The Life and Letters of Ogier Ghiselin de Busbecq, Volumes 1 and 2Busbecq, Ogier Ghislain de
History
The Life and Letters of Ogier Ghiselin de Busbecq, Volumes 1 and 2
Busbecq, Ogier Ghislain de
Busbecq, Ogier Ghislain de, 1522-1592
[248] A similar legend is told of St. Raymond, a Spanish saint, who
lived in the thirteenth century. He was confessor to Don James, King of
Aragon. In the words of Mrs. Jameson (_Legends of the Monastic Orders_,
p. 421), ‘the latter’ (the King) ‘had but one fault; he was attached
to a certain beauty of his court from whom Raymond in vain endeavoured
to detach him. When the King summoned his confessor to attend him
to Majorca, the saint refused unless the lady were left; the King
affected to yield, but soon after their arrival in Majorca, Raymond
discovered that the lady was also there in the disguise of a page; he
remonstrated; the King grew angry; Raymond intimated his resolution to
withdraw to Spain; the King forbad any vessel to leave the port, and
made it death to any person to convey him from the island. The result
is thus gravely related: St. Raymond, full of confidence in God, said
to his companion, “An earthly King has deprived us of the means of
escape, but a heavenly King will supply them!” Then walking up to a
rock which projected into the sea, he spread his cloak on the waters,
and setting his staff upright and tying one corner to it for a sail,
he made the sign of the cross, and boldly embarked in this new kind of
vessel. He was wafted over the surface of the ocean with such rapidity
that in six hours he reached Barcelona. This stupendous miracle _might_
perhaps have been doubted, if five hundred credible witnesses had
not seen the saint land on the quay at Barcelona, take up his cloak,
which was not even wetted by the waves, throw it round him, and retire
modestly to his cell; more like an humble penitent than one in whose
favour Heaven had so wonderfully wrought.’
[249] This feat is by no means impossible. See Hone’s _Everyday Book_,
ii. p. 771-9.
[250] A receipt by which this feat may be accomplished is given in
the _Booke of Secrets_ of Albertus Magnus, imprinted at London by H.
Jackson. ‘Take the juice of Bismalua, and the white of an egge, and the
seed of an herb called Psillium, also Pulicarius herba, and break it
into powder, and make a confection, and myxe the juice of Radysh with
the white of an egge. Anoynt thy body or hand with this confection, and
let it be dryed, and after anoynte it againe; after that thou mayest
suffer boldely the fire without hurt.’ (See Hone’s _Everyday Book_, ii.
p. 774.) Similar feats were performed before Evelyn. (_Diary_, p. 370.)
[251] See note, page 226.
[252] Treaty of Cateau Cambrésis, concluded between France and Spain,
April 3, 1559.
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