ed, and by repeated
incantations constructed this magic casque, which he vainly deemed
invulnerable. But his fate, according to the tradition of Italy, was not
to be avoided. In passing a cathedral, when the bell was ringing for
vespers, Michael entered to pay his devotions, and forgetful of his
cervilerium, which was fixed inside his cap, uncovered as he
reverentially knelt upon the stone floor. The moment of his fate was
arrived. The rope of the belfry had loosened one of the carved corbels
which ornamented the interior of the roof beneath which the Magician
knelt; before he could remove, the sharp and heavy mass descended on his
forehead, and whilst it confirmed the infallibility of his prescience,
in an instant deprived him of life. Michael, however, according to the
account of Benvenuto da Imola, had strength enough to lift up the stone,
and ascertain its weight, after which he declared it was of the exact
size he expected; and that nothing was left him but to die, which he did
accordingly,[7] after very properly making his will. It is needless to
remark that this fable is confuted by the return of Michael to his
native country; but it appears to have been the origin of a tradition
still current amongst the peasantry of Scotland, and which ascribes a
miraculous power to the bonnet of the Wizard. It is curious to find the
tale of the invulnerable cervilerium of the Italians, travelling on the
breath of credulity and superstition into the "far north countrie" of
which the Magician was a native, and only changed by tradition from the
blue steel worked and welded by magic art, into the blue bonnet which
was waited on by Scottish demons, who were heard wailing in mid air when
it was waved by its dreaded master.

[6] Riocobaldi Ferrariensis Historia Imperatorum--in Muratori,
vol. ix. p. 128.

[7] Benvenuto da Imola. Comment on Dante book xx. c. 115.

It is well known to the student of Italian literature, that the
Magician has obtained a niche in the Inferno of Dante.

"Quel altro che ne fianchi e cosi poco
Michele Scoto fu, che veramente
Delle magiche frode seppe il gioco."

Another poet of Italy, but of infinitely inferior note, Theophilo
Folengi, who published a collection of Latin Macaronic verses, under the
fictitious name of Merlinus Coccaius, has given, in strange and almost
unintelligible language, a singular picture of his incantations.

"Behold renown'd Scotus take his stand
Beneath