CHAPTER XII.
1 Concerning those that went not forth for to fight. 14 The rulers commune together on the matter. 17 And call out all the young men. 18 But certain are absolved. 25 Wherefore many are combed out. 29 And the people are satisfied. 31 Each man payeth for his own strong drink.
And when the fighters had gone forth unto the war, there yet remained certain men that were strong and sound of limb. And every man that went not forth, he had his reason.
2 And some said, To kill men in battle is a wicked thing. Would ye therefore have us to go against our consciences?
3 And when the people questioned these, they replied unto them, saying, The wise man giveth obedience unto his conscience lest it torment him; neither is there any escape from it. And we are men of wisdom.
4 And if one of the men of Hu shall ravish our eldest daughter, then shall we offer unto him she that is next unto her that he may ravish her also; for so it is written.
5 And they that questioned them forbore to ask them more, deeming a conscience such as this was assuredly come from the devil.
6 And there were some that, being affrighted, hid themselves away. And the number of these was small and, when the time came, they were combed out.
7 And there were others that were grown selfish, because they did gain much recompense by their labours, and these were loth to leave their habitations. And they did say,
8 Wherefore should we go forth for to fight? In our houses there are many fires and the women do put them hot bricks into our beds so that our feet suffer not when the night groweth cold.
9 And if we go out for to fight, verily, the rain from heaven will fall upon us and it will make us wet. And a skin that is wet affecteth the nose.
10 And the food that we shall eat, it will lie heavy upon our stomachs; neither will the women sustain us with hot bricks.
11 And because of all these things, they went not forth unto the war until the time came when they were combed out.
12 And there were many men throughout the land that were willing to go at the time appointed, each man in his turn.
13 And these did say, "Wherefore should we depart from our habitations and wherefore leave our wives amongst strange people? Send first the young men that are hanging back; and, afterwards, when our time cometh, we shall be ready. And ye shall find us in the forefront of the battle.
14 ¶ And because that which they had said was just, therefore the rulers of the land could not gainsay them. And they communed together in the council chamber concerning it.
15 And some, knowing not the spirit of the people, did say, Let us now do nothing rash lest, if we call up all the young men, they raise an outcry throughout the land.
16 But there were others that said, It is sufficient that we have need of men for to send against the enemy. Let us therefore see about it.
17 ¶ And they overruled those that were against them, and did make them a law whereby all the young men were called out for to fight.
18 ¶ But they absolved them that were in the workshops making the munitions of war, and acquitted them also that were plagued with a conscience.
19 And because the men of Ire said, We will not have it, therefore the rulers dared not to say them nay, for the men of Ire were rulers in the land of En.
20 And they appointed them tribunals, a mixed lot of men, so that those that were called out might show them a reason against it.
21 And because the net that was spread in the sight of the young men was wide in the mesh, therefore was the haul thereof fraught with disappointment. And the young men did work themselves free in ways that were various.
22 And some hied them unto the workshops to become makers of munitions of war, saying, the one unto the other, By this means, assuredly, shall we save our skins. And for a long time it was so.
23 And others did cry their woes before the tribunals. And the tales that they did tell were pitiful indeed, and they did move the tribunals unto compassion so that they absolved them.
24 And the rulers, that did ought to set an example, made lusty youths for to be their scribes, and they did put them for to do women's work. And the number of them that were absolved in this wise became a crying shame that was heard throughout all the land.
25 ¶ And when the rulers were questioned hotly concerning these men and concerning those that had hidden themselves behind the rampart that was munitions, they bestirred themselves somewhat and did comb them out.
26 And the number that they did comb out was very great. And because they had not done this thing before, but had waited until the people raised them a clamour, therefore were the rulers blamed exceedingly.
27 Nevertheless, those that rebelled against it because they did have consciences, these were not sent out for to fight.
28 But some of them were set to work upon matters of health, which was a loathsome duty and abhorred by them who, being without a conscience, went out against the enemy.
29 ¶ And when all the men that were of full vigour had been taken, there was an end to the murmuring of the people.
30 And all were of one mind that this thing should have been done before, for they saw that the taking was just, no man suffering beyond his neighbour, and every man fighting for his own.
31 ¶ Now it was made a law that whosoever should enter into a tavern for to buy him strong drink, that man must pay for his own.
32 And there were some, being them that drank beyond their means, that had a grievance because of it, for to pay for their own, they had forgotten the way.
33 Wherefore they did suffer exceedingly and were for ever dry; and their look, it was a thirsty one.
34 And when the damsels heard about it, they set them out for to find a means to circumvent it, for the thing was not agreeable unto them.
35 And when a maiden approached unto a tavern, being with a man that had a leaning towards her, then would she stop outside, and she would say unto him, Give thou unto me five pieces of silver that I may pay for mine own. And whatsoever remaineth over, that will I give thee back after we are come out.
36 And they would enter into a tavern. And she would call the serving man unto her and she would speak unto him in a soft voice, saying, Bring unto me a small portion of that wine which cometh from Oporto that I may nourish my bones.
37 And the serving man would bring it unto her, and he would set it down before her. And the damsel would pay for it out of the five pieces of silver that she had received from her man. And whatsoever was left over, that would she place in her purse.
38 And afterwards, she would smile upon the man that was with her, and she would say unto him, Thy beard becometh thee well. Thou art strong and thy wisdom is great and thine eyes absorb me utterly. Verily doth thine handmaiden feel small in the sight of her lord.
39 All this would she say unto him, and more also; but concerning that which was remaining over from the five pieces of silver she would say no word.
40 And this is ever the way of women that by their artfulness they do wangle it, and whatsoever cometh up contrary, that do they work for to be an advantage unto them.