MASTER FRANCIS RABELAIS
FIVE BOOKS OF THE LIVES, HEROIC DEEDS AND SAYINGS OF
GARGANTUA AND HIS SON PANTAGRUEL
Translated into English by
Sir Thomas Urquhart of Cromarty
and
Peter Antony Motteux
The text of the first Two Books of Rabelais has been reprinted from the first edition (1653) of Urquhart’s translation. Footnotes initialled ‘M.’ are drawn from the Maitland Club edition (1838); other footnotes are by the translator. Urquhart’s translation of Book III. appeared posthumously in 1693, with a new edition of Books I. and II., under Motteux’s editorship. Motteux’s rendering of Books IV. and V. followed in 1708. Occasionally (as the footnotes indicate) passages omitted by Motteux have been restored from the 1738 copy edited by Ozell.
CONTENTS.
Introduction
THE FIRST BOOK.
J. De la Salle, to the Honoured, Noble Translator of Rabelais.
Rablophila
The Author’s Prologue to the First Book
Rabelais to the Reader
Chapter 1.I.--Of the Genealogy and Antiquity of Gargantua
Chapter 1.II.--The Antidoted Fanfreluches: or, a Galimatia of extravagant Conceits found in an ancient Monument
Chapter 1.III.--How Gargantua was carried eleven months in his mother’s belly
Chapter 1.IV.--How Gargamelle, being great with Gargantua, did eat a huge deal of tripes
Chapter 1.V.--The Discourse of the Drinkers
Chapter 1.VI.--How Gargantua was born in a strange manner
Chapter 1.VII.--After what manner Gargantua had his name given him, and how he tippled, bibbed, and curried the can