Thus in four hours time they had made many leagues out at sea. Others contradicted it, because the decease of the ancients was not only to restore life, but increase too to the young ones. Mean time the King and Queen for recreations sake, began to fall to play together. Or bends with the remover to remove: What then (replied I again) may the seventh contain? And thereupon in the presence of God I made a Vow, that if any thing through his grace should be revealed unto me, I would employ it neither to my own honour nor authority in the world, but to the spreading of his Name, and the service of my neighbour. weed 1 (wēd) n. 1. She was surrounded, over-powered and outgunned and yet held her own. But if it could otherwise be, she was the present obliged in love to one as well as the other. One part viewed the excellent paintings, which they copied out for themselves, and considered also what the wonderful characters might signify. The same happened to the rest too, till at last we all met again in the neither most vault, and habits entirely yellow were given us, together with our golden fleeces. It was Simon of Cyrene who bore the cross for Jesus in Mark, Luke and Matthew's gospels. Then some first began to perceive the imminent danger, and I my self could not refrain tears. But they had scarce spoken a few words with me, when again a little bell began to ring, which (as the pages informed me) was to give notice for assembling; whereupon they willed me to rise, and through many walks, doors and winding stairs lighted me into a spacious hall. and I (as commonly) bare in my hand a branch of laurel, but my sister had none. After some hours, having in friendly discourses made a good way, we came within ken of the Tower of Olympus, wherefore the Virgin commanded by the discharge of some pieces to give the signal of our approach, which was also done. For in as much as the lords were absolutely resolved to get into the castle, and had promised great sums of money to that effect, each one had used all craft to seize upon something, and so things were brought to that pass, as was now manifest before their eyes. So I laid me down upon my mattress, and there being besides in the laboratory a pleasant and gently purling fountain, I fell asleep so much the sooner.
And so she bad us all good night, saying that she must watch the dead corps this night. After the oration was finished, they again let off a joyful voile of shot, and so we sailed on a good time together, till at length we arrived at another shore. Whereupon he invited the aforesaid lady to his garden, where contrary to her expectation, she found all things green, pleasant and warm, and withal remembering her promise, she only requested that she might once more return to her lord, to whom with sighs and tears she bewailed her lamentable condition. This symbolizes the gold, King Sol, and silver, Queen Luna, respectively. Hereupon she began to distinguish the patent which the other Page held into two different parts, out of which about thus much was read before the first company. Now she had two lovers; the one presently made himself ready, and came into the lists to expect his adversary; afterwards the other also presented himself. Choose now which one you will of the three, and persevere constantly therein, for know whichever you will enter, that is the one destined for you by immutable Fate, nor can you go back in it save at great peril to life. So the young lady contrary to all men’s expectation, fell again into his hands, whom, had he not been wonderfully deceived by his own servants, he had like to have caused to be slain. There was nothing costly in this room save only curious little prayer books which should never be missing.
For until twin flames achieve a certain level of mastery and oneness with their own Real Selves, they are often unable to cope with the weight of their negative karma. But now, that his Majesty’s innate clemency may be celebrated over all the world, he hath thus far absolutely dealt with his council and estates, that the usual sentence shall be considerably lenified. Despite her fragile state, she was a fighter and was going to fight for herself to the end. But I soon espied behind the bed a tablet on which it was thus written: I asked my page concerning this writing, but he laughed, with promise that I should know it too. Lastly, to every one was given a piece of gold for a remembrance, and to spend by the Way, on the one whereof was stamped the rising sun, on the other (as I remember) these three letters, D.L.S., and therewith every one had license to depart, and was sent to his own business with this annexed intimation, that we to the glory of God should benefit our neighbours, and reserve in silence what we had been intrusted with, which we also promised to do, and so departed one from another.
This she laid in the uppermost kettle, and then covered it with the lid, which was full of holes, and had besides a rim, on which she poured in some of the water which we had the day before prepared, whence the fountain began immediately to run, and through four small pipes to drive into the little kettle. Finally, the King exhorted me, that since this was now the last time I was like to see him in this manner, I should however behave myself according to my place, and not against the order. 3. Mean time I again surveyed the gate, which now appeared so rich, as the whole world could not equal it; just by the door were two columns on one of which stood a pleasant figure with this inscription, Congratulor. I saw likewise the fourth before me, but it was so invironed with fire and exhalations, that I durst not (by much) draw near it, and therefore again and again considered, whether I should turn back, or take any of the ways before me. We first set him upon the warm sand, so the Virgin commanded that before we gave him any thing to eat, we should be sure to make him fast, otherwise he would give us all work enough. From this heat the tree was forced continually to melt, yet it still produced new fruit. And let every one take warning by me of loitering about Venus’s bed, for Cupid can by no means brook it. The ships were twelve in number, six of ours, and six of the old lord’s, who caused his ships to be freighted with well appointed soldiers. Now the weights, whereof mention has been before made, stood still in the same place, wherefore the Queen (I yet knew not who she was) commanded each virgin to take up one, but to our Virgin she gave her own, which was the last and greatest, and commanded us to follow behind. Our pages were well instructed in their business, and therefore showed every man his chamber, and stayed also with us in another pallet. “Yes,” said one, noble and virtuous lady; whereupon she privately dispatched a page, and yet in the mean time proceeded in discourse with us.
In this were twelve musicians, who played excellent well, and its device was a pyramid. This sentence had near cost me my life, and I first hated myself and my twatling tongue, in that I could not hold my peace, yet at last I took courage, and because I considered there was no remedy, I related how this Porter had bestowed a token on me, and commended me to the other, by whose assistance I stood upon the scale, and so was made partaker of all the honour and joy already received.
But she would not yet receive them, but consented to be the Moor’s concubine, which was also done, and the young King was acquainted with it. The rest of my companions were in an huge amazement, whence this. I thanked God that he lighted upon us no sooner.
I would to God I durst release them all,” whereunto her son replied; “It is mother thus ordained of God, against whom we may not contend. whereof to my thinking sunk into the fountain: after which he so long roared, until a white dove brought a branch of olive in her bill, which the lion devoured in an instant, and so was quieted.
Of which (albeit it rejoices my heart as often as I call it to mind) I have so much the less to say, because the catalogue thereof in very shortly to be published. It was on Easter-day 1459 that the Constitutions of the Freemasons of Strasburg was first signed in Regensburg, with a second signed shortly afterwards in Strasburg. Five of them indeed had the five regular bodies, each a several one, but mine in which the Virgin too sat, carried a globe. The Watkins Dictionary of Magic. I had besides fastened my token round about my hat, of which the young King soon took notice, and demanded if I were he, who could at the gate redeem these tokens? And hence I could easily conjecture wherein our artists failed, howbeit its none of my duty to inform them. This lasted for near two hours, that the fountain still constantly ran of it self; but yet the longer, the fainter it was. But it best of all pleased me, that all those, of whom I had any esteem, were very quiet in their business, and made no loud cry of it, but acknowledged themselves to be misunderstanding men, to whom the mysteries of nature were too high, and they themselves much too small. With this device my companions were deluded, so that they imagined that life came into the image by means of the fire of the foliage, for as soon as he received the soul he twinkled with his eyes, howbeit he scarce stirred. I also found by my self, the more I examined my self, that in my head there was nothing but gross mis-understanding, and blindness in mysterious things, so that I was not able to comprehend even those things which lay under my feet, and which I daily conversed with, much less that I should be born to the searching out, and understanding of the secrets of Nature, since in my opinion Nature might every where find a more virtuous disciple, to whom to intrust her precious, though temporary, and changeable treasures. Finally, whilst we were observing the third conjunction, and the same was indicated by the watch, the poor bird of himself submissively laid down his neck upon the book, and willingly suffered his head (by one of us thereto chosen by lot) to be smitten off.