Page:Biographical and critical studies by James Thomson ("B.V.").djvu/40

 24 BIOGRAPHICAL STUDIES which they accordingly requested. Francis had not read the book; "but now," as Rabelais tells us in the above-mentioned epistle, "having, by the voice and pronunciation of the most learned and faithful reader of this kingdom [Pierre du Chatel, already named] heard and listened to the distinct reading of these books of mine (I say mine, because some false and infamous ones have been maliciously laid to my charge), he found no suspicious passage ; and he had in horror some eater of serpents who founded mortal heresy on an n put for an in by the fault and negligence of the printers. And so had his son, our so gracious, virtuous, and blessed King Henry, whom may God long preserve to us ! So that, for me, he granted you privilege and particular protection against my calumniators," III In 1547 or 1548 he published, by itself, a Prologue to a fourth book of " Pantagruel," now known as the Old Prologue, for he wrote a new one for the book when issued. In this first Prologue, which is not given in the English version, he thanks his friends and admirers, " the most illustrious tipplers," for a present they had made him, being a richly ornamented flask of silver in the form of a breviary, with indications what wines he should drink at the several hours of prayer, this being his favourite style of devotion. These friends were probably the Pan- tagruelists of the court — for, as an old writer says, everybody began to cultivate Pantagruelism~-and,