Curiosities of Olden Times

comes to us on the best possible authority. Her life was written by Thomas de Chantpré, or Catimpré, born at Leuve in the Low Countries in 12

stheim, near St. Trond in Hesbain, in the year 1150. When aged fifteen she was left an orphan, the youngest of three sisters, and spent her childhood in the fields tending sheep and cows. As now, so then, there were no hedges, and cattle sent into pasture had to be subjected to supe

s that her malady first manifested itself. She fell down one day in a cataleptic fit, and was taken up as dead. Her sisters, with

skelter in all directions. One of her sisters alone had courage to remain, or possibly knew enough of Christina's eccentricities not to be alarmed. The priest at the altar faltered, stopped, turned and looked about him, and went forward headlong with the service to the end. When he had retired to the sacristy, probably, Christina's sister came to him and explained matters. Anyhow we learn that he reappeared in the church showing no signs of fear, and very peremptorily

ast and were dead. Then she had visited Purgatory, where also she found herself among acquaintances. After that she ascended to Heaven, where she was offered her choice, whether she would remain there eternally, or return to earth and there perform the meritorious work of liberating, by her prayers and self-tortures, the souls of those still undergoing puri

to get away from the scent of men, which specially distressed her. She did not specify whether this odour was spiritual or carnal, but left it to be inferred that moral turpitude

fetters, declaring that the "odour of men" was suffocating her, and ran away into the nearest forest, where she swarmed to the tops of the highest trees and there gasped for untainted air. There for a while her relatives left h

which accounts for the way in which she li

e was recaptured and again put

orce him to act against his conscience by any representation she made. Then, as suddenly as she appeared, so suddenly did she rush away again into another church, where she frightened the priest into compliance. But what was his disgust and dismay to see the communicant jump up, leave the church in flying leaps, and run as fast as she could tear down the steep hill that falls towards the Meuse. He hastily laid aside his surplice and stole, a

w water hot in large vessels for a washing, in she leaped, souse, and then shrieked with the pain. In winter she would run into the river and remain there squealing with cold, till the parish priest came and ordered her out. One of her favourite pursuits was to dive und

spokes, with more dexterity than delicacy, to amuse the vulgar rabble that followed and applauded her proceedings. Or she would provide herself with a rope and hang herself between two criminals on the

led them a chase over the country, running like the wind, they tearing her tattered garments, and also biting and wounding her limbs.

at once, when no one was expecting it-snap! out flew head, feet, and hands, and she lay flat on the floor, rigid as a log of wood, all her limbs extended and motionless. Another of her devot

hought, broke her thigh. As she could not walk, a cart was brought to the spot, and she was placed in it and conveyed to a surgeon, who had a bed of straw strewn for her in his cellar. He put her leg in splints, but to ensure her remaining quiet and not tearing at the bandages, bound her hands and fasten

s gave up all further a

gown, and then, with crazy laughter, she slipped her own bare arm into it. Her dress was a mass of tatters and incongruous patches, sewn on with willow-bark thread, or pinned together with thorns. Her hair, dark, utterly uncombed, hung wildly about her head, and fell over her tanned, dirty face. Her limbs were covered with scars. One day she visited the parish church of Wellen, near St. Trond, and finding the cover off

ed, she growled, "Why am I eating this nastiness? Why am I thus plagued?" and

ise," but it would be hard to find that either was shown or offered her whilst alive; for then sh

erself up into a ball, and began to roll round the room, "like a boy's ball, without any token of her limbs appearing." Then, all at once, she expanded flat on the floor, and ventriloquised. "No voice or breath i

ns and tricks were reputed to be due to spiritual agency, either divine or diabolic. Towards the close of her days

e, said to her, "Christina! you have always been obedient to me

have you disturbed me? Be quick, I cannot tarr

y, and the next moment the poor clouded spirit fled.

ivine revelation, to say that the body of that most holy woman, Christina, is not receiving pr

a saint in the Low Countries. Her body is still preserved as that of one of the elect of God in the Church of St. Catherine at Milin, near St. Trond; and her name has been inserted in a good number of martyrologi

KASS OF

SE Cé

ended from Neddy's back, and entered the shop, leaving the animal attached to the railings by his halter. After having made some purchases of soap and potash she asked the shopman to keep his eye on her ass whilst she went a few doors off t

e able to record an instance of this on unimpeachable historical evidence. A mutual passion kindled in the veins of these two as

ckass replied with corresponding sentiment. He panted to approach her, but was restrained by his halter. To love, however, nothing is impossib

llowers. She shook her head at the lover and bade him return. But passion somet

nd ardent lover. The lady was exasperated at the silent contempt he had exhibited for her entreaties and objurgations. She hit him on the

d then the lion under the ass's skin became apparent. Ned

ired to her apartment exhausted from her battle, and fainted, with feminine dexterity, into the extended arms of monsieur the florist, her husband, and monsieur the deputy florist, his assistant. By slow degrees the lady was brought

ux that "If any one had lost an ass he would find it at the hous

ress declaration in Court, on the borders of insanity. Not a wink of sleep visited his eyes during the hours of dark

wept for joy, and despatched his wife to claim the truant, whilst he himself remained in hi

erc demanded damages for the bite she had received, to the amount of 1500 livres, and the ass would not be given up till the sum demanded

n for the sum of 1500 livres damages, and 20 sous a day for t

evidence to establish his claim, and the defendant was bidden

an enraged jackass belonging to the defendant, had been seriously

0 livres, and payment was demanded, as

Ferron was to

to do so by some one else. The she-ass of the plaintiff was the cause of the jackass breaking its

get rid of the jackass, there were numerous persons present who would have assisted her; but from her not asking assistance, it was rendered

transaction. No evidence is offered that this bite was given by Ferron's ass, and the wound attested by the medical certificate may have been given by the ass of the plaintiff. But supp

at that the tender-spirited and love-lorn Neddy, when fallen upon by a ferocious woman armed with a thick club, her eyes scintillating with passion, her face flaming, her teeth gnashing, and foam issuing from her purple lips, whilst from her labouring bosom escape oaths and curses, at once

2, tit. 8) is conclusive, for it enunciates the l

uck or wilfully exasperated, he who gave occasion to the injury shall be held responsi

unned it with blows. She has therefore little reason for bringing so unfounded a claim for damages b

ch she complains of having received. Pierre Leclerc cannot plead that his wife did not irritate the ass, for this is proved by the very witnesses whom he summoned to sustain his case. They stated in precise terms that 'they saw Madame Leclerc pass, mounted on a

authority, against the will of the legitimate owner, from 1st July to 1st September, using it daily for going to market; thus, in all, he demands 60 livres for the keep of the beast. Although the price is twice the value of the ass itself, Ferron does not dispute the amount; he contents himself with observing that the woman Leclerc having brought

e has been compelled to hire a horse during two months to carry on his business, and this has involved h

wo following certificates, the latter of which, as giving a character

epveux, grocer, at whose s

, there came, at seven o'clock in the morning, a woman to ask whether an ass had not been lost here; whereupon I replied in the affirmative. She told me that the individual who had lost it might

Nepveux

nt Jacque

Augus

habitants of the parish of Vanvres to the mor

their trade, do testify, that during all the while that they have been acquainted with the said ass, no one has seen any evil in him, and he has never injured any one; also, that during the six years that it belonged to another inhab

el, Prieur et c

} Inhabitant