And Of Idols They Say Also That The Ox Is The Most Holy Beast That
Is In Earth And Most Patient, And More Profitable Than Any Other.
For He Doth Good Enough And He Doth No Evil; And They Know Well
That It May Not Be Without Special Grace Of God.
And therefore
make they their god of an ox the one part, and the other half of a
man.
Because that man is the most noble creature in earth, and
also for he hath lordship above all beasts, therefore make they the
halvendel of idol of a man upwards; and the tother half of an ox
downwards, and of serpents, and of other beasts and diverse things,
that they worship, that they meet first at morrow.
And they worship also specially all those that they have good
meeting of; and when they speed well in their journey, after their
meeting, and namely such as they have proved and assayed by
experience of long time; for they say that thilk good meeting ne
may not come but of the grace of God. And therefore they make
images like to those things that they have belief in, for to behold
them and worship them first at morning, or they meet any
contrarious things. And there be also some Christian men that say,
that some beasts have good meeting, that is to say for to meet with
them first at morrow, and some beasts wicked meeting; and that they
have proved oft-time that the hare hath full evil meeting, and
swine and many other beasts. And the sparrow-hawk or other fowls
of ravine, when they fly after their prey and take it before men of
arms, it is a good sign; and if he fail of taking his prey, it is
an evil sign. And also to such folk, it is an evil meeting of
ravens.
In these things and in such other, there be many folk that believe;
because it happeneth so often-time to fall after their fantasies.
And also there be men enough that have no belief in them. And,
sith that Christian men have such belief, that be informed and
taught all day by holy doctrine, wherein they should believe, it is
no marvel then, that the paynims, that have no good doctrine but
only of their nature, believe more largely for their simplesse.
And truly I have seen of paynims and Saracens that men clepe
Augurs, that, when we ride in arms in divers countries upon our
enemies, by the flying of fowls they would tell us the
prognostications of things that fell after; and so they did full
oftentimes, and proffered their heads to-wedde, but if it would
fall as they said. But natheles, therefore should not a man put
his belief in such things, but always have full trust and belief in
God our sovereign Lord.
This isle of Chana the Saracens have won and hold. In that isle be
many lions and many other wild beasts.
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