The Three Perils of Man; or, War, Women, and Witchcraft, Vol. 3 (of 3)Hogg, James
History
The Three Perils of Man; or, War, Women, and Witchcraft, Vol. 3 (of 3)
Hogg, James
Historical fiction; Scotland -- History -- Robert II, 1371-1390 -- Fiction
"The worthy gentleman hath said well," said the abbot. "It is a moral
truth that can never be too deeply impressed, that _peace and love
only lead to happiness_. They are emanations from above, and the
contrary passions from beneath. All the fierce and fiery passions of
the soul are the offspring of hell fire. But a truce with preaching.
Honest friend go on with your strange relation, and acquaint us in
what manner his infernal majesty and the king of mortal magicians
spent their time."
In constant discord and jarring. The devil challenged the Master with
impotency in entertaining a poor crazy monk, and submitting to be
protected and even cowed by him; at which the Master took high
offence, and retorted in the bitterest terms; while the other always
hinted that he would make him repent his intercourse with that
preposterous and presumptive fool. So he termed our own worthy friar
and head chaplain.
In one thing only they agreed, and that was in abusing the witches.
Never were there poor deluded creatures guided in such a way as they.
The devil says to the Master one day in my hearing, "Brother Michael,"
says he, "I have an act of justice to perform to all our true and
trusty female lieges in this quarter. I gave them my princely word of
honour, that on their yielding themselves up souls and bodies to me
and to my service, they should all be married, and all to young and
goodly husbands too. That having been the principal, and almost the
only boon, the good consistent creatures required of me for the
sacrifice they made, they must not be disappointed." The Master
acquiesced, but at the same time remarked, with what I judged
unreasonable chagrin, that when he was keeping his word so punctually,
it betokened nothing good for those to whom he kept it.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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