APPENDIX I.

APOTHEOSIS OF REUCHLIN, BY ERASMUS.

THE canonization of Capnio (or concerning the incomparably excellent man, John Reuchlin, put into the number of the saints,) teacheth us how great honour is due to excellent men, who by their pains in studies have deserved well of the liberal sciences.

'None dies miserably that hath lived well.'

Pompilius, Brassicanus.

Pom. Whence comest thou to us with great shoes on thy feet? Bras. From Tubingen. Pom. Is there no news there? Bras. Truly I wonder much, that all men should be so desirous of news. Why, I heard a certain camel preach at Louvain, that we should shun whatever is new. Pom. That's a speech beseeming a camel. The man deserved (if so be he was a man) never to change his old shoes, or his rotten slops, always to eat rotten eggs, and to drink nothing else but dead wine. Bras. Why, but the same man, I would have thee know, is not so much in love with old things, as that he had rather have pottage made the day before than fresh soups. Pom. But, letting the camel pass, tell me if thou bringest any news. Yes, I do bring news, but, as he said, bad ones. Why, but that very thing will be old hereafter. So that it must needs be, that if all old things be good, and all new things bad, whatever things are good at present, have been bad heretofore, and the things that now are evil, will be good hereafter. Bras. So it seems to be according

Bras.

Pom.

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to the camel's opinion. Yet it follows, that who heretofore being a young man, was an evil fool, because he was new, the same is now a good fool, because he is grown old. Pom. But come on, let me hear it, whatever it is. Bras. That excellent rare man, John Reuchlin, that was well skilled in three languages, is dead. Pom. Dost thou tell it me for certain? Bras. More certain than I wish it were. Pom. But what evil is that, when one hath left a never dying memory of a most honourable name to posterity, to depart from the troubles of this life into the society of the saints? Bras. Who hath discovered that to thee? Pom. The thing itself. For he cannot die otherwise, who lived after such a manner. Bras. But thou wouldest rather say even so, if thou knew as much as I do. Pom. What is that, I pray thee? Bras. It is not lawful to relate it. Pom. Wherefore? Bras. Because he that entrusted me, made a bargain with me not to reveal the secret. Pom. Trust me with it also upon the same condition, I promise thee faithfully to keep silence. Bras. Although that promise hath often deceived me already, yet come on, I will trust thee with it, especially seeing the thing is of that nature, as that it may be fit to be known even to all good men. There is at Tubingen one of the Franciscan Order, who is accounted by all men, but himself, to be a man of excellent holiness. Pom. Thou tellest me of a great sign of true holiness. Bras. Thou wouldest approve the man, and thou wouldest confess it to be true, if I should name him. Pom. What if I guess it? Bras. Thou mayest. Pom. Hark in thy Bras. What needs that, seeing we are alone? Pom. That is the custom. Bras. It is the very same man. Pom. He is a very trusty man. I shall hold it an oracle whatever he shall say. Bras. Hear then the whole discourse without a deceit. Our Reuchlin was sick, indeed very dangerously, but so, as there was good hope, that in time he might recover his health; he was a man that deserved never to wax old, to be sick, or to die. In the morning I went to see my Franciscan, that by his words he might assuage the grief of my mind. For I was sick together with my sick friend, whom I loved as my father. Pom. Fie! who in any place did not love him, unless it were a very base fellow? Bras. Says

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this my Franciscan,' Brassican, put quite away all sorrow from thy heart, our Reuchlin hath left off to be sick.' "What,' say I, 'is he grown well again on a sudden? For two days' space before, the physicians gave no great hopes of him.' Then,' says he, he hath recovered his health, but on that fashion, that hereafter he needs not be afraid of sickness. Do not weep (for he saw the tears bursting out) until thou hear the whole matter. I had not gone to see the man in six days, but yet I prayed to the Lord for his health in my daily prayers. This day at night, when I had laid myself down in my bed after the morning-service, a kind of pleasing and not sound sleep stole upon me.' Pom. I cannot tell what good news my mind foretels me. Bras. Thy mind presageth nothing hurtful. 'Methought,' says he, 'I stood at a certain little bridge, over which there was a passage into a very pleasant meadow. The more than smaragdine greenness of the grass and leafy boughs did so much delight my sight, the flowers like little stars did so smile upon me with an incredible variety of colours, all things breathed out such a fragrant scent, as that all the meadows that were on this side the river, wherewith that most flourishing field was parted from them, seemed neither to grow, nor to be green, but all things seemed dead, unpleasant, and withered. And in the mean time, while I was wholly taken up with that sight, Reuchlin opportunely had passed by ; and passing by he prayed, "Peace be to thee," in the Hebrew tongue. He was gone half over the bridge before I perceived him; and preparing myself to run to him, he, looking back, forbad me. 'It is not yet,' saith he, 'lawful for thee to do it. Thou shalt follow me five years hence. In the mean while, stand thou still as a witness and beholder of those things which are done.' 'At this,' said I, was Reuchlin naked or clothed? was he alone, or had he company?' Says he, He had no clothes, besides one very white, you would have said it had been satin, of a wonderful bright-shining whiteness behind him followed a boy of a marvellous beauty, with wings; I thought that it was his good angel.' Pom. But did there no evil angel accompany him? Bras. Yes, some, as that Franciscan thought. Afar off,' says he, 'there followed behind him some birds that had black feathers,

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in other parts, except that in the opening of their wings, they showed flesh-coloured feathers, rather than white ones.' Saith he, They might seem to be Pies, in their colour and voice, but that every one of them was as big in body as sixteen Pies, being no less than Vultures, having a crest on their crown, with crooked beaks and talons; they might seem to be harpies, if they had been but three. Pom. What did these furies attempt to do? Bras. Says he, "They did make a noise at the noble Reuchlin afar off, being ready to set upon him, if they had been able.' Pom. Why could they not? Bras. Because Reuchlin, turning himself about, shaking his hand against them, and, making the sign of the cross: 'Get you gone,' says he, you wicked hags, to that place which you deserve. Let it be sufficient for you to trouble mortal men: your rage hath no power upon me, who am now enrolled among immortal creatures.' He had scarce

spoken these words,' saith the Franciscan, but those most ugly fowls went away, but leaving a stinking savour behind them, unto which if a jakes were compared, it would seem to be oil of sweet marjoram, or a pleasant ointment. He swore deeply, that he would rather go down even to hell, than he would endure to be blasted again with such a perfume.' Pom. A rope take those filthy birds. Bras. But hear what remains behind, which the Franciscan told me: While I heedfully beheld these things,' says he, Saint Jerome was now come near the bridge, who spake to Reuchlin in these words: " Save thee, most holy copartner; I am entrusted with this business, to entertain and bring thee into the society of the saints, which thing the Divine bounty hath appointed for thy most holy labours." And with that he took out a garment, which he put upon Reuchlin.' Then said I, Tell me, in what apparel, or in what shape, did Jerome seem to be? was he so old, as they paint him, or had he a, hood, or a hat, or a cardinal's robe, or a lion by his side?' He answered to these things; quoth he, He had nothing of that kind. His shape was pleasant to behold, which showed his age in such a manner, as that he had no deformity, but very much majesty.' 'But to what purpose did he need a lion there to accompany him, which the picture-drawers have drawn by him? He wore a gar