Tempest was a mighty flogger of lads at Mountagu College.  If pedants be damned for whipping poor little innocent wretches their scholars, he is, upon my honour, by this time fixed within Ixion’s wheel, lashing the crop-eared, bobtailed cur that gives it motion.  If they are saved for having whipped innocent lads, he ought to be above the—­

Chapter 4.XXII.

An end of the storm.

Shore, shore! cried Pantagruel.  Land to, my friends, I see land!  Pluck up a good spirit, boys, ’tis within a kenning.  So! we are not far from a port.—­I see the sky clearing up to the northwards.—­Look to the south-east!  Courage, my hearts, said the pilot; now she’ll bear the hullock of a sail; the sea is much smoother; some hands aloft to the maintop.  Put the helm a-weather.  Steady! steady!  Haul your after-mizen bowlines.  Haul, haul, haul!  Thus, thus, and no near.  Mind your steerage; bring your main-tack aboard.  Clear your sheets; clear your bowlines; port, port.  Helm a-lee.  Now to the sheet on the starboard side, thou son of a whore.  Thou art mightily pleased, honest fellow, quoth Friar John, with hearing make mention of thy mother.  Luff, luff, cried the quartermaster that conned the ship, keep her full, luff the helm.  Luff.  It is, answered the steersman.  Keep her thus.  Get the bonnets fixed.  Steady, steady.

That is well said, said Friar John now, this is something like a tansy.  Come, come, come, children, be nimble.  Good.  Luff, luff, thus.  Helm a-weather.  That’s well said and thought on.  Methinks the storm is almost over.  It was high time, faith; however, the Lord be thanked.  Our devils begin to scamper.  Out with all your sails.  Hoist your sails.  Hoist.  That is spoke like a man, hoist, hoist.  Here, a God’s name, honest Ponocrates; thou art a lusty fornicator; the whoreson will get none but boys.  Eusthenes, thou art a notable fellow.  Run up to the fore-topsail.  Thus, thus.  Well said, i’ faith; thus, thus.  I dare not fear anything all this while, for it is holiday.  Vea, vea, vea! huzza!  This shout of the seaman is not amiss, and pleases me, for it is holiday.  Keep her full thus.  Good.  Cheer up, my merry mates all, cried out Epistemon; I see already Castor on the right.  Be, be, bous, bous, bous, said Panurge; I am much afraid it is the bitch Helen.  It is truly Mixarchagenas, returned Epistemon, if thou likest better that denomination, which the Argives give him.  Ho, ho!  I see land too; let her bear in with the harbour; I see a good many people on the beach; I see a light on an obeliscolychny.  Shorten your sails, said the pilot; fetch the sounding line; we must double that point of land, and mind the sands.  We are clear of them, said the sailors.  Soon after, Away she goes, quoth the pilot, and so doth the rest of our fleet; help came in good season.

By St. John, said Panurge, this is spoke somewhat like.  O the sweet word! there is the soul of music in it.  Mgna, mgna, mgna, said Friar John; if ever thou taste a drop of it, let the devil’s dam taste me, thou ballocky devil.  Here, honest soul, here’s a full sneaker of the very best.  Bring the flagons; dost hear, Gymnast:  and that same large pasty jambic, gammonic, as you will have it.  Take heed you pilot her in right.