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destrueret； affirmans quod esset ab ipso Sathana
conflatum prestigiosa et dyabolica arte； quare pater
mens confregit illud in duos partes； quas quidem ego
Johannes de Vinceto salvas servavi et adaptavi sicut
apparet die lune proximo post festum beate Marie
Virginis anni gratie MCCCCXLV。〃
Modernized Version of the Black…Letter Translation。
〃THYS rellike ys a ryghte mistycall worke and a
marvaylous； ye whyche myne aunceteres aforetyme dyd
conveigh hider with them from Armoryke which ys to
seien Britaine ye Lesse and a certayne holye clerke
should allweyes beare my fadir on honde that he owghte
uttirly for to frusshe ye same； affyrmynge that yt was
fourmed and conflatyd of Sathanas hym selfe by arte
magike and dyvellysshe wherefore my fadir dyd take ye
same and tobrast yt yn tweye； but I； John de Vincey；
dyd save whool ye tweye partes therof and topeecyd
them togydder agayne soe as yee se； on this daye
mondaye next folIowynge after ye feeste of Seynte
Marye ye Blessed Vyrgyne yn ye yeere of Salvacioun
fowertene hundreth and fyve and fowerti。〃
The next and； save one； last entry was Elizabethan；
and dated 1564； 〃A most strange historie； and one that
did cost my father his life； for in seekynge for the
place upon the east coast of Africa； his pinnace was
sunk by a Portuguese galleon off Lorenzo Marquez； and
he himself perished。John Vincey。〃
Then came the last entry； apparently； to judge by the
style of writing； made by some representative of the
family in the middle of the eighteenth century。 It was
a misquotation of the well…known lines in Hamlet； and
ran thus： 〃There are more things in Heaven and earth
than are dreamt of in your philosophy； Horatio。〃
And now there remained but one more document to be
examinednamely； the ancient black…letter translation
into mediaeval Latin of the uncial inscription on the
sherd。 As will be seen； this translation was executed
and subscribed in the year 1495； by a certain 〃learned
man；〃 Edmundus de Prato （Edmund Pratt） by name；
licentiate in Canon Law； of Exeter College； Oxford；
who had actually been a pupil of Grocyn； the first
scholar who taught Greek in England。 No doubt on the
fame of this new learning reaching his ears； the
Vincey of the day； perhaps that same John de Vincey
who years before had saved the relic from destruction
and made the black…letter entry on the sherd in 1445
hurried off to Oxford to see if perchance it might
avail to solve the secret of the mysterious
inscription。 Nor was he disappointed； for the learned
Edmundus was equal to the task。
Expanded Version of the Mediaeval Latin Translation。
AMENARTAS； e genere regio Egyptii； uxor Callicratis；
sacerdotis Isidis； quam dei fovent demonia attendunt；
filiolo suo Tisistheni jam moribunda ita rnandat：
Effugi quondam ex Egypto； regnante Nectanebo； cure
patre tuo； propter mei amorem pejerato。 Fugientes
autem versus Notum trans mare； et viginti quatuor
menses per litora Libye versus Orientem errantes； ubi
est petra quedam magna sculpta instar Ethiopis
capitis； deinde dies quatuor ab ostio fluminis magni
ejecti partim submersi sumus partim morbo mortui
sumus： in fine autem a feris hominibus portabamur per
paludes et vada； ubi avium multitudo celum obumbrat；
dies decem； donec advenimus ad cavum quendam montem；
ubi olim magna urbs erat； caverne quoque immense；
duxerunt autem nos ad reginam
Advenaslasaniscoronantium； que magica^ utebatur et
peritia omnium rerum； et saltem pulcritudine et vigore
insenescibilis erat。 Hec magno patris tui amore
perculsa； primum quidem ei connubium michi mortem
parabat； postea vero； recusante Callicrate； amore mei
et timore regine affecto nos per magicam abduxit per
vias horribiles ubi est puteus ille profundus； cujus
juxta aditum jacebat senioris philosophi cadaver； et
advenientibus monstravit flammam Vite erectam； instar
columne volutantis； voces emittentem quasi tonitrus：
tunc per ignem impetu nocivo expers transiit et jam
ipsa sese formosior visa est。
Quibus factis juravit se patrem tuum quoque immortalem
ostensuram esse； si me prius occisa regine
contubernium mallet； neque enim ipsa me occidere
valuit； propter nostratum magicam cujus egomet partem
habeo。 Ille veto nichil hujus generis malebat； manibus
ante oculos passis； ne mulieris formositatena
adspiceret： postea illum magica percussit arte； at
mortuum efferebat inde cum fletibus et vagitibus； at
me per timorem expulit ad ostium magni fluminis；
velivoli； porro in nave； in qua te peperi； vix post
dies huc Athenas vecta sum。 At tu； O Tisisthenes； ne
quid quorum mando nauci fac： necesse enim est mulierem
exquirere si qua Vite mysterium impetres et vindicare；
quantum in te est； patrem tuum Callicratem in regine
morte。 Sin timore sen aliqua causa rem relinquis
infectam； hoc ipsum omnibus posteris mando； dum bonus
quis inveniatur qui ignis lavacrum non perhorrescet；
et potentia dignus dominabitur hominum。
Talia dico incredibilia quidem at minime ficta de
rebus michi cognitis。
Hec Grece scripta Latine reddidit vir doctus Edmundus
de Prato； in Decretis Licenciatus； e Collegio
Exoniensi Oxoniensi doctissimi Grocyni quondam e
pupillis； Idibus Aprills Anno Domini MCCCCLXXXXV。
〃Well；〃 I said； when at length I had read out and
carefully examined these writings and paragraphs； at
least those of them that were still easily legible；
〃that is the conclusion of the whole matter； Leo； and
now you can form your own opinion on it。 I have
already formed mine。〃
〃And what is？〃 he asked； in his quick way。
〃It is this。 I believe that potsherd to be perfectly
genuine； and that； wonderful as it may seem； it has
come down in your family from since the fourth century
before Christ。 The entries absolutely prove it； and
therefore； however improbable it may seem； it must be
accepted。 But there I stop。 That your remote
ancestress； the Egyptian princess； or some scribe
under her direction； wrote that which we see on the
sherd I have no doubt； nor have I the slightest doubt
but that her sufferings and the loss of her husband
had turned her head； and that she was not right in her
mind when she did write it。〃
〃How do you account for what my father saw and heard
there？〃 asked Leo。
〃Coincidence。 No doubt there are bluffs on the coast
of Africa that look something like a man's head； and
plenty of people who speak bastard Arabic。 Also； I
believe that there are lots of swamps。 Another thing
is； Leo； and I am sorry to say it； but I do not
believe that your poor father was quite right when he
wrote that letter。 He had met with a great trouble；
and also he had allowed this story to prey on his
imagination； and he was a very imaginative man。
Anyway； I believe that the whole thing is the most
unmitigated rubbish。 I know that there are curious
things and forces in nature which we rarely meet with；
and； when we do meet them； cannot understand。 But
until I see it with my own eyes； which I am not likely
to； I never will believe that there is any means of
avoiding death； even for a time； or that there is or
was a white sorceress living in the heart of an
African swamp！ It is bosh； my boy； all bosh！What do
you say； Job？〃
〃I say； sir； that it is a lie； and； if it is true； I
hope Mr。 Leo won't meddle with no such things； for no
good can't come of it。〃
〃Perhaps you are both right；〃 said Leo； very quietly。
〃I express no opinion。 But I say this。 I am going to
set the matter at rest once and for all； and if you
won't come with me I will go by myself。〃
I looked at the young man； and saw that he meant what
he said。 When Leo means what he says he always puts on
a curious look about the mouth。 It has been a trick of
his from a child。 Now； as a matter of fact； I had no
intention of allowing Leo to go anywhere by himself；
for my own sake； if not for his。 I was far too much
attached to him for that。 I am not a man of many ties
or affections。 Circumstances have been against me in
this respect； and men and women shrink from me； or； at
least； I fancy they do； which comes to the same thing；
thinking； perhaps； that my somewhat forbidding
exterior is a key to my character。 Rather than endure
this； I have； to a great extent； secluded myself from
the world； and cut myself off from those opportunities
which with most men result in the formation of
relations more or less intimate。 Therefore Leo was all
the world to mebrother； child； and friendand until
he wearied of me； where he went there I should go too。
But； of course； it would not do to let him see how
great a hold he had over me； so I cast about for some
means whereby I might let myself down easy。
〃Yes； I shall go； uncle； and if I don't find the
'rolling Pillar of Life；' at any rate I shall get some
first…class shooting。〃
Here was my opportunity； and I took it。
〃Shooting？〃 I said。 〃Ah！ yes； I never thought of that。
It must be a very wild stretch of country； and full of
big game。 I have always wanted to kill a buffalo
before I die。 Do you know； my boy； I don't believe in
the quest； but I do believe in big game； an