Page:The whole familiar colloquies of Desiderius Erasmus of Rotterdam.djvu/302

 298 FAMILIAR COLLOQUIES. crated a Franciscan's coat with prayers and holy water, and that they laid over him, and a cowl tinder his head (for there was no putting it on then), and his pai 4 don and the covenants with it. Ma. This is a new way of dying. Ph. But they affirm that the devil has no power over those that die in this manner ; for so they say St. Martin and St. Francis and others died. Ma. But their holy lives were correspon- dent to their deaths. But, prithee, what followed 1 Ph. They then presented the sick man with a crucifix and a wax candle. Upon the holding out the crucifix, Says the sick man, I used to be safe in war under the protection of my own buckler, but now I will oppose this buckler to my enemy; and having kissed it, laid it at his left side. And fcs to the holy taper, I was, said he, ever held to be a good pikeman in the field, and now I will brandish this lance against the enemy of souls. Ma. Spoken like a man of war ! Ph. These were the last words he spake, for death presently seized his tongue, and he breathed his last. Bernardine kept close to him in his extremity, on his right hand, and Vincent on his left ; and they had both of them their pipes open. One shewed him the image of St. Francis, the other that of St. Dominic, while the rest up and down in the chamber were mumbling over certain psalms to a most melancholy tune, Bernardine bawling in his right ear, and Vincent in his left. Ma. What was it they bawled 1 Ph. Bernardine spake to this pur- pose : George Balearicus, if thou approvest of all that is here done, lean thy head toward thy right shoxilder ; and so he did. Vincent on the other side, said, George, fear not, yon have St. Francis and St. Dominic for your "defenders, therefore be of good courage. Think on what a great number of merits are bestowed upon thee, of the validity of thy pardon, and remember that I have engaged my soul for thine, if there be any clanger. If you understand all this, and approve of it, lean your head upon yotif left shoulder ; and so he did. And then they cried out as loud as before, If thou art sensible of all this, squeeze my hand ; then he squeezed his hand. So that, what with turning of his head and squeezing of the hand, there were almost three hours spent. And when George began to yawn, Bernardine stood up and pronounced the absolution, but could not go through with it before George's soul was out of the body. This was about midnight, and in the morning they went about the anatomy. Ma. And pray, what did they find out of order in the body 1 ? Ph. Well remembered, for I had like to have forgot it. There was a piece of a bullet that stuck to the diaphragm. Ma. How came that? Ph. His wife said he had been wounded with a musket-shot, and from thence the physicians conjectured that some part of the melted lead remained in his body. By and by they pub the mangled corpse (after a sort) into a Franciscan's habit, and after dinner they buried him with pomp, as it had been ordered. Ma. I never heard of more bustle about a man's dying, or of a more pompous funeral; but I suppose you would not have this story made public. Ph. Why not 1 ? Ma. Lest you should provoke a nest of hornets. Ph. There is no danger, for if what I relate be done well, it is 'convenient the whole world should know it, but if it be ill done, all good men will thank me for discover- ing it; and they themselves being seized with shame for what they have doae, will do so no more. Besides, it may possibly preserve the