Volume - The Clarence Darrow Collection

MEDIEVAL GROWTH OF THE DEAD SEA LEGENDS. 23 1
in manuscript, and finally in print, and so the old myths re-
ceived a new life.*
In the fifteenth century wonders increased. In 141 8 we
have the Lord of Caumont, who makes a pilgrimage and
gives us a statement which is the result of the theological
reasoning of centuries, and especially interesting as a typical
example of the theological method in contrast with the scientific.
He could not understand how the blessed waters of
the Jordan could be allowed to mingle with the accursed
waters of the Dead Sea. In spite, then, of the eye of sense,
he beheld the water with the eye of faith, and calmly announced
that the Jordan water passes through the sea, but
that the two masses of water are not mingled. As to the
salt statue of Lot's wife, he declares it to be still existing ;
and, copying a table of indulgences granted by the Church
to pious pilgrims, he puts down the visit to the salt statue as
giving an indulgence of seven years.
Toward the end of the century we have another traveller
yet more influential: Bernard of Breydenbach, Dean of Mainz.
His book of travels was published in i486, at the famous
press of Schoeffer, and in various translations it was spread
through Europe, exercising an influence wide and deep. His
first important notice of the Dead Sea is as follows :
" In this,
* For Fulk of Chartres and crusading travellers generally, see Bongars' Gesta
Dei and the French Recueil ;
also histories of the Cnisades by Wilken, Sybel, Kug-
ler, and others ; see also Robinson, Biblical Researches, vol. ii, p. log, and Tobler,
Bibliographia Geographica Palestince, 1867, p. 12. For Benjamin ofTudela's state-
ment, see Wright's Collection of Travels in Palestine, p. 84, and Asher's edition of
Benjamin of Tudela's travels, vol. i, pp. 71, 72 ; also Charton, vol. i, p. 180. For
Borchard or Burchard, see full text in the Reyssluch dess Heyligen Landes ; also
Grynseus, Nov. Orbis, Basil., 1532, fol. 298, 329. For Ernoul, see his L'Estat de
la Citd de Hierusalem, in Michelant and Raynaud, Itindraires Fran^aises au i2me
et ijme Sikles. For Petrus Diaconus, see his book De Locis Sanctis, edited by
Gamurrini, Rome, 1887, pp. 126, 127. For Mandeville I have compared several
editions, especially those in the Reysslmch, in Canisius, and in Wright, with Halli-
well's reprint and with the rare Strasburg edition of 1484 in the Cornell University
with iron and feathers is
Library : the whole statement regarding the experiment
given diiferently in different copies. The statement that he saw the feathers sink
and the iron swim is made in the Reyssbuch edition, Frankfort, 1584. The story,
like the saints' legends, evidently grew as time went on, but is none the less inter-
esting as showing the general credulity. Since writing the above I have been glad
to find my view of Mandeville's honesty confirmed by the Rev. Dr. Robinson, and
by Mr. Gage in his edition of Ritter's Palestine.