The Heptameron (Machen)/Novel 67

Captain Robertval once made a sea voyage, with certain vessels over which he was set by the King his master, to the island of Canada, where he was determined, if the air of the country should be found wholesome, to abide, and to build towns and mansions; and as to the beginning he made all men are advised of it. And that Christianity might be spread abroad throughout the land, he took with him all manner of mechanicals, amongst whom there was one so vile, that he betrayed his master, and put him in danger of being taken by the folk of the country. But God willed that his undertaking was brought to light before any hurt could befall the captain, who made seize this wicked traitor, and would have punished him according as he had deserved. And this had been done were it not for his wife, who, having followed her husband through all the dangers of the sea, would not leave him to perish, but by her tears and lamentations worked so with the captain and all his company, that as much for pity of her as for the services she had done him, he granted her desire. And this was for the husband and wife to be left on a little island in mid-ocean, where dwelt no people, but only ravening wild beasts; and it was likewise granted that they should take thither such things as were needful to them. So the poor folk, finding themselves all alone amid the fierce brutes, had no help but in God, who had always been the steadfast hope of the wife; and she, gaining from Him all her consolation, carried for her safeguard, comfort, and nourishment the New Testament, in which she read without ceasing. And as to temporals, she and her husband laboured to build them as good a house as they were able, and when the lions and other beasts came near to devour them, the husband with his arquebuss, and she with stones, made so stout a defence, that they not only kept them at a distance, but very often killed some that were good provaunt; so with such meats and the herbs of the island they lived some time, after their bread had failed them. ​At length the husband could no more bear with such victuals, and for the water he drank became so swollen that, after a few days, he died, having no servant nor consoler save his wife, who was to him both parson and physician; thus passed he from that wilderness to the heavenly country. And his poor wife, left alone, buried him in the earth as deeply as she could, but yet the beasts straightway smelt him out and came to devour the flesh of him; and she in her little hut shot at them with her arquebuss, so that her husband's body should not have such a sepulture. So living as to her body the life bestial, as to her soul the life angelical, she spent her time in reading of the Scriptures, in prayers and in meditations, having a joyful and contented mind within a body that was shrunken away and nigh amort. But He who never forsaketh His own, and who, when there is no hope in man, showeth His strength, did not allow that the virtue he had set in this woman should be hid from men, but willed rather that it should be made manifest unto His glory. So at the end of some time one of the ships of the armament passing by the island, the folk that were in it saw a smoke that put them in mind of them that had been left there, and they determined to see how God had dealt with them. The poor woman, seeing the ship draw near, went down to the strand, where she was when they came. And after praising God for it, she brought them to her hut, and showed them what manner of victuals she had eaten during her stay; the which would have passed their belief, had they not known that God can as well feed His servants in a wilderness as at a prince's feast. And since she could not abide in such a place, they took her with them to Rochelle, whither after their voyage they came, and made known to all that dwelt therein her faithfulness and patient long-suffering. And on this account she was received by all the ladies with great honour, and they with goodwill gave her their daughters that she might teach them to read and write. And in this honest craft she earned a livelihood, always exhorting all men to love Our Lord and put their trust in Him, setting forth by way of example the great compassion he had shown towards her.

"Henceforth, ladies, you cannot deny that I laud and magnify the virtues that God hath placed in you, the which show themselves the more as the subject is of small account." ​"We are in nowise sorry," said Oisille, "that you praise the grace of Our Lord, for in truth all virtue doth come from Him; and the work of man is no more esteemed of God than that of woman, since neither the one nor the other, by their own heart and will, can do anything but plant, and God alone giveth the increase." "If you have well read the Scriptures," said Saffredent, "you will know that it is written: 'I have planted and Apollos watered,' but St. Paul sayeth not that women have put their hands to the work of God." "You would fain follow," said Parlamente, "the evil example of them that take the Scripture that is for them, and leave that is against them. If you read St. Paul to the end you will find that he commends himself to the ladies who have greatly toiled with him in the work of the Gospel." "Howsoever that may be," said Longarine, "this woman is worthy of all praise, as much for her love for her husband, for whom she put her life in jeopardy, as for her faith in God, who, as we have seen, did by no means forsake her." "As to the first," said Ennasuitte, "I suppose there is no wife here present who, to save the life of her husband, would not do the like." "I do believe," said Parlamente, "that some husbands are such beastly folk, that their wives should not find it strange to live amidst the beasts." Ennasuitte, taking this to herself, must needs say: "Save in the matter of biting, the company of beasts is as pleasant to me as that of man, who indeed are choleric and hardly to be borne. But still I maintain that, if my husband were to be in such a case, I would not forsake him for the fear of death." "Beware," said Nomerfide, "of loving too much; too great a love shall deceive both you and him, and love that is without knowledge ofttimes engendereth hatred." "You have not, methinks," said Simontault, "brought the discourse to this, without having some example for a confirmation thereof. Wherefore, if you know of such, I give you my place for the telling of it." "So be it, then," said Nomerfide, "and as is my wont, my story shall be a short and merry one."