have therefore more leisure at another time, and a
fitter opportunity wherein to report them; for at
this present I am in a very urgent necessity to feed;
my teeth are sharp, my belly empty, my throat dry,
and my stomach fierce and burning, all is ready.
If you will but set me to work, it will be as good
as a balsamum for sore eyes to see me gulch and raven
it. For God’s sake, give order for it.
Then Pantagruel commanded that they should carry
him home and provide him good store of victuals; which
being done, he ate very well that evening, and, capon-like,
went early to bed; then slept until dinner-time the
next day, so that he made but three steps and one
leap from the bed to the board.
Chapter 2.X.
How Pantagruel judged so equitably of a controversy,
which was wonderfully obscure and difficult, that,
by reason of his just decree therein, he was reputed
to have a most admirable judgment.
Pantagruel, very well remembering his father’s
letter and admonitions, would one day make trial of
his knowledge. Thereupon, in all the carrefours,
that is, throughout all the four quarters, streets,
and corners of the city, he set up conclusions to
the number of nine thousand seven hundred sixty and
four, in all manner of learning, touching in them the
hardest doubts that are in any science. And first
of all, in the Fodder Street he held dispute against
all the regents or fellows of colleges, artists or
masters of arts, and orators, and did so gallantly
that he overthrew them and set them all upon their
tails. He went afterwards to the Sorbonne, where
he maintained argument against all the theologians
or divines, for the space of six weeks, from four
o’clock in the morning until six in the evening,
except an interval of two hours to refresh themselves
and take their repast. And at this were present
the greatest part of the lords of the court, the masters
of requests, presidents, counsellors, those of the
accompts, secretaries, advocates, and others; as also
the sheriffs of the said town, with the physicians
and professors of the canon law. Amongst which,
it is to be remarked, that the greatest part were stubborn
jades, and in their opinions obstinate; but he took
such course with them that, for all their ergoes and
fallacies, he put their backs to the wall, gravelled
them in the deepest questions, and made it visibly
appear to the world that, compared to him, they were
but monkeys and a knot of muffled calves. Whereupon
everybody began to keep a bustling noise and talk of
his so marvellous knowledge, through all degrees of
persons of both sexes, even to the very laundresses,
brokers, roast-meat sellers, penknife makers, and
others, who, when he passed along in the street, would
say, This is he! in which he took delight, as Demosthenes,
the prince of Greek orators, did, when an old crouching
wife, pointing at him with her fingers, said, That
is the man.
