THE EVENT LEFT TO GOD.

145

stiffer it became, sounding as if it had been made of iron. We at length desisted. I then asked the monk (for I was sometimes at Rome and sometimes at Wittenburg) where he got this pen, and why it was so strong?

The pen,' replied he, 'belonged to an old goose of Bohemia, a hundred years old. I got it from my old schoolmasters. As to its strength, it is owing to the impossibility of depriving it of its pith or marrow, and I am quite astonished at it myself.' Suddenly I heard a loud noise: a large number of other pens had sprung out of the long pen of the monk. I awoke a third time; it was daylight."

...

"Duke John. "Chancellor, what is your opinion? Would we had a Joseph or a Daniel enlightened by God."

"Chancellor. "Your highness knows the common proverb, that the dreams of young girls, learned men, and great lords have usually some hidden meaning. The meaning of this dream, however, we shall not be able to know for some time-not till the things to which it relates have taken place. Wherefore, leave the accomplishment to God, and place it wholly in His

hand."

"Duke John. "I am of your opinion, Chancellor. 'Tis not fit for us to annoy ourselves in attempting to discover the meaning; God will overrule all for His glory."

VOL. II.

L

146

AT SCHWEINITZ AND AT WITTENBURG.

'Elector. "May our faithful God do so. Yet I shall never forget this dream. I have indeed thought of an interpretation; but I keep it to myself. Time, perhaps, will show if I have been a good diviner."

'Thus the morning of the 31st October, 1517, was spent at Schweinitz. At Wittenburg, six leagues distant, Luther, in the course of the day, posted up his celebrated propositions about indulgences.

This step, it is be observed, was taken by him without having informed either the Elector, or Staupitz, Spalatin, or any, even the most intimate, of his friends, of his intention.'-History of the Reformation in the Sixteenth Century.

'On the 11th April, 1525, the three pastors of Zurich presented themselves, with Megander and Oswald Myconius, before the great council, and petitioned for the re-establishment of the Lord's Supper. The petition. was granted, but not without argument and opposition. Zuinglius insisted that, in the Greek language, ɛσrɩ (is) is the only word to express signifies; and he was eagerly occupied with searching for instances to this effect.

'At night, after he closed his eyes, he continued seeking out arguments to oppose his adversaries. The subject which had occupied him so much during the day again presented itself in sleep. He dreamt that he was disputing with Am-Grüt, who had maintained that

A POLEMICAL DREAM.

147

the words This is My body irresistibly proved that the bread was the body of Christ Himself; and could not answer his leading objection. Suddenly a person appeared, and said, "Why do you not quote Exodus xii. 11, Ye shall eat it in haste; it is the Lord's passover?" The next day, Zuinglius selected this passage for his text, and spoke so forcibly that he removed all doubts.

"This circumstance, which is so naturally explained, and the expression used by Zuinglius, when he said that he did not remember the appearance of the person whom he saw in his dream, has given rise to the charge that the Reformer learned his doctrine of the devil.'-History of the Reformation in the Sixteenth Century.

THE DREAMING DRACON.

JOANNES CUSPINIANUS.

'Basilius Macedo, who afterwards obtained the empire of Constantinople, when he was a child, lost his father. His mother, much afflicted with poverty, resolved, by her labour in service, to maintain herself and her son.

148

A KING IN A DITCH.

She came to Megalopolis at night; and because, poor woman, she wanted wherewithal to defray her expenses at an inn, she went to the church of St. Diomedes, and, being weary with her journey, fell asleep. The holy martyr that night appeared to a certain deacon of that house-who had not yet taken the orders of a priestin a dream, and commanded that he should take into the house the king, who lay out of doors, in a ditch close to the porch of the temple. The deacon awakened with his dream, and went out and found Basilius, a stripling, asleep; and thinking it a sleepy phantasm, returned into the temple. Falling asleep again, however, he was again and again awakened with the same vision, wherein he was strictly admonished that he should fetch in their king. At length, therefore, he went to Basilius, and rousing him from his sleep, courteously invited and led him into the temple, and helped him to all necessary accommodation, whereof he then stood in need. This deacon had a friend and kinsman at that time, a servant to Theophiliza, who, in virtue of affinity, was familiar with the Emperor Michael and Barda Cæsar, his maternal uncle. This deacon declared to his brother the vision he had seen, and desired him that he would help this Basil-whom, according to the command he had in his vision, he had entertained-into the service of some prince; and the brother preferred him to his lord Theophiliza. After a time, the two

WOTTO

DREAM OF NICHOLAS WOTTON.

149

brothers tell the dream to Basil, and bind him by oath to requite what kindness he had received from them, when he should enjoy his kingdom.'-De Casaribus et Imperatoribus Romanorum.

THE BENEVOLENT IMPRISONMENT.

IZAAK WALTON.

'In the year of our redemption, 1553, Nicholas Wotton, Dean of Canterbury, being then ambassador in France, dreamed that his nephew, Thomas Wotton, was inclined to be a party to such a project, as, if he were not suddenly prevented, would turn both to the loss of his life and ruin of his family.

'Doubtless the good dean did well know that common dreams are but a senseless paraphrase on our waking thoughts, or of the business of the day past, or are the result of our over-engaged affections when we betake ourselves to rest; and knew that the observation of them may turn to silly superstition, as they too often do: but though he might know all this, and might also