Bayle

“ We lack the word but have the thing;
and thousands who would fail to find relief on the classical hunting-grounds of Peter Bayle might imitate his landlord, who practiced sharp-shooting with a medieval hunting-bow till he could challenge the best pistol shots of the neighboring garrison. In a choice of evils the most puerile game of skill is, indeed, clearly preferable to games of chance ”

“ To turn from Bayle's play to the heart-breaking realities of Everyman is like turning from a volume of all too edifying sermons to the last chapters of one of the gospels. Into the full history of this play, opening a difficult question about the early relations between Dutch and English writers and printers, there is no room here to go. The Dutch Everyman--Elckerlijk--was in all probability the original of the English, and it was certainly printed a few years earlier. ”

“ He projected a dictionary after the manner of Bayle, of which his lives of Hales and Chillingworth were specimens; but his poverty prevented him from having the necessary leisure. He was known to many of the more liberal thinkers of his time, and seems to have been generally respected. ”

“ BAYLE, PIERRE (1647–1706) , French philosopher and man of letters, was born on the 18th of November 1647, at le Carla-le-Comte, near Pamiers (Ariège) . Educated by his father, a Calvinist minister, and at an academy at Puylaurens, he afterwards entered a Jesuit college at Toulouse, and became a Roman Catholic a month later (1669) . After seventeen months he resumed his former religion, and, to avoid persecution, fled to Geneva, where he became acquainted with Cartesianism. ”

“ This view was attacked in a pamphlet entitled The History of the Man after God’s own Heart, in which the author complained of the parallel as an insult to the late king, and, following Pierre Bayle, exhibited King David as an example of perfidy, lust and cruelty. ”

“ When he was about fourteen, in the hope of changing the bent of his mind, his father sent him to live with his agent at Amsterdam, where he worked under a tutor for four or five years. Here he studied Bayle and Voltaire, and became an ardent disciple of Rousseau. Here also he wrote a long poem against commerce, which he produced as an exposition of his opinions when, on his return to England, his father announced his intention of placing him in a commercial house at Bordeaux. Against such a destiny D’Israeli’s mind strongly revolted ”

“ As he continued advancing, by a great effort Bayley gave the abject coward a kick in the face which sent him reeling backwards. As soon as he recovered himself, he said, "Punish me in any way you will, but don't kill me: I can't die yet."
"There is only one minute left for you to prepare," said Bayley, "and you shall die.—Waste no more breath, for your time is fast passing," and he raised the gun and kept it to his shoulder, for he had now recovered in some measure the use of his limbs. ”

“ He tottered to the door picking up Jarrol's gun on his way thither. There he waited for the return of his would-be betrayer, who rushed into the hut, and the moment he entered, the door was closed. Bayley stood free before him. Both regarded each other in silence for several minutes. "'Tis well for you if you are spending the little time you have to live in prayer," said Bayley, in a quiet voice.
"No! no! don't say that Captain Bayley, I always liked you. I—I—will give you all I have—all—all."
"I shall take all you have."
"You need not use violence, you shall have it all without." ”

“ And so is man's will, for the grace of God doth all.
More of this matter conclude hereafter we shall.
Thus endeth this tragedy or interlude, manifesting the chief promises of God unto Man by all ages in the old law, from the fall of Adam to the incarnation of the Lord Jesus Christ. Compiled by John Bayle. Anno Domini 1538.
APPENDIX A "ST. GEORGE AND THE DRAGON" A MODERN CORNISH CHRISTMAS PLAY CHARACTERS Saint George The Dragon Father Christmas The Doctor King of Egypt Turkish Knight The Giant Turpin Enter the Turkish Knight. ”

“ After a little, Captain Bayles of Custer's staff came from the right with an order to move the Sixth by the left flank and take position on the left of the Fifth. Just as he was giving this order a great shout arose to the left and, looking in that direction, we saw that the entire of the Fifth cavalry was climbing the fence and starting for a charge across the field. The Sixth instantly caught the infection and, before I could say "aye, yes or no," both regiments were yelling and firing and advancing on the enemy in the opposite woods. "You can't stop them," said Bayles. ”

“ At a very early age he appears to have given evidence of that energy of disposition, combined with a certain amount of combatieness, which distinguished him in after life. Mr. Bayley, writing about him to his father in June 1732, when he had not completed his seventh year, described him as 'out of measure addicted to fighting.' When still very young he was sent to a school at Lostock, Cheshire, kept by a Dr. ”

“ Bring me to the king, brother.”
Bayard stared at him. “Turn aside, flinch from the enemy, shun battle—is this what you come to tell him?”
“If you go down to battle in the Parma valley they will hold you against the mountains and crush you to dust. They are five to one and all the good ground they hold. I have seen them. Why man, it is no shame to march another road. You would not break your lance against a castle wall.”
“Name of God, I have not learnt to shun battle because the enemy are strong. When did you learn, Silvain? What has changed you? You do not speak with your own voice. ”

“ Dreams, dreams!”
“Are you here to speak evil of the king, Sir Silvain?” Bayard cried.
“Not I, brother. I am a knight of France and I ride to him in his need.”
“You are gracious. He has won many victories without your sword. There are good swords to serve him yet.”
“Bear with me, Bayard. I saw no honor in this venture. I held off in your victories. Now dangers gather about you I must ride with you. You march with ten thousand men. Beyond the mountains there fifty thousand marshaled to destroy you and a great captain to lead them, Francesco of Mantua.” ”

“ Was the Terrible Badger the man we’ve been hearing so much about since coming up here—Baylay?”
“Must be that he is,” announced X-Ray, promptly.
“Well, the indications all point that way,” Lub remarked, in his slow fashion, as though he might be still weighing things in his mind. “There are so few persons up around here that it couldn’t well be any one else. So we’ll have to take it for granted the owner of the dog is Baylay.” ”

“ In all the years I was with Captain Baylor I never knew him to send a non-commissioned officer on a scout after Indians. He always commanded in person and always took with him every man in camp save one, who was left to guard it, for he liked to be as strong as possible on the battlefield.
Captain Baylor never took much interest personally in following cattle thieves, horse thieves, murderers and fugitives from justice. ”

“ The guard was afraid of it. His hand trembled as he led me on.
"Take off the blindfold," said that voice again.
As it fell away, I found myself in a large and beautiful room. My eyes were dazzled by the light of many candles, and for a little I had to close them. I stood before two men. One sat facing me at a black table of carved oak—a man of middle age, in the uniform of a British general. Stout and handsome, with brown eyes, dark hair and mustache now half white, and nose aquiline by the least turn, he impressed me as have few men that ever crossed my path. ”

“ Suddenly the trained eye of Strong had caught the gleam of eyes—then the faint outline of lips dumb with terror. He struck with his paddle and swung his bow.
The hammer fell. A little flame burst out of the rifle-muzzle, and a great roar shook the silences. A shrill cry rang in its first echo. The canoe bounded over lily-pads and flung her bow on the bank a foot above water. Master sprang ashore followed by Strong. They clambered up the bank.
"Strong, I've killed somebody," said the young man, his voice full of the distress he felt. He swept the shore with his light. ”

“ This was indubitably flattering information; but Captain Baynell, a blond man of thirty, of a military stiffness in his brilliant uniform, and of a most uncompromising dignity, glanced with an uneasy monition at the door, a trifle ajar. He was sensible, notwithstanding, of an unusually genial glow of expectation. The rude society of camps was unacceptable to a man of his exacting temperament, and, the sentiment of the country being so adverse to the cause he represented, he had had scant opportunities here to enter social circles of the grade that would elsewhere have welcomed him. ”

“ I could stay there in the dark no longer.
"Wait here, and be silent," I said, and ran "like a madwoman," as they told me long after, for the flickering lights.
There a squad of cavalry was shut in by the pikes. Two troopers had broken through the near line. One had fallen, badly hurt; the other was sabre to sabre with the man D'ri. They were close up and striving fiercely, as if with broadswords. I caught up the weapon of the injured man, for I saw the Yankee would get the worst of it. The Britisher had great power and a sabre quick as a cat's paw. ”

“ Lieutenant Baylor was as tender hearted as a little child and would listen to any tale of woe. He frequently took men into the service, stood good for their equipment and often had to pay the bill out of his own pocket. All men looked alike to him and he would enlist anyone when there was a vacancy in the company. The result was that some of the worst San Simone Valley rustlers got into [Pg 202] the command and gave us no end of trouble, nearly causing one or two killings in our camp.
Baylor cared nothing for discipline in the company. ”

“ Your king is allied to a fiend. I would to God I could ride with you. Fare you well.”
Bayard stopped his horse.
“You must go guard the lady? So be it. But come back to us, Silvain. Here is a fair field of honor and no better knight of us all than you.”
“I dare not,” Silvain said hoarsely. “Oh, my brother, I would give my life and be glad to ride under the golden lilies with you. But you go to serve Lodovico, you and France. There is no honor in that, Bayard.”
He turned his horse and rode after Clarissa and Bonivard. Messire Thibaut was waiting for him ”

“ Soon Henry Wills lay on the ground before me with no disposition to go on with the fight. I helped him up and he turned away from me. Some of the boys began to jeer him.
"He's a gentleman compared with the rest o' you," I said. "He had courage enough to say what he thought. There's not another one o' you would dare do it—not a one o' you."
Then said the schoolmaster:
"If there's any more o' you boys that has any such opinion o' Bart Baynes let him be man enough to step up an' say it now. If he don't he ought to be man enough to change his mind on the spot." ”

“ Captain Baynell's acceptance of the fact had the requisite touch of sympathy and interest, but no more. How could he imagine that the child's infirmity could ever concern him, could be a factor of import in the most notable crisis of his life! ”

“ He sent for Bayard and said to him: "You know that I am crossing the mountains to fight the Venetians, who have taken Cremona from me, and other places. I am giving you the command of a company of men-at-arms ... but that can be led by your lieutenant, Captain Pierre du Pont, while I wish you to take charge of a number of foot-soldiers."
"Sire," replied the Good Knight, "I will do what you wish; but how many foot-soldiers do you propose to give me?"
"One thousand," said the King; "no man has more." ”

“ The two armies came within a cannon-shot of each other, and Henry VIII., seeing his danger, dismounted from his horse and placed himself in the middle of the "landsknechte." The French were only too eager to charge through the foot-soldiers, and Bayard implored the Governor of Picardy, under whose orders he was, to allow him to lead them on. "My lord, let us charge them!" he exclaimed; "if they give way at the first charge we shall break through, but if they make a strong stand we can always retire, for they are on foot and we on horseback." ”

“ D'ri took the horses, and I was shown to the library, where the count came shortly, to give me hearty welcome.
"And what of the captives?" I inquired, our greeting over.
"Alas! it is terrible; they have not returned," said he, "and I am in great trouble, for I have not written to France of their peril. Dieu! I hoped they would be soon released. They are well and now we have good news. Eh bien, we hope to see them soon. But of that Thérèse shall tell you. ”

“ Also, calling one of the attendants of the Bishop, she entrusted him with the little trunk containing linen and other necessaries for Bayard, begging him to give it in the care of the equerry who would have charge of the boy at the Duke of Savoy's Court, and she gave him two crowns. There was no time for more, as the Bishop of Grenoble was now calling his nephew. As he set forth on that Saturday morning, riding his spirited chestnut towards Chambéry, with the sun shining and the birds singing, and all his future like a fair vision before him, young Bayard thought that he was in paradise. ”

“ I got to my seat quickly, confident that nature had not intended me for a lady's-maid. Awhile later we heard the call of a picket far afield, but saw no camp. A horseman—I thought him a cavalry officer—passed us, flashing in our faces the light of a dark lantern, but said nothing. It must have been near midnight when, as we were going slowly through deep sand, I heard the clang of a cow-bell in the near darkness. ”