The Hundred and Fourth Adventure.
How that when Owlglass was sick unto death, he made confession of three things, the which it sorely troubled him he had not done.
Sorrow and trouble had Owlglass for his manifold wickedness; but the mood in which he spake unto his mother, remained not upon him any while. For as the tree falleth so doth it lie, and in so much joyous company hath Master Owlglass spent his life, that now at the end of it can he not send forth the remembrance of it, and a smack of his ancient knavery cometh back unto him. When those which were around him perceived that he was near unto his end, they besought and moved him to confess his transgressions unto the priest. And that would he not do until an old nun of marvellous wisdom came and entreated him. Then he opened his mouth and spake unto her, saying: “Nay, but I die not sweetly, for death is bitter indeed, and unto me cometh with a face of woe; and why should I confess unto any man in secret? For what I have done,—knowing that in my manhood I have perfected many and divers things,—is perceived by me to be noised abroad over many lands and countries, and unto not a few is it well known, and of me converse they continually; and unto the end of time shall the inheritance of my life come unto others that arise after me. Of a truth do I not think so scurvily of the world. But an if I have done therein any good, it shall not be remembered; and if man receive it not, then will the Almighty Lord record it within the glorious book he hath of his creatures. And yet of my evil doings will there be constant report, so that without confession shall they be multiplied. Three sorrows have I, the which I have not done and performed, and the which could have been accomplished by me.”
HOW OWLGLASS REBUKED THE PRIEST’S COVETOUSNESS.
And the holy nun answered him, and said: “Dear heart! be ye content; for an if it might be an evil thing that ye would do, have ye in the thought concerning it wrought more than half thereof. But what be these things, evil or good?” And Owlglass answered, and said: “The first of these things is, that when I beheld a man walking in the street, and his coat hung below his mantle, I followed after him, and I thought that the coat would have fallen from off him; then would I fain have rolled it up, and did I not do it. For when that I approached unto him, I was grievously vexed that I could not cut off his coat as far as it hung down beneath the mantle. And this thing, the which I did not, troubled me most sorely. Unto this add I the second thing, the which is, that when I behold a man who sitteth, and with a knife thrust between his jaws, doth pick his teeth, then would I gladly jerk the knife into his wizen, for that thereby he might not again mar his teeth. And the last thing that I have not done is, that when a pack of old women sate conferring together, and gossiping away the character, conduct, and interests of those which be fools enow to look upon them with awe and reverence, I could not sew their mouths up, hath troubled me sorely.” Then said the old nun unto him: “Meanest thou that, and wouldst thou do it unto me?” “Yea,” quoth the dying knave. “Then would I give unto thee thy viaticum, and assoilzie thee,—and that thou shouldst get thee unto the foul fiend, the which owneth thee, and all like unto thee!” “Nay,” answered Owlglass, “an if thou dost this, thou dost condemn the whole human race, for be we not every one of us fools or knaves?” But she tarried no longer with him, the which he deemed not civil, for with others, until that he was bidden to depart, remained he always.
The Hundred and Fifth Adventure.
Saith, How that to a greedy priest Owlglass confessed his sins, and paid him handsomely for his pains.
And it came to pass, that when the nun had departed from him, he still thought that with this world he would leave not a moment without profit; therefore when that they brought a priest unto him, lost he not any time in rehearsing unto him his sins, and likewise giving unto him such a lesson as in this true and veracious chronicle will now be set forth. For the greed of priests be very great, and ever delight they in clutching from the poor such money as would otherwise fill their ill-lined bodies with good meat and drink, and cover their pinched limbs with a fair doublet. So when that this priest came unto Owlglass, perceived he that an adventurous man had our master been, and in his time had made not a little provision for his purse, and could, therefore, pay unto his confessor a goodly sum. And unto him did he therefore speak, beseeching him to think of the peace of his soul, and that he should pay money for masses, the which should be said and sung for him. Thereunto answered Owlglass, that it was well said of him, and he bade him to come again that afternoon, and he would make provision therefor.
Then departed the priest, and came not again until even; and our good master made preparation, and gat a large vessel and filled it with pitch; and on the top of the pitch laid he some crown-pieces, and ducats, and other money, so as to hide the pitch from the eyes of the priest. Then confessed Owlglass his sins, and the priest gave him absolution, and then would have received the money of him. And Owlglass said unto him: “Lo! in yonder vessel lieth store of treasure, put in thine hand and pluck forth a handful; but do thou see that thou dip not too deep.” Yet was the priest greedy, and hearkened not unto the words of Owlglass, but dipped his hand deep into the vessel, and behold! when he brought it forth again was it with pitch all defiled. Thereat was Master Owlglass greatly benefited, so that strength returned unto him, and he rose up from his bed and said unto him: “Dost thou not see! I required of thee that thou shouldst not dip too deep into the vessel; but thou wouldst not hearken unto my words, for on the top lay the treasure, the which was thine.” And he laughed and made sport of the priest’s greed. Then was the priest wroth, and departed, and would with such a knave have no more to do.
The Hundred and Sixth Adventure.
How that Owlglass in three parts did divide all that belonged unto him; and the one part gave he freely unto his friends, and another thereof humbly to the town council of Möllen, and the third part unto the priest there.
Now when that Owlglass lay sick, every day grew he weaker, and knew that his death was approaching; therefore he made his will, and in three parts did he divide his wealth,—the one part gave he unto his friends, and the other unto the town council of Möllen, to pay the debts which lay upon the town, and the third part unto the priest of that place. But he made one stipulation, and caused them to promise that they would bury him in the holy earth of the churchyard, and after a Christian wise sing and say a mass and vigil for his sinful soul; and then, after four weeks, should they open the chest in the which lay his treasure, and the which chest was with three most excellent locks shut, and unto each gave Owlglass one key, and they accepted the trust of him, and then bidding them all farewell and enjoyment of the wealth he left unto them, he gently gave up the ghost, and so from this world departed one of the best and noblest men the which Germany had ever seen; nor since that time hath there been any like unto him in rarity of wit or subtlety of heart. And though there be no lack of fools and knaves who chouse and cozen, yet do none of them perform such chousing and cozening to the glory and advantage of true wisdom, in manner and form as did Owlglass.