Page:The whole familiar colloquies of Desiderius Erasmus of Rotterdam.djvu/301

 THE FUNERAL. 297 those poor people. The fullers and tanners march in the ran, the cobblers bring up the rear, and the monks march in the body ; you would have said it had been a chimera, if you had seen it. And George had this caution too, that the Franciscans and Dominicans should draw lots which should go first at the funeral, and after them the rest, that there might be no quarrelling for place. The parson and clerk went in the lowest place (that is, first), for the monks would not endure it otherwise. Ma. I find George had skill in marshalling of a cere- mony as well as an army. Ph. And it was provided that the funeral service, which was to be performed by the parish priest, should be per- formed with a concert of music, for the greater honour of the deceased. While these and such like things were doing, the patient was seized with a convulsion, which was a certain token that he was near his end, so that they were now come to the last act. Mu. Why, is not all done yet 1 Ph. Now, the pope's bull is to be read, wherein he is promised a full pardon of all his sins, and an exemption from the fear of purgatory, and with a justification over and above of his whole estate. Ma. What, of an estate got by rapine? Ph. Got by the law of arms and fortune of war. But one Philip, a civilian, his wife's brother, happened to be by at the reading of the bull, and took notice of one passage that was not as it should be, and raised a scruple upon it of its not being authentic. Ma. It might very well have been let pass at this time, and no notice taken of it, if there had been any error, and the sick never the worse for it. Ph. I am of your mind, and I will assure you it so wrought upon George, that it had like to have cast him into despair ; and in this case Vincent shewed himself a man indeed; he bid George be satisfied, for that he had an authority to correct or supply any error or omission that might be in the bull. So that, says he, if this bull should deceive you, this soul of mine shall stand engaged for thine, that thine shall go to heaven, or mine be damned. Ma. But will God accept of this way of changing souls ? or, if he does, is the pawn of Vincent's soul a sufficient security for George's ? What if Vincent's soul should go to the devil, whether he changes it or no ! Ph. I only tell you matter of fact. It is certain that Vincent effected this by it, that the sick man was much comforted. By and by the covenants are read, by which the whole society promise to transfer to George the benefits of the works which were done by all the four orders, and also a fifth, that of the Carthusians. Ma. I should be afraid that such a weight would sink me to hell, if I were to carry it. Ph. I speak of their good works only; for they bear down a soul that is about to fly to heaven no more than feathers do a bird. Ma. But who will they bequeath their evil works to then 1 Ph. To. the German soldiers of fortune. Ma. By what right 1 Ph. By gospel right ; for, " to him that has shall be given." And then was read over how many masses and psalms were to accompany the soul of the deceased, a,nd there was a vast number of them. After this, his confession was repeated, and they gave him their benediction. Ma. And so he died 1 Ph. Not yet. They laid a mat upon the ground, rolled up at one end in the form of a pillow. Ma. Well, and what is to be done now ] Ph. They strewed ashes upon it, but very thin, and there they laid the sick man's body ; and then they conse-