Page:The whole familiar colloquies of Desiderius Erasmus of Rotterdam.djvu/251

 Virgin that is worshipped at Paris in that noble church that has the river Seine on each side of it, as if itself gave place in reverence to the divinity of the Virgin.” To sum up the matter in few words, William was buried; the other rides post, but he falls sick by the way, and thinking himself past recovery, he delivers the milk to an Englishman that was his fellow-traveller, making him take a solemn oath that he would perform that which he himself was to have done. The one dies, the other takes it and puts it upon the altar in the presence of all the canons of the place, those that at that time were called regulars, as they are yet at St. Genoveve. He obtained half this milk of them and carried it into England, and made a present of it to this beyond-sea place, his mind being moved thereunto by a divine impulse. Me. Truly this story hangs very handsomely together.

Og. Nay, further, that there might not be left the least room to doubt, the very names of the bishops were set down that were authorised to grant releases and indulgences to such as should come to see the milk according to the power to them given, but not without some donation or another. Me. And how far did that power extend? Og. To forty days. Me. But are there days in purgatory? Og. For certain there is time there. Me. But when they have disposed of this stock of forty days have they no more to bestow! Og. No; for there ever and anon arises something for them to bestow, and it is in this quite otherwise than it is with the tub of the Danaides; for though that is continually filling, it is always empty; but in this, though you are continually drawing out, there is never the less in the vessel. Me. But if the remission of forty days were given to a hundred thousand men would every one have so much? Og. Yes, so much. Me. And suppose that they that have received forty days in the morning should ask for forty days more at night, would they have wherewithal to give them? Og. Yes, te^ times over in an hour. Me. I wish I had such a cabinet at home. I would not wish for above three groats if they might be doubled and tripled after that manner. Og. You might as well have wished to be all turned into gold yourself, and as soon have had what you wished for.

But to return to my story, there was one argument added by a man of great piety and candour, which is, that though the Virgin’s milk, which is shewn in many other places, is indeed venerable enough in that it was scraped off from stones, yet this was more venerable than all the rest, because this was saved as it flowed from the Virgin’s breast without touching the ground. Me. But how does that appear? Og. Oh, the nun at Constantinople that gave it said so. Me. It may be she had it of St. Bernard. Og. I believe she had. Me. He, when he was very old, had the happiness to taste milk from the same nipple which the child Jesus sucked, whence I wonder he was not rather called Lactifluous than Mellifluous. But how is that called the Virgin’s milk that did not flow from her breasts? Og. That did flow from her breasts, but dropping upon the stone she sat upon whileshe was giving suck it concreted, and was afterwards by Providence so multiplied. Me. Right. Go on.

Og. These things being over, we were just upon the point of goinw away, but walking about and looking round us to see if there was anything worth taking notice of, the chapel officers come to us again,