Storia do Mogor 338.13.5

338.13.5

As in giving this absolution there was a strange and mysterious circumstance, it is not well to pass it over here in silence. The case stood thus : The Lord Bishop ordered the cure of the cathedral to absolve them ad cautelam while he carried it out in forma juris. What could be said upon this I leave to the penetration of the reader, for it is not always seemly to say what might be said, even if some might be pleased to hear it. But all I will say is that one of the brothers noticed the circumstance that in his order the Lord Bishop said they were to be absolved ad cautelam, while the cure's certificate said that he absolved them in forma juris. Seeing that the two statements did not agree, this man went to a certain person and asked him what was meant by these words 'in forma juris.' He construed it finely, for he told the man it was just the same as if the cure had tickled their ribs (as costas), as in effect he had done. 'Then, sir,' rejoined the poor man, 'keep it secret.' When he had been warmly thanked, his interlocutor offered his congratulations : 'And may it profit you much.' Therewith the story of the wretched brothers, which began as a tragedy, ends with a hearty laugh from those who wished to see them chastised, as they had been.