f. 170.

and occupied the East Empire unto Alexandria against Haraclius the Emperor. Then he took the name* of speaking of true prophets, as though God had spoken in him, and spake in this manner in his books that he made: "Our Lord spake to his prophet and said;" for so the books that he fained guileful should be believed, as though they were made by authority of God Almighty.

Then, not only his own men but also men of far lands fell to him and bowed to him in every side. He had great liking to have great lordship and as it were for to bring men into good manner living, and, as it was by commandment of God Almighty, he absolved† the nations that dwelled nigh him, and did by craft and by guile that he might not do by deeds of arms. Therefore, when Egipe, Lybia, Arabia, and Syria were subjects, because he would seem the more holy, he drew the people that were subjects to his false law, and made them to forsake the usages and laws of their forefathers. And he forbad the Paynims maumentry, and he granted circumcision to the Jews as they had used, and fained of his own self some new laws,--alleged witness of either Testament. The Sarasyns call that law his law yet unto this time. And bade the Sarasyns circumcise them as the Jews done, and forbad them that would follow him eating of swinish flesh. And Macoment would tell the cause why he forbad them the swine's flesh, and said that swine came of camel's dirt, after Noe's flood, and therefore clean meat‡ should exchew it as meat that is unclean. And, as it were accord with Christian men in the manner of christening, he ordained oft washing of limbs in water, as it were for cleansing of sins.§

And for to bring the people that was so beguiled the faster to snare, what he knew that was most pleasant to man's liking, he ordained that for a law. And he ordained that a man should have as many wives and concubines as he might sustain with his cattle. Also that a man might have wives of his own kindred, and to the number of four; and that a man might four sythes forsake his wife and take her again. And also that he might have as many concubines as he would of women that were brought prisoners; and also that he might sell them, but if he had brought any of them with child. And ordained them to use soberness of meat and drink, and forbad them drinking of wine, but it were in certain solemn days in the year. And for he would some deal vary from the Jews,** that worship God westward, and fro Christian men that wor

shipped God eastward, he taught his people to worship God in the southward with east kneelings, for in the south is plenty of light. He ordained them to worship the goddess Venus, and to hold the day solemn and holy that is Friday.

He bade worship one Almighty God, creator and maker of all things, and said that Moses and John were prophets, and that Christ was greater and greatest of all prophets, and that he was born of the Maid Mary by virtue of God without man's seed, as he saith in his book that hight Alcarone. Nevertheless he meddled some false saws with sooth saws, and said that Christ was afterward borne up to heaven, and not slain, for he saith that Judas the traitor sought Christ in a dent and was changed into the likeness of Christ, and so he was taken and nailed to the cross instead of Christ. Also he bade that the men of his law should every year, if they might, go into God's House that is in Mathe for to abide their beddes.‡ And when they were come thither they should be clothed in one manner clothing, and they should throw out stones through holes of the walls, as it were for to stone the Devil. And said that Abram made the house for his children Ismalites, for they should there bide their beddes. Also by Macoment's law, he that were taken with a woman in spousse brecke§ should be stoned to death. And if he did fornication with a single woman he should have 80 lashes, and if the first time, and the second time, should have been beaten, and the third time he should lose his hands, and the fourth time lose his feet.

And he saith that who that holdeth all this and other hests of his law, God Almighty promised him Paradise, the orchard of pleasure and liking. There is no distemper ne pain, that is, any manner of grief, but all manner of wealth and of liking. There is liking meat for to eat and clothes for to wear, and maidens them embrace fair, and shall serve them there. The angels been so great and so huge that from that one eye to that other is the space of a day's journey. And to them that hold ne keep not his law, he promised them fire and pain of hell without end.

And also in his book that is called Acorann he praiseth all the fathers of the Old Testament, and specially Moses and John the Baptist, Christ and Machomet. Also there he praiseth all that believe in God and do righteousness, ¶ but it is not there read what is the right faith, ne what men be of right belief, ne what men be of misbelief. All these written 5 books came from Heaven for the information of mankind;

*"meldit," MS.

† "dene," MS.

i.e. to say their prayers.
Sic.

Breach of marriage, adultery?

"wenthe," MS.

¶"right wissens," MS.

f. 171.

the Sawter, Moyses' Book, the Book of Prophets, and Machoment's Alcarone.

In that Alcaron it is written that God Almighty would rule and lead mankind in the way of salvation. And after Abraham he gave the children of Israel a law, by which law they should keep God and worship him, but for they told not of his law, God gave the Gospel [to]t other men. And also they misused the law, and the Arabs that came of Abraham by Ismaell were moe men and greater people than the Jews that came of Abraham by Isake, and the Arabs that were left were left without law. Therefore out of the consistors of God's righteousness came a decree that [a]† prophet of their own people be sent to the Ismalites with a law, the which prophet and law the Sarasens should follow as the Jews followed Moses and Christian men Christ. And therefore the Sarasens hold themselves better than Jews or Christian men ; oft trespass against their own law.

For to bring this about Machoment nourished and fed a fair camel in a privy place, so that the camel had no meat but of his own hand. And Machoment waited his time, and hung that cursed book Acaron about the camel's neck. In that book were the foresaid laws written, and Machoment let go the foresaid camel into the fields with the book about, tofore daylight. Then the camel, as it was no wonder, began to leap and to start and made great joy for he was at large, and fled every man, and would come nigh no man's hand. Speech of this wonder sprang out in fields and towns, and the people gathered thither out of every side. But when Machoment was come the beast saw him afar off that gave him alway meat, and ran to him anon right, and bowed to him and licked his hands, as he was taught. Then the people cried and said, "In this deed is shewed the holiness of God's prophet;" and they prayed him that he would undo the book with his holy hands. And when the book was opened, "Lo!" said Machoment, "here is your law, not written with man's hands, but with angel's hands, and sent from Heaven for to be hold ever without end. In this book ye been taught how ye shall worship God, and how great meed ye shall hope to receive of him for keeping of this law."

And

The day that this day was done in, is every year made solemn and holy, and is called the Feast of the Camel. they fast* a month to-fore that feast in this manner. Every day of that month fro the first light of the day when men may know between white and black, unto the going down of the sun, they fast* and eat not nor drink nor delynge with their wives, but been always in their prayers. But after the going down of the sun unto the dawning again they eat,

* omitted?

f. 172.

Monks taken.

drink, and lie by their wives; but sick men and feeble been not hold so froe* to fast.

This Machoment displeased oft his wife, for he had oft the falling evil, and in that evil he fell oft to the ground; but he pleased her and other that had received his law in this manner; ard said that he fell to the ground for the words of Saint Michael the Archangel, that spake with him so oft; "for a flesh man," he said, " may not suffer angels' words but if he fell." He hated wine, drunkenness, as ribaldry and harlotry, because heat of the country he would have it spared. But in a night he was drunk, and fell down in the street, and there swines eat him, which he reputed unclean beasts. Therefore they that hold these laws spare wine and swine's flesh. In the first point it seemed that they followed the Jews. In the second point they followed the philosophiest of their master.

Also after the death of Machoment that cursed sect increased so fast that it caused so mighty men of Percy to draw to that cursed law of the Arabs. Also that sect hath infected unto this time all Africa, and a great deal of Spain, as Garnarde. And the Archbishop Trupinis telleth that Machoment's image of Salone that he made with his own hands standeth in the sea strand§, and hath his face toward the south. In that image Machoment by witchcraft closed a legion of fiends. A Christian man that cometh there is lightly perished ||, but a Sarasin goeth away whole and sound. A bird that cometh there dieth¶ anon.

The image holdeth a mace in his right hand, and that mace shall first fall when a King shall be born in Gallia that shall renew all Spain with Christian laws; and when the mace shall fall, then the Sarasyns shall flee and leave their treasury.‡

The famous noryet in this cursed sect Saladinus, Duke of Turks, the strong hammer of Christian men, about the year of our Lord 1190, he heard that Christian men used many messes of meat at one meal, and said that Christian men were not worthy to have the Holy Land. Also he was fell and slyth, for to praise his own sect, and to blame and despise our law and that is known by this ensample. On a time were two white monks brought to-fore him, that thieves of Turks had take[n], and he knew by their strange clothing that they were philosophers and Christian men. And he asked by one that knew both languages, of them, where they were, and of what condition and profession. And they said that they were monks, and had done profession to Saint Bennet's rule. Then he asked

f. 173.

busily many points of that rule, and specially among other he asked if they should by their rule eat flesh or drink wine. Then answered and said that they had at all time[s] somewhat of wine for to drink, but flesh would they none eat, but it were for sickness or great need. Then the tyrant bade that they should have more large keeping, and have two fair young women to serve them, and bade that they should eat flesh and drink water; and so¶ they eat flesh and drank water, and took ensample by Saint Jobe, and made covenant *eyne that they would not think of filthy and of sin, and were alway busy in their prayers.

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Then Saladinus was ware hereof, and took from them the flesh and water, and bade them serve with fish and wine. And he bade so do to the intent that Salamon moveth and saith, "Give ye wine to them that been in great sorrow, that they may drink and forget their sorrow and their need." When he had thus done, he cast to beguile by simpleness these two monks, for they would if they might thereby set challenge and blame upon the religion. Then the monk[s] drank wine and were merry and glad, and forgat what they would have in mind, and fell to and lay by the women. Then on the morrow, when the wine was defyed,† they thought on their trespass and gan for to weep. The tyrant saw them weep, and said, Why be ye more sorry than ye were wont to be?" "For we have sinned grievously," said they, " and were overcomen with wine." "Then," he said, " while ye eat flesh and drink water ye held forth your purpose readily enough, but when ye were overcome with wine without flesh rule and your ye broke your purpose. Therefore it is known that Bennet, the author of your rule, was unwise for to forbid you to eat of flesh, that disturbeth not a man's wit, and granteth you to drink wine, that rooteth up the strength of reason, as ye have assayed now by new assays. Then he that made our law, Machoment, that forbade us wine, that disturbeth man's wit, and granted us to eat flesh, was wiser than your Bennet. But what been your remedies and cleansing of this sin, now that ye hath broken your rule and your purpose?" "Penance," said they, "and satisfaction by ordinance of our elder forefathers." "Then," said he, "may ye not be cleansed among us; go ye to your own, and be cleansed in your own manner wise." And so he let them go.

This man was full of old pestilence of sleight and wiles, and what the wile shrowe myght no haw sawred int he began to despise; for he would blame the holy man Saint Bennet, of the which Saint Bennet the Great Gregory saith that he wrote the rule of monks full of wit and wisdom, and open and clear in words. It is a wisdom to withdraw from them that go to