الفصل الفصل 18 · How Janotus de Bragmardo was

Chapter 1.XVIII.

How Janotus de Bragmardo was sent to Gargantua to recover the great bells.

Master Janotus, with his hair cut round like a dish a la Caesarine, in his

most antique accoutrement liripipionated with a graduate’s hood, and having

sufficiently antidoted his stomach with oven-marmalades, that is, bread and

holy water of the cellar, transported himself to the lodging of Gargantua,

driving before him three red-muzzled beadles, and dragging after him five

or six artless masters, all thoroughly bedaggled with the mire of the

streets. At their entry Ponocrates met them, who was afraid, seeing them

so disguised, and thought they had been some masquers out of their wits,

which moved him to inquire of one of the said artless masters of the

company what this mummery meant. It was answered him, that they desired to

have their bells restored to them. As soon as Ponocrates heard that, he

ran in all haste to carry the news unto Gargantua, that he might be ready

to answer them, and speedily resolve what was to be done. Gargantua being

advertised hereof, called apart his schoolmaster Ponocrates, Philotimus,

steward of his house, Gymnastes, his esquire, and Eudemon, and very

summarily conferred with them, both of what he should do and what answer he

should give. They were all of opinion that they should bring them unto the

goblet-office, which is the buttery, and there make them drink like

roysters and line their jackets soundly. And that this cougher might not

be puffed up with vain-glory by thinking the bells were restored at his

request, they sent, whilst he was chopining and plying the pot, for the

mayor of the city, the rector of the faculty, and the vicar of the church,

unto whom they resolved to deliver the bells before the sophister had

propounded his commission. After that, in their hearing, he should

pronounce his gallant oration, which was done; and they being come, the

sophister was brought in full hall, and began as followeth, in coughing.