to accuse one an other of thefte to sette the dishes morsels of meate in order one by an other because they would learne what was takeÌ„ away wherby one of theÌ„ was coÌ„pelled to say thus to his fellow is it reason to breake promise and faith in this sorte by stealinge away the beste meate and to sell it to augment thy good and yet neuerthelesse to haue thy parte of the residew that is lefte if our partnershippe doo mislike thée we wilbe parteners and brothers in other thinges but in this we will breake of for I perceaue that the great losse which I sustaine wil at length be a cause of great discorde betwéene vs TheÌ„ answeared the other verely I prayse thy great constaÌ„cie and subtilnes in that when thou hast secretely takeÌ„ away the meate doest beginne to coÌ„playne first wheras I by longe space of time haue suffred thée because I woulde not séeme to accuse my brother of thefte but I am right gladde in that we are fallen into commnnication of this matter least by our silence like contention might arise betwéene vs as fortuned betwéene Etheâ—â—les and his brother when thei had reasoned together in this sort they swoore both earnestly that neyther of them stale or toke away any iote of the meate wherefore they concluded to searche out the théefe by al kinde of meanes For they coulde not imagine or thinke that the Asse who stoode alone there woulde eate any suche meates neither coulde they thinke that myce or slies were so rauenous as to deuoure whole dishes of meate like the byrdes Harpies which carried away y â— meates of Phineus kinge of Archadia In the meane season while I was fedde with deintie morselles I gathered together my flesh my skinne waxed softe my heare beganne to shine and I was gallant on euery parte but suche fayre and comely shape of my bodie was cause of my dishonour for the Baker and the Cooke merueled to sée me so slike and fine considering I did eate no hay at all Wherefore on a time at their accustomed houre they wente to the baynes locked their chamber doore It fortuned that eare they departed away they espied me thorough a hole how I fel roundly to my victuales Then they merueled greatly and litle estéeminge the losse of their meate laughed excéedingly callinge y â— seruauntes of the house to showe them the gréedy gorge and appetite of the Asse Their laughinge was so immoderate that the maister of the house harde them demauÌ„ded the cause of their laughter and when he vnderstoode all the matter he looked thorough y â— hole likewise wherwith he toke such a delectation that he commauÌ„ded the doore to be opened that he might sée him at his pleasure Then I beholding euery man laugh was nothing abashed but rather more bold whereby I neuer rested eating til such time as the master of y â— house commaunded me to be brought into his parler as a noueltie theere caused al kindes of meates which were neuer touched to be set on the table which although I had eaten sufficiently before yet to winne the further fauour of the maister of the house I did gréedely deuoure made a cleane riddance of the delicate meates And to proue my nature wholy they gaue me suche meate as euery Asse doth greatly abhorre for they put before me biefe and vinegre biâ—des and pepper fishe vergisse in the meane season thei that beheld me at the table did nothing but laugh Then one of the seruauÌ„ts of the house said to his maister I pray you sir giue him some drinke to his supper Mary ê™ he I thinke thou sayest true For so it may be that to his meate he wold drinke likewise a cuppe of wine No boy washe yonder potte and fill it with wine whiche done carrie it to the Asse and say that I haue dronke to him Then all the standers by looked on to sée what woulde come to passe but I assone as I behelde the cuppe stayed not long but gathering my lippes together supped vp all the wine at one draught The maister being right ioyfull hereat caused the Baker and the Cooke which had bought me to come before him to whome he deliuered fower times as much for me as they paide which done he committed me to one of his riche libertines and charged him to looke wel to me and that I should lacke nothinge who obayed his maisters commauÌ„dement in euery pointe And to the ende he would crepe further into his fauour he taught me a thousande qualities First he instructed me to sitte at y â— table vpon my taile and how I should leape daunce holding vp my former féete moreouer he taught me how I should answeare wheÌ„ any body spake vnto me with nodding my head which was a strauÌ„ge meruelous thing if I did lacke drinke I should looke still vpon the potte All whiche thinges I did willingly bring to passe obeyed his doctrine howbeit I could haue done al these things without his teaching but I feared greatly least in showing my selfe conning without a master I shoulde portende some great and straunge wonder therby be throwen out to wilde beastes But my fame was spredde about in euery place and the qualities which I could doo in so much y â— my master was renoumed thorough out all the countrie by reason of me For euery man woulde say Beholde the gentleman that hath an Asse that will eate and drinke with him that will daunce and vnderstaÌ„dinge what is said to him will show his fantasie by signes But first I will tel you which I should haue done before who my maister was and of what couÌ„try his name was Thiasus he was borne at Corinth which is the principal towne of al Achaia he had passed many offices of honour till he had taken vppon him the degrée Quinquenuall accordinge as his birth and dignitie required who to showe his woorthines and to purchase the beneuolence of euery person apoynted publique ioyes and triumphes to endure the space of thrée dayes and to bringe his endeuor to passe he came into Thessalie to bie excelleÌ„t beastes valiant fighters for the purpose ¶ How a certaine Matron fell in loue with Apuleius and howe he had his pleasure with her and what other thinges happened Cap. 46. WHen he had bought such thinges ss was necessary he woulde not returne home into his country in chariottes or waggons neither would he ride vpon Thessalian horses or gennettes of fraunce or spanishe mules which be most excelleÌ„t that can be founde but caused me to be garnished and trimmed with trappers bardes of golde with braue harnesse with purple coueringes with a bridle of siluer with pictured clothes with shrillinge belles in this manner he code vpon me louingly speaking entreating me with gentle woordes but aboue all thinges he did greatly reioyse in that I was his seruant to beare him vpon my backe and his compaignion to féede
to the appointed place whither when I was brought I firste sawe the preamble of the triumphe dedicated with dauÌ„sers and mery tauntyng iestes and I in the meane season was placed before the gate of the Theatre whereas on the one side I sawe the gréene and freshe grasse growinge before the entrie thereof whereon I greatly desired to féede On the other side I conceaued a great delectation to sée when the Theatre gates were opened how al thinges was finely prepared sette foorth For there I might see yonge children and maydens in the flowre of their youth of excellent beautie and attyred gorgeously daunsing mouing in comely order according to the order of Grecia for sometime they would daunce in length somtime rounde together sometime deuide theÌ„ selues in fower partes somtime lose handes on euery side but when the trumpet gaue warnyng y â— euery maÌ„ should retire to his place Then began the triumphe to appeare First there was a hil of woodde not much vnlike that whiche the Poet Homer called Idea for it was garnished about with all sorte of gréene verduâ—es and liuely trées from the toppe whereof raÌ„ne downe a cléere fresh fouÌ„taine nourishinge the waters below about which woodde were many yoÌ„g tender Goates pluckyng féeding deintily on the budding trées then came a yonge man a shéepeherde representinge Paris richly arraied with vestmentes of Barbarie hauinge a mitre of gold vpoÌ„ his head séeming as though he kept y â— goates After him ensewed an other yong maÌ„ all naked sauing y â— his left shoulder was couered with a rich cloke and his head shininge with glisteringe heares hangyng downe through whiche you might perceaue twoo litle winges wherby you might coÌ„iecture that he was Mercury with his rodde called Caduceus he bare in his right hand an apple of golde and with a séemely gate went towardes him that represented Paris and after that he had deliuered him the apple he made a signe signifiyng that Iupiter had commaunded him so to doo wheÌ„ he had done his message he departed away And by and by behold there approched a fayre comely maiden not much vnlike to Iuno for she had a Diademe of golde vpon her head and in her hande she bare a regall Sceptre then followed an other resemblinge Pallas for she had on her head a shining sallett wheron was bounde a garlande made of Oliue braunches hauinge in one hande a targette or shilde and in the other a speare as though she would fight then came an other which passed the other in beautie represented the goddesse Venus with the colour of Ambrosia wheÌ„ she was a mayden and to the ende she would show her perfect beautie she appeared all naked sauing that her fine and deintie skinne was couered with a thinne smocke whiche the winde blewe hither and thither to testifie the youth and flowre of the age of the Dame her colour was of twoo sortes for her bodie was white as descended from heauen her smocke was blewishe as arriued from the sea After euery one of the virgins whiche séemed Goddesses followed certaine waytinge seruauntes Castor and Pollux went behind Iuno hauinge on their heades helmettes couered with starres This virgin Iuno sowned a feewte whiche she bare in her hand and moued her selfe towardes the shéepeherd Paris showyng by honest signes and tokens and promisinge that he should be Lord of all Asia if he would iudge her the fairest of the thrée to giue her the apple of golde The other mayden whiche séemed by her armour to be Pallas was accompaigned with two yong men armed and brandishinge their naked swoordes in their handes wherof one was named Terror and the other Feare behinde them approched one soundinge his trumpet to prouoke and stirre men to battaile this maiden began to daunce and shake her head throwyng her fierce and terrible eyes vpon Paris and promising that if it pleased him to giue her the victory of beawtie she would make him the most stronge victorious man aliue Then came Venus and presented her selfe in the middle of the Theatre with much fauour of al the people for she was accompaigned with a great number of youth whereby you would haue iudged them to be all Cupidoes eyther to haue flowen from heauen or els froÌ„ the riuer of the sea for they had winges arrowes and the residew of their habite according in eche point they bare in their handes torches lighted as though it had bene a day of mariage then came in a great multitude of fayre maidens On the one side were the most comely Graces on the other side the moste beautifull Howres carriyng garlandes and loose flowres makinge great honour to the Goddesse of pleasure the flewtes and pypes yéelded out the swéete sounde of Lidians whereby they pleased the mindes of the staÌ„ders by excéedingly but the more pleasinge Venus moued forwarde more and more shakinge her head answeared by her motion and gesture to the sounde of the instrumentes For sometimes she woulde winke gentely sometimes threaten and looke asperly and sometime daunce onely with her eies Assone as she was come before the Iudge she made a signe and token to giue him the moste fayrest spouse of all the worlde if he woulde preferre her aboue the residew of the Goddesses then the yonge Phrigian shéepeherde Paris with a willinge minde deliuered the Golden apple to Venus whiche was the Victorie of beawtie Why doo ye meruell ye Orators ye Lawiers Aduocates if many of our Iudges nowe a dayes sell their iudgementes for money when as in the beginninge of the world one onely Grace corrupted the senteÌ„ce betwéene God and men and that one rusticall iudge and shéepeherde appointed by the counsell of the great Iupiter solde his iudgement for a litle pleasure which was the cause afterwarde of the ruine of all his progeny by like maÌ„ner of meane was sentence giuen betwéene the noble Gréekes For the noble and valiaunt personage Palamades was conuicted and atteinted of treason by false perswasion and accusation and Vlisses being but of base condition was preferred in Martiall prowesse aboue great Aiax what iudgement was there likewise emongst the Atheman lawyers sage and expert in all sciences was not Socrates who was preferred by the God Apollo aboue all the wisemen of the worlde by enuie and malice of wicked persons empoysoned with the hearbe Cicuta as one that corrupted the youth of the countrie whome alwaies he kepte vnder by correction For we sée now a daies many excellent Philosophers greatly desire to follow his secte and by perpetuall studie to volue and reuolue his woorkes but tâ— the ende I may not be reproued of indignation by any one that might say what shal we suffer an Asse to play the Philosopher I will returne to my former purpose After the iudgement of Paris was ended Iuno Pallas departed away angerly showynge by their gesture that they would reueÌ„ge them selues on Paris but
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
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
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
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