Blanquerna

OF UNDERSTANDING

ttvh®/havde of a fair tree Wen with flow lr toa cryftal fountain,

the fresh grass _ _ /olal luuI1Blln

subtly carved and adorned with gold and snver a and marble and precious Stones. Upon this sea ancient and reverend man, right nobly garbed in

and fruits, a high seat

OF UNDERSTANDING

samite, whereby is signified the Passion of the Son of God. This man was Underflan ding, who was reading to many of his disciples in philosophy and theology. While Underflanding read to his disciples, Faith and Truth with Blanquerna came to that place and greeted Underflanding and his disciples, and were courteously welcomed by Underflanding and by all the refl.

2. Underflanding enquired of Faith and Truth how they did, and what they had accomplished of that purpose for the which they went upon their journey. With great compassion and grief, Faith answered her brother, and told him of the manner wherein she had journeyed among the Saracens, and how she had found men learned in philosophy that believed not in the articles of the Saracens, but neither would they receive the authority of the saints nor believe them. “ And therefore,” said she, “ my sifter Truth and I have come to thee, to pray that thou wilt go to them and by necessary reasons wilt show to them the truth, and lead them out of the error wherein they live, that God may be known and loved by them and my griefs be relieved."

3. So Underflanding turned to his disciples and spake these words : “ The time has come wherein our knowledge is exalted; the unbelievers demand necessary demonflrations and reasons, and refuse credence to aught beside. It is time for us to go, and make use of the science which we have ; for, if we use it not as we ought, in honouring Him from Whom we have it, we a£l againfl conscience and againfl that which we know, and we desire not to have the merit and the glory which we can have if we use our know¬ ledge. Very great is the doubt which the sages of the Saracens have in their belief; the Jews are in doubt by reason of the bondage wherein they live, and desire to have knowledge; and many idolaters are there who have no belief : it is time that we go. I would know now which of you desires to go in company with me and with my siflers. We have a new method of argument with the unbelievers,

B UNQUERN A

by showing them the Brief Art of Finding Truth' ; and, when they have learned this, we shall be enabled to confound them by this art and by its beginnings.”

4. When Undemanding had ended his words, the disciples made excuses to him, saying thus: “ A fearful thing is death and the endurance of trials and torments; a thing to be shunned is it to suffer hunger and thirft, to leave country and kindred and to go into foreign lands among people that kill and torture those that reprove them for their beliefs.” When the disciples said these words, Truth could no longer hold her peace, and she spake as follows: “ If all these things whereof ye speak are to be feared, much more to be feared is it to be an enemy of me and of my sifter and my brother, and also of Hope, Charity, Juftice and Fortitude I If my brother has given me to you, where is the honour that ye do me by opposing Falsehood, who has done me such grievous dishonour before so many people? And which of you is he that would fain be like unto Jesus Chrift, at the Day of Judgment, in His crimson garments ? And if ye died not natural deaths, which of you would fain die to honour his Celcftial Lord ? ” Then Truth wept, and Faith began again to lament her bitter griefs, and Underftanding said: “Alas! Where are the thanks of those to whom I have shown the truth 1 ” And he said to Faith and Truth : “ Go to Devotion, your sifter, and pray her to come to these disciples, that are without piety, that she may teach them to love, and give them resolution to follow me upon that journey to make the which ye so greatly desire.” So Faith and Truth, with Blanquerna, went to Devotion. And while Blanquerna followed Faith and Truth he praised and blessed God Who had set him in this place so that he had heard the words aforesaid, which he had never heard before.

pp. 327, 332

OF DEVOTION