thereat was the devil exceeding merry and he did laugh
full merrily.

* * * * *

Now presently came this thing of evil unto the friar in the guise of
another friar and made a proper low obeisance unto the same. But the
Friar Gonsol was not blinded to the craft of the devil, for from under
the cloak and hood that he wore there did issue the smell of sulphur and
of brimstone which alone the devil hath.

"Beshrew me," quoth the Friar Gonsol, "if the odour in my nostrils be
spikenard and not the fumes of the bottomless pit!"

"Nay, sweet friar," spake the devil full courteously, "the fragrance
thou perceivest is of frankincense and myrrh, for I am of holy orders
and I have brought thee a righteous booke, delectable to look upon and
profitable unto the reading."

Then were the eyes of that Friar Gonsol full of bright sparklings and
his heart rejoiced with exceeding joy, for he did set most store, next
to his spiritual welfare, by bookes wherein was food to his beneficial
devouring.

"I do require thee," quoth the friar, "to shew me that booke that I may
know the name thereof and discover whereof it treateth."

Then shewed the devil the booke unto the friar, and the friar saw it was
an uncut unique of incalculable value; the height of it was half a cubit
and the breadth of it the fourth part of a cubit and the thickness of it
five barleycorns lacking the space of three horsehairs. This booke
contained, within its divers picturings, symbols and similitudes wrought
with incomparable craft, the same being such as in human vanity are
called proof before letters, and imprinted upon India paper; also the
booke contained written upon its pages, divers names of them that had
possessed it, all these having in their time been mighty and illustrious
personages; but what seemed most delectable unto the friar was an
autographic writing wherein 'twas shewn that the booke sometime had been
given by Venus di Medici to Apollos at Rhodes.

When therefore the Friar Gonsol saw the booke how that it was intituled
and imprinted and adorned and bounden, he knew it to be of vast worth
and he was mightily moved to possess it; therefore he required of the
other (that was the devil) that he give unto him an option upon the same
for the space of seven days hence or until such a time as he could
inquire concerning the booke in Lowndes and other such like authorities.
But the devil, smiling, quoth: "The booke shall