messenger willed her to do But wheÌ„ she was come to the snare engin whiche was prepared for her The mischeuous womaÌ„ like one that were mad possessed with some il spirit scourged her first with roddes from top to too when y â— poore maideÌ„ called for help w t a loud voice to her brother y â— wicked harlot wéening y â— she had inuented feigned y â— matter tooke a burning fireband thrust it into her secret place whereby she died miserably The husband of this maiden but especialy her brother aduertised of her death came to y â— place where she was slain after great lameÌ„tation weping thei caused her to be buried honorably The yongman her brother taking in ill part y â— miserable deeth of his sister as it was conuenient he should coÌ„ceiued so great dolour within his mind was stroken w t so pestilent furie of bitter anguishe that he fell into the burning passions of a dauÌ„gerous ague wherby he séemed in such necessitie y â— he néeded to haue some spéedy remedy to saue his life The woman y â— slew the maideÌ„ hauing lost y â— name of wife together w t her faith weÌ„t to a traiterous PhisitioÌ„ who had killed a great many persons in his daies promised him fifty pieces of gold if he would giue her a preseÌ„t poisoÌ„ to kil her husbaÌ„d out of haÌ„d but in preseÌ„ce of her husband she feigned that it was necessarie for him to receiue a certaine kinde of drinke whiche y â— maisters and doctours of phisick doo call a sacred potion to thintent he might purge choller and skowre the interior partes of his bodie But the Phisition in stéede of that drinke prepared a mortall and deadly poyson and wheÌ„ he had tempred it accordingly he tooke the potte in presence of all the familie and other neighbours frendes of the sicke yonge man and offred it vnto the patient But the bolde and hardie woman to thende she might accomplish her wicked intent and also gaine the mony whiche she had promised the Phisition staide the potte w t her hand saying I praie you maister Phisition minister not this drinke vnto my déere husbande vntill suche time as you haue dronke some part thereof your selfe For what knowe I whether you haue mingled any poyson in the drinke or no wherein I pray you not to be offended For I know that you are a man of wisdome and learning but this I doo to thintent the conscience and loue that I beare to the health saluegarde of my husband may be apparant The Phisition being greatly troubled at the wickednes of this mischieuous woman as voide of all councell and leisure to consider on the matter and least he might geue any cause of suspition to the standers by or showe any scruple of his gilty conscience by reason of long delaie tooke the pott in his hande presently dronke a good draught therof which done the yonge man hauing no mistrust dronke vp the residue The Phisition would haue gone immediatly home to receiue a contrepoison to expell driue out the first poyson But the wicked woman perseuering in her mischiefe would not suffer him to departe one foote vntill such time as y â— poyson began to woorke in him and then by much prayer and intercessioÌ„ she licensed him to goe home By the way the poyson inuaded the intrailes and bowels of the whole bodie of the Phisitian in such sort that with great paine he came to his owne house where he had skarse time to speake to his wife and to will her to receaue the promised salary of the death of twoo persones but he yéelded vp y â— ghost And the other yong man liued not long after but likewise died emongst the feigned and deceitfull teares of his cursed wife A few daies after when the yong man was buried and the funeralles ended the Phisicians wife demauÌ„ded of her the fiftie pieces of golde whiche she promised her husband for the drinke whereat the ill disposed womaÌ„ with resemblance of honestie answeared her with gentle woordes and promised to giue her the fistie pieces of golde if she woulde fetche her a litle of that same drinke to proceede and make an end of all her enterprise The Phisitians wife partely to winne the further fauour of this riche woman and partely to gayne the money ranne incoÌ„tinently home brought her the whole potte of poison which when she saw hauing now occasion to execute her further malice began to stretche out her bloudy handes to murder she had a daâ—ghter by her husbande that was poisoned who accordinge to order of law was appointed heyre of al the laÌ„des goodes of her father but this woman knowyng that the mothers succede their children and receaue all their goodes after their death purposed to show her self a like parent to her childe as she was a wife to her husbande wherupon she prepared a dinner with her owne handes and empoisoned both the wife of the Phisitian and her owne daughter The childe beynge yong and tender died incontinently by force of the drinke but the Phisitians wife beinge stoute and of stronge complexion féelinge the poison tâ—ill downe into her bodie doubted the matter therupon knowyng of certaintie that she had receaued her baine ranne foorthwith to the Iudges house that what with her cries and exclamatioÌ„s she raised vp the people of the towne and promisinge them to reueale and showe diuers wicked and mischeuous actes caused that the doores and gates of the Iudge were opened wheÌ„ she came in she declared from the beginninge to the ende the abhomination of this woman but she had skarse ended her tale when openinge her falinge lippes and grindinge her téeth together she fel downe dead before the face of the iudge who incontinently to trie the truth of the matter caused the cursed woman and her seruauntes to be pulled out of the house and enforced by paine of torment to confesse the veritie whiche beynge knowen this mischieuous woman farre lesse then she deserued but because there coulde be no more cruell a death inuented for the qualitie of her offence was condemned to be caten of wilde beastes beholde with this woman was I appointed to haue to doo before the face of al the people but I beyng wrapped in great anguishe and enuiynge the day of the triuÌ„phe wheÌ„ we twoo should so abandon our selues together deuised rather to 〈◊〉 my self then to pollute my body w t this mischeuous harlot and so for euer to remaine deffamed but it was impossible for me to doo considering that I lacked handes was not able to hold a knife in my hoofes howbeit staÌ„ding in a pretie cabyn I reioysed in my self to sée that spring time was come that all thinges florished that I was in good hope to finde some roses to render me to my humaine shape When the day of the triumph came I was ledde with great pompe and magnificence
present estate and therby trāsforme them selues into the right and perfect shape of men The argument of the booke is How Lucius Apuleius the Author him selfe traueled into Thessaly being a region in Grece where all the women for the most parte be such wonderfull witches that thei can transfourme men into the figure of beastes wheare after he had cōtinued a fewe daies by the mighty force of a violent confection he was chaunged into a miserable Asse and nothinge might reduce him to his wonted shape but the eatinge of a Rose whiche after endurāce of infinite sorow at lēgth he obteined by praier Verely vnder the wrappe of this transformation is taxed the life of mortall men when as we suffer our mindes so to be drowned in the sensuall lustes of the fleshe and the beastly pleasure therof whiche aptly may be called the violent confection of witches that we léese wholy the vse of reason and vertue which proprely should be in man play the partes of bruite and sauage beastes By like occasion we reade how diuers of the compaignions of Vlisses weare turned by the meruelous power of Circe into Swine And finde we not in the Scripture that Nabuchodonoser the ninth King of Babylō by reason of his great dominiōs and roialmes fell into such excéedyng pride that he was sodenly transformed of almighty God into an horrible monster hauyng the head of an Oxe the féete of a Beare and the taile of a Lion and did eate heye as a beast But as Lucius Apuleius was chaunged into his humaine shape by a Rose the compaignions of Vlisses by great intercession and Nabuchodonoser by the continuall prayers of Daniell whereby they knewe them selues and liued after a good vertuous life So can we neuer be restored to the right figure of our selues except we taste and eate the swéete Rose of reason and vertue which the rather by mediation of prayer we may assuredly attaine Againe may not the meaning of this woorke be altered turned in this sorte A man desirous to apply his minde to some excellent art or giuen to the studie of any of the sciences at the first appeareth to him selfe an Asse without witte without knowledge not much vnlike a bruite beast till such time as by muche paine and trauell he hath atchieued to the perfectnes of the same tastinge the swéete floure and fruicte of his studies doth thinke him selfe well brought to the right and very shape of a man Finally the Metamorphosie of L. Apuleius may be resembled to youth without discretion and his reduction to age possessed with wisedome and vertue Now since this booke of Lucius is a figure of mās life and toucheth the nature and manners of mortall men egginge them forward from their Asinall fourme to their humaine and perfect shape beside the pleasaunt delectable iestes therein conteined I trust if my simple translatiō be nothing accepted yet the matter it selfe shalbe estéemed by such as not onely delight to please their fancie in readinge the same but also take a pattern thereby to regenerate their mindes from brutish and beastly custome How be it I haue not so exactly passed thorough the Author as to pointe euery sentēce accordinge as it is in Latine or so absolutely translated euery woorde as it lieth in the prose for so the French and Spanish translators haue not done considering the same in our vulgar tongue would haue appeared very obscure and darke thereby cōsequently lothsome to the Reader but nothing erringe as I trust from the giuen and naturall meaninge of the author haue vsed more commo◠and familiar woordes yet not so muche as I might doo for the plainer settinge foorth of the same But how so euer it be gentle Reader I pray thée take it in good part considering that for thée I haue taken this paine to the intent that thou maist Reade the same with pleasure FINIS THE LIFE OF LVCIVS Apuleius briefly expressed LVcius Apuleius African an excellent folower of Plato his sect borne in Maudara a countrey sometime inhabited by the Romaines and vnder the iurisdiction of Syphar situate and liyng vpon the borders of Numidia Getulia whereby he calleth him selfe halfe a Numidian and halfe a Getulian And Sidonius named him the Platonian Madaurēce his father called Theseus had passed all offices of dignitie in his countrey with much honour his mother named Saluia was of such excellent vertue that she passed all the dames of her time borne of an auncient house descended from the noble Philosopher Plutarche Sextus his Nephew His wife called Pudētila was endowed with as much vertue and richesse as any woman might be He him selfe was of high comely stature gray eied his heare yellow a beawtifull personage he florished in Carthage in the time of Iolianus Auitus and Claudius Maximus procōsules where he spent his youth in learning the liberall sciences and much profited vnder his maisters there whereby not without cause he gloriously calleth him selfe the nourice of Carthage the Clestial Muse and venerable mistres of Affrick sone after at Athenes wheare in times past the well of all doctrine flourished he tasted many of the cuppes of the Muses he learned Poetry Geometry Musike Logicke and the vniuersall knowledge of Philosophie and studied not in vaine the nine Muses that is to say the nine noble roiall disciplines Immediatly after he went to Rome studied there the Latine tongue with such labour and continuall studie that he atchieued to great eloquēce and was knowen and approued to be excellently learned whereby he might woorthily be called Polyhistor y ◠is to say one that knoweth much or many thinges And beinge thus no lesse endewed with eloquēce than with singular learning he wrote many bookes for them that should come after Wherof parte by negligence of times be intercepted and parte now extant doo sufficiently declare with how muche wisedome and doctrine he florished with how much vertue he excelled emongst the rude and barbarous people The like was Anacharsis emōgst the most luskishe Scythes but emongst the bookes of Lucius Apuleius which are perished preuented howbeit greatly desired of vs now a daies was one entituled Banketing questions an other entreatinge of the nature of Fishe an other of the generation Beastes an other conteininge his Epigrāmes and an other called Hermagoras but suche as are now extant are the fower bookes named Floridorum wherein is conteined a florishinge stile and a sauery kinde of learninge whiche delighteth holdeth and reioyseth the Reader meruelously wherein you shall finde a great varietie of thinges as leapinge one from an other One excellent and copious oration conteininge all the grace and vertue of the art Oratorie whereby he cléereth him selfe of the crime of art Magicke which was sclaunderously obiected against him by his enuious aduersaries wherin is conteined such force of eloquence and doctrine as he séemeth to passe and excell him selfe There is an other booke
with him at the table After long time wheÌ„ we had traueled aswel by sea as lande fortuned to arriue at Corinth the people of the towne came about vs on euery side not so muche to doo honour vnto Thiasus as to sée me For my fame was so greatly spredde there y â— I gained my maister muche money and when the people was desirous to sée me play qualities they caused the gates te be shutte and suche as entâ—ed in should pay money by meanes wherof I was a profitable compaignion to them euery day There fortuned to be emongst the assembly a noble and riche Matron that conceaued much delight to behold me in so much that she was amorous of me and coulde finde no remedie to her passions and disordinate appetite but coÌ„tinually desired to haue her pleasure with me as Pasiphae had with a Bull. In the ende she promised a great rewarde to my kéeper for the custodie of me one night who for gayne of a litle money acccorded to her desire and when I had supped in a parler with my maister we departed away and went into our chamber where we found the fayre matron who had tarried a great space for our comminge I am not able to recite vnto you how al thinges there were prepared there weare fower Eunuques that laide a bedde of downe on the grounde with bolsters accordingly for vs to lie on the couerlette was of clothe of Golde and the pillowes softe and tender wheron the delicate Matron had accustomed to lay her head then the Eunuques not mindinge to delay any lenger the pleasure of their Mistris closed the doores of the chamber and departed away within the chamber weare lampes that gaue a cléere light all the place ouer Then she put of all her garmentes to her naked skinne and takinge the lampe that stoode nexte to her beganne to annointe all her body with baulme and mine likewise but especially my nose whiche done she kissed me not as thei accustome to doo at the stewes or in brothell houses or in the courtisant schooles for gayne of money but purely sincerly and with great affection castinge out these and like louinge woordes Thou arte he whome I loue thou arte he whome I onely desire without thée I cannot liue and other like preamble of talke as women can vse well inoughe when they minde to showe or declare their burninge passions and great affection of loue Then she toke me by the halter and caste me vpon the bedde whiche was nothinge straunge vnto me consideringe that she was so beautifull a Matron and I so well bolen out with wyne and perfumed with balme whereby I was readely prepared for the purpose But nothing greued me so much as to thinke how I should with my huge and great legges embrase so faire a matroÌ„ or how I should touche her fine deintie and silkeÌ„ skinne with my hard hoofes or howe it was possible to kisse her soft her pretie and ruddie lippes with my monstrous mouthe and stony téeth or how she who was so yonge and tender could be able to receiue me And I verely thought if I should hurte the womaÌ„ by any kind of meane I should be throwen out to the wilde beastes But in the meane season she kissed me and looked on me with burninge eies saiyng I holde thée my cony I hold thée my nops my sparowe and therewithall she eftsones embrased my bodie round about and had her pleasure with me whereby I thought the mother of Minotaurus did not causelesse quenche her inordinat deâ—ier with a Bull. When night was passed with muche ioye and small sleape The matron went before daie to my kéeper to bargaine with him for an other night whiche he willingly graunted partly for gaine of money and partly to finde newe pastime for my maister Who after he was enformed of all y â— historie of my luxurie was right glad and rewarded my kéeper wel for his peines minding to showe before the face of all the people what I could doo but because they would not suffre the matron to abide suche shame by reason of her dignitie and because they could finde no other that would endeuour so great a reproche At length they obteined for money a poore woman which was condemned to be eateÌ„ of wild beastes with whome I should openly haue to doo But first I will tell you what a tale I hard concerning this woman This woman had a husbande whose father minding to ride foorth commaunded his wife which he left at home great with childe that if she weare deliuered of a doughter it should incontinently be killed WheÌ„ the time of her deliuery came it fortuned that she had a daughter whome she would not suffer to be slaine by reason of the natural affection which she bare vnto her childe but secretly coÌ„mitted her to one of her neighbours to nource And when her husbande returned home she declared vnto him that she was deliuered of a daughter whome as he commaunded she had caused to be put to death But when this childe came to age and readie to be maried The mother knew not by what meanes she should endow her daughter but that her husband should vnderstand and perceiue it Wherfore she discouered the matter to her sonne who was the husband of this woman condemned to be eaten of wilde beastes For she greatly feared lest he shold vnwares fancie or fall in loue with his owne sister The yong man vnderstanding the whole matter to please gratifie his mother weÌ„t immediatly to the yoÌ„g maideÌ„ keping the matter secret in his hart for feare of inconuenience lamenting to sée his sister forsaken both of mother and father incontinently after endowed her w t part of his owne goodes and would haue maried her to one of his especiall trusty frendes But although he brought this to passe very secretly sagely yet in the ende cruell and enuious fortune sowed great sedition in his house For his wife who was now coÌ„demned to beastes waxed ielous of her husband and began to suspect the yong woman as a harlot and commoÌ„ queane in so much that she inuented all manner of meanes to dispatche her out of the way And in the end she inuented this kinde of mischiefe She priuely stale away her husbandes ringe went into the couÌ„trey where as she coÌ„maunded one of her trustie seruauÌ„tes to take y â— ringe to carie it to the maiden To whom he should declare y â— her brother did pray her to come into y â— couÌ„trie to him that she should come alone without any other person And to theÌ„d she shold not delay but come with al spede he should deliuer her the ringe which should be a sufficieÌ„t testimony of his message The maideÌ„ assone as she had receiued y â— ring of her brother being very willing desirous to obey his coÌ„maundement For she knew no otherwise but that he had sent for her went in al haste as y â—
I finde here passe you all the day and the night in wepinge will you not cease in your husbandes armes Goe too doo what you wil purchase your owne destruction when you finde it so then remeÌ„ber my woordes and repent but too late Then she desired her husbande more and more assuringe him that she should die vnlesse he woulde graunt that she might sée her sisters whereby she might speake with them comfort them whereat at length he was contented and moreouer he willed that she should giue them as much Golde and Iuelles as she would but he gaue her a further charge saying beware that ye couet not beinge moued by the pernicious counsel of your sisters to sée the shape of my person least by your curiositie you be depriued of so great and woorthy estate Psyches beinge gladde herewith rendred vnto him most entier thankes and said Swéete husbande I had rather die then to be seperate from you for whosoeuer you be I loue and retaine you within my harte as if you weare mine owne spirite or Cupide him selfe but I pray you graunt this likewise that you would commaunde your seruaunt Zephyrus to bringe my sisters downe into the valley as he brought me wherwithal she kissed him swéetely and desired him gently to graunt her request callinge him her spouse her swéete harte her ioye her solace whereby she enforced him to agrée to her minde and when morninge came he departed away After longe search made the sisters of Psyches came vnto the hill where she was set on the rocke and cried with a lowde voice in suche sorte that the stones answeared againe And when they called their sister by her name that their lamentable cries came vnto her eares she came foorth and said beholde here is she for whome you wéepe I pray you torment your selues no more cease your wéeping And by by she coÌ„maunded Zephyrus by the appointment of her husband to bring them downe Neither did he delay for with gentle blastes he retained them vp and laide them softely in the valey I am not able to expresse the often embrasinge kissing and gretyng which was betwéene them thrée all sorowes and teares were then laide aparte Come in ê™ Psyches into our house refresh your afflicted mindes with your sister After this she showed them the storehouses of treasure she caused them to heare the voices whiche serued her the bayne was ready the meates were brought in when they had eaten and filled them selues with diuine delicates they conceaued great enuie within their hartes and one of theÌ„ beinge very curious did demaunde what her husbande was of what state who was the Lorde of so pretious a house but Psyches remembringe the promise which she made to her husbande feigned that he was a yonge man of comely stature with a flexen bearde and had great delight in huntinge in the hilles and dales by And least by her longe talke she should be founde to trippe or faile in her woordes she filled their lappes with Golde Siluer and Iewels and commauÌ„ded Zâ—phirus to carry them away When they were brought vp to the mountaine they toke their waies â—omewarde to their owne houses and murmured with enuy that they bare against Psyches sayinge beholde cruell contrary fortune behold how we borne all of one parent haue diuers destinies but especially we y â— are y e elder twoo be married to strauÌ„ge husbandes made as handemaidons and as it were banished from our countrie fréendes wheras our yoÌ„ger sister hath so great abondaunce of treasure and gotten a God to her husbande who hath no skill how to vse so great plenty of richesse sawe you not sister what was in the house what great store of Iewelles what glitteringe robes what gemmes what golde we trode on That if she haue a husbande accordinge as she affirmeth there is none that liueth this daye more happie in all the worlde then she And so it may come to passe that at length for the great affection and loue whiche he may beare vnto her he may make her a Goddesse for by Hercules suche was her countenaunce so she behaued her selfe that as a Goddesse she had voyces to serue her and the windes did obay her But I poore wretche haue firste married a husbande elder then my Father more balde then a coote more weake then a childe and that locketh me vp all day in the house Then sayde the other sister and in faith I am married to a husbande that hath the gowte twyfolde crooked not couragious in payinge my debt I am sayne to rubbe and mollifie his stonie fingers with diuers sortes of oyles to wrappe them in playsters and salues so that I soyle my white and deintie handes with the corruption of filthy cloutes not vsing my selfe like a wife but more like a seruaunt and you my sister séeme likewise to be in bondage and seruitude wherefore I cannot abide to sée our yonger sister in suche great felicitie sawe you not I pray howe proudely and arrogantly she handled vs euen now and how in vauntinge her selfe she vttered her presumptuous minde how she caste a litle Golde into our lappes and beyng werie of our company commaunded that we should be borne and blowen away verely I liue not nor am a woman but I will depriue her of all her blisse And if you my sister be so farre bente as I lette vs consulte together and not vtter our minde to any person no nor yet to our parentes nor tell that euer we sawe her For it suffiseth that we haue séene her whome it repenteth to haue séene neither lette vs declare her good fortune to our Father nor to any other since as they séeme not happy whose richesse are vnknowen So shall she knowe that she hath sisters no abiectes but more woorthier then she But now lette vs goe home to our husbandes and poore houses and when we are better instructed lette vs returne to suppresse her pryde so this euill counsell pleased these twoo euill women and they hidde the treasure whiche Psyches gaue them and fare their heare renewynge their false and forged teares When their father and mother behelde them wéepe and lament still they doubled their sorrowes and griefes but full of yre and farced with enuie they toke their voyage homewarde deuisinge the slaughter and destruction of their sister In the meane season y â— husband of Psiches did warne her againe in the night with these woordes Séest thou not ê™ he what perill and daunger euill fortune doth threaten vnto thée whereof if thou take not good héede it will shortly come vpon thée for the vnfaithfull harlottes doo greatly endeuour to set their snares to catch thée and their purpose is to make and perswade thée to beholde my face which if thou once fortune to sée as I haue often tolde thou shalt sée no more wherefore if these naughty hegges armed with wicked mindes doo chaunce to come againe as I
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
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
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