“Five long years have I done penance by prayer, fasting and water-drinking,” he said, “and have now license from the venerable prior to go out into the world, and lay penance on other sinners. Now,” he continued, going on with his meal, “ye be all miserable sinners with your continual feasting and drinking, and I call upon you to do penance, and be converted, that your sins be blotted out.”
Then he intoned, in a loud ringing voice, “O Sanctissima.”
FRIAR ILSAN’S CONJURING OF WILDEBER.
Master Hildebrand had joined the group, and now exclaimed:
“Why, it is my own dear brother, Ilsan the Monk.”
“Culpa mea,” cried the monk; “touch me not, unholy brother. Confess, and do penance, that thou go not straight to hell like the others.”
“But,” said the master, “we are all collected here together to convert, by kindness or force, all monsters, giants, and dwarfs; so, my reverend brother, I now beg of you to lay aside your robes, and once more become one of us.”
“Convert, say you? Yea, I have license to convert the heathen, and will therefore join you in your pious work.”
With these words, the monk flung off his robes, and stood before them dressed in full armour.