Page:The Famous History of the Learned Friar Bacon.djvu/14

 the writings in his closet one evening, he heard somebody rap at the door, when opening it, he saw the party whom he had borrowed the money of holding the writing; in his hand, telling him he was now come to demand him, and he must go with him; for to his knowledge he had paid his debts, and done what was agreed to.

The gentleman, wondering how he should know this so soon, denied it. Nay; replied he, deny it not; and thereupon, changing into a horrible shape, struck him almost dead with fear; for he then knew it was the Devil.—Then he said, if he did not meet him on the morrow with the money, he would come the next day and tear him to pieces. And said, if I do not prove what I say, you shall be at quiet; and so vanished in a flame of fire.

The gentleman seeing himself in this case, began to weep bitterly, and wished he had rather been contented in his sad condition, than to have taken such a desperate way to enrich himself, and was just at his wit's end.

Friar Bacon, knowing by his art what had passed came to contort him; and, having heard the story, bid him not despair but repent of bis sins, and he would trive