En-Nassir lidini 'llah
(1180-1225) and Abu Nasr Mohammed IX. ed-Dhahir bi-emri 'llah
(1225-1226). - H. C.]
NOTE 2. - "Cum sez regisles et cum sez casses." (G. T.) I suppose the
former expression to be a form of Regules, which is used in Polo's book
for persons of a religious rule or order, whether Christian or Pagan.
The latter word (casses) I take to be the Arabic Kashish, properly a
Christian Presbyter, but frequently applied by old travellers, and
habitually by the Portuguese (caxiz, caxix), to Mahomedan Divines. (See
Cathay, p. 568.) It may, however, be Kazi.
Pauthier's text has simply "a ses prestres de la Loi."
CHAPTER VIII.
HOW THE CHRISTIANS WERE IN GREAT DISMAY BECAUSE OF WHAT THE CALIF HAD
SAID.
The Christians on hearing what the Calif had said were in great dismay,
but they lifted all their hopes to God, their Creator, that He would help
them in this their strait. All the wisest of the Christians took counsel
together, and among them were a number of bishops and priests, but they
had no resource except to turn to Him from whom all good things do come,
beseeching Him to protect them from the cruel hands of the Calif.
So they were all gathered together in prayer, both men and women, for
eight days and eight nights. And whilst they were thus engaged in prayer
it was revealed in a vision by a Holy Angel of Heaven to a certain Bishop
who was a very good Christian, that he should desire a certain Christian
Cobler,[NOTE 1] who had but one eye, to pray to God; and that God in His
goodness would grant such prayer because of the Cobler's holy life.
Now I must tell you what manner of man this Cobler was. He was one who led
a life of great uprightness and chastity, and who fasted and kept from all
sin, and went daily to church to hear Mass, and gave daily a portion of
his gains to God. And the way how he came to have but one eye was this. It
happened one day that a certain woman came to him to have a pair of shoes
made, and she showed him her foot that he might take her measure. Now she
had a very beautiful foot and leg; and the Cobler in taking her measure
was conscious of sinful thoughts. And he had often heard it said in the
Holy Evangel, that if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out and cast it from
thee, rather than sin. So, as soon as the woman had departed, he took the
awl that he used in stitching, and drove it into his eye and destroyed it.
And this is the way he came to lose his eye. So you can judge what a holy,
just, and righteous man he was.
NOTE 1. - Here the G. T. uses a strange word: "Or te vais a tel
cralantur." It does not occur again, being replaced by chabitier
(savetier). It has an Oriental look, but I can make no satisfactory
suggestion as to what the word meant.
CHAPTER IX.
HOW THE ONE-EYED COBLER WAS DESIRED TO PRAY FOR THE CHRISTIANS.
Now when this vision had visited the Bishop several times, he related the
whole matter to the Christians, and they agreed with one consent to call
the Cobler before them. And when he had come they told him it was their
wish that he should pray, and that God had promised to accomplish the
matter by his means. On hearing their request he made many excuses,
declaring that he was not at all so good a man as they represented. But
they persisted in their request with so much sweetness, that at last he
said he would not tarry, but do what they desired.
CHAPTER X.
HOW THE PRAYER OF THE ONE-EYED COBLER CAUSED THE MOUNTAIN TO MOVE.
And when the appointed day was come, all the Christians got up early, men
and women, small and great, more than 100,000 persons, and went to church,
and heard the Holy Mass. And after Mass had been sung, they all went forth
together in a great procession to the plain in front of the mountain,
carrying the precious cross before them, loudly singing and greatly
weeping as they went. And when they arrived at the spot, there they found
the Calif with all his Saracen host armed to slay them if they would not
change their faith; for the Saracens believed not in the least that God
would grant such favour to the Christians. These latter stood indeed in
great fear and doubt, but nevertheless they rested their hope on their God
Jesus Christ.
So the Cobler received the Bishop's benison, and then threw himself on his
knees before the Holy Cross, and stretched out his hands towards Heaven,
and made this prayer: "Blessed LORD GOD ALMIGHTY, I pray Thee by Thy
goodness that Thou wilt grant this grace unto Thy people, insomuch that
they perish not, nor Thy faith be cast down, nor abused nor flouted. Not
that I am in the least worthy to prefer such request unto Thee; but for
Thy great power and mercy I beseech Thee to hear this prayer from me Thy
servant full of sin."
And when he had ended this his prayer to God the Sovereign Father and
Giver of all grace, and whilst the Calif and all the Saracens, and other
people there, were looking on, the mountain rose out of its place and
moved to the spot which the Calif had pointed out! And when the Calif and
all his Saracens beheld, they stood amazed at the wonderful miracle that
God had wrought for the Christians, insomuch that a great number of the
Saracens became Christians. And even the Calif caused himself to be
baptised in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost,
Amen, and became a Christian, but in secret.
