Help me, said the monk, in the devil's name; is this a time for you to prate?
You seem to me to be like the decretalist preachers, who say that whosoever shall see his neighbour in the danger of death, ought, upon pain of trisulk excommunication, rather choose to admonish him to make his confession to a priest, and put his conscience in the state of peace, than otherwise to help and relieve him.
And therefore when I shall see them fallen into a river, and ready to be drowned, I shall make them a fair long sermon de contemptu mundi, et fuga seculi; and when they are stark dead, shall then go to their aid and succour in fishing after them.

Be quiet, said Gymnast, and stir not, my minion.

I am now coming to unhang thee and to set thee at freedom, for thou art a pretty little gentle monachus.

Monachus in claustro non valet ova duo; sed quando est extra, bene valet triginta.

I have seen above five hundred hanged, but I never saw any have a better countenance in his dangling and pendilatory swagging.