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MARRIAGE OF CHRISTIAN ROSENCREUTZ. 181
these four "
pointing at me and three others "lazy and
sluggish labourators, and yet according to my good-will to
all, I am not willing to deliver them to condign punishment.
However, that such negligence may not remain
wholly unpunished, I purpose that they shall be excluded
from the future seventh and most glorious action of all the
rest, and so they shall incur no further blame from their
Eoyal Majesties."
In what a case we now were I leave others to consider,
for the Virgin so well knew how to keep her countenance
that the water soon ran over our baskets, and we esteemed
ourselves the most unhappy of all men. The Virgin by one
of her maids, whereof there were many always at hand,
caused the musitians to be fetcht, who were with cornets to
blow us out of doors with such scorn and derision that they
themselves could hardly sound for laughing. But it did
particularly afflict us that the Virgin vehemently laughed
at our weeping, and that there might be some amongst our
companions who were glad of our misfortune. But it
proved otherwise, for as soon as we were come out at the co
door the .musitians bid us be of good cheere, and follow
them up the winding staires to the eighth floor under the
roof, where we found the old man standing upon a little
round furnace. He received us friendly, and heartily con-
gratulated us that we were hereto chosen by the Virgin ;
but after he had understood the fright we had conceived,
his belly was ready to burst with laughing that we had
taken such good fortune so
"
hainously. Hence," said he,
"
my dear sons, learn that man never knoweth how well
God intendeth him." The Virgin also came running in,
who, after she had sufficiently laughed at us, emptied her
ashes into another vessel, filling hers again with other
ejoco.
8 - Conclave,