THE CANTERBURY PUZZLES
concerned, for when asked to give a puzzle she showed this jewel
to the company and said : "A learned man from Normandy did
once give me this brooch as
a charm, saying strange and
mystic things anent it, how
that it hath an affinity for
the square, and such other
wise words that were too
subtle for me. But the good
Abbot of Chertsey did once
tell me that the cross may
be so cunningly cut into four
pieces that they will join
and make a perfect square.
Though on my faith I know
not the manner of doing it."
It is recorded that " the pilgrims did find no answer to the riddle,
and the Clerk of Oxenford thought that the Prioress had been
deceived in the matter thereof, whereupon the lady was sore vexed,
though the gentle knight did flout and gibe at the poor clerk because
of his lack of understanding over other of the riddles, which did fill
him with shame and make merry the company."
20.—
The Puzzle of the Doctor of Physic.
This Doctor, learned though he was, for " In all this world to
him there was none like To speak of physic and of surgery," and
"He knew the cause of every malady," yet was he not indifferent
to the more material side of life. " Gold in physic is a cordial;
Therefore he loved gold in special." The problem that the Doctor
propounded to the assembled pilgrims was this. He produced two
spherical phials, as shown in our illustration, and pointed out that
one phial was exactly a foot in circumference, and the other two
feet in circumference.
" I do wish," said the Doctor, addressing the company, " to have
the exact measures of two other phials, of a like shape but different
in size, that may together contain just as much liquid as is contained
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