Such guests as chose to stay throughout the night, having announced their intention of so doing, were bound in their chambers with cords, in such a way that they could by no means free themselves. At length in my sorrowful thoughts I fell asleep.
The Third Day.
On the morrow all being assembled, the Trumpets, etc., began again to sound and we imagined that the Bridegroom was ready to present himself, which nevertheless was a huge mistake. For it was again the yesterday’s Virgin who had arrayed herself all in red velvet and girded herself with a white scarf. Her train was now no more of small tapers, but consisted of two hundred men in harness who were all clothed in red and white. As soon as they were alighted from the throne, she comes straight to us prisoners, and after she had saluted us, she said in a few words: That some of you have been sensible of your wretched condition is hugely pleasing to my most mighty lord, and he is also resolved you shall fare the better for it. And having espied me in my habit, she laughed and spake, good lack! Hast thou also submitted thyself to the yoke? I imagined thou would’st have made thyself very snug, which words caused my eyes to run over. After which she commanded we should be unbound, and coupled together and placed in a station where we might behold the scales, for, said she, it may yet fare better with them than with the presumptuous who yet stand here at liberty. Meanwhile the scales which were entirely of gold were hung up in the midst of the hall. There was also a little table covered with red velvet, and seven weights placed thereon. First of all stood a pretty great one, next four little ones, lastly, two great ones severally; and these weights in proportion to their bulk were so heavy that no man can believe or comprehend it. The Virgin having sprung up into her high throne, one of the pages commanded each one to place himself according to his order, and one after the other, step into the scales. One of the emperors made no scruple of it, but first of all bowed himself a little towards the Virgin, and afterwards in all his stately attire went up, whereupon each captain laid in his weight, which (to the wonder of all) he stood out. But the last was too heavy for him, so that forth he must, and that with such anguish that the Virgin herself had pity on him, yet was the good emperor bound and delivered over to the sixth band. Next came forth another emperor, who stepped haughtily into the scale and having a great thick book under his gown, he imagined not to fail; but being scarce able to abide the third weight, and being unmercifully slung down, and his book in that affrightment slipping from him, all the soldiers began to laugh, and he was delivered up bound to the third band. Thus it went with some others of the emperors. After these came forth a little short man with a curled beard, an emperor too, who after the usual reverence got up also, and held out so steadfastly, that methought had there been more weights ready, he would have outstood them; to whom the Virgin immediately arose, and bowed before him, causing him to put on a gown of red velvet, and at last reached him a branch of laurel, having good store of them upon her throne, upon the steps whereof she willed him to sit down. After him, how it fared with the rest of the emperors, kings and lords would be too long to recount, but I cannot leave unmentioned that few of those great personages held out. After the inquisition had also passed over the gentry, the learned, and unlearned, and the rest, and in each condition perhaps one, it may be, two, but for the most part none, was found perfect, it came at length to those honest gentlemen the vagabond cheaters, and rascally Lapidem Spitalanficum, who were set upon the scale with such scorn that I myself for all my grief was ready to burst with laughing, neither could the very prisoners themselves refrain, for the most part could not abide that severe trial, but with whips and scourges were jerked out of the scale, and led to the other prisoners. Thus of so great a throng so few remained, that I am ashamed to discover their number.
The Inquisition being completely finished, and none but we poor coupled hounds standing aside, at length one of the captains stepped forth and said, Gracious Madam, if it please your ladyship, let these poor men who acknowledged their misunderstanding be set upon the scale, also without their incurring any danger of penalty, and only for recreation’s sake, if perchance anything that is right may be found amongst them. We being untied were one after another set up. My companion was the fifth who held out bravely, whereupon all, but especially the captain, applauded him, and the Virgin shewed him the usual respect. I was the eighth. Now as soon as (with trembling) I stepped up, my companion who already sat by in his velvet, looked friendly upon me, and the Virgin herself smiled a little. But for as much as I outstayed all the weights, the Virgin commanded them to draw me up by force, wherefore three men moreover hung on the other side of the beam, and yet could nothing prevail. Whereupon one of the pages immediately stood up and cried out exceeding loud, THAT’S HE, upon which the other replied, then let him gain his liberty, which the Virgin acceded, and being received with due ceremonies, the choice was given me to release one of the captives, whosoever I pleased. Afterwards a Council of the seven captains and us was set, and the business was propounded by the Virgin as president, who desired each one to give his opinion, how the prisoners were to be dealt with.
The story is a long one, and we must present the rest only in outline. It goes on to say that the kinds of punishment to be dealt out to the prisoners were then discussed and arranged, after which another banquet took place, when these captives were required to make confession of being cheats and vagabonds, which after some expostulation they agreed to, appealing at the same time for mercy which was refused, though variations in the degrees of punishment were promised.
When the sentences had all been executed, there came forward “a beautiful snow white Unicorn with a golden collar about his neck. In the same place he bowed himself down upon both his fore feet, as if hereby he had shewn honour to the Lyon, who stood so immoveably upon the fountain, that I took him to be of stone or brass, who immediately took the naked sword, which he bare in his Paw and break it in the middle in two, the pieces whereof to my thinking sunk into the fountain, after which he so long roared, until a white dove brought a branch of olive in her bill, which the Lyon devoured in an instant, and so was quieted. And so the Unicorn returned to his place with joy, while our Virgin led us down by the winding stairs.”
The narrative grows complicated as it proceeds, and none the less strange in its character; its details are inexplicable and tedious, and it will be impossible to lay them before our readers. The writer proceeds to describe his rambles about the castle, the wonders which there met his gaze, his respectful treatment at the banquet, and a problem proposed by the Virgin which was duly debated by each in turn.
Fourth Day.
Presented to the King by the Virgin who explained that the lords had ventured hither with peril of body and life—assured by Atlas of the King’s welcome—promised by the Virgin that she would remove the burden of his old age—performance of a comedy.