ariondas/full_text_dataset · Datasets at Hugging Face

text stringlengths 0 1.91k
betray them. The only danger to be feared from them is their conspiring
against the government; but those of one division and neighbourhood can
do nothing to any purpose unless a general conspiracy were laid amongst
all the slaves of the several jurisdictions, which cannot be done, since
they cannot meet or talk together; nor will any venture on a design where
the concealment would be so dangerous and the discovery so profitable.
None are quite hopeless of recovering their freedom, since by their
obedience and patience, and by giving good grounds to believe that they
will change their manner of life for the future, they may expect at last
to obtain their liberty, and some are every year restored to it upon the
good character that is given of them. When I had related all this, I
added that I did not see why such a method might not be followed with
more advantage than could ever be expected from that severe justice which
the Counsellor magnified so much. To this he answered, 'That it could
never take place in England without endangering the whole nation.' As he
said this he shook his head, made some grimaces, and held his peace,
while all the company seemed of his opinion, except the Cardinal, who
said, 'That it was not easy to form a judgment of its success, since it
was a method that never yet had been tried; but if,' said he, 'when
sentence of death were passed upon a thief, the prince would reprieve him
for a while, and make the experiment upon him, denying him the privilege
of a sanctuary; and then, if it had a good effect upon him, it might take
place; and, if it did not succeed, the worst would be to execute the
sentence on the condemned persons at last; and I do not see,' added he,
'why it would be either unjust, inconvenient, or at all dangerous to
admit of such a delay; in my opinion the vagabonds ought to be treated in
the same manner, against whom, though we have made many laws, yet we have
not been able to gain our end.' When the Cardinal had done, they all
commended the motion, though they had despised it when it came from me,
but more particularly commended what related to the vagabonds, because it
was his own observation.

"I do not know whether it be worth while to tell what followed, for it
was very ridiculous; but I shall venture at it, for as it is not foreign
to this matter, so some good use may be made of it. There was a Jester
standing by, that counterfeited the fool so naturally that he seemed to
be really one; the jests which he offered were so cold and dull that we
laughed more at him than at them, yet sometimes he said, as it were by
chance, things that were not unpleasant, so as to justify the old
proverb, 'That he who throws the dice often, will sometimes have a lucky
hit.' When one of the company had said that I had taken care of the
thieves, and the Cardinal had taken care of the vagabonds, so that there
remained nothing but that some public provision might be made for the
poor whom sickness or old age had disabled from labour, 'Leave that to
me,' said the Fool, 'and I shall take care of them, for there is no sort
of people whose sight I abhor more, having been so often vexed with them
and with their sad complaints; but as dolefully soever as they have told
their tale, they could never prevail so far as to draw one penny from me;
for either I had no mind to give them anything, or, when I had a mind to
do it, I had nothing to give them; and they now know me so well that they
will not lose their labour, but let me pass without giving me any
trouble, because they hope for nothing--no more, in faith, than if I were
a priest; but I would have a law made for sending all these beggars to
monasteries, the men to the Benedictines, to be made lay-brothers, and
the women to be nuns.' The Cardinal smiled, and approved of it in jest,
but the rest liked it in earnest. There was a divine present, who,
though he was a grave morose man, yet he was so pleased with this
reflection that was made on the priests and the monks that he began to
play with the Fool, and said to him, 'This will not deliver you from all
beggars, except you take care of us Friars.' 'That is done already,'
answered the Fool, 'for the Cardinal has provided for you by what he
proposed for restraining vagabonds and setting them to work, for I know
no vagabonds like you.' This was well entertained by the whole company,
who, looking at the Cardinal, perceived that he was not ill-pleased at
it; only the Friar himself was vexed, as may be easily imagined, and fell
into such a passion that he could not forbear railing at the Fool, and
calling him knave, slanderer, backbiter, and son of perdition, and then
cited some dreadful threatenings out of the Scriptures against him. Now
the Jester thought he was in his element, and laid about him freely.
'Good Friar,' said he, 'be not angry, for it is written, "In patience
possess your soul."' The Friar answered (for I shall give you his own
words), 'I am not angry, you hangman; at least, I do not sin in it, for
the Psalmist says, "Be ye angry and sin not."' Upon this the Cardinal
admonished him gently, and wished him to govern his passions. 'No, my
lord,' said he, 'I speak not but from a good zeal, which I ought to have,
for holy men have had a good zeal, as it is said, "The zeal of thy house
hath eaten me up;" and we sing in our church that those who mocked Elisha
as he went up to the house of God felt the effects of his zeal, which
that mocker, that rogue, that scoundrel, will perhaps feel.' 'You do
this, perhaps, with a good intention,' said the Cardinal, 'but, in my
opinion, it were wiser in you, and perhaps better for you, not to engage
in so ridiculous a contest with a Fool.' 'No, my lord,' answered he,
'that were not wisely done, for Solomon, the wisest of men, said, "Answer
a Fool according to his folly," which I now do, and show him the ditch
into which he will fall, if he is not aware of it; for if the many
mockers of Elisha, who was but one bald man, felt the effect of his zeal,
what will become of the mocker of so many Friars, among whom there are so
many bald men? We have, likewise, a bull, by which all that jeer us are
excommunicated.' When the Cardinal saw that there was no end of this
matter he made a sign to the Fool to withdraw, turned the discourse
another way, and soon after rose from the table, and, dismissing us, went
to hear causes.

"Thus, Mr. More, I have run out into a tedious story, of the length of
which I had been ashamed, if (as you earnestly begged it of me) I had not
observed you to hearken to it as if you had no mind to lose any part of
it. I might have contracted it, but I resolved to give it you at large,
that you might observe how those that despised what I had proposed, no
sooner perceived that the Cardinal did not dislike it but presently
approved of it, fawned so on him and flattered him to such a degree, that

betray them. The only danger to be feared from them is their conspiring

against the government; but those of one division and neighbourhood can

do nothing to any purpose unless a general conspiracy were laid amongst

all the slaves of the several jurisdictions, which cannot be done, since

they cannot meet or talk together; nor will any venture on a design where

the concealment would be so dangerous and the discovery so profitable.

None are quite hopeless of recovering their freedom, since by their

obedience and patience, and by giving good grounds to believe that they

will change their manner of life for the future, they may expect at last

to obtain their liberty, and some are every year restored to it upon the

good character that is given of them. When I had related all this, I

added that I did not see why such a method might not be followed with

more advantage than could ever be expected from that severe justice which

the Counsellor magnified so much. To this he answered, 'That it could

never take place in England without endangering the whole nation.' As he

said this he shook his head, made some grimaces, and held his peace,

while all the company seemed of his opinion, except the Cardinal, who

said, 'That it was not easy to form a judgment of its success, since it

was a method that never yet had been tried; but if,' said he, 'when

sentence of death were passed upon a thief, the prince would reprieve him

for a while, and make the experiment upon him, denying him the privilege

of a sanctuary; and then, if it had a good effect upon him, it might take

place; and, if it did not succeed, the worst would be to execute the

sentence on the condemned persons at last; and I do not see,' added he,

'why it would be either unjust, inconvenient, or at all dangerous to

admit of such a delay; in my opinion the vagabonds ought to be treated in

the same manner, against whom, though we have made many laws, yet we have

not been able to gain our end.' When the Cardinal had done, they all

commended the motion, though they had despised it when it came from me,

but more particularly commended what related to the vagabonds, because it

was his own observation.

"I do not know whether it be worth while to tell what followed, for it

was very ridiculous; but I shall venture at it, for as it is not foreign

to this matter, so some good use may be made of it. There was a Jester

standing by, that counterfeited the fool so naturally that he seemed to

be really one; the jests which he offered were so cold and dull that we

laughed more at him than at them, yet sometimes he said, as it were by

chance, things that were not unpleasant, so as to justify the old

proverb, 'That he who throws the dice often, will sometimes have a lucky

hit.' When one of the company had said that I had taken care of the

thieves, and the Cardinal had taken care of the vagabonds, so that there

remained nothing but that some public provision might be made for the

poor whom sickness or old age had disabled from labour, 'Leave that to

me,' said the Fool, 'and I shall take care of them, for there is no sort

of people whose sight I abhor more, having been so often vexed with them

and with their sad complaints; but as dolefully soever as they have told

their tale, they could never prevail so far as to draw one penny from me;

for either I had no mind to give them anything, or, when I had a mind to

do it, I had nothing to give them; and they now know me so well that they

will not lose their labour, but let me pass without giving me any

trouble, because they hope for nothing--no more, in faith, than if I were

a priest; but I would have a law made for sending all these beggars to

monasteries, the men to the Benedictines, to be made lay-brothers, and

the women to be nuns.' The Cardinal smiled, and approved of it in jest,

but the rest liked it in earnest. There was a divine present, who,

though he was a grave morose man, yet he was so pleased with this

reflection that was made on the priests and the monks that he began to

play with the Fool, and said to him, 'This will not deliver you from all

beggars, except you take care of us Friars.' 'That is done already,'

answered the Fool, 'for the Cardinal has provided for you by what he

proposed for restraining vagabonds and setting them to work, for I know

no vagabonds like you.' This was well entertained by the whole company,

who, looking at the Cardinal, perceived that he was not ill-pleased at

it; only the Friar himself was vexed, as may be easily imagined, and fell

into such a passion that he could not forbear railing at the Fool, and

calling him knave, slanderer, backbiter, and son of perdition, and then

cited some dreadful threatenings out of the Scriptures against him. Now

the Jester thought he was in his element, and laid about him freely.

'Good Friar,' said he, 'be not angry, for it is written, "In patience

possess your soul."' The Friar answered (for I shall give you his own

words), 'I am not angry, you hangman; at least, I do not sin in it, for

the Psalmist says, "Be ye angry and sin not."' Upon this the Cardinal

admonished him gently, and wished him to govern his passions. 'No, my

lord,' said he, 'I speak not but from a good zeal, which I ought to have,

for holy men have had a good zeal, as it is said, "The zeal of thy house

hath eaten me up;" and we sing in our church that those who mocked Elisha

as he went up to the house of God felt the effects of his zeal, which

that mocker, that rogue, that scoundrel, will perhaps feel.' 'You do

this, perhaps, with a good intention,' said the Cardinal, 'but, in my

opinion, it were wiser in you, and perhaps better for you, not to engage

in so ridiculous a contest with a Fool.' 'No, my lord,' answered he,

'that were not wisely done, for Solomon, the wisest of men, said, "Answer

a Fool according to his folly," which I now do, and show him the ditch

into which he will fall, if he is not aware of it; for if the many

mockers of Elisha, who was but one bald man, felt the effect of his zeal,

what will become of the mocker of so many Friars, among whom there are so

many bald men? We have, likewise, a bull, by which all that jeer us are

excommunicated.' When the Cardinal saw that there was no end of this

matter he made a sign to the Fool to withdraw, turned the discourse

another way, and soon after rose from the table, and, dismissing us, went

to hear causes.

"Thus, Mr. More, I have run out into a tedious story, of the length of

which I had been ashamed, if (as you earnestly begged it of me) I had not

observed you to hearken to it as if you had no mind to lose any part of

it. I might have contracted it, but I resolved to give it you at large,

that you might observe how those that despised what I had proposed, no

sooner perceived that the Cardinal did not dislike it but presently

approved of it, fawned so on him and flattered him to such a degree, that