The Hundred and Ninth Adventure — Telleth What Stood Upon His Gravestone13
Epitaphium
This stone dare none to overthrow,
For Owlglass upright stands below.
The Hundred and Tenth Adventure.
How in after time our most excellent Owlglass was esteemed so worthy that he was made a holy Saint; and on the day of All Fools in April do the folk alway keep his memory, as also when they do a foolish thing, the which maketh him continually esteemed of great and small.
That which is accomplished of a great man must at some season bring him honour and glory; therefore be not astonished at the matter which came to pass when that Cardinal Raymundus lay at Möllen great number of years after. For in those parts did many bear in mind the virtues of the illustrious Owlglass; and the cardinal himself went and looked upon the gravestone of Owlglass, and had report made unto him of his doings and sayings. And, for as much as the people of Möllen gave great glory unto his memory, the good cardinal wrote unto the Holy Father at Rome; and unto the great content and delight of the townsfolk of Möllen, Master Owlglass was made a Saint, and beareth rule over all manner of chousings, beguilings, cozenings, cheatings, and knaveries having fellowship with Saint Nicholas; and when that a man goeth about to do a foolish thing, remembereth he that holy man, Saint Owlglass, and doth call upon his name—and of a verity is Saint Owlglass, of all the saints that be in the calendar, that one which hath the government of the greatest number of devout folks here on earth. For fools be there many; and upon the first day of that fair month of April, the weather of which is as various as were the adventures of the holy saint—upon the first of April, I say, do all men honour him, and indeed every day; for in that hour in the which they accomplish any idle vain work, do they increase his glory. So that Saint Owlglass doth receive the continual esteem of both great and small.
Notes
13. This device is faithfully copied from that in the edition of 1519.