JEROME CARDAN 115 



He was evidently fascinated with the wealth of local 

 legend and story which haunted the misty regions he 

 visited. In dealing with demons and familiar spirits he 

 cites the authority of Merlin, " whose fame is still great 

 in England," and tells a story of a young woman living 

 in the country of Mar. 1 This damsel was of noble family 

 and very fair in person, but she displayed a great 

 unwillingness to enter the marriage state. One day it 

 was discovered that she was pregnant, and when the 

 parents went to make inquisition for the seducer, the 

 girl confessed that, both by day and night, a young man 

 of surpassing beauty used to come and lie with her. 

 Who he was and whence he came she knew not. They, 

 though they gave little credit to her words, were informed 

 by her handmaid, some three days afterwards, that the 

 young man was once more with her ; wherefore, having 

 broken open the door, they entered, bearing lights and 

 torches, and beheld, lying in their daughter's arms, a 

 monster, fearsome and dreadful beyond human belief. 

 All the neighbours ran quickly to behold the grisly 

 sight, and amongst them a good priest, well acquainted 

 with pagan rites. When he had come anear, and had 

 said some verses of the Gospel of Saint John, the fiend 

 vanished with a terrible noise, bearing away the roof 

 of the chamber, and leaving the bed in flames. In three 

 days' time the girl gave birth to a monstrous child, more 

 hideous than anything heretofore seen in Scotland, 

 wherefore the nurses, to keep off disgrace from the 

 family, caused it to be burnt on a pile of wood. There 

 is another story of a youth living about fourteen miles 

 from Aberdeen, who was visited every night by a demon 

 lady of wonderful loveliness, though he bolted and locked 

 his chamber-door ; but by fasting and praying and keep- 

 1 De Varietate^ p. 636. 



