y ◠this seruant which hath merited to be hāged came one of these daies to speake with me promising to giue me a hūdred crounes if I would giue him a present poyson whiche would cause a man to die sodenly saying that he would haue it for one that was sicke of an incurable disease to the ende he might be deliuered from all his torment but I smelling his crafty and subtill fetche and fearinge least he would worke some mischiefe withall gaue him a drinke but to the intent I might cléere my selfe from al daunger y ◠might happen I would not presently take the money which he offred but least any one of the crownes should lacke weight or be foūd coūtrefaite I willed him to seale the purse wherein they were put with his manuell signe wherby the next day we might goe together to y ◠goldsmithe to trie them which he did wherfore vnderstanding that he was brought present before you this day I hastely cōmaunded one of my seruantes to fetche the purse which he had sealed here I bring it vnto you to sée whether he will denie his owne signe or no and you may easely coniect that his woordes are vntrue whiche he alleaged against the yong man touching the biynge of the poyson consideringe he bought the poyson him selfe Whē the Phisitian had spoken these woordes you might perceaue how the trayterous knaue chaunged his colour how he swette for feare how he trembled in euery part of his bodie And how he set one legge vpon an other scratchyng his head and grindinge his téeth wherby there was no person but would iudge him culpable In the ende when he was somewhat returned to his former subtiltie he beganne to denie all that was saide and stoutely affirmed that the Phisitian did lie But the Phisitian perceauinge that he was rayled at and his woordes denied did neuer cease to confirme his saiynges and to disproue the verlet til such time as the officers by the commaundement of the Iudges bound his handes and brought out the seale wherwith he had sealed the purse which augmented the suspition which was conceaued of him first Howbeit neither the feare of the whele or any other torment according to the vse of the Grecians whiche weare ready prepared no nor yet the fire coulde enforce him to confesse the matter so obstinate and grounded was he in his mischieuous minde but the Phisitian perceauing that the menaces of those tormentes did nothing preuaile gan say I cānot suffer or abide that this yong man who is innocēt should against all lawe and conscience be punished and condemned to die the other whiche is culpable should escape so easely and after mocke floute at your iudgement For I will giue you an euident proufe and argument of this present crime you shall vnderstande that when this caytife demaunded of me a present and stronge poyson consideringe that it was not my parte to giue occasion of any others death but rather to cure saue sicke persons by meane of medicines And on the other side fearinge least if I should denie his request I might minister a further cause of his mischiefe eyther that he would bie poyson of some other or els returne and woorke his wicked intent with a swoorde or some daungerous weapō I gaue him no poison but a doling drinke of Mandragora which is of such force that it wil cause any man to sléepe as though he weare dead Neither is it any meruell if this moste desperate man who is certainely assured to be put to death ordained by an auncient custome can suffer or abide these facill easie tormentes but if it be so that the childe hath receaued the drinke as I tempred it with mine owne handes he is yet aliue and doth but sléepe and after his sléepe he shall returne to life againe but if he be dead in déede then may you further enquire of y ◠causes of his death The opinion of this aūcient Phisitian was found good euery man had a desire to goe to the sepulchre where y ◠childe was laide there was none of y ◠Iustices none of any reputatiō of the towne nor any of the common people but went to see this strange sight Emongst thē al the father of the childe remoued with his owne hāds the stone of the sepulchre founde his sonne rising vp after his dead Soporiferous sléepe whom whē he beheld he embrased him in his armes presented him before y ◠people with great ioye consolation as he was wrapped bound in his graue so he brought him before the iudges wherupon the wickednes of the seruaunt the treason of the stepdame was plainly discouered the veritie of the matter reueled whereby the woman was perpetually exiled the seruaunt hanged on a gallowes the Phisitian had the crounes which was prepared to bie the poyson behold how the fortune of y ◠old man was chaunged who thinking to be depriued of all his race posteritie was in one moment made the father of twoo children But as for me I was ruled and handled by fortune according to her pleasure ¶ How Apuleius was solde to twoo brethern whereof one was a Baker and the other a Cooke and how finely and deintily he fared Cap 45. THe Souldiour which paid neuer a penny for me by the cōmaundement of his Capitaine was sent vnto Rome to carry letters to the great Prince generall of the Campe before he went he sold me for eleuen pence to twoo of his cōpaignions being seruāts to a man of woorship wherof one was a Baker y ◠baked swéete bread delicates the other a Cooke whiche dressed fine and excellent meates for his maister these two liued in common would driue me from place to place to carry suche thinges as was necessarie in so muche that I was receaued by these twoo as a thirde brother and compaignion and I thought I was neuer better placed then with them For when night came y ◠supper was done their busines ended they would bring many good morsels into their chamber for thē selues One wold bring pigges chickins fish other good meates the other fine bread pasties tartes custardes other delicate ionckettes dipped in honie And when thei had shutte their chamber doore and went to the baynes O Lorde how I woulde fill my guttes with those goodly dishes Neither was I so muche a foole or so very an Asse to leaue the deintie meates grinde my téeth vpō harde hey In this sort I continued a great space for I plaied the honest Asse takinge but a litle of one dishe and a litle of an other whereby no man mistrusted me In the ende I was more hardier beganne to deuoure the whole messes of the swéetest delicates which caused the Baker the Cooke to suspect how be it they neuer mistrusted me but searched about to apprehēde the théefe At length they began
Beholde here is one sente by the prouidence of God to trie out the matter euen Zachlas an Egiptian who is the most principall Prophecier in all this countrie and who was hired of me for money to reduce the soule of this maÌ„ from Hell and to reuiue his bodie for the triall hereof And therewithal he brought foorth a certaine yonge man clothed in linnen rayment hauing on his féete a payre of pantoffles and his crowne shauen who kissed his handes and knées saying O Priest haue mercie haue mercie I pray thée by y â— celestiall Planetes by the powers infernall by the vertue of the naturall Elementes by the silences of the night by the buildinges of swallowes nigh vnto the towne of Copton by the increase of the floode Nilus by the secreate misteries of Memphis and by the instrumentes and trumpettes of the Isle Pharos haue mercie I say and call againe to life this dead bodie and make that his eyes whiche be closed and shutte may be opened sée howbeit we meane not to striue against the lawe of death neither entend we to depriue the yearth of his right but to the ende this facte may he knowen we craue but a small time and space of life whereat this Prophete was moued and toke a certaine hearbe laide it thrée times vpon the mouth of the dead and he toke an other and laide it vpon his brest in like sorte Thus when he had done he turned him selfe intâ— the East and made certaine Oraisons vnto the Sunne which caused all the people to maruell greatly to loke for this straunge miracle that should happen Then I pressed in emongest them nigh vnto the biere and gotte vpon a stone to sée this misterie and beholde incontinently the dead bodie began to receaue spirite his principall vaines did moue his life came againe and he helde vp his head spake in this sorte Why doo you call me backe againe to this transitorie life that haue already tasted of the water of Leche and likewise bene in the deadlie denne of Stir leaue of I pray leaue of and lette me lie in quiet teste when these woordes were vttered by the dead corpse the Prophete drewe nighe vnto the biere and saide I charge thée to tell before the face of all the people here y â— occasion of thy death what doest thou thinke that I cannot by my comurations cal vp the dead and by my puissance tormeÌ„t thy bodie Then che corps moued vp his head againe and made reuerence vnto the people said Verely I was poisoned by the meanes of my wicked wife so thereby yelded my bedde vnto an adulterer Whereat his wife taking present audacitie reprouing his sayings with a cursed minde did denie it the people were beÌ„t against her sondry waies some thought best y â— she should be buried aliue w t her husbaÌ„d but some said y â— there ought no credite to be giuen vnto the dead bodie which opinion was cleane taken away by the woordes that the corpse spake againe said Beholde I will giue you some euident token which neuer yet any other man knew wherby you shall perceaue y â— I declare the truth by and by he pointed towardes me that stoode on the stone saide when this the good gardian of my bodie watched me diligently in y e night that the wicked Witches enchanteresses came into the chamber to spoile me of my limmes to bryng such their purpose to passe did traÌ„sforme them selues into y e shape of beastes And when as thei could in no wise deceaue or beguile his vigilant eies they cast him into so dead sounde a sleape that by their Wicthcrafte he séemed without spirite or life After this thei called me by my name did neuer cease till as the colde members of my bodie began by litle litle to reuiue then he being of more liuely soule howbeit buried in sleape in y â— he I weare named by one name and because he knew not that they called me rose vp first as one without sence or perseneraÌ„ce passed by the doore fast closed vnto a certaine hole whereas the Witches cut of first his nose then his eares so that was done to him whiche was appointed to be done to me And that such their subtiltie might not be perceaued they made him a like payre of eares and nose of waxe wherefore you may sée that the poore miser for lucre of a litle money sustayned losse of his membres Whiche when he had saide I was greatly astonied and mindinge to proue whether his woordes were true or no put my hande to my nose my nose fell of and put my hande to mine eares and mine eares fel of Whereat al y â— people wondred greatly and laughed me to skorne but I beinge stroken in a colde sweate crept betwéene their legges for shame escaped away So I disfigured returned home again couered the losse of mine eares with my longe heare and glewed this cloute to my face to hide my shame Assone as Telephoron had tolde his tale they whiche satte at the table replenished with wine laughed hartelie And while they draÌ„ke one to an other Birrhena spake to me and saide From the first fouÌ„dation of this Citie we haue had a custome to celebrate the festiuall day of the God Kisus to morrow is the feast when as I pray you to be present to sette out the same more honorably and I would with all my harte that you could finde or deuise somwhat of your selfe that might be in honor of so great a God to whome I answeared Verely Cosin I will doo as you commaunde me right gladde would I be if I might inuent any laughinge or mery matter to please or satisfie Kisus withall Then I rose from the table and toke leaue of Birchena and departed and when I came into the firste streate my torche went out that with great paine I coulde skarse gette home by reason it was so darke and for feare of stomblinge And when I was welny come vnto the doore beholde I saw thrée men of great stature heuinge and liftinge at Milos gates to gette in And when they sawe me they weare nothing affeard but assaide with more force to breake downe the doores whereby they gaue me occasion and not without cause to thinke that thei weare stronge théeues Wherupon I by and by drew out my swoorde which I carried for that purpose vnder my cloke and ranne in emongst them and wounded them in such sorte that they fell downe dead before my face Thus when I had slaine them all I knocked sweating and breathyng at the doore till Fotis lette me in And then full weary with the slaughter of these théeues like Hercules when he fought against the King Gerion I wente to my chamber and laide me downe to â—leape The thirde Booke of Lucius Apuleius of the Golden Asse ¶ How Apuleius was taken and put
citezins gathered together and suche as they met bare them companie runninge towardes the chase When they came to the slaine bodie of Lepolemus Charites threwe her selfe vpon him weping and lamenting greuouslie for his death in suche sorte that she would haue presentlie ended her life vpon y â— corpse of her slaine husbande whome she so entierly loued had it not bene that her parentes and friendes did comfort her and pulled her away The body was takeÌ„ vp and in funerall pompe brought to the citie and buried In the meane season Thrasillus feigned much sorowe for the death of Lepolemus but in his hart he was well pleased ioyful And to couÌ„terfect the matter he would come to Charites saie O what a losse haue I had by y â— death of my friende my fellowe my compaignion Lepolemus O Charites coÌ„fort your selfe pacifie your dolor refraine your wéeping beat not your brestes And with such other like woordes diuers exaÌ„ples he endeuored to suppresse her great sorowe but he spake not this for any other inteÌ„t but to win the hart of y â— womaÌ„ and to norish his odious loue with filthy delight Howbeit Charites after the buriall of her husbaÌ„de sought y â— meanes to folowe him and not susteining the sorowes wherin she was wrapped gotte her secretly into a chaÌ„ber purposed to finish her life there with dolour tribulation But Thrasillus was very importunate at leÌ„gth brought to passe that at the intercessioÌ„ of the parentes friendes of Charites she somewhat refreshed her fallen membres with refectioÌ„ of meate and bayne Howbeit she did it more at y â— coÌ„maundement of her parents then for any thing els For she could in no wise be mery nor receiue any comforte but tormented her selfe daye and night before the image of her husbande which she had made like vnto Bacchus rendred vnto him diuine honours and seruices In the meane season Thrasillus not able to refraine any leÌ„ger before Charites had asswaged her dolours before her troubled minde had pacified her fury eueÌ„ in the middle of all her griefes while she wéeped for her husbande while she tare her garments and rent her heare demaunded her in marriage and so without shame he detected the secretes vnspeakeable deceites of his harte But Charites detested and abhorred his demaunde as she had bene stroken with some clappe of thunder with some storme or with the lightning of Iupiter she presently fell downe to the grounde all amased Howbeit in the ende when her spirites were reuiued that she returned to her selfe perceauing that Thrasillus was so importunate she demaunded respite to deliberate and to take aduise on the matter in the meane season y â— shape of Lepolemus that was slaine so miserably appeared to Charites with a pale and blouddy face sayinge O my swéete wife which no other person caÌ„ say but I I pray thée for the loue which is betwéene vs twoo if there be any memory of me in thy hart or remembraunce of my pitifull death marry with any other person so that y â— marry not with the traytour Thrasillus haue no conference with him eate not with him lie not with him auoide the blouddy hande of mine enemie couple not thy selfe with a parricide for those woundes the bloud wherof thy teares did wash away were not y â— wouÌ„des of the téeth of the Boare but the speare of Thrasillus depriued me from thée Thus spake Lepolemus vnto his louinge wife and declared the residew of the damnable fact then Charites awaking from sléepe beganne to renew her dolor to teare her garments and to beate her armes with her comely haÌ„des howbeit she reueled the vision whiche she sawe to no manner of person but dissimulinge that she knew no parte of the mischiefe deuised with her selfe howe she might be reuenged on the traytor and finish her owne life to ende and knitte vp all sorrow Incontinently came Thrasillus the detestable demaunder of sodein pleasure and weried the closed eares of Charites with talke of mariage but she gentely refusinge his coÌ„munication and colouring the matter with a passing crafte in the middest of his earnest desiers gan say Thrasillus you shall vnderstand that yet the face of your brother and my husband is alwaies before mine eies I smel yet the Cinamome sent of his pretious body I yet feele Lepolemus aliue in my hart wherfore you shall doo wel if you grauÌ„t to me miserable woman necessarie time to bewayle his death that after the residue of a few moneths the whole yere may be expired which thing toucheth aswell my shame as your holsome profite least peradueÌ„ture by our spéedie and quicke marriage we should iustely raise prouoke the spirit of my husband to woorke our destructioÌ„ Howbeit Thrasillus was not contented with this promise but more and more was earnest vpon her In so much y â— she was enforced to speake to him in this manner My fréende Thrasillus if thou be so contented vntill the whole yéere be complete and finished beholde here is my body take thy pleasure but in such sort and so secrete that no seruauÌ„t of the house may perceaue it Then Thrasillus trustinge the false promisses of the woman preferring his inordinate pleasure aboue all thinges in the worlde was ioyfull in his harte looked for night when as he might haue his purpose But come y â— about midnight ê™ Charites desguised without company And doo but hisse at my chamber doore my noucce shall attende and let thée in this counsell pleased Thrasillus meruelously who suspecting no harme did alwaies looke for night and the houre assigned by Charites the time was skarse come wheÌ„ as according to her commaundement he desguised him selfe went streight to the chamber where he fouÌ„de the nource attendinge for him who by the apointment of her mistris fedde him with slatteringe talke and gaue him mingled doled drinke in a cuppe excusing the absence of her mistris Charites by reason that she attended on her father being sicke vntil such time that with swéete talke and operation of the wine he fell in a sounde sléepe now when he lay prostrate on the grounde readie to all aduenture Charites beinge called for came in and with manly courage and bolde force stoode ouer this sleepinge murderer saying Beholde the faithfull compaignion of my husbande beholde this valiaunt hunter behold my déere spouse this is the hande which shedde my bloudde this is the harte whiche hath deuised so many subtill meanes to worke my destruction these be the eyes whome I haue ill pleased behold now they forshowe their owne destinie sléepe carelesse dreame that thou arte in the handes of the mercifull for I will not hurte thée with thy swoorde or with any other weapon God forbidde that I shoulde slea thée as thou slewest my husband but thy eies shall fayle thée and thou shalte sée no more then that whereof thou dreamest thou shalte
thy childe wherfore aduise thy selfe whether thou wilt agrée vnto vs that are carefull for thy safetie and so auoide the perill of death and be contented to liue with thy sisters or whether thou wilt remaine with the serpent in the ende to be swallowed into the gowlfe of his bodie And if it be so that thy solitary life thy conuersation with voyces this seruile and daungerous pleasure and the loue of the Serpent doo more delight thée say not but that we haue playde the partes of naturall sisters in warninge thée Then the poore simple miser Psyches was moued with the feare of so dreadfull woordes and being amased in her minde did cleane forgette the admonitions of her husbande her owne promises made vnto him And throwyng her selfe headlonge into extreame misery with a wane and sallow countenance scantly vtteringe a thirde woorde at length gan say in this sorte O my most déere sisters I hartely thaÌ„ke you for your great kindenes towardes me and I am now verely perswaded that they whiche haue enformed you hereof haue enformed you of nothinge but truth for I neuer sawe the shape of my husbande neither know I froÌ„ whence he came onely I here his voyce in y e night in so much that I haue an vncertaine husbande one that loueth not the light of the day whiche causeth me to suspect that he is a beast as you affirme moreouer I doo greatly feare to sée him for he doth menace and threaten great euill vnto me if I should goe about to spie and beholde his shape wherfore my louing sisters if you haue any holesome remedy for your sister in daunger giue it now presently Then they openinge the gates of their subtill mindes did put away all priuie gile egged her forward in her feareful thoughts perswadinge her to doo as they would haue her wherupon one of them began and said because that we litle estéeme any perill or daunger to saue your life we entende to show you the best way and meane as we may possibly doo Take a sharpe raser and put it vnder the pillow of your bedde and sée that you haue ready a priuie burninge lampe with oyle hidde vnder some parte of the hanginge of the chamber and finely dissimuling the matter when accordinge to his custome he cometh to bedde and sléepeth soundly arise you secreatly and with your bare féete goe and take your lampe with the raser in your right hande and with valiant force cutte of the head of the poysonous Serpent wherin we will ayde and assist you and when by the death of him you shalbe made salue we will marry you to some comely man After they had thus inflamed the harte of their sister fearing least some daunger might happen vnto them by reason of their euill counsell they were carried by the winde Zephyrus to the toppe of the mountaine and so they ranne away and toke shippinge When Psyches was lefte alone sauing that she séemed not to be alone beinge stirred by so many furies she was in a tossinge minde like the waues of the sea and although her wil was obstinate and resisted to put in execution the counsell of her sisters yet she was in doubtfull and diuers opinions touching her calamitie Sometime she would sometime she would not sometime she is bolde sometime she feareth sometime she mistrusteth sometime she is moued sometime she hateth the beast sometime she loueth her husbande but at length the night came when as she made preparatioÌ„ for her wicked intent Sone after her husbande came when he had kissed and embrased her he fell a sléepe Then Psyches somewhat féeble in body and minde yet moued by crueltie of fate receaued boldenes brought forth the lampe and toke the raser so by her audacitie she chaunged her kinde but when she toke the lampe and came to the bedde side she sawe the most méeke and swéetest beast of all beastes euen fayre Cupide couched fayrely at whose sighte the very lampe encreased his lighte for ioye and the raser turned his edge But when Psyches sawe so glorious a bodie she greatly feared and amased in minde with a pale countenaunce all tremblinge fell on her knées and thought to hide the raser yea verely in her owne harte whiche she had vndoubtedly donne had it not through feare of so great an enterprise fallen out of her hande And when she sawe and behelde the beautie of his deuine visage she was well recreated in her minde she sawe his heares of Golde that yéelded out a swéete sauour his necke more white then milke his purple chéekes his heare hangynge comely behinde and before the brightnes whereof did darken the light of the lampe his tender plume feathers dispersed vpon his shoulders like shininge flowers and tremblinge hither and thither and his other partes of his bodie so smothe and softe that it did not repent Venus to beare suche a childe at the beddes féete lay his bowe quiuer and arrowes that â—e the weapoÌ„s of so great a God which when Psyches did curiously behold and merueling at the weapons of her husband toke one of the arrowes out of the quiuer and pricked her selfe withall wherewith she was so grieuously wounded that the bloudde followed and thereby of her owne accorde she added loue vpon loue then more and more broylinge in the loue of Cupide she embrased him and kissed him a thousand times fearinge the measure of his sléepe but alas while she was in this great ioye whether it were for enuie or for desire to touche this amiable bodie likewise there fell out a droppe of burning oyle from the lampe vpoÌ„ the right shoulder of the God O rashe bolde lampe the vile ministery of loue how darest thou be so bolde as to burne the God of al fire when as he inueÌ„ted thée to the inteÌ„t that al louers might with more ioye passe the nightes in pleasure The God being burned in this sorte perceauinge that promise and faith was broken he flied away without vtteraunce of any woorde from the eies haÌ„des of his most vnhappy wife But Psiches fortuned to catch him as he was rising by the right thighe and helde him fast as he flewe aboue in the ayre vntill such time that constrayned by werines she lette goe and fell downe vpon the grounde but Cupide followed her downe and lighted vpon the toppe of a Cypresse trée and angerly spake vnto her in this manner O simple Psiches consider with thy selfe how I little regarding the coÌ„maundement of my mother who willed me that thou shouldest be married to a man of base miserable condition did come my selfe from heauen to loue thée wounded mine owne bodie with my proper weapoÌ„s to haue thée to my spouse and did I séeme a beast vnto thée y â— thou shouldest goe about to cutte of my head w t a raser who loued thée so wel did not I alwaies giue thée in charge did not I gentely will thée to beware but
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
thinke the death of thine enemie more swéete then thy life thou shalte sée no light thou shalte lacke the ayde of a leader thou shalte not haue me as thou hopest thou shalte haue no delight of my marriage thou shalte not die and yet liuinge thou shalte haue no ioye but wander betwéene light and darkenesse as an vnsure image thou shalte séeke for the hande that pricked out thy eies yet shalte thou not knowe of whome thou shouldest complaine I will make sacrafice with the bloudde of thine eyes vpon the graue of my husband but what gainest thou thorough my delay Perhaps thou dreamest that thou embracest me in thine armes leaue of the darkenes of sléepe and awake thou to receaue a penall depriuation of thy sight lifte vp thy face regarde thy vengeance and euill fortune recken thy miserie so pleaseth thine eies to a chaste woman that thou shalte haue blindnesse to thy compaignion and an euerlastinge remorse of thy miserable conscience When she had spoken these woordes she toke a great nedle from her head and pricked out both his eies which done she by and by caught the naked swoorde whiche her husbande Lepolemus accustomed to were and ranne thorough out all the Citie like a madde woman towarde the Sepulchre of her husbande Then all we of the house withall the Citizins raÌ„ne incontinently after her to take the swoord out of her handes but she claspinge aboute the tombe of Lepolemus kept vs of with her naked weapon and when she perceaued that euery one of vs wepte and lamented she spake in this sorte I pray you my fréendes wéepe not nor lament for me for I haue reuenged the death of my husbande I haue punished deseruedly the wicked breaker of our marriage nowe is it time to séeke out my swéete Lepolemus and presently with this swoorde to finishe my lyfe And therewithall after she had made relation of the whole matter declared the vision which she sawe and tolde by what meane she deceaued Thrasillus thrustinge the swoorde vnder her right brest wallowinge in her owne bloudde at leÌ„gth with manly courage yéelded vp the ghost Then immediatly the fréendes of miserable Charites did burie her body within the same sepulchre Thrasillus hearyng al the matter knowinge not by what meanes he might ende his life for he thought his swoorde was not sufficient to reueÌ„ge so great a crime at length went to the same sepulchre and cried with a loude voice sayinge O ye dead spirites whom I haue so highly offended receaue me beholde I make sacrifice vnto you with my bodie whiche saide he closed y â— sepulchre purposing to famish him selfe and to finishe his life there in sorrow These thinges the yonge man with pitifull sighes and teares declared vnto the cowheardes shéepeherdes whiche caused them all to wéepe but they fearinge to become subiect vnto new maisters prepared theÌ„ selues to departe away ¶ How Apuleius was ledde away by the horsekeper and what daungers he was in Cap. 33. BY and by the Horsekeper to whome the charge of me was coÌ„mitted brought foorth all his substance and laded me and other horses withal so departed thense we bare wemen children pullettes sparrowes kiddes whelpes other thinges whiche were not able to kéepe pace with vs and that whiche I bare vpon my backe although it was a mighty burthen yet séemed it very light because I was driuen away from him that most terribly had appointed to kill me when we hed passed ouer a great mountayne full of trées and were come againe into the open fieldes beholde we approched nighe to a fayre and riche Castell where it was tolde vnto vs that we weare not able to passe in our iourney that night by reason of the great number of terrible Woolues whiche weare in the countrey about so fierce and cruell that they put euerie man in feare in such sort that they would inuade and set vpon such which passed by like theues and deuoure bothe theÌ„ and their beastes Moreouer we weare aduertised that there laie in the waie wheare we should passe manie dead bodies eaten and torne with Wolues Wherefore we weare willed to state theare all night on the next morning to goe close and rounde together whereby we might passe and escape all perilles and daungers But notwithstandinge this good counsell our caitâ—â—e driuers weare so couetous to goe forwarde and so fearfull of pursuit that they neuer staied till the morninge But being well nie midnight they made vs trudge in our waie a pace Then I fearing the great daunger whiche might happen ranne amongest the middle of the other horses to thend I might defend and saue my poore buttockes from the Wolues whereat euery man muche meruailed to sée that I scoured away swifter then the other horses But suche was my agilitée not to get me any praise but rather for feare At that time I remembred with my selfe that the valiant horse Pegasus did â—ie in the aire more to auoide the daunder of dreadfull Chimera then for any thing els The shepardes which draue vs before theÌ„ weare well armed like warriours One had a speare an other had a shepehooke some had dartes some clubbes some gathered vp great stones some helde vp their sharpe iauelins and some feared awaie the Wolues with light firebrandes Finally we lacked nothing to make vp an armie but onely drums and trumpettes but when we had passed these dauâ—â—gers not without small feare we fortuned to fall into worse for the Wolues came not vpon vs eyther because of the greate multitude of our company or els because of our firebrandes or peraduenture they were gone to some other place for we could sée none but the inhabitantes of the nexte villages supposinge that we were Théeues by reason of our great multitude for the defence of their owne substance and for the feare they were in sette great and mighty masties vpon vs which they had kept nourished for the safetie of their houses who compassing vs rounde about leaped on euery side tearing vs with their téeth in such sorte that they pulled many of vs to the grounde verely it was a pitifull sight to sée so many dogges some followinge suche as flied some inuadinge such as stoode still some tearinge those which lay prostrate but generally there were none which escaped cléere Beholâ—e vpon this an other daunger ensewed the inhabitantes of the towne stoode in their garrettes windowes throwinge great stones vpon our heades that we coulde not tell whether it were best for vs to auoide the gapinge mouthes of the dogges at haÌ„d or the perill of the stones a farre emongst whome there was one that hurled a greate â—inte vpon a woman which satte vpon my backe who cried out piteously desiringe her husband to helpe her Then he cominge to succour and ayde his wife began to speake in this sorte Alas maisters what meane you to trouble vs poore laboring meÌ„ so cruelly what meane you to reuenge
your selues vppon vs that doo you no harme what thinke you to gaine by vs you dwell not in caues or dennes you are no people barborous that you should delight in effusion of humaine bloudde At these woordes the tempest of stones did cease the storme of the dogges vanished away Then one standinge on the toppe of a great Cipresse trée spake vnto vs saying Thinke you not maisters that we doo this to the intent to rifle or take away any of your goodes but for the saluegarde of our selues and family now a Goddes name you may departe away So we weÌ„t forwarde some wounded with stones some bitten with dogges but generally there was none whiche escaped frée ¶ How the Shepeherdes determined to abide in a certaine woodde to cure their woundes Cap. 34. WHen we had gonne a good part of our way we came to a certayne woodde enuironed with great trées compassed about with pleasaunt medowes wheras the shéepeherdes apointed to continew a certaine space to cure their woundes and sores then they satte downe on the grounde to refresh their werie mindes and afterwardes they sought for medicines to heale their bodies some washed away their bloud with the water of the runninge riuer some stopped their woundes with sponges and cloutes in this maÌ„ner euery one prouided for his owne safety In the meane season we perceaued an old man who séemed to be a shéepeherde by reason of the goates and shéepe that fedde rouÌ„d about him Then one of our coÌ„pany demauÌ„ded whether he had any milke butter or chéese to sell To whom he made answeare shaking his head saying Doo you looke for any meat or drinke or any other refection here know you not in what place you be therwithal he toke his shéepe draue theÌ„ away as fast as he might possible This answere made our shéepeherdes greatly to feare that they thought of nothinge els butto enquire what countrey they weare in Howbeit they sawe no maner of persone of whome they might demaunde At length as they weare thus in doubte they â—erceiued an other olde man with a staffe in his hand very werie with trauell who approching nighe to our companie began to wéepe and complaine saiyng Alas maisters I praie you succour me miserable caitife and restore my neiphewe to me againe that by following a sparrowe that flewe before him is fallen into a ditche hereby and verely I thinke he is in daunger of death As for me I am not able to helpe him out by reason of my olde age but you that are so valiaÌ„t and lustie may easelie helpe me herein and deliuer me my boye my heire and guide of my life These woordes made vs all to pitie him And then the yongest and stoutest of our companie who alone escaped best the late skyrmishe of dogges and stones rose vp demauÌ„ding in what ditche the boie was fallen Mary ê™ he yonder and pointinge with his finger brought him to a great thicket of busshes and thorne where they both entred in In the meane season after y â— we had well refreshed our selues and cured our woundes we tooke vp our packes purposing to depart awaie And because we would not goe awaie without the yonge man our felowe The shepehardes whistled and called for him but wheÌ„ he gaue no answere they sent one of their companie to séeke him out who after a while returned againe with a pale face and sorowfull newes saiyng that he sawe a terrible Draggon eating and deuouring their compaignioÌ„ and as for the olde man he coulde sée him in no place When they hard this remeÌ„bring likewise the woordes of the first olde man that shaketh his head and draue away his sheepe they ranne away beatinge vs before them to flie from this desert and pestilent countrie ¶ How a woman killed her selfe and her childe because her husbande haunted harlottes Cap. 35. AFter that we had passed a great part of our iourney we came to a certaine village where we lay all night but herken and I will tell you a great mischiefe that happened there You shal vnderstande y â— there was a seruaunt to whome his maister had committed the whole gouermeÌ„t of his house and was maister of the lodginge where we lay this seruaunt had married a mayden of the same house how be it he was greatly in loue with a harlotte of the towne and accustomed to resorte vnto her wherewith his wife was so highly displeased and became so ielous that she gathered together all her husbandes substaÌ„ce with his tailes and bookes of accompte threwe them into a light fire she was not contented with this but she toke a corde bounde her childe which she had by her husband about her middle caste her selfe hedlonge into a déepe pitte The maister takinge in euill parte the death of these twaine toke his seruaunt whiche was the cause of this murder by his luxury and first after that he had put of all his apparell he annointed his body with hony and then bounde him sure to a figge trée where in a rotten stocke a great number of Pismares had builded their nestes the Pismares after they had felte the swéetnes of the hony came vpon his bodie and by litle and litle in continuance of time deuoured all his fleshe in such sorte that there remained on the trée nothinge els saue his bace bones this was declared vnto vs by the inhabitantes of the village there who greatly sorrowed for the death of this seruant then we auoidinge likewise from this dreadfull lodginge incontinently departed away ¶ Howe Apuleius was cheapened by diuers persons and how they loked in his mouth to know his age Cap. 36. AFter this we came to a fayre Citie very populous where our shéepeherdes determined to coÌ„tinew by reason y â— it séemed a place where they might liue vnknoweÌ„ farre from such as should pursue them and because it was a countrie very plentifull of corne and other victualles where when we had remained the space of thrée daies that I poore Asse and the other horses were fedde kept in the Stable to the intent we might séeme more saleable we were brought out at length to the market and by by a crier sounded with his horne to notifie y â— we were to be solde all my compaignioÌ„ horses were bought vp by gentlemen butas for me I stoode still forsaken of all men And when many biers came by and looked in my mouth to knowe mine age I was so werie with opening my iawes that at length vnable to endure any lenger wheÌ„ one came with a stinking payre of handes grated my gommes with his filthy fingers I bitte them cleane of whiche thing caused the standers by to forsake me as beinge a fierce and cruell beast the crier when he had gotten a hoarse voice with crying and sawe that no man would bie me began to mocke me saiyng To what end staÌ„de we here with this vile Asse this feble beast
out for succour His other twoo brethren hearing his lamentable voice ranne towardes him to helpe him casting their clokes about their left armes tooke vp stones to chase away the dogges but all was in vaine for they might sée their brother dismembred in euerie part of his body Who liyng at the very point of death desired his brethren to reuenge his death against the cruell tyrant And therewithall he gaue vp the ghost The other twoo brethern perceiuing so great a murder and neglecting their owne liues like desperat persons dressed them selues against the tyrant and threw a great nomber of stones at him but the bloudy thiefe exercised to such like mischiefes tooke a speare thrust him cleane thorough the bodie Howbeit he fell not downe to the grounde For the speare that came out at his backe ranne into the yearth and sustained him vp by and by came one of this Tirantes seruauÌ„ts the most sturdiest of the rest to helpe his maister who at his first coming toke vp a stone threw at the third brother but by reason the stone ranne alonge his arme it did not hurt him whiche chaunsed otherwise then all mens expectation was by and by the yonge man feigning that his arme was greatly wounded spake these woordes vnto the cruel bloudsucker Now maist thou â—hou wretche triumphe vpon the destruction of all our family nowe haste thou fedde thy insatiable crueltie with the bloud of thrée brethern nowe maiste thou reioyse at the fall of vs Citizins yet thinke not but that howe farre so euer thou doest remoue and extende the boundes of thy lande thou shalt haue some neighbour but howe greatly am I sory in that I haue loste mine arme wher withall I minded to cut of thy head when he had spoken these woordes The furious thiefe drewe out his dagger running vpon the yong man thought verely to haue slaine him but it chaunsed otherwise For the yonge man resisted him stoutly in bucklinge together by violeÌ„ce wrested the dagger out of his haÌ„d whiche done he killed the riche thiefe with his owne weapon and to the intent the yonge man would escape the handes of the seruauntes whiche came runninge to assiste their maister with the same dagger he cutte his owne throate These thinges were signified by the straunge and dreadful wonders which fortuned in the house of the good man who after he had harde these sorowfull tidinges coulde in no wise wéepe so farre was he stroken with dolor but presently takinge his knife wherewith he cutte his cheése and other meate before he cutte his owne throate like wise in suche sorte that he fell vpon the borde and embrued the table with the streames of his bloud in most miserable manner Hereby was my maister the gardiner depriued of his hope and paying for his dinner the watry teares of his eies mounted vpon my backe and so we wente homewarde the same way as we came ¶ How Apueeius was founde by his shadow Cap. 43. AS we passed by the way we mette with a tale souldiour for so his habite and countenaunce declared who with proude and arrogant woordes spake to my maister in this sorte Quorium vacuum ducis à suum My maister somwhat astonied at the straunge sightes which he saw before and ignorant of the latine tongue rode on spake neuer a woorde The souldiour vnable to refraine his insolence offended at his silence strake him on the shoulders as he satte vpon my backe then my maister gently made answeare that he vnderstoode not what he saide whereat the Souldiour angerly demaunded againe whither he rode with his Asse Mary ê™ he to the nexte Citie but I ê™ the Souldiour haue néede of his helpe to carry the trusses of our Capitayne from yender Castell and therewithall he toke me by the halter and woulde violently haue taken me away but my maister wipinge away the bloudde of the blowe which he receaued of the Souldiour desired him gentely and cinily to take some pitie vppon him and to lette him departe with his owne swearyng and affirminge that his slowe Asse weâ—nie dead with sicknes coulde skarse carry a fewe handfulles of herbes to the nexte towne much lesse he was able to beare any greater trusses but when he saw the Souldiour would in no wise be entreated but ready with his staffe to cleaue my maisters head my maister fell downe at his â—éete vnder colour to moue him to some pitie but when he sawe his time he tooke the Souldiour by the legges and caste him vppon the grounde Then he buffeted him thumped him bitte him and toke a stone and beate his face and his sides that he could not turnâ— or defende him selfe but onely threaten that if euer he rose he woulde choppe him in pieces The Gardener when he harde him say so drewe out his iauelin which he had by his side and when he had throwen it away he knockt and beatte him more cruelly then he did before in so muche that the Souldiour coulde not tell by what meanes to saue him selfe but by feigninge that he was dead Then my maister toke the iauelin and mounted vppon my backe ridinge in all haste to the nexte village hauinge no regarde to goe to his garden and when he came thither he turned into one of his fréendes house and declared all the whole matter desiringe him to saue his life and to hide him selfe and his Asse in some secrete place vntill suche time as all daunger were paste Then his fréende not forgettinge the auncient amitie betwéene them entertained him willingly and drewe me vp a payre of steares into a chaÌ„ber my maister crept into a chest lay hidden there with the couer closed faste The Souldiour as I afterwardes learned rose vp as one awaked from a dronken sléepe but he coulde skarse goe by reason of his wouÌ„des how be it at length by litle and litle thorough ayde of his staffe he came to the towne but he woulde not declare the matter to any person nor complaine to any iustice least he should be accused of cowardise or dasterdnes yet in the ende he tolde some of his coÌ„paignions of all the matter that happened then they toke him caused him to be closed in some secret place thinkinge that beside the iniury whiche he had receaued he should be accused of y â— breche of his faith by reason of y â— losse of his speare when they had learned y â— signes of my master thei weÌ„t to search him out at last ther was an vnfaithful neighbour y â— tolde them where we were then incoÌ„tinently the Souldiours went to the Iustice declaringe that they had lost by the way a siluer goblet of their Capitaines and that a gardener had found it who refusing to redeleuer y â— goblet was hiddeÌ„ in one of his fréendes house by and by the Magistrates vnderstandinge the losse of the Capitaine came to the doores where we were and commaunded our Oste to
the reste and followed the procession Euery one of the people knewe me pointinge at me with their fingers saide in this sorte beholde him who is this day transformed into a man by the puissance of the soueraigne Goddesse verely he is blessed and most blessed that hath merited so great grace from heauen as by the innocēcy of his former life and as it were by a newe regeneration is reserued to the obsequie of the Goddesse In the meane season by litle and litle we approched nighe vnto the sea coaste euen to that place where I lay the night before beinge an Asse There after the images reliques were orderly disposed the great Priest compassed about with diuers pictures according to the fashion of the Egiptians did dedicate consecrate with certaine prayers a fayre shippe made very cunningly purified the same w t a torch an egge sulphur the sayle was of white linnen cloth wheron was writē certaine letters which testified the nauigation to be prosperous the maste was of a great length made of a pine trée rounde very excellent with a shining toppe y e cabbin was couered ouer with couerings of golde all the shippe was made of Citron trée very fayre then al the people aswell religious as prophane toke a great nūber of Vannes replenished with odors pleasaūt smelles and threw them into the sea mingled with milke vntill the shippe was filled vp with large giftes and prosperous deuotions when as with a pleasant winde it launched out into the déepe but whē thei had lost the sight of the shippe euery mā carried again that which he brought and went towarde the Temple in like pompe and ordre as they came to the sea side When we were come to the Temple the great Priest and those whiche were deputed to carry the diuine figures but specially those whiche had longe time bene worshippers of the Religiō went into the secrete chāber of the Goddesse where they put placed the Images according to their order This done one of the company whiche was a Scribe or interpretour of letters who in forme of a preacher stoode vp in a chayre before the place of the holy colledge began to read out of a booke to enterpret to the great Prince the Senate and to all the noble order of Cheualry and generally to all the Romaine people and to all suche as be vnder the puissance and iurisdiction of Rome these woordes following 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signified y ◠ende of their diuine seruice and that it was lawfull for euery man to depart whereat all the people gaue a great shoute replenished with much ioye bare all kinde of herbes and garlandes of flowres home to their houses kissing and embrasing the steppes where the Goddesse passed howbeit I could not doo as the rest for my minde wold not suffer me to departe one foote away so earnest and attentife was I to beholde the beautie of the Goddesse with remembraunce likewise of my great trauell and miserie which I had endured ¶ How the Parentes and freendes of Apuleius harde newes that he was aliue and in health Cap. 48. IN the meane season newes was carried into my countrie as swifte as the flight of birdes or as the blaste of windes of the grace and benefite whiche I receaued of the goddesse and of my fortune woorthy to be had in memory Then my parentes fréendes seruauntes of our house vnderstandinge that I was not dead as thei were falsely enformed came towardes me with great diligence to sée me as a man raysed from death to life And I likewise which did neuer thinke to sée them againe was as ioyfull as they acceptinge and takinge in good part their honest giftes and oblations which they gaue to the intent I might bie such things as was necessary for my body After that I had made relation vnto them of all my pristine misery present ioyes I wente againe before the face of the Goddesse and hired me a house within the cloisture of the tēple to the ende I might continually be ready to the seruice of the Goddesse and ordinarily frequent the company of the priestes wherby I would wholy become deuout to the Goddesse and an inseparable woorshipper of her diuine name It fortuned that the Goddesse appeared to me oftentimes in the night perswadinge and commaundinge me to take the order of her religion but I although I was endewed with a desirous good wil yet the reuerende feare of the same withhelde me consideringe that her obeysaunce was harde and difficill the chastetie of the Priestes intollerable and the life fraile subiect to many incōueniences beinge thus in doubte I refrained my selfe from all those thinges as séeming impossible On a night the great Priest appeared vnto me presenting his lappe full of treasure and whē I demaunded what it signified he answeared that it was sent me from the countrie of Thessaly and that a seruaūt of mine named Candidus was arriued like wise whē I was awaked I mused in my self what this vistō should portēde cōsidering I neuer had any seruaūt called by that name but whatsoeuer it did signifie this I verely thought that it was a fore show of gaine prosperous chaunce while I was thus astonied I went to the Temple and tarried there till the openinge of the gates then I wente in began to pray before the face of the Goddesse the Priest prepared and set the diuine thinges on euery Aultour pulled out of the foūtaine the holy vessell with solempne supplication Then they began to singe the mattens of the mornyng testifiyng thereby the howre of the pryme By and by beholde arriued my seruauntes whiche I had left in the countrie whē Fotis by errour made me an Asse bringyng with thē my horse recouered by her through certaine signes and tokens which he had vpon his backe Then I perceaued the enterpretatiō of my dreame by reason that beside the promisse of gaine my white horse was restored to me which was signified by the argument of my seruaunt Candidus This done I retired to the seruice of the Goddesse in hope of greater benefites considering I had receaued a signe and token wherby my courage encreased euery day more more to take vpon me the orders and Sacramētes of the Temple In so much that I oftentimes cōmuned with the Priest desiringe him greatly to giue me the first degree of the Religion but he which was a mā of grauitie well renoumed in y ◠order of priesthood differd my affection frō day to day with comfort of better hope as parentes cōmonly bridle the desires of their children when they attempt or endeuor any vnprofitable thing saying y t the day whē any one should be admitted into their order is appointed by the Goddesse the Priest which shoulde minister the sacrifice is chosen by her prouidence and the necessarie charges of the ceremouies is allotted by her commaundement