The fourth Chapter.
A tale written by manie grave authors, and beleeved by manie wise men of the divels death. An other storie written by papists, and beleeved of all catholikes, approoving the divels honestie, conscience, and courtesie.
LUTARCH saith, that his countriman *Epotherses[* read Epi] told him, that as he passed by sea into Italie, manie passengers being in his bote, in an evening, when they were about the ilands Echinadæ, the wind quite ceased: and the ship driving with the tide, was brought at last to Paxe. And whilest some slept, and others quaft, and othersome were awake (perhaps in as ill case as the rest) after supper suddenlie a voice was heard calling, Thamus; in such sort as everie man marvelled. This ThamusThamus having little to doo, thought to plaie with his companie, whom he might easilie overtake with such a jest. was a pilot,/163. borne in Aegypt, unknowne to manie that were in the ship. Wherefore being twise called, he answered nothing; but the third time he answered: and the other with a lowder voice commanded him, that when he came to Palodes, he should tell them that the great God Pan was departed. Whereat everie one was astonied (as Epitherses affirmed.) And being in consultation what were best to doo, Thamus concluded, that if the wind were hie, they must passe by with silence; but if the weather were calme, he must utter that which he had heard. But when they came to Palodes, and the wether calme, Thamus looking out toward the land, cried alowd, that the great god Pan was deceased: and immediatlie there followed a lamentable noise of a multitude of people, as it were with great woonder and admiration. And bicause there were manie in the ship, they said the fame thereof was speedilie brought to Rome, and Thamus sent for by Tiberius the Emperour, who gave such credit thereto, that he diligentlie inquired and asked, who that Pan was. The learned men about him supposed, that Pan was he who was the sonne of Mercurie and Penelope, &c. Eusebius saith, that this chanced in the time of Tiberius the Emperor, when Christ expelled all divels, &c.
Paulus Marsus, in his notes upon Ovids Fasti, saith, that this voice was/120. heard out of Paxe, that verie night that Christ suffered, in the yeare of Tiberius the nineteenth. Surelie, this was a merrie jest devised by Thamus,A detection of Thamus his knaverie. who with some confederate thought to make sport with the passengers, who were some asleepe, and some droonke, and some other at plaie, &c: whiles the first voice was used. And at the second voice, to wit, when he should deliver his message, he being an old pilot, knew where some noise was usuall, by meanes of some eccho in the sea, and thought he would (to the astonishment of them) accomplish his devise, if the wether prooved calme. Whereby may appeare, that he would in other cases of tempests, &c: rather attend to more serious busines, than to that ridiculous matter. For whie else should he not doo his errand in rough wether, as well as in calme? Or what need he tell the divell thereof, when the divell told it him before, and with much more expedition could have done the errand himselfe?
*But* Legend. aur. in vita sancti Andreæ. fol. 39. you shall read in the Legend a fable, an oracle I would/164. saie, more authentike. For many will say that this was a prophane storie, and not so canonicall as those which are verefied by the popes authoritie: and thus it is written. A woman in hir travell sent hir sister to Diana, which was the divell in an idoll (as all those oracles are said to be) and willed hir to make hir praiers, or rather a request, to knowe of hir safe deliverie: which thing she did. But the divell answered; Why praiest thou to me? I cannot helpe thee, but go praie to Andrew the apostle, and he may helA gentle and a godlie divell.pe thy sister, &c. Lo, this was not onelie a gentle, but a godlie divell, pittieng the womans case, who revealing his owne disabilitie, enabled S. Andrew more. I knowe some protestants will saie, that the divell, to mainteine idolatrie, &c: referred the maid to S. Andrew. But what answer will the papists make, who thinke it great pietie to praie unto saints, and so by consequence honest courtesie in the divell, to send hir to S. Andrew, who wold not faile to serve hir turne, &c.