A Sacrifice To The Devil

By Monseigneur



_Of a jealous rogue, who after many offerings made to divers saints to

cure him of his jealousy, offered a candle to the devil who is usually

painted under the feet of St. Michael; and of the dream that he had and

what happened to him when he awoke._





A cowardly, jealous old hunks (I will not say that he was a cuckold)

knew not to whom to have recourse to be cured of his jealous grief and

misery. To-day he would make one pilgrimage, and to-morrow another,

and often would send his servants to perform his devotions and make

offerings whilst he was seated in his house to look after his wife, who

passed her time miserably with the most cursed husband and suspicious

grumbler that ever woman married.



One day, as he thought of the many offerings that he had made or was to

make to the various saints in heaven and amongst others to St. Michael,

he bethought him that he would make one to the figure that is under the

feet of the said St. Michael.



With that he commanded one of his servants to light and bring a large

wax candle, and offer it on his behalf. Soon it was reported to him that

his orders had been obeyed.



"Thus," said he to himself, "I shall see if God or the devil can cure

me," and in his usual ill-temper he went to bed with his good and honest

wife, and perhaps because he had so many fancies and whims in his head

that nature was restrained, she lay in peace.



In fact he slept soundly, and when he was in the depth of his sleep,

he to whom the candle had that day been offered, appeared unto him in

a vision, and thanked him for his offering, declaring that such a

sacrifice had never before been made to him. Moreover, he told the man

that he had not lost his labour, and should obtain his request, and

whilst the other lay still in deep sleep, it seemed to him that a ring

was placed on his finger, and he was told that whilst that ring was on

his finger he should never be jealous or have any cause for jealousy.



After the vision had vanished, our jealous hunks awoke, and expected to

find on his finger the said ring, and found that one of his fingers

was in the backside of his wife, at which both he and she were much

astonished.



But of the rest of the life of this jealous fool, and of his business

and condition, this story is silent.





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