Bab Bab 15 · How Gargantua was put under

Chapter 1.XV.

How Gargantua was put under other schoolmasters.

At the last his father perceived that indeed he studied hard, and that,

although he spent all his time in it, he did nevertheless profit nothing,

but which is worse, grew thereby foolish, simple, doted, and blockish,

whereof making a heavy regret to Don Philip of Marays, Viceroy or Depute

King of Papeligosse, he found that it were better for him to learn nothing

at all, than to be taught such-like books, under such schoolmasters;

because their knowledge was nothing but brutishness, and their wisdom but

blunt foppish toys, serving only to bastardize good and noble spirits, and

to corrupt all the flower of youth. That it is so, take, said he, any

young boy of this time who hath only studied two years,--if he have not a

better judgment, a better discourse, and that expressed in better terms

than your son, with a completer carriage and civility to all manner of

persons, account me for ever hereafter a very clounch and bacon-slicer of

Brene. This pleased Grangousier very well, and he commanded that it should

be done. At night at supper, the said Des Marays brought in a young page

of his, of Ville-gouges, called Eudemon, so neat, so trim, so handsome in

his apparel, so spruce, with his hair in so good order, and so sweet and

comely in his behaviour, that he had the resemblance of a little angel more

than of a human creature. Then he said to Grangousier, Do you see this

young boy? He is not as yet full twelve years old. Let us try, if it

please you, what difference there is betwixt the knowledge of the doting

Mateologians of old time and the young lads that are now. The trial

pleased Grangousier, and he commanded the page to begin. Then Eudemon,

asking leave of the vice-king his master so to do, with his cap in his

hand, a clear and open countenance, beautiful and ruddy lips, his eyes

steady, and his looks fixed upon Gargantua with a youthful modesty,

standing up straight on his feet, began very gracefully to commend him;

first, for his virtue and good manners; secondly, for his knowledge,

thirdly, for his nobility; fourthly, for his bodily accomplishments; and,

in the fifth place, most sweetly exhorted him to reverence his father with

all due observancy, who was so careful to have him well brought up. In the

end he prayed him, that he would vouchsafe to admit of him amongst the

least of his servants; for other favour at that time desired he none of

heaven, but that he might do him some grateful and acceptable service. All

this was by him delivered with such proper gestures, such distinct

pronunciation, so pleasant a delivery, in such exquisite fine terms, and so

good Latin, that he seemed rather a Gracchus, a Cicero, an Aemilius of the

time past, than a youth of this age. But all the countenance that

Gargantua kept was, that he fell to crying like a cow, and cast down his

face, hiding it with his cap, nor could they possibly draw one word from

him, no more than a fart from a dead ass. Whereat his father was so

grievously vexed that he would have killed Master Jobelin, but the said Des

Marays withheld him from it by fair persuasions, so that at length he

pacified his wrath. Then Grangousier commanded he should be paid his

wages, that they should whittle him up soundly, like a sophister, with good

drink, and then give him leave to go to all the devils in hell. At least,

said he, today shall it not cost his host much if by chance he should die

as drunk as a Switzer. Master Jobelin being gone out of the house,

Grangousier consulted with the Viceroy what schoolmaster they should choose

for him, and it was betwixt them resolved that Ponocrates, the tutor of

Eudemon, should have the charge, and that they should go altogether to

Paris, to know what was the study of the young men of France at that time.