IE propose des fantasies informes et irresolues, comme font ceux qui publient des questions doubteuses, à debattre aux escoles: non pour establir la verité, mais pour la chercher. Et les soubmets au iugement de ceux, à qui il touche de regler non seulement mes actions et mes escrits, mais encore mes pensées. Esgalement m’en sera acceptable et vtile la condemnation, comme l’approbation, tenant pour absurde et impie, si rien se rencontre ignoramment ou inaduertamment couché en cette rapsodie contraire aux sainctes resolutions et prescriptions de l’Eglise Catholique Apostolique et Romaine, en laquelle ie meurs, et en laquelle ie suis nay.
I put forward notions that are shapeless and unresolved, as do those who publish doubtful questions to be debated in the schools: not to establish the truth but to seek it. And I submit them to the judgment of those whose business it is to regulate not only my actions and my writings but even my thoughts. Condemnation will be as acceptable and as useful to me as approval, since I hold as absurd and impious anything that may be found, set down ignorantly or inadvertently in this rhapsody, contrary to the holy resolutions and prescriptions of the Catholic, Apostolic and Roman Church, in which I die and in which I was born.
Et pourtant me remettant tousiours à l’authorité de leur censure, qui peut tout sur moy, ie me mesle ainsi temerairement à toute sorte de propos: comme icy.
And so, always submitting to the authority of their censure, which has absolute power over me, I meddle rashly in this way with every sort of subject—as here.
Ie ne sçay si ie me trompe: mais puis que par vne faueur particuliere de la bonté diuine, certaine façon de priere nous a esté prescripte et dictée mot à mot par la bouche de Dieu, il m’a tousiours semblé que nous en deuions auoir l’vsage plus ordinaire, que nous n’auons. Et si i’en estoy creu, à l’entrée et à l’issue de noz tables, à nostre leuer et coucher, et à toutes actions particulieres, ausquelles on a accoustumé de mesler des prieres, ie voudroy que ce fust le patenostre, que les Chrestiens y employassent, sinon seulement, au moins tousiours. L’Eglise peut estendre et diuersifier les prieres selon le besoin de nostre instruction: car ie sçay bien que c’est tousiours mesme substance, et mesme chose.
I do not know whether I am mistaken; but since, by a particular favor of divine goodness, a certain form of prayer was prescribed and dictated to us word for word by the mouth of God, it has always seemed to me that we ought to use it more commonly than we do. And if I had my way, at the beginning and end of our meals, at our rising and our going to bed, and at all the particular actions with which we are accustomed to mix prayers, I would want it to be the Lord’s Prayer that Christians used—if not exclusively, at least always. The Church may extend and vary prayers according to the needs of our instruction; for I know well that it is always the same substance and the same thing.
Mais on deuoit donner à celle là ce priuilege, que le peuple l’eust continuellement en la bouche: car il est certain qu’elle dit tout ce qu’il faut, et qu’elle est trespropre à toutes occasions. C’est l’vnique priere, dequoy ie me sers par tout, et la repete au lieu d’en changer. D’où il aduient, que ie n’en ay aussi bien en memoire, que cette là.
But that one ought to have been given the privilege of being continually in the mouths of the people; for it is certain that it says everything that needs saying and is most fitting for every occasion. It is the only prayer I use everywhere, and I repeat it instead of changing. That is why there is none I have so well by heart as that one.
I’auoy presentement en la pensée, d’où nous venoit cett’ erreur, de recourir à Dieu en tous nos desseins et entreprises, et l’appeller à toute sorte de besoing, et en quelque lieu que nostre foiblesse veut de l’aide, sans considerer si l’occasion est iuste ou iniuste; et d’escrier son nom, et sa puissance, en quelque estat, et action que nous soyons, pour vitieuse qu’elle soit.
I was just now wondering where this error of ours comes from: having recourse to God in all our plans and undertakings, calling on him in every kind of need and wherever our weakness wants help, without considering whether the occasion is just or unjust; and crying out his name and his power in whatever state or action we may be, however vicious it is.
Il est bien nostre seul et vnique protecteur, et peut toutes choses à nous ayder: mais encore qu’il daigne nous honorer de cette douce alliance paternelle, il est pourtant autant iuste, comme il est bon, et comme il est puissant: mais il vse bien plus souuent de sa iustice, que de son pouuoir, et nous fauorise selon la raison d’icelle, non selon noz demandes.
He is indeed our sole and only protector, and can do anything to help us; but although he deigns to honor us with this sweet fatherly alliance, he is nonetheless as just as he is good and as he is powerful. And he uses his justice far more often than his power, and favors us according to the reason of that justice, not according to our requests.
Platon en ses loix fait trois sortes d’iniurieuse creance des Dieux, Qu’il n’y en ayt point, Qu’ils ne se meslent pas de noz affaires, Qu’ils ne refusent rien à noz vœux, offrandes et sacrifices. La premiere erreur, selon son aduis, ne dura iamais immuable en homme, depuis son enfance, iusques à sa vieillesse. Les deux suiuantes peuuent souffrir de la constance.
Plato, in his Laws, distinguishes three kinds of insulting belief about the gods: that there are none; that they do not concern themselves with our affairs; that they refuse nothing to our vows, offerings and sacrifices. The first error, in his opinion, never lasted unchanged in any man from his childhood to his old age. The two others can be held steadily.
Sa iustice et sa puissance sont inseparables. Pour neant implorons nous sa force en vne mauuaise cause. Il faut auoir l’ame nette, au moins en ce moment, auquel nous le prions, et deschargée de passions vitieuses: autrement nous luy presentons nous mesmes les verges, dequoy nous chastier. Au lieu de rabiller nostre faute, nous la redoublons; presentans à celuy, à qui nous auons à demander pardon, vne affection pleine d’irreuerence et de haine. Voyla pourquoy ie ne louë pas volontiers ceux, que ie voy prier Dieu plus souuent et plus ordinairement, si les actions voisines de la priere, ne me tesmoignent quelque amendement et reformation. Si nocturnus adulter, / Tempora sanctonico velas adoperta cucullo.
His justice and his power are inseparable. In vain do we implore his strength in a bad cause. We must have a clean soul, at least at the moment when we pray to him, and one unburdened of vicious passions; otherwise we ourselves hand him the rods to punish us with. Instead of mending our fault, we double it, offering to him from whom we must ask pardon a feeling full of irreverence and hatred. That is why I do not readily praise those whom I see praying to God more often and more regularly than others, if the actions close to their prayer do not show me some amendment and reformation. If, as a nighttime adulterer, / you hide your head under a Santonic hood.
Et l’assiette d’vn homme meslant à vne vie execrable la deuotion, semble estre aucunement plus condemnable, que celle d’vn homme conforme à soy, et dissolu par tout. Pourtant refuse nostre Eglise tous les iours, la faueur de son entrée et societé, aux mœurs obstinées à quelque insigne malice.
And the position of a man who mixes devotion with an abominable life seems somewhat more condemnable than that of a man who is consistent with himself and dissolute throughout. That is why our Church every day refuses the favor of admission and fellowship to those whose ways persist obstinately in some notorious wickedness.
Nous prions par vsage et par coustume: ou pour mieux dire, nous lisons ou prononçons noz prieres: ce n’est en fin que mine. Et me desplaist de voir faire trois signes de croix au Benedicite, autant à Graces (et plus m’en desplait-il de ce que c’est vn signe que i’ay en reuerence et continuel vsage, mesmement quand ie baaille) et cependant toutes les autres heures du iour, les voir occupées à la haine, l’auarice, l’iniustice. Aux vices leur heure, son heure à Dieu, comme par compensation et composition. C’est miracle, de voir continuer des actions si diuerses d’vne si pareille teneur, qu’il ne s’y sente point d’interruption et d’alteration aux confins mesmes, et passage de l’vne à l’autre.
We pray out of habit and custom; or, to put it better, we read or recite our prayers. In the end it is nothing but show. And it displeases me to see people make three signs of the cross at the Benedicite and as many at Grace (and it displeases me all the more because it is a sign I hold in reverence and use continually, even when I yawn), and meanwhile to see all the other hours of the day given over to hatred, avarice and injustice. To the vices their hour, to God his hour, as if by way of compensation and compromise. It is a miracle to see such different actions carried on in so even a tenor that no interruption or change can be felt even at the borders, in the passage from one to the other.
Quelle prodigieuse conscience se peut donner repos, nourrissant en mesme giste, d’vne societé si accordante et si paisible, le crime et le iuge?
What monstrous conscience can be at rest while it harbors under the same roof, in such harmonious and peaceful fellowship, the crime and the judge?
Vn homme, de qui la paillardise, sans cesse regente la teste, et qui la iuge tres-odieuse à la veuë diuine, que dit-il à Dieu, quand il luy en parle? Il se rameine, mais soudain il rechoit. Si l’obiect de la diuine iustice, et sa presence frappoient, comme il dit, et chastioient son ame, pour courte qu’en fust la penitence, la crainte mesme y reietteroit si souuent sa pensée, qu’incontinent il se verroit maistre de ces vices, qui sont habitués et acharnés en luy. Mais quoy! ceux qui couchent vne vie entiere, sur le fruit et emolument du peché, qu’ils sçauent mortel? Combien auons nous de mestiers et vacations receuës, dequoy l’essence est vicieuse?
A man whose lechery rules his head without cease, and who judges it most odious in the sight of God—what does he say to God when he speaks to him about it? He pulls himself back, but suddenly falls again. If the thought of divine justice and its presence struck and chastised his soul, as he says, then however short his penance, fear itself would bring his thoughts back to it so often that he would soon find himself master of those vices that have become habitual and ingrained in him. But what of those who stake a whole life on the fruit and profit of a sin they know to be mortal? How many trades and accepted occupations do we have whose essence is vicious?
Et celuy qui se confessant à moy, me recitoit, auoir tout vn aage faict profession et les effects d’une religion damnable selon luy, et contradictoire à celle qu’il auoit en son cœur, pour ne perdre son credit et l’honneur de ses charges: comment patissoit-il ce discours en son courage? De quel langage entretiennent ils sur ce subiect, la iustice diuine? Leur repentance consistant en visible et maniable reparation, ils perdent et enuers Dieu, et enuers nous, le moyen de l’alleguer. Sont-ils si hardis de demander pardon, sans satisfaction et sans repentance? Ie tien que de ces premiers il en va, comme de ceux-cy: mais l’obstination n’y est pas si aisée à conuaincre.
And the man who, confessing to me, told me that for a whole lifetime he had professed and practiced a religion which in his view was damnable, and contrary to the one he had in his heart, so as not to lose his standing and the honor of his offices—how did his heart endure such reasoning? In what language do such people converse with divine justice on this subject? Since their repentance would have to consist in visible and tangible reparation, they lose, both toward God and toward us, the means of pleading it. Are they so bold as to ask pardon without satisfaction and without repentance? I hold that it goes with the first kind as with these; but obstinacy is not so easy to convict in them.
Cette contrarieté et volubilité d’opinion si soudaine, si violente, qu’ils nous feignent, sent pour moy son miracle. Ils nous representent l’estat d’vne indigestible agonie.
This contrariety and volatility of opinion, so sudden and so violent, which they pretend to us, seems to me something of a miracle. They present us with the state of an indigestible agony.
Que l’imagination me sembloit fantastique, de ceux qui ces années passées, auoient en vsage de reprocher tout chascun, en qui il reluisoit quelque clarté d’esprit, professant la religion Catholique, que c’estoit à feinte: et tenoient mesme, pour luy faire honneur, quoy qu’il dist par apparence, qu’il ne pouuoit faillir au dedans, d’auoir sa creance reformée à leur pied. Fascheuse maladie, de se croire si fort, qu’on se persuade, qu’il ne se puisse croire au contraire: et plus fascheuse encore, qu’on se persuade d’vn tel esprit, qu’il prefere ie ne sçay quelle disparité de fortune presente, aux esperances et menaces de la vie eternelle!
How fantastic the notion seemed to me of those who, in recent years, used to reproach everyone in whom some brightness of mind shone, and who professed the Catholic religion, with doing it in pretense! They even held, to do him honor, that whatever he said outwardly, inwardly he could not fail to have his belief reformed to their pattern. A grievous disease, to believe in oneself so firmly that one is persuaded no one can believe the contrary! And more grievous still, to be persuaded that such a mind would prefer some disparity or other of present fortune to the hopes and threats of eternal life!
Ils m’en peuuent croire: Si rien eust deu tenter ma ieunesse, l’ambition du hazard et difficulté, qui suiuoient cette recente entreprinse, y eust eu bonne part.
They can take my word for it: if anything could have tempted me in my youth, the ambition of facing the risk and difficulty that went with this recent enterprise would have had a good part in it.
Scripture in the common tongue
Montaigne objects to the Psalms sung casually and the Bible translated for everyone.
Ce n’est pas sans grande raison, ce me semble, que l’Eglise deffend l’vsage promiscue, temeraire et indiscret des sainctes et diuines chansons, que le Sainct Esprit a dicté en Dauid. Il ne faut mesler Dieu en nos actions qu’auecque reuerence et attention pleine d’honneur et de respect. Cette voix est trop diuine, pour n’auoir autre vsage que d’exercer les poulmons, et plaire à nos oreilles. C’est de la conscience qu’elle doit estre produite, et non pas de la langue.
It is not without good reason, it seems to me, that the Church forbids the indiscriminate, rash and thoughtless use of the holy and divine songs that the Holy Spirit dictated to David. We should bring God into our actions only with reverence, and with an attention full of honor and respect. That voice is too divine to have no other use than to exercise our lungs and please our ears. It is from the conscience that it should come, not from the tongue.
Ce n’est pas raison qu’on permette qu’vn garçon de boutique parmy ses vains et friuoles pensemens, s’en entretienne et s’en iouë. Ny n’est certes raison de voir tracasser par vne sale, et par vne cuysine, le Sainct liure des sacrez mysteres de nostre creance. C’estoyent autrefois mysteres, ce sont à present desduits et esbats.
It is not reasonable to allow a shop boy to toy and amuse himself with them amid his idle and frivolous thoughts. Nor, surely, is it reasonable to see the holy book of the sacred mysteries of our faith knocked about in the hall and the kitchen. They used to be mysteries. Now they are pastimes and entertainments.
Ce n’est pas en passant, et tumultuairement, qu’il faut manier vn estude si serieux et venerable. Ce doit estre vne action destinée, et rassise, à laquelle on doit tousiours adiouster cette preface de nostre office, sursum corda, et y apporter le corps mesme disposé en contenance, qui tesmoigne vne particuliere attention et reuerence. Ce n’est pas l’estude de tout le monde: c’est l’estude des personnes qui y sont vouées, que Dieu y appelle. Les meschans, les ignorants s’y empirent. Ce n’est pas vne histoire à compter: c’est vne histoire à reuerer, craindre et adorer. Plaisantes gents, qui pensent l’auoir rendue maniable au peuple, pour l’auoir mise en langage populaire. Ne tient-il qu’aux mots, qu’ils n’entendent tout ce qu’ils trouuent par escrit? Diray-ie plus?
So serious and venerable a study should not be handled in passing and in a hurry. It should be a deliberate and settled act. We should always add to it that preface of our service, Lift up your hearts, and bring to it even our body, composed in a bearing that shows a particular attention and reverence. It is not a study for everyone. It is the study of persons dedicated to it, whom God calls to it. The wicked and the ignorant grow worse by it. It is not a story to be told; it is a story to be revered, feared and worshipped. Amusing people, who think they have made it manageable for the common people by putting it into the common tongue! Is it only the words that keep them from understanding everything they find in writing? Shall I say more?
Pour l’en approcher de ce peu, ils l’en reculent. L’ignorance pure, et remise toute en autruy, estoit bien plus salutaire et plus sçauante, que n’est cette science verbale, et vaine, nourrice de presomption et de temerité.
By bringing it this little bit closer to them, they push it further away. Pure ignorance, which relied entirely on others, was far more salutary and more learned than this verbal and empty knowledge, the nurse of presumption and rashness.
Ie croy aussi que la liberté à chacun de dissiper vne parole si religieuse et importante, à tant de sortes d’idiomes, a beaucoup plus de danger que d’vtilité. Les Iuifs, les Mahometans, et quasi tous autres, ont espousé, et reuerent le langage, auquel originellement leurs mysteres auoient esté conceuz, et en est deffendue l’alteration et changement; non sans apparence. Sçauons nous bien qu’en Basque, et en Bretaigne, il y ayt des Iuges assez, pour establir cette traduction faicte en leur langue? L’Eglise vniuerselle n’a point de iugement plus ardu à faire, et plus solemne. En preschant et parlant, l’interpretation est vague, libre, muable, et d’vne parcelle: ainsi ce n’est pas de mesme.
I also believe that giving everyone the freedom to scatter so religious and important a word into so many kinds of languages is much more dangerous than useful. The Jews, the Muslims and almost all others have espoused and revere the language in which their mysteries were originally conceived, and any alteration or change in it is forbidden—not without reason. Are we quite sure that in the Basque country and in Brittany there are judges enough to authorize this translation made into their language? The universal Church has no judgment to make that is more difficult or more solemn. In preaching and speaking, interpretation is loose, free, changeable, and covers only a fragment; so it is not the same thing.
L’vn de noz historiens Grecs accuse iustement son siecle, de ce que les secrets de la religion Chrestienne, estoient espandus emmy la place, és mains des moindres artisans: que chacun en pouuoit debattre et dire selon son sens. Et que ce nous deuoit estre grande honte, nous qui par la grace de Dieu, iouïssons des purs mysteres de la pieté, de les laisser profaner en la bouche de personnes ignorantes et populaires, veu que les Gentils interdisoient à Socrates, à Platon, et aux plus sages, de s’enquerir et parler des choses commises aux Prestres de Delphes. Dit aussi, que les factions des Princes, sur le subiect de la Theologie, sont armées non de zele, mais de cholere.
One of our Greek historians rightly accuses his age because the secrets of the Christian religion were spread all over the marketplace, in the hands of the meanest artisans, and anyone could debate them and say what he thought of them. He says it ought to be a great shame to us, who by the grace of God enjoy the pure mysteries of piety, to let them be profaned in the mouths of ignorant and common people, since the pagans forbade Socrates, Plato and the wisest men to inquire into and speak of the things entrusted to the priests of Delphi. He also says that the factions of princes on the subject of theology are armed not with zeal but with anger.
Que le zele tient de la diuine raison et iustice, se conduisant ordonnément et moderément: mais qu’il se change en haine et enuie: et produit au lieu du froment et du raisin, de l’yuroye et des orties, quand il est conduit d’vne passion humaine. Et iustement aussi, cet autre, conseillant l’Empereur Theodose, disoit, les disputes n’endormir pas tant les schismes de l’Eglise, que les esueiller, et animer les heresies. Que pourtant il faloit fuïr toutes contentions et argumentations Dialectiques, et se rapporter nuement aux prescriptions et formules de la foy, establies par les anciens.
Zeal, he says, partakes of divine reason and justice when it conducts itself in an orderly and moderate way; but it turns into hatred and envy, and produces tares and nettles instead of wheat and grapes, when it is led by a human passion. And that other man was right too who, advising the Emperor Theodosius, said that disputes did not so much lull the schisms of the Church to sleep as wake them up and stir heresies to life; that one should therefore shun all contentions and dialectical argumentation, and simply abide by the prescriptions and formulas of the faith established by the ancients.
Et l’Empereur Andronicus, ayant rencontré en son palais, des principaux hommes, aux prises de parole, contre Lapodius, sur vn de noz points de grande importance, les tança, iusques à menacer de les ietter en la riuiere, s’ils continuoyent. Les enfants et les femmes, en noz iours, regentent les hommes plus vieux et experimentez, sur les loix Ecclesiastiques: là où la premiere de celles de Platon leur deffend de s’enquerir seulement de la raison des loix ciuiles, qui doiuent tenir lieu d’ordonnances diuines. Et permettant aux vieux, d’en communiquer entre eux, et auec le Magistrat: il adiouste, pourueu que ce ne soit en presence des ieunes, et personnes profanes.
And the Emperor Andronicus, having come upon some leading men in his palace locked in verbal combat with Lapodius over one of our points of great importance, rebuked them so sharply that he threatened to throw them into the river if they went on. In our day, children and women lecture men older and more experienced than themselves on the laws of the Church; whereas the first of Plato’s laws forbids them even to inquire into the reasons for the civil laws, which are to stand in place of divine ordinances. And while allowing the old to discuss them among themselves and with the magistrate, he adds: provided it is not in the presence of the young and of the uninitiated.
Vn Euesque a laissé par escrit, qu’en l’autre bout du monde, il y a vne Isle, que les anciens nommoient Dioscoride: commode en fertilité de toutes sortes d’arbres et fruits, et salubrité d’air: de laquelle le peuple est Chrestien, ayant des Eglises et des Autels, qui ne sont parez que de croix, sans autres images: grand obseruateur de ieusnes et de festes: exacte païeur de dismes aux Prestres: et si chaste, que nul d’eux ne peut cognoistre qu’vne femme en sa vie. Au demeurant, si contant de sa fortune, qu’au milieu de la mer, il ignore l’vsage des nauires: et si simple, que de la religion qu’il obserue si songneusement, il n’en entend vn seul mot.
A bishop has left it in writing that at the other end of the world there is an island which the ancients called Dioscorides, favored with fertility in all sorts of trees and fruits and with a healthy air. Its people are Christian, with churches and altars adorned only with crosses and no other images. They are great observers of fasts and feast days, exact payers of tithes to the priests, and so chaste that none of them may know more than one woman in his life. For the rest, they are so content with their lot that, in the middle of the sea, they do not know the use of ships; and so simple that of the religion they observe so carefully they do not understand a single word.
Chose incroyable, à qui ne sçauroit, les Payens si deuots idolatres, ne cognoistre de leurs Dieux, que simplement le nom et la statue. L’ancien commencement de Menalippe, tragedie d’Euripides, portoit ainsi. O Iuppiter, car de toy rien sinon / Ie ne cognois seulement que le nom.
An incredible thing to anyone who did not know it: that the pagans, such devout idolaters, knew nothing of their gods but simply their name and their statue. The original opening of Melanippe, a tragedy by Euripides, ran thus: O Jupiter, for of you I know / Nothing at all except the name.
I’ay veu aussi de mon temps, faire plainte d’aucuns escrits, de ce qu’ils sont purement humains et philosophiques, sans meslange de Theologie. Qui diroit au contraire, ce ne seroit pourtant sans quelque raison; Que la doctrine diuine tient mieux son rang à part, comme Royne et dominatrice: Qu’elle doit estre principale par tout, point suffragante et subsidiaire: Et qu’à l’auenture se prendroient les exemples à la Grammaire, Rhetorique, Logique, plus sortablement d’ailleurs que d’vne si sainte matiere; comme aussi les arguments des Theatres, ieux et spectacles publiques. Que les raisons diuines se considerent plus venerablement et reueremment seules, et en leur stile, qu’appariées aux discours humains.
In my time I have also heard complaints about certain writings because they are purely human and philosophical, with no admixture of theology. Yet anyone who argued the contrary would not be without some reason. He might say that divine doctrine better keeps its rank apart, as queen and sovereign; that it must be first everywhere, not subordinate and auxiliary; and that examples for grammar, rhetoric and logic might perhaps more fittingly be taken from elsewhere than from so holy a subject, as might the plots of plays, games and public spectacles. He might say that divine reasons are contemplated more venerably and reverently alone and in their own style than when paired with human reasonings.
Qu’il se voit plus souuent cette faute, que les Theologiens escriuent trop humainement, que cett’autre, que les humanistes escriuent trop peu theologalement. La Philosophie, dit Sainct Chrysostome, est pieça banie de l’escole saincte, comme seruante inutile, et estimée indigne de voir seulement en passant de l’entrée, le sacraire des saincts Thresors de la doctrine celeste. Que le dire humain a ses formes plus basses, et ne se doit seruir de la dignité, majesté, regence, du parler diuin. Ie luy laisse pour moy, dire, verbis indisciplinatis, fortune, destinée, accident, heur, et malheur, et les Dieux, et autres frases, selon sa mode.
That the fault more often seen is that theologians write too humanly, rather than the other, that humanists write too little theologically. Philosophy, says Saint Chrysostom, has long since been banished from the holy school as a useless servant, and judged unworthy even to glimpse in passing, from the entrance, the sanctuary of the holy treasures of heavenly doctrine. That human speech has its humbler forms, and should not make use of the dignity, majesty and sovereignty of divine speech. For my part, I let it say, in undisciplined words, fortune, destiny, accident, good luck and bad luck, and the gods, and other such phrases, after its own fashion.
Ie propose les fantasies humaines et miennes, simplement comme humaines fantasies, et separement considerées: non comme arrestées et reglées par l’ordonnance celeste, incapable de doubte et d’altercation. Matiere d’opinion, non matiere de foy. Ce que ie discours selon moy, non ce que ie croy selon Dieu, d’vne façon laïque, non clericale: mais tousiours tres-religieuse. Comme les enfants proposent leurs essays, instruisables, non instruisants. Et ne diroit-on pas aussi sans apparence, que l’ordonnance de ne s’entremettre que bien reseruément d’escrire de la Religion, à tous autres qu’à ceux qui en font expresse profession, n’auroit pas faute de quelque image d’vtilité et de iustice; et à moy auec, peut estre de m’en taire.
I put forward human notions, and my own, simply as human notions, considered separately—not as settled and regulated by heavenly ordinance, beyond doubt and dispute. Matter of opinion, not matter of faith. What I reason out by my own lights, not what I believe by God’s; in a lay manner, not a clerical one, but always a very religious one. As children put forward their essays: to be taught, not to teach. And might one not also say, not without reason, that a rule forbidding anyone but those who make express profession of it to meddle with writing about religion, except very guardedly, would not lack some semblance of usefulness and justice—and that perhaps I too should keep quiet about it?
On m’a dict que ceux mesmes, qui ne sont pas des nostres, deffendent pourtant entre eux l’vsage du nom de Dieu, en leurs propos communs. Ils ne veulent pas qu’on s’en serue par vne maniere d’interiection, ou d’exclamation, ny pour tesmoignage, ny pour comparaison: en quoy ie trouue qu’ils ont raison. Et en quelque maniere que ce soit, que nous appelons Dieu à notre commerce et societé, il faut que ce soit serieusement, et religieusement.
I have been told that even those who are not of our persuasion forbid among themselves the use of God’s name in ordinary talk. They do not want it used as a kind of interjection or exclamation, nor to swear by, nor in comparisons; and in that I find they are right. In whatever way we call God into our dealings and company, it must be done seriously and religiously.
Il y a, ce me semble, en Xenophon vn tel discours, où il montre que nous deuons plus rarement prier Dieu: d’autant qu’il n’est pas aisé, que nous puissions si souuent remettre nostre ame, en cette assiette reglée, reformée, et deuotieuse, où il faut qu’elle soit pour ce faire: autrement nos prieres ne sont pas seulement vaines et inutiles, mais vitieuses. Pardonne nous, disons nous, comme nous pardonnons à ceux qui nous ont offencez. Que disons nous par là, sinon que nous luy offrons nostre ame exempte de vengeance et de rancune? Toutesfois nous inuoquons Dieu et son ayde, au complot de noz fautes, et le conuions à l’iniustice.
There is, I believe, a discussion in Xenophon in which he shows that we ought to pray to God more rarely, since it is not easy for us to bring our soul so often into that ordered, reformed and devout condition in which it must be to do so; otherwise our prayers are not only vain and useless, but vicious. “Forgive us,” we say, “as we forgive those who have offended us.” What do we mean by that, if not that we offer him our soul free of vengeance and rancor? And yet we call on God and his help in the conspiracy of our misdeeds, and invite him to injustice.
Quæ, nisi seductis, nequeas committere diuis. L’auaricieux le prie pour la conseruation vaine et superflue de ses thresors: l’ambitieux pour ses victoires, et conduite de sa fortune: le voleur l’employe à son ayde, pour franchir le hazard et les difficultez, qui s’opposent à l’execution de ses meschantes entreprinses: ou le remercie de l’aisance qu’il a trouué à desgosiller vn passant. Au pied de la maison, qu’ils vont escheller ou petarder, ils font leurs prieres, l’intention et l’esperance pleine de cruauté, de luxure, et d’auarice. Hoc ipsum, quo tu Iouis aurem impellere tentas, / Dic agedum Staio: proh Iuppiter! ô bone, clamet, / Iuppiter! at sese non clamet Iuppiter ipse.
Things you could not ask of the gods unless you took them aside. The miser prays to him for the vain and superfluous preservation of his treasures; the ambitious man for his victories and the steering of his fortune. The thief enlists him to help get past the risks and difficulties that stand in the way of his wicked schemes, or thanks him for the ease with which he managed to cut a passerby’s throat. At the foot of the house they are about to scale or blow open with a petard, they say their prayers, their intention and hope full of cruelty, lust and greed. This very prayer with which you try to win Jupiter’s ear, / Come, say it to Staius. “O Jupiter, O good,” he would cry, / “Jupiter!” And would Jupiter himself not cry out?
La Royne de Nauarre Margueritte, recite d’vn ieune Prince, et encore qu’elle ne le nomme pas, sa grandeur l’a rendu cognoissable assez, qu’allant à vne assignation amoureuse, et coucher auec la femme d’vn Aduocat de Paris, son chemin s’addonnant au trauers d’vne Eglise, il ne passoit iamais en ce lieu sainct, allant ou retournant de son entreprinse, qu’il ne fist ses prieres et oraisons. Ie vous laisse à iuger, l’ame pleine de ce beau pensement, à quoy il employoit la faueur diuine. Toutesfois elle allegue cela pour vn tesmoignage de singuliere deuotion. Mais ce n’est pas par cette preuue seulement qu’on pourroit verifier que les femmes ne sont gueres propres à traiter les matieres de la Theologie.
Queen Marguerite of Navarre tells of a young prince—and though she does not name him, his greatness has made him recognizable enough—who, going to a lovers’ rendezvous to sleep with the wife of a Paris lawyer, had a way that led him through a church; and he never passed through that holy place, going to or coming back from his enterprise, without saying his prayers and orisons. I leave you to judge, with his soul full of that fine thought, what he was using divine favor for. Yet she cites this as evidence of singular devotion. But this is not the only proof one could give that women are hardly suited to handling matters of theology.
Vne vraye priere, et vne religieuse reconciliation de nous à Dieu, elle ne peut tomber en vne ame impure et soubsmise, lors mesmes, à la domination de Satan. Celuy qui appelle Dieu à son assistance, pendant qu’il est dans le train du vice, il fait comme le coupeur de bourse, qui appelleroit la iustice à son ayde; ou comme ceux qui produisent le nom de Dieu en tesmoignage de mensonge. Tacito mala vota susurro / Concipimus. Il est peu d’hommes qui ozassent mettre en euidence les requestes secrettes qu’ils font à Dieu.
A true prayer, a religious reconciliation of ourselves with God, cannot occur in a soul that is impure and subject, at that very moment, to the dominion of Satan. The man who calls God to his aid while he is in the course of vice is like a cutpurse who would call the law to his aid, or like those who bring forward God’s name to witness a lie. In a silent whisper we frame / Our wicked vows. There are few men who would dare to bring into the open the secret requests they make to God.
Haud cuiuis promptum est, murmúrque humilésque susurros / Tollere de templis, et aperto viuere voto. Voyla pourquoy les Pythagoriens vouloyent qu’elles fussent publiques, et ouyes d’vn chacun; afin qu’on ne le requist de chose indecente et iniuste, comme celuy-là: Clarè cùm dixit: Apollo! / Labra mouet, metuens audiri: Pulchra Lauerna, / Da mihi fallere, da iustum sanctúmque videri; / Noctem peccatis, et fraudibus obiice nubem.
It is not for everyone to banish murmurs and low whispers / From the temples, and to live with vows spoken aloud. That is why the Pythagoreans wanted prayers to be public and heard by all, so that no one would ask God for anything indecent and unjust, like this man: When he has clearly said “Apollo!” / He moves his lips, afraid of being heard: “Fair Laverna, / Grant me to deceive, grant me to seem just and holy; / Cast night over my sins and a cloud over my frauds.”
Les Dieux punirent grieuement les iniques vœux d’Oedipus en les luy ottroyant. Il auoit prié, que ses enfants vuidassent entre eux par armes la succession de son Estat, il fut si miserable, de se voir pris au mot. Il ne faut pas demander, que toutes choses suiuent nostre volonté, mais qu’elles suiuent la prudence.
The gods punished Oedipus’s iniquitous wishes grievously by granting them. He had prayed that his children should settle the succession to his state between themselves by arms, and he was wretched enough to see himself taken at his word. We should not ask that all things follow our will, but that they follow wisdom.
Il semble, à la verité, que nous nous seruons de nos prieres, comme d’vn iargon, et comme ceux qui employent les paroles sainctes et diuines à des sorcelleries et effects magiciens: et que nous facions nostre compte que ce soit de la contexture, ou son, ou suitte des motz, ou de nostre contenance, que depende leur effect. Car ayans l’ame pleine de concupiscence, non touchée de repentance, ny d’aucune nouuelle reconciliation enuers Dieu, nous luy allons presenter ces parolles que la memoire preste à nostre langue: et esperons en tirer vne expiation de nos fautes.
It seems, in truth, that we use our prayers like a jargon, and like those who employ holy and divine words for sorcery and magical effects; and that we reckon their effect depends on the texture, or sound, or sequence of the words, or on our bearing. For with our soul full of concupiscence, untouched by repentance or by any fresh reconciliation with God, we go and present him with the words that memory lends our tongue, and hope to get from them an expiation of our faults.
Il n’est rien si aisé, si doux, et si fauorable que la loy diuine: elle nous appelle à soy, ainsi fautiers et detestables comme nous sommes: elle nous tend les bras, et nous reçoit en son giron, pour vilains, ords, et bourbeux, que nous soyons, et que nous ayons à estre à l’aduenir. Mais encore en recompense, la faut-il regarder de bon œil: encore faut-il receuoir ce pardon auec action de graces: et au moins pour cet instant que nous nous addressons à elle, auoir l’ame desplaisante de ses fautes, et ennemie des passions qui nous ont poussé à l’offencer. Ny les Dieux, ny les gens de bien, dict Platon, n’acceptent le present d’vn meschant.
Nothing is so easy, so gentle and so favorable as the divine law. It calls us to itself, sinful and detestable as we are; it holds out its arms to us and takes us into its bosom, however vile, foul and muddy we may be now and may be in time to come. But in return we must at least look on it kindly; we must at least receive this pardon with thanksgiving; and, at least for the moment when we address ourselves to it, have a soul sorry for its faults and hostile to the passions that drove us to offend it. Neither the gods nor good men, says Plato, accept the gift of a wicked man.
Immunis aram si tetigit manus, / Non sumptuosa blandior hostia / Molliuit auersos Penates, / Farre pio et saliente mica.
If a guiltless hand has touched the altar, / No costly victim will soothe / The offended Penates better / Than holy meal and crackling salt.