第 二十五 章 · How there was great strife a

Chapter 1.XXV.

How there was great strife and debate raised betwixt the cake-bakers of

Lerne, and those of Gargantua’s country, whereupon were waged great wars.

At that time, which was the season of vintage, in the beginning of harvest,

when the country shepherds were set to keep the vines, and hinder the

starlings from eating up the grapes, as some cake-bakers of Lerne happened

to pass along in the broad highway, driving into the city ten or twelve

horses loaded with cakes, the said shepherds courteously entreated them to

give them some for their money, as the price then ruled in the market. For

here it is to be remarked, that it is a celestial food to eat for breakfast

hot fresh cakes with grapes, especially the frail clusters, the great red

grapes, the muscadine, the verjuice grape, and the laskard, for those that

are costive in their belly, because it will make them gush out, and squirt

the length of a hunter’s staff, like the very tap of a barrel; and

oftentimes, thinking to let a squib, they did all-to-besquatter and

conskite themselves, whereupon they are commonly called the vintage

thinkers. The bun-sellers or cake-makers were in nothing inclinable to

their request; but, which was worse, did injure them most outrageously,

calling them prattling gabblers, lickorous gluttons, freckled bittors, mangy

rascals, shite-a-bed scoundrels, drunken roysters, sly knaves, drowsy

loiterers, slapsauce fellows, slabberdegullion druggels, lubberly louts,

cozening foxes, ruffian rogues, paltry customers, sycophant-varlets,

drawlatch hoydens, flouting milksops, jeering companions, staring clowns,

forlorn snakes, ninny lobcocks, scurvy sneaksbies, fondling fops, base

loons, saucy coxcombs, idle lusks, scoffing braggarts, noddy meacocks,

blockish grutnols, doddipol-joltheads, jobbernol goosecaps, foolish

loggerheads, flutch calf-lollies, grouthead gnat-snappers, lob-dotterels,

gaping changelings, codshead loobies, woodcock slangams, ninny-hammer

flycatchers, noddypeak simpletons, turdy gut, shitten shepherds, and other

suchlike defamatory epithets; saying further, that it was not for them to

eat of these dainty cakes, but might very well content themselves with the

coarse unranged bread, or to eat of the great brown household loaf. To

which provoking words, one amongst them, called Forgier, an honest fellow

of his person and a notable springal, made answer very calmly thus: How

long is it since you have got horns, that you are become so proud? Indeed

formerly you were wont to give us some freely, and will you not now let us

have any for our money? This is not the part of good neighbours, neither

do we serve you thus when you come hither to buy our good corn, whereof you

make your cakes and buns. Besides that, we would have given you to the

bargain some of our grapes, but, by his zounds, you may chance to repent

it, and possibly have need of us at another time, when we shall use you

after the like manner, and therefore remember it. Then Marquet, a prime

man in the confraternity of the cake-bakers, said unto him, Yea, sir, thou

art pretty well crest-risen this morning, thou didst eat yesternight too

much millet and bolymong. Come hither, sirrah, come hither, I will give

thee some cakes. Whereupon Forgier, dreading no harm, in all simplicity

went towards him, and drew a sixpence out of his leather satchel, thinking

that Marquet would have sold him some of his cakes. But, instead of cakes,

he gave him with his whip such a rude lash overthwart the legs, that the

marks of the whipcord knots were apparent in them, then would have fled

away; but Forgier cried out as loud as he could, O, murder, murder, help,

help, help! and in the meantime threw a great cudgel after him, which he

carried under his arm, wherewith he hit him in the coronal joint of his

head, upon the crotaphic artery of the right side thereof, so forcibly,

that Marquet fell down from his mare more like a dead than living man.

Meanwhile the farmers and country swains, that were watching their walnuts

near to that place, came running with their great poles and long staves,

and laid such load on these cake-bakers, as if they had been to thresh upon

green rye. The other shepherds and shepherdesses, hearing the lamentable

shout of Forgier, came with their slings and slackies following them, and

throwing great stones at them, as thick as if it had been hail. At last

they overtook them, and took from them about four or five dozen of their

cakes. Nevertheless they paid for them the ordinary price, and gave them

over and above one hundred eggs and three baskets full of mulberries. Then

did the cake-bakers help to get up to his mare Marquet, who was most

shrewdly wounded, and forthwith returned to Lerne, changing the resolution

they had to go to Pareille, threatening very sharp and boisterously the

cowherds, shepherds, and farmers of Seville and Sinays. This done, the

shepherds and shepherdesses made merry with these cakes and fine grapes,

and sported themselves together at the sound of the pretty small pipe,

scoffing and laughing at those vainglorious cake-bakers, who had that day

met with a mischief for want of crossing themselves with a good hand in the

morning. Nor did they forget to apply to Forgier’s leg some fair great red

medicinal grapes, and so handsomely dressed it and bound it up that he was

quickly cured.