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
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
The .xi. Bookes of the Golden Asse Conteininge the Metamorphosie of Lucius Apuleius enterlaced with sondrie pleasaunt and delectable Tales with an excellent Narration of the Mariage of Cupide and Psiches set out in the .iiij. v. and vj. Bookes Translated out of Latine into Englishe by VVilliam Adlington Imprinted at London in Fleetstreate at the signe of the Oliphante by Henry VVykes Anno. 1566. To the right Honorable and Mightie Lorde Thomas Earle of Sussex Viscont Fitzwaltre Lorde of Egremont and of Burnell Knight of the most noble Order of the Garter Iustice of the Forestes and Chases from Trente sowthwarde and Capitaine of the Gentlemen Pentioners of the house of the Queene out Soueraigne Lady AFter that I had taken vpon me right Honorable in manner of that vnlearned and foolish poet Cherillus who rashly and vnaduisedly wrote a bigge volume in verses of the gestes and valiant prowesse of Alexander the great to translate this present booke conteyninge the Metamorphosy of Lucius Apuleius beynge moued therunto by the right pleasant pastime and delectable matter therein I eftsones consulted with my selfe to whome I might best offer so pleasant and woorthy a woorke deuised by the Author it beyng now barbarously and simply framed in our Englishe tongue And after longe deliberatioÌ„ had your Honorable Lordshippe came to my remembrance a man muche more woorthy then to whome so homely and rude a translation should be presented But when I againe remembred the iestinge and sportfull matter of the booke vnfitte to be offred to any man of grauitie and wisedome I was wholly determined to make no Epistle dedicatory at all till as now of late perswaded thereunto by my fréendes I haue boldly enterprised to offer the same to your Lordshippe who as I trust will with no lesse good will accept the same then if it did entreate of some serious loftie matter consideryng that although the matter therein séeme very light and mery yet the effect thereof tendeth to a good and vertuous morall as in the followynge Epistle to the Reader may be cléerly perceaued For so hath all wryters in times paste employed their trauell and labours that their posteritie might receaue some fruictfull profite by the same And therefore the Poetes feigned not their fables in vaine consideringe that children in time of their first studies are muche allured thereby to procéede to more graue and déepe disciplines whereas otherwise their mindes would quickly lothe the wise and prudent woorkes of learned men wherein in suche vnripe yéeres they take no sparke of delectation at all And not onely that profite arriseth to children by suche feigned fables but also the vertues of men are couertly thereby commended and their vices discommended and abhorred For by the fable of Actaeon where it is feigned that when he sawe Diana washinge her selfe in a well he was immediatly turned into a Hart and so was slayne of his owne Dogges may be ment that when a man casteth his eies on the vaine and soone vadynge beautie of the worlde consentinge thereto in his minde he seemeth to be turned into a brute beast and so to be slayne thorough the inordinate desire of his owne affectes By Tantalus that standeth in the middest of the floode Eridan hauynge before him a tree laden with pleasant apples he beyng neuerthelesse alwaies thursty and hungry betokeneth the insatiable desire of couetous persons The Fables of Atreus Thiestes Tereus and Progne signifieth the wicked and abhominable factes wrought and attempted by mortall men The fall of Icarus is an example to proude and arrogant persons that weeneth to clymbe vp to the Heauens By Mydas who obteined of Bacchus that all thinges whiche he touched mought be Golde is carped the foule sinne of auarice By Phaeton that vnskilfully toke in hande to rule the Charriot of the Sunne are represented those persons whiche attempt thinges passinge their power and capacitie By Castor and Pollux turned into a signe in Heauen called Gemini is signified that vertuous and godly persons shalbe rewarded after life with perpetuall blisse And in this fable or feigned ieste of Lucius Apuleius is comprehended a figure of mans life ministringe moste swéete and delectable matter to such as shalbe desirous to Reade the same The whiche if your Honorable Lordshippe shal accept and take in good parte I shall not onely thinke my small trauell and labour well employed but also receaue a farther comforte to attempt some more serious matter whiche may be more acceptable to your Lordshippe desiring the same to excuse my rashe and â—olde enterprise at this time as I nothinge doubte in your Lordshippes goodnesse To whome I beséeche Almighty God to imparte longe lyfe with increase of much Honour From Vniuersitie Colledge in Oxforde the .xviij. of September 1566. Your Honors most bounden William Adlington To the Reader WHen that I had gentle Reader slightly here there runne ouer the pleasaunt and delectable iestes of Lucius Apuleius a man of auncient discent endewed with singuler learninge written in suche a franke flourishing stile as he séemed to haue the Muses alwaies at will to féede and maineteine his penne And when againe I perceiued the matter to minister such excéedinge plentie of myrth as neuer in my iudgement the like hath bene showed by any other I purposed accordinge to my sclender knowledge though it were rudely and farre disagréeyng from the fine and excellent dooinges now a dayes to translate the same into our vulgar tongue to the ende that amongest so many sage and serious woorkes as euery man welny endeuor dayly to encrease there might be some freshe and pleasante matter to recreate the mindes of the Readers withal Howbeit I was eftesoones driuen from my purpose by two causes First perceiuinge that the Authour had written his woorke in so darke and highe a stile in so strange and absurde woordes and in such newe inuented phrases as he séemed rather to set it foorth to show his magnifency of prose then to participate his dooinges to other Secondly fearinge lest the translation of this present booke which séemeth a méere iest and fable and a woorke woorthy to be laughed at by reason of the vanitie of the Authour mighte be contemned despised of all men and so consequently I to be had in derisioÌ„ to occupy my selfe in such friuolous and trifling toyes but on the other side when I had throughly learned the intent of the Author and the purpose why he inuented so sportfull a iest I was verely perswaded that my small trauell should not onely be accepted of many but the matter it selfe allowed praised of all Wherfore I intend God willinge as nighe as I can to vtter and open the meaning thereof to the simple and ignorant whereby they may not take the same as a thing onely to iest and laugh at for the Fables of Esope the feigninge of Poetes weare neuer writen for that purpose but by the pleasauntnes therof be rather induced to the knowledge of their
I fortuned to espie a pleasaunt garden wherein besides many other flowers of delectable hewe weare newe and freshe Roses and beinge very ioyfull and desirous to catche some as I passed by I drewe nerer and nerer and while my lippes watred vpō them I thought of a better aduise more profitable for me least if from an Asse I should become a man I might fal into the hādes of the theeues and either by suspitiō that I weare some Witche or for feare that I would vtter their thefte I should be slaine wherfore I abstained for that time frō eatinge of Roses And enduringe my present aduersitie I eate hay as other Asses did The fourth Booke of Lucius Apuleius of the Golden Asse ¶ How Apuleius thinkinge to goe to eate Roses was cruelly beaten by a Gardener and chased by Dogges Cap. 18. WHen noone was come that the broylinge heate of the Sunne had moste power we turned into a village to certaine of the théeues acquaintāce and fréendes for verely their metinge and embrasinge together did giue me poore Asse cause to déeme y e same And thei toke the trusse from my backe and gaue them parte of the treasure whiche was in it and they séemed to whisper tel them that it was stolen goodes and after that we weare vnladen of our burthens thei lette vs lose into a medow to pasture but mine owne horse Milos Asse would not suffer me to féede there with them but I muste séeke my dinner in some other place Wherefore I leaped into a gardein whiche was behinde the stable and beinge welnie perished with honger although I could finde nothing there but raw gréene sallettes yet I filled my hongry guttes therewithall abundantly and praying vnto all the Goddes I loked about in euery place if I could espie any redde Roses in the gardens by and my solitarie being alone did put me in good hope y ◠if I could finde any remedie I should presently of an Asse be chaunged into Lucius out of euery mans sight and while I considered these thinges I looked about behold I saw a farre of a shadowed valley adioyninge nigh vnto a woodde where emongst diuers other hearbes pleasaunt verdures I thought I sawe many florishinge Roses of bright Damaske colour And I said within my bestiall minde verely y ◠place is the place of Venus the Graces where secretely glittereth the royall hewe of so liuely delectable a flower Then I desiring y ◠helpe of the guide of my good fortune ranne lustely towardes the woodde in so much y ◠I felt my self that I was no more an Asse but a swifte coursinge horse but my agilitie and quicknes could not preuent the crueltie of my fortune For when I came to the place I perceaued that they were no Roses neither tēder nor pleasant neither moisted with the heauenly droppes of dew nor celestiall licour whiche grewe out of the thicket and thornes there Neither did I perceaue y ◠there was any valley at all but onely the banke of the riuer enuironed with great thicke trées which had lōg braūches like vnto Lawrel bearinge a flower without any manner of sente and the common people call them by the name of Lawrell roses whiche be very poyson to all manner of beastes Then was I so entangled with vnhappy fortune that I litle estéemed mine owne daunger went willingly to eate of those Roses though I knewe them to be present poyson And as I drewe nere I sawe a yong man that séemed to be the Gardener come vpon me when he perceaued that I had deuoured vp all his hearbes in the gardein he came swearinge with a great staffe in his hande and laide vpon me in such sorte that I was welnie dead but I spéedely deuised some remedy for my selfe for I lifte vp my legges and kicked him with my hinder héeles that I lefte him liynge at the hill foote welnie slaine and so I ranne away incontinently came out his wife who seinge her husbande halfe dead cried and houled in pitifull sorte and wente towarde her husbande to the intent that by her lowde cries she might purchase to me present destruction thē all the persons of the towne moued and raysed by her noyes came foorth and cried for dogges to teare me downe Out came a great company of bandogges and masties more fitte to pull downe Beares and Lions then me whom when I behelde I thought verely that I should presently die but I turned my selfe aboute ranne as faste as euer I might to the stable frō whense I came Then the men of the towne called in their dogges and toke me and bounde me to the staple of a poste and scourged me with a great knotted whippe till I was welny dead and they would vndoubtedly haue slaine me had it not come to passe that what with the paine of their beatinge and the gréene hearbes that lay in my guttes I caught suche a laske that I all be sprinkled their faces with my liquide donge and enforced them to leaue of ¶ How Apuleius was preuented of his purpose and how the theeues came to their denne Cap 19. NOt longe after the théeues laded vs againe and especially me and brought vs foorth out of the stable and when we had gone a good parte of our iourney what with the longe way my great burthen the beatinge of staues and my worne hoofes I was so weary that I could scantly goe then I sawe a litle before me a riuer runninge with faire water I said to my selfe behold now I haue founde a good occasiō For I will fall downe when I come yender and surely I will not rise againe neither with scourginge nor beatinge for I had rather be slaine there presently then goe any further And the cause why I determined so to doo was this I thought that when the théeues did sée me so féeble and weake that I could not trauell to the intent they would not stay in their iourney they would take of the burthen from my backe and put it vpon my fellowes and so for my further punishment to leaue me as a praye to the Wolues and rauenous beastes but euill fortune preuented so good a consideration For the other Asse beinge of the same purpose that I was of by feigned and coloured werines fell downe first with all his burthen vpon the grounde as though he weare dead and he would not rise neither with beatinge nor prickinge nor stande vpon his féete though they pulled him vp by the taile by his legges and by his eares whiche when the théeues behElde as without al hope they said one to an other what should we stande here so longe about a dead or rather a stony Asse let vs be gonne And so thei toke his burthen and deuided some to me and some to my horse And then they drewe out their swoordes and cutte of his legges and threwe his bodie from the pointe of a hill downe into a great
yonge mayden that was captiue amongest Théeues Thou shalt be noÌ„bred amongest the auncient myracles we beleue that by like example of truthe Phryxus saued him selfe from drowning vpon a Ram Arion escaped vpon a Dolphin And that Europa was deliuered by a Bull. If Iupiter transformed him selfe into a Bull why may it not be that vnder shape of this Asse is hiddeÌ„ y â— figure of a maÌ„ or some power Deuine Whyle that the Virgin did thus sorowfully vnfold hir desires we fortuned to come to a place wheare thrée wayes did méete and she tooke me by the halter and would haue me turne on the right hand to her fathers house but I knowing that the theues weare gone that waye to fetche the residue of their pillage resisted with my head as much as I might saiynge within my selfe what wilt thou doo vnhappy maideÌ„ why woldest thou go so willingly to hel why wilt y u ruÌ„ne into destructioÌ„ by meane of my féete why doest thou séeke thine owne harme mind likewise And whyle we twoo striued together whether way we might take y â— theues returned loden with their praie perceiued vs a farre of by the light of y â— Moone And after they had knoweÌ„ vs one of them gan say whither go you so hastely be you not aferde of spirites And you you harlot doo you goe to sée your parentes Come on we will beare you company And therwithall they tooke me by the halter and draue me back againe beating me cruelly with a great staffe that they had full of knobbes theÌ„ I returning againe to my ready destruction and remembring the griefe of my hâ—â—fe be ganne to shake my head and to waxe lame but he that ledde me by the halter said what doest thou stomble canst thou not goe these rotten féete of thine can runne well mough but they cannot walke thou couldest minse it finely euen now with the gentlewoman that thou diddest séeme to passe the horse Pegasus in swiftnes In sayinge these woordes they beate me againe that they brake a great staffe vpon me and when we were come almost home we saw the old woman hanginge vpon a bow of a Cypresse trée then one of them cutte downe the bowe whereon she hanged cast her into the bottome of a great ditche after this they bouÌ„d the maiden fell greedely to their victuales which the miserable old womaÌ„ had prouided for them At whiche time thei began to deuise with theÌ„ selues of our death how they might be reuenged diuers was the opinions of this diuers nomber the first saide that he thought best the mayde should be burned aliue the secoÌ„de saide she should be throwen out to wilde beasts the thirde said she should be hanged vpon a gibbot the fourth saide she should be flead aliue thus was y â— death of the poore mayden scaÌ„ned betwéene them fower But one of the Théeues after euery man had declared his iudgement did speake in this manner It is not conuenieÌ„t vnto the othe of our coÌ„pany to suffer you to waxe more cruell theÌ„ the qualitie of the offence doth merite for I would that she should not be hanged nor burned nor throwen to beastes nor die any sodaine death but by my counsell I would haue her punished accordinge to her deserte You know wel what you haue determined already of this dull Asse that eateth more then he is woorth that feigneth lamenesse that was the cause of the fliynge away of the mayde my minde is that he shalbe slaine to morrow and when all the guttes and entrailes of his body is takeÌ„ out let the maide be soweÌ„ into his belly then let vs lay them vpon a great stone againste the broylinge heate of the sonne so they shall both sustaine all the punishmentes which you haue ordeined for first the Asse shalbe slaine as you haue determined and she shall haue her membres torne gnaweÌ„ with wilde beastes when as she is bitten rente with wormes she shal endure the paine of the fire when as the broilyng heate of the sonne shall skorche and parche the belly of the Asse she shall abide the gallowes when the Dogges and vultures shall haue the guttes of her body hanginge in their rauenous mouthes I pray you nomber all the tormentes whiche she shall suffer First she shall dwell within the paunch of the Asse secondly her nosethrilles shall receaue the carraine stinke of the beaste thirdly she shall die for hunger laste of all she shall â—â—nde no meane to ridde her selfe from her paines for her handes shalbe sowed vp within the skinne of the Asse This beyng saide all the Théeues consented to the sentence and when I poore Asse harde vnderstoode all their deuise I did nothinge els saue bewayle and lament my dead carkas whiche should be handled in such sorte on the nexte morrow The seuenth Booke of Lucius Apuleius of the Golden Asse ¶ How he that was left behinde at Hippata to bring newes concerninge the robbery of Milos house came home and declared to his compaignions that all the faulte was layde to one Apuleius charge Cap. 24. ASsone as night was paste and the cléere charriot of the sunne had spred his bright beames on euery coaste came one of the companie of the Théeues for so his their greatinge together did declare who at his first entrie into the caue after he had breathed him selfe was able to speake tolde these tidinges vnto his compaignions in this sorte Sirs as touching the house of Milo of Hippata which we forcibly entred ransakt the last day we may put away all feare doubte nothinge at all for after y â— ye by force armes had spoiled taken away al things in the house and so returned hither vnto our caue I thrustinge in emongst the prease of the people showing my selfe as though I were sadde forowful for the mischaunce coÌ„sulted with them for the boultinge out of the matter deuised what meanes might be wrought for the apprehensioÌ„ of the théeues to the intent I might learne sée all that was done to make relation therof vnto you as you willed me in so much that the whole fact at length by manifest euident proofes as also by the coÌ„mon opinion iudgemeÌ„t of al the people was layde to one Lucius Apuleius charge as manifest author of this coÌ„mitted robbery who a few daies before by false and forged letters coloured honestie fell so farre in fauour with this Milo that he entertained him into his house receyued him as chiefe of his familiar frieÌ„des which Lucius after that he had soiourned there a good space and wonne the hart of Miloes maide by feigned loue did thoroughly learne y â— waies and doores of all the house curiously viewed the cofers chestes â–ª wherin was laide the whole substance of Milo neither was there small cause giueÌ„ to iudge him culpable since as the very same night that this robbery was
done he fledde away and could be found in no place to thinteÌ„t he might cleane escape and better preuent such as made hewe and crie after him he toke his white horse gallopped away after this his seruauÌ„t was found in the house who accused as accessary to the felony escape of his maister was coÌ„mitted to the coÌ„mon gaole the next day folowyng was cruelly scourged tormented til he was welnie dead to the intent he should coÌ„fesse the matter but when they could wrest or learne no such thinge of him yet sente they many persons after towardes Lucius countrey to enquire him out so to take him prisoner As he declared these thinges I did greatly lament with my selfe to thinke of mine old and pristine estate and what felicitie I was sometimes in in coÌ„parison to the misery that I presently sustained beyng chaunged into a miserable Asse then had I no small occasioÌ„ to remember how the olde auncient writers did seigne affirme that fortune was starke blinde without eies because she alwaies bestoweth her richesse vpon rusâ—â— persons and fooles and chooseth or fauoreth no mortall person by iudgement but is alwaies conuersant especially with suche as if she coulde sée she shoulde moste shunne forsake yea and that which is more worse she soweth suche euill or rather contrary opinions in men that the wicked doo glory with the name of good and contrary the good and innocent be detracted and sclauÌ„dered as euill Furthermore I who by hir great crueltie was turned into a fower footed Asse is most vile and abiect manner yea and whose estate séemed woorthely to be lamented and pitied of the most harde stonie hartes was accused of theft robbinge of my déere Oste Milo which villanie might rather be called paricide then thefte yet might not I defende mine owne cause or denie the facte any waie by reason I coulde not speake howbeit least my conscience should séeme to accuse me by reason of silence and againe being enforced by impacience I endeuered to speake faine would haue said Neuer did I that facte And verely the firste woorde Neuer â–ª I cried out once or twise somwhat haÌ„dsomely but the residew I could in no wise pronounce but still remayning in one voice cried Neuer Neuer Neuer Howbeit I setled my hangyng lippes as rouÌ„de as I could to speake the residew but why should I further complaine of the crueltie of my fortune since as I was not muche ashamed by reason that my seruaunt my horse was likewise accused with me of the robbery While I pondred with my selfe all these thinges a greater care came to my remembraunce touchinge the death which the Théeues deuised for me the mayden and stil as I looked downe to my belly I thought of the poore Gentlewoman that shoulde be closed within me and the théefe which a litle before had brought the false newes against me drewe out of the skirte of his coate a thousande crownes whiche he had rifled away from such as he mette and cast it into the common treasory Then he carefully enquired how the residew of his coÌ„paignions did To whom it was declared that the most valiant was murdred and slaine in diuers manners whereupon he perswaded them to remitte all their affayres a certaine season and to seke for other fellowes to bée in their places that by the exercise of newe laddes the terror of their martiall bande might be reduced to the olde number assuringe them that suche as were vnwillinge might be compelled by menaces and threatninges and such as weare willing might be encouraged forward with rewarde further he saide that there were some whiche seinge the profite which they had would forsake their base and seruill estate and rather be contented to liue like tirantes emongst them moreouer he declared that for his parte he had spoken with a certaine tale man a valiant coÌ„paignion but of yoÌ„ge age stoute in bodie couragious in fight whom he had fully perswaded to exercise his idle handes dull with slouthfulnes to his greater profite and while he might to receaue the blisse of better fortune and not to holde out his sturdy arme to begge for a penny but rather to take as muche golde siluer as he would Then euery one consented that he that séemed so woorthy to be their compaignioÌ„ should be one of their coÌ„pany and that they would search for others to make vp the residew of the nomber wherupon he went out and by and by returninge againe brought in a tale yonge man as he promised to whom none of the residew might be coÌ„pared for he was higher then they by the head and of more bignes in bodie his bearde began to burgen but he was poorely appareled in so much that you might sée all his belly naked As sone as he was entred in he sayd God spéede ye souldiars of Mars and my faithfull compaignions I pray you make me one of your bande and I will ensure you that you shall haue a man of singular courage and liuely audacitie for I had rather receaue strypes vppon my backe then money or golde in my handes and as for death whiche euery man doo feare I passe nothyng at all yet thinke you not that I am an abiect or a begger neyther iudge you my vertue and prowesse by my ragged clothes for I haue béene a Capitaine of a great company and subdued all the countrey of Macedonie I am the renoumed théefe Hemus the Thracien whose name all countries and nations doo so greatly feare I am the soone of Theron the notable théefe nourished with humaine bloudde entertained emongst the stoutest finally I am inheritour and follower of my Fathers vertues yet I lost in a shorte time all my company and all my richesse by one assault whiche I made vpon a factor of the Prince whiche sometime had bene Capitayne of twoo hundred men for fortune was cleane against me herken and I will tell you the whole matter There was a certayne manne in the courte of the Emperour whiche had many offices and in great fauour who at last by the enuie of diuers persons was banished away and compelled to forsake the courte his wife Platina a woman of rare faithe and singuler shamefastnes hauinge borne tenne children to her husbande despised al worldly pompe and delicacie determined to follow her husbande and to be a partaker of all his perils and daunger wherefore the cut of her heare disguised her selfe like a man toke with her al her treasure passing thorough the handes of the souldiours and the naked swordes without any feare wherby she endured many miseries and was partaker of muche affliction to saue the life of her husbande such was her loue whiche she bare vnto him And when they had escaped many perilous daungers aswell by lande as by sea they went to wardes Zacynthe to continue there accordinge as fortune had appointed But
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
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