Page:Illustrations of the history of medieval thought and learning.djvu/54

36 is taken from the heart, then is all trust set on visible things.

The rule thus stated Agobard proceeds to apply to the 'vulgar errours' of his day. Want of faith is the root of superstition: it is nurtured by unreason. (Lib. contra insulsam vulgi opinionem de grandine et tonitruis, xvi. p. 275 B.) The wretched world lies now under the tyranny of foolishness: things are believed by Christians of such absurdity as no one ever could aforetime induce the heathen to believe, who knew not the Creator of all. Of the various works which he wrote upon this subject, not the least interesting, and certainly the most curious, is the treatise Against the absurd Opinion of the Vulgar touching Hail and Thunder. It appears that (capp. i., xv. pp. 271 D, E, 274 G.) there was a class of impostors who assumed to themselves the office of 'clerk of the weather.' These tempestarii, or weather-wizards, claimed the power not only of controlling the weather, and securing the fields from harm, but also of bringing about hail and thunder storms, (cap. iii. p. 272 H.) and especially of directing them against their private enemies. (cap. xv. p. 274 G.) Plainly they derived a goodly revenue from a blackmail forced by the double motives of fear and hope. (cap. ii. p. 271 F, G.) We have seen and heard, says Agobard, many who are overwhelmed by such madness, carried away by such folly, that they believe and assert that there is a certain region called Magonia – no doubt the Magic Land – ''whence ships come in the clouds: the which bear away the fruits of the earth, felled by hail and destroyed by storms, to that same country; and these sailors of the air forsooth give rewards to the weather-wizards, and receive in return the crops or other fruits. Certain ones have we seen, blinded by so dark a folly, who brought into an assembly of men four persons, three men and a woman, as having fallen from the said ships; whom they held in bonds for certain days and then presented before an assembled body of men, in our presence, as aforesaid, that they should be stoned. Howbeit the truth prevailed, after much reasoning, and they who brought them forward were confounded.'' He condescended to seek evidence of the power of the weather-wizards, but could obtain no account at first hand. (De grand. vii. p. 272 H sq.) People were confident that such or such a thing had