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
when they arriued on the sea coste of ActiuÌ„ where we in our returne froÌ„ Macedonie were rouinge about when night came they turned into a house not farre distant from their shippe where they lay all night Then we entred in toke away all their substance but verely we were in great daunger for the good Matron perceyuinge vs incontinently by the notes of the gate went into the chamber and called vp euery man by his name and likewise the neighbours that dwelled rounde about in so much y â— by reason of the feare thar euery one was in we hardly escaped away but this most holy womaÌ„ faithfull and true to her husband as the truth must be declared returned to Caesar desiringe his ayde and puisance and demaundinge vengeaunce of the iniurie done to her husbande who graunted all her desire then wente my company to wracke in so muche that euery man was slayne so great was the authoritie and woorde of the Prince How be it when all my bande was loste and taken by searche of the Emperours armie I onely stole away and deliuered my selfe from the violence of the souldiars for I clothed my selfe in a womans attyre and mounted vpon an Asse that carried barley shéefes and passinge thorough the middle of them all I escaped away because euery one déemed that I was a woman by reason I lacked a bearde How be it I lefte not of for all this nor did degenerate from the glory of my father or mine owne vertue but freshly coÌ„ming from the blouddy skirmish and disguised like a woman I inuaded Townes and Castels alone to gette some pray And therwithall he pulled out twoo thousand crownes whiche he had vnder his coate sayinge Holde here the dowrie whiche I present vnto you holde eke my person whiche you shall alwaies finde trusty and faithfull if you will willingly receaue me And I will ensure you that in so doinge within shorte space I will make and turne this stony house of yours into Golde then by and by euery one consented to make him their Capitaine and so they gaue him better garmentes and threwe away his olde When he had chaunged his attyre he embraced them one after an other then placed they him in the highest rome of the table and dranke vnto him in token of good lucke ¶ How the death of the Asse and the Gentel woman was staide Cap. 25. AFter supper they beganne to talke and declared vnto him the goinge away of the gentlewoman and how I bare her vpoÌ„ my backe what death was ordeyned for vs twoo Then he desired to sée her â–ª whereupon the Gentlewoman was brought foorth fast bounde whom assone as he beheld he turned him selfe wringinge his nose blamed them saying I am not so much a beast or so rashe a fellow y â— I would driue you quight from your purpose but my conscience will not suffer me to conceale any thinge that toucheth your profite since as I am carefull for you how be it if my counsell doo displease you you may at your owne libertie procéede in your enterprise I doubte not but all Théeues and suche as haue a good iudgement will preferre their owne lucre gaine aboue all thinges in the worlde aboue their vengeance which purchaseth damage to diuers persons Therefore if you put this Virgin in the Asses belly you shal but execute your indignation against hir without all maner of profite but I woulde aduise you to carie the Virgin to some towne to sel her And such a braue girle as she is may be solde for a great quantitie of money And I my selfe know certaine bawde MarchauÌ„tes amongest whome peraduenture some one will giue-vs great summes of golde for her This is my opinion touchinge this affaire But aduise you what you intende to doo for you may rule me in this case In this maner the good thefe pleaded and defended our cause being a good patron to the séely Virgin and to me poore Asse But they staide hereupon a good space with longe deliberation whiche made my harte God wote and spirit greatly to quale Howebeit in the ende they consented to his opinion and by and by the mayden was vnlosed of hir bondes who seinge the yonge man and hearinge the name of brothels and bawde Marchauntes began to waxe ioyfull and smiled with her selfe Then began I to déeme euill of the generation of women when as I sawe the maiden who was appointed to be maried to a yonge gentleman and who so greatly desired the same was nowe delighted with the talke of a wicked and filthy brothel house and other thinges dishonest In this sort the consent and maners of wemen depeÌ„ded in the iudgement of an Asse ¶ Howe all the Theues weare brought in a sleape by their newe companion Cap. 26. THen the yonge man spake againe saiynge Maisters why go we not about to make our praiers to Mars touching this sellinge of the maiden and to sake for other compaignioÌ„s But as farre as I sée here is no maner of beaste to make sacrifice withall nor wyne sufficient for vs to drinke Let me haue ê™ he tenne more with me and we wil goe to the next castel to prouide for meate and other thinges necessarie So he and tenne more with him went their waie In the meane season the residue made a great fire and an altar with grene tirfes in the honour of Mars By and by after they came againe bringing with them bottels of wyne and a great nomber of beastes amongest whiche there was a bigge Ram goate fatte olde and hearie whiche they killed and offered vnto Mars TheÌ„ supper was prepared sumptuouslie And the new compaignion saide vnto the other You ought to accompte me not onelie your Captaine in robberie and fight but also in your pleasures and iolitie wherupon by and by with pleasauÌ„t there he prepared meate trimming vp the house he set all thinges in order brought the potage dentie dishes to the table But aboue all he plied them well with great pottes iugges of wine Sometimes séeming to fetche somwhat he would goe to the maiden and giue her pieces of meate whiche he priuely tooke awaie and would drinke vnto hir whiche she willingly tooke in good parte Moreouer he kissed her twise or thrise wherof she was well pleased but I not well contented thereat thought in my selfe O wretched maide thou hast forgotten thy mariage doest esteme this straunger and bloudy théefe aboue thy husbande which thy parentes ordeined for thée nowe perceiue I wel thou hast no remorse of coÌ„science but more delight to tarie plaie the harlot here amongst so manie weapons and swoordes what knowest thou not howe the other Theeues if they knew thy demeanure would put thée to death as they had once apointed so worke my destruction likewise well now I perceaue thou haste a pleasure in the damage and hurt of other While I did angerly deuise with my selfe
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
thinke the death of thine enemie more swéete then thy life thou shalte sée no light thou shalte lacke the ayde of a leader thou shalte not haue me as thou hopest thou shalte haue no delight of my marriage thou shalte not die and yet liuinge thou shalte haue no ioye but wander betwéene light and darkenesse as an vnsure image thou shalte séeke for the hande that pricked out thy eies yet shalte thou not knowe of whome thou shouldest complaine I will make sacrafice with the bloudde of thine eyes vpon the graue of my husband but what gainest thou thorough my delay Perhaps thou dreamest that thou embracest me in thine armes leaue of the darkenes of sléepe and awake thou to receaue a penall depriuation of thy sight lifte vp thy face regarde thy vengeance and euill fortune recken thy miserie so pleaseth thine eies to a chaste woman that thou shalte haue blindnesse to thy compaignion and an euerlastinge remorse of thy miserable conscience When she had spoken these woordes she toke a great nedle from her head and pricked out both his eies which done she by and by caught the naked swoorde whiche her husbande Lepolemus accustomed to were and ranne thorough out all the Citie like a madde woman towarde the Sepulchre of her husbande Then all we of the house withall the Citizins raÌ„ne incontinently after her to take the swoord out of her handes but she claspinge aboute the tombe of Lepolemus kept vs of with her naked weapon and when she perceaued that euery one of vs wepte and lamented she spake in this sorte I pray you my fréendes wéepe not nor lament for me for I haue reuenged the death of my husbande I haue punished deseruedly the wicked breaker of our marriage nowe is it time to séeke out my swéete Lepolemus and presently with this swoorde to finishe my lyfe And therewithall after she had made relation of the whole matter declared the vision which she sawe and tolde by what meane she deceaued Thrasillus thrustinge the swoorde vnder her right brest wallowinge in her owne bloudde at leÌ„gth with manly courage yéelded vp the ghost Then immediatly the fréendes of miserable Charites did burie her body within the same sepulchre Thrasillus hearyng al the matter knowinge not by what meanes he might ende his life for he thought his swoorde was not sufficient to reueÌ„ge so great a crime at length went to the same sepulchre and cried with a loude voice sayinge O ye dead spirites whom I haue so highly offended receaue me beholde I make sacrifice vnto you with my bodie whiche saide he closed y â— sepulchre purposing to famish him selfe and to finishe his life there in sorrow These thinges the yonge man with pitifull sighes and teares declared vnto the cowheardes shéepeherdes whiche caused them all to wéepe but they fearinge to become subiect vnto new maisters prepared theÌ„ selues to departe away ¶ How Apuleius was ledde away by the horsekeper and what daungers he was in Cap. 33. BY and by the Horsekeper to whome the charge of me was coÌ„mitted brought foorth all his substance and laded me and other horses withal so departed thense we bare wemen children pullettes sparrowes kiddes whelpes other thinges whiche were not able to kéepe pace with vs and that whiche I bare vpon my backe although it was a mighty burthen yet séemed it very light because I was driuen away from him that most terribly had appointed to kill me when we hed passed ouer a great mountayne full of trées and were come againe into the open fieldes beholde we approched nighe to a fayre and riche Castell where it was tolde vnto vs that we weare not able to passe in our iourney that night by reason of the great number of terrible Woolues whiche weare in the countrey about so fierce and cruell that they put euerie man in feare in such sort that they would inuade and set vpon such which passed by like theues and deuoure bothe theÌ„ and their beastes Moreouer we weare aduertised that there laie in the waie wheare we should passe manie dead bodies eaten and torne with Wolues Wherefore we weare willed to state theare all night on the next morning to goe close and rounde together whereby we might passe and escape all perilles and daungers But notwithstandinge this good counsell our caitâ—â—e driuers weare so couetous to goe forwarde and so fearfull of pursuit that they neuer staied till the morninge But being well nie midnight they made vs trudge in our waie a pace Then I fearing the great daunger whiche might happen ranne amongest the middle of the other horses to thend I might defend and saue my poore buttockes from the Wolues whereat euery man muche meruailed to sée that I scoured away swifter then the other horses But suche was my agilitée not to get me any praise but rather for feare At that time I remembred with my selfe that the valiant horse Pegasus did â—ie in the aire more to auoide the daunder of dreadfull Chimera then for any thing els The shepardes which draue vs before theÌ„ weare well armed like warriours One had a speare an other had a shepehooke some had dartes some clubbes some gathered vp great stones some helde vp their sharpe iauelins and some feared awaie the Wolues with light firebrandes Finally we lacked nothing to make vp an armie but onely drums and trumpettes but when we had passed these dauâ—â—gers not without small feare we fortuned to fall into worse for the Wolues came not vpon vs eyther because of the greate multitude of our company or els because of our firebrandes or peraduenture they were gone to some other place for we could sée none but the inhabitantes of the nexte villages supposinge that we were Théeues by reason of our great multitude for the defence of their owne substance and for the feare they were in sette great and mighty masties vpon vs which they had kept nourished for the safetie of their houses who compassing vs rounde about leaped on euery side tearing vs with their téeth in such sorte that they pulled many of vs to the grounde verely it was a pitifull sight to sée so many dogges some followinge suche as flied some inuadinge such as stoode still some tearinge those which lay prostrate but generally there were none which escaped cléere Beholâ—e vpon this an other daunger ensewed the inhabitantes of the towne stoode in their garrettes windowes throwinge great stones vpon our heades that we coulde not tell whether it were best for vs to auoide the gapinge mouthes of the dogges at haÌ„d or the perill of the stones a farre emongst whome there was one that hurled a greate â—inte vpon a woman which satte vpon my backe who cried out piteously desiringe her husband to helpe her Then he cominge to succour and ayde his wife began to speake in this sorte Alas maisters what meane you to trouble vs poore laboring meÌ„ so cruelly what meane you to reuenge
then she asked the yong man the accomplishment of his promisse but he to deliuer him selfe entierly from her hādes would finde alwaies excuses till in the ende she vnderstode by the messengers that came in and out that he nothing regarded her Then the by howe muche she loued him before by so much more she hated him nowe And by and by she called one of her seruauntes ready to all mischiefes To whome she declared all her secretes And there it was concluded betwenè them twoo that the surest waye was to kill the yong man Whereupon this Verlet went incōtinentlie to buie poison which he mingled with wine to the intent he would giue it the yong man to drinke and thereby presently to kill him But while they were in deliberation howe they might offer it vnto him Beholde here happened a straunge aduenture For the yonge sonne of the woman that came from schole at noone being very thirsty tooke the potte wherein the poyson was mingled and ignorāt of the hidden venym dranke a good draught thereof whiche was prepared to kill his brother Whereby he presently fell downe to y ◠groūd dead His scholemaister seing this sodain chaūce called his mother and all the seruauntes of the house with a loude voyce Incontinently euerie man declared his opinion touching the death of the childe But the cruell woman the onely example of stepmothers malice was nothinge moued by the bitter death of her sonne or by her owne conscience of parracide or by the misfortune of her house or by the dolor of her husbande but rather deuised the destruction of all her family For by and by she sent a messanger after her husband to tell him the great misfortune which happened after his departure And when he came home the wicked woman declared that his sonne had empoisened his brother because he would not consent to his will and tolde him diuers other lesinges adding in y ◠ende that he threatned to kill her likewise because she discouered the fact Then the vnhappy father was stroken with double dolor of the death of his twoo children for on the one side he sawe his yonger sonne slaine before his eyes on the other side he séemed to sée y ◠elder condēned to die for his offence Againe where he behelde his wife lamente in such sorte it gaue him farther occasiō to hate his sonne more deadly but the funeralles of his yonger sonne were skarse finished when the olde mā the father with wéeping eyes euen at the returne from the graue wēt to the Iustice and accused his sonne of the slaughter of his brother how he threatned to slea his wife wherby the rather at his weping and great lamentation he moued all the Magistrates people to pitie in so much that without any delay or further inquisitiō they cried all that he should be stonied to death but the Iustices fearinge a farther inconuenience to arise by a particular vengeance and to the ende there might fortune no sedition emongst the people praied the Decurious and other officers of the Citie that they might procéede by examination of witnesses and with order of Iustice accordinge to the auncient custome before the giuing of any hastie sentence or iudgement without hearinge of the cōtrary part like as the barbarous cruell Tirāts accustome to vse Otherwise they should giue an ill example to their successors this opiniō pleased euery mā wherfore the Senators counselours were called who being placed in order accordinge to their dignitie caused the accuser defender to be brought foorth by the example of the Atheman law and iudgement martial their aduocates were commauned to plead their causes briefly without preambles or motions of the people to pitie whiche were to longe a processe And if you demaunde how I vnderstoode al this matter you shal vnderstand y ◠I hard many declare the same but to recite what woordes y ◠accuser vsed in his inuectiue what answeare the defendour made the orations pleadinges of ech partie verely I am not able to doo for I was fast bounde at the maunger but as I learned knew by others I will God willing declare vnto you So it was ordred y ◠after the pleadinges of both sides was ended thei thought best to trie boulte out the veritie by witnesses all presumptions likelyhoodes set a parte to cal in the seruant who onely was reported to know al the matter by by the seruaunt came in who nothing abashed at y ◠feare of so great a iudgemēt or at the presence of y ◠Iudges or at his own giltie cōscience which he so finely feigned but with a bold coūtenance presented him self before the Iustices confirmed the accusation against the yonge man saying O ye Iudges on a day whē this yonge mā lothed hated his Stepmother he called me desiring me to poison his brother wherby he might reuenge him selfe If I would doo it kéepe y ◠matter secrete he promised to giue me a good reward for my paines but when the yonge man perceaued y ◠I would not accorde to his will he threatned to slea me wherupō he went him selfe bought poison after tēpred it with wine then gaue it me to giue to y ◠childe which when I refused he offred it to his brother w t his owne hādes When the verlet with a trēbling countenaunce had ended these woordes which seemed a likelyhoode of truth the iudgement was ended neither was there foūd any Iudge or Counselour so mercyful to the yong mā accused as would not iudge him culpable but y ◠he should be put sowen in a skinne with a dogge a cocke a snake an Ape accordinge to the lawe against parracides wherfore there wanted nothing but as the aūcient custome was to put white stones blacke into a potte and to take them out againe to sée whether the yonge man accused should be acquited by iudgement or condēned whiche was a thing irreuocable In y ◠meane season he was deliuered to y ◠handes of the executioner But there arose a sage ancient Phisitian a mā of good consciēce credite thorough out all the Citie y ◠stopped the mouth of y ◠potte wherin y ◠stones were cast saiyng I am right gladde ye reuerende Iudges y ◠I am a mā of name estimation emongst you wherby I am accompted such a one as will not suffer any person to be put to death by false vntrue accusations consideringe there hath bene no homicide or murder committed by this yonge man in this case neither you beinge sworne to iudge vprightly to be misinformed abused by inuented lies tales For I cānot but declare open my conscience least I should be founde to beare small honour faith to the Goddes wherefore I pray you giue eare and I will showe you the whole truth of the matter you shal vnderstand
giue eare and I will declare of more greater matters whiche she hath done openly and before the face of all men ¶ How Meroe the witche turned diuers persons into miserable Beastes Cap. 4. IN faith Aristomenus to tell you the truth this woman had a certaine louer whome by the vtterance of one onely woorde she turned him into a Beuer because he loued an other woman beside her and the reason why she transformed him into suche a beast is for that it is his nature when he perceiueth the hunters and houndes to drawe after him to bite of his meÌ„bers and lay them in the way that the houndes may be at a stoppe when they finde them and to the intent it might so happen vnto him because he fancied an other woman she turned him into that kinde of shape Semblably she chaunged one of her neighbours being an olde man and one that solde wine into a frogge in that he was one of her occupation and therefore she bare him grudge and now the poore miser swimminge in one of his pipes of wine and welny drowned in the dregges doth crie and call with a hoarse voice for his olde gestes and acquaintance that passe by Likewise she turned one of the Aduocates of the courte because he pleaded and spake against her in a rightfull cause into a horned Ramme and now the poore RaÌ„me is become and Aduocate Moreouer she caused that the wife of a certaine louer that she had should neuer be deliuered of her childe but accordinge to the computation of all men it is eight yéeres past since the poore woman began first to swell and now she is increased so bigge that she séemeth as though she would bring foorth some great Oliphant whiche when it was knowen abroade and published thorough out al the towne they toke indignation against her and ordeined that the next day she should most cruelly be stoned to death whiche purpose of theirs she preuented by the vertue of her enchauntmentes and as Medea who obtained of kinge Creon but one daies respite before her departure did burne all his house him and his doughter so she by her coniurations and inuocations of sprites whiche she vseth in a certaine hole in her house as she her selfe declared vnto me the next day followinge closed all the persons of the towne so sure in their howses and with such violence of power that for the space of twoo daies they coulde not come foorth nor open their gates nor doores nor breake downe their walles whereby they weare enforced by mutuall consent to crie vnto her and to binde them selues streictly by othes that they would neuer afterwardes molest or hurt her moreouer if any did offer her any iniurie they would be ready to defende her wherevpon she moued at their promises and stirred by pitie released all the towne But she conueied the principall Authour of this ordinance about midnight with all his house the walles the grounde and the foundation into an other towne distant from thense a hundred miles situate and beinge on the toppe of a high hill and by reason thereof destitute of water and because the edifices houses weare so nighe builded together that it was not possible for the house to stande there she threwe downe the same before the gate of the towne Then spake I and said O my friende Socrates you haue declared vnto me many meruelous thinges and straunge chaunces and moreouer stroken me with no small trouble of minde yea rather with great feare least the same old woman vsinge the like practise should fortune to here all our communication wherefore let vs now sléepe and after that we haue taken our rest let vs rise betime in the morninge and ride away from hens before day as far as we may possible ¶ How Socrates and Aristomenus slept together in one chamber and how they were handled by Witches Cap. 5. IN speakinge these woordes and deuisinge with my selfe of our departing the next morrow least Meroe the Witche should play by vs as she had doneÌ„ by diuers other persons It fortuned that Socrates did fall a sleape and slept very soundly by reason of his trauell and plentie of meate and wine wherewithall he had filled him selfe Wherefore I closed and barred fast the doores of the chamber and put my bedde behinde the doore and so laide me downe to rest but I could in no wise sleape for the great feare which was in my harte vntill it was about midnight then I began to slomber but alas beholde sodenly the chamber doores brake open the lockes boltes and postes fell downe that you would verely haue thought that some théeues had ben presently come to haue spoiled and robbed vs. And my bedde whereon I laye beinge a trockle bed fashioned in forme of a cradle and one of the féete broken rotten by violence was turned vpside downe and I likewise was ouerwhelmed and couered liyng in the fame Then perceaued I in my selfe that certaine affectes of the minde by nature doth chaunce contrarie For as teares oftentimes trickleth downe the chéekes of him that seeth or heareth some ioyfull newes so I being in this fearfull perplexitie could not forbeare laughinge to sée how of Aristomenus I was made like vnto a snayle in his shell And while I lay on the grounde couered in this sorte I péeped vnder the bed to sée what would happen And behold there entered in twoo olde wemen the one bearinge a burninge torche and the other a sponge and a naked swoorde And so in this habite they stoode aboute Socrates beinge fast a steape Then she which bare the swoorde said vnto the other behold sister Panthia this is my déere and my swéete harte whiche both daie and night hath abused my waÌ„ton youthfulnes This is he who litle regardinge my loue dothe not onely diffame me with reprochfull woordes but also intendeth to runne away And I shal be forsaken by like crasâ—e as Vlisses did vse and shall continually bewaile my solitarines as Calipso which said she pointed to wardes me that lay vnder the bed and showed me to Panthia This is he ê™ she which is his counseler and perswadeth him to forsake me and now being at the pointe of death he lieth prostrate on the grounde couered with his bedde and hath séene all our dooinges and hopeth to escape skotfrée from my handes but I will cause that he shall repent him selfe too late nay rather forthwith of his former vnteÌ„perate language and his present curiositie Whiche woordes when I harde I fell into a colde sweate and my harte trembled with feare in so much that the bed ouer me did like wise rattle shake Then spake Panthia vnto Meroe and said Sister let vs by and by teare him in péeces or els tie him by the members and so cutte them of Then Meroe being so named because she was a tauerner and loued well good wines answeared nay rather lette him liue and burie the Corps
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
the dishonour of your progenie and estate neither haue regarde in that it is a mortall marriage for it séemeth vnto me iuste lawfull and legitimate by the lawe Ciuill Incontinently after Iupiter commauÌ„ded Mercurie to bring up Psiches the spouse of Cupide into the pallayce of heauen And then he toke a potte of immortalitie and said Holde Psyches and drinke to the ende thou maist be immortall and that Cupide may be thine euerlastinge husbande By and by the great bankette and marriage feast was sumptuously prepared Cupide satte downe with his déere spouse betwéene his armes Iuno likewise w t Iupiter and all the other Goddes in order Ganimides filled the potte of Iupiter and Bacchus serued the rest Their drinke was Nectar the wine of the goddes Vulcanus prepared supper the howers decked vp the house with Roses other swéete smelles the Graces threwe about baulme the Muses sange with swéete harmony Apollo tuned pleasauntly to the Harpe Venus daunsed finely Satirus and Paniscus plaide on their pipes and thus Psiches was married to Cupide and after she was deliuered of a childe whom we call Pleasure This the trifling old woman declared vnto y â— captiue mayden but I poore Asse not staÌ„ding farre of was not a litle sory in that I lacked penne and Inke to write so woorthy a tale ¶ How Apuleius carried away the Gentlewoman and how they were taken againe by the theeues and what a kinde of death was inuented for them Cap. 23. BY by the Théeues came home laden with treasure and many of them whiche were of strongest courage leauinge behinde such as were lame and wounded to heale ayre them selues saide they would returne backe againe to fetche the rest of their pillage whiche they had hidden in a certaine caue and so they snatched vp their dinner gréedely brought vs foorth into the way and beate vs before them with staues about night after that we had passed ouer many hilles and dales we came to a great caue where they laded vs with mighty burthens and would not suffer vs to refreshe our selues any season but brought vs againe in our way and hied so fast homeward that what with their haste and their cruel stripes I fell downe vpon a stone by the high way side then they beate me pitifully in lifting me vp and hurt my right thighe and my left hoofe and one of them said what shall we doo with this lame euill fauoured Asse that is not woorth the meate y â— he eates An other said since the time that we had him first he neuer did any good I thinke he came vnto our house with euill lucke for we haue had great woundes since losse of our valiaunt Capitaines an other saide assone as he hath brought home his burtheÌ„ I will surely throwe him out vpon the mountaine to be a pray for wilde beastes While these gentlemen reasoned together of my death we fortuned to come home for y â— feare that I was in caused my féete to turne into winges after that we weare discharged of our burthens they went to their fellowes that lay wounded tolde them our great tarditie slownes by the way neither was I brought into small anguishe when as I perceaued my death prepared before my face sayinge Why standest thou still Lucius why doest thou looke for thy death knowst thou not that the théeues haue ordeined to slea thée Séest thou not these sharpe and pointed flintes which shal bruise and teare thée in péeces if by adueÌ„ture thou happen vpon them thy gentle Magicien hath not onely giuen thée the shape and trauell of an Asse but also a skinne so softe and tender as it were a swallow why doest thou not take courage runne away to saue thy life Arte thou affeard of the old woman whiche is more then halfe dead whome with a stripe of thy héele thou mayst easely dispatche but whither shall I flie what lodging shal I séeke beholde my assy cogitation who is he that passeth by the way and will not take me vp while I deuised these thinges I brake the halter wherewith I was tied and ranne away with all my force he â—â—beit I could not escape the kitishe eyes of the old woman for she ranne after me and with more audacitie then becometh her kinde and age caught me by the halter and thought to pull me home but I not forgettinge the cruell purpose of the théeues was moued with smal pitie for I kicked her with my hinder héeles to the grouÌ„de and had welnie slaine her who although she was throwen hurled downe yet she helde still the halter and would not lette me goe then she cried with a loude voice called for succour but she litle preuailed because there was no person that harde her saue onely the captiue gentlewoman who hearinge the voice of the old woman came out to sée what the matter was perceiuing hir hanging at the halter tooke a good courage and wrested it out of hir handes and entreatinge me with gentle woordes gotte vpon my backe Then I began to ronne and she gently kicked me forwarde whereof I was nothinge displeased for I had as great a desier to escape as shée In so muche that I séemed to scowre away like a horse And when the gentlewoman did speake I would answere hir with my neyinge and oftentimes vnder colour to rubbe my backe I woulde swéetely kisse her tender féete Then she fâ—tchinge a sighe from the bottom of hir harte lifted vp hir eies into the heauens saiyng O soueraigne Goddes deliuer me if it be your pleasure from these present daungers And thou cruell fortune cease thy wrath let the sorow suffise thée whiche I haue already susteined And thou litle Asse that art the occasion of my sauetie and libertée if thou canst once rendre me salue and sounde to my parentes and to him that so greatly desireth to haue me to his wyfe thou shalt sée what thankes I wil geue thée with what honour I will rewarde thée and how I wil vse thée First I will brauely dresse the heares of thy sorehead and then I wil finely kembe thy mane I wyll tie vp thy rugged tayle trymly I will decke thée rounde about with golden trappes in suche sorte that thou shalt glitter like the Starres of the skie I will bringe thée dayly in my apron the kyrnelles of nuttes and will pamper the vp with deintie delicates I will sette stoore by thée as by one that is the preseruer of my lyfe Finaly thou shalt lacke no maner of thinge Moreouer amongest thy glorious fare thy great ease and the blisse of thy life thou shalt not bée destitute of dignitée for thou shalt be Chronicled perpetually in memorie of my present fortune and the prouidence diuine All the whole historie shall be painted vpon the wall of our house Thou shalt be renowâ—â—ed throughout all the worlde And it shalbe registred in the bookes of Doctours that an Asse saued the life of a
valiant and stoute against the diligent pries and watches of your husbande woorthy to embrase the woorthiest dames of this countrie and woorthy to were a crowne of golde for one parte that he plaide to one that was ielous ouer his wife Herken how it was and then iudge the diuersitie of these twoo louers knowe you one Barbarus a Senator of our towne whome the vulgar people call likewise Scorpion for his seueritie of manners This Barbarus had a gentle woman to his wife whome he caused dayly to be enclosed within his house with diligent custody theÌ„ the Bakers wife said I know her very wel for we two dwelled together in one house Then you know ê™ the old woman the whole tale of Philesiterus No verely saide she but I greatly desire to know it therefore I pray you mother tell me the whole story By and by the olde woman whiche knew well to babble beganne to tell as followeth ¶ How Barbarus beyng ielous ouer his wife commaunded that she shoulde be kepte close in his howse and what happened Cap. 41. YOu shall vnderstaÌ„d that on a day this Barbarus preparing him selfe to ride abroade and willing to kéepe the chastitie of his wife whom he so wel loued alone to him selfe called his man Myrmex whose faith he had tried and proued in many thinges and secretely committed to him the custody of his wife willinge him that he should threaten that if any man did but touch her with his finger as he passed by he would not onely put him in pryson and binde him hande and foote but also cause him to be put to death or els to be famished for lacke of sustenaunce whiche woordes he confirmed by Othe of all the Goddes in heauen and so he departed away When Barbarus was gone Myrmex beinge greatly astonied at his maisters threatninges woulde not suffer his mistris to goe abroade but as she satte all day a spinninge he was so carefull that he satte by her when nighte came he wente with her to the baynes holdinge her by the garment so faithfull he was to fulfill the commaundement of his maister How be it the beautie of this noble Matron coulde not be hidden from the burninge eyes of Philesiterus who considering her great chastitie and howe she was diligently kepte by Myrmex thought it impossible to haue his purpose yet endeuoringe by all kinde of meanes to enterprise the matter and remembringe the fragilitie of man that might be entised and corrupted with money since as by Golde the adamant gates may be opened on a day when he founde Myrmex alone he discouered his loue desiring him to show his fauour otherwise he should certainly die with assurance that he néede not to feare when as he might priuily be lette in and out in the night without knowledge of any person When he thought with these and other gentle woordes to allure and pricke forward the obstinate minde of Myrmex he showed him glittering golde in his hande saying that he would giue his mistris tweÌ„ty crounes and him tenne but Myrmex hearinge these woordes was greatly troubled abhorringe in his minde to coÌ„mitte so wicked a mischiefe wherfore he stopped his eares turning his head departed away howbeit the glistering hâ—w of these crownes could neuer out of his minde but being at home he séemed to sée the money before his eies which was so woorthy a pray wherfore poore Myrmex being in diuers opinions could not tell what to doo for on the one side he coÌ„sidered the promisse which he made to his maister and the punishment whiche should ensue if he did contrary On the other side he thought of the gayne the passinge pleasure of the crownes of Golde in the ende the desire of the money did more preuaile then the feare of death for the beautie of the slourishinge crownes did so sticke in his minde that where the menaces of his maister compelled him to tarry at home the pestilent auarice of the Golde egged him out a doores wherfore putting all shame aside without further delay he declared the whole matter to his mistris who according to the nature of women when she harde him speake of so great a summe she bounde Chastitie in a stringe and gauè authorite to Myrmex to rule her in that case Myrmex seing the intent of his mistresse was very glad and for great desier of the golde he ran hastely to Philesiterus declaring that his mistresse was coÌ„sented to his mind wherefore he demaunded the gold which he promised Then incoÌ„tinentlie Philesiterus deliuered him tenne crownes and when night came Myrmex brought him disguised into his mistris chamber About midnight when he and she weare naked together making sacrifice vnto the Goddesse Venus beholde her husbande contrary to their expectation came and knocked at the doore callinge with a loude voice his seruaunt Myrmex Whose longe tariyng encreased the suspitioÌ„ of his maister in such sorte that he threatned to beate Myrmex cruelly but he being troubled with feare and driuen to his latter shiftes excused the matter saiynge that he could not finde y â— kaie by reason it was so dark In the meane season Philesiterus heatinge the noyse at the doore slipt on his coate and priuily ranne out of the chamber When Myrmex had opened the doore to his maister that threatned terribly and had let him in he went into the chamber to his wife In the meane while Myrmex let out Philesiterus barred the doores fast and went again to bedde The next morning wheÌ„ Barbarus awaked he perceiued twoo vnknowen slippers liynge vnder his bedde whiche Philesiterus had forgotten when he went away Then he conceaued a great suspition and ielousie in his minde howbeit he would not discouer it to his wife neither to any other persone but putting secretly the slippers in his bosom commaunded his other seruauntes to binde Myrmex incontinently and to bring him bounde to the Iustice after him thinking verely that by y â— meane of the slippers he might boult out the matter It fortuned that while Barbarus went toward the Iustice in a furie rage and Myrmex fast bounde followed him wéeping not because he was accused before his maister but by reason he knewe his owne conscience gilty Behold by aduenture Philesiterus goinge about earnest busines fortuned to méete with them by the waie who fearing the matter which he coÌ„mitted the night before doubting least it should be knowen did sodenly inuente a meane texcuse Myrmex for he ran vpoÌ„ him beate him about the head with his fistes cruelly saiynge Ah mischieuous verlet that thou art and periured knaue It were a good déede if the Goddesse and thy maister here would put the to death for thou art woorthie to be imprisoned and to weare out these irons that stalest my slippers awaie when thou warest at the baynes yester night Barbarus hearing these woordes returned incoÌ„tinently home called his seruaunt Myrmex coÌ„mauÌ„ding him to deliuer y â— slippers
deliuer my maister vpon paine of death Howbeit these threatninges coulde not enforce him to confesse that he was within his doores but by reason of his faithfull promise and for the saluegarde of his friende he said that he sawe not the gardener a great while neither knew where he was the souldiours saide contrary whereby to know the verity of the mater the Magistrates commaunded their Sergeantes and ministers to searche euery corner of the house but when they coulde finde neither gardiâ—er nor Asse There was a great contention betwéene the Souldiours and our Oste for they saide we weare within the house and he saide no but I that was very curious to know the matter when I harde so great a noyes put my head out of the window to learne what the stirre and tumulte did signifie It fortuned that one of the souldiours perceaued my shadowe whereupon he beganne to crie saying that he had certainly séene me then they were all gladde and came vp into the chamber and pulled me downe like a prisoner when they had founde me they doubted nothinge of the Gardiner but séekinge about more narrowly at length they founde him couched in a cheste And so they brought out the poore Gardiner to the Iustices who was committed immediatly to pryson but they could neuer forbeare laughing from the time they founde me by my shadow whereof is risen a common prouerbe The shadowe of the Asse The tenth Booke of Lucius Apuleius of the Golden Asse ¶ Howe the Souldiour draue Apuleius away and how he came to a Capitaines house And what happened there Cap. 44. THe nexte daie howe my maister the Gardiner spedde I knewe not but the gentle Souldiour who was well beaten for his cowardise ledde me to his lodging without the contradictioÌ„ of any man Where he laded me wel and garnished my bodie as séemed to me like an Asse of armes For on the one side I bare a helmet that shined excedingly On the other side a tergat that glistered more a thousand folde And on the toppe of my burthen he had put a longe speare whiche thinges he placed thus gallantlie not because he was so expert in warre for the Gardiner proued contrary but to thende he might feare those whiche passed by when they sawe such a similitude of warre When we had gone a good part of our iourney ouer the plain and easie fieldes we fortuned to come to a little towne where we lodged at a certaine Capitaines house And there the Souldiour tooke me to one of the seruauntes while he him selfe went towarde his Capitaine Who had the charge of a thousand men And when we had remained there a fewe daies I vnderstode of a wicked and mischeuous facte committed there whiche I haue put in wrytinge to theâ—de you may knowe the same The maister of the house had a sonne instructed in good litrature and endeâ—â—ed with vertuous manners such a one as you would desire to haue the like longe time before his mother died And theÌ„ his father maried a newe wife and had an other childe of the age of .xij. yéeres This stepdame was more excellent in beantie then honestie For she loued this yonge man her sonne in lawe either because she was vnchast by nature or because she was enforced by fate of stepmother to coÌ„mit so great a mischiefe Gentle Reader thou shalt not reade of a fable but rather a tragedy This womaÌ„ wheÌ„ her loue began first to kindle in her hart coulde easely resist her desire and inordinate appetite by reason of shame and feare lest her intent should be knoweÌ„ But after that it compassed and burned euerie parte of her brest she was coÌ„pelled to yelde vnto the raginge flame of Cupid and vnder colour of the disease and infirmitiâ— of her body to conceale the wound of her restles mind Euery man knoweth well the signes tokens of loue the maladie conuenient to the same Her countenance was pale her eies sorrowfull her knées weake there was no comfort in her but continuall wéepinge sobbing in so much you would haue thought that she had some spice of an ague sauing that she wepte vnmeasurably The Phisitions knewe not her disease wheÌ„ they felt the beating of her vaines the intemperance of her beat the sobbing sighes and her often tossing on euery side No no the conning Phisitions knewe it not but a scholler of Venus court might easely coÌ„iect the whole After that she had bene long time tormented in her affection and was no more able to conceale her ardent deâ—â—er she caused her sonne to be called for which woord Sonne she would faine put awaye if it weare not for shame Then he nothing disobedient to the commaundement of his mother with a sadde and modest countenance came into the chamber of his Stepdame the mother of his brother but she speaking neuer a woord was in great doubt what she might doo and coulde not tell what to saie first by reason of shame This yonge man suspectinge no ill with humble curtesie demaunded the cause of her present disease Then she hauinge founde an occasion to vtter her wicked intente with wéepinge eyes and couered face beganne bouldly to speake vnto him in this manner Thou thou art the original cause of my present dolour Thou art my comfort and onely health for those thy comly eyes are so fastened within my breste that vnlesse thou succourâ— me I shall certainly die Haue pitie therfore vpon me be not the occasion of my destruction neither lette thy conscience reclaime to offend thy father when as thou shalt saue the life of thy mother Moreouer since as thou doest resemble thy fathers shape in euerie point it geueth me cause the more to fancie thée Nowe is ministred vnto thée tyme and place Nowe haste thou occasion to woorke thy will séeing that we are alone And it is a common saiyng Neuer knowen neuer done This yong man troubled in his mynde at so sodein an ill although he abhorred to coÌ„mit so great a crime yet he would not cast her of with a present deniall but warely pacified her mynde with delaie of promisse Wherfore he promised her to doo all accordinge to her defier And in the meane season he willed his mother to be of good chere and comforte her selfe till as he might finde some conuenient tyme to come vnto her when his father was ridden foorth Wherwithal he got him away froÌ„ the pestilent sight of his Stepdame And knowing that this matter touching the ruâ—ue of all the whole house néeded the counsell of wyse and graue persones he went incontinently to a sage old man and declared the whole circumstaÌ„ce of the matter The old man after long deliberatioÌ„ thought there was no better meane to auoide y â— storme of cruell fortune to come then to runne awaye In the meane season this wicked woman impacient of her loue and the loÌ„g delaie of her sonne egged her husbande to ride abroade into farre countries And
y ◠this seruant which hath merited to be hāged came one of these daies to speake with me promising to giue me a hūdred crounes if I would giue him a present poyson whiche would cause a man to die sodenly saying that he would haue it for one that was sicke of an incurable disease to the ende he might be deliuered from all his torment but I smelling his crafty and subtill fetche and fearinge least he would worke some mischiefe withall gaue him a drinke but to the intent I might cléere my selfe from al daunger y ◠might happen I would not presently take the money which he offred but least any one of the crownes should lacke weight or be foūd coūtrefaite I willed him to seale the purse wherein they were put with his manuell signe wherby the next day we might goe together to y ◠goldsmithe to trie them which he did wherfore vnderstanding that he was brought present before you this day I hastely cōmaunded one of my seruantes to fetche the purse which he had sealed here I bring it vnto you to sée whether he will denie his owne signe or no and you may easely coniect that his woordes are vntrue whiche he alleaged against the yong man touching the biynge of the poyson consideringe he bought the poyson him selfe Whē the Phisitian had spoken these woordes you might perceaue how the trayterous knaue chaunged his colour how he swette for feare how he trembled in euery part of his bodie And how he set one legge vpon an other scratchyng his head and grindinge his téeth wherby there was no person but would iudge him culpable In the ende when he was somewhat returned to his former subtiltie he beganne to denie all that was saide and stoutely affirmed that the Phisitian did lie But the Phisitian perceauinge that he was rayled at and his woordes denied did neuer cease to confirme his saiynges and to disproue the verlet til such time as the officers by the commaundement of the Iudges bound his handes and brought out the seale wherwith he had sealed the purse which augmented the suspition which was conceaued of him first Howbeit neither the feare of the whele or any other torment according to the vse of the Grecians whiche weare ready prepared no nor yet the fire coulde enforce him to confesse the matter so obstinate and grounded was he in his mischieuous minde but the Phisitian perceauing that the menaces of those tormentes did nothing preuaile gan say I cānot suffer or abide that this yong man who is innocēt should against all lawe and conscience be punished and condemned to die the other whiche is culpable should escape so easely and after mocke floute at your iudgement For I will giue you an euident proufe and argument of this present crime you shall vnderstande that when this caytife demaunded of me a present and stronge poyson consideringe that it was not my parte to giue occasion of any others death but rather to cure saue sicke persons by meane of medicines And on the other side fearinge least if I should denie his request I might minister a further cause of his mischiefe eyther that he would bie poyson of some other or els returne and woorke his wicked intent with a swoorde or some daungerous weapō I gaue him no poison but a doling drinke of Mandragora which is of such force that it wil cause any man to sléepe as though he weare dead Neither is it any meruell if this moste desperate man who is certainely assured to be put to death ordained by an auncient custome can suffer or abide these facill easie tormentes but if it be so that the childe hath receaued the drinke as I tempred it with mine owne handes he is yet aliue and doth but sléepe and after his sléepe he shall returne to life againe but if he be dead in déede then may you further enquire of y ◠causes of his death The opinion of this aūcient Phisitian was found good euery man had a desire to goe to the sepulchre where y ◠childe was laide there was none of y ◠Iustices none of any reputatiō of the towne nor any of the common people but went to see this strange sight Emongst thē al the father of the childe remoued with his owne hāds the stone of the sepulchre founde his sonne rising vp after his dead Soporiferous sléepe whom whē he beheld he embrased him in his armes presented him before y ◠people with great ioye consolation as he was wrapped bound in his graue so he brought him before the iudges wherupon the wickednes of the seruaunt the treason of the stepdame was plainly discouered the veritie of the matter reueled whereby the woman was perpetually exiled the seruaunt hanged on a gallowes the Phisitian had the crounes which was prepared to bie the poyson behold how the fortune of y ◠old man was chaunged who thinking to be depriued of all his race posteritie was in one moment made the father of twoo children But as for me I was ruled and handled by fortune according to her pleasure ¶ How Apuleius was solde to twoo brethern whereof one was a Baker and the other a Cooke and how finely and deintily he fared Cap 45. THe Souldiour which paid neuer a penny for me by the cōmaundement of his Capitaine was sent vnto Rome to carry letters to the great Prince generall of the Campe before he went he sold me for eleuen pence to twoo of his cōpaignions being seruāts to a man of woorship wherof one was a Baker y ◠baked swéete bread delicates the other a Cooke whiche dressed fine and excellent meates for his maister these two liued in common would driue me from place to place to carry suche thinges as was necessarie in so muche that I was receaued by these twoo as a thirde brother and compaignion and I thought I was neuer better placed then with them For when night came y ◠supper was done their busines ended they would bring many good morsels into their chamber for thē selues One wold bring pigges chickins fish other good meates the other fine bread pasties tartes custardes other delicate ionckettes dipped in honie And when thei had shutte their chamber doore and went to the baynes O Lorde how I woulde fill my guttes with those goodly dishes Neither was I so muche a foole or so very an Asse to leaue the deintie meates grinde my téeth vpō harde hey In this sort I continued a great space for I plaied the honest Asse takinge but a litle of one dishe and a litle of an other whereby no man mistrusted me In the ende I was more hardier beganne to deuoure the whole messes of the swéetest delicates which caused the Baker the Cooke to suspect how be it they neuer mistrusted me but searched about to apprehēde the théefe At length they began
Meroe so called of Meris which in Englis he is stronge wine vntempred The sponge 〈◊〉 meth of the 〈◊〉 The presumptions of Magistrates Suche drousie seruaeuntes haue ready answeres The wayfaring man that hath no monie may singe merely before the theefe Cerberus is the dogge of hell feigned by the Poetes to staÌ„d aâ— Plutoes gates â—anthia saide before beware spoge that thou passe not by the runninge riuer He speaketh to Apulcius Auarice maketâ— men ill spokâ— of Couet ousnes is extreme misery The nâ—ggarde kepeth close his doores alwaies â—o vsed Magistrates to goo sometime in â—ome Such suppers vseth vserers to make Yonge men are prone to fall into the daunger of loue Time place and occasion teÌ„pteth a man muche The like saying hath Terence Such meate fâ—â—reth vp 〈◊〉 excidingh A pretie tale Dâ—ophanes tolde the fortune of others but his owne he coulde not tell A plâ—asant tale Kisus the God if sporte The inuectiue 〈◊〉 against Apuleius The answeare of Apuleius This maide was thought to be Venus Hymeneu the God of Marriage Wâ—men caÌ„ doâ— most when they be in bedde Such taske vse gosseps when they meete together So vseth yonge wiues to doo The childe taketh the shape of the Father The enuious person pineâ—h as others felicitie The absent of louers is greatest punishmet As euery vertue is rewarded so euery vice is punisshed Iuno was daughter of Saturne and Opis sister and wife of Iupiter Ceres other wife called â—sis wife of Osâ—ris 〈◊〉 of Egipte â–ª she 〈◊〉 supposed to be the Goddesse of Haruest The vse of cutte purses now a daies vvho was now 〈◊〉 Asse Surmises of the common people His white horse was likewise taken away by the Theeues The Asse speaketh God seÌ„des fooles fortune As Trasileon Lamathus c. This yonge man was â—epâ—lemus the yonge maydens spouse A preâ—y deceiple of Lepolemus A forged lie Apuleius speaketh A prety wyle to saue his wife â—â—ere Lepolemâ—â— draweth to his purpose Apuleius speaketh The iudgement of an Asse A prety iest of an Asse This pleased the Asse Vnhappy is he that hath an ill mistris Such scrapinge dames be many now a daies Pleasure oftentimes turneth to paine The Asse hath redde Histories One sorrowe that the bâ—ye wrought to Apuleius Here they deuise to kill the Asse A friendly enemie to the Asse Apuleius speaketh He falleth into Scilla that will auoide Charibdis Apuleius geldinge was delaide A foolish woman to laye the fault to a bruite beast The Asse speaketh These vices are lightly linked together Good fame is better then riches Here the LaÌ„bes made muche of the Wolfe O wicked deede O more mischeuous facte Worse then Iudas The parte of a good woman Murder is alwaies reueled The whote furies of deuelisâ— appetites The Goddes suffereth no vice vnpunished O deede woorthy of remembraunce The Asse speaketh A dreadfull place of dauÌ„ger So vsed they in olde time to offer to Images So vsed feigned EgiptiaÌ„s of latâ— yeres in EnglaÌ„d â–ª There is no mallice aboue the mallice of a woman Thus old baudes seweth for yoÌ„g knaues What is more worse then a ielous person Golde coÌ„quereth all thinges Women easely allured by giftes Here gold brake faith and trust Haste is noâ— good A harlot spendeth the substance of her husbande As quicke of sight abroade as linx but blinâ—â— at home Abhorring such crimes in others 〈◊〉 they vse them selues Whoredome wilbe knowen â–ª Poore fare and poore lodginge in time of necessitie is good Terrible tokeÌ„s Suche thinges happen before death and dreadfull chauÌ„ses The thinge which the said straunge tokens foreshewed Might ouercometh right The lawe redresseth the poore maÌ„s causâ— Nothing worse then to fall into the haÌ„des of enemies A frieÌ„de in aduersitie is better then treasure A pitifull 〈◊〉 of a stepdame and her sonne in lawe A thinge rooted deepe can skars he pulled vp VVisdome lieth in hoare headed â—ge A womaÌ„ either loueth thee burningly or hateth the extremely To proceede by lawe is iustice for lawe is very iustice The Asse speaketh Thus they vsed in olde time to putte suche to death as had killed any of their kinrede But that lawe was afterward abrogate Iudges are sworne to execute Iustice 〈◊〉 vseth theeues to doo when euident proufes are showen The office of a Phisician is to cute and not to kill as I haue harde tell many PhisiciaÌ„s of speculation haue done before thei haue come to practise Sorrowe into gladnes the women mentioned in the warres that the Romaines had against the CarthaginieÌ„ses were so gladde when they saw their sonnes aliue who were reported to be dead that their hartes braâ—â—e a sonder and so died for ioye Here I haue lefâ— out certain lines propter honestatem Here the triÌ„uph is expressed The offer of loue passed kingdomes and treasure The Asses prayer to the Moone The woordes of the God desse to the Asse The onely helpe of the Asse Populis missio Asinius by taking away the letter i. is made Asinus