the reste and followed the procession Euery one of the people knewe me pointinge at me with their fingers saide in this sorte beholde him who is this day transformed into a man by the puissance of the soueraigne Goddesse verely he is blessed and most blessed that hath merited so great grace from heauen as by the innocēcy of his former life and as it were by a newe regeneration is reserued to the obsequie of the Goddesse In the meane season by litle and litle we approched nighe vnto the sea coaste euen to that place where I lay the night before beinge an Asse There after the images reliques were orderly disposed the great Priest compassed about with diuers pictures according to the fashion of the Egiptians did dedicate consecrate with certaine prayers a fayre shippe made very cunningly purified the same w t a torch an egge sulphur the sayle was of white linnen cloth wheron was writē certaine letters which testified the nauigation to be prosperous the maste was of a great length made of a pine trée rounde very excellent with a shining toppe y e cabbin was couered ouer with couerings of golde all the shippe was made of Citron trée very fayre then al the people aswell religious as prophane toke a great nūber of Vannes replenished with odors pleasaūt smelles and threw them into the sea mingled with milke vntill the shippe was filled vp with large giftes and prosperous deuotions when as with a pleasant winde it launched out into the déepe but whē thei had lost the sight of the shippe euery mā carried again that which he brought and went towarde the Temple in like pompe and ordre as they came to the sea side When we were come to the Temple the great Priest and those whiche were deputed to carry the diuine figures but specially those whiche had longe time bene worshippers of the Religiō went into the secrete chāber of the Goddesse where they put placed the Images according to their order This done one of the company whiche was a Scribe or interpretour of letters who in forme of a preacher stoode vp in a chayre before the place of the holy colledge began to read out of a booke to enterpret to the great Prince the Senate and to all the noble order of Cheualry and generally to all the Romaine people and to all suche as be vnder the puissance and iurisdiction of Rome these woordes following 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signified y ◠ende of their diuine seruice and that it was lawfull for euery man to depart whereat all the people gaue a great shoute replenished with much ioye bare all kinde of herbes and garlandes of flowres home to their houses kissing and embrasing the steppes where the Goddesse passed howbeit I could not doo as the rest for my minde wold not suffer me to departe one foote away so earnest and attentife was I to beholde the beautie of the Goddesse with remembraunce likewise of my great trauell and miserie which I had endured ¶ How the Parentes and freendes of Apuleius harde newes that he was aliue and in health Cap. 48. IN the meane season newes was carried into my countrie as swifte as the flight of birdes or as the blaste of windes of the grace and benefite whiche I receaued of the goddesse and of my fortune woorthy to be had in memory Then my parentes fréendes seruauntes of our house vnderstandinge that I was not dead as thei were falsely enformed came towardes me with great diligence to sée me as a man raysed from death to life And I likewise which did neuer thinke to sée them againe was as ioyfull as they acceptinge and takinge in good part their honest giftes and oblations which they gaue to the intent I might bie such things as was necessary for my body After that I had made relation vnto them of all my pristine misery present ioyes I wente againe before the face of the Goddesse and hired me a house within the cloisture of the tēple to the ende I might continually be ready to the seruice of the Goddesse and ordinarily frequent the company of the priestes wherby I would wholy become deuout to the Goddesse and an inseparable woorshipper of her diuine name It fortuned that the Goddesse appeared to me oftentimes in the night perswadinge and commaundinge me to take the order of her religion but I although I was endewed with a desirous good wil yet the reuerende feare of the same withhelde me consideringe that her obeysaunce was harde and difficill the chastetie of the Priestes intollerable and the life fraile subiect to many incōueniences beinge thus in doubte I refrained my selfe from all those thinges as séeming impossible On a night the great Priest appeared vnto me presenting his lappe full of treasure and whē I demaunded what it signified he answeared that it was sent me from the countrie of Thessaly and that a seruaūt of mine named Candidus was arriued like wise whē I was awaked I mused in my self what this vistō should portēde cōsidering I neuer had any seruaūt called by that name but whatsoeuer it did signifie this I verely thought that it was a fore show of gaine prosperous chaunce while I was thus astonied I went to the Temple and tarried there till the openinge of the gates then I wente in began to pray before the face of the Goddesse the Priest prepared and set the diuine thinges on euery Aultour pulled out of the foūtaine the holy vessell with solempne supplication Then they began to singe the mattens of the mornyng testifiyng thereby the howre of the pryme By and by beholde arriued my seruauntes whiche I had left in the countrie whē Fotis by errour made me an Asse bringyng with thē my horse recouered by her through certaine signes and tokens which he had vpon his backe Then I perceaued the enterpretatiō of my dreame by reason that beside the promisse of gaine my white horse was restored to me which was signified by the argument of my seruaunt Candidus This done I retired to the seruice of the Goddesse in hope of greater benefites considering I had receaued a signe and token wherby my courage encreased euery day more more to take vpon me the orders and Sacramētes of the Temple In so much that I oftentimes cōmuned with the Priest desiringe him greatly to giue me the first degree of the Religion but he which was a mā of grauitie well renoumed in y ◠order of priesthood differd my affection frō day to day with comfort of better hope as parentes cōmonly bridle the desires of their children when they attempt or endeuor any vnprofitable thing saying y t the day whē any one should be admitted into their order is appointed by the Goddesse the Priest which shoulde minister the sacrifice is chosen by her prouidence and the necessarie charges of the ceremouies is allotted by her commaundement
cruell visions that euen yet I thinke my selfe sprinkled wette with humaine bloud whereunto Socrates laughing made answeare and saide Nay thou arte not wette with the bloud of men but thou art embrued with stinkinge pisse and verely I my selfe dreamed this night that my throate was cutte and that I felt the paine of the wounde and that my harte was pulled out of my bellie and the remembrance thereof makes me nowe to feare for my knées doo tremble that I can vneth goe any further therefore I would faine eate somewhat to strengthen and reuiue my spirites then said I beholde here is thy breakefast and therwithall I opened my skrippe that hanged vpoÌ„ my shoulder and gaue him bread chéese and we satte downe vnder a great plane tróe and I eate parte with him And while I behelde him eatinge gréedely I perceaued that he waxed meigre and pale that his liuely colour vaded away in so much that beinge in great feare and remembringe those terrible furies of whome I lately dreamed the firste morsell of bread that I put in my mouth whiche was but very small did so sticke in my iawes that I could nether swallowe it downe nor yet yelde it vp and moreouer the small time of our beinge together encreased my feare and what is he that seinge his compaignion die in the high waie before his face will not greatly lameÌ„t and be sorie but when that Socrates had eaten sufficiently he wared very thirstie for in déede he had welnie deuoured all a whole chéese and beholde euill fortune there was behinde the plane trée a pleasant runninge water as cleere as Criâ—tall and I said vnto him come hither Socrates to this water and drinke thy fil And then he rose and came to the riuer and knéeled downe vpon the side of the banke to drinke but he had skase touched y â— water with his lippes wheÌ„ as behold the wouÌ„de of his throate opened wide and the sponge sodenly fell into the water and after issued out a litle remnant of bloud and his bodie beinge then without life had fallen into the riuer had not I caught him by the legge and so pulled him vp And after that I had lamented a good space the death of my wretched compaignioÌ„ I buried him in the sandes there by the riuer Which done in great feare I rode through many outwaies and deserte places and as culpable of the death of Socrates I forsoke my countrey my wife and my children and came to Aetolia where I maried an other wife This tale tolde Aristomenus and his fellowe whiche before obstinately would giue no credite vnto hi begaÌ„ to say Verely there was neuer so foolish a tale nor a more absurde lie tolde then this then he spake vnto me saiyng Ho sir what you are I know not but your habite and countenaÌ„ce declareth that you should be some honest gentleman doo you beléeue his tale yea verely ê™ I why not for what so euer the fates hath apointed to men that I beléeue shall happen For many thingès chaunce vnto me and vnto you and to diuers others which beinge declared vnto the ignorant be accompted as lies But verely I giue credite vnto his tale and render entier thankes vnto him in that by the pleasant relatioÌ„ thereof we haue quickly passed and shortned our iourney and I thinke that my horse also was delighted with the same and hath brought me to the gate of this Citie without any paine at all Thus ended both our talke and iourney for they twoo turned on the lefte hande to the next villages and I rode into the Citie ¶ How Apuleius came to a Citie called Hipate and was lodged in one Milâ—s house and brought him letters from Demea of Corinthe Cap. 6. AFter that those twoo compaignioÌ„s were departed I entred into the Citie where I espied an old woman of whome I enquired whether that Citie was called Hypata or no who answeared yeas Then I demaunded whether she knewe one Milo an Alderman of the Citie whereat she laughed and said verely it is not without cause that Milo is called an elder man and accompted as chiefe of those whiche dwel without the walles of the Citie To whome I saide againe I pray thée good mother doo not mocke but tell me what manner of man he is and where he dwelleth Marry ê™ she doo not you sée those baye windowes whiche on the one side abutte to the gate of the Citie and on the other side to the next lane there Milo dwelleth very riche both in money substance but by reason of his great Auarice and insatiable couetousnes he is euill spoken of he is a man that liueth all by Vsurie and lendinge his money vpon pledges Moreouer he dwelleth in a small house and is euer countinge his money and hath a wife that is a compaignioÌ„ of his extreme miserie neither kepeth he any more in his house then one onely maide who goeth appareled like vnto a begger which when I heard I laughed with my self thought in faith my fréende Demeas hath serued me well which hath sent me being a straunger vnto such a man in whose house I shall not be afearde either of smooke or of the sent of meate therewithall I rode to the doore whiche was fast barred and knocked aloude theÌ„n there came foorth a maide whiche saide Ho Sira that knockes so faste in what kinde of sorte will you borrow money know you not that we vse to take no gage vnlesse it be either plate or Iuelles To whome I answeared I pray thée maide speake more geÌ„tle tel me whether thy maister be within or no. Yes ê™ she that he is why doo you aske Marry said I I am come from Corinthe and haue brought him letters froÌ„ Demeas his fréende Then saide the maide I pray you tarry here till I tell him so and therewithall she closed faste the doores and went in and after a while she returned againe said my master desireth you to alight and come in and so I did whereas I found him sitting vpon a litle bedde goinge to supper and his wife satte at his féete but there was no meate vpon the table so by apointment of the maide I came to him and saluted him deliuered the letters whiche I brought from Demeas whiche when he had redde he said verely I thanke my fréende Demeas much in that he hath sent vnto me so woorthie a geâ—t as you are And therewithal he commaunded his wife to sitte away and bidde me sitte in her place whiche when I refused by reason of courtesie he pulled me by the garment and willed me to sitte downe for we haue ê™ he no other stoole here nor no other great store of household stuffe for feare of robbinge Then I accordinge to his commaundement sat downe and he fell in further communication with me and saide Verely I doo coniecte by the comely feature of your
Beholde here is one sente by the prouidence of God to trie out the matter euen Zachlas an Egiptian who is the most principall Prophecier in all this countrie and who was hired of me for money to reduce the soule of this maÌ„ from Hell and to reuiue his bodie for the triall hereof And therewithal he brought foorth a certaine yonge man clothed in linnen rayment hauing on his féete a payre of pantoffles and his crowne shauen who kissed his handes and knées saying O Priest haue mercie haue mercie I pray thée by y â— celestiall Planetes by the powers infernall by the vertue of the naturall Elementes by the silences of the night by the buildinges of swallowes nigh vnto the towne of Copton by the increase of the floode Nilus by the secreate misteries of Memphis and by the instrumentes and trumpettes of the Isle Pharos haue mercie I say and call againe to life this dead bodie and make that his eyes whiche be closed and shutte may be opened sée howbeit we meane not to striue against the lawe of death neither entend we to depriue the yearth of his right but to the ende this facte may he knowen we craue but a small time and space of life whereat this Prophete was moued and toke a certaine hearbe laide it thrée times vpon the mouth of the dead and he toke an other and laide it vpon his brest in like sorte Thus when he had done he turned him selfe intâ— the East and made certaine Oraisons vnto the Sunne which caused all the people to maruell greatly to loke for this straunge miracle that should happen Then I pressed in emongest them nigh vnto the biere and gotte vpon a stone to sée this misterie and beholde incontinently the dead bodie began to receaue spirite his principall vaines did moue his life came againe and he helde vp his head spake in this sorte Why doo you call me backe againe to this transitorie life that haue already tasted of the water of Leche and likewise bene in the deadlie denne of Stir leaue of I pray leaue of and lette me lie in quiet teste when these woordes were vttered by the dead corpse the Prophete drewe nighe vnto the biere and saide I charge thée to tell before the face of all the people here y â— occasion of thy death what doest thou thinke that I cannot by my comurations cal vp the dead and by my puissance tormeÌ„t thy bodie Then che corps moued vp his head againe and made reuerence vnto the people said Verely I was poisoned by the meanes of my wicked wife so thereby yelded my bedde vnto an adulterer Whereat his wife taking present audacitie reprouing his sayings with a cursed minde did denie it the people were beÌ„t against her sondry waies some thought best y â— she should be buried aliue w t her husbaÌ„d but some said y â— there ought no credite to be giuen vnto the dead bodie which opinion was cleane taken away by the woordes that the corpse spake againe said Beholde I will giue you some euident token which neuer yet any other man knew wherby you shall perceaue y â— I declare the truth by and by he pointed towardes me that stoode on the stone saide when this the good gardian of my bodie watched me diligently in y e night that the wicked Witches enchanteresses came into the chamber to spoile me of my limmes to bryng such their purpose to passe did traÌ„sforme them selues into y e shape of beastes And when as thei could in no wise deceaue or beguile his vigilant eies they cast him into so dead sounde a sleape that by their Wicthcrafte he séemed without spirite or life After this thei called me by my name did neuer cease till as the colde members of my bodie began by litle litle to reuiue then he being of more liuely soule howbeit buried in sleape in y â— he I weare named by one name and because he knew not that they called me rose vp first as one without sence or perseneraÌ„ce passed by the doore fast closed vnto a certaine hole whereas the Witches cut of first his nose then his eares so that was done to him whiche was appointed to be done to me And that such their subtiltie might not be perceaued they made him a like payre of eares and nose of waxe wherefore you may sée that the poore miser for lucre of a litle money sustayned losse of his membres Whiche when he had saide I was greatly astonied and mindinge to proue whether his woordes were true or no put my hande to my nose my nose fell of and put my hande to mine eares and mine eares fel of Whereat al y â— people wondred greatly and laughed me to skorne but I beinge stroken in a colde sweate crept betwéene their legges for shame escaped away So I disfigured returned home again couered the losse of mine eares with my longe heare and glewed this cloute to my face to hide my shame Assone as Telephoron had tolde his tale they whiche satte at the table replenished with wine laughed hartelie And while they draÌ„ke one to an other Birrhena spake to me and saide From the first fouÌ„dation of this Citie we haue had a custome to celebrate the festiuall day of the God Kisus to morrow is the feast when as I pray you to be present to sette out the same more honorably and I would with all my harte that you could finde or deuise somwhat of your selfe that might be in honor of so great a God to whome I answeared Verely Cosin I will doo as you commaunde me right gladde would I be if I might inuent any laughinge or mery matter to please or satisfie Kisus withall Then I rose from the table and toke leaue of Birchena and departed and when I came into the firste streate my torche went out that with great paine I coulde skarse gette home by reason it was so darke and for feare of stomblinge And when I was welny come vnto the doore beholde I saw thrée men of great stature heuinge and liftinge at Milos gates to gette in And when they sawe me they weare nothing affeard but assaide with more force to breake downe the doores whereby they gaue me occasion and not without cause to thinke that thei weare stronge théeues Wherupon I by and by drew out my swoorde which I carried for that purpose vnder my cloke and ranne in emongst them and wounded them in such sorte that they fell downe dead before my face Thus when I had slaine them all I knocked sweating and breathyng at the doore till Fotis lette me in And then full weary with the slaughter of these théeues like Hercules when he fought against the King Gerion I wente to my chamber and laide me downe to â—leape The thirde Booke of Lucius Apuleius of the Golden Asse ¶ How Apuleius was taken and put
I was greatly sorie in so muche that I thought all the hinder part of my bodie and my stones did ake for woo but I sought about to kil my selfe by some maner of meanes to thende if I should die I would die with vnperished members ¶ Howe the boye that ledde Apuleius to the fieldes was slaine in the woodde Cap. 30. WHile I deuised with my selfe in what maner I might ende my life the roperipe boie on the next morrow led me to the hill againe tied me to a boowe of a great Oke and in the meane season he tooke his hatchet and cut woodde to lode me withall but beholde there crept out of a caue by a meruailous great Beare holdinge out his mighty head whome when I sawe I was sodeÌ„ly strokeÌ„ in feare throwing all the streÌ„gth of my bodie into my hinder héeles lifted vp my streined head and brake the halter wherwith I was tied Then there was no néede to bidde me runne awaie for I scoured not onely on foote but tumbled ouer the stones and rockes with my bodie til I came into the open fieldes to the intent I would escape away from the terrible Beare but especially from the boie y â— was worse then the Beare Then a certaine straunger that passed by y â— waie espiyng me alone as a straie Asse tooke me vp rode vpon my back beating me w t a staffe which he bare in hâ— haÌ„d through a blind an vnknoweÌ„ lane wherat I was nothing displeased but willingly weÌ„t forward to auoide y â— cruel paine of gelding which y â— shepardes had ordeined for me but as for y â— stripes I was nothing moued since I was acustomed to be beateÌ„ so euery day But euell fortune would not suffer me to continue in suche estate longe For the Shepeherdes looking about for a cowe that they had lost after they had sought in diuers places fortuned to come vpon vs vnwares who when they espied and knewe me they woulde haue taken me by the halter but he that rode vpon my backe resisted theÌ„ saiyng Good lord maisters what intende you to doo will you robbe me Then said the shéepeherdes what thinkest thou that we handle thée otherwise then thou deseruest which hast stolen awaie our Asse why doest thou not rather tel vs where thou hast hidden the boie whom thou hast slaine And therewithall they pulled him downe to the grounde beatinge him with their fistes and spurning him with their féere Then he sware vnto theÌ„ saiyng that he saw no maner of boie but onely founde the Asse loose and straiynge abroade whiche he tooke vp to thintent he might haue some rewarde for the finding of him and to restore him againe to his maister And I would to god ê™ he y â— this Asse which verely was neuer séene could speake as a man to geue witnesse of mine innocencie Then would you be ashamed of the iniurie whiche you haue done to me Thus reasoning for him selfe he nothing preuailed for thei tied the halter about my neck and maugre his face pulled me quite awaie led me backe againe through the wooddes of the hill to y â— place where the boie accustomed to resorte And after that they could finde him in no place at length they founde his bodie rent and torne in pieces and his members dispersed in sondrie places which I well knewe was done by the cruel Beare and verely I would haue told it if I might haue spoken but whiche I could onely do I greatly reioysed at his death although it came to late Then they gathered together the pieces of his bodie and buried them By and by they laide all the fault to him that was my newe maister that tooke me vp by the way and bringing him home faste bounde to their houses purposed on the nexte morrow to accuse him of murder and to lead him before the Iustices to haue iudgement of death ¶ How Apuleius was cruelly beaten by the mother of the boye that was slaine Cap 31. IN the meane season while the parentes of the boye did lament and wéepe for the death of their sonne The shéepeherd according to his promise came with his instrumentes and tooles to gelde me then one of them said Tushe we litle estéeme the mischief which he did yesterday but now we are conteÌ„ted that to morow his stones shal not onely be cut of but also his head So was it brought to passe that my death was delaide till the next morowe but what thankes did I giue to that good boie who being so slaine was the cause of my pardon for one shorte day Howbeit I had no time then to rest my self for the mother of the boye wéeping and lamenting for his death attyred in mourninge vesture tare her heare and beate her brest and came presently into the stable sayinge Is it reason that this carelesse beast should doo nothinge all day but holde his head in the manger filling and bolling his guttes with meate without coÌ„passion of my great miserie or remeÌ„braunce of the pitifull death of his slayne maister and contemninge my age and infirmitie thinketh that I am vnable to reuenge his mischiefes moreouer he would perswade me that he were not culpable in déede it is a coÌ„uenient thinge to looke and pleade for safetie when as the conscience doth confesse the offence as théeues and malefactors accustome to doo but O good Lord y â— cursed beast if thou couldest vtter the coÌ„tentes of thine owne minde whome though he were the veriest foole in all the worlde mightest thou perswade that this murder was voide or without thy faulte when as it lay in thy power either to kéepe of the théeues with thy héeles or else to bite and teare them with thy téeth Couldest not thou that so ofteÌ„ in his life time diddest spurne kicke him defende him nowe at the pointe of death by like meane yet at least thou shouldest haue taken him vpoÌ„ thy backe and so brought him from the cruel handes of théeues where contrary thou rannest away alone forsakinge thy good maister thy pastor and conductor Knowest y â— not that such as denie their holesome helpe and ayde to them which lie in daunger of death ought to be punished because they haue offended against good manners and the law naturall but I promise thée thou shalt not longe reioyse at my harmes thou shalt féele y â— smart of thy homicide and offence I wil sée what I can doo and there withall she vnlosed her apron and bouÌ„de all my féete together to the ende I might not helpe my selfe then she toke a great barre whiche accustomed to barre the stable doore and neuer ceased beatinge of me till she was so weary y â— the barre fell out of her haÌ„des whereupon she complayninge of the soone faintnes of her armes ranne to her fire and brought a fier brande and thrust it vnder my taile burninge me continually till such time as hauing but one remedie I
messenger willed her to do But wheÌ„ she was come to the snare engin whiche was prepared for her The mischeuous womaÌ„ like one that were mad possessed with some il spirit scourged her first with roddes from top to too when y â— poore maideÌ„ called for help w t a loud voice to her brother y â— wicked harlot wéening y â— she had inuented feigned y â— matter tooke a burning fireband thrust it into her secret place whereby she died miserably The husband of this maiden but especialy her brother aduertised of her death came to y â— place where she was slain after great lameÌ„tation weping thei caused her to be buried honorably The yongman her brother taking in ill part y â— miserable deeth of his sister as it was conuenient he should coÌ„ceiued so great dolour within his mind was stroken w t so pestilent furie of bitter anguishe that he fell into the burning passions of a dauÌ„gerous ague wherby he séemed in such necessitie y â— he néeded to haue some spéedy remedy to saue his life The woman y â— slew the maideÌ„ hauing lost y â— name of wife together w t her faith weÌ„t to a traiterous PhisitioÌ„ who had killed a great many persons in his daies promised him fifty pieces of gold if he would giue her a preseÌ„t poisoÌ„ to kil her husbaÌ„d out of haÌ„d but in preseÌ„ce of her husband she feigned that it was necessarie for him to receiue a certaine kinde of drinke whiche y â— maisters and doctours of phisick doo call a sacred potion to thintent he might purge choller and skowre the interior partes of his bodie But the Phisition in stéede of that drinke prepared a mortall and deadly poyson and wheÌ„ he had tempred it accordingly he tooke the potte in presence of all the familie and other neighbours frendes of the sicke yonge man and offred it vnto the patient But the bolde and hardie woman to thende she might accomplish her wicked intent and also gaine the mony whiche she had promised the Phisition staide the potte w t her hand saying I praie you maister Phisition minister not this drinke vnto my déere husbande vntill suche time as you haue dronke some part thereof your selfe For what knowe I whether you haue mingled any poyson in the drinke or no wherein I pray you not to be offended For I know that you are a man of wisdome and learning but this I doo to thintent the conscience and loue that I beare to the health saluegarde of my husband may be apparant The Phisition being greatly troubled at the wickednes of this mischieuous woman as voide of all councell and leisure to consider on the matter and least he might geue any cause of suspition to the standers by or showe any scruple of his gilty conscience by reason of long delaie tooke the pott in his hande presently dronke a good draught therof which done the yonge man hauing no mistrust dronke vp the residue The Phisition would haue gone immediatly home to receiue a contrepoison to expell driue out the first poyson But the wicked woman perseuering in her mischiefe would not suffer him to departe one foote vntill such time as y â— poyson began to woorke in him and then by much prayer and intercessioÌ„ she licensed him to goe home By the way the poyson inuaded the intrailes and bowels of the whole bodie of the Phisitian in such sort that with great paine he came to his owne house where he had skarse time to speake to his wife and to will her to receaue the promised salary of the death of twoo persones but he yéelded vp y â— ghost And the other yong man liued not long after but likewise died emongst the feigned and deceitfull teares of his cursed wife A few daies after when the yong man was buried and the funeralles ended the Phisicians wife demauÌ„ded of her the fiftie pieces of golde whiche she promised her husband for the drinke whereat the ill disposed womaÌ„ with resemblance of honestie answeared her with gentle woordes and promised to giue her the fistie pieces of golde if she woulde fetche her a litle of that same drinke to proceede and make an end of all her enterprise The Phisitians wife partely to winne the further fauour of this riche woman and partely to gayne the money ranne incoÌ„tinently home brought her the whole potte of poison which when she saw hauing now occasion to execute her further malice began to stretche out her bloudy handes to murder she had a daâ—ghter by her husbande that was poisoned who accordinge to order of law was appointed heyre of al the laÌ„des goodes of her father but this woman knowyng that the mothers succede their children and receaue all their goodes after their death purposed to show her self a like parent to her childe as she was a wife to her husbande wherupon she prepared a dinner with her owne handes and empoisoned both the wife of the Phisitian and her owne daughter The childe beynge yong and tender died incontinently by force of the drinke but the Phisitians wife beinge stoute and of stronge complexion féelinge the poison tâ—ill downe into her bodie doubted the matter therupon knowyng of certaintie that she had receaued her baine ranne foorthwith to the Iudges house that what with her cries and exclamatioÌ„s she raised vp the people of the towne and promisinge them to reueale and showe diuers wicked and mischeuous actes caused that the doores and gates of the Iudge were opened wheÌ„ she came in she declared from the beginninge to the ende the abhomination of this woman but she had skarse ended her tale when openinge her falinge lippes and grindinge her téeth together she fel downe dead before the face of the iudge who incontinently to trie the truth of the matter caused the cursed woman and her seruauntes to be pulled out of the house and enforced by paine of torment to confesse the veritie whiche beynge knowen this mischieuous woman farre lesse then she deserued but because there coulde be no more cruell a death inuented for the qualitie of her offence was condemned to be caten of wilde beastes beholde with this woman was I appointed to haue to doo before the face of al the people but I beyng wrapped in great anguishe and enuiynge the day of the triuÌ„phe wheÌ„ we twoo should so abandon our selues together deuised rather to 〈◊〉 my self then to pollute my body w t this mischeuous harlot and so for euer to remaine deffamed but it was impossible for me to doo considering that I lacked handes was not able to hold a knife in my hoofes howbeit staÌ„ding in a pretie cabyn I reioysed in my self to sée that spring time was come that all thinges florished that I was in good hope to finde some roses to render me to my humaine shape When the day of the triumph came I was ledde with great pompe and magnificence
my howe very stronge and now feare because it is bended so harde least the stringe should breake but that thou maist the better please me vndresse thy heare and come and embrase me louingly wherewithall she made no longe delaye but set aside all the meate and wine and then she vnapparelled her selfe and vnatired her heare presentinge her amiable bodie vnto me in manner of fayre Venus when she goeth vnder the waues of the sea Now ê™ she is come the howre of iustinge now is come the time of warre wherefore showe thy selfe like vnto a man for I will not retire I will not flie the fielde sée then thou be valiant sée thou be couragious since there is no time appointed when our skirmishe shal cease In saying these woordes she came to me to bedde and embrased me swéetely and so we passed all the night in pastime and pleasure and neuer slept till it was day but we would eftsoones refreshe our werines and prouoke our pleasure and renewe our Venerie by drinkinge of wine In whiche sorte we pleasauntly passed away many other nightes followinge ¶ How Apuleius supped with Birrhena and what a straunge tale Bellephoron tolde at the table Cap. 11. IT fortuned on a daie that Birrhena desired me earnestly to suppe with her and she woulde in no wise take any excusation Whereupon I went vnto Fotis to aske counsell of her as of some diuine who although she was vnwilling y â— I should departe one foote from her companie yet at length she gaue me licence to be absent for a while saying beware that you â—acry not longe at supper there for there is a rabblement of commoÌ„ barrators and disturbers of the publique peace that roueth about in the streates and murdreth al such as they may take neither can lawe nor iustice redresse them in any case And they will the sooner sette vpon you by reason of your comelines and audacitie in that you are not affeard at any time to walke in y e stréetes Then I answeared and saide haue no care of me Fotis for I estéeme the pleasure whiche I haue with thée aboue the deintie meates that I eate abroade therefore I will returne againe quickely Neuerthelesse I minde not to come without companie for I haue here my swoorde whereby I hope to defende my selfe And so in this sorte I went to supper and beholde I founde at Birrhenas house a great companie of straungers and of the chiefe and principall of the Citie the beddes made of Citorne and Yuorie were richly adornde and spredde with clothe of Golde the cuppes were garnished pretiously and there was diuers other thinges of sondrie fashion but of like estimation and price here stoode a glasse gorgeously wrought there stoode an other of Cristall finely painted there stoode a cuppe of glitteringe Siluer and here stoode a nother of shinyng Golde and here was an other of Ambre artificially carued and made with pretious stones Finally there was all thinges that might be desired the Seruiters waited orderly at the table in riche apparell the pages arrayed in silke robes did fill great gemmes pearles made in forme of cuppes with excellent wine then one brought in candelles and torches and when we weare sette downe and placed in order we began to talke to laugh and be merie And Birrhena spake vnto me and saide I pray you Cosin how like you our countrey Verely I thinke there is no other Citie which hath the like Temples Baynes and other commodities as we haue here Further we haue aboundance of household-stuffe we haue pleasure we haue ease and when the Romaine marchantes doo arriue in this Citie they are gentely and quietly entertained and all that dwell within this prouince when they purpose to solace and repose them selues doo come to this Citie Whereunto I answeared Verely ê™ I you tell truthe for I can finde no place in all the worlde whiche I like better then this but I greatly feare the blinde and incuitable trenches of Witchcrafte for they say that the dead bodies ar digged out of their graues the bones of theÌ„ that are burned be stolen away the toes fingers of such as are slaine be cut of to afflicte and torment such as liâ—e And the olde Witches assone as they heare of the death of any person doo foorthwith goe vncouer the hearse spoile the corpse to worke their enchauntmentes Then an other sittinge at the table spake and saide in faith you say true neither yet doo they spare or fauour the liuinge For I know one not farre hense that was cruelly handled by them who being not contented with cuttinge of his nose did likewise cut of his eares whereat all the companie laughed hartely and looked vpon one that satte at y e boordes ende who being amased at their gaâ—inge and somewhat angry withal would haue rysen from the table had not Birrhena spake vnto him saide I pray the fréende Telepheron sitte still and accordinge to thy accustomed curtesie declare vnto vs the losse of thy nose and eares to the ende that my cosin Lucius may be delighted with the pleasauntnes of the tale To whome he answeared a dame you in the office of your bountie shall preuaile herein but the insolencie of some is not to be supported This he spake very angerly but Birrhena was earnest vpon him assured him that he should haue no wronge at no mans hande whereby he was enforced to declare the same And so lappinge vp the ende of the table cloth and carpette together he leaned with his elbow thereon and helde out the thrée forefingers of his right hande in manner of an Oratour and saide When I was a yonge man I wente vnto a certayne Citie called Milet to sée the games and triuÌ„phes there called Olympia and beinge desirous to come into this famous prouince after that I had traueled ouer all Thessalie I fortuned in an euell houre to come to the Citie Larissa where while I went vp and downe to â—â—ewe the stréetes to séeke some reliefe for my poore estate for I had spent al my money I espied a talle old man standing vpon a stone in the middest of the markette place cryinge with a loude voice and sayinge that if any maÌ„ would watche a dead corpse that night he should be resonably rewarded for his paines which when I harde I said to one that passed by what is here to doo doo dead men vse to runne away in this countrie Then answeared he holde your peace for you are but a babe and a straunger here and not without cause you are ignorant how you are in Thessalie where the women Witches doo bite of by morselles the flâ—she of the faces of dead men and thereby woorke their Sorceries and enchauntmentes Then ê™ I in good fellowshippe tell me the order of this custodie and how it is Marry ê™ he first you must watche all the night with your eies bent continuallie vpon the corpse neuer lookinge of
him I toke likewise the seconde that clasped about my legges and bitte me and slewe him also And the thirde that came running violently against me after that I had strokeÌ„ him vnder the stomake fell downe dead Thus when I had deliuered my selfe the house mine hoste all his familie from this present daunger I thought that I should not onely escape vnpunished but also haue some great rewarde of the Citie for my paines Moreouer I that haue alwaies béene cléere and vnspotted of crime and that haue estéemed mine innocencie aboue all the treasure of the worlde can finde no reasonable cause why vpon mine accusation I should be condemned to die since First I was moued to set vpoÌ„ the théeues by iust occasion Secondly because there is none that can affirme that there hath bene at any time either grudge or hatred betwene vs Thirdly we were men mere straungers and of no acquaintance Last of all no man can proue that I committed that facte for any lucre or gaine When I had ended my woordes in this sort Beholde I wéeped againe pitiously and holdinge vp my handes I prayed all the people by the mercie of the coÌ„mon weale and for the loue of my poore infantes and children to showe me some pitie and fauour And wheÌ„ I sawe their hartes somewhat relented and moued by my lamentable teares I called all the Goddes to witnesse that I was vngiltie of the crime and so to their diuine prouidence I committed my present estate but turninge my selfe againe I perceaued that all the people laughed encéedingly and especially my good fréende and hoste Milo Then thought I with my selfe Alas where is faith where is remorse of coÌ„science Beholde I am condemned to die as a murderer for the saluegarde of mine hoste Milo and his familie Yet is he not contented with y â— but likewise laugheth me to skorne where otherwise he should comfort and helpe me ¶ How Apuleius was accused by twoo women and how the slaine bodies were founde blowen bladders Cap. 14. WHen this was done out came a woman wepinge into the middle of the Theatre arrayed in mourninge vesture and bearinge a childe in her armes And after her came an olde woman in ragged robes cryinge and howlinge likewise And thei brought with theÌ„ the Oliue bowes wherwith the thrée slaine bodies were couered on the biere and cried out in this maÌ„ner O right Iudges we pray you by the iustice humanitie whiche is in you to haue mercie vpon these slaine persons and succour our widowhed and losse of our déere husbandes and especially this poore infant who is now an orphan and depriued of all good fortune And execute your iustice by order lawe vpon the bloud of this théefe who is the occasion of all our sorowes When they had spokeÌ„ these woordes one of the most auncient iudges did rise and say Touchinge this murder which deserueth great punishment this malefactor him selfe caÌ„not denie but our dutie is to enquire trie out whether he had no coadiutors to helps him For it is not likely that one man alone could kill thrée such great valiant persons wherefore the truth must be tried out by y â— racke so we shall learne what other compaignions he hath and coote out the nest of these mischeuous murderers And there was no long delay for accordinge vnto the custome of Grecia the fire the whele many other tormentes were brought in TheÌ„ my sorow encreased or rather doubled in y â— I could not ende my life with whole vnperished meÌ„bers And by by the olde woman who troubled all the courte with her howling desired the iudges that before I should be tormented on the racke I might vncouer the bodies which I had slaine y â— euery man might sée their comely shape youthfull beautie that I might receaue condigne woorthy punishment according to y â— qualitie of the offence and therewithall she made a signe of ioye Then y â— iudge coÌ„mauÌ„ded me foorthwith to discouer the bodies of the slaine liynge vpon the biere with mine owne handes but wheÌ„ I refused a good space by reason I would not make my facte apparant to the eies of all men the sergeantes charged me by coÌ„maundement of the iudges and thrust me forwarde to doo the same I then beyng enforced by necessitie though it weare against my will vncouered their bodies but O good Lord what a straunge sight did I sée what a monster what sodeine chaunge of all my sorrowes I séemed as though I weare one of the house of Proserpina of the familie of death in so much y â— I could not sufficiently expresse y â— forme of this new sight so far was I amased astonied thereat For why the bodies of y â— thrée slaine men were no bodies but thrée blowen bladders mangled in diuers places and they séemed to be wounded in those partes where I remember I wounded the théeues the night before Whereat the people laughed excéedingely Some reioysed meruelously with the remembraunce thereof some helde their stomakes that aked with ioye but euery maÌ„ delighted at this passyng sporte and so departed out of the Theatre But I from the time that I vncouered the bodies stoode still as cold as ise no otherwise then as the other statues images there neither came I vnto my right senses vntill such time as Milo mine hoste came and toke me by the â—haÌ„d and with ciuill violence ledde me away wepinge and sobbinge where I would or no because that I might not be séene he brought me through many blind waies and lanes to his house where he wente about to comfort me beinge sadde and yet fearefull with gentle entreatie of talke but he coulde in no wise mitigate my impaciencie of the iniurie whiche I conceiued within my minde And behold by and by the Magistrates and Iudges with their ensignes entred into the house and endeuored to pacifie me in this sorte saying O Lucius we are aduertised of your dignitie and know the Genelogie of your auncient lignage for the nobilitie of your kinne doo possesse the greatest parte of al this province And thinke not that you haue suffred the thinge wherefore you wéepe to any your reproche or ignominie but put away all care and sorrowe out of your minde For this day whiche we celebrate once a yéere in honour of the God Risus is alwaies renoumpned with some solempne Nouell and the god doth coÌ„tinually accoÌ„panie with the inuentor thereof and will not suffer that he should be sorowfull but pleasantly beare a ioyfull face And verely al the Citie for the grace that is in you entende to rewarde you with great honours to make you a patron And further that your statue or image shalbe set vp for a perpetuall remembraunce To whome I answeared As for suche benefites as I haue receaued alreadie of this famous Citie of Thessalie I yéelde and render moste entier thankes but as â—ouchinge the settinge vp of
when she reâ—urneth home Consider I pray you with your selfe with what friuâ—lous trifles so meruelous a thinge is wrought for by Hercules I sweare I giue her nothinge els saue a little dill lawrell leaues in well water the whiche she drinketh and washeth her selfe withall which when she had spoken she went into the chambre toke a boxe out of the coffer whiche I first kissed and embrased and prayed that I might haue good successe in my purpose And then I put of all my garmentes and gréedely thrust my hande into the boxe and toke out a good deale of ointment and rubbed my selfe withall ¶ How Apuleius thinkinge to be turned into a Birde was turned into an Asse and howe he was ledde away by theeues Cap. 17. AFter that I had wel rubbed euery parte member of my bodie I houered with mine armes moued my selfe lokinge still when I should be chaunged into a birde as Pamphile was and beholde neither feathers nor apparauÌ„ce of feathers did burgen out but verely my heare did turne into ruggednes my tender skinne waxed tough and harde my fingers and toes lesing the nuÌ„ber of fiue chaunged into hoofes and out of mine arse grewe a great taile now my face became monstruous my nosethrilles wide my lippes hanginge downe and mine eares rugged with heare Neither could I sée any comfort of my transformatioÌ„ for my membres encreased likewise and so without all helpe viewyng euery parte of my poore bodie I perceaued that I was no birde but a plaine Asse Then I thought to blame Fotis but beinge depriued aswell of language as humaine shape I loked vpon her with my hanginge lippes and watrie eies who assone as she espied me in suche sorte cried out alas poore wretche that I am I am vtterly caste away The feare that I was in my hast hath beguiled me but especially the mistaking of the boxe hath deceaued me But it forceth not much since as a sooner medicine may be gotten for this then for any other thyng For if thou couldest get a Rose and eate it thou shouldest be deliuered from the shape of an Asse and become my Lucius againe And would to God I had gathered some garlaÌ„des this euening past according to my custome then thou shouldest not continue an Asse one nightes space but in the morninge I will séeke some remedie Thus Fotis lamented in pitifull sorte but I that was now a perfect Asse and for Lucius a bruite beaste did yet retaine the sense and vnderstandinge of a man And did deuise a good space with my selfe whether it were beste for me to teare this mischieuous and wicked harlotte with my mouth or to kicke and kill her with my héeles But a better thought reduced me from so rashe a purpose for I feared least by the death of Fotis I should be deprided of all remedie and helpe Then shakinge my head and dissimuling mine yre and takinge mine aduersitie in good parte I went into y â— stable to mine owne-horse where I found an other Asse of Miloes somtime mine hoste and I did verely thinke that mine owne horse it there were any natural coÌ„scieÌ„ce or knowledge in brute beastes would take pitie vpoÌ„ me proffer me lodging for that night but it chaunced farre otherwise For see my horse the Asse as it weare consented together to worke my harme fearing least I should eate vp their prouender would in no wise suffer me to come nighe the manger but kicked me with their héeles from their meate whiche I my selfe gaue them the night before Then I beinge thus handled by them driuen away gotte me into a corner of the stable where while I remembred their vncourtesie and how on the morrow I should returne to Lucius by the helpe of a Rose when as I thought to reueÌ„ge my selfe of mine owne horse I fortuned to espie in the middle of a pillor sustainyng y â— rafters of the stable the Image of the Goddesse Hippone whiche was garnished and decked rounde about with faire fresh Roses then in hope of present remedie I leaped vp with my fore féete as highe as I coulde and stretchinge out my necke and with my lippes coueted to snatche some Roses But in an euill howre did I goe aboute that enterpryse for beholde the boye to whome I gaue charge of my horse came presently in and findinge me climinge vpon the pillor ranne freatinge towardes me and said How longe shall we suffer this vile Asse that dothe not onely eate vp his fellowes meate but also would spoile the images of the Goddes why doo I not kill this lame théefe and weake wretche therewithall lokinge about for some kidgel he espied where lay a faggot of woodde choosinge out a crabbed trunchion of the biggest he could finde did neuer cease beating of me poore wretch vntil such time as by great noyes and rumbling he harde the doores of the house burst open and the neighbours crying in lamentable sorte whiche enforced him being stroken in feare to flie his way And by and by a troope of théeues entred in and kepte euery parte corner of the house with weapons And as men resorted to ayde and helpe theÌ„ which weare within the doores the théeues resisted kept them backe for euery man was armed with his swoorde and Targette in his hande the glympses whereof did yelde out such light as if it had bene daye Then they brake opeÌ„ a great cheste with double lockes and boltes wherein was laide all the treasure of Milo and ransakt the same which when they had done they packed it vp and gaue euery one a porcioÌ„ to carry but when they had more then they could beare away yet weare they lothe to leaue any behinde they came into the stable and toke vs twoo poore Asses and my horse and laded vs with greater trusses then we weare able to beare And when we weare out of the house they followed vs with great staues and willed one of their fellowes to tarry behinde and bringe them tidinges what was done concerninge the robbery and so they beate vs forwarde ouer great hilles out of y â— high way But I what with my heauy burthen and my longe iourney did nothinge differ from a dead Asse wherfore I determined with my selfe to séeke some ciuill remedie and by inuocation of the name of the Prince of the countrie to be deliuered from so many miseries And on a time as I passed thorough a great faire I came amongst a multitude of Gréekes and I thought to call vpon the renoumed name of the Emperour to say O Cesar and I cried out aloude O but Cesar I could in no wise pronounce the théeues little regardinge my criynge did lay me on and beate my wretched skinne in such sorte that after it was neither apte nor méete to make siues or sarces How be it at laste Iupiter ministerd vnto me an vnhoped remedie For when we had passed thorough many townes villages
where he may take ayre and ease him selfe for doo not you know that suche kinde of beastes doo greatly delight ot couche vnder shadow of trées hillockes nigh vnto pleasant welles waters Hereby Demochares admonished and remembringe how many he had before that perished was contented that we should put the Beare where we would Moreouer we saide vnto him that we our selues wre determined to lie all night nigh vnto the Beare to looke vnto him to giue him meate and drinke at his due hower Then he answeared Verely maisters you néede not to put your selues to such paines for I haue men taht serueth for nothinge but for that purpose so we toke leaue of him and departed and when we weare come without the gates of the towne we perceaued before vs a great Sepulchre standinge out of the highe way in a priuie and secreate place And thither we wente and opened the mouth thereof whereas we founde the sides couered with the corruption of man and the ashes and dust of his longe buried bodie wherein we gotte our selues to bringe our purpose to passe and hauinge a respect to the darke time of the night accordinge to our custome when we thought that euery man was a sléepe we went with our weapoÌ„s and besieged the house of Demochares round about Then Thrasileon was reddy at hande and leaped out of the cauerne and wente to kill all such as he founde a sléepe but when he came to the porter he opened the gates and let vs all in and theÌ„ he showed vs a large counter wherin he sawe put the night before a great aboundaunce of treasure whiche when by violence we had broken open I bidde euery one of my fellowes take as much Golde and Siluer as they could beare away and carry it to the Sepulchre and still as they caried I stoode at the gate watchinge diligently when they would retorne The Beare runned about the house to make such of the familie affeard as fortuned to wake and come out For who is he that is so puisant and courageous that at the vgly sight of so great a Monster will not quaile and kéepe his chamber especially in the night but when we had brought this matter to so good a pointe there chaunced a pitiful case For as I looked for my compaignions that should come from the Sepulchre beholde there was a boye of the house that fortuned to looke out at a windowe and espied the Beare ruÌ„ning about and he went and tolde al the seruauÌ„tes of the house whereupon incontinently they came foorth with torches lanthornes and other lightes that they might sée all the yarde ouer thei came with clubbes speares naked swoordes greyhoundes masties to slea the poore beast Then I duringe this broile thought to runne away but because I would sée Thrasileon fightinge with the dogges I lay behinde y â— gate to beholde him And although I might perceaue that he was welnie dead yet remembred he his owne faithfulnes and ours and valiaÌ„tly resisted the gaping and rauenous mouthes of the helhouÌ„des so toke he in grée the pageant which willingly he toke in hande him selfe and with much a doo tumbled at length out of the house but when he was at libertie abroade yet coulde he not saue him selfe for all the dogges of the streate ioyned them selues to the greyhouÌ„des masties of the house and came vpon him Alas what a pitifull sight it was when our poor Thrasileon was thus enuironed compassed with so many dogges that tare rente him miserably then I impatient of so great his miserie raÌ„ne in emongst the prease of the people ayding him with my woordes as much as I might exhorted them al in this manner O great extreame mischaunce what a pretious and excellent beast haue we loste but my woordes did nothinge preuaile For there came out a tale man with a speare in his hande y t trust him cleane thorough and afterwardes many that stoode by drewe out their swoordes so they killed him But verely our good Capitaine Thrasileon the honour of our coÌ„forte receaued his death so patiently that he would not bewray the league betwene vs either by criynge howlinge or any other meanes but being torne with dogges wounded with weapons did yelde foorth a dolefull crie more like vnto a beast then a maÌ„ And takinge his present fortune in good parte with courage glory inough did finish his life with such a terrour vnto the assembly that no person was so hardy vntill it was day as to touch him though he weare starke dead but at last there came a Butcher more valiant then the rest who openinge the panche of the beast slitte out a hardy and venturous théefe In this manner we loste our Capitaine Thrasileon â–ª but he lost not his fame and honour when this was done we packed vp our treasure which we coÌ„mitted to the Sepulchre to kéepe and gotte vs out of the boundes of Platea thinkinge with our selues that there was more fidelitie emongest the dead then emoÌ„gst the liuing by reason that our praies was so surely kept in the Sepulchre So being weried with the weight of our burthens welnie tired with long trauel hauing lost thrée of our souldiours we are come home with these present cheates Thus wheÌ„ they had spoken in memory of their slaine coÌ„paignions thei tooke cuppes of Golde songe Hympnes vnto the God Mars layde them downe to sléepe Then the old woman gaue vs fresh barley without measure in so much that my Horse sedde so abundantly that he might well thinke he was at some bankette that day But I that was accustomed to eate branne flowre thought that but a sower kinde of meate wherfore espiyng a corner where lay loues of bread for all the house I gotte me thither and filled my hungry guttes withall ¶ How the theeues stole away a Gentel woman and brought her to their denne Cap. 21. WHen night was come the Théeues awaked rose vp and when thei had buckled on their weapoÌ„s disguised their faces with visardes they departed yet for al the great sléepe y â— came vpon me I could in no wise leaue eatinge and wheras when I was a man I could be coÌ„tented w t one or twoo loues at the most now my guttes weare so gréedy that thrée pannâ—ers full would scantly serue me and while I coÌ„sidered all these thinges the morning came and being ledde to a riuer notwithstanding mine Assy shamefastnes I queÌ„ched my thirst And sodeÌ„ly after the théeues returned home carefull and heauy bringinge no burthens with them no not so muche as traffe or baggage saue onely a maiden that séemed by her habite to be some geÌ„tle woman borne and the daughter of some woorthy Matron of that countrey who was so faire and beautifull that though I weare an Asse yet had I a great affection to her The virgin lamented and tare her heare spoyled her garmentes for the great sorrow she
all arrayed her face and eies with my dirtie donge whereby what with the stinke therof and what with the filthines that fell in her eyes she was welnie blinde so I enforced the queane to leaue of otherwise I had died as Meleager did by the sticke whiche his madde mother Althea cast into the fire The eight Booke of Lucius Apuleius of the Golden Asse ¶ Howe a yonge man came and declared the miserable death of Lepolemus and his wife Charites Cap. 32. ABoute midnight came a yonge man whiche séemed to be one of the family of the good woman Charites who sometimes endured so muche misery and calamitie with me emongst the théeues who after that he had taken a stoole and satte downe by the fire side in the company of the seruauntes beganne to declare many terrible thinges that had happened vnto the house of Charites saying O ye horsekepers shepeherdes and cowheardes you shall vnderstand that we haue loste our good mistris Charites miserably and by euill aduenture and to the ende you may learne and know all the whole matter I purpose to tell you the circumstance of euery pointe wherby such as are more learned then I to whome fortune hath ministred more copious stile may painte it out in paper in forme of an Historie there was a yonge gentleman dwellinge in the nexte Citie borne of good parentage valiant in prowesse and riche in substance but very much geuen and addict to whore huntyng and continuall reueling Whereby he fell in company with théeues and had his hande ready to the effusion of humaine bloudde his name was Thrasillus The matter was this according to the report of euery man He demaunded Charites in marriage who although he were a man more comely then the residue that wooed her and also had richesse abundantly yet because he was of euill fame and a man of wicked maners and conuersation he had the repulse and was put of by Charites and so she married with Lepolemus howbeit this yonge man secretly loued her yet moued somwhat at her refusal he busily serched some meanes to woorke his damnable intent And hauinge found occasion and opportunitie to accōplish his purpose which he had longe time concealed brought to passe that the same daye that Charites was deliuered by the subtile meane and valiant audacitie of her husbande from the puissance of the Théeues he mingled him self emongst the assembly feigninge that he was gladde of the new marriage and comminge home againe of the mayden whereby by reason that he came of so noble parentes he was receaued entertained into the house as one of their chiefe and principall fréendes Howbeit vnder cloke of a faithful welwiller he dissimuled his mischieuous minde and intent in continuāce of time by much familiaritie and often conuersation and banketinge together he fell more and more in fauour like as we sée it fortuneth to louers who first doo litle delight thē selues in loue till as by continuall acquaintaunce they kisse and embrase eche other Thrasillus perceauinge that it was a harde matter to breake his minde secretly to Charites whereby he was wholy barred from the accomplishmēt of his luxurious appetite on the other side perceauinge that the loue of her and her husbande was so strongly linked together y e the bonde betwéene them might in no wise be disseuered moreouer it was a thinge impossible to rauishe her although he had consented therto yet was he still prouoked forward by vehement lust when as he sawe him selfe vnable to bring his purpose to passe Howbeit at lēgth the thinge which séemed so hard and difficil through hope of his fortified loue did now appeare easie facill but marke I pray you diligently to what ende the furious force of his inordinate desire came On a day Lepolemus went to the chase with Thrasillus to hunte for Goates for his wife Charites desired him earnestly to medle with no other beastes which were of more fierce and wilde nature when they were come within the chase to a great thicket fortressed about with bryers and thornes they compassed rounde with their dogges and besette euery place with nettes by and by warninge was giuen to lette loose The dogges rushed in with suche a crie that all the forest range againe with the noyes but beholde there leaped out no Goate nor déere nor gentle Hinde but an horrible and daungerous wilde Boare harde thicke skinned bristeled terribly like thornes fominge at the mouth grindinge his téeth and lokinge dyrefully with fitie eyes The dogges that first set vpō him he tare and rent with his tuskes and thē he ranne quight thorough the nettes and escaped away when we sawe the furie of this beast we were greatly strikē with feare and because we neuer accustomed to chase suche dreadfull Boares and further because we were vnarmed and without weapons we gotte and hidde our selues vnder bushes and trées then Thrasillus hauinge founde oportunitie to woorke his treason saide to Lepolemus what stande we here amased why show we our selues like dastardes why léese we so woorthy a pray with our feminiue hartes let vs mounte vpon our horses and pursue him incontinentlie Take you a hunting staffe I will take a chasing speare by and by they leaped vpon their horses and folowed the beaste But he returning against thē with furious force pried with his eies on whome he might first assaile with his tuskes Lepolemus stroke the beast first on the back w t his hunting staffe Thrasillus faininge to aide and assiste him came behind and cut of the hinder legges of Lepulemus horse in such sorte that he fel downe to the ground with his maister And sodenly the Boare came vpon Lepolemus and furiously tare and rēt him with his téeth Howbeit Thrasillus was not suffised to sée him thus wounded but when he desired his friendlie helpe he thrust Lepolemus through the right thighe with his speare the more because he thought the woūd of the speare would be takē for a wound of the Boares téeth Then he killed the beast likewise And when he was thus miserably slaine euery one of vs came out of our holes and went towardes our slaine master But although that Thrasillus was ioyfull of the death of Lepolemus whome he did greatly hate yet he cloked the matter with a sorowfull countenaunce he feigned a dolorous face he often embrased the body whiche he him selfe slewe he plaied all the partes of a mourninge person sauing there fell no teares from his eies Thus he resembled vs in eche point who verely and not without occasion had cause to lament for our maister laiyng all the blame of this homicide vnto the Boare Incontinently after the soroweful newes of the death of Lepolemus came to the eares of all the family but especially to Charites who after she had hard suche pitifull tidinges as a madde and raginge woman ranne vp and downe the streates criyng and howling lamētably All the
citezins gathered together and suche as they met bare them companie runninge towardes the chase When they came to the slaine bodie of Lepolemus Charites threwe her selfe vpon him weping and lamenting greuouslie for his death in suche sorte that she would haue presentlie ended her life vpon y â— corpse of her slaine husbande whome she so entierly loued had it not bene that her parentes and friendes did comfort her and pulled her away The body was takeÌ„ vp and in funerall pompe brought to the citie and buried In the meane season Thrasillus feigned much sorowe for the death of Lepolemus but in his hart he was well pleased ioyful And to couÌ„terfect the matter he would come to Charites saie O what a losse haue I had by y â— death of my friende my fellowe my compaignion Lepolemus O Charites coÌ„fort your selfe pacifie your dolor refraine your wéeping beat not your brestes And with such other like woordes diuers exaÌ„ples he endeuored to suppresse her great sorowe but he spake not this for any other inteÌ„t but to win the hart of y â— womaÌ„ and to norish his odious loue with filthy delight Howbeit Charites after the buriall of her husbaÌ„de sought y â— meanes to folowe him and not susteining the sorowes wherin she was wrapped gotte her secretly into a chaÌ„ber purposed to finish her life there with dolour tribulation But Thrasillus was very importunate at leÌ„gth brought to passe that at the intercessioÌ„ of the parentes friendes of Charites she somewhat refreshed her fallen membres with refectioÌ„ of meate and bayne Howbeit she did it more at y â— coÌ„maundement of her parents then for any thing els For she could in no wise be mery nor receiue any comforte but tormented her selfe daye and night before the image of her husbande which she had made like vnto Bacchus rendred vnto him diuine honours and seruices In the meane season Thrasillus not able to refraine any leÌ„ger before Charites had asswaged her dolours before her troubled minde had pacified her fury eueÌ„ in the middle of all her griefes while she wéeped for her husbande while she tare her garments and rent her heare demaunded her in marriage and so without shame he detected the secretes vnspeakeable deceites of his harte But Charites detested and abhorred his demaunde as she had bene stroken with some clappe of thunder with some storme or with the lightning of Iupiter she presently fell downe to the grounde all amased Howbeit in the ende when her spirites were reuiued that she returned to her selfe perceauing that Thrasillus was so importunate she demaunded respite to deliberate and to take aduise on the matter in the meane season y â— shape of Lepolemus that was slaine so miserably appeared to Charites with a pale and blouddy face sayinge O my swéete wife which no other person caÌ„ say but I I pray thée for the loue which is betwéene vs twoo if there be any memory of me in thy hart or remembraunce of my pitifull death marry with any other person so that y â— marry not with the traytour Thrasillus haue no conference with him eate not with him lie not with him auoide the blouddy hande of mine enemie couple not thy selfe with a parricide for those woundes the bloud wherof thy teares did wash away were not y â— wouÌ„des of the téeth of the Boare but the speare of Thrasillus depriued me from thée Thus spake Lepolemus vnto his louinge wife and declared the residew of the damnable fact then Charites awaking from sléepe beganne to renew her dolor to teare her garments and to beate her armes with her comely haÌ„des howbeit she reueled the vision whiche she sawe to no manner of person but dissimulinge that she knew no parte of the mischiefe deuised with her selfe howe she might be reuenged on the traytor and finish her owne life to ende and knitte vp all sorrow Incontinently came Thrasillus the detestable demaunder of sodein pleasure and weried the closed eares of Charites with talke of mariage but she gentely refusinge his coÌ„munication and colouring the matter with a passing crafte in the middest of his earnest desiers gan say Thrasillus you shall vnderstand that yet the face of your brother and my husband is alwaies before mine eies I smel yet the Cinamome sent of his pretious body I yet feele Lepolemus aliue in my hart wherfore you shall doo wel if you grauÌ„t to me miserable woman necessarie time to bewayle his death that after the residue of a few moneths the whole yere may be expired which thing toucheth aswell my shame as your holsome profite least peradueÌ„ture by our spéedie and quicke marriage we should iustely raise prouoke the spirit of my husband to woorke our destructioÌ„ Howbeit Thrasillus was not contented with this promise but more and more was earnest vpon her In so much y â— she was enforced to speake to him in this manner My fréende Thrasillus if thou be so contented vntill the whole yéere be complete and finished beholde here is my body take thy pleasure but in such sort and so secrete that no seruauÌ„t of the house may perceaue it Then Thrasillus trustinge the false promisses of the woman preferring his inordinate pleasure aboue all thinges in the worlde was ioyfull in his harte looked for night when as he might haue his purpose But come y â— about midnight ê™ Charites desguised without company And doo but hisse at my chamber doore my noucce shall attende and let thée in this counsell pleased Thrasillus meruelously who suspecting no harme did alwaies looke for night and the houre assigned by Charites the time was skarse come wheÌ„ as according to her commaundement he desguised him selfe went streight to the chamber where he fouÌ„de the nource attendinge for him who by the apointment of her mistris fedde him with slatteringe talke and gaue him mingled doled drinke in a cuppe excusing the absence of her mistris Charites by reason that she attended on her father being sicke vntil such time that with swéete talke and operation of the wine he fell in a sounde sléepe now when he lay prostrate on the grounde readie to all aduenture Charites beinge called for came in and with manly courage and bolde force stoode ouer this sleepinge murderer saying Beholde the faithfull compaignion of my husbande beholde this valiaunt hunter behold my déere spouse this is the hande which shedde my bloudde this is the harte whiche hath deuised so many subtill meanes to worke my destruction these be the eyes whome I haue ill pleased behold now they forshowe their owne destinie sléepe carelesse dreame that thou arte in the handes of the mercifull for I will not hurte thée with thy swoorde or with any other weapon God forbidde that I shoulde slea thée as thou slewest my husband but thy eies shall fayle thée and thou shalte sée no more then that whereof thou dreamest thou shalte
your selues vppon vs that doo you no harme what thinke you to gaine by vs you dwell not in caues or dennes you are no people barborous that you should delight in effusion of humaine bloudde At these woordes the tempest of stones did cease the storme of the dogges vanished away Then one standinge on the toppe of a great Cipresse trée spake vnto vs saying Thinke you not maisters that we doo this to the intent to rifle or take away any of your goodes but for the saluegarde of our selues and family now a Goddes name you may departe away So we weÌ„t forwarde some wounded with stones some bitten with dogges but generally there was none whiche escaped frée ¶ How the Shepeherdes determined to abide in a certaine woodde to cure their woundes Cap. 34. WHen we had gonne a good part of our way we came to a certayne woodde enuironed with great trées compassed about with pleasaunt medowes wheras the shéepeherdes apointed to continew a certaine space to cure their woundes and sores then they satte downe on the grounde to refresh their werie mindes and afterwardes they sought for medicines to heale their bodies some washed away their bloud with the water of the runninge riuer some stopped their woundes with sponges and cloutes in this maÌ„ner euery one prouided for his owne safety In the meane season we perceaued an old man who séemed to be a shéepeherde by reason of the goates and shéepe that fedde rouÌ„d about him Then one of our coÌ„pany demauÌ„ded whether he had any milke butter or chéese to sell To whom he made answeare shaking his head saying Doo you looke for any meat or drinke or any other refection here know you not in what place you be therwithal he toke his shéepe draue theÌ„ away as fast as he might possible This answere made our shéepeherdes greatly to feare that they thought of nothinge els butto enquire what countrey they weare in Howbeit they sawe no maner of persone of whome they might demaunde At length as they weare thus in doubte they â—erceiued an other olde man with a staffe in his hand very werie with trauell who approching nighe to our companie began to wéepe and complaine saiyng Alas maisters I praie you succour me miserable caitife and restore my neiphewe to me againe that by following a sparrowe that flewe before him is fallen into a ditche hereby and verely I thinke he is in daunger of death As for me I am not able to helpe him out by reason of my olde age but you that are so valiaÌ„t and lustie may easelie helpe me herein and deliuer me my boye my heire and guide of my life These woordes made vs all to pitie him And then the yongest and stoutest of our companie who alone escaped best the late skyrmishe of dogges and stones rose vp demauÌ„ding in what ditche the boie was fallen Mary ê™ he yonder and pointinge with his finger brought him to a great thicket of busshes and thorne where they both entred in In the meane season after y â— we had well refreshed our selues and cured our woundes we tooke vp our packes purposing to depart awaie And because we would not goe awaie without the yonge man our felowe The shepehardes whistled and called for him but wheÌ„ he gaue no answere they sent one of their companie to séeke him out who after a while returned againe with a pale face and sorowfull newes saiyng that he sawe a terrible Draggon eating and deuouring their compaignioÌ„ and as for the olde man he coulde sée him in no place When they hard this remeÌ„bring likewise the woordes of the first olde man that shaketh his head and draue away his sheepe they ranne away beatinge vs before them to flie from this desert and pestilent countrie ¶ How a woman killed her selfe and her childe because her husbande haunted harlottes Cap. 35. AFter that we had passed a great part of our iourney we came to a certaine village where we lay all night but herken and I will tell you a great mischiefe that happened there You shal vnderstande y â— there was a seruaunt to whome his maister had committed the whole gouermeÌ„t of his house and was maister of the lodginge where we lay this seruaunt had married a mayden of the same house how be it he was greatly in loue with a harlotte of the towne and accustomed to resorte vnto her wherewith his wife was so highly displeased and became so ielous that she gathered together all her husbandes substaÌ„ce with his tailes and bookes of accompte threwe them into a light fire she was not contented with this but she toke a corde bounde her childe which she had by her husband about her middle caste her selfe hedlonge into a déepe pitte The maister takinge in euill parte the death of these twaine toke his seruaunt whiche was the cause of this murder by his luxury and first after that he had put of all his apparell he annointed his body with hony and then bounde him sure to a figge trée where in a rotten stocke a great number of Pismares had builded their nestes the Pismares after they had felte the swéetnes of the hony came vpon his bodie and by litle and litle in continuance of time deuoured all his fleshe in such sorte that there remained on the trée nothinge els saue his bace bones this was declared vnto vs by the inhabitantes of the village there who greatly sorrowed for the death of this seruant then we auoidinge likewise from this dreadfull lodginge incontinently departed away ¶ Howe Apuleius was cheapened by diuers persons and how they loked in his mouth to know his age Cap. 36. AFter this we came to a fayre Citie very populous where our shéepeherdes determined to coÌ„tinew by reason y â— it séemed a place where they might liue vnknoweÌ„ farre from such as should pursue them and because it was a countrie very plentifull of corne and other victualles where when we had remained the space of thrée daies that I poore Asse and the other horses were fedde kept in the Stable to the intent we might séeme more saleable we were brought out at length to the market and by by a crier sounded with his horne to notifie y â— we were to be solde all my compaignioÌ„ horses were bought vp by gentlemen butas for me I stoode still forsaken of all men And when many biers came by and looked in my mouth to knowe mine age I was so werie with opening my iawes that at length vnable to endure any lenger wheÌ„ one came with a stinking payre of handes grated my gommes with his filthy fingers I bitte them cleane of whiche thing caused the standers by to forsake me as beinge a fierce and cruell beast the crier when he had gotten a hoarse voice with crying and sawe that no man would bie me began to mocke me saiyng To what end staÌ„de we here with this vile Asse this feble beast
out for succour His other twoo brethren hearing his lamentable voice ranne towardes him to helpe him casting their clokes about their left armes tooke vp stones to chase away the dogges but all was in vaine for they might sée their brother dismembred in euerie part of his body Who liyng at the very point of death desired his brethren to reuenge his death against the cruell tyrant And therewithall he gaue vp the ghost The other twoo brethern perceiuing so great a murder and neglecting their owne liues like desperat persons dressed them selues against the tyrant and threw a great nomber of stones at him but the bloudy thiefe exercised to such like mischiefes tooke a speare thrust him cleane thorough the bodie Howbeit he fell not downe to the grounde For the speare that came out at his backe ranne into the yearth and sustained him vp by and by came one of this Tirantes seruauÌ„ts the most sturdiest of the rest to helpe his maister who at his first coming toke vp a stone threw at the third brother but by reason the stone ranne alonge his arme it did not hurt him whiche chaunsed otherwise then all mens expectation was by and by the yonge man feigning that his arme was greatly wounded spake these woordes vnto the cruel bloudsucker Now maist thou â—hou wretche triumphe vpon the destruction of all our family nowe haste thou fedde thy insatiable crueltie with the bloud of thrée brethern nowe maiste thou reioyse at the fall of vs Citizins yet thinke not but that howe farre so euer thou doest remoue and extende the boundes of thy lande thou shalt haue some neighbour but howe greatly am I sory in that I haue loste mine arme wher withall I minded to cut of thy head when he had spoken these woordes The furious thiefe drewe out his dagger running vpon the yong man thought verely to haue slaine him but it chaunsed otherwise For the yonge man resisted him stoutly in bucklinge together by violeÌ„ce wrested the dagger out of his haÌ„d whiche done he killed the riche thiefe with his owne weapon and to the intent the yonge man would escape the handes of the seruauntes whiche came runninge to assiste their maister with the same dagger he cutte his owne throate These thinges were signified by the straunge and dreadful wonders which fortuned in the house of the good man who after he had harde these sorowfull tidinges coulde in no wise wéepe so farre was he stroken with dolor but presently takinge his knife wherewith he cutte his cheése and other meate before he cutte his owne throate like wise in suche sorte that he fell vpon the borde and embrued the table with the streames of his bloud in most miserable manner Hereby was my maister the gardiner depriued of his hope and paying for his dinner the watry teares of his eies mounted vpon my backe and so we wente homewarde the same way as we came ¶ How Apueeius was founde by his shadow Cap. 43. AS we passed by the way we mette with a tale souldiour for so his habite and countenaunce declared who with proude and arrogant woordes spake to my maister in this sorte Quorium vacuum ducis à suum My maister somwhat astonied at the straunge sightes which he saw before and ignorant of the latine tongue rode on spake neuer a woorde The souldiour vnable to refraine his insolence offended at his silence strake him on the shoulders as he satte vpon my backe then my maister gently made answeare that he vnderstoode not what he saide whereat the Souldiour angerly demaunded againe whither he rode with his Asse Mary ê™ he to the nexte Citie but I ê™ the Souldiour haue néede of his helpe to carry the trusses of our Capitayne from yender Castell and therewithall he toke me by the halter and woulde violently haue taken me away but my maister wipinge away the bloudde of the blowe which he receaued of the Souldiour desired him gentely and cinily to take some pitie vppon him and to lette him departe with his owne swearyng and affirminge that his slowe Asse weâ—nie dead with sicknes coulde skarse carry a fewe handfulles of herbes to the nexte towne much lesse he was able to beare any greater trusses but when he saw the Souldiour would in no wise be entreated but ready with his staffe to cleaue my maisters head my maister fell downe at his â—éete vnder colour to moue him to some pitie but when he sawe his time he tooke the Souldiour by the legges and caste him vppon the grounde Then he buffeted him thumped him bitte him and toke a stone and beate his face and his sides that he could not turnâ— or defende him selfe but onely threaten that if euer he rose he woulde choppe him in pieces The Gardener when he harde him say so drewe out his iauelin which he had by his side and when he had throwen it away he knockt and beatte him more cruelly then he did before in so muche that the Souldiour coulde not tell by what meanes to saue him selfe but by feigninge that he was dead Then my maister toke the iauelin and mounted vppon my backe ridinge in all haste to the nexte village hauinge no regarde to goe to his garden and when he came thither he turned into one of his fréendes house and declared all the whole matter desiringe him to saue his life and to hide him selfe and his Asse in some secrete place vntill suche time as all daunger were paste Then his fréende not forgettinge the auncient amitie betwéene them entertained him willingly and drewe me vp a payre of steares into a chaÌ„ber my maister crept into a chest lay hidden there with the couer closed faste The Souldiour as I afterwardes learned rose vp as one awaked from a dronken sléepe but he coulde skarse goe by reason of his wouÌ„des how be it at length by litle and litle thorough ayde of his staffe he came to the towne but he woulde not declare the matter to any person nor complaine to any iustice least he should be accused of cowardise or dasterdnes yet in the ende he tolde some of his coÌ„paignions of all the matter that happened then they toke him caused him to be closed in some secret place thinkinge that beside the iniury whiche he had receaued he should be accused of y â— breche of his faith by reason of y â— losse of his speare when they had learned y â— signes of my master thei weÌ„t to search him out at last ther was an vnfaithful neighbour y â— tolde them where we were then incoÌ„tinently the Souldiours went to the Iustice declaringe that they had lost by the way a siluer goblet of their Capitaines and that a gardener had found it who refusing to redeleuer y â— goblet was hiddeÌ„ in one of his fréendes house by and by the Magistrates vnderstandinge the losse of the Capitaine came to the doores where we were and commaunded our Oste to
Venus that was right pleased and gladde in her harte daunsed about the Theatre with much ioye This done from the toppe of the hill through a priuie spoute rāne a floudde of the colour of Saffran whiche fell vpon the Goates chaūged their white heare into yellow with a soote odour to all thē of the Theatre By by after by certaine engins the ground opened swalowed vp the hill of woodde and then beholde there came a man of armes thorow the middle of y ◠multitude demaunding by the consent of the people the woman who was condēned to the beastes appointed for me to haue to doo withall our bedde was finely brauely prepared couered with silke other thinges necessary but I beside the shame to cōmitte this horrible facte to pollute my body w t this wicked harlot did greatly feare the daūger of death For I thought in my selfe that when she I were together the fauage beast appointed to deuoure the womā was not so instructed taught or would so temper his gréedines as y ◠he would teare her in pieces liyng vnder me and spare me with a regarde of mine innocēcie Wherfore I was more carefull for the saluegarde of my life thē for the shame that I should abide but in the meane season while my maister made reddy the bedde and all the residew did greatly delight to sée the hunting and pleasantnes of the triumphe I began to thinke and deuise for my selfe and when I perceaued that no man had regarde to me that was so tame and gentle an Asse I stole out of the gate that was next me and then I ranne away with all my force and came to Cenchris whiche is the moste famous towne of all the Carthaginiens borderinge vpon the seas called Ageum and Saronicum where is a great mighty hauen frequented with many a sondry nation There because I would auoide the multitude of people I wēt to a secrete place of the sea coste where I lay me down vpon the sande to ease and refreshe my selfe for the day was paste and the Sunne gone downe and I liyng in this sorte on the grounde did fall in a sounde sléepe The eleuenth Booke of Lucius Apuleius of the Golden Asse ¶ How Apuleius by Roses and praier returned to his humaine shape Cap. 47. WHen midnight came that I had slept my first sléepe I awaked with sodein feare and sawe the Moone shininge bright as when she is at the full and séeming as though she leaped out of the Sea Then I thought with my selfe that that was the moste secret time when the Goddesse Ceres had most puisance and force considering that all humaine thinges be gouerned by her prouidence And not onely all beastes priuate and tame but also all wilde aud sauage beastes be vnder her protection And consideringe that all bodies in the heauens the earth and the seas be by her encresinge motions encreased and by her diminishinge motions diminished as wery of all my cruell fortune and calamitie I founde good hope and soueraigne remedie though it were very late to be deliuered from all my misery by inuocation prayer to the excellent beautie of the Goddesse whome I sawe shininge before mine eyes wherfore shaking of mine Assy and drowsie sléepe I arose with a ioyfull face and moued by a great affection to purifie my selfe I plonged my head seuē times into the water of the sea which nomber of senen is cōuenable and agréeable to holy and diuine thinges as the woorthy and sage philosopher Pythagoras hath declared Then with a wéeping contenaūce I made this orayson to the puissant Goddesse saiynge O blessed quéene of heauen whether thou be the Dame Ceres which art the original motherly nource of al fruictful thinges in the yearth who after the findinge of thy daughter Proserpina through the great ioye whiche thou diddest presently conceaue madest the barrein vnfruictful grounde to be plowed and sowen and now thou inhabitest in the land of Eleusie or whether thou be the celestiall Venus who in the beginninge of the world diddest cople together all kinde of thinges w t an engendred loue and by an eternall propagation of humaine kinde art now woorshipped within the Tēples of the ysle Paphos thou whiche art the sister of the god Phebus who nourishest so many people by the generation of beastes art now adored at the sacred places of Ephesis thou which art called horrible Proserpina by reason of the deadly houlinges which y ◠yeldest that hast power to stoppe put away the inuasiō of hegges and ghostes whiche appeare vnto men to kéepe them downe in y ◠closures of the earth thou which arte woorshipped in diuers manners doest luminate al the borders of the yearth by thy feminine shape thou whiche nourishest all the fruictes of the worlde by thy vigor force with what so euer name or fashion it is lawful to call vpon thée I pray thée to ende my great trauell and miserie and deliuer me from the wretched fortune whiche hath so longe time pursued me Graunt peace and rest if it please thée to my aduersities for I haue endured to to much labour and perill Remoue frō me the shape of mine Asse rēder me to my pristine estate and if I haue offended in any point thy diuine Maiestie let me rather die then liue for I am full wery of my life When I had ended this orayson discouered my plaintes to the Goddesse I fortuned to fall sléepe and by and by appeared to me a diuine and venerable face woorshipped euen of the Goddes them selues Then by litle and litle I séemed to sée the whole figure of her bodie mountinge out of the sea and standinge before me wherfore I purpose to describe her diuine semblaūce if y ◠pouertie of my humaine speach will suffer me or her diuine power giue me eloquence therto First she had a great abondance of heare disparsed scattred about her necke on y ◠crowne of her head she bare many garlādes enterlaced with flowres in the middle of her forehead was a cōpasse in fashiō of a glasse or resembling y ◠light of the moone in one of her handes she bare serpentes in the other blades of corne her vestmēt was of fine silke yelding diuers colours sometime white sometime yelow sometime rosie sometime flamy somtime which troubled my spirit sore darke obscure couered with a blacke robe in māner of a shield pleatted in most subtill fashion at the skirtes of her garment y ◠weltes appeared comely where as here there y ◠starres glimpsed in the middle of them was placed y ◠Moone which shone like a flame of fire roūd about y ◠robe was a coron or garlande made with flowers fruictes In her right hande she had a timbrel of brasse which gaue a pleasaūt founde in her left hande she bare a cuppe of golde out of the mouth whereof
pleased when he sawe my hoofes torne and worne away by sharpe flintes but he beate me cruelly with a great staffe in so much that the mary of my boanes did ake for woo for he woulde strike me continually on my right hippe and still in one place whereby he tare my skinne and made of my wide sore a great hole or trench or rather a windowe to looke out at and although it ranne downe of bloud yet would he not cease beatinge me in that place moreouer he laded me with such great trusses and burthens of woodde that you would thinke they had bene rather prepared for Olyphantes then for me and when he perceaued that my woodde hanged more of one side then an other when he shoulde rather take away the heauy shides and so ease me or els lifte them vp to make them equall with the other he layde great stones vpon the weaker side to remedie the matter yet coulde he not be contented with this my greate miserie and immoderate burthens of woodde but when we came to any riuer as their weare many by the way he to saue his féete from water woulde leape vpon my loynes likewise whiche was no small lode vpon lode And if by aduenture I had fell downe in any dirtie or myry place when he should haue pulled me out either with ropes or lifted me vp by the tayle he woulde neuer healpe me but layde me on from toppe to toe with a mighty staffe till he had lefte no heare on all my bodie no not so muche as on mine eares whereby I was compelled by force of the blowes to stande vp The same hangeman boye did inuent an other torment for me he gathered a great many sharpe thornes as sharpe as néedels and bounde them together like a faggot and tied them at my taile to pricke me then was I afflicted on euery side for if I had endeuored to runne away the thornes would haue pricked me if I had stoode still the boye would haue beaten me and yet the boye beate me to make me runne whereby I perceaued that the hangeman did deuise nothinge els saue to kill me by some manner of meanes and he woulde sweare and threaten to doo me worse harme and because he might haue some occasion to execute his malicious minde vpon a day after that I had endeuored to much by my pacience I lifte vp my héeles and spurned him welfauoredly Then he inuented this vengeance against me after that he had well laded me with shrubbes and rubbell and trussed it rounde vpon my backe he brought me out into the way then he stale a burninge coale out of a mans house of the nexte village and put it into the middle of the rubbell the rubbell and shrubbes beinge very drie did fall on a light fire and burned me on euery side I coulde sée no remedie how I might saue my selfe and in suche a case it was not beste for me to stande still but fortune was fauorable towardes me perhaps to reserue me for more daungers for I espied a great hole full of rayne water that fell the day before thither I ranne hastely and plunged my selfe therein in suche sorte that I quenched the fire and was deliuered from that present perill but the vile boye to excuse him selfe declared to all the neyghbours and sheapeherdes aboute that I willingly tombled in the flere as I passed through the villages Then he laughed vpon me saiynge Howe longe shall we nourishe and keepe this fyry Asse in vaine ¶ Howe Apuleius was accused of lecherie by the Boie Cap. 29. A Fewe daies after this Boie inuented an other mischiefe For wheÌ„ he had solde al y â— wood which I bare to certain men dwelling in a village by he led me homeward vnladen And then he cried that he was not able to rule me that he woulde not driue me any lenger to the hill for woodde saiyng doo you sée this slowe and dull Asse who besides all the mischiefes that he hath wrought alreadie inuenteth dailie more more For when he espieth any woman passing by the waie whether she be olde or maried or if it be a yonge childe he will throwe his burthen from his backe and ronneth fiersly vpon theÌ„ And after y t he hath throwen them downe he will stride ouer them to committe his buggery and beastlie pleasure moreouer he will faine as though he would kisse them but he will byte their faces cruellie whiche thinge may woorke vs great displeasure or rather be imputed vnto vs as a crime and euen now when he espied an honest maiden passing by the highe waie he by and by threwe downe his woodde ranne after her And when he had throwen her vpon the ground he would haue rauished her before the face of all the worlde had it not bene that by reason of her criyng out she was succoured and pulled froÌ„ his héeles and so deliuered And if it had so come to passe that this fearfull maiden had bene slaine by him what daunger had we bene in By these and like lies he prouoked the shéepeherdes earnestlie against me whiche greued me God wote full sore that saide nothing Then one of the shepeherdes said Why doo we not make sacrifice of this common adulterouse Asse My sonne ê™ he let vs kill him and throwe his guttes to the dogges reserue his fleshe for the labourers supper Then let vs cast dust vpoÌ„ his skinne carie it home to our maister and say that the Wolues hath deuoured him The boie that was my euill accuser made no delaie but prepared him selfe to execute the sentence of the shepeherde reioysing at my present dauÌ„ger but O how greatly did I then repent that the stripe which I gaue him with my héele had not killed him Then he drewe out his swoord and made it sharpe vpon a whetstone to slea me but an other of the shepeherdes gan saie verely it is a great offence to kill so faire an Asse And so by accusation of luxurie and lasciuious wantonnes to lacke so necessary his labour and seruice where otherwyse if you would cut of his stones he might not onely be depriued of his courage but also become gentle that we should be deliuered from all feare of daunger Moreouer he would be thereby more fat and better in fleshe For I knowe my selfe as well many Asses as also moste fierce horses that by reason of their wantonnes haue bene most madde and terrible but when they weare gelded and cut they haue become very gentle and tame and tractable to all vse Wherfore I would counsell you to geld him And if you consent therto I will by and by when I goe to the next market fetche mine yrons and tooles for the purpose And I ensure you after y â— I haue gelded and cut of his stones I will deliuer him vnto you as tame as a lambe When I did perceiue that I was deliuered from death and reserued to be gelded