He, however, still persevered in his determined silence; on which Tyrpon called to a headsman, and said, "As this person does not choose to speak to the emperor, we do not choose that he shall live. Take him away, and put him to the torture." At the last moment, Adrian secretly took the headsman aside, and said to him, "Speak to him on the road, and persuade him to speak; and if at your persuasion he makes answer, then behead him; but if he makes no answer, then bring him back to me." Accordingly, Secundus was led by the headsman to the place of torture; and the headsman said to him, "O Secundus, why dost thou die in silence? Speak, and thou shalt live." However, caring but little for life, in silence he awaited death; and the headsman, leading him to the appointed place, said to him, "Stretch forth thy neck, and receive the sword thereon:" on which, he extended his neck, and preferred silence to life. On this, the headsman took him, and led him to Adrian, telling him how that Secundus had persisted in his silence even unto death. Adrian, admiring the firmness of the philosopher, said to him, "Since this law of silence which thou hast determined upon can in no way be broken, take that tablet and write, and at least speak with thy hand." Secundus, then taking up the tablet, wrote to the following effect: "As for me, O Adrian, I fear thee not, because thou seemest to be the prince of this world; thou mayest indeed hear me, but thou hast no power whatever to compel me to use my voice." Adrian, accordingly, read what he had written, and said, "Thou art fully excused. But still I would propose to thee some questions for thee to answer me thereon; of which the first is, 'What is the world?"" In answer to this, the other wrote, "The world is a circle without end, a sightly commodity, a form made of many forms, an eternal course, a revolution without error.' "What is the ocean?" "The embracer of the world, the encircling limit, the dwelling-place of the rivers, the fountain of the showers." "What is God?" "An immortal mind, an unimaginable loftiness, a form of many forms, a research that defies investigation, an eye that sleeps not, all-embracing, light, good." "What is the sun? "The eye of the heavens, a circle of heat, light without setting, the ornament of the day, the distributor of the hours." "What is the moon ?" "The ornament of the heavens, the rival of the sun, the enemy of evil-doers, the solace of wayfarers, the guide of mariners, the signal for solemnities, the bestower of dew, the presager of tempests." "What is the earth?" "The foundation of the heavens, the centre of the universe, the guardian and the mother of fruits, the cover of hell, the mother of those who are born, the devourer of all, the store-house of life." "What is man?" "A mind incarnate, an apparition for a season, a looker-on of life, a slave of death, a traveller on his road, a guest on the spot, a struggling spirit, an abode for a short season." "What is beauty?" "A fading flower, a carnal felicity, an object of desire to mankind." "What is woman?" "The confusion of man, an insatiable beast, a continual anxiety, a never-ceasing strife, the shipwreck of an unchaste man, a human slave.' "What is a friend?" "A desirable name, a man seldom seen, a refuge in distress, an endless blessing." "What are riches? "A weight of gold, a servant of cares, an unpleasing delight, an insatiate envy, an ever-craving desire, an exalted face, a hateful object of desire." "What is poverty?" "An odious blessing, the mother of health, freedom from cares, the refresher of the wise, business without loss, possession without claim thereon, happiness without anxiety." "What is old age?" "A wished-for evil, the death of the still living, a safe weakness, a living death.' "What is sleep?" "The image of death, a rest from labour, the wish of the sick, the desire of the wretched." "What is life?" "The delight of the happy, the sorrow of the wretched, a waiting for death." "What is death?" "An eternal sleep, the fear of the rich, the desire of the poor, an inevitable event, the robber of man, the flight of life, the dissolution of all things "The betrayer of the mind." "The resting-place of the spirit." "A distinction of sex." "The guardian of the memory.” "The image of the mind." "The guides of the body, the ves "What is a word?" "The receptacle of life." What is the stomach? " "What are the bones?" "What are the feet?" "The storehouse for laughter and "The cook of the food." "What is wind?” "A disturbance of the air, a movement of the waters, a dryness of the earth." "What are rivers? "A never-failing course, the refreshers of the sun, the waterers of the earth." "What is friendship?" "A wonderful certainty of a thing unknown." "What is it that will allow no man, though weary, to desist?" "Gain." In the year of grace 1201, being the third year of the reign of king John, the said king was at Guilford, in England, on the day of the Nativity of our Lord, which fell on the second day of the week. On the same day, William, king of the Scots, was at Lanark, in his territories. On the same day, Otho, king of the Germans, nephew of John, king of the English, was crowned at Mentz. After the Nativity of our Lord. on the |
