AD. THE ENGLISH VOYAGES 



c. 1056. 



off his solemne roabes, three of his Nobles, to wit 

 earle Harold, an Abbot, and a Bishop, being more 

 familiar with him then the residue followed him in, 

 and bouldly asked him what was the occasion of his 

 laughter : for it seemed very strange unto them all, 

 what should move him at so solemne a time and 

 assembly, while others kept silence, to laugh so exces- 

 sively. I saw (quoth he) admirable things, and there- 

 fore laughed I not without occasion. Then they (as it 

 is the common guise of all men) demaunded and 

 enquired the cause more earnestly, humbly beseeching 

 [II. i. 8.] him that hee would vouchsafe to impart that secret 

 unto them. Whereupon musing a long while unto 

 himselfe, at length he told them wonderfull things : 

 namely that seven Sleepers had rested in mount Caelius 

 two hundred yeeres, lying upon their right sides ; but 

 in the very houre of his laughter, that they turned them- 

 selves on their left sides ; and that they should continue 

 so lying for the space of 74. yeeres after ; being a dismal 

 signe of future calamitie unto mankinde. For all things 

 should come to passe within those 74. yeeres, which, as 

 our Saviour Christ foretold unto his disciples, were to be 

 fulfilled about the ende of the world ; namely that nation 

 should rise against nation, and kingdome against king- 

 dome, and that there should bee in many places earth- 

 quakes, pestilence, and famine, terrible apparitions in 

 the heavens, and great signes, together with alterations 

 of kingdomes, warres of infidels against the Christians, 

 and victories of the Christians against the infidels. And 

 as they wondered at these relations, he declared unto 

 them the passion of the seven Sleepers, with the pro- 

 portion and shape of cache of their bodies (which things 

 no man living had as then committed unto writing) and 

 that so plainely and distinctly, as if he had conversed a 

 long time in their company. Hereupon the earle sent a 

 knight, the bishop a clearke, and the abbot a monke 

 unto Maniches the Emperour of Constantinople, with 

 the letters and gifts of their King. Who giving them 



286 



